SSA Rec Programs

Fun, developmental soccer for U4-U19 players of all skill levels—no tryouts required. Fall and Spring seasons focus on building skills, confidence, and a love for the game in a positive environment.

Overview by Age Group

Age groups at the recreational level are combined. For more information, visit our Youth Age Groups page.

U4 Rec

Our co-ed U4 program introduces children to soccer through fun, age-appropriate games and activities in a safe, positive environment. There are no set teams or head coaches. A parent, guardian, or older sibling must attend each session and is encouraged to participate.

U5-U6 Rec

Our co-ed U5-U6 program introduces players to soccer in a fun, non-competitive environment while developing basic skills and confidence. Teams have a volunteer coach, practice once a week for one hour, and play scheduled 3v3 games on weekends.

U5-U7 Pre-Academy

SSA’s U5-U7 Pre-Academy provides advanced development for young players ready for more. The program focuses on building technical skills, game understanding, and confidence while preparing players for the U8 Academy program.

U7-U8 Rec

Our U7-U8 program helps players build skills and confidence in a fun, supportive environment. Teams are led by volunteer coaches, practice once a week for one hour, and play scheduled 5v5 games on weekends.

U9-U10 Rec

Our U9-U10 program focuses on skill development, teamwork, and learning attacking and defending concepts in a fun environment. Teams practice twice a week for one hour and play scheduled 7v7 games on weekends with assigned referees.

U11-U12 Rec

Our U11-U12 program focuses on developing technical skills, teamwork, and a stronger understanding of attacking and defending. Teams practice twice a week for one hour and play scheduled 9v9 games on weekends with assigned referees.

U13-U14 Rec

Our U13-U19 program provides a positive, competitive environment for players of all experience levels to continue developing their skills and understanding of the game. Teams practice twice a week and play scheduled 11v11 games on weekends.

More than soccer. A place to play, grow, belong, and fall in love with the game.


Rec Program Details

Important! Games may occasionally be affected by weather, and schedules are subject to change.

U4

Season: 6-7 weeks

U4: Coed

Ball Size: 3

Weekly Practices: 1

Practice: 45'

Roster Size: N/A

Games: N/A
Game Duration: N/A

U5-U8

Season: 9-10 Weeks

U5-U6: Coed
U7-U8: Coed or Boys / Girls

Ball Size: 3

Weekly Practices: 1

Practice: 60'

Roster Size: 9-10

Games (U5-U6): 3v3

Games (U7-U8): 5v5
Game Duration: 4x12'

U9-U12

Season: 9-10 Weeks

U9-U12: Boys / Girls

Ball Size: 4

Weekly Practices: 2

Practice: 60'

Roster Size (U9-U10): 12-14

Roster Size (U11-U12): 14-18

Games (U9-U10): 7v7

Games (U11-U12): 9v9
Game Duration: 2x30'

U13-U19

Season: 9-10 Weeks

U13-U19: Boys / Girls

Ball Size: 5

Weekly Practices: 2

Practice (U13-U14): 60'

Practice (U15-U19): 90'

Roster Size: 16-26

Games: 11v11

Duration (U13-U14): 2x35'
Duration (U15-U16): 2x40'
Duration (U17-U19): 2x45'

Fall 2026 Season

Keep these important dates and deadlines in mind throughout the season.

  • Registration Opens: June 1
  • $10 Early Bird Discount Ends: June 30
  • Fall Registration Ends: July 31 (or when program fills up)
  • Waitlist Starts: August 1
  • Coach / Player Contact: 1 week before practices
  • Game Schedule Posted: 10 days before first weekend of games
  • Practices Begin: August 31-September 19 (see locations below)
  • Games Begin: September 12-19 (see locations below)
  • Regular Season Games End: November 14

Cartersville

U4: $90
U5-U6: $100
U8: $110
U10-U19: $120
Pre-Academy (U5-U7): $290


Practices Start:
U4: Sep. 10
U5-U8: Week of Sep. 7
U10-U19: Week of Aug. 31

Games Start:
U5-U8: Weekend of Sep. 19
U10-U19: Weekend of Sep. 12

Coweta

U4-U8: $90
U10: $145
U12: $150
U14-U19: $155
Pre-Academy (U5-U7): $340


Practices Start:
U4: Week of Sep. 19
U5-U19: Week of Aug. 31


Games Start:

U5-U12: Weekend of Sep. 12

Paulding

U4: $90
U5-U6: $105
U8: $125
U10: $165
U12-U19: $175
Pre-Academy (U5-U7): $340


Practices Start:
U4: Sep. 10
U5-U8: Week of Sep. 7
U10-U19: Week of Aug. 31


Games Start:

