The first sport my son, Jordan, played was soccer. I signed him up for a toddler soccer program to get him introduced to the sport and to see if he liked it. It was a great introduction program where he learned some gross motor skills and got his energy out on the field (which was a plus!)
These soccer leagues will teach your child introductory skills and most leagues offer somewhere they can move up as they get older. One thing I do recommend, if your child enjoys the sport and wants to excel at it, is to find a training program, as well. Jordan did this and it improved his skills on the field immensely the next season.
Make sure to register as soon as possible because these soccer leagues do fill up fast.
This article was published on July 9, 2024, by Metro Parent’s Audience Development Coordinator Kari Zaffarano. The update included her compiling the best youth soccer leagues in metro Detroit. Please reach out to kari@metroparent.com.
American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO)
- Region 125: 20788 Adrienne Drive, Macomb
- Region 919: 28730 Coleridge St., Harrison Township
- Region 158: 22625 Raymond Court, St. Clair Shores
- Region 190: 40250 Dodge Park Road, Sterling Heights
- Region 459: 19449 25 Mile Road, Macomb
- Region 708: 28401 Mound Road, No. 5276, Warren
- Region 195: 53509 Bradford Court, New Baltimore
- Region 880: PO Box 289, Washington
- Region 448: PO Box 592, Richmond
- Region 955: PO Box 610, Memphis
- Region 205: 1623 Douglas St., Trenton
- Region 823: 7735 Fish Lake Road, Holly
- Region 721: PO Box 217, Davison
It is a volunteer organization that runs on AYSO’s Six Philosophies, which are: Everyone Plays, Balanced Teams, Open Registration, Positive Coaching, Good Sportsmanship and Player Development.
Detroit PAL
- Address: 1680 Michigan Ave., Detroit
They offer spring and fall recreational soccer programs for boys and girls ages 4-19. Practices take place during the week (time and location vary by team) and games are on Saturdays.
Detroit Parks and Recreation
- Addresses: Lasky Park, 13200 Fenelon St., Detroit; O’Hair Park, 19400 Pembroke Ave., Detroit; Rouge Park, 21860 Joy Road, Detroit
Soccer in the D has age divisions for Pee Wee Kickers (ages 3-4), 6U (non- competitive), 8U (competitive), 11U (competitive) and 14U (competitive). Practices take place during the week and games are on Saturdays.
i9 Sports
- 2SP Sports Shelby Township, 50625 Van Dyke Ave., Shelby Township
- Avondale Middle School, 1445 W. Auburn Road, Rochester Hills
- Bishop Foley High School, 32000 Campbell, Madison Heights
- Canton Preparatory High School, 46610 Cherry Hill Road, Canton
- Clarkston Community Church, 6300 Clarkston Road, Clarkston
- Clifford Smart Middle School, 8500 Commerce Road, Commerce Charter Township
- Eagle Creek Academy, 3739 Kern Road, Oakland Charter Township
- Farmington STEAM Academy, 32800 W. 12 Mile Road, Farmington Hills
- Gabriel Richard High School, 4333 Whitehall Drive, Ann Arbor
- Havel Elementary, 41855 Schoenherr Road, Sterling Heights
- Madonna (Ladywood), 14680 Newburgh Road, Livonia
- Michigan Starts Sports Center, 65665 Powell Road, Washington Township
- Novi Meadows 6th Grade House, 25299 Taft Road, Novi
- Novi Middle School, 49000 11 Mile Road, Novi
- River Bends Park, 4670 River Bends Drive, Shelby Township
- The Sports Academy, 30845 23 Mile Road, Chesterfield
- West Bloomfield Middle School, 6000 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township
Choose from a fall, summer or winter soccer league for your child. i9 offers soccer programs broken up by grades beginning with Pre-K3. Coaches are volunteer parents that have been run through a background check and received resources and training.
Jr Nationals
- Addresses: Brandon Middle School, 609 S. Ortonville Road, Ortonville; Lenox Township Park, 63775 Gratiot Ave., Lenox; Oakland University Upper Fields, 901-913 Pavillion Drive, Rochester Hills; San Marino Club, 1685 E. Big Beaver Road, Troy; Wanda Park, 13707 Clinton River Road, Sterling Heights; Whispering Woods Park, 21000 23 Mile Road, Shelby Township
This recreational soccer program is designed for young athletes to learn and develop skills. A professional soccer trainer runs each session. They are a great way to get introduced to the game and learn the fundamentals before trying out for Nationals.
Kickstart Toddler Soccer
- Addresses: Total Soccer Fraser, 34300 Utica Road, Fraser; Premier Sports Center, 14901 23 Mile Road, Shelby Township; Michigan Revolution Training Center, 42840 Merrill Road, Sterling Heights
This soccer program is great for beginners. It teaches littles the basics of the sport and helps them learn how to kick and score. Their classes are Pee Wees (18-24 months), Rookies (2 years), Pros (3-3.5 years), Pros Plus (3.5-4.5 years) and All Stars (4.5-6.5 years).
