Meeting Time: Tuesday, April 14th, 2026 at 8:00 PM (rescheduled from April 7th)

Please register in advance here for this Zoom session so we can get a sense of attendance.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

The meeting will cover:

• Switch to Grade Based Teams
• Player Development
• League Play
• Schedules and Commitment
• Linking Travel and LPDA
• LPDA Juniors Program (U10 Jamboree)
• LPDA Team Formation
• Calendar Year vs Grade
• Development Pathway
• U14 Overseas Tour (April 2026)
• Testimonials

We intend to offer LPDA teams for players from 4th through 8th grade as well as a U16 LPDA team as long as numbers allow. Third grade players are welcome to attend the tryouts as well. We hope to see you on the 7th!

This program will focus on building a solid foundation of individual skills with proper technique and player enjoyment as the primary focus.  There will be coordination exercises mixed in, but the ball will be at the center of everything we do.  

3rd-5th Grade Clinic: Ball Mastery & Soccer Speed

This clinic focuses on individual skill development and speed with the ball. The program will follow a Coerver type curriculum with Ball Mastery, Speed training and 1v1 as the core elements along with Horst Wein “Developing Game Intelligence” exercises mixed in.

Spring 2026 Information

*The program will not run on Apr 24th (school vacation week) or May 22 (Memorial Day weekend).

Clinic Staff

Christian Figueroa. FC Stars Boys Director of Coaching Former Head Coach of the UMass-Lowell River Hawks
Christian and his staff were named the National Soccer Coaches Association Staff of the Year in 2011 for the NCAA Division 1 East Region. Christian led the River Hawks to a 13-1-2 record and a national ranking of #19 in the country.

Joe Dincecco
BU13 LPDA Coach, Head Coach Anna Maria College, USSF “B” License, NSCAA Advanced National Diploma, LPDA BU12/GU12 Head Coach, 10+ years of NCAA Collegiate Coaching

Lauren Lukis
Current Bryant College Assistant Women’s HC, Former Bentley College Women’s Soccer Coach, Train Boston Instructor, and LUSC pro coach. Coach Lukis has her NSCAA National Coaching Diploma and was formerly a member of the Breakers Reserve Squad and Boston Aztecs of the WPSL.

John Grayson
NSCAA Premier Diploma, NSCAA National Goalkeeping Diploma, FA Leaders Award, will be leading the goal keeper training.

Ralph Ferrigno
2016 NE Hall of Fame Inductee, Former Tufts University Head Coach, Director of Boston Soccer Academy

Spring 2026 Information

There will be no program on Memorial Day weekend.

The program will improve the overall fitness, self-esteem and social skill of your child. With help from high school and parent volunteers, LUSC strives to have as close as possible a 1-to-1 volunteer-player ratio.

It is offered to Lexington residents and those from surrounding towns. The program is hosted by over a dozen other communities in Massachusetts (see TOPSoccer Communities in MA tab).

TOPSoccer is sponsored by US Youth Soccer and Massachusetts Youth Soccer.

LUSC runs four clinics in the spring and summer:

• April Vacation Clinic: This has historically been one of our most popular clinics. This clinic is run for 3 days (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) with each day being extended by an hour so we continue to offer a 12-hour program for the 1st through 8th grade players. We offer a 2-hour program for interested Kindergarten players.
• June Kick Off the Summer Clinic: The Kick-Off the Summer Clinic is also a very popular program. This is a 4-day 3-day (see schedule note below), 12-hour clinic with a more relaxed atmosphere to ease into the summer.
• July Coed Mid-Summer Clinic: Keep your touch through the summer with this 4-day, 12-hour clinic.
• August Preseason Clinic: The Preseason clinic is a great way to get back in touch with friends and to reacquaint yourself with the ball prior to the start of the fall season. This is a 4-day, 12-hour clinic.

All clinics are overseen by LUSC Director of Coaching Brendan Donahue and assisted by the same professional coaches that help coach our fall and spring team practices. Additional staff are hired by the DOC to ensure a high quality of instruction. Clinics maintain a coach-to-player ratio of 12-to-1.

The LUSC Vacation clinics require this CAMP FORM. You will be required to complete this form and bring it with you on the first day of the clinic, since LUSC must collect the forms before camps begin.  No players will be allowed to stay at the clinic without this form and vaccination details.

NOTE: Please review our Refund Policy.

Spring/Summer 2026 Information

All spring and summer vacation clinics are at Diamond Middle School. For each clinic, Friday will be reserved as a rain date.

