*Link to be added*

The Cottage Grove United Soccer Club exists to serve the needs and interests of its present and future soccer players by providing an opportunity to improve their skills in order to play and achieve success at the highest levels. Our program focuses on skill development, fitness, and fun. We provide a professional and affordable soccer environment that promotes personal growth through work ethic, creativity, cooperation, enthusiasm, dedication, fun, teamwork, and good sportsmanship.  

Our intent is to provide a positive experience for all players on Cottage Grove soccer teams. We offer and encourage coaches to have some basic or advanced licensing requirements to help develop players and team skills. We want to advance as many teams to the highest level possible in the Twin Cities Soccer League.

US Club Soccer and other youth soccer organizations have cited several reasons for the change, such as:

Playing with schoolmates – while especially relevant with a child’s entry into soccer, the main reason why children enter the sport is to be with their friends. In the current model, a player born in December would not be on the same team as their schoolmate born in January.

“Trapped” Players – Like many states across the country, club soccer in Minnesota is impacted by the Minnesota State High School League (“MSHSL”) season. MSHSL rules stipulate that players participating in the fall high school season may not also participate in a club sport in the same season. Similarly, this has meant that players that are of a U15 birth year but not playing high school soccer were “trapped” with no playing options as the Minnesota fall season is for U9-U14 teams. While TCSL has made accommodations to allow for U15 players in the U14 fall league, that hasn’t been ideal for a number of reasons. This change will drastically reduce the number of trapped players.

Under 19’s – Similar to U15 trapped players, this also affects the U19 age group where it’s typical for a significant number of players to leave for college, leaving high school juniors without a team.

College Recruiting – In the current setup, players in college recruitable age groups are made up of two different graduating classes. College coaches typically recruit by a player’s school grade. In theory, this can require college coaches to watch more soccer than necessary. Players may be missed. By having teams made up of – with small exceptions a possibility – players based on school grade, this will make the college recruiting process easier. 

2026/2027 tryouts will be hosted as following

U9, U10, U11 & U12

July 13th, 14th & 15th

U13 and older

July 25th & 26th

All tryouts will be held at Kingston Park

Rain dates will be

U9 - 12  -  July 16th - 17th 

U13 + - July 27th  - 28th 

Times TBD.

Teams will be posted

U9 - 12 - posted 7/17/26 at 9:00pm

U13+ - posted  7/27/26 at 9:00pm

• All players must be registered for tryouts

  • Only players registered for tryouts at the time of team formation will be placed on a team.  Tryout registration must be completed before any child will be allowed on the fields.  No walk ups on the day of tryouts will be allowed.

  • Players CANNOT be registered for both Fall rec and Fall competitive soccer.

• Tryout Attendance

  • If you are unable to attend tryouts you will have an opportunity to notify our clubs team formation committee within your tryout registration.  Missing tryouts may impact your child's team placement.  CGU will do our best to place players on the appropriate team but in situations where we have multiple teams at the same age level the players that attend tryouts may receive preferential treatment.    

• Requesting to "play up" in older age groups

  • All players must tryout in the age group based on your age.  Players do not tryout in the age group you are requesting to "play up" in.  Each player will only participate in one age groups tryout sessions.

  • If you want to request your child to play up you will have an opportunity to notify our clubs team formation committee within your tryout registration.   

  • It will be at the clubs team formation committee discretion if move up requests will be granted.  Tryout participation is required for any player requesting play up.  Previous team placement will not determine future team placement.  

• If you choose to decline a team placement

  • To decline a team placement, send an email to the Registrar (registrar@cottagegrovesoccer), Competitive Director (competitive@cottagegrovesoccer.org) and Vice President (vicepresident@cottagegrovesoccer.org).   The subject line should have your child’s tryout number, name, and birth year (in that order) in the subject line and write that you would like to DECLINE the team placement that has been offered to them.