Spring 2023 Teams are formed! Click HERE to see Teams and Practice Schedules.
Spring 2023
Dec 1st, 2022 – Registration
Registration is OPEN! Space is limited! (When you click on the provided link below, you must first create a “gotsoccer” account before Registering or Sponsoring, if you have not done so previously.) Player Registration costs $125 for Recreation, $60 Super Starters, and Free for Sunlights. No cost for Coach Registration.
Rec (U6-U18) and SuperStarters (U4 U5) Player Registration
SunLights (Mentally Challenged) Player and Coach Registration
After Registration, All Coaches must complete a background check, “Safe Sport” training, and “Heads Up” training from the GotSport Website. Once logged into GotSport as a coach, Click on “Dashboard”. You will see the REQUIREMENTS and the status. The ones that state “Required”, click on “details”, then please complete the training. All coaches MUST COMPLETE THESE ITEMS in order to coach for the Season. In addition, we expect that our coaches protect our players (physically, emotionally, socially, etc), do not use profanity, teach soccer, teach good sportsmanship, and help the players HAVE FUN! See the Coach Page for more details.
Sponsorships
Sponsorships are needed and encouraged to continue to provide resources to Big Sun. Currently we are trying to raise money to Get Lighting For ALL of Our Fields! Your help is greatly appreciated in trying to accomplish this goal. Lighting will enhance our ability to have games throughout the week, have more practice time, and expand our services to accommodate more teams.
Sponsorships will have advertisements options to be highlighted on our website, at our facility, on T-shirts, verbal acknowledgment, as well as receive other player perks. The cost for Sponsorships start at $250. If you are sponsoring in order to obtain a player perk, please ensure that you understand available player perks from our Recreation FAQs Section. You must also have a coach that has approved your request before you sponsor a team. All Sponsorships are nonrefundable. Sponsorship player perks can only be granted for sponsors that have paid before February 2nd. Please see our Sponsorship Page for more information and the Sponsorship Form.
Mon, Jan 30, 2023 7pm – Coaches Meeting @ Big Sun Soccer Complex
Mandatory for all recreation coaches of all age groups. It should be quick, to the point, and useful information. We also need some key information from you. We will be declaring practice locations and days. We will be declaring your 4 guaranteed players. We will not be changing decisions that are made on this night. If you can’t be there, please send a representative that can make decisions for you and your team. We will be requiring more out of our coaches than ever before (don’t worry, you can handle it). We will be discussing Coach Administrators and their role as well. Make-up date – Thursday Feb 2nd.
Team Sizes
U18 – Rosters of no more than 17 players – 11v11 on the Field
U14 – 17 Players – 11v11
U11 – 11 Players – 9v9
U8 – 10 Players – 6v6
U6 – 7 Players – 4v4
AGE GROUPS
Player Age Groups are calculated by BIRTH YEAR. This website helps to explain – SOCCER AGE EXPLAINED .
ASSIGNMENT – Player BIRTH YEAR
SuperStarters – 2018, 2019
U6 – 2017
U8 – 2015, 2016
U11 – 2012, 2013, 2014
U14 – 2009, 2010, 2011,
U18 – 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
Evaluations U14 (Ages 11-13) U18 (Ages 14-18)
Wear a white shirt, shin guards, cleats, and soccer shorts. Bring water to drink. Sign in at the concession stand. Further directions will be given there. Evaluations are made to correctly grade players and create fair teams. All U14 and U18 players are expected to participate. We will need about 6 volunteers for each night to help sign-in our players. We will also need U14/U18 coaches to be present.
Tuesday, Jan 31st, 2023, Big Sun Field 3, U14- 5:30p-7p, U18-7p-8:30p
Wednesday, Feb 1st, 2023, Big Sun Field 3, U14- 5:30p-7p, U18-7p-8:30p
Feb. 10th – Rosters Released
February 13th – Recreation Practice Begins (click to see Field Maps)
Your coach will contact you with practice nights, times, and field locations by 2/12/2023. These details will also be posted on social media and emailed. Usually these practices are on Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday. Times vary between coaches but must be between the times of 5:30-7:30. The first week of practice we will need 8-10 extra volunteers to help ensure that everyone finds where they are trying to go.
Feb. 17th – Full Schedule Released
Feb 21st – Uniforms Delivered
Feb 25th – Opening Day – Recreation League Jamboree
The Jamboree is a two game scrimmage. Each team plays two games. The games are half games and do not count towards win/loss totals (U14/U18). Opening Ceremony 8:45 am (prompt 9am start)
Feb 25th – Sun Lights begins
9a-10a, Field 9c (Big Sun)
March 4th – Super Starters begins
9:30a-10:30, Field 8c (Big Sun)
Spring 2023 REC Soccer Game Schedule
Picture Day, TBD
May 6th – Closing Day (End of Season)
We will have Medals for all participants! For U14 and U18 – 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place will be recognized.
