Indoor Soccer for Youth PreK through High School
Winter 2023 Program Info

Schedules are now posted! You can view your teams schedule on the Sports Engine app or take a look here on your team page. Registration will remain open until all team slots are filled. We are still in need of volunteer coaches for teams. If you are interested please reach out to us! 

The registration form below is for ALL youth players participating in FYSA organized events for the Winter 2023 season, from PreK through High School, including Eclipse SC players. Note: the registration form is set to only collect basic info for each player & parent/guardian, with no registration fee associated within the form (all details to be coordinated within the club's regular, existing structure). 

FYSA indoor soccer programs are a great way for youth to keep active during the long winter months! On this page we will share a LOT of information for all youth programs. As always, if you can't find answers to a question here, feel free to contact us at staff@fairbanksyouthsoccer.com or call 907-456-3972

For those that appreciate the TLDR versions of things ('Too Long. Didn't Read.) here are the highlights!

• Registration is open for the Winter 2023 season
• Initial registration period closes Thursday December 15th at 11:59pm
• Some teams will begin in mid-January, others in the week or two following that
• Options again offered for PreK through High School
• An enhanced Select ('advanced rec') option exists for grades 1st-2nd, under the name of Midnight Sun FC (skill assessment required)
• Space is limited like last season. Sign up early!

Who Can Participate?
Program options are available for all youth in grades Kindergarten through High School. We will also have a limited capacity PreK program (min. age 3).

Just as last winter, our gym times are very limited, especially with the closure of Joy and Nordale Elementary, which are no longer available for gym rentals. As such, we have the following divisions planned for the Fall 2022 Indoor session:
PreK - 4 small groups max (2 time slots).
Kindergarten - 4 teams max.
1st-2nd Grade Recreational - 4 teams max
1st-2nd Grade Select* - 4 teams max
3rd-4th Grade Recreational - 4 teams max
3rd-4th Grade Select* - 4 teams max
5th-6th Grade Recreational - 4 teams max
5th-6th Grade Select* - 4 teams max
7th-8th Grade - 5 teams max
High School - 5 teams max
Eclipse Soccer Club - Team plans to be coordinated between the club Technical Director and team coaches.
*See further below on this page for exciting updates regarding the 'advanced rec' division option.

For Recreational and Select divisions, FYSA will use the established grade-based birthdate windows utilized by the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, which begins with 'Age 5 by Sept. 1st for those in Kindergarten' and 'Age 6 by Sept. 1st for those in 1st Grade' etc. Players whose birthdate/grade combination are outside of these typical parameters are welcome to contact FYSA to have their registration options adjusted accordingly.

Registration Fees
PreK - $50
Kindergarten - $125
Recreational 1st and 2nd Grade - $125
Recreational 3rd through 8th Grade - $130
Select 1st through 6th Grade - $TBD
7th-8th Grade - $140
High School - $150
*Families wishing to pay for the season with homeschool allocation funds may do so by making a payment during the checkout process and submitting their confirmation email receipt for reimbursement with their program. FYSA IS able to direct bill some homeschool programs on a family's behalf, however you'll need to contact us in advance as the registration will not allow you to submit the form without payment (or admin assistance for a 'pay later' situation).
**Online processing fees (2.95% + $1.00) per payment are assessed by the website provider and will be added to the total of each order.
Note: these registration amounts were set in consultation with the FYSA Board of Directors this fall, after consideration of the substantial increases in program expenses during 2022.

Registration Period
SPACE WILL BE VERY LIMITED, WITH ENROLLMENT CAPS IN PLACE! Registration ends Thursday, December 15th at 11:59pm. At that point, the registration form will close for a few days to allow staff to organize teams and begin forming schedules. This process takes significant time and focus and our goal is to get schedules and teams finalized and posted as soon as possible after registration ends. Registration closes at the time mentioned above, but WILL reopen to allow any late registrations to fill remaining open spots OR to allow for Waitlist registrations (no cost) should a spot become available. Registrants will receive a 'season-prep status update' email sometime in the following 2 weeks to give more details about season start dates and gear pick-up for any items purchased during registration.

Season Dates, Season Length, and Schedule Details

Games: All divisions for grades Kindergarten through High School will have a 8 total games for the season. Games typically take place on Saturdays between 10am and 6pm. While most games will be on Saturdays, teams may occasionally have a weeknight game, as we juggle the complexities of inconsistent facility schedules. It is anticipated that the first games for some older teams will take place on Saturday January 14th, with first practices scheduled in the week preceding this. Other teams will begin the following week and some other may start the week after that. Many of these details cannot be set in stone until after the registration period closes. The 'Who plays when?' question is determined after registration closes due to parameters that may need to be met for volunteers who coach more than one team, gym allocations by FNSBSD, etc. However, game times will generally stay within a consistent range for each age group throughout the season.

