Recreational Soccer League Fall 2026

Columbus Soccer is excited to announce a new RECREATIONAL soccer league for Fall 2026!

Check out these program highlights:

Open to boys and girls ages 4 through 18 (age as of July 31, 2027).
No prior soccer experience necessary.
Everyone gets to play. Small-sided games to maximize playing time and touches on the ball.
Practices and games are on the same weeknight. No weekend games!
Every player receives the same training.
All practices and games are held at Wilderness Park Soccer Complex.
League shirt included in the cost of registration.
Volunteer to coach and your child plays for free! Coaches get a free shirt.
(Refund given at conclusion of the season to verify a coach completes the season)
Learn to become a referee: Simplified rules to help you learn, plus you get paid and a free shirt!

Click here to register for our recreational soccer league

Click here for help using the new PlayMetrics system

MORE INFORMATION

Recreational soccer is open to anyone looking for a fun and well-organized local soccer league. We have already laid out a timeline of important dates so you know exactly what to expect from registration through the end of the season. No more guessing when schedules will be available (those will be released one month before the first game). We will communicate directly with parents, so no need to wait for your coach to reach out (we make it easy to be a coach). Parents will have access to their schedule and other league information directly in the PlayMetrics app and on our website. Important updates, announcements, and schedule changes (such as weather cancellations) will be communicated to parents directly from the league.

Each week, teams will meet for a brief practice followed immediately by their weekly soccer game, all on the same night. Having all practices and games at Wilderness Park Soccer Complex gives parents a simple, convenient way to manage your busy schedule. Plus, we help keep your weekends free by having games played during the week. League shirts will be handed out to each team on the first night of practices/games (your coach will still have them if you miss the first week). Players will only need to bring shin guards, socks of any color, shoes (soccer cleats recommended, but not required), and a ball and water bottle with your name on them each week.

This new recreational soccer league follows many of the same philosophies as other recreational programs to create a fun learning environment for all soccer players regardless of age or ability. To further improve a player's love of the game, our league includes weekly training to ensure that all soccer players are learning the same fundamentals and techniques that will give them the confidence to get in the game and build a foundation for continued growth for as long as they play.

Recreational soccer is a key component of Columbus Soccer's "Player Development Pathway." Recreational soccer exists for players who are not part of our competitive pathway (travel club teams) with training geared at those who are just starting out or who have played recreationally for a number of years. Training in our recreational league is provided in a no-pressure environment and is simplified and slower-paced than the training provided to our competitive teams. Our "Player Development Pathway" gives parents the power to choose what is best for their child regardless of their age. At any point, a parent can choose to move their child from recreational to competitive, or from competitive to recreational.

Recreational soccer does not use a tryouts system to form teams. Rather, we will balance rosters based solely on the feedback provided by each parent during the registration process. The focus of our recreational league is fun and development and it is our goal to form teams that create meaningful games for everyone.

COACHES NEEDED

We make being a volunteer coach very easy. Coaches will be provided a specific training program for their respective age division (all teams in the same age bracket will learn the same skills). You don't need to research or develop your own drills, and you don't need to worry about lining up a separate night and location for practice. We only need an adult volunteer coach to show up once per week and follow this provided training plan during the practice portion of the weekly session. During games, coaches need to make sure players are being rotated in the game to give everyone equal playing time and a different positions. Coaches are not required to call their roster about upcoming games or practices...our league will take care of the communication. Everything (schedules, registration) will be done electronically, and any changes or updates will be automatically pushed to parents as soon as they happen.

As a thank you for being a soccer coach in our recreational league, you will receive a free league shirt and, once the season has been completed, we will refund your child's registration fee in full. This is a great way to work with your child and give back to your community. Registration is easy and can be completed while signing up your child for our league.

REFEREES NEEDED

If you've followed youth sports in any capacity, you may have noticed a decreasing number of officials available to cover games. Our recreational soccer league is a great way to start out as a new soccer referee. For our recreational soccer league, we have simplified the law book so that you can focus on proper positioning, mechanics, and calling the ball in and out of play.

Referees will be paid for their time and will also receive a free referee shirt. If you enjoy being a referee, we can provide additional guidance on becoming certified for other levels of play. Referees in Columbus have a number of opportunities to make good money, from Fall and Spring NYSL games, to the June and October soccer tournaments held in town, adult soccer league, and even high school and college games. If you are interested in learning more or want to sign up to help, register as a referee volunteer during the registration process or complete the "Become a Referee" form found on our Referee Resources page, and our Head Referee will be in contact right away.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Lots of fun and learning every week. We have posted our list of important dates (click here for more details). Weather-related announcements will be communicated directly to parents and posted on our website and social media (Facebook). Click on the images below to download and print your own copy of important league information.

Still have questions? Click here to email our League Director

Click an image below to download and print your own copy of our league flyer: