The Lower Merion Soccer Club is a not for profit organization which
provides soccer programs for over 2700 youngsters ages 4-17 each year.
LMSC has been in existence for over 40 years and ranks as one of the top
youth soccer organizations in the state.
Players do NOT have to live in Lower Merion Township to participate.
While we constantly try to develop players' skills and knowledge of
the game so that they can play at higher levels of soccer in the future,
it is our firm belief that this can only be accomplished if the
children are enjoying themselves on the soccer field.
One of our strengths is the diversity of the programs that we offer.
Highly competitive and athletic players can play in the Travel Team
Program which has had 24 teams win State Championships and
74 teams reach the State Cup semifinals since 1989. Our Travel Team
Program offers up to four teams in all age groups.
For our younger players and our less competitive players, LMSC offers
a full range of intramural programs based on each player's age,
gender, athletic ability, soccer experience and desired competitive
level. Our objective is to offer a program that will be fun and
challenging to each player in the program.
The following is a list of the various programs offered throughout the
year by LMSC:
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Fall Intramural Program |
For players ages 4 - 13. There are 14
divisions, distinguished by gender, age, previous soccer experience
and athletic ability.
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|
Spring Intramural Program |
For players ages 5-10. There are eight
different divisions, based on gender, age, previous soccer experience
and athletic ability.
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|
Travel Team Program |
Our Travel Team Program currently fields 35 travel teams (boys teams and girls teams) for
players in age groups from Under 9 through Under 18.
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Under 8 Developmental Travel Team Academy |
This program is for our players who are one year away from being eligible for the Travel
Team Program. The team trains under the direction of our Academy staff, preparing them
for the Travel Team Program.
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|
Special Needs Program |
This program runs in the fall and is open to youngsters ages 6-15 who have
physical, mental or personality limitations.
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|
Travel Team Pre-Season Camp |
Held in mid-August, before the start of the fall travel team season. This advanced camp is open
only to LMSC travel team players.
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Our Fall Intramural Program provides soccer for boys and girls ages 4-13.
Over 1700 youngsters participated in the 2007 Fall Intramural Program.
2008 FALL INTRAMURAL
PROGRAM DIVISIONS
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| Pee-Wees |
4 year olds |
2004 |
| Atoms |
5 year olds |
2003 |
| Bantams |
6 year olds |
2002 |
| Juniors |
7 year olds |
2001 |
| Intermediates |
8 year olds |
2000 |
| Seniors |
9 and 10 year olds |
1998, 1999 |
| Majors |
11 - 13 year olds |
1995 - 1997 |
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|
|
| Pee-Wees |
4 year olds |
2004 |
| Pee-Wees |
4 year olds |
2004 |
| Neutrons |
5 year olds |
2003 |
| Microns |
6 year olds |
2002 |
| Quasars |
7 year olds |
2001 |
| Protons |
8 year olds |
2000 |
| Electrons |
9 and 10 year olds |
1998, 1999 |
| Cosmos |
11 - 13 year olds |
1995 - 1997 |
The Pee-Wees Program (four year olds) plays on Sundays (late morning and afternoon) in the fall.
Our
Youngest Divisions (Atoms, Neutrons, PeeWees and Special Needs)
in the Fall season
are kept very informal. Players in these divisions meet every Saturday.
They are put through a fun clinic for the first fifteen minutes where
they are taught the basic skills of the game. Each player has his/her
own soccer ball to practice with during the skills clinic.
The remainder of each session is spent playing small sided games
(4 vs. 4) on scaled down fields using a small (size 3) soccer ball.
The scaled down games allow each player to be more involved in the
play and have many more "touches" on the ball.
Players are not placed on permanent teams during the season to
minimize the "winning and losing" aspect.
Our primary objective in the youngest age groups is to develop a
passion for the game of soccer in each player.
Players in our Middle Divisions (Microns, Bantams, Juniors, Quasars, Intermediates
and Protons) are placed on teams of 12-14 players for the season. Each team has a game every Saturday against
another team in their division. Each team has one practice a week, either on a weeknight or on Sunday.
Two simultaneous games are played. The Microns and Bantams play 4 vs. 4 with no goalies. The Juniors, Quasars,
Intermediates and Protons play with four field players and a goalie on the field.
The Bantams, Microns, Juniors and Quasars use a size 3 ball, the Intermediates and Protons use a size 4 ball.
One of the objectives of the middle divisions is to prepare the more
athletic players for the prestigious Travel Team Program which is
available to youngsters starting at 8 years of age.
Our Oldest Divisions (Seniors, Majors, Electrons and Cosmos)
are for players who have either elected to not tryout for
the Travel Team Program or who were not selected for the Travel Team
Program.
The Seniors and Electrons Divisions play 8 vs. 8. Players are placed on teams of
up to 14 players per team.
The Majors and Cosmos Divisions play full sided 11 vs. 11. Players are placed on
teams of 15-18 players. Unlike the younger divisions,
end of season playoffs are held in the Majors and
Cosmos Divisions, to determine a league champion.
Information about the Fall Intramural Program is sent out in
June to those players on our mailing list who are of the proper age.
Click Here To Go To The Fall Intramural Program Page
In the spring, LMSC runs a small scale intramural program for 5-10 year
old boys and girls. The Spring Intramural Program runs on Sundays from
late April through the end of June.
For the 5 and 6 year old divisions, the players have a 15-20 minute skills
clinic each session, followed by a 40 minute game. All games are "small
sided" (usually 4 vs. 4) to maximize player participation and skill development.
