With warm weather comes youth athletic activities, therefore it’s time to look into youth soccer leagues in the Kansas City area. If you’re ready for soccer balls, cleats and a little “Go team, go!” the following list offers for some options for kids’ soccer leagues in Kansas City, covering both Kansas and Missouri.
Blue Valley Activity Center (BVAC)
19404 E. Holke Road
Independence, MO 64057
816-796-8702
http://www.bvacsports.org/soccer.php
Blue Valley Activity Center (BVAC) is a great organization with various sports teams for children, including soccer. While the league name is Blue Valley, this league is in Independence, not Overland Park, as the name might suggest (not Blue Valley School District). Ages for BVAC’s soccer teams range from 3 years through 9th grade. Their teams are especially great for smaller children, as there are no tryouts, no official scoring in youngest division and everyone receives a medal. One of my children played on one of BVAC’s soccer teams last year and had a great time. There was one practice and one game per week, however according the BVAC’s website, for the summer league there are no practices, just games. There are 7 soccer fields, and all are lighted and irrigated. They have bleacher style seating, but it’s a good idea to bring your own lawn chairs for games, as they’ll probably be more comfortable. They also have a concession stand at the field.
Heartland Soccer Association
9161 W 133rd Street
Overland Park, KS 66213
913-888-8768
http://heartlandsoccer.net/
The Heartland Soccer Association is a nonprofit and educational youth soccer association located in Johnson County, KS. It has more than 800 teams and 13000 youth players on all of its teams. There are 6 member clubs that make up the association:
Blue Valley Soccer Club
Kansas Rush Soccer Club
Overland Park Soccer Club
Northeast United Soccer Club
Southwest United Soccer Club
Kansas Premier Soccer League
The soccer clubs are located in Overland Park, Westwood, Olathe and Lenexa KS. Visit the Heartland Soccer Association website or call the number listed above to find out which club you should play for based on the area of Johnson County you live in.
Western Missouri Soccer League, Inc.
6022 NE Antioch Rd – Ste 2
Gladstone MO 64119
816-459-7543
http://www.wmsl.org/
The Western Missouri Soccer League serves North Kansas City. They have teams for kids ages 6 to Under 19, and academy programs for kids ages 3 through 6 years old. One team that makes this league stand out from the others is their TOPSoccer program. This free league is for special needs kids, ages 4 to 19. TOPSoccer (or The Outreach Program for Soccer) is a community-based training and team placement program for children with disabilities. The program is designed to bring the opportunity of learning and playing soccer to any boy or girl, age 4 to 19, who has a mental or physical disability.
Lee’s Summit Soccer Association
705B SE Melody Lane, PMB 303
Lee’s Summit, MO 64063
816-554-2255
http://www.lssa.org/
The Lee’s Summit Soccer Association (LSSA) has teams for children ages 4 through 18. This league ensures that each child half of each game. They are a volunteer-run organization and one bonus is no fund raising! They have sponsor and concession fundraising, so no selling candy or trash bags to your neighbors.
They also offer a competitive soccer program, playing against teams in surrounding areas (such as Blue Springs, Independence and Raytown).
Lee’s Summit Soccer Association also has a program for children with special needs.
Sources:
Youth Soccer, Blue Valley Activity Center
Heartland Soccer Association
The Western Missouri Soccer League
Lee’s Summit Soccer Association
