Competitive Program Information

Q: What nights do you play?
A: Teams have a total of 3 contacts per week (consisting of practices and games; holiday weeks are an exception). 

• Exact dates for Spring / Summer typically align with League game nights, which are Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday (determined by Twin Cities Soccer League “TCSL” and based on age and competitive level), plus a weekend practice on non-tournament weekends. Teams will participate in 2 weekend tournaments (teams might collectively choose to add more tournaments at an additional cost to players).
• Fall season practice dates are based on coach and field availability, but are typically Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday, plus a weekend practice until games start (which are weekends during the Fall season). 

Q: Can a player play competitive soccer while participating in other activities/sports?
A: We desire to be a club that balances support for both competitive teams and multi-sport athletes. Our U5-U11 teams offer players full flexibility to join for a single season or play year-round. For U12+ teams, White and Red teams continue to offer that same flexibility. U12+ Royal and Onyx teams require a full-year commitment, but still respect that some athletes may be juggling multiple sports and may therefore miss sessions due to direct conflicts. If you are uncertain about your multi-sport athlete’s commitment level, please discuss with club staff before tryouts to help determine the right team to try out for. For Onyx teams, 50% attendance is expected during the winter season and 75% during the core fall and spring / summer seasons.

Q: Where are games played?
A: League games are split between home games in Bloomington and an away schedule in nearby communities in the Twin Cities. Tournament games are also in nearby communities with out of town or out of state travel up to individual teams with guidance from the club.

Q: When is the main season?
A: Fall and Spring / Summer are both main seasons for Bloomington United. Fall league play includes 6 weekend games running mid-August through early October. Spring consists of 10 league games from April through early July, plus 2 weekend tournaments (potentially more, depending on the team’s interest). Both seasons may end with a two-game tournament, the “Final Four,” for qualifying teams based on league games (typically the top 1 or 2 teams per TCSL bracket).

Q: Is there a uniform?
A: There is a home and away uniform for competitive teams that is required to be purchased online for each player by that player’s family (~$120-150). Each player is assigned a number and purchases their uniform directly on www.soccer.com. Instructions on ordering will be provided after team invites have been sent.

Q: How much does it cost, what do fees cover?
A: See the chart on this page for specific program costs and player fees. Player fees go to cover the cost of coach pay, indoor facilities, fields, referees, a referee assignor, league registration, insurance, club administration, and tournaments.

Q: Are there tryouts?
A: Bloomington United has tryouts/player identification sessions in July.

Q: What competitive level will my player be placed at?
A: United uses coach evaluations (when available) and tryouts to evaluate a player’s technical skill and ability. Once we have assembled a team, we will look at the collective roster of players and determine which of four competitive levels, National (highest), Regional, State, or Cities we will place the team in. U9 and U10 teams have three competitive levels: Red (highest), White, or Blue.  We are a community-based club and therefore do our best to find a team placement for every player who is looking to play competitively. For full details, please review our Team Formation Policy. 

Q: What if my player is unable to attend tryouts?
A: Please contact [email protected] to discuss alternative options.

Q: What can my player expect to experience during tryouts?
A: Players will be grouped by grade and participate in a series of small-sided sided and full-sided games run by our coaching staff.

Q: Does Bloomington United accept all players, or are there cuts after tryouts?
A: As a community-based soccer club, Bloomington United makes every possible effort to place all registered players on one of our competitive teams. Unfortunately, there are instances where roster caps or total registration numbers mean we do not have a viable team space for every player. If we are unable to place your player on a roster, we will gladly provide assistance to help you find another local club or organization so your child can continue playing soccer. In addition, if a player is at a recreational level based on their tryout evaluation and/or coach evaluation, then we will recommend that they play at a recreational level and/or attend camps and tryout again next year. 

Q: When will my player know what team they will be invited to?
A: We aim to send out Fall and Spring invites within 48 hours after the completion of tryouts.  Please note, we ask that all players accept or decline their invite within 48 hours of receipt. After this point, we may offer roster spots to other players and cannot guarantee placement for players who did not accept their invitation by the deadline.

Q: How much do tryouts cost?
A: The fee to tryout is $50.00.

Q: If a player tries out for the higher age team and doesn’t make it, will they land in their age group? 

YES – In order to play up a player will be evaluated in the top 1/3 of the higher-aged team.

Q: Can we request friends on teams? (Mostly asked by younger teams)

No, as a competitive soccer club we do not accept friend requests.

Q: What If I can’t attend tryouts?

You must register to tryout regardless to be considered for placement. Coach evaluations will be used for returning players to identify the most appropriate team. Players who are new to the club will be placed on the lowest level team; however, may be “promoted” part-time or full-time if a performance exception is clearly identified after practices begin.