News

Updated Decision on Age Group Formation

Following extensive review and discussion, US Youth Soccer, AYSO, and US Club Soccer have collectively decided to move to an age group player formation cycle that runs from August 1 to July 31, starting with the 2026-27 season/registration year. This change was made based on additional critical feedback, data, and expert input to better align players with their school-grade peers. Our associations feel that this age group player formation will be the most inclusive and help increase participation.  

The August 1 to July 31 age group player formation cycle will be used for all USYS league and Cup competitions for the 2026-27 season/registration year including: National Championships, Presidents Cup, and National League. 

US Youth Soccer CEO Tom Condone addressed the adjustment to the registration process: “At US Youth Soccer, our mission is to support the development of every player. After careful collaboration with our partners and listening to our membership, we believe this shift to an August 1 player formation cycle better aligns with school calendars, supports social and individual needs, and ultimately enhances the youth soccer experience for families across the country.”

As a reminder, under U.S. Soccer’s new policy, each Federation member can determine age group registration rules for the leagues and competitions they operate or sanction. To support this transition, U.S. Soccer has introduced a tool to help parents and guardians easily understand the age groupings based on their child’s birthdate.

Again, please note that this decision is effective beginning with each Organization Member’s 2026-27 season/registration year.

North Dakota Soccer Association Partners With Sports Connect To Advance The Game Using Innovative Technology  (click for landing page)

North Dakota Soccer Association (NDSA), the governing body for US Youth Soccer in the state, has announced a new five year partnership with Sports Connect to grow and advance the game of soccer in North Dakota. Sports Connect, powered by Stack Sports, will provide technology solutions for the state association, NDSA member clubs and associations, and the participating players, coaches, families, and volunteers. 

Sports Connect is a key component of the U.S. Soccer Connect mission of growing participation and advancing the sport of soccer in conjunction with U.S. Soccer. The U.S. Soccer Connect initiative consists of leading services powered by Stack Sports connecting every level of the soccer pathway. It represents the largest commitment of technology and sport resources to any project in American sports history.

“Over the last year, one of our top priorities has been to secure a technology partner who can help us ensure our members access to superior club management with best-in-class support to keep their season running smoothly and ultimately grow the game of soccer in North Dakota,” said Tom Marcis, President of NDSA. “After meeting with and viewing multiple platforms, we are pleased to announce our new partnership with Sports Connect as the Exclusive Technology Provider of North Dakota Soccer Association. We know with Stack Sports we have secured a partner who is best positioned to serve our membership in growing the sport.” 

As an official partner of NDSA, Sports Connect will serve as the participation growth platform for both the state office and its member clubs. 

“We are proud to partner with North Dakota Soccer Association to help grow participation in the state,” said Adam Abney, General Manager of Sports Connect. “NDSA has been inspiring a passion for soccer in their communities for decades, having an undeniable impact on the growth of the sport in North Dakota. Together through this new partnership, we will help give even more players the opportunity to play through innovative technology that makes managing each season easier.”

Affiliated associations and clubs partnering with Sports Connect will have access to a full suite of features, including industry leading business insights tools, mobile-first registration, seamless data integration with NDSA, safety and compliance tracking, professional website designs, secure online payment processing, and more.

Many soccer clubs affiliated with NDSA have already chosen Sports Connect for their club management needs, and many more are already upgrading to the go-forward platform. NDSA has long-term goals to grow and win back some of its membership over the next few years, and believes that Sports Connect is the conduit to help prime this growth. 

When your club is ready to take advantage of the benefits of this new exclusive partnership, contact the Sports Connect team at https://sportsconnect.com/north-dakota-soccer-association/.

