Ways for high school boys to play soccer casually and for fun?

[Anonymous]

DS is a freshman whose main sport is swimming. Throughout elementary and middle school he played rec soccer and was a mediocre player but loved it.

Lately he's been talking about how much he misses a team sport, and the camaraderie of it. Has been asking to get back into soccer, not in place of swimming, but as something to do on the side, for the team feel.

He's definitely not good enough to make the high school team or a travel team. Is our only option that he just join something like MSI rec? Most of the kids he used to play with have either gone "up or out "- they either specialized and are now excellent players or they dropped it in favor of other sports (a sad consequence of the competitiveness and specialization going on, but that's another topic).

Are there other good options in the Bethesda /rockville area for good casual teams? Does anyone ever do informal pick up games in the park, that kind of thing? We used to live in NY and saw this all the time, informal games where kids could just join in. Does this happen anywhere?

Thanks for any suggestions

[Anonymous]

I’m not sure but we are impressed with the MSI rec league for hs boys. Lots of kids play, some are very good, probably tired of club soccer driving their lives. Try it!

[Anonymous]

Agree, MSI Rec league

[Anonymous]

Op here. Thanks will check out MSI!

[Anonymous]

MSI also has a level between rec and travel called Classic. MSI runs the league, but the teams are independently run (sometimes by parent volunteers, sometimes by clubs) and you try out individually for the team, so can choose a team that is the best fit for your player (practice locations, culture, etc). The level of play ranges from low level club to high level rec. Some of them play in the MSI winter league, which has looser roster rules/just for fun, so you may be able to test drive a team for a game or two.

[Anonymous]

Too many kids play sports that are not having fun. Glad to see this post.

[Anonymous]

Do they have pick up at this age around town?

[Anonymous]

My son and his friends play pickup. (We're not in DC.) It's VERY casual. They usually start with about 6 of them, which is obviously not enough for a real game, but it's enough to run, play and have fun. Sometimes they connect with another friend group or occasionally a men's league, and it becomes more structured. I love that they do this.

[Anonymous]

My songuest played for his HS junior friend’s MSI rec team the other day because they were low on numbers. He had a blast. MSI runs such a great program!

I see kids playing pickup at many of the local high schools in summer and winter on weekends. Often there are other sports going on in fall and spring.

[Anonymous]

I think Stoddert has rec teams that go through high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MSI also has a level between rec and travel called Classic. MSI runs the league, but the teams are independently run (sometimes by parent volunteers, sometimes by clubs) and you try out individually for the team, so can choose a team that is the best fit for your player (practice locations, culture, etc). The level of play ranges from low level club to high level rec. Some of them play in the MSI winter league, which has looser roster rules/just for fun, so you may be able to test drive a team for a game or two.

OP here. Did not know this about MSI classic! Thanks very much for this information

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son and his friends play pickup. (We're not in DC.) It's VERY casual. They usually start with about 6 of them, which is obviously not enough for a real game, but it's enough to run, play and have fun. Sometimes they connect with another friend group or occasionally a men's league, and it becomes more structured. I love that they do this.

OP here. Yes this is what DS is looking for, pick up games like this. Think maybe he just needs to organize it and coordinate it. Thanks.