Practices: All teams in divisions Kindergarten through High School will also have a weekly practice on a weeknight between 6pm and 9pm (younger time slots are always used first for the youngest teams, with 8pm practices used only for older teams and only when absolutely necessary due to gym availability). We anticipate teams having their first practices in the week prior to their first game (see previous section for start dates). Games and practices are typically scheduled in 1-hour time slots. If an age group has an odd number of teams, this would result in 1 team having a 'bye' each week (no game, possibly no practice). If you notice a gap in your schedule, it is likely due to having an odd number of teams in your division (or a week of low gym availability). Additionally, the season's 8 games may occur over a 9, 10 or even 10 week timeframe!

PreK Schedule Details! PreK participants will meet once a week on Saturdays for 4 weeks. The registration form will allow you to select either 4pm or 5pm. There are TWO sessions to choose from, each 4 weeks long. The first begins Saturday February 4th. The second begins Saturday March 25th. Location will be Tanana Middle School.

General Program Info

All activities take place on a hardcourt surface, in both local school gyms as well as the beautiful new courts inside the Carlson Center, set up and managed by FYSA on our designated dates this winter. Some age groups may have most if not all games scheduled in the Carlson Center, others (i.e. most younger age groups) will only have a limited schedule in that facility. 

All teams are co-ed, with games for almost all divisions played as 5v5 (4 players plus a goalie) in a 'futsal' style format. UPDATE for WINTER SEASON: The High School division will play all games as 7v7 on the larger, double-sized court at the Carlson Center!

'Futsal' balls are slightly smaller and slightly heavier than a typical outdoor soccer ball and a are 'low-bounce' ball which allows for better ball control and skill development. In the smaller space of a school gym, keeping the ball closer to the ground and at the feet of players is a significant aspect of indoor soccer. Coaches will be given a small set of futsal balls. Players will not be required to have their own futsal ball, but these WILL be available for purchase through the online registration process.

There are additional adjustments to the rules for play for futsal compared to outdoor soccer (kick-ins vs. throw-ins, no sliding, etc.) included in an updated Program Handbook, available as a pdf near the top of this page.

Teams are general formed based on geographic zones. However, there are no guarantees that teams are assigned specific gym locations as that is based on what is allocated to FYSA by the school district for specific nights. Our goal with using a geographical zone data-point is for youth to have the chance to see a familiar face or two on their team.

During team formation, we strive to make all teams as balanced as possible. This is easier said than done and even an age group that appears perfectly 'balanced' on paper likely may not be due to each unique player's experience. While all teams are co-ed, there are no specific requirements for the ratio or number of players of each gender out on the court at all times during matches. The best way to keep things balanced is our Fair Play Policy, which ensures that all players receive a minimum of 50% of playing time during matches they are present. Additionally, rosters are kept to and appropriate size to allow players to have as much, usually more, time on the court vs. on the bench (ex. age groups playing 5v5 would have a roster max of 10).

One of the more common questions we get pertains to carpooling needs. During registration, you can provide a name of a specific player to be considered for team placement. Additionally, players wanting to play up into an older age group should contact FYSA prior to registering.

If you have any questions about any indoor program details, feel free to contact FYSA at staff@fairbanksyouthsoccer.com or 907-456-3972

"What does my player need to play?"
A soccer player's uniform consists of 5 items and they all begin with 'S': Shirt, Shorts, Shinguards, Socks and Shoes. Please read through each category to understand uniform guidelines for your child.

Shirt. Every player needs to have one of the FYSA blue/green reversible jerseys as shown in the image above. These were introduced for the summer 2017 season. Any players who still have their jersey should continue to use it! If a player is new to our league, has lost their jersey, grown out of it or worn it out, they need to buy a new reversible jersey. This can be done during registration. Be sure to check 'Yes' when asked about purchasing a new jersey ($17). If someone forgets to add this during registration or if they accidentally paid for a jersey that they didn't need, just contact FYSA to get things squared away.

Shorts. PreK players are permitted to wear athletic pants, sweats, etc. All players in grades K-12 shall wear BLACK shorts for soccer games. FYSA has these for sales for $5 each, however you don't have to wear 'our' brand/style. They should just be black and be the loose, athletic style. Volleyball, spandex, denim or cycling type shorts are not acceptable. Goalkeepers are permitted to wear pants as are other players with religious considerations (skirts are acceptable). 

Shinguards. All players in grades K-12 shall wear shinguards for all soccer activities. Shinguards are option for PreK players. However, because they are required for all games in K-12 divisions, the PreK stage is the perfect time to get used to the feeling of this important piece of equipment. FYSA has shinguards for sale for $9.

Socks. This is an easy one! Socks must cover the shinguards completely. Note: unlike a player's shorts (black), there is no mandated color requirement for socks for our league. FYSA has these for sale for $5 each.

Shoes. No cleats! Indoor soccer shoes or non-marking tennis shoes are to be worn. FYSA has a limited stock of indoor soccer shoes for sale. Contact us for more info, check size availability, etc.

