Click here for a registration link.

Click here for additional assistance registering. 

Please contact our Registrar Alexis Bejarano (registrar@nortac.org) if you have additional questions. 

Click here to review the differences (and many similarities) between these two programs. Sparta Tacoma teams are our highest level teams that begin at U8 (currently birth year 2017’s).

Our first focus is on helping kids develop the best possible behaviors to optimize their character development. Click here to review our principles of coaching that guide our learning environments. 

Curriculums and ongoing guidance are provided to each volunteer coach and specific learning objectives are utilized for each age group. Click on a curriculum below to review your son or daughter’s age group:

Sparks

U6

U7

U8

U9+ 

Character development is a critical piece within all NORTAC programming. Click here for NORTAC player agreements. We view families as partners in the experiences of each child, so we continually provide parent education to optimize the teaching we provide. Click here to see NORTAC parent agreements.

For ALL (practice and game events): 

• Soccer ball with name on it. 
• Cleats
• Shin-guards (not required for Sparks)
• More than enough water. 
• Enough layers. 
• Red NORTAC jersey (these will be distributed at the first practice session). 
• Black shorts and socks (family purchases their own).

Usually schedules are finalized  a couple of weeks prior to the official start of the program. Each family will receive an introductory email from their coach including coach background and schedule for your Sparks group or older team. 

Birth year 2021 to 2019 groups are the most likely to be co-ed. Birth year 2018 and older groups are more likely to be single gender groups.

There are no teams, sessions are shorter (45 minutes), and there are no weekend games (two events per week instead of three). 

There are also different objectives in terms of what each kid learns to do with the ball. Most activities will involve kids moving with their own ball through tried and tested games that bring smiles to their faces! 

If your son or daughter is a birth year 2020, they have the choice of either participating in the Sparks program or our birth year 2019 program.

Birth year is the starting point. The ability of each player is also a key variable. The objective within each group is to have as much parity in competence between players as possible. 

During the registration, families can submit a “friend request” (not guaranteed).  

Playing up or down an age group may be considered if it makes sense developmentally for a player. 

Age groups may be combined to create enough teams for an in-house league.

This is an additional league organization that NORTAC may utilize if we do not have enough teams to our own in-house league. Click here to view the SSUL league website. 

Character development is a critical piece within all NORTAC programming. Click here for NORTAC player agreements. We view families as partners in the experiences of each child, so we continually provide parent education to optimize the teaching we provide. Click here to see NORTAC parent agreements.

Click here to view our coaches checklist. 

Points 1-13 must be completed by July 31st, 2024 in order to coach in this program. 

No coaching may take place until steps 1-13 on the checklist are completed. 

*Coaches should only commit to volunteering for this program if they are able to commit to all team events or have coverage for events from coaches that have also completed the Checklist. 

Please do not register as a lead coach for this program if you cannot: 

Commit to the majority of team events;

Commit to the practice schedule outlined (or agree to potential alternative scheduling options discussed with the Director of Coaching);

Complete the Coaches Checklist.

If you have any additional questions on the coach registration process through Sports Connect, please contact our Registrar Alexis Bejarano (registrar@nortac.org). 

If you have additional questions on coaching itself and resources on the checklist, please contact Dave O’Neill (doc@nortac.org).

YES! Enthusiasm to work with kids and a willingness to learn through the guidance of the Director of Coaching are the most important components. All volunteer coaches are required to complete child safety certifications and commit to NORTAC Coaching Agreements (click here to view) prior to coaching in the program. 

I would like to coach in the program but the preliminary practice days don’t work with my schedule. Can I still coach a team?

Let’s talk! Likely we can accommodate your schedule, particularly if it is a pre-arranged group of kids that can also practice on the days that you are available.  

You should consider the number of potential conflicts before making your decision. In general, the potential for each child to improve not only themselves but their team is going to depend on the level of practice attendance. Child enjoyment and motivation in the program is also going to be linked to the amount of growth they experience.

You should definitely not register your child for this program if they cannot attend at least half of the practice sessions.