We're excited that you are thinking about joining us for a safe and fun soccer season. Below you'll find a list of Frequently Asked Questions for youth U7 (1st grade) - U14 (8th grade).For Pre-K and Kindergarten children (age four and up) please refer to the Little Kickers Program.

1. Who is NOPOSC for?
   North Portland Soccer Club (NOPOSC) is a recreational soccer club for youth, four (Pre-K) to 14 years (8th grade) of age.
2. How do I know if NOPOSC is the correct club for my child?
   Everyone is welcome! However, if your child attends or you live within the boundaries of any of the following public schools, then NOPOSC is your Portland recreational youth soccer club.
   • Astor
     
   • Beach
     
   • Cesar Chavez
   • Chief Joseph
   • George
   • James John
   • Ockley Green
   • Peninsula
   • Rosa Parks
   • Sitton
   • Woodlawn
3. What if my child has never played soccer before?
   Our club is the perfect place to start. Many of our players will be participating for the first time as well.
4. How much does it cost?
   $105 Registration fee. If you sign up early (before midnight on July 15th) you get a $15 early registration reward discount!
5. Does the club provide scholarships?
   Yes, automatic scholarships are provided at registration for our families indicating free or reduced lunch eligibility. Additional scholarships are provided on an as-needed basis. Please contact our Scholarship Coordinator at scholarship@northportlandsoccer.com.
6. When is it?
   The season will take place on Saturdays and Sundays between late August and early November. See #8 below for game schedule info.
7. Where will my child play?
   U7 (1st grade) - U14 (8th grade) will play on Portland parks/fields within the Portland city limits.
8. How many games will there be?
   Seven or eight games for the season.
9. When will games occur?
   Games are scheduled by PYSA, and typically occur on Saturdays (and rare Sundays) from 8am to 5pm between the last weekend in August and the second weekend in November. PYSA schedules are typically released in mid-to-late August, and, when posted, can be found on the PYSA website here.
10. How long will games take?
    About an hour.
11. Will there be practices?
    Yes, there are typically practices for the fall season. The number of practices will vary based upon the age group and the volunteer coach's discretion.
12. What is the game format?
    The number of field players, time, field size, and ball size varies by age group. Info about the U7 (1st grade) - U8 (2nd grade) rules and guidelines is available here. Info about the U9 (3rd grade) - U14 (8th grade) rules and guidelines is available here.
13. How many players are on each team?
    The number of players varies by age group, but one of our guiding principles is that all players get equal playing time and are guaranteed at least half a game.
14. Are teams gender-specific?
    Typically, yes. Should you have further questions, please contact PYSA (our parent/umbrella organization) for their gender-related guidelines.
15. Can my child play on the same team as a friend?
    We hope so! We'll do our absolute best to place your child with their team, teammate, or coach preference. Just be sure to enter that info during registration. Please be aware that teams are gender specific and that your preferences, are in-fact preferences, and certainly not a guarantee. We'd greatly appreciate your flexibility and understanding as our volunteer registrars and coaches do their best to balance the concerns of all our families.
16. How do I register my child?
    Registration opens in early June and, when open, is available on our website here.
17. How do I know which age group to register my child for?
    In most cases, your child's age group will correspond to their school grade. See below for details. If you believe your child is an exception to this, please see question #36.
    • Pre-K - U5 - Little Kickers
    • Kindergarten - U6 - Little Kickers
    • 1st grade - U7
    • 2nd grade - U8
    • 3rd grade - U9
    • 4th grade - U10
    • 5th grade - U11
    • 6th grade - U12
    • 7th grade - U13
    • 8th grade - U14
18. What registration dates are important?
    If your child is new to NOPOSC, then you'll want to register as early as possible (before July 15th), as some age groups will close earlier than others as team rosters fill-up. Registration for all age groups will remain open thru July 28th. If your child is a returning player from last fall and you'd like to continue with the same team, you'll want to register on/by the safe date (July 15th) to save your roster spot.
19. Why do I have to register so early?
    Believe us when we say we don't like it either! However, in order to schedule parks/fields across Portland and organize hundreds of teams by mid August, you can understand why PYSA requires us to register all our teams by early August.
20. How do I know if my child is registered?
    You will receive a confirmation email to the email address provided at registration. Please be certain to double-check your spam/junk email folders. Please contact us immediately if you do NOT receive a confirmation email after completing registration.
21. Once I register online and receive my email confirmation, do I need to do anything else?
    No, nothing additional is needed. Your assigned parent/coach volunteers will get in-touch with you in mid to late August.
22. How do I know which team my child is on?
    Once you register and our club registrar assigns your child to a team, you'll receive a Blue Sombrero Team  Invitation via email from North Portland Soccer Club. You should expect this email by mid August. Once you accept the email invitation you'll be able to communicate with your team and get important info like the team name and who the parent volunteers are.
23. What if all spots for an age group are filled? Is there a wait list?
    Once the age group reaches capacity, the wait list is enabled and players can register for the wait list. The registration for the wait list is free, and players are added to the wait list for their age group in order of registration. If you want to know your kid's spot on the wait list, please email our registrar ([email protected]).Typically, only 1-3 spots open up in any age group, and parents/guardian(s) may want to consider other options (see below for options).Once a spot opens up in the age group, our registrar volunteers assign a player to a team. Parent/guardian(s) receive an automated email inviting them to confirm registration and pay.They also receive an automated invite to register on Blue Sombrero.
    Other options:
    All PYSA related soccer clubs are listed on the PYSA website. Try the "Find a Soccer Club" feature on their website (http://www.portlandyouthsoccer.com).
    The closest clubs to NOPO are Holy Redeemer, Northeast United, andIrvington SC.
    
