Maine Lightning Soccer Important Info

• We are a Maine-owned, Maine-run club committed to player and coach development.
• We formed a club to make a difference, not to make a living.
• We offer a multi-sport club for both multi-sport athletes & singularly focused athletes.
• We have a proven staff of high school coaches & college coaches from all over Southern Maine who are coaching to give back to our communities and to the game we love. Our coaches will only be a head coach of one team and be fully committed to that team.
• We will work with town programs to limit conflicts & work with families to limit travel, especially prior to high school.
• We will also offer choices for teams based on their needs – those choices do include access to out of state leagues & tournaments in addition to college exposure events in & out of Maine.
• We will offer training at multiple levels for athletes ages five to eighteen & have access to Edge Academy opportunities that include SAQ training, strength training, college counseling & connections, & more!

An overview of MLSC programming 

 

Fall (September & October) – optional skill training/futsal sessions. We do not want to create any conflicts with town teams so these sessions will be scheduled at times that will not create conflicts and will be optional.

 

December – clinic options as well as team building events and practices.

Winter (Jan, Feb, March, early April) – train twice a week indoors at The MAC and additional futsal sessions for all teams at other facilities around Portland.

 

Spring (mid April, May, June) – practice twice a week and play weekend games in the Maine State Premier League (MSPL) for our younger teams and either the MSPL or a New England Premier League for our older teams, whichever is the most appropriate fit. Teams will also play in tournaments over Memorial Day and Father’s Day weekends.

 

June - wrap up the premier season and also have tryouts for the following year.

 

July & August – summer camp options in greater Portland.

Age specific details

 

AGES 5-7

Teams train once a week led by adult coaches. The focus is on skill building. We hope to offer three, six-week sessions between Jan & June

 

AGES 8-9

Approximately 80 total events, including, optional futsal in September & October, training twice a week starting in December, futsal practices and games in the winter, and participation in the Maine State Premier League in the Spring. The season ends with either a Memorial Day Tournament or Father’s Day Tournament.

 

13U/14U

Approximately 90 total events, including, optional futsal in September & October, training twice a week starting in December, futsal practices and games in the winter, participation in the Maine State Premier League in the Spring, Memorial Day Tournament, Father’s Day Tournament, and potential to go to a Regional tournament associated with MSPL & USYS.

 

15U, 16U, 17U, 18/19U

Approximately 80 total events. Nothing during September & October. Most teams are coached by college coaches. Potential Thanksgiving Weekend Showcase Tournament for 16U, 17U, & 18U. Training is twice a week starting in December, futsal practices and games in the winter, participation in the Maine State Premier League in the Spring (at least for 2022), Memorial Day Tournament, Father’s Day Tournament, and the potential to go to a Regional tournament associated with MSPL & USYS.