What is the difference between Recreation, Select and Competitive?

Our recreation program is community based, open to U5 to U19, beginner to advanced skill soccer players.  Teams are led by volunteer parent coaches that play games scheduled by the club with emphasis on FUN, skill, and team development during the 3 ½ month season. 

The Select and Competitive programs are for players looking for a more competitive training and match environment and include professional coaches or volunteer parent coaches who have a very strong soccer background.  These programs require a larger commitment by both athlete and parents, with the Competitive program being a year-long season. 

What if my player wants to tryout for a Competitive or Select team?  Should I register in the Recreation Program?

We encourage all players who plan on playing in one of our programs this season to register in the Recreation Program and attend the Competitive or Select program tryouts if desired. If a player is selected for a Walnut Creek Surf Soccer Club Competitive or Select roster, you will receive a full refund of your Recreation registration fee.  The benefit of registering in the Recreation Program ahead of the other tryouts is that your player's spot is held in case they do not make a comp or select team or change their mind. Please remember though that this does not guarantee a spot in the Recreation Program as it only holds the spot that you were in at the time of registration (e.g. if you registered and the age group you are in was already full and you were placed on a waitlist, then you will stay in your place on the waitlist).

Related to the above question, what if my child registers for Recreation, does not make a Competitive or Select team and we decide to play for another club or not play at all, can we get a refund for Recreation registration?

Refunds for Recreation registration are subject to the "Refund Policy" which can be found here.

Do I need to purchase a new uniform and where?

For the U5 & U6 Division, game day T-shirts are provided. For the U7 Division and above, a Club uniform is required.  New uniforms were debuted in 2022 and if you have a returning U7-U19 player who purchased the uniform last year, there is no required Uniform purchase.If you have a player aging up to the U7 division or have a player that did not play in our Recreation program last year,  you will be required to purchase a uniform from our partner, Soccer Pro.  See our Uniform tab for more details.

What equipment does my player need?

Every player is required to wear shin guards to every practice or match. Soccer cleats are recommended. Baseball or football cleats are not permitted. Each player should also have their own ball for practice. U5-U8 Size 3, U9-U12 Size 4, U14 and older Size 5.

What happens if my player is on the waitlist?

The waitlists for the U5-U6 age  groups can be impacted when additional volunteer coaches register. The waitlists for the  U7-U19  age groups can be impacted by players moving into the Select or Competitive programs after tryouts in May, as well as when additional volunteer coaches register. We will update the waitlist periodically about any changes to your specific age group. If you are interested in coaching, please send us an e-mail or register here. Also, please check the registration page about refunds.

When does practice start for Recreation teams?

Practices are scheduled to start in August but depends on your age group. For more information on your age group start date, go to our program information tab. The exact schedule and practice location are determined by the coach. Practices for every team will start depending on the availability of the coaches and players.

What is the schedule for the fall season?

The fall season usually has 8 to 10 scheduled games based on age group.  Go to our Program Information tab for specific age group schedule overview.  During the regular season some age groups may have one or more Sunday games.

During the last weekend of the season, a tournament for U9, U10, U11, U12.  The U14, U16 and U19 teams will have the opportunity to participate in the NorCal Super Rec tournament.  

Can a player play down to a younger age group?

Players are not permitted to play down unless they fall into one of the overlapping summer birth months for U6-U12.  Please refer to our age group chart and team formation policy tab.

We have multiple friends that all want to play together and this will really help with carpool. How can we ensure that these players all get on the same team?

Please review the Team Formation Policy tab. Friend requests are not factored into team formation.

What happens in the event of rain or unhealthy air quality?

Club operations monitors field and weather conditions in conjunction with City staff and will communicate directly with team parent head coach no later than 2:00pm via email or text alert weekdays and by 8am weekends.  

For information on whether or not the fields are open, please call the rain hotline at 925-256-3574.  Please note that the decision to close fields is made by the City of Walnut Creek Parks and Recreation staff and not by Walnut Creek Soccer Club.  If possible, we will attempt to reschedule matches due to rain-outs, however, this is not guaranteed.

FAQ's will be edited or added periodically (as of 4/1/24).