Q: At what age does Lightning Soccer start?
Lightning Soccer Club has training, travel teams and clinics for players ages 6 to 18. See the Age Matrix to determine a player's age group. Our U8 Advantage Clinic begins with U8 players. Visit our U8 Clinic page to learn about offerings for younger players.

Q: What does "U" stand for in U8 or U9?
The "U" in age group divisions stands for "under." So for example, if your child turns 10 after the cut-off date of August 1st, he/she is a U10 for that upcoming "soccer year." The soccer calendar runs from August 1st to July 31st yearly. If your player is a U10 in the fall, s/he will be a U10 in the spring, because just like school, the soccer calendar runs from fall through spring.

Q: Can we just sign up, or does my child have to try out to be on a travel team?
Lightning Soccer Club welcomes new players to learn about Lightning soccer throughout the year.  New players can observe training or games during the season, or even train with a team in order to learn about LSC first hand (new players should This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to arrange). Every June, LSC conducts open tryouts to select U8-U14 teams; every November for U15-U18 teams. For returning players, roster decisions are based on player performance during the previous season as well as performance during tryouts. New players are evaluated during tryouts. All players are evaluated in five areas: technical, tactical, athleticism, psychological, and attendance/commitment. The Director of Coaching is responsible for all final roster decisions.

Q: Can a player request to “play up” into the next older age group?
No, requests to play up are not entertained. Invitations to play up are made by the coaching staff when it is determined that it is in the best interest of the player's soccer development. Just because a player has played up for one year on an older team does not guarantee he/she will play up the next year. Please refer to Lightning's Playing Up Policy.

Q: When are tryouts?
LSC holds open tryouts each June for junior teams (U8-U14) and in November for senior teams (U15-U18).  New players can inquire about space on rosters throughout the year, and try out for a team on a rolling basis if there is room. Players interested in trying out should notify the club of their interest by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Q: How and when are we notified about tryout results?
Players will be notified of their status via email directing them to the website where they can see the team roster. They will learn that they made either a) Travel Team, b) Alternate, c) Player Pool, or d) that there is no position available for them at this time.

Q: How many players make it on to the Travel Team?
According to US Youth Soccer regulations, 6 v 6 teams may roster 14 players, 8 v 8 teams are limited to a 16 players, while 11 v 11 teams are limited to 18 players. Teams U16 and up may roster up to 22 players, but may only suit up 18 in any given game.

Q: What is Player Pool?
Player Pool is a training-only opportunity Lightning offers to interested, motivated players who wish to improve their skills to compete at the travel level. Players invited onto Player Pool train with the team , but do not compete in games. Many of our older Travel Team players started their Lightning careers on the Player Pool and through their hard work and effort earned a spot on the Travel Team.

Q: What is an Alternate? Alternate players are qualified players who trains with the team and may be invited to participate in games solely at the discretion of the head coach.

Q: What is the difference between a Club Team, Premier Team, and College Showcase Team?

Club Teams (Boys and Girls U8-U18):  Club Teams are competitive travel teams that compete at the state level in New Hampshire, typically in the Granite State Soccer League, and compete in one regional tournament in October (Columbus Day Weekend) and one in May (Memorial Day Weekend).  Fall training begins in early September 2x/week; the fall season runs until the end of October. Spring training begins in late February 1-2x per week and move outdoors 2-3x/week in April as weather permits. The spring season runs until mid June.

Premier Teams (Boys and Girls U9-U18):  Premier Teams are highly competitive travel teams that compete at the regional level, usually in the New England Premiership league. Premier teams also compete in a regional tournament (over Columbus Day Weekend in the fall and Memorial Day Weekend in the spring). Premier teams also compete in the NH State Cup tournament (for teams U12 and older only) over weekends in May. If they advance they compete in the Region 1 National Championships in early July. Premier Teams may elect to participate in other tournaments (not included in their team fee) such as Nordic Cup or the NEFC Tournament. Spring training begins in late February 2-3x per week and moves outdoors as weather permits; the season runs until late June or early July. Fall training begins in late August 2-3x per week and runs until the end of October/early November. Participation on a Premier Team requires a higher player/team commitment and increased travel.