Ball. Indoor soccer programs utilize a 'futsal' ball, which is a slightly heavier and smaller, low-bounce ball, meant to keep the play low to the ground and closer to your feet. Futsal is the name of hard-court, indoor soccer around the world and futsal balls are a standard piece of equipment that help better suit the unique gameplay of the indoor game. Players are not required to own their own futsal balls. Coaches will receive a small batch of balls to use for practices and games. However, a new futsal ball can be purchased during registration for $24.

A final note on player equipment: JEWELRY! No jewelry of any kind, including watches, shall be worn while playing soccer. This includes rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and other piercings. Simply putting a piece of tape over a piece of metal does almost nothing to prevent possible injury. There are plenty of horrific images available (which we're inclined to not post here!) to illustrate potential damage to oneself or another player, that can be prevented by removing jewelry prior to soccer activities. While some may respond that new piercings can't be taken out otherwise the tissue might close, this is not the case for the short period of time a player is on the field. If there is a concern of this nature, a parent can help a player replace the piercing as soon as a player is subbed off the field and remove them before going back in. Just like other preventable injuries, no one who has had this happen to themselves would have thought it was possible that it would be a such a concern, until it was. It might be uncomfortable to remove and replace a piercing, but the potential for serious injury is of far more concern.

Over the last several winters, FYSA has offered an 'Advanced Rec' option for players to have a higher level of competition than the typical entry-level recreational league. For years we have discussed internally (and with many of you!) the benefits that would exist for our overall soccer program to have a more established 'middle tier' division. Rather than offering something only on occasion in the realm of 'not quite competitive/travel club soccer' but 'more meat and potatoes than recreational league', it's time we moved forward with something more official. So here we go!

Many large programs around the country offer multi-tiered options of leagues referred to as Recreational, Select and Premier. Starting with this Winter 2023 season, we are launching Midnight Sun FC (MSFC) as our 'Select' division of league play. The existing Eclipse SC teams can be considered that 'Premier' division, and the Recreational category is self-explanatory.

This indoor season, we will offer 3 age groups for MSFC: 1st-2nd Grade, 3rd-4th Grade, and 5th-6th Grade. Only 4 teams in each division will be formed. A Skill Assessment event is planned for Tuesday 12/13. This is meant for any interested players, to come out and work with an experienced coach and make sure that playing in this advanced division will be an appropriate fit. While there may be a higher level of play and inherently more 'competitive' gameplay, we still want this Select division to have a recreational spirit. Kids still need to enjoy playing the game and a minimum of 50% playing time is still expected for those on these MSFC teams. 

Who will MSFC teams play? Great question! It will be quite a mix of opponents. Of course each of the 4 teams will play each other  once, perhaps twice. Opponent selection will be a very focused effort, with Select teams potentially playing against an older Recreational team or a Premier (Eclipse SC) team that is slightly younger. A 'pairing matrix' that includes ALL teams will be drafted to identify matchups that will be considered 'ideal, acceptable or unacceptable', as a way to incorporate all teams into one overall season of games. The goal for all our programs is for youth to enjoy playing soccer. In this new Select division, our match-up processes will work to provide some variety and opportunities for growth and competition for all those involved.

Some of the historical variables used to create teams for the Recreational division, such as 'Geographic Zone' will not be as relevant for this Select division, as roster formation will be done in a more deliberate fashion. Legitimate carpooling needs will still be taken into consideration. However using that open text answer field for picking preferred teammates may not be guaranteed.

We will coordinate with existing local coaches to strive for our Select division to have a higher level of coaching and we'll be looking to recruit additional individuals with more soccer experience who might be interested in being involved with this new program. Teams will still have 8 games for the season. In addition to a weekly practice, we expect to schedule at least 4 additional training sessions with local coaches with even more experience and/or coaching licenses.

Player uniforms will be a higher quality, with purchasing details to be arranged AFTER teams are formed. Note: any money spent on soccer uniform purchases within this registration will be applied towards any future uniform costs. I.e. if you pay for a blue/green recreational league jersey or black shorts/socks and won't need them due to being placed on an MSFC team, we'll know that long before the season begins and apply that credit towards the future uniform cost.

The season fee for MSFC teams will be slightly higher than the recreational league, but not by a massive jump. This is why every interested player will still register for the recreational league as normal. Do this and then come to the skill assessment on the designated date, and we'll take care of things  on the admin side for all players who make the teams. Any remaining amounts will be invoiced on player accounts.

Going into the summer, we hope to continue this new endeavor. There will be some additional changes come summer season in regards to age groupings (birth year based vs grade based, determine which divisions will remain co-ed vs. being split, any plans for traveling within Alaska to play against other comparable rec clubs that might field and 'advanced' team for interplay).

This is a new thing. We're excited about it. We want to see it flourish. We can't do it without families taking the leap with us and coaches helping take the lead. We know we'll learn and grow together and are excited at the future of this middle-tier soccer division here in Fairbanks. Midnight Sun FC will evolve as time goes on, but for now, select your skill assessment slot and put it on your calendar! We'll see you then :)