Jensen Center Youth Soccer program offers new opportunities
Suggestions incorporated for a new season of fun for 4K through eighth grade
By Brent Frankenhoff
Registration for this year’s Jensen Center Youth Soccer program is now open, and Soccer Coordinator Ryan Pikka and the Jensen Center staff are fine tuning details for the season. Weather permitting, the season will start with a coaching session and t-shirt handout for Kindergarten through eighth grade on Tuesday, April 14. 4K games are slated to start, with t-shirt handout and game play, on Saturday, April 18. The end of the season will look a little different with the 4K program concluding on either Saturday, May 2, or Saturday, May 9; Kindergarten through fifth-grade play wrapping up on Thursday, May 14; and the sixth- through eighth-grade teams championship games on Saturday, May 16.
Games are played on the school fields to the west and south of the Jensen Center on the track infield, two fields beyond the baseball and softball diamonds, fields at either end of the football field, and on the turf field itself.
Tuesday evenings are typically reserved for makeup games for the Kindergarten through eighth-grade teams (4K games are not made up). Dedicated practice days and a designated picture day will be scheduled and announced prior to the start of the season.
As the program has grown, the need for additional coaches has as well. We rely on parents to volunteer to help coach and offer co-coaching opportunities for those who need the extra assistance. This year, we are offering a post-season registration refund (limited to one per coach) for any parent who agrees to coach and does so for the entire season. In addition, an online coaching program for four-on-four play is available for coaches in the 4K and K-1 divisions. Please contact Pikka at rpikka@amherst.k12.wi.us for more information on this course.
Traditionally, we have had free ice cream for all players on the final day of the program. This year, we will hand out gift certificates, redeemable for a scoop of ice cream, on Thursday, May 14.
The regular registration fee of $35 for players in Kindergarten through eighth grade and $5 for 4K students this school year is open through March 15. From March 16 to April 1, the fee increases to $45. No registrations will be accepted after April 1 to give us time to assemble teams, assign coaches, and make sure we have adequate personnel for the season. This also allows us to guarantee t-shirts for all players.
To register, visit our website, jensencenter.org, click on the “Youth Soccer Registration” button, and then follow the link on the page, or go directly to runsignup.com/Race/WI/Amherst/JCCYouthSoccer and choose the registration area needed.