College Showcase Team (Boys and Girls U15-U18):  College Showcase Teams are high school-aged premier teams that participate in a regional premier league (i.e. New England Premiership or Region 1 League), and in college showcase tournament(s), State Cup, and potentially Region 1 National Championships if the team advances. The focus for College Showcase Teams is to provide the training and visibility for players with college soccer aspirations and includes an LSC sponsored College Information Session. Spring training begins in late February 2-3x per week and moves outdoors as weather permits. Participation on a College Showcase Team requires a higher player/team commitment and travel to regional/national tournaments. Season runs until late June or early July.

Q: What is the Super-Y League?
LSC has been accepted into the USL Super-Y League and will be entering 4 regional ‘all-star’ teams to compete in the summer 2012 season. The Super-Y rosters and fees are separate and distinct from the regular LSC rosters, and placement/tryout for a Super-Y roster will be by invitation. LSC is teaming up with other premier clubs in New England to field highly competitive teams who will compete in the Northeast Division in four age groups: U14B, U15B, U16B, U16G. The Super-Y season begins in late spring and runs through early August and players can play on both a LSC team and Super-Y team.   

Super-Y National Finals and ODP (Olympic Development Program)
Super-Y teams who win their respective division can advance to the Super-Y National Championships in Tampa, Florida inearly December.  In addition, players will be evaluated over the course of the Super-Y League season by the coaches of opposing teams as well as their own club and can be identified for ODP (Olympic Development Program). The selected ODP players will attend the ODP National Camp held on their corresponding age group date. Once at the ODP National Camp, players will be evaluated over intense competition and training by the ODP Staff.  At the completion of the event, a final selection for the ODP Select Team will be made recognizing the top players in the Super-Y League. Once this selection has been made, certain ODP Select Teams may be invited to participate in events beyond the camps.

Q: How will I know where and when practices will take place?
Contact your team's Team Manager with any questions you have about your practice times or locations. Team Managers will also communicate game and tournament schedules and game directions, as well as answer many of your questions about how things work. As a general rule, fall training begins in late August and runs until Halloween or just after. Spring training begins indoors in Feb/March and ends in mid-June or sometimes July (if a team wins State Cup and advances to Regionals).

Q: What league do we play in?
Lightning teams play in the Granite State League or the New England Premiership League during the regular year (September-June). The Granite State League is NH's primary league for competitive travel soccer. It hosts more than forty clubs from around the state who come together in the spring and fall to compete. The New England Premiership League is a premier level league hosting teams from the most competitive clubs around New England.

Q: Is there winter training?
Lightning Soccer Club offers winter training opportunities to players. Winter training provides continuity during the winter months between fall and spring seasons, helping players solidify their skills and continue to grow. See LSC website for dates and clinic options. 

Q: What is State Cup?
The NH State Cup Tournament is hosted by the NH Soccer Association each spring. Lightning enters Premier and College Showcase teams U12 and older to the State Cup tournament for a chance to represent New Hampshire at the US Youth Soccer Region 1 Championships. Teams that advance (either by winning State Cup or receiving a ‘wild card’) are required by the state to attend the Region 1 Championships.  In 2012, Region 1 Championships will be held in Lancaster, PA June 28-July 3 (please hold these dates!).  Teams advancing will be required to pay an additional $1,500 to cover fees for attending this tournament.  Teams can either pay via a per player charge, or fundraise, but teams participating in State Cup should think ahead to prepare for this opportunity. 

Q: What are the US Youth Soccer Region 1 Championship?
Region 1 is the eastern region of the US; there are 15 state associations in Region 1. Teams from Virginia to Maine come together at the Region 1 Championships and compete to win their age division and advance to the US Youth Soccer Region 1 Championships held later in July.

