Oxford Soccer Association: My Default Season Divisions

Select - Division I
Select soccer in Mississippi is a step up from Challenge, and represents the top level of youth soccer competition. Select teams are formed through formal tryouts and receive the benefit of more experienced coaching. Select players can expect to go up against excellent competition, and teams practice more regularly and travel to several tournaments per year. As such, Select represents an increased commitment from both players and parents, but playing at the Select level also has significant benefits for the players.

Oxford currently has one Select team: the U11 Girls Oxford Fury.

For more information on the Fury, please see Division I News and the team's individual website, located under "Teams"

Challenge - Division II
Division II is the Intermediate "Challenge" division for Boys and Girls Under 10 through Under 19 teams. OSA's Challenge Program is a step above recreation soccer. The teams are made up of players from many different recreation teams within the same age bracket. It brings a more competitive edge to active play. Practices are focused on fundamentals and over-all skills development. The intensity level is raised because players who participate in Challenge, generally are aggressive, possess some advanced playing skills, and would like more from the game than recreational soccer can offer. Challenge also takes on the added responsibility of travel, tournaments, and has a longer season. The Challenge program gives players who love and excel at the game a chance to play at a more competitive level.

Oxford currently has several Challenge teams:

U10 Girls Oxford Thunder
U10 Boys Oxford Strikers
U12 Girls Oxford Extreme
U12 Boys Oxford United

For more information on these teams, please see "Division II News" as well as each team's individual website under "Teams"

Recreational - Division III
Recreational soccer is Oxford's biggest youth sport, with over 800 kids participating each season. Administered by the Oxford Park Commission, recreational soccer is run under the guidelines of Mississippi Soccer Association.

The Oxford Park Commission sponsors recreational soccer programs for kids age 4 – 15. Participants must turn 4 years of age on or before August 1st of the current year for the Fall Season or December 31st of the previous year for the Spring Season.

To help develop youth soccer skills, OSA sponsors regular "skills clinics," utilizing coaching expertise from the University of Mississippi and Lafayette High School. These clinics are designed for various age and skill levels, and offer an excellent opportunity for youth training.

Recreational leagues are broken down into the following age groups:
U-6
An introductory level designed to teach the very basic fundamentals of soccer. Participants in this league play a "short sided” 3 v 3 format. Goalies are not allowed. Leagues are single age group leagues.

U-8
A follow up to U-6, however, this league plays a 4 v 4 format. Children continue to play in single age group leagues.

U-10
This is the first league in which goalies are allowed and scores are recorded. Game format is 6 v 6. The top two teams from the U-10 division have an opportunity to participate in district tournament play.

U-12
This league plays a full side 8 v 8 format. The top two boy and girl teams within this age group will advance to district play.

U-14 & U-16
This league plays a full side 11v 11 format as well. 12 and 13 year olds are combined in the U-14 age group; 14 & 15 year olds in the U-16 age group.

See the OPC website (www.oxfordparkcommission.com) for more information.