* Goalie training is available each day for 3rd grade and up.
† The June Clinic was originally scheduled to run 9am-noon on June 22nd-25th. Due to changes in the Lexington Public Schools schedule required to make up snow days, we now plan this clinic to run 9am-1pm on June 24th-26th.
**”Early-Bird” pricing good through January 2026. Prices may rise in February.
***An earlier post stated the August Preseason clinic would be August 17-20. It will actually be August 24-27, the week before the first week of classes for Lexington Public Schools. 

LUSC Spring & Summer Clinic Coaching Staff

Clinic Director: Brendan Donahue, LUSC Director of Coaching, LPDA Junior Girls Head Coach, GU14 LPDA Gold Coach
Coach Donahue holds his USSF “A” License, NSCAA Premier Diploma and US Youth Diploma. Coach Donahue will be present each day and work with all players throughout the week.

Lead Staff

Christian Figueroa. FC Stars Boys Director of Coaching Former Head Coach of the UMass-Lowell River Hawks
Christian and his staff were named the National Soccer Coaches Association Staff of the Year in 2011 for the NCAA Division 1 East Region. Christian led the River Hawks to a 13-1-2 record and a national ranking of #19 in the country.

John Grayson
NSCAA Premier Diploma, NSCAA National Goalkeeping Diploma, FA Leaders Award, will be leading the goal keeper training.

Lauren Lukis, Bentley College Women’s Soccer Coach, Train Boston Instructor, and LUSC pro coach
Coach Lukis has become a fixture at many LUSC clinics throughout the year. Lauren holds her NSCAA National Coaching Diploma and was formerly a
member of the Breakers Reserve Squad and Boston Aztecs of the WPSL.

Thomas Ballenthin, BU11 and BU16 LPDA Coach, LUSC Pro Coach
All State 2009, 2010 and All New England 2010 player at Lexington High School. 2014 NCAA Final Four Finalist and Big East Champion at Providence College

Ralph Ferrigno
2016 NE Hall of Fame Inductee, Former Tufts University Head Coach, Director of Boston Soccer Academy

Abigail DeAngelo, Current GU12 LPDA Coach, Former Bentley University and Rivier University Women’s Goalie Coach
Former Coach at FC Stars and Abby Villa Soccer Club.

Joe Dincecco, Anna Maria Men’s Soccer Coach
USSF “B” License, NSCAA Advanced National Diploma, LPDA BU13 Head Coach, 10+ years of NCAA Collegiate Coaching

Hagop Kouchakdjian, Boys LPDA Juniors Coach
2016 LHS State Championship Team Captain (2x captain), Named to the MA 2016 All-State Team, 4-year letter winner at Hamilton College

What to Bring

Each clinic participant should bring the
following items each day:

• Cleats
• Shin Guards
• Properly Inflated Ball
• Snack
• Water Bottle
• Sunscreen

Sample Daily Schedule for July Clinic

• 8:50 to 9:15: Check In & “Street Soccer” (supervised free play)
• 9:15 to 10:45: Stations
• 10:45 to 11:00: Snack break
• 11:00 to 11:25: Juggling/Instep Training
• 11:25 to 11:55: Scrimmage
• 11:55 to 12:00: Clean up/Pick-up

Note: These clinics accommodate players of all abilities. Players are separated according to ability and preference of coaching style. It is an all-inclusive clinic that promotes soccer in a fun atmosphere and promotes learning the game in a manner appropriate to each player’s needs.

All camps must comply with regulations of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and be licensed by the local board of health.

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This is a notice to inform you of a change for the spring soccer season. We have made the difficult decision to not run our 3rd- and 4th-grade in-town recreational league for the spring season. The spring edition of this program has traditionally been very small, and for the spring season we do not believe we will have enough players to run this program.

We remain committed to providing quality soccer opportunities for all players in our community and invite your family to join our travel soccer program, which offers divisions that provide a very similar experience to what your player has enjoyed in the in-town program:

• Age-appropriate skill development and instruction
• A welcoming environment for players of all abilities
• Comparable level of play and competition to the in-town program
• Opportunities to build friendships and develop a love for the game
• Relaxed evaluation requirements
• Ability to honor friend teammate requests

We understand that “travel soccer” may sound more involved, but each grade level has divisions that are designed to be accessible and enjoyable for recreational players. While there may be occasional travel to nearby towns for games, the commitment level and competitive atmosphere in these divisions closely mirror what you’ve experienced in our in-town program.

Any families that have already registered for the spring 3rd- and 4th-grade in-town program will be fully refunded.

Next Steps:

Registration for the spring travel program is now open.

