ACADEMY (6U-8U)

The RFU Academy features an 8u, 6u, and 4u program for players discovering soccer.

This program is made possible by community members who volunteer to coach each season. If you would like to be involved with coaching this age-group, please consider registering as a coach or assistant coach. We offer free coach training sessions, provide weekly curriculum, and offer some compensation based on the age group coached.

Locations: Practices for Academy teams will take place at:

• Crown Mountain Park (Basalt)
• Crystal River Elementary (Carbondale)
• Sullivan Park (Glenwood Springs).
• Rio Grande (Aspen - NOT AVAILABLE IN SPRING)

Team Size: Teams consist of 10-12 players.

• Rosters at this age group are created based on birth year as well as preferences for location, time, coach, and/or teammates. All preferences can be indicated during registration.
• We cannot guarantee all requests but will certainly attempt to grant them if a player's registration has been submitted before the published deadline.

Practice Days/Times: M/W or T/Th (2x/week) for 45minute - 1hr sessions; practice days, start time and length are determined by the coach (or coaches) based on their availability.

• Please indicate any preference for practice days (M/W or T/TH) when registering.
• Please indicate any preference for practice time (early = start before 5pm or late = start at or after 5pm) when registering.

When groups are created, players will be placed in a group with a schedule that best matches the preferences indicated by the player during registration.

Fees include: a Team shirt, secondary player insurance, coaching fees, administrative fees, equipment, field rental, field lining, and a seasonal jamboree.

Weather Cancellations: If weather is a concern for practice time, we have several different ways to check for cancellations on our website, emails, by text or on PlayMetrics. There can be no reimbursements for games or practices canceled due to weather, acts of God, or forfeits by opposing teams.

Programs do not include:

• Additional individual training sessions (please see the Supplemental Training tab for those options)
• Camps/Clinics
• Indoor training and/or leagues
• Misc. costs such as coach gifts, team parties, a team bench, flags, tents, and/or similar items that are normally purchased for a team. 

Waitlists: If programs are full, please register to the waitlist so that we understand the level of interest in each program and can do our best to create additional teams or find another suitable placement for your player.

**If there is a waitlist for the team that you prefer, please consider volunteering to coach that group. Not only is coaching the best way to get your player off the waitlist and onto a roster, but you will also receive reimbursement for a full player registration fee and a stipend at the end of the season as compensation for your time and effort. ** 

Registrations for Academy Programs must be submitted by 1/31

Registrations after 1/31 will go directly to a waitlist and will incur an additional $50 fee for registration if/when they are activated from the waitlist to a roster. 


Registration to 6u-8u teams is done by season, one for fall 2024 and one for spring 2025. If you register for both at the same time, you will receive $40 off of the spring registration fee. 

8U

Available to players born 2017-2018

8U teams play 5v5; roster size 10-12 players.

6U

Available to players born 2019-2020

6U teams play 4v4 or 5v5; roster size 8-10 players.

4U

Available to players born 2021

** ONLY AVAILABLE IN SPRING **

4U teams do not have games; roster size 8-10.

SPONSORS