What is...'Spring Season'?

With the Spring Semester in full swing we take a look at what Athletes will know as Spring Season, what this is and in particular what this means for Soccer student-athletes in the USA!

So, what is Spring Season?

Spring Season generally refers to the period of the Athletic season during the Spring semester, however depending on what sport you compete in this can either be a crucial, competitive part of the season, or a chance to prepare for the Fall semester through training and friendly matches.

As US College Soccer player, the spring season is not part of the competitive schedule. What this means is, all your competitive fixtures and league or tournament games are played in the Fall semester, before Christmas, and any fixtures in the spring season whilst important, do not count towards any league or tournament honours.

Generally the spring is a time for teams to regenerate and prepare for the following year, preparing their squad for the upcoming competitive season. Programs will use this team to give valuable minutes to the new or younger players that did not feature as much during the Fall semester and is a prime opportunity for players to earn their spots in the starting 11 for the competitive season. Teams will generally also maintain a rigorous training schedule, in order to be best prepared come Fall; this will include physical and tactical elements that the team needs to improve on.

Teams may also have the opportunity to compete in friendly's against other College teams outside of their Conference or Division as the normal season restrictions don't apply, so you may well see NCAA schools playing against NAIA or NJCAA schools. Again, this is a chance to test yourselves against different opposition and teams that play a different style of Football and have a different kind of squad.

Some of the top US programs and teams may also organise fixtures or friendly's against professional opposition in the USA, and some teams will even travel to play against professional Football Academy sides or Reserve teams in the UK, for example.

Whilst it is referred to as a 'Season' the reality is there are very few fixtures or matches due to College Sports regulations which limit the amount of organised games University programs can play in the Spring. Often, teams will organise mini tournaments in order to maximise the amount of opposition they can face during the Spring season and increase game time.

Want to know more about Soccer at College in the USA or think you've got what it takes to be the next College Soccer star? Get in touch with us here to see how we can help!