2025-26 Program

SF Seals is excited to announce the 2025-26 Seals Soccer Program!

SF Seals is proud to constantly innovate and refine our program in order to maximize the development of all Seals players.  We offer financial aid for registration fees in all programs club wide.

Summary Highlights For 2025-26 Program:

• One fee covers all training and games throughout the program.
• State Cup competition is included in NorCal NPL, Premier, and Gold competitive programs.
• Video recording and analysis service included in MLS NEXT, NorCal NPL, and Premier competitive programs.
• One regional tournament registration is included in all NorCal competitive programs. Teams decide on either a spring or fall tournament.
• Additional club training ranging from age-based scrimmages to conditioning/fitness/agility/speed workouts and specialized Goalkeeper training are included in the program fee.

Our Winter Training season runs from December - February.

Fall 2025 Season starts with:

• Practices the week of 9/1/25 (competitive travel and recreational teams) for 12 weeks
• Early March for micro teams for 10 weeks

Spring 2025 Season:

• Practices begin the week of Feb 24th for most fields.
• Competitive & Rec Teams games kick off  March 8-9th, 2025
• Seals Micro Academy 10 weeks, beginning in Sunday, March 16th.
  

Please note that MLS NEXT and NorCal competitive programs are annual programs that include Fall, Winter and Spring seasons.

For more information, please contact info@sfseals.com or register for more information by clicking on the link below.

*NorCal U8-10 2nd & NPL U12-19 3rd Practice and Club Trainings held on non-SFRPD Field*
Each NorCal Team must meet SF Rec. and Park's residency requirement that 90% is made up of SF Residents.  After Rec. and Park determines all teams have met residency requirements, they will issue field permits for practices and then games. Until then, the Seals do not know the practice schedule.

Additional Club trainings and Goalkeeper Training are included in the Program Fee for all Seals players.

*Rec fee takes into account league fees.

Expenses not included in Program Fee:

• Personal equipment such as cleats, shin guards, and optional team gear such as jackets and backpacks.
• Player travel costs for practices, games and tournaments.
• Coach flight, lodging & meals for overnight tournaments, if any.
• Team expenses such as game snacks, team parties and other out-of-pocket expenses.
• For NorCal teams - Additional tournament(s) above the one included tourney.
  

PLAYING TIME GUIDELINES

At SF Seals, our primary objective is player development. We believe that playing in games as well as diligently participating in scheduled training sessions are important components of the player development process.

• Micro and Recreational Soccer - we adhere to recreational league guideline of minimum of half a game for every player. However, if a player is misbehaving or acting in a manner that seriously and negatively impacts the overall experience for his teammates, the coach may withhold the player from participating further in a game.
• Competitive Soccer (Bronze/Silver) - while there are no minimum playing time rules set by playing leagues, our coaches will always give playing time to all players who are attending training sessions and working diligently to improve themselves and make a positive impact on the team. Typically, all players should expect to play a minimum of 1/3 to 1/2 of a game.
• Competitive Soccer (Gold/Premier, NPL, MLS NEXT) - our most competitive teams may utilize more variable playing time tactics based on the significance of each game. However, it is extremely rare to have any player not play in a game.
  

GUEST PLAYER POLICY

At SF Seals, we adhere to the guest playing rules set forth by the participating league of the team. In leagues where guest players are allowed, SF Seals will only use guest players for the following reasons:

1. When a team's game roster is short due to conflicts for players (vacations, school activities, illnesses & injuries, etc.), the team will invite appropriate guest players from other teams in the club (as allowed by league rules) in order to field a full team for the game.
2. In select cases, the Director of Coaching may move a lower level or age player up to a higher level or age team game in order to further accelerate that player's development path. In most cases, this is combined with shortage of players on the higher level or age team.

SF Seals do not move "ringers" or higher level players down to a lower level team for the purpose of winning games. We strive to provide appropriate, yet challenging level of competition for each team in order to maximize the development opportunity for our players.