Soccer Skills (Ages 8 and up)

Soccer Skills - Ages 8 and up

Season: Fall (August to October)

Email: soccer@somdmontgomery.org

Overview: 

The team will train with a set roster for competition in Qualifiers and State Games. The team travels throughout the State for competitions. There will be at least 2 qualifiers requiring travel. Athletes must commit to participating in all practices and qualifiers.

Important Details

CoachesTina Connolly – Head Coach & Sport Director
Season Dates & Times

Practices: Saturday mornings, starting August 1, 2026
Time: 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Location: Dewey Local Park

Qualifiers:
Required Qualifier – Sunday, October 11, 2026 at Severn School 

State Games: Sunday, October 25, 2026 at Crown Sports Center (Fruitland, MD)

Signup Begins: Sunday, July 5, 2026 at 6 PM

Athlete & Volunteer Registration
Expiration Date

Sport’s State Games competition date: October 25, 2026

All Forms must be up to date before the signup date (first Sunday in July).

The expiration date on an Athlete’s Registration form, or a Volunteer’s certification, must be after the above State Games competition date to participate in the upcoming season.

Check athlete status here.
Check volunteer status here.

Special Olympics Resources for Soccer

You can find the official Special Olympics Rules, Fact Sheet, Coaching Guide, and other resources at this link: Special Olympics Soccer.

Equipment:

Athletes are required to provide their own shin guards. SOMO will provide one pair of uniform socks. Additional pairs maybe purchased through SOMO.

Uniform Requirements:

SOMO will provide athletes with a Soccer Uniform for Competition. Wear Yellow SOMO T-shirt to practice.

Practice Overview:

  • Location: Dewey Local Park (11720 Dewey Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20906). The address is not exact for GPS systems. You want to enter the park from the south entrance near the intersection of Fernhill and Dewey Roads, not the entrance by the dog park. See this map.
  • Timing: Practice occurs every Saturday morning 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM from the start of the season until the State Competition in October.
  • Activities: Typically, practice will start with warm-ups, followed by skill development.  If time allows, we scrimmage at the end of practice.  

Qualifiers:

One qualifier will require travel to Anne Arundel County.

State Competition:

The State Soccer Tournament is held in late October at the Crown Sports Center, (28410 Crown Road, Fruitland, MD 21826) on the Lower Shore.

Eligibility for State Competition:

Athletes must participate in one competition to qualify for the State Tournament.  

The team roster for the State Tournament will be decided based on attendance and skill, as demonstrated throughout the season.

Information on the qualifiers will be shared with the team once details are set by the State office.

Participation in Other SOMO Sports:

Athletes participating in soccer may not compete in another sport for the fall season. Questions, please talk with our coach.

Athlete Participation Contract:

Soccer Skills requires an athlete participation contract. Athletes commit to their coaches and teammates that they will attend scheduled practices, all qualifiers, and the State Tournament. An inability to meet those commitments can disqualify an athlete from the team. The contract will be shared at the first practice.

Housing Requirements for State Competition:

Athletes must provide their own transportation to the State Tournament in Fruitland MD. SOMO does not provide overnight accommodations at the State Tournament.