The 7-8 year old divisions in the Spring Intramural Program, (the Juniors, Intermediates,
Quasars and Protons divisions) have players placed
on teams of 12-14 and play two simultaneous games of 5 vs. 5. The 9-10 year old divisions
(Seniors and Electrons) have players placed on teams of 14 players and play games of 8 vs. 8.
The Spring Intramural Program consists of the following age
divisions which are based on age, gender, previous soccer experience
and athletic ability:
2009 SPRING INTRAMURAL
PROGRAM DIVISIONS
|
|
|
|
|
| Atoms |
5 year olds |
2004 |
| Bantams |
6 year olds |
2003 |
| Juniors |
7 year olds |
2002 |
| Intermediates |
8 year olds |
2001 |
| Seniors |
9 and 10 year olds |
1999, 2000 |
|
|
|
|
| Neutrons |
5 year olds |
2004 |
| Microns |
6 year olds |
2003 |
| Quasars |
7 year olds |
2002 |
| Protons |
8 year olds |
2001 |
| Electrons |
9 and 10 year olds |
1999, 2000 |
Information about the Spring Intramural Program is sent out in mid-March
to those players on our mailing list who are of the proper age.
Click Here To Go To The Spring Intramural Program Page
The Travel Team Program is
geared towards the more competitive and athletic boys and girls ages 8-16.
The Travel Team Program offers a much more extensive soccer experience
than the Intramural Program and offers a much more experienced
coaching staff. Several of our Travel Team coaches (and two of our
LMSC Directors) are former players in the LMSC Travel Team Program.
Most of the coaches in the Travel Team Program have successfully
completed various levels of the coaching courses offered by the
United States Soccer Federation.
LMSC travel teams play against other local Travel Team Programs such
as Downingtown, West Chester and Nether Providence. The boys travel
teams compete in the Delco League while the girls travel teams compete
in the Philadelphia Area Girls Soccer League (PAGS).
The primary season for the Travel Team Program is in the fall.
LMSC fields up to four teams in age groups Under 9 through Under 15.
It has been our experience that most travel team players have gone on
to play at the high school level. Many players make it to the college
level. Most people realize the social pressures of high school. The
prestige that comes with being an athlete greatly reduces these
pressures. It is our belief that being an athlete on a school team
has tremendous value. The Travel Team Program is by far the most
successful way of reaching that objective in soccer.
Tryouts are held each spring for the travel teams. Notices are sent to
all players on our mailing list. The top players selected in
each age group qualify to play on that age group's Premier ('A' division)
team. The next group of players selected play on the 'B' division team.
Additional teams are formed in age groups where there is a
sufficient turnout of players and a qualified coach is identified.
Many of our 'A' level travel teams are considered to be among
the best in the state. Since 1989, LMSC has had 24 teams win State
Championships. During that time, a total of 76 teams have reached
the semifinals of State Cup competition.
The commitment of the 'A' teams in the Travel Team Program is much greater
than that of other divisions of travel teams. Our 'A' teams are
committed to developing players for both high school and collegiate
levels of play.
Several players from our Travel Team Program have gone on to play
Division I college soccer and professional soccer.
Ben Olsen played in the 2006 World Cup for the USA. He also played on the Men's Olympic
team in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. One of Ben's former LMSC teammates, Jon Conway,
was a second team All-American at Rutgers University and has played in the MLS
(Major League Soccer) for eight years. He is currently playing for the New York Red Bulls.
Before that, Jon played for the San Jose Earthquakes.
Ben has played for D.C. United of MLS for eight years.
Will Kohler, started for the USA
Under 17 National Team in the 1991 U-17 World Cup and was drafted by the
New York / New Jersey MetroStars of the MLS. Three other LMSC alums
have also gone on to play in the professional ranks, including
Richard Wilmot of the Reading Rage, Justin Ceccarelli of the Worecester Wildfire
and Allan Greaves, who played for the Philadelphia Freedom.
Another former LMSC player, Suzie Grech, was the starting goalkeeper for Spain's Under 18
National Team and trained with Spain's full Women's National Team.
Many other players have made the USA Region I teams and State Select teams.
In 1996, there were five LMSC alumni on the nationally ranked Harvard
University men's soccer team.
During the winter months, many of our travel teams play in several indoor
tournaments and practice in nearby school gyms. Our 'A' teams
compete in the Indoor State Cup (winter) and the Outdoor State Cup
spring). They also play in spring and fall tournaments. Our boys
'A' teams are considered to be among the very best in the state
as evidenced by their success in recent State Cups and the number
of players that have made the State Select Program.
Click Here To Go To The Travel Team Program Page
Each year, Under 8 Developmental Travel Teams are formed (one boys
team, one girls team) to train future travel team players. Both teams train under the direction
of the LMSC coaching staff. The teams train together in
the fall under the same format at our regular 7 and 8 year old age groups. Each team plays in one or
two outdoor tournaments in November. Both teams compete in local area indoor tournaments during the
winter.
Tryouts are held for both Under 8 teams in late May or early June. LMSC will field a maximum of 30 boys and
a maximum of 30 girls each year on the Developmental teams.
Notices are sent to all eligible players on our mailing list.
Click Here To Go To The Under 8 Academy Page
This program is geared for players with physical limitations, mental limitations or emotional limitations
who might not be comfortable playing in our other programs. Players range from age 5 - 16. The program
runs on Saturday mornings in the fall.
Click Here To Go To The Special Needs Program Page
