CPUSA stands for Central Pasco United Soccer Association. This not-for-profit organization is led by a seven member, all volunteer Board of Directors and operates through a combination of staff, professional coaches, volunteer coaches, volunteer team managers and parent volunteers. CPUSA is dedicated to providing children and their families a positive soccer experience through recreational and competitive team soccer play.

CPUSA has been in existence for well over thirty years, having been first formed during the height of popularity of the Tampa Bay Rowdies, and was formerly called the Lake Padgett Soccer Club. You do not have to live in Pasco County to play soccer in CPUSA.

FYSA stands for the Florida Youth Soccer Association, which is, in turn, a part of a national, United States Youth Soccer Association (USYSA) and international soccer association, Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA). CPUSA is sanctioned and affiliated through FYSA. Florida is divided into 4 regions for purposes of FYSA: Regions A through D. CPUSA is in District 6 (Pasco, Hernando, Citrus & Sumter Counties) of Region C (Southwest Florida).

Select soccer is also called competitive soccer. This consists of teams for which the players must try out and be selected. Competitive teams are one-year age increments, starting with U-9 (Under 9) going up to U-18. It is a longer season of practices and games in that competitive teams usually practice from June or July through the start of their season (usually at least one week before recreational soccer starts). There is usually a higher cost per player than recreational in that each team must also find sponsors to fund uniforms and tournament fees.

Select teams usually go to several tournaments before the regular season starts. Select teams are placed in divisions based on either their regular season record from the year before and/or their playing in a round robin tournament to decide which division they will be in for this season. The divisions are called either A or I for the highest level of play, B or II, and C or III. Based on the division the team is in, they will play other league teams for their age bracket and division, usually playing each team twice, once at home and one at the other team's home field. This means that competitive teams travel for at least half of their games and all of their tournaments. The travel is usually less than one hour, but can be more. The goal for all leagues would be to have at least one team representing them in every age bracket and at least an A and B team in the younger brackets

Recreational soccer consists of teams in 2 year-old age brackets, starting with U-6 (under 6) up to U-18. For the younger age groups, anyone who registers for recreational soccer will be placed on a team. For some of the older age brackets, CPUSA can only have a team if enough players of that age bracket register.

During the playing season, whenever possible, recreational teams will play each other within CPUSA (see What is TARSA and Interplay for other age brackets). The popular U-6 program, 'The Ball and Me', teaches soccer fundamentals without the pressures of scoring, winning, losing and competition. The U-8 program continues with a focus on teaching fundamentals and enhancing skill levels. Beginning with U-10, scores are kept and goalies are used. At the end of the season, there is usually a tournament for CPUSA teams that play each other as well as other tournaments for teams that play outside of CPUSA.

As the age brackets increase the number of recreational teams typically decreases. For instance, in U-8 there may be 20 teams within CPUSA meaning there are sufficient number of teams that can play each other within CPUSA to make up an entire season. TARSA and Interplay are two groups that combine teams from Hillsborough and Pasco County. Volunteers run the leagues from each organization. Since these teams play at different complexes the teams are considered Traveling Teams. Half of the games are home games and the other half are at other complexes, most of the games are within an hour of Land O' Lakes

Recreational soccer goes: in two-year age increments starting with U-6, U-8, U-10, U-12, U-14, U16, and U18.

Competitive soccer goes in one-year age increments starting with U-9, U-10, U-11, U-12, U-13, U-14, U-15, U-16, U-17, and U-18.

Based on international soccer rules by which FYSA and therefore CPUSA abide, all ages for all teams are based on league age. League age is the age the child is on July 31st of that year. For example, in order for a child to play soccer for U-10 recreational team for the 2009-010 season, the player must at least 8 and under 10 on July 31, 2009.

Playing up is when a child plays in an age bracket, which is greater than the child's league age, meaning if placed in the correct league age bracket for his age, the child would be placed in a younger age bracket. While it is not done normally, there are children that benefit from playing in an older age bracket because of their skill level. In the case of competitive, the child must try out and be selected for the team and have the approval of the Director of Coaching.

In the case of recreational, it is best for a child to play in the age bracket to which they belong.

No, FYSA rules dictate that a child cannot ìplay downî or in an age bracket that would mean they were league age 1 or more years older than the children they are playing with, unless the child is involved in the TOPS soccer program.

Sports, even recreational sports have become more and more expensive over the years. We have come to expect more, and because of this many services which were not provided before are now, but they do cost money.

You fees go towards purchase and maintenance of the goals, nets for the goals, field paint for lining the fields, paying to have the lining put down, team benches, lights for night practice or games, uniforms, referee fees, league dues, FYSA registration, insurance, part-time paid staff, website costs, on-line registration costs, mailings, signage, advertising, trophies, soccer balls and a host of other costs.

Competitive tryouts are held every year, usually over a second or third weekend in June. CPUSA competitive team tryouts are open to all interested soccer players within CPUSA and throughout the Tampa Bay area. Players are normally required to try out for a team even if they were on the competitive team last year and should attend all tryout sessions. For more specific information please see our competitive teams webpage.

The Competitive Senior season starts in early August, while the Junior Competitive season starts in late October or early November. The Recreational season starts in late October or early November depending on the age/gender group.

This question varies by what level and what age group the child plays in.

Our U6 Ball and Me program is a 12 week, Saturday only program that begins in late October and ends in the middle of February.