LK St. Clair
- Addresses: Cairns Community Center, 58 Orchard St., Mount Clemens; Veterans Memorial Park, 27325 Barkman St., Roseville
LK’s programs not only enhance children’s skills and love for the game, but also contribute to the betterment of the local community. They focus on instilling values like teamwork, hard work and community improvement, aiming to make a lasting impact both on and off the field. They offer a train-and-play soccer program, an indoor Futsal league and outdoor soccer league. The train-and-play programs for soccer are divided into three age groups: ages 6-7, ages 8-9 and ages 10-12. All participants will receive a shirt or jersey.
Macomb Recreational Soccer
- Address: Elite Indoor Sports LLC, 49771 Oakland Drive, Shelby Township
- Great for ages: 2-5
First Touch Toddler Soccer helps littles with coordination, large motor skill development and cognitive development. It is broken up into ages 2-3 and ages 4-5.
N Zone Sports
- Address: Beech Elementary School, 19990 Beech Daly, Redford Charter Township
N Zone Sports offers youth soccer leagues, camps and programs for ages 3-14. Games are played on Saturdays at Beech Elementary School. Early bird registration for this eight-week program is $135 and includes jerseys, awards, trophies and special events.
South Oakland County Soccer
- Ambassador Park, 600 E. 13 Mile Road, Madison Heights
- Angell Elementary, 3849 Beverly, Berkley
- Bedford Woods Park, 29500 Lathrup Blvd., Southfield
- Berkley Community Center Fields, 2400 Robina Ave., Berkley
- Burton Field, 26315 Scotia Road, Huntington Woods
- Catalpa Oaks, 27795 Greenfield Road, Southfield
- Catalpa Oaks County Park, 27705 Greenfield Road, Southfield
- Civic Center Park, 360 W. 13 Mile Road, Madison Heights
- Clark’s Ice Cream, 3312 12 Mile Road, Berkley
- Covington School, 1525 Covington Road, Bloomfield Hills
- Dog & Pony Brewing, 14661 W. 11 Mile Road, Berkley
- Geary Park, 1198 Earle Blvd., Ferndale
- Hurley Field, 3205 Catalpa Drive, Berkley
- Jewish Community Center, 15110 W. Ten Mile Road, Oak Park
- Key Park, 23200 Scotia Road, Oak Park
- Lazenby Field, 2265 Hamilton, Berkley
- Merchant’s Field @ Oxford Park, 3698 Cambridge Road, Berkley
- Norup Field, 14501 Talbot, Oak Park
- Pebble Creek Park, Near 26455 American Drive, Southfield
- Pepper Elementary School, 24301 Church St., Oak Park
- Red Oaks, 29601 John R Road, Madison Heights
- Red Oaks Youth Soccer Complex, 29601 John R Road, Madison Heights
- Rogers Elementary School, 2265 Hamilton, Berkley
- Rosie’s Park, 27303 Hales St., Madison Heights
- The Castros’, 12710 Vernon Ave., Huntington Woods
- The Facility, 7001 Chicago Road, Warren
- Tyler Field, 14501 Talbot St., Oak Park
- Tyndall Field, 14501 Talbot St., Oak Park
- Victoria Park, 25308 Church St., Oak Park
- Wilkinson Park, 26524 John R Road, Madison Heights
- Wilson Field, South Hilton Road at University Street, Ferndale
The programs South Oakland County Soccer (SOCS) offers are Junior Mini-Kickers, Mini-Kickers, U5/U6, U7-U19, Training Opportunities, Travel Soccer and Camps and Clinics.
Troy Youth Soccer League
- Addresses: 1977 E. Wattles Road, Suite H, Troy; Firefighters Park, 1810 W. Square Lake Road, Troy; Boulan Park, 1898 Boulan Park Drive, Troy; Jaycee Park, 1755 E. Long Lake Road, Troy; Troy Community Center, 3179 Livernois, Troy
Troy Youth Soccer League (TYSL) offers soccer opportunities for ages Pre-K to high school. It was first established in 1974 and is affiliated through Michigan State Youth Soccer Association (MSYSA).
YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit
- Birmingham Family YMCA, 400 E. Lincoln St., Birmingham
- Carls Family YMCA, 300 Family Drive, Milford
- Downriver Family YMCA, 16777 Northline Road, Southgate
- Farmington Family YMCA, 28100 Farmington Road, Farmington
- South Oakland Family YMCA, 1016 W. 11 Mile Road, Royal Oak
Children can start off learning basic soccer skills at the Y. As they improve their skills, they can start playing in a soccer league, according to their age and skill set. The YMCA partners with organizations like the United Sports Soccer League and the Michigan State Youth Soccer Organization. Some of the youth programs include Preschool Soccer Instructional Class, Indoor Soccer (Futsal) League, Soccer Clinics and Soccer Leagues.
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