How are teams created? (Includes Coach and Assistant coach “Perks”)
Teams start with a coach. Coaches may receive up to 4 guaranteed players on their respective teams. Coaches may automatically get their children or direct relatives guaranteed on their teams. Coaches are allowed one Assistant coach. This assistant coach is also allowed to have their children guaranteed on their teams as long as the number of guaranteed players does not exceed 4. At this point, if there are additional guaranteed positions that are not filled, the coach may accept sponsors. The coach may accept up to 2 sponsors, up to but not exceeding the total of 4 guaranteed players. After these guaranteed players are added to the team, all additional players are randomly assigned by the board.
What Player Perks are available for Sponsors?
Sponsors have a few of options.
-
-
- They may choose to allow their player to choose their coach, IF the coach has approved of this player counting towards one of their “4 Guaranteed Players”.
- They may choose to allow their player to “play up” from U14 to U18, IF they have a coach willing to accept this player to his team and allow them to count towards one of their “4 Guaranteed Players”. There is absolutely NO “playing up” for any players that are from any teams U11 or younger.
- If a player is waitlisted, they may participate in the sponsorship program to get off of the waitlist and be rostered for the season.
-
My child is “too (Insert Excuse Here)” to play on the assigned team, can they “Play Up”?
We firmly believe that players will develop best when paired with children their own age. As a rule, we do NOT allow players to “play up”. The only exceptions we will allow are:
-
-
- A player is in the U14 league and the player’s parent, grandparent, or sibling agrees to coach or assistant coach a team in the U18 league.
- A player is in the U14 league and sponsor’s a coach in the U18 league that agrees, in advance of sponsorship, to accept the player as one of their “4 guaranteed players”.
-
There are NO ADDITIONAL exceptions to these rules. If you do not fit in these exceptions, we Strongly Encourage you to join a travel team to best help your player improve their skills with more appropriately skilled players. If you would like more information in regards to your child playing/practicing with Ocala Premier, please contact them at info@bigsunsoccer.com.
Additional FAQ’s
SuperStarters - Saturday mornings
Traditional Rec - Typically twice per week, week nights
Sun Lights - Saturday mornings
SuperStarters - Practice & Games 1 hour (9am-10am)
Traditional Rec - Up to 2 hours
Sun Lights - Practice & Games 1 hour (10am-11am)
All age groups play on Saturday mornings.
SuperStarters - 6 sessions
Traditional Rec - 8-10 Games
Sun Lights - 6 sessions
Your player will have practices, refereed games on Saturday mornings, and a full game day uniform. Proper Cleats and Shin guards are not provided, but necessary for play.
One soccer jersey, one pair of soccer shorts, and soccer socks.
*SuperStarters & Sun Lights will receive one jersey
Soccer cleats, shin guards, drink (water preferred), and a soccer ball.
*SuperStarters & Sun Lights need a drink (water preferred) and tennis shoes or cleats.
U6-U8 player, size 3 ball
U10-U12 player, size 4 ball
U14-U18 player, size 5 ball
Wait for the coach to contact you either via email or phone call. They will let you know your practice days and times.
About 1 week before your players' practices begin.
2-4 days before the first game.
Click the registration link above. Create an account first, and then finish the registration. It will guide you thru the registration process.
Due to a large number of players with our club, the only way to place a player on a specific team is to either coach, assistant coach or sponsor a team.
When you register your player, there is a section you will check off during the registration process.
To sponsor a Recreational team, please fill out the form here.
Unfortunately this is not possible, unless you are the coach. During registration you may provide a preference of which days to practice. We will do our VERY best to accommodate. However, there is no guarantee that requests will be granted.
Super Starters
$60
Traditional Rec
U6-U18 $125
Sun Lights
Thanks to our corporate sponsor, HCA Florida Ocala Hospital, Sun Lights is FREE for all participants.
Big Sun has a “no refund policy”. All sales final.
There are a few rules of play that we have adapted for the recreation soccer league.
-
- NO SLIDE TACKLING – ALL AGES
- NO Headers for any players under 12 years of age (U12 or under)
There are some additional, more relaxed rules for U6-U8 that foster teaching and learning the game of soccer. You can find them listed in the MENU>LEARN MORE>RULES section at the top of the page. You can also see our RULES page HERE.
