SGM Soccer

GENERAL INFORMATION

Pre K Soccer

• The PreK Program is roughly an 8 week season that takes place on Sunday afternoons at 4PM. Children have instruction for 30 min and then scrimmage another SGM team for about 20 minutes. All sessions take place at SGM. For Pre-K, the minimum age is 4 by August 1 of the current year. Coach/team assignments and game schedules will be communicated in late August. Sessions begin after Labor Day. Coaches will distribute uniform shirts and socks at the first session. Players should wear shin guards and bring a size 3 soccer ball and water to each session. Teams are formed randomly in alignment with the St. Gerard Majella Team Formation policy.

Kindergarten Soccer

• Kindergarten participates in an instructional soccer league with St. Peter parish. Games are on Sundays and start between 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM. The game format is two concurrent 4 vs 4 games on two side-by-side small fields at SGM or Kirkwood Park. Kindergarten teams generally practice for one hour once a week on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Coach/team assignments, plus practice and game schedules will be communicated in late August. Games begin after Labor Day. Coaches will distribute uniform shirts and socks at the first session. Players should wear shin guards and bring a size 3 soccer ball and water to each practice and game. Efforts are made to try to keep players together from PreK to K. When changes are required, formation is in alignment with the St. Gerard Majella Team Formation policy.

1st through 8th Soccer

To better align with the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) and SLYSA standards, the Catholic Youth Council (CYC) is restructuring player counts across several grade levels. In coordination with the SGM Sports Council, we have adjusted our team formation policies to ensure a smooth transition for our athletes. Please review the details below regarding these changes and how they impact specific grade levels.

New Soccer Play Formats (CYC Standards)

Starting this season, the number of players on the field will shift to the following:

• 1st - 3rd Grade: 7v7
• 4th - 5th Grade: 9v9
• 6th - 8th Grade: 11v11

Soccer Team Formation & Roster Reshuffling Updates

To accommodate these new formats, we have modified the St. Gerard roster reshuffling schedule:

• 3rd Grade (2026): Due to the above changes, there will be no reshuffle for 3rd grade this year. Teams will remain intact from last year, pending registration numbers, since they will have the same number of players on the field as previous.
• Future Reshuffles: It is likely that future roster shuffles will occur at different ages than previous years' shuffles. We will present proposed changes at a future Majella Club meeting for discussion. Any proposed changes will be voted on and once approved, Sports Council will oversee implementation in a future season.
• 5th Grade Transitions: Because 5th grade is moving to a 9v9 format (fewer players on the field than in previous years), team roster counts will change. This shift creates a high likelihood of forming three teams rather than two, providing more opportunities for play. Please note, with 2 fewer players on the field, all rosters for this age will be smaller than previously when this age played 11v11.

Competitive Team Policies (5th - 8th Grade)

Competitive team formation policies remain in effect for 5th through 8th grade for soccer and volleyball, provided registration numbers allow and players express interest in evaluations for a competitive team.

• If you choose to have your child participate in an evaluation, they will be evaluated for the most competitive team. We will only form a second competitive team if there are sufficient numbers for three teams or more and there is sufficient interest in being considered for a competitive team.
• Placement Strategy: If a second competitive team is formed in a grade for soccer or volleyball, it will typically be entered into a division other than A to best match the team's skill level to ensure a positive experience.
• This ensures our teams are matched against appropriate competition levels based on coach and commissioner evaluations, rather than being placed in the "A" league.

Additional Information

• Games are played at SGM and Des Peres Park as well as various fields throughout the CYC Northwest Region. Field sizes vary throughout the league and game locations are selected based on the most appropriate field size for the team age.
• Practices are held once weekly at SGM, Des Peres Park, Sugar Creek Park, Love Park, or Buder Park. Practice schedules are selected by the coach and announced in mid August.
• Practices start as early as August. Before September, coaches are on their own for practice fields since park permits are not available and the SGM fields are closed for maintenance.
• Your child may participate in soccer teams in other leagues (other than the CYC).
• Players may not play on other teams in the CYC in the same sport.
• Regular season games begin prior to Labor Day, at the league’s discretion. Schedules are generally not available until mid-August. The number of games played can range from 8 - 10 depending on a number of factors.
• Each team may participate in one tournament before the season at the coach’s and parents’ discretion. The registration fee for one tournament will be paid by St. Gerard Majella Club (SGM Sports).
• Depending on the number of children registering for soccer, we strive to have 10-14 players per team for Kindergarten through 3rd Grade, 12-16 for 4th-5th Grade, and 15-20 players per team for 6th through 8th Grades.
• SGM Soccer plays in the CYC Northwest Region.
• Please refer to the participation / eligibility page for information on rules and requirements for joining St. Gerard programs.

Team Formation Page

https://www.sgmparish.org/Youth/Sportz/Team-Formation-Polocy

Updated Policy Language

In 3rd grade teams will be reassigned for all sports, including initial basketball and volleyball teams, under the guidance of the individual sports commissioner(s) and the Sports Council with input from coaches. Due to the recent CYC changes to soccer game play, the 3rd grade shuffle will not be enacted for the 2026 Fall Season. The Majella Club will vote on an update to the soccer shuffle policy in the coming months.