Q: What are the fees for Lightning?
See the the Parent & Player Manual for current fees.

Q: How are club fees spent?
LSC is a non-profit organization and strives to offer a competitive soccer experience at as reasonable a cost as possible.  Through extensive use of volunteers, LSC is able to provide a quality experience for less than half the price charged by elite soccer clubs throughout New England. 

Approximately 75% of all LSC fees cover the costs of getting players on the field playing soccer under the guidance of qualified coaches.    The largest expense line is coaching.  After coaching, the club must cover field rental, league fees, tournaments, and referees.  For perspective, in the course of a year, LSC pays:

·         $40,000 for field use 

·         $15,000 for referees  

·         $20,000 for tournaments

·         $25,000 for registration in the various leagues

LSC is continuing its commitment to make this opportunity affordable for all through its scholarship fund.

Q: Can I sponsor Lightning Soccer Club?
Yes, we actively pursue sponsorship to help defray the costs we incur for field rentals, uniform costs, referee and league fees, tournament fees, coach fees, etc. so that we can keep our costs as low as possible for our families, and so we can involve any player who is interested. See our Lightning Sponsorship Packet.

Q: Why do you need a photo and a copy of a birth certificate?
We must be able to verify the ages of all our players. When a player is invited on to a Lightning team we ask for a copy of that player's birth certificate, which we then file. We also request a 1" x 1" inch photo for the identification cards we must create for each player, which prove that a player is who we say s/he is and that s/he is the proper age to be competing on that team. Player cards include a 1" x 1" player photo, a player signature and an official stamp.

Q: Are mouth guards required? Are other protective devices required?
Mouth guards are not required by NH Soccer Association or US Youth Soccer, however, shin guards and cleats are required. No other protective gear is required, ie no cups, helmets, pads, etc.

Q: Can I also play Recreational soccer?
It is possible to play both Rec and Lightning, however players and families should understand that travel team is a bigger commitment in every way than Rec soccer (financially, time, effort, distance, athletic challenge). If a player or a family is not prepared to make Lightning a priority over Rec, it is likely a better fit for the player to play Rec instead, and allow a different player the opportunity to make the Lightning team. If a Rec coach (of any sport) is understanding of your commitment to your travel team, it often works very well.

Q: Can I play other sports, be in a play, etc?
It is important for a coach to know if a player has another major commitment (school plays, musical commitments, another sport at a high commitment level, etc.) in putting a team together. Obviously, if the entire team has other major commitments, it will be very hard to ensure that enough players are available to run optimal training sessions and to compete in games. If it's just a few players then it can work well. It's a challenging balancing act for everyone: the coaches, the players, the club and the families. Our goal as a club is to serve players who are passionate about soccer.

Q: Does Dartmouth Soccer run Lightning Soccer Club?
Lighting Soccer Club was started in 1983 by a Norwich, VT dad, Jerry Ireland. In 1985 Dartmouth head men's coach Bobby Clark suggested they combine their talents. Bobby Clark's phenomenal soccer background (Scottish National team member, coach of Highlanders FC) and his love for teaching soccer to youths made this association a natural. Dartmouth Soccer ran Lightning Soccer for many years until the club grew beyond the size the college soccer office could operate, while still overseeing (and recruiting for) a Division 1 soccer team. Lightning Soccer Club became a totally independent entity in 2000, forming its own nonprofit corporation with a board of directors. Although the organizations cooperate extensively; Lightning Soccer hosts ads for Dartmouth camps and for the college game schedules on its site, and some Dartmouth coaches coach for the club, they are now two entirely independent organizations.

Q: How do I reach Lightning with any questions or concerns?
LSC Managing Director Kris Graham is available for questions via phone 802-649-70961 (h) or 603-667-6682 (c) or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .