Black Hills Rapids Soccer Club

What is the Recreational Program?

This program is for those players First Kicks (U4)-U19 who play for the love of the game. All of the coaches in the Recreational Program are volunteer coaches. 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.

When is the registration period?

Registration for our Fall Season will begin on May 26th.

The fall registration period will begin on May 26th. When divisions become full, they will be closed to further registrations. Some age divisions will remain open for registrations longer if a sufficient number of coaches volunteer (please see "Who are the coaches?" below). Our “Early Bird” discount, $20, will end on June 30th.  Our guaranteed placement and refund deadline will end on June 30th. The Early Bird discount will not show when checking out. It is the automatic fee calculated when you pay. 

How do I register?

Register online by going to the Recreational Program page on our website and clicking the registration link. If you cannot register online, please contact Kasha Roberts at kroberts@blackhillsrapids.com.

What is the cost?

You can see the complete fee structure on our Recreational Program page by scrolling down to the bottom and clicking the fees tab. Credit card transaction fees will be added at checkout.

Which age division does my player belong in?

Please see the bottom of our Recreational Page. The correct division is not automatically chosen during online registration so if you are unsure of what age group your child is please refer to the Age Groups & fees table before completing the registration.

What equipment will I need?

Shin guards, socks to cover the shin guards, a practice ball, and appropriate shoes are required. Soccer cleats are not required for First Kicks through U8 players — comfortable athletic shoes will suffice.

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

If you played in the fall season, you would need both of your jerseys that were supplied in the fall.
 

When is the season?

Games for the First Kicks program up through the u12 program are on Saturdays, starting on the first date listed. For our u7-u12 teams, it is possible their coach schedules a practice before the first game.

Our u14-u19 players will play midweek games. 

There will be no games on Labor Day weekend

When will I be contacted regarding my coach, team, and schedule?

We will hold Pre-Season Coach Meetings the last week in July and the beginning of August. After this meeting, you should expect to hear from your coach within a week.

Where do I get a Rapids jersey for games?

If you are new to the program, the club will supply a Black Hills Rapids playing shirt. Playing shirts cannot be modified with names, images, additional logos, or coloring. 

You should have two shirts for games: Burgundy (home color) and White (away color). Your schedule will inform you whether your team is the "home" or "away" team.

U5/U6 players will receive shirts unique to their team each fall and spring.

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. 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.

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

How are teams formed?

We attempt to form teams based on neighborhood or school. In older age divisions (U14 and above), coed teams may be city-wide and combined based on the number of registered players. Younger divisions are gender-specific, but certain age divisions are combined (U9 playing with U10, for example), and every effort is made to balance the ages of the combined teams.

Who are the coaches?

Our Recreational coaches are volunteers from all around the community. Very often a team parent serves as a coach. We need more volunteer coaches so more teams can be formed and more children can play, so please consider volunteering to be a coach. The club has many resources to help you be a successful coach.  To help recruit coaches for the Recreational program, the club has instated an incentive program. This incentive program allows a head coach to have their child at the same age they are coaching play free. This discount will be in the form of a rebate of the early bird discount price at the end of the season.

Please direct any questions regarding this registration to: