Recreational Program Overview

EBU Recreational teams have volunteer coaches, assistant coaches and managers. The rec league playing season begins after Labor Day, takes a break for winter, resumes in early spring and ends with the Bob Buss Club Tournament in early June. Most games are played on Saturdays, however games may be scheduled on some Sundays or week nights. EBU tries to schedule 7 or 8 games for each season. It takes approximately one hour to play a game.

Practices are held once a week on weekday evenings at area parks and schools during the playing season.  For the fall season, our youngest U6 players have clinics before their games instead of a weeknight practice.  They will pick up a weeknight practice in spring.  Games are held at Voigt Soccer Park, Elm Grove Park, and some local parks. EBU recreational teams participate in our in-house Elmbrook United League, where they play each other in fall and spring.

Registration opens May 15, 2025 for Fall 2025-Spring 2026.  Age guidelines are as follows.

U5/U6 = 2020 birth year & 2021 birth year

U7 = 2019 birth year

U8 = 2018 birth year

U9 = 2017 birth year

U10 = 2016 birth year

U11/U12 = 2014 & 2015 birth years

U13/U14/U15 = 2011, 2012, & 2013 birth years (players must not be participating on their high school team)

In Fall, players may register for the full year (Fall & Spring) or for fall only.  Early registration for the fall season is open from May 15 through June 30. Players registering during early registration will pay $325 for EBU’s full-year program (Fall and Spring 2024/2025) or $220 for EBU’s fall-only program (Fall 2024).  After June 30, players will pay $365 for EBU’s full-year program (Fall and Spring 2024/2025) or $260 for EBU’s fall-only program (Fall 2024).  Also after June 30th, players may be placed on a wait list until it is certain there is space available in their age division.  EBU utilizes online registration through Playmetrics, where you can register and pay the registration fee with a credit card.  Spring-Only registration opens in mid-January.  NOTE:  Fees for the Fall 2025-Spring 2026 season are to be determined.

Players are placed on teams according to their birth year.   Players are not allowed to play down to their grade (if a player’s grade puts them in a lower soccer age group then their birth year puts them, then they must play with their birth year).  This is a national soccer rule.  Also, EBU does not allow players to play up in an age group in our recreational program.  If your player is advanced for his/her age and wants to play more competitively, please consider our Academy (U7-U10) or Select (U11-U19) Programs.

Full-year and fall-only players are notified of their team assignments and practice schedules in late August and will receive the location of their teams’ practice through their coach.  Schedules for games are distributed at the first practice and will be available online close to the start of the season. The club strives to balance player ability and experience throughout the teams in each age division. Recreational teams are newly formed each year to help achieve this balance. All players are expected to play at least half of every game, except in cases of injury or discipline.  We do not guarantee any special requests for team placement.

Uniforms are included as part of player registration. Your child will receive a uniform consisting of a shirt, shorts, and socks. You will need to provide your child with shin guards and a soccer ball. Soccer shoes/cleats are recommended, but not mandatory.

If you need to withdraw your child from Elmbrook United before the season starts, you will receive a refund minus $25.00.  EBU does not offer any refunds once the season has started.  For Full-Year or Fall-Only players, the start of the season is considered the first game of the fall season.  For Spring-Only players, the start of the season is considered the first game of the spring season.

Elmbrook United may cancel an entire day’s game schedule if the weather has created field drainage problems during the week, or if rain is predicted for the day.  Severe weather or snow may also cause a total club cancellation.  PLEASE check the website for any cancellations.  It will be posted by 3:00 pm during the week and 8:30 am weekends.

If a Saturday cancellation decision is made, cancelled games will be made up on the designated Rain-Out Make-Up Day.  This is only for Elmbrook United recreational home games.  Only one total club cancellation day will be rescheduled in fall and and in spring.  Any other total club cancellations during the season may not be rescheduled.  The club scheduler reserves the right to adjust some times to accommodate referees and field availability. If Elmbrook United closes its fields during the week, and a game is cancelled, both teams should contact the EBU office, to reschedule the game.

If a referee cancels a game, and the game’s first half is completed, the game is called at the start of the second half, and that game is considered a full game.  If a referee calls a game during the first half, the teams should contact the EBU office to reschedule the game.

Spring registration opens January 15.  Early registration for the spring season is open from January 15 through February 28. Players registering during early registration will pay $220 for EBU’s spring-only program (Spring 2025).  After February 28, players will pay $260 for EBU’s spring-only program (Spring 2025).  Also after February 28, players may be placed on a wait list until it is certain there is space available in their age division.  EBU utilizes online registration through Playmetrics, where you can register and pay the registration fee with a credit card.

Players who register for the fall-only season may re-register to play in the spring season. They will remain on the same team in spring. New spring registrants will be placed on existing fall teams as space is available or on a new spring team, depending on registration numbers. Spring-only players are notified of their team assignments and practice schedules in April and will receive the location of their teams’ practice through their coach.  We cannot honor special requests to be with friends, specific coaches, or for carpools.

Fees for the upcoming Fall 2025-Spring 2026 season will be announced at a later date.