Introduction

Yorkton United Football Club proudly holds a Canada Soccer MA Level 1 Club License. This license allows our players access to a high level of competition in Saskatchewan, namely the PSL and 9-a-side Indoor Provincial Championship. One requirement of the license is to operate a Canada Soccer Skill Centre.

This change occurred in our Fall 2023/Winter 2024 season, and it has successfully amalgamated the community and club programs into a dedicated Skill Centre for U7/8, U9/10, and U11/12 programs.  

Our Skill Centre’s goal is to provide all young players between the ages of 6 and 12 with the best possible environment to play in, developing skills and a love of the game. This aligns nationally with the best principles in player development.

Skill Centre Principles

As player development doesn’t follow a linear path, we can only guess which players at early ages will develop to elite levels. This understanding stresses the importance of all players having equal access to the best environment for as long as possible!

#1 Soccer is Fun for All.

By ensuring the element of fun is included during training and play, the love and interest in the game is strengthened. This keeps players engaged in the program longer, further developing skills. Equal opportunity for players to play soccer is a cornerstone of the program.

#2 Training Through Play.

For players to effectively develop, skills should be learned through small-sided games with conditions or tasks that recreate game problems using one of the 4 moments of play (attacking, defending, transition to attack, and transition to defend) for the players to solve. This is a departure from traditional training methods, moving away from “drills”, where players perform skills in isolation from the game and game-based decisions.

#3 Lots of Touches on the Ball

The more contact time players get with the ball at this age, the better! The goal will be to create a training environment for players to develop ball mastery.  If a player doesn’t have a soccer ball,  we have some gently used soccer balls we can give to a player at no charge, ensuring they have the opportunity to play soccer away from training.

#4 Meaningful Feedback

Parents can expect to receive program goals and meaningful feedback on their child's development. Parents have a vital role to play in the development of their child in soccer. Clear communication of goals and feedback will help align parents’ and coaches’ support as the player develops.

Program Details

We will offer skill center programs in three age groups: U7, U9, and U11. 

New for Outdoor 2025

• Club Membership fees are $50 for Club Mini (U4 to U9) and $75 for Club Youth & Adult (U11 up). This fee covers seasonal expenses such as Sask. Soccer registration and field expenses.  This help to reduce costs for players registering in multiple programs during the outdoor season.
• Girls Skill Center.  Starting Outdoor 2025,  this program will focus on developing and growing our girls' programs; they will only train and play against girls players.
• Skill Center will have a weekly match day. Thursday will be match day for Skill Center programs. All players are automatically registered for this day, allowing them to experience weekly formal gameplay.
•  U7 and up programs start mid-mid-April, allowing them to be a 10-week block. The first two weeks will be scheduled indoors in the Gallagher Centre's Flexihall, and then they will move outside once the fields are ready for use.
  
  

Blocks

Spring Block - April 21st to June 21st

Training

Players will be divided into groups of 8-10. Each group will be led through four stations per practice, with one station always being a game. The groups can be fluid and grouped by age, school, physical size, skill, etc.

General info

• Location: Logan Green Soccer Pitches.
• Players can sign up to train 1, 2, or 3 days a week.
• Thursday will be match day for Skill Center programs; all players are automatically registered for this day, allowing players to experience formal gameplay weekly.

U7 Skill Centre

For players born in 2018 and 2019, we will offer 60-minute training sessions three days a week: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, from 6 to 7 PM.

U9 Skill Centre

For players born in 2016 and 2017, we will offer 75-minute training sessions three days a week: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, from 6 to 7:15 PM.

U11 Skill Centre

For players born in 2014 and 2015, we will offer 90-minute training sessions three days a week: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, from 6 to 7:30 PM.

Competition Weekends and Tournaments

U7

U9 & U11

• Swift Current,  May 9 to 11
• Yorkton, June 6 to June 8th
• Sask Cup Skill Centre Festival,  Saskatoon, June 13-15 (Optional)

Fees

Club Membership Fee covers seasonal expenses such as Sask. Soccer registration and field expenses. This helps to reduce costs for players registering in multiple programs during the outdoor season.

• U7 & U9 Club Mini - $50
• U11 Club Youth & Adult - $75

Skill Centre Registration Fee  - $50

• SkillShark Player Feedback Report Card
• Skill Centre Training Jersey (if you are a returning player, you will not receive another jersey, and a $30 discount will be applied to your registration)
• Game day expenses such as referees.

Training Fee - $65 per program
Players can register for a training program on Monday, Tuesday, and/or Wednesday.   

Inclusive Environment

Yorkton United FC believes in providing an inclusive environment for our programs. Although we are limit registrations due program capacities, everyone is invited to register.   

Our training groups are fluid, allowing us to modify our training environments to allow us to adjust to player’s individual needs. 

If the registration fee is a barrier to play, please contact us and we can help you apply for financial assistance through Jumpstart,  Kidsports or YUFC athlete assistance program.