Who We Are

Jack London Youth Soccer League (JLYSL) is a youth soccer program and a District IV member of the California Youth Soccer Association (CYSA). Our league number is 14.

The California Youth Soccer Association, Incorporated is affiliated with the United States Youth Soccer Association (USYSA), the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) and the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).

JLYSL serves the communities of Alameda, Grass Valley, Montclair, Oakland, Piedmont and Rockridge in Northern California. Each of these clubs are members of the league and each club contributes players to the league's Class 1 competitive soccer program, Bay Oaks.

Jack London Youth Soccer League is an all volunteer non-profit corporation supported through player registration fees and donations. Our goal is to provide an opportunity for youth players of all levels of skill to participate in soccer programs

Frequently Asked Questions About Our Youth Soccer Program:

1. How many youth play soccer in the local area?
2. Do youth play for fun or are they quite competitive?
3. What part of the year do the youth play soccer in this area?
4. Will children of different ages play each other?
5. Must young players be able to run and play on a full-size soccer field and use a full-size ball?
6. How is the local youth program organized?
7. When can new players register to play?
8. When do teams begin to practice?
9. Where can I obtain further information?

1. How many youth play soccer in the local area?

Soccer is the #1 youth sport in the Alameda, Oakland and Piedmont area.

About 7,000 children and youth participate in the Jack London Youth Soccer League, which serves the three communities. More youth are playing soccer in the local area than are playing all the other outdoor field sports combined. Approximately equal numbers of boys and girls play soccer at all age groups and all competitive levels.

2. Do youth play for fun or are they quite competitive?

Most of the local youth soccer teams are made up of kids who play for fun and recreation. There are also teams selected from youth who intend to develop their skills to the highest level possible, and to play the other top teams in the area or throughout northern California. There is a place for anyone interested in joining with other youth to play the sport.

3. What part of the year do the youth play soccer in this area?

All teams play during the Fall Season beginning the weekend after Labor Day and running to mid-November. Most teams also play during the Spring Season running from the end of March to the beginning of June. The most competitive teams play year-round.

4. Will children of different ages play each other?

Youth teams are made up of similarly aged players. The youth program is designed to accommodate players from elementary school through their high school years. There are also adult leagues that allow interested players to continue to play well beyond their youth years.

Teams made up of children who are four and five years old are referred to as Under-6 teams (or U6s). Teams of six and seven year olds are referred to as Under-8 (U8s). Eight and nine year olds are U10s and so on with U12s, U14s, U16s and U19s. Most youth begin to play at the U8 or U10 level, but new players are welcome at any age.

5. Must young players be able to run and play on a full-size soccer field and use a full-size ball?

Younger players are organized into smaller teams and use smaller fields, goals and balls to make the soccer experience proportional to their size and to ensure that each player participates fully in the game. U14 and older players use full size fields, goals and balls.

6. How is the local youth program organized?

The local youth soccer program is organized and run largely by parent volunteers in cooperation with city parks departments and local schools and colleges. The Jack London Youth Soccer League is an organized unit of the California Youth Soccer Association and the national youth soccer program. The League uses nationally recognized skills development and coach and referee training programs. In addition, the League is a partner in the Stanford-based Positive Coaching Alliance, which fosters respect for the game and all participants involved on and off the field.

The local youth soccer program is organized with a number of “Clubs” playing under the umbrella of the Jack London Youth Soccer League. These are the Alameda, Grass Valley, Montclair, Oakland, Piedmont, and Rockridge soccer clubs. The Clubs each form a number of recreational and competitive teams in each of the age/gender divisions. The Clubs also jointly sponsor the Bay Oaks Program, which forms teams that offer interested players an opportunity to compete regularly with the top teams in northern California.

With the large number of recreational teams playing within most age/gender groups in the League, teams are able to play for a whole season with a different, but similarly matched, opponent each week. Play for the older age groups often includes opponents from neighboring youth leagues.

7. When can new players register to play?

Each Club registers new and returning players in spring. Players may enroll in any of the local Clubs. No “try-outs” or competitive selection process is involved for recreational players. Try-outs for the Bay Oaks and the Clubs’ select teams (U10 and above only) are also open to all players in the age/gender group. These try-outs are also held in spring.

Registration dates for all Clubs are posted annually in the late-winter and early spring on this Jack London web site.

8. When do teams begin to practice?

Teams are organized over the summer and typically begin once weekly practices in August for weekly games that begin after the Labor Day weekend.

9. Where can I obtain further information?

On the linked Club web sites you will find a directory of helpful Club officers and volunteers, information on the registration process and ideas on how you can help as a volunteer. If you have a League question you can send an e-mail from the JLYSL website Directory page to an official and receive a response to your question.