Welcome to the U8 Academy.  This page covers some important information about the upcoming season.  Please read it carefully. 

Games: Games will be played at the Franklin School in Summit. Game times for the season have not yet been posted but you will have them prior to the first Sunday of games.

 Practices:  Please click on the link labeled "U8 Practice Schedule" on the left side of this page to check on the practice schedule including the beginning and end of the season, practice times and locations.    When you get to the field for the first practice, please look for your team’s trainer.

Team Placement:  Unless you have heard from me directly, you are placed on the same team as last Fall.  Please refer back to your emails for the password to access rosters.

Key Season Dates: Practices will begin on September 10th.

The last practices will be held on Friday, November 12th.

 Games will take place every Sunday beginning September 12th. The last games will take place on Sunday, November 14th.

 Chaperones:  Each team must have a chaperone for every practice during the season.  The chaperone’s role is to ensure that the trainer can focus exclusively on coaching the kids by helping with any injuries or behavior issues (there rarely are any).  In addition, the other EXTREMELY IMPORTANT task of the chaperone is to wait on the practice field until every child is picked up.

I cannot emphasize how important this task is.   The trainers will begin conducting the next practice sessions or leave the field once the U8 sessions are over.   If you are the chaperone, you are responsible to make sure no one on your team is left unsupervised.   Summit Soccer Club will not look favorably upon those who fail to live up to this responsibility by either not showing up or leaving the field before every child is picked up.

Academy coaches:   please email your team the season’s chaperone schedule as soon as possible.   There are enough players on each team so that no family needs to chaperone more than one practice during the year.  It is critically important that if you are the chaperone, you show up and, just as important, make sure that every child is picked up after practice.  

If you need to switch chaperone dates with someone, please communicate directly with your team.   You should be able to view your roster the same way you did last Fall.   I will be emailing the new families instructions and a password shortly.  

From the roster page, you can view team information with contact info as well as email the entire team so you can try to find a sub should you have a conflict.

If you are the chaperone please check-in with the trainer once you get to the field so he/she knows you are there and can reach out to you in case something comes up.  Please do not just take a seat nearby without talking to the trainer.  

One important tip:  if it is your assigned day to chaperone, you should print out and bring with you the contact info for each player so you have everyone’s phone number in case a parent is late to pick up their child.   

Field Closures and Cancellations:  Some of you are practicing at Glenside which is a turf field.  This means that practice for those teams will be rarely canceled because of rain.  However, you should check the SSC website under the link of “Field Updates” on the left side of the page for the latest update on the fields.  Alternatively, you can also call the Hot line at 522-1780. 

In case of inclement weather, all decisions regarding cancellations will be made by 1:00 and will be posted on the website or on the Hot Line.

A word of caution about practice cancellations.  Cancellations are not determined by U8/U7 coordinator or trainers.  In most cases field closures are mandated by the town.  However, there will be days when we may have heavy rain and the fields will remain open.  If the website and Hot Line do not indicate the fields are closed then practice will still be on. 

If practice has not been canceled, the trainers will be at the field even if there is heavy rains by the time practice is supposed to start.  However, because these are very young children, we may have periods of inclement weather starting after 1:00 which can include a combination of cold temperatures and rain that are not suitable conditions for players at this age level to play soccer in.   You, as parents, need to make sure that even if the fields are open, conditions are acceptable for your children. 

Finally, if the fields are open, there will be a trainer at the field who may also make the decision to cancel practice should conditions not be suitable for U8 soccer.   In that case, you will be notified by the trainer once you get to the field that practice has been canceled.

On Sundays, field cancellations will be simpler.  The decision to cancel games will be made and posted by 10:00 am on Sunday mornings.  If no cancellation notices appear on the website or hotline, games will be played.

Uniforms:  Uniforms for new players will be distributed to coaches prior to the season.   Coaches will have a list of new team members along with the size of shirts and shorts that were ordered.  Please do not take a different size than was ordered.  If you need to order an additional shirt for any reason, please let me know via email.

Contact Information and Passwords:  Please do not contact the Academy liaison if your contact information has changed.  

Your contact info can be changed by going to the SSC website and clicking on “Edit My Account” on the left side of the page.   You can also have your password emailed to you on that same page if you no longer have it by entering your email on the correct field.   Most other administrative issues should be directed to the Club’s registrar at

Soccer and or training questions can also be directed to Andy Beeston of Ashleys Soccer.  Andy’s email is

This page should have most of the information you need during the season.  Obviously, you can always email me at have any questions.

However, please make sure the issue has not been covered here prior to sending any emails.

I will also post this email under the U8 section of the Academy’s Website under the link of “U8 Academy Fall Season Information”