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Recreational Program

MIke Fairchild

Rec Program Director

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First Kicks Sign Up

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First Kicks registration is full. 

U5/U6 Sign Up

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U7 - U19 Rec Sign Up

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REC Coaches Corner All You Need to Know

Click below to visit our coaches corner. Here you will find all of the great resources needed to be able to coach after you sign up to coach. It will discuss lesson plans, resources, ideas, etc. Click below to be a great volunteer. 

This program is for those players (3 years old to under 19 years old) who play for the love of the game. All of the coaches in the Recreational Program are volunteer coaches and donate their time to help our youth players and community. The recreational teams play a six to eight week schedule in the fall and spring and will generally practice one to two times a week. There is no travel in the recreational program. This program consist of 3 different programs to accommodate all ages.

First Kicks - 3 and 4 year olds

U5/U6 - 4 year olds to 5 year olds (6 year olds in Spring when kids begin to age up)

U7 to U19 - 6 year olds up to 18 year olds ( 19 years old in Spring when kids begin to age up)

Questions:

IF you have questions about the program please read through the website prior to reaching out 99% of all questions can be answered here. Thank you  

Important Apps Needed When Playing Youth Soccer with the Black Hills Rapids

1) Sports Engine is required for all communications and schedules and games time. Coaches will only communicate through this App and so will the club .http://www.sportsengine.com

2) Please download Facebook and join the Black Hills Rapids Page. This is where closures of the field and cancelation of events is communicated ASAP! http://www.facebook.com

Below is Important Information, Quick Club Guidelines and Game Day Info

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

  1. Equipment needed for the season: Cleats or tennis shoes (No Baseball cleats), soccer socks and shin guards, water bottle, soccer ball, sunscreen, long sleeves shirt and long pants (if the weather changes), snow hat and gloves just in case as well. It is South Dakota. 
  2. Soccer Ball Requirements: First Kicks: A club-supplied soccer ball will be given to each player on their first day. U5-U8: Size 3 Ball, U9-U12: Size 4 Ball, U13-U19: Size 5 Ball
  3. U7 to U19 Jerseys are include in your registration and they will be handed out at the parent's education meetings (2 dates will be offered) and during the first full week of practice (3 days M, T and Thur) and the opening day of games (Saturday 1 day). You will be given a white and a burgundy jersey. These will be the 6 times we will handout jerseys at no cost, if you miss all handout dates you will be able to purchase them from Concessions at $5 a shirt (only when concessions is open).
  4. U5/U6 will have jerseys in the coach's bag, and they will each have a different color.
  5. First kicks will get one shirt on the opening weekend of play during check in and a ball.
  6. Parents education and Coaches education will be held at the MFC complex located at 3737 Elk Vale road. You are only expected to attend one of the meetings. Again at the parents meeting you can pick up your child's jerseys. Coaches can pick up their coaching bags.
  7. During coaches education we will go over standard soccer question and the overall season as well as I will run a 30 minute training sessions to help coaches understand the basics of practice.
  8. Please remember the first kicks programs runs for 4 weekends, U5/U6 runs for 6 weekends, U7 –U12 runs 8 weeks (about 2 months) and U13 through U19 runs 6 weeks (about 1 and a half months).
  9. Team formation is a tricky thing and requires a lot of work, we do our best to try to place kids by school but there is a time where is will just go to random to try and finalize rosters. As well if a parent volunteers to coach there may be a split and a random team built. Please remember we guarantee no specific placement and we are not allowed to form teams by request due to guidelines, SDYSA.
  10. Special request that have been put in during registration will all be looked at but we receive hundreds of request and we are unable to accommodate all of them and most will not be considered. This is a section meant for things like (ride share from Custer not from Rapid), (Bad experience with a coach), etc.
  11. If you are a parent wanting to be on a Select team BHR offers these programs and you can sign up for them today if you would like. Select is where kids tryout and make a team and that team stays together season after season. Rec is there for fun and the love of the game!
  12. We need coaches so please sign up to coach. If you volunteer you are refunded your registration cost. Also it is a wonderful way to give back to our amazing community.  Please know as we get closer to the start if we do not have a coach we will ask a parent from the team to step up.  Generally, a few parents will step up and co-Coach.
  13. You must have the Sports Engine App to be able to receive communication from the coach, see the schedule and also communicate with other families. You will need to log out and log back in to refresh the app as team begin to go live. Practice schedules will begin to be uploaded in the app as well.
  14. Referees: Like the kids and coaches the refs are learning as well and a lot of them are new to it as well as teens. So although you may not agree with a call please refrain from yelling at them. We are in desperate need of refs so if you want to get certified and make extra money go for it. If it comes to the safety of the kids talk to the coach and then let the coach address the ref in a calm fashion at a half or end of game.  There may be games that do not have refs and a coach may have to oversee play. We hope this does not happen but please be ready. 
  15. Pictures will be offer once a year in the Rec program these will be scheduled by the coach, if a player misses pictures there will not be a make up day. 
  16. Practice days and times are decided by the coach, they are volunteering their time and generally pick what best fits their schedule. If you have a limited schedule I recommend volunteering to coach so you can pick the best time. 
  17. Players are guaranteed 50% play time based on the guidelines for Rec but if there is a player that will not take the field or participate them the time may be limited. 
  18. Soccer, we are all here for the children so please remember to be encouraging to all players and teams.  