Our recreational programs start practice in the early part of October, practicing 1-2 a week and games start at the end of October. The season ends in the middle of February.

The competitive program for the older players - U-15 and up, begins in late July with practice and games begin in the middle of August. They play the season until the middle of October when high school practices begin. They start up again in late February after high school is over in preparation for Region Cup or State Cup.

The competitive program for the younger players U-14 and under, begins in early August and the games begin near the end of October and go until early February.

Recreational practices are at the 41 Community Center fields (5401 Land O'Lakes Blvd., Land O'Lakes). The fields are located on 41, across from the Post Office, about 3 miles north of Route 54. Competitive scrimmages at the Rec Center fields on Collier.

Each child should have a pair of soccer cleats and shin guards that fit properly. These should be worn to all practices and games.

Each child should also bring the correct size ball to each practice and for warm-ups before games. For recreational teams: U-6 and U-8 use a size 3 ball; U-10 and U-12 use a size 4 ball; and U-14 and above use a size 5 ball. For competitive teams' ball size, please check with your coach.

It is also important that each child bring water to each practice and game, especially during the warmer weather.

Whenever possible, the coaches will try to have practice and games, even if its raining. However, if there is excessive rain and the fields are closed by the county, or if there is lightning, we will post on the website Fields are closed. Please check the home page of the website, www.cpusasoccer.com if you are in doubt. Our bulletin will be posted as quickly as we get word that the fields are closed.

The team manager is usually a parent who coordinates the activities of the team and is in contact with the Director of Club Operations. Team Manager to ensure all information is disseminated to the parents, players, and coaches on the team. The team manager usually coordinates the schedule of which parent is responsible for snacks after each game and when the team is responsible for covering snack bar time. The team manager usually calls parents to alert them to schedule changes.

For the older teams it might involve directions to the fields or hotel information when the team is traveling to tournaments. The team manager helps the coach with the off field things we need to be done for the team and the parents.

The Board of Directors meets monthly. Once per year, designated positions on the board come up for replacement/election. There is an annual general meeting, usually held in April at which all positions up for re-election or replacement are voted on. Please see the Board of Directors page for specific e-mail addresses and names should you have a specific question.

If you are interested in becoming a CPUSA Soccer sponsor, please contact our Director of Club Operations, Tony Mattera at tmattera@cpusasoccer.com

No. You can register your children to play soccer with CPUSA regardless of where you live.

The Club is made up of volunteer Board Members and some part-time paid staff. The best way to contact the club is to email: info@@cpusasoccer.com or one of the emails listed on our contact info page for the area you have a question or concern in.

CPUSA supports two types of soccer -- Recreational and Competitive.

Recreational Soccer is typically for the player who wants to learn some soccer skills and have some fun. Competitive Soccer is for the player who wants to learn some soccer skills and have some fun but wants a higher level of play and who's family is willing to make more of a time and travel commitment than recreational requires.

The Regular Playing Season The recreational season runs from late October or early November through February. The younger age groups will play all their games at CPUSA's Collier Fields. The older age groups as well as the girls' teams usually have to travel for half their games. We try to work with some of the surrounding clubs in order to have enough teams to play for the season and limit the travel to our immediate area.
The competitive season for the U13 and younger players runs from late October or early November through February. The competive season for the U14 and older teams begins in early August and ends in late October. This allows the players to play on their High School teams, should they want to. All competitive players will have to travel for half their games, however, the travel is not usually farther than Lakeland to the east, Hernando County to the north, Sarasota to the south, or Clearwater and St. Pete to the west.

Competitive teams are usually involved in several tournaments throughout their seasaon. These can begin as early as mid-summer or Labor Day and can go through Memorial Day. Teams would normally agree as a group as to whether or not they wanted to participate in a tournament.

The Practice Season The recreational practice season starts in late September or early October and ends with the last games in February. Except for end-of- the-season tournaments, including All Star tournaments, most recreational players are finished with soccer games and practice by mid-late February.

The competitive practice season usually begins in July and doesn't end until after the end-of-the-season tournaments. For most teams that means at least until sometime in March or April.

Registration Recreational registration is held in August and registration costs are based on the child's age group. There are scheduled days for registration as there is paperwork that must be signed/notarized.

For Competitive registration, Players must first tryout for and be chosen for a competitive team. These tryouts cannot be held after the State Cup tournament is held. This means tryouts for all clubs are typically in early to mid-June. Competititve registration is usually held by team, once the teams have been formed. Registration fees are set by the team based on what the costs are that they anticipate per player. Typically, competitive registration fees are at least twice of what recreational fees are.

If you have any further questions about soccer at CPUSA in general, please contact us at jhiggins@cpusasoccer.com

In addition to the penalties/fouls called by the referee, there are unwritten good sportsmanship behaviors that govern soccer at all levels from youth to World Cup play:

1) Players can and should help their opponents off the ground when appropriate.

2) When a player is hurt and goes down, if play is still happening and the opposing team has the ball, they should kick it out of bounds. Once the injured player has been tended to and play is ready to resume, the opposing team should throw it in to the team that had possession and kicked it out.

3) If the referee stops play because of an injury on the field, play will resume with a drop ball. In this case, the opposing team should kick it to the team that lost possession due to the stop in play.

4) At the end of the game, all players should shake the hands of all the players on the other team and coaches should shake hands with the other coaches and the game officials.