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FAQs

How and When do I register?

Northside opens online registration for outdoor soccer near the end of January or beginning of February on our website Home Page. Indoor soccer registration is available mid to late August on our website Home Page. Online registration is usually open for several weeks. When online registration is closed, enquiries should be directed to Registrar@northsidesoccer.ca. We also have an in person registration date that is published during registration.

What are the fees?

Fees are posted when online registration is open. Registration fees cover the cost of team entry, uniforms, facilities, technical training, referees, etc. There are additional costs if a team wants to enter tournaments, have team functions, select additional training or purchase their own uniforms. Northside may charge additional indoor facility fees for higher placed teams. We also collect a $125 uniform and $125 volunteer deposit upon registration. Parents can pay the volunteer deposit if they choose not to volunteer. The deposit is cashed at the end of the season if a family hasn't volunteered or the uniform isn't returned in good condition.

How do I know what age group my child is in?

Soccer is split into even age groups from U6 to U18 and by gender. The exceptions are the younger age groups (U6, U8 and U10) where we can enter mixed teams. Girls can play on boys team but boys can't play on girls teams. The birth years for each age group are posted on our registration page for every season. When you register, your child will automatically be placed in the right age group.

What is the difference between community soccer and Northside?

Northside Soccer offers city league soccer as part of the Calgary Minor Soccer Association (CMSA). It is more competitive because teams play other soccer clubs. Community soccer programs generally are offered on the same nights on the same community fields where locally formed teams play each other. Northside teams play on different fields, have referees and travel further. Community associations don't offer indoor soccer.

What equipment does my child need to play soccer?

For outdoor soccer, players should have soccer cleats. For indoor soccer, they should have soccer shoes. Both seasons require shinpads to play and a ball for practice. Uniforms (jersey, shorts, socks) are provided and the jersey/shorts must be returned at the end of the season. A sponsor has provided t-shirts and jerseys for the past few years for U6 and U8 and the players keep them at the end of the season.

What is the schedule and how often do they practice?

CMSA releases a calendar for outdoor usually in January and for indoor in July. They specify when soccer clubs need to enter their teams. Once the soccer clubs enter their teams, they create a schedule which is then posted on their website (www.calgaryminorsoccer.com) about two weeks before the season starts. This is why we don't have the schedules available at registration. Practice times are dependent on the coach and facilities. For certain age groups and levels, CMSA has established fixed playing dates. This is published on our registration page for each season. The age groups are U6, U8, U10 (Tier B and C), U12 and U14 (Tier 5 and 6). Please note that there is a seeding round for U10 to U18 (exception is Tier 5 and Tier 6 where the teams are scheduled for the entire season). After the seeding round, teams are placed in a division with teams with similar records for the playoff round.

How long is the Soccer season?

The Indoor season for all age groups begins late October, breaks for 2 weeks over Christmas and completes in early March with Provincial Competitions for U12 and up taking place Mid March. Evaluations for Indoor Season are held at the beginning of September.

The Outdoor season starts at the beginning of May. The outdoor season for U8 / U10 / U12-18 tier 5 and ends around the end of June. For U12 to U18 tier 1, 2, 3 or 4 can sometimes play until the second week in August (if you make provincials). Starting in the 2014 Outdoor season some age and tier levels will play a Fall Season. Please check our Registration page for more details. Evaluations for outdoor can happen any time from January to the beginning of May (Usually they are held in March or April).

Where are the games and practices?

Indoor games are played at the Subway Soccer Centre, the Calgary West Soccer Centre or Genesis Soccer Centre. Outdoor games are generally scheduled on local Varsity, Dalhousie, Edgemont or Hamptons fields for home games. Away games can be anywhere in the city depending on the age group and the team level. For U8 to U10 and U12 to U14 (Tier 5 and 6), they will only play teams within the NW quadrant. Most teams are placed geographically for the seeding round. Practices are scheduled for outdoor on local fields. For indoor, we use various local schools and churches. Please see our Field & Facilities page for a list of field and facilities that may be used.

Can I play with Northside if I don't live in Dalhousie, Edgemont, Hamptons, or Varsity?

Unlike other sports like hockey or basketball, there are no boundaries in Calgary for soccer. You can play with any club anywhere.

Can I play with a friend or a sibling?

At the lower age groups where the program is intended to be developmental and not competitive, we try to honour requests to keep players together as friends/siblings, accommodate car pooling or form teams based on geographic home address. Please indicate your preference under Special Requests during online registration. However, as players get older and the program becomes competitive, teams are formed based on skill level. Accordingly, we determine that players who request to be kept together will be placed on the team that the lower-ranked player evaluated on. CNS has no provision for grandfathering players onto teams based on previous seasons. Because soccer in Calgary has no boundaries like other sports, we have no way of determining a registrant's skill level except through independent evaluations. Our teams are formed based on these evaluations and the input of coaches. The objective is to provide each team with the best soccer experience possible.

Please note that Calgary Minor Soccer does not allow players to play in lower age groups than their designated age group based on birth year for that season (except in special circumstances such as disablity). Players are allowed to play-up on a determination by CNS based on our final registration numbers. This should be noted as a Special Request at registration.

What are the different levels of play?

CMSA offers different levels of play depending on the age group. All U6 and U8s are entered at the same level. For U10, there are Tiers A, B and C, where Tier A is the highest. U10 and below is intended to be developmental, not competitive. For U12 and above, teams are entered from Tier 1 through Tier 6 where Tier 6 is intended to be recreational. Tiers 1, 2, 3 and 4 are formerly the premier division. Teams in U12-U18 are entered in the seeding round for Tier 1, Tier 2/3, and Tier 3/4. After the seeding round, they are placed in divisions with other teams with similar records in tiers 1, 2, 3 and 4. Tier 5 and tier 6 teams have one schedule with no seeding/playoff round.

What volunteer positions are there?

Northside is an entirely volunteer-run organization. There are executive positions that run the club: chair, vice-chair, registrar, budget coordinator which require more time. We also have coordinator positions which have assistant positions: practice/field coordinator, equipment, uniforms and single purpose positions like PIC coordinator and webmaster. On a team level, we require age group coordinators, coaches, assistant coaches and team managers. Once the season starts, parents who haven't volunteered yet can do so at a team level by assisting the manager with distributing/collecting uniforms, arranging tournaments/team events, setting up nets and running lines for outdoor, etc. Please visit our Contacts Page to find a list of available postions. Please visit our Volunteers Page to find out more about the volunteer roles. If you feel you can help our club by volunteering please contact us at info@northsidesoccer.ca.

After I've registered, when do I find out what team my child is on?

Evaluations are scheduled shortly after registration is complete. Northside evaluates age groups U10 and up. You will be notified by the age coordinator where and when they are once we finalize numbers and team sizes and set up an evaluation schedule. After evaluations, the team selection process places the kids on teams and you will be contacted by the head coach/team manager as to what team they are on and when practices start.