U5-U8: Weekend of Sep. 19
U10-U19: Weekend of Sep. 12

Kennesaw

U4: $100
U5-U6: $125
U8: $145
U10: $185
U12-U19: $195
Pre-Academy (U5-U7): $340


Practices Start:
U4: Sep. 10
U5-U8: Week of Sep. 7
U10-U19: Week of Aug. 31


Games Start:

U5-U8: Weekend of Sep. 19
U10-U19: Weekend of Sep. 12

Marietta

U4: $100
U5-U6: $125
U8: $145
U10: $185
U12-U19: $195
Pre-Academy (U5-U7): $340


Practices Start:
U4: Sep. 30
U5-U8: Week of Sep. 7
U10-U19: Week of Aug. 31

Games Start:
U5-U8: Weekend of Sep. 19
U10-U19: Weekend of Sep. 12

Seasonal Fees & Start Dates

Fees cover all season costs, but exclude uniform purchased separately (all locations).

Register Today

Find a SSA Swarm location to begin your recreational soccer journey.

Choose Location to Register

Useful Links

Every player starts somewhere. Make the first step one they’ll always remember.


Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the registration process for Recreational Soccer?

    Southern Soccer Academy uses the Playmetrics platform for all registration and payment processes. Once an account is created, a parent/guardian will be able to manage all aspects, including registering for individual programs and making payment(s) to secure a place on the program itself.


    SSA will accept registrations through the registration deadline as listed above, or until a program is full (whichever comes first).


    Once a player is registered AND PAID, our administrative staff will begin the process of assigning the player to a program team working to the schedule above.


    In situations where a registration has been completed but space is not available, a full refund will be issued.

  • Can I make a special request?

    Yes, during the registration process there is the option to add a special request such as asking for particular day(s) for practice, or to be rostered with a friend to the same team (players may ask to play up an age group, but cannot be rostered to a team in a younger age group for purposes of playing with a friend). If you are a returning player, you may also request a particular coach or team. Special requests cannot be guaranteed though, especially in instances where a team roster is already full given that players are assigned in order of registration and there may be more players requesting a particular coach or team than there are roster spots available.    

  • How do I order a uniform?

    Uniforms are ordered through our online vendor (Capelli) and delivered directly to your home. Participants will also need shinguards and soccer cleats.

  • What is a waitlist?

    For some of our programs, the number of player registrations we receive exceeds the roster space available. In these instances, we create waitlists to allow a provisional player registration that can be activated in the event that additional teams are created, or registrations completed earlier in the registration window are canceled. Registrations to waitlists are not charged.

  • What happens once registration closes?

    1. Our administrators work to assign over 4,000 players to almost 350 teams across all our locations, looking to ensure that players are evenly spread across all the teams to provide a reasonable depth of squad for practice and games. As they go through that process, they will be taking late-registered players from the wait list and adding them into teams where space exists.


    2. At the same time, our administrators will match coaches to teams, using information shared with them by the Rec Director.


    3. Schedule regular-season games, looking to have the schedules released to SSA membership approximately 10 days before the first weekend of the season for the majority of the age groups.


    If you have any questions about the process, please feel free to check the website for latest updates, or contact your location Rec Director or administrator.

  • What equipment does my child need?

    In addition to soccer cleats, shinguards, and a uniform, all players should bring a water bottle to practice, while players in the U5 and older age groups should also bring a soccer ball (size 3 for U5-U8, size 4 for U10-U12, and size 5 for U14 and older). Players in the U4 age group wil receive a shirt and a ball at their first practice as part of the registration fees.

  • When should I order my child's uniform?

    We recommend placing your uniform order as soon as possible to ensure receipt prior to the first weekend of the season.

  • When will I hear from my child's coach?

    Rosters are shared with coaches 1 week before practices are scheduled to start. Coaches will then start to reach out to their players for a general introduction, along with details on practice times and fields.

  • What is the program refund policy?

    Once a player is registered and placed on a team, no refund of fees will be issued. Refunds for registrations canceled prior to the rostering process are at the club's discretion. 

  • How do I volunteer to coach?

    Recreational soccer programs are built on the involvement of volunteers. SSA has an excellent support system in place for our coaches and also offers many benefits, including a 100% fee credit for head coaches (payable at the end of the season) to cover one child registered to the same team.


    To register as a volunteer coach, you must establish an account within the system. Once logged in, you will be able to complete a volunteer registration by adding yourself as a participant, afterwhich the option to register as a coach will appear. 


    Please be sure to reach out to the program's Recreational Director after completing a registration to continue the process.

  • Are rained out games and practices made up?

    Practice and game schedules are subject to effects of the weather and other factors outside of the control of the club and cannot be guaranteed. 


    In the event of rain-outs, the club will look to ensure that a minimum of 7 game dates are played across the season. Make-up practices are subject to field and coach availability.