The U8 season with the Ross Valley Breakers is a stepping stone to club soccer. The focus is on having fun, learning fundamental soccer skills, and playing over a longer period of time so players build a stronger foundation that transforms into a passion for the game. A secondary goal is to not stress out parents. That’s why we keep things realistic in terms of how many games are played, how far teams have to travel, and the cost.

If you have any additional questions about the Breakers U8 program please email john@rossvalleybreakers.com

Here’s a summary of the Breakers U8 season:

  • Practices: 32 practices from the 3rd week of Aug to the week before Christmas break. Practices are 2x per week, and typically Mon & Wed, or Tue & Thu. These are usually held at White Hill Middle School from 3:45 to 5:15.
  • Games: 8-10 games as part of NorCal Premier’s Fall League.  Games are played from after Labor Day through early Dec. Home games are typically at Manor Elementary. Away games are in places like Tiburon, Corte Madera, Larkspur, Novato, Napa, and Santa Rosa.
  • Cost: $500 for the season, plus $100 for the uniform. For reference, recreation league soccer typically costs about $225 for the shorter season.
  • Tryouts: U8 tryouts will be held May 12, 19 and 20 at Red Hill soccer field.
  • Roster: Our target roster size is 7-8 players. This gives us enough players for adequate subs during the game, and to account for any players who may have to miss games. U8 players who demonstrate a higher level of skill may be invited to “play up” as a guest player on the U9 team.
  • Game Format: Teams play 4v4 with no goalie. They play 4 quarters of 10 minutes each.
  • Practice Format: The U8 team practices “academy style” with the U9, U10, U11 and U12 boys teams. This gives the U8 boys the chance to play against much more experienced players, and enables the older players to act as mentors for the younger players.
  • Breakers Black: U8 players are eligible for participation in the new Breakers Black Program. This program offers additional training opportunities in the winter and spring. If the whole team is interested in Breakers Black, additional games can be added to the season.

Learn more about tryouts and register here:

The Breakers want your U8 player to feel passionate about soccer. In fact, we want them to be so psyched about soccer they keep playing all the way through high school, and perhaps into college. That means they blow past the “burnout age” where 70% of kids quit sports by age 13. It starts with kids being psyched to play soccer with friends. That’s what gets them on the field and excited to go to practice every day.

Fearlessness is the other key element of the Breakers development philosophy. This is a big one psychologically for kids. Your child is fearless when they’re not worried about what their parents or coach will say if they “go for it” and fail during a game. We require our coaches and parents, particularly at young ages like U8, to be extremely positive with players. We want players to know if they make even the most ridiculous mistake on the field there are no repercussions. The end result is clear when you see your player totally locked into the game, trying out new moves, taking chances and having a blast. Yes, winning is fun and we go for it every game, but it’s not the most important thing. We’re looking to the long-term success of our players.

Posted in Events, Feature, Player Development