  19. Chain of command for parent concerns or questions. Parent/player to Coach, parent/player, coach to Director of Rec, Player/parent, coach, DOR to DOC. We hope to eliminate most issues at the coach level. 

 

 

 

Quick Club and Complex Guidelines

​​​​​​A few Major Complex Guidelines:  

Full list of rules are under resources on this website.

    • No unauthorized vehicles the fields or side walks and parking lot to include but not limited to motorized bikes/scooters, electric bikes/scooters, motorized boards, UTV’s, etc.

    • No animals are allow of any kind on the fields or inside the complex to include Dogs, cats, etc. (only authorized service/support animals and they must be on a lease at all times)

    • No open Fires any where within the complex

    • No Alcohol/drug use is allowed inside the complex

    • No parking on the grass or non designated parking areas.

    • Please observe the one way driving in the parking lot and follow all advisory signs

    • Follow all MPH that are posted with in the complex and parking space
    • Please do not drop your child off and leave the fields, parents are required to stay during the entire practice/game/event.
    • All members should act in a respectful and supporting way during games, practices and events
    • NO fighting on the fields or in the parking lot.
    • No abrasive or offensive language
    • No smoking with in the complex to include the parking lot.

There are many other polices and rules within our club guidelines if you have questions about certain things please visit the website of ask a club representee. As well if you do not know if it is allowed or not pleaser refrain from the activity until you have check the dos and dont’s of the soccer complex and club.

We are thankful for the membership but our first priority is the safety and security of the membership and its youth players. Our goal is to ensure a safe environment where our youth players can enjoy the game of soccer. If you observe behavior or acts that break the rules or are unbecoming of a BHR member please report it to the director that over sees each program.

Game Day info

Game Day Information: 

1) When and where are the practices held and games played?

Practices and games will be held at the Dakota Fields Soccer Complex (click here for a map) unless otherwise noted. U13 and up will also practice and play at Nordemeer at Sioux park. The exact times and fields depend on the age division and will be communicated to you by your coach. Games for the lower age divisions are held on Saturdays, with practices for U8 and above taking place at least once a week in the evening.

2) How long are the games?

U6 — Four 6-minute quarters 
U8 — Four 12-minute quarters 
U10 — Two 25-minute halves 
U12 — Two 30-minute halves 
U14 — (8v8) Two 30-minute halves
U19 — (8v8) Two 30-minute halves

3) Home Team wears Burgundy and away team wears White. Always bring both just in case.

I.E. Tigers at Unicorns = Tigers away and Unicorns Home 

4) Coaches are on one side of the field and the parents sit on the other. There is to be no parents on the side of the field with the coaches. This is enforced by the refs. 

5) Please cheer for all players involved and be positive no matter the outcome. 

6) Please leave the coaching to the coaches if you believe you are a better coaches then please sign up and help the following season. 

7) U8 and below will not have Refs and the games will be monitored by the coaches. U9 and Up should have Refs but they are run by a different organization and they are having trouble finding and keeping refs. 

8) It is ok for a parent to bring half time and end game snacks but be mindful of allergies and ask ahead of time. 

9) Be early to a game so the kids can warm up and also reduce injury. 

10) Shin guards are required to play a game and so are proper soccer cleats or tennis shoes.


Rec Parent Resources

Please scroll below to see important resources:

1) Fees, Age Groups & Start Dates for Each program

2) Field Map and Locations

3) Program Description by age 

4) Rec Coaches Info and Coaches Corner

5) Scholarship application

6) Weather Policy

1) 2024 Spring Rec Information

Registration will open January 1st!

Complex Maps

3) Basic Information for Each Age Group

Please Click Desired Program Below

FIRST KICKS Program

Click on PDF below

U5/U6 Program

Click on the PDF below

U7 - U19 Program

Click on PDF Below

4) Rec Coaches Page

Please Click on the link Below   

5) Black Hills Rapids Scholarship Program

Please click on the Document below and fill out all needed information then email to kroberts@blackhillsrapids.com. 

6) Weather Policy Click Below

Quick Weather Guide

Please click on the weather policy Icon to read full Weather policy. 

Quick Guide Below:

1) Cancelation will be announced as quick as possible generally by 4pm the day of the events/practices. The quickest way to find out about fields and closer is to join our Facebook account.  We will try to send an email as well but that does not always happen if we are on the fields and can not communication via email thus please reference Facebook. 

2) If a game is canceled, we will move that event to the end of your schedule and do our best to have the event made up. 

3) We follow US Youth Soccer cold and Hot weather guidelines and to see them once again please click on the weather icon above. 

4) All weather-related closers are serious and that means events cannot be held if the fields are closed. Safety first. If the fields are closed and you decide to host an event the club is not liable. We do are very best to mitigate risk to the players, and we ask families and coaches to do the same. 

 

1) 2023 Fall Rec Information

Registration will open June 1st