24. What should my child wear?
    U7 (1st grade) - U14 (8th grade) players will need a uniform along with soccer cleats, shin guards, and socks. We also recommend a light sweatshirt without zippers or buttons just in case.
25. Do I need to buy my child a NOPOSC uniform?
    Yes, players U7 (1st grade) - U14 (8th grade) are required to wear a NOPOSC uniform. More info about uniforms can be found here.
26. Does the club provide uniform scholarships?
    Yes, via our partnership with the Tursi's Soccer Supply and the Timbers Army / 107ist we're pleased to offer uniform scholarships to our players. To request a uniform scholarship, please see question #36.
27. What else should I have for my child?
    We recommend a backpack or soccer bag, water bottle, light snack, a rain jacket, and a soccer ball (size will vary based on age-group).
28. What should I expect at the first game?
    We're hoping you'll arrive early to meet the other team members and parent volunteers at your team's scheduled field. More info for parents can be found here.
29. How do I figure out where to meet my team on game day?
    Games are scheduled by PYSA, typically released in mid-August, and when posted can be found on the PYSA website here. Once you get your team schedule, info about fields can be found here.
30. What should I do if I can't find my team?
    Please do your best to contact the parent volunteers for your team, their contact info can be found in Bonzi Team. If you are unable to reach them, please see question #36.
31. How can I help with my child's team?
    We're glad you asked! Each team will need a minimum of two parent/guardian volunteers to coach and coordinate the team.
32. How do I register as a parent volunteer?
    Coach/volunteer registration can be found here. Registration is free and only takes a few minutes.
33. Will someone explain how to help with my child's team?
    Yes, the NOPOSC volunteer coordinators will hold a parent/guardian volunteer Q&A meeting or contact you directly to answer all of your questions. More info for coaches and volunteers can be found here.
34. What about the weather?
    Please plan to play rain or shine. In the case of inclement weather, PYSA and/or NOPOSC will send a cancellation notice via email or cancel as needed on-site.
35. What is the refund policy?
    Full refunds are available before the player has attended a game or practice AND before the season has started. Partial refunds are available after the player has attended a game or practice OR after the season has started. For a refund or more info, please see question #36.
36. Who is NOPOSC?
    North Portland Soccer Club (NOPOSC) is a 501(c)(3), non-profit, volunteer-run, recreational youth soccer organization, and a member club of Portland Youth Soccer Association (PYSA). Our IRS EIN is 45-5121179. Our club boundaries encompass the PPS neighborhood schools of Astor, Beach, Cesar Chavez, Chief Joseph, James John, Ockley Green, Peninsula, Rosa Parks, Sitton, and Woodlawn.
37. What if I have more questions?
    Just get in-touch with the NOPOSC registrars, they can be reached at [email protected] .

Additional Info & Resources

PYSA Schedule
PYSA Fields
PYSA Parent's Guide
PYSA Website