We recognize that change can be challenging, and we’re here to support your family through this transition. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at registrar@lexingtonunited.org.

Thank you for your continued support of our soccer club. We look forward to seeing your player on the field next season!

Sincerely,

Winter 2026 Information

The registration deadline has been extended from January 3rd to January 10th. All registrations received after that date will be put on a wait list. Any programs that reach capacity, even if prior to the deadline, will be closed and any further registrations received will be placed on a wait list. LUSC reserves the right to fill excess capacity in programs after the deadline with players outside the age parameters of a specific program, as it deems appropriate.

*An earlier announcement described this clinic running Jan 2nd – Feb 27th.

K-5th Afternoon Skills Clinic

This is a 16-hour/8-week program that mirrors a LUSC April Vacation/Summer Clinic. Each Friday is a 2-hour session that begins with a street soccer (free play) arrival followed by stations that focus on Ball Mastery, Passing and Receiving, Speed and Agility, and Exercises to Goal. The day concludes with a 30-minute controlled scrimmage led by a professional coach.

Note: We have delayed the start time by 15 minutes to provide more time to feed the kids and get to the Edge prior to the start of the program. The Edge does not allow spectators to enter their facility when it is bubbled over. With our Friday program being two hours, we not only can cover far more material with the players, but hopefully allow parents the freedom to run some errands instead of waiting outside in the parking lot!

6th-8th Advanced Skills Clinic

These are 8-week programs for committed soccer players! Our Advanced Skills Clinics are open to players of all abilities, but players will train in tiered groups based upon technical ability. This will allow the coaching staff to help all players develop to the best of their ability. Ball mastery will be a primary focus of the advanced skills program.

LUSC Saturday Coed Street Soccer

What is “Street Soccer”? Games, Games, Games!!! Street soccer is a phrase used to describe “pick-up” games. Games will be played in a gym, not on the street!

Focus: Let them play! Escape the cold winter days of New England while exercising and having fun with friends.

Why street soccer? The idea behind street soccer is to provide the kids the freedom to play soccer games in a supervised yet unstructured environment.  The goal is to encourage them to be creative and take ownership of their game. The games will be played with 3 to 5 players on a side. This will allow players to maximize their touches on the ball and provide them with numerous opportunities to make decisions. Games will be 12 to 15 minute long, and then the supervisor will remix the teams and start up a new game. There will be no coaching, just adult supervision.

There is no fee associated with the evaluation.

Evaluation times:

• All 3rd Grade Girls: 12:00 – 1:30

• 3rd Grade Boys:
  • Last names A-M:  1:30 – 3:00
  • Last names N-Z:  3:00 – 4:30

Common Questions:

• What if my child can’t attend the evaluation, can they still play travel soccer?
  Yes. Although we encourage any, and all, players that can attend the evaluation to do so, we recognize that sometimes this is impossible due to other conflicts.
• How will my child be placed if they can’t attend the evaluation?
  LUSC will use coaches’ feedback from the fall to try to best place a player that misses evaluations. We typically look for similarly rated players by coaches and compare them with the evaluations ratings and try to find the proper team. The goal is to place players properly as I’ll explain in more detail in the team formation portion of this note.
• Is there an evaluation make-up?
  No. We bring in independent evaluators to view all players within a division. It’s nearly impossible to hold a second evaluation that would have the same set of conditions
  with the same set of evaluators to replicate the experience that all players that attended the evaluation were rated under.
• What if we are still deciding whether or not to play travel soccer next year?
  Attend the evaluation. It’s always helpful to have the data in case you do decide to play travel soccer. If you decide to remain in- town, your child will have experienced an evaluation and have less anxiety about them in the future.

Hope that clarifies a few items.

Travel Team Formation Process

Evaluations, even if unintended to do so, often place a level of pressure and stress on the kids, and waiting to hear about which team they will be placed on for the spring can add to that anxiety.

The number one goal of the evaluations and the team formation process is to get the kids placed accurately for the coming season on a skill-based team so that they can continue to develop and enjoy the game of soccer at an appropriate level. Recognizing that no formation process is perfect, we aim to be as transparent as possible, since we try very hard to have a fair process consisting of multiple inputs.

Evaluations

LUSC hires independent evaluators on an annual basis to rate our players. The evaluators are professional soccer coaches who, in the vast majority of the cases, do not know the players. These evaluations “set the table” for the team formation process. The evaluators observe all players within a division in the same game format of 1v1, 4v4, 6v6, etc. so they have consistent opinions on players within a division. Separate from the evaluations, ratings from the volunteer coaches of each team are also collected and used to help identify any outliers from the independent evaluators’ ratings.