About North Dakota Soccer Association

North Dakota Soccer Association is a non-profit organization whose mission is to be the statewide sponsor of its member clubs for both recreational, competitive and amateur adult soccer. In the past North Dakota Soccer has represented over 7,000 youth and adult soccer players, 500 coaches, and 150 referees throughout the state of North Dakota. North Dakota State Soccer consists of various clubs state-wide who register players (boys and girls) from ages four (4) through nineteen (19) on the youth side and any age on the adult side. North Dakota State Soccer is one of a few state associations that handle both the youth and adult programs out of a single office. This creates members of all ages working together statewide for the same vision, mission and values.

About Stack Sports (click for landing page)

With nearly 50 million users in 35 countries, Stack Sports is a global technology leader in SaaS platform offerings for the sports industry. The company provides world-class software and services to support national governing bodies, youth sports associations, leagues, clubs, parents, coaches, and athletes. Some of the largest and most prominent sports organizations including the U.S. Soccer Federation, Little League Baseball and Softball, and Pop Warner Little Scholars rely on Stack Sports technology to run and manage their organizations. Stack Sports is headquartered in Dallas and is leading the industry one team at a time focusing on four key pillars — Grassroots Engagement, Participation Growth, Recruiting Pathways, and Elite Player Development. To learn more about how Stack Sports is transforming the sports experience, please visit www.stacksports.com.

NORTH DAKOTA STATE LEAGUE FALL-SPRING 2022-23

General Format:
• Age divisions: U9, U10, U11, & U12
• Gender: boys and girls. 
• Each age/gender division will be divided into subdivisions East & West. NDSL Commissioner can create extra subdivisions or combine age groups based on number of teams available.
• Each registered team will play 4-6 games. 
• Games will be played over 2-3 weekends and weeknights to account for geography and logistics. Clubs can participate in weekends of their choice and/or play local matches on weeknights. All scheduling will go through the NDSL Commissioner. 
• NDSL is a developmental Rec Plus League. Larger clubs should enter their none traveling teams.
• We encourage teams/clubs seeking higher competition to participate in the South Dakota DPL (Dakota Plains League). SD is open to more ND participation and expanded ND hosting locations.

Age Group Team       Fees: Per team                            Fee Roster Size

U9                                               $85                                                   10
U10                                            $85                                                   10
U11                                            $200                                                16
U12                                            $200                                                16
 
Schedule:
• Sept 10-11, 2022 Weekend 1 Fall (1 East location, 1 West location)
• Sept 24-25, 2022 Weekend 2 Fall (1 East location, 1 West location)
• Oct 8-9, 2022 Weekend 3 Fall (East-West Crossover, One Location) 
• May 6-7, 2023 Weekend 1 Spring (1 East location, 1 West location)
• May 20-22, 2023 Weekend 2 Spring (1 East location, 1 West location)
• June 10-11, 2023 Weekend 3 Spring (East-West Crossover, One Location) 
• Weekends may be added to account for bad weather.

• Member Clubs are eligible to host weekend events & will not be charged a hosting fee.
• Hosting club will not be responsible to schedule or pay referees. 
• Commissioner will work with clubs to assure a balanced hosting schedule.
• Commissioner will work with clubs to construct a geographically balanced schedule. 
Cancellation: 
• Clubs are strongly encouraged to abide by the commissioner’s schedule.
• Cancellation or change of time/location of any game shall be requested of the commissioner a minimum of 72 hour prior to scheduled game time.
• Commissioner has final decision on all game times and location.
Clubs – Potential
 
East
Jamestown Soccer Club – Jamestown, ND
Valley City Soccer Club – Valley City, ND
Tri-City United Soccer Club – Fargo, ND
Greater Grand Forks Soccer Club – Grand Forks, ND
Red River Soccer Club – Fargo, ND
Lisbon/Oaks/Ellendale/Forman/LaMoure

West
Minot Soccer Club – Minot, ND
Mandan Soccer Club – Mandan, ND
Dickinson Soccer Club – Dickinson, ND
Williston Soccer Club – Williston, ND
Magic Soccer FC – Bismarck
Washburn Soccer – Washburn, ND
Dakota United Soccer Club – Bismarck