Pinelanders Youth Soccer Club was formed in 1971, and we currently have around 700 players each season. We are a non-profit corporation, run by an elected Board of Directors and affiliated with the NJ State Youth Soccer Association (NJSYSA). Our program is recreational, meaning that all games are at our own fields, and teams only play other teams from our club. Occasionally our teams may participate in area tournaments.
Where We Play
We play at Hugh Hoffman Fields, Adelphia-Farmingdale Road (Route 524), Howell. From the Park Nine Diner on Route 9, take Route 524 east for about 3 miles, and you’ll find us on the right-hand side, just before the road curves sharply to the right. The street address of the adjacent PAL building is 449 Adelphia Farmingdale Road, Farmingdale.
Although all outdoor games are played at Hoffman Fields, all practices and some events are held elsewhere. Click here for a map showing the location of our fields and the area schools where teams can practice.
Our Programs
We run two ten-week Outdoor Soccer seasons each year, in the fall and the spring.
In addition we host an evening soccer camp for one week in July, and we run a members-only indoor soccer program in January & February.
For more details please visit our Programs page.
Who Can Play
Our Outdoor Soccer program is open to children who are up to age 18 on April 1st (Spring season) or October 1st (Fall season). There is no lower age-restriction in our youngest division (Under-4), but players do need to be out of diapers and ready to participate in an organized activity.
We don’t have residency requirements – you can play with us no matter which town you live in.
Our Indoor and Adult Soccer programs are members-only programs, restricted to families who have played in our Outdoor program in the current or prior season.
Program Objectives
Our program is a recreational teaching program, intended to teach players the rules and skills of soccer and to enable them to enjoy playing the game. To de-emphasize competition we don’t publish scores or standings, and we encourage coaches and players to have fun, improve their skills, and practice good sportsmanship.
All players should play at least half of each game, and play a variety of positions during the season. Goalkeepers play no more than half of each game in goal.
Games are refereed by adult and youth licensed referees. The program is a learning experience for referees as well as players., and we regularly offer refereeing classes, run by NJSYSA instructors.
How to Register
You’ll find up-to-date registration information on our Registration page.
We strongly advise that you register early, as team assignments are prioritized in order of registration and we cannot guarantee a place for everyone who registers. Registering by the advertised late-fee deadline is not a guarantee of placement – it just means you won’t pay the late fee.
Placement depends on how early you register and how many players have registered before and after you, and how many parents have volunteered to coach, when we decide how many teams we can have in each division. If your child is one of the last few who registered at that time it’s possible he or she will be placed on the waiting list.
We charge an escalating late fee for all registrations received after the advertised late-fee deadline.
Volunteer Activities
Pinelanders is a volunteer club, and we need participation from our parents in order to be able to operate. When you register, you’ll be asked to commit to volunteering for at least one activity during the season, as a condition of your child’s acceptance into the program. You will be able to choose your activity on-line, and most activities will take less than one hour of your time.
Coaching is our most important volunteer activity, and most coaches ask for a parent to take on the role of “team parent” to help with team organization, phone calls etc. We also need help with setting up the fields, helping in the snack bar, and clearing up after games.
To be fair to all our members it’s important that every family participates, and we use a color-coded system to track volunteer status – everyone starts with a red status, and should finish the season with green. If you finish with a red status, meaning that you didn’t help out, you will not be able to register for a future season unless you first complete a makeup activity.
You’ll find more details on our Volunteering page.
Injuries and Insurance
Soccer is a contact sport, and from time to time injuries do occur. We carry medical insurance through the NJSYSA. This policy is secondary to your primary policy, and deductibles and maxima apply.
Traveling Soccer
Howell United Soccer Club (HUSC) and Battle of Monmouth Soccer Club (BoM) operate traveling programs for players who are interested in playing soccer at a more competitive level. These teams compete in various leagues —games may be played anywhere in the two counties.
The emphasis of a traveling program is on developing competitive teams. Players must attend a tryout before being accepted onto a team, and a high level of commitment to the team, including attendance at practices and games, is expected.
Information
For further information about our club please see our Q&A pages.