Frequently Asked Questions

Stewartville FC is a non-profit, competitive youth soccer club dedicated to providing the athletes of Stewartville and the surrounding communities with a higher level of soccer development. Our mission is to foster a love for the game through professional-grade coaching, structured league play, and a focus on both individual skill and team character. We aim to bridge the gap between recreational play and high school athletics.

If your child has played Stewartville Youth Athletic Association (SYAA) soccer, they played "Rec." Traveling soccer with Stewartville FC is a step up in competition and commitment, similar to joining a traveling basketball (SYBA) or traveling baseball and softball (Diamond Club / Rebels) team. We focus on advanced skill development and play against other organized clubs in the region rather than just playing against other Stewartville kids.

We are a member of the Minnesota Youth Soccer Association (MYSA). Our teams compete in the Southern Minnesota Soccer League (SMSL). Think of this as our "conference"—we play clubs like Rochester, Kasson-Mantorville, Byron, Winona, and Owatonna.

For the regular season, you will typically play 6-11 games (6 in the Fall, 11 in the Spring/Summer). Half are at our home fields in Stewartville, and half are away. Most away games are within a 30-60 minute drive.

Transportation: Parents are responsible for transporting their players to and from all away games. However, because our teams consist of local classmates, ride-sharing is very common and actively encouraged within each team to help families manage the travel schedule.

Scheduling depends on which season you are playing:

• Fall Season (Sept-Oct): Games are on Saturdays and Sundays. Practices are typically 2 nights a week.
• Winter Season (Nov-March): Games are played on Saturdays or Sundays. Practices are held 1-2 times during the week.
• Spring/Summer Season (May-July): Games shift to weeknights (Mon-Thu) after Memorial Day to keep your summer weekends free. Practices are 2-3 nights a week.

Practices for Fall and Spring/Summer are typically held at Bear Cave Park. Winter practice locations will be announced with season details.

Yes! Stewartville FC will be offering indoor soccer during the winter months through the North Star FC indoor leagues in Rochester. This is an excellent way for players to keep their skills sharp during the off-season.

Yes! Stewartville FC strongly supports the "multi-sport athlete." We believe that playing different sports helps develop well-rounded athletes and prevents burnout. While we ask for a high level of commitment to your soccer team, our coaches work to be flexible with Stewartville schools and other youth club sanctioned sports schedules whenever possible.

Stewartville FC offers competitive soccer for players in Grades 3-12.

• Grades 3-6: Eligible to play in the Fall, Winter, and Spring/Summer seasons.
• Grades 7-12: Eligible to play in the Winter and Spring/Summer seasons. This ensures that our older players are available to play for their school-sanctioned teams during the school soccer season in the Fall.

Team Formation: Teams are formed based on Grade-Based registration. This allows kids to play with their classmates, consistent with other Stewartville youth sports.

"Playing Up" Policy: Players may have the opportunity to "play up" an age level based on coach recommendation. This opportunity begins at the 7th Grade level to remain consistent with the structure of Stewartville school soccer programs.

• Grades 3 & 4: Play 7v7 (6 field players + 1 goalie).
• Grades 5 & 6: Play 9v9 (8 field players + 1 goalie).
• Grades 7-12: Play 11v11 (Full-sided soccer).

• Soccer Cleats (Required): Must be soccer-specific (no toe cleat).
• Shin Guards (Required): Mandatory for all practices and games.
• Soccer Ball (Optional): SFC provides training balls, but having one at home is encouraged (Size 4 for U9-U12; Size 5 for U13+).

Fees are expected to be around $250/player for Fall 2026. This covers league entry, coach compensation, player insurance, field maintenance, and referees.

What is NOT included: Registration fees do not include uniforms. Uniform kits must be purchased separately. Our required kit includes a home and away jersey, shorts, and socks. While in final design and pricing, these kits can be purchased locally at Full Court Custom Apparel at an estimated cost of $160 total.

Uniform Value: SFC uses a 2-year uniform cycle. New kits will not need to be purchased for every season, much less for every year. The kit you buy this fall covers 6 full seasons of play through Spring 2028 with a new kit being released in Fall 2028.

We never want cost to be a barrier. Stewartville FC is establishing a scholarship program for families experiencing financial difficulty. More information will be released on this soon.

To ensure the highest level of development, Stewartville FC utilizes a paid coaching model. Our coaches are compensated for their expertise. All coaches pass background checks, complete "SafeSport" training, and attend annual concussion awareness training.

Absolutely! We utilize parent volunteers for Assistant Coaches and Team Managers. While the paid head coach leads instruction, these roles are vital for team organization and support.

Yes! We are always looking for community members to help grow the club. You can choose to volunteer with Stewartville FC at any time by attending one of our board meetings. If you are interested in attending, please reach out to our Board President, Joe Manning, for details at joseph.manning@stewartvillefc.com.

Yes. Stewartville FC will hold a Parent Meeting prior to the start of each Fall and Spring/Summer season to discuss expectations, schedules, and club updates.

• Date: Sunday, April 12
• Time: 6:00 PM
• Location: Stewartville High School PAC

We utilize SportsEngine for all official scheduling and team chats. Because many other local Stewartville and regional youth sports programs also use this platform, it makes it even easier for parents to manage their family's athletic schedules in one place.