Key events that take place after evaluations:

1. Coaches Meeting: Once all data has been collected (evaluations and coaches feedback) the division director holds a meeting to draft rosters to be submitted to the Evaluation Committee. This allows for the coaches who have worked with the players over an entire season to have a voice in the team formation process. The LUSC Pro Coach that leads each division’s pro practice for that season attends this meeting to be a sounding board on the players under discussion.
2. Draft teams are submitted to the Evaluation Committee for review. The Evaluation Committee is a 7 to 9 person panel of LUSC board members, DOC and ADOC, charged with the responsibility to review and pose questions about the teams submitted for each division. If questions are posed on the particular placements of players, the division director answers them and/or revises the teams to the satisfaction of the committee. Any committee member with a conflict in the division (e.g., a child) is allowed to respond to questions raised, but does not cast a final vote on the approval of teams.
3. Once all divisions are approved, division directors alert their coaches and teams are announced. LUSC tries to have all teams announced at the same time, regardless of age group. This will likely take place in late January.

We will continue to offer a 3rd/4th-grade (U9-10) In-town program in the spring.

For more information on the team formation process, please see the team formation page.

The LUSC 3rd/4th-8th Grade Travel program runs every year in the spring and fall. Teams play other clubs in Boston Area Youth Soccer (BAYS), an organization that includes nearly 60 clubs in eastern Massachusetts. Each week consists of two weekday practices and a Saturday game.

The fall season is open to Lexington 4th-8th graders. 3rd graders are eligible to register for travel soccer only for the spring season. For the fall season, 3rd graders should instead register for the LUSC 3rd & 4th Grade In-Town League.

Residents of Hanscom Air Force Base are also welcome to register.

2025-2026 Season Information

*Games will be scheduled for Indigenous Peoples’/Columbus Day and Memorial Day weekends.

A late fee of $30 is applied for registrations after the deadline, and team placement is not guaranteed. Please also see our Late Fee & Refund Policy and Scholarship/Fee Waiver Policy pages.

The fall program is available to players who will be in Grades 4 – 8 in the Fall of 2025. 3rd graders may join for the spring season.  To confirm what age group you should register your child for, review the LUSC Age Group Policy. 3rd-graders are eligible to register for the travel program only in the spring.

Schedule: Each week will have two weekday practices and a Saturday game.

Uniform: Players are required to wear the official LUSC travel jersey, shorts and socks to all games. They are also required to have a LUSC pinnie for practices. Jersey orders must be placed by March 1st for delivery before the start of the season. For more information, the LUSC Uniform Information page.

Like all of our LUSC BAYS offerings, we rely on volunteer coaches to make this happen. In this case, we will need a coach or two for each team. We would appreciate a volunteer for the boys and for the girls who would be willing to work with a LUSC representative to help place teams in the appropriate divisions.

Program Information

Boston Area Youth Soccer

BAYS is organized into four divisions, with Division 1 being the most competitive. Each division is further stratified into section A, B, C, etc., with section A being the most competitive. Accordingly, LUSC stratifies its players onto teams according to ability, and places teams in the appropriate BAYS division/section to achieve a competitive challenge. A player’s ability is judged based on evaluations by outside coaches held in May (November for 3rd graders), supplemented by rankings from LUSC coaches based on team play. The process is described in detail on the Team Formation page.

When BAYS forms sections of teams that will play against each other, their first priority is to group teams by ability. Beyond this, they place teams geographically to minimize travel distances. Typically, LUSC teams do not travel beyond the following perimeter: Winchester and Cambridge to the east, Bedford and Acton to the northwest, Marlboro and Framingham to the southwest, and Needham and Brookline to the south.  Division 3 and 4 teams tend to have even shorter travel distances: Arlington, Bedford, Winchester, Belmont, etc.

Registration

All players who register for travel by the registration deadline will be accommodated. After the deadline, placement cannot be guaranteed, and will depend on team sizes. Players who cannot be accommodated may choose to play LUSC in-town soccer, for those age groups where it is offered.

LUSC Travel Program Offerings:

* For more information on age requirements for each division see the Age Group Policy, especially for children whose birth date doesn’t correspond to their school grade.

The K-2 Soccer Saturday program runs every year in the spring and fall at the Diamond Middle School field. It is open to Lexington kindergarten, 1st & 2nd graders. Residents of Hanscom Air Force Base are also welcome to register. Each week consists of 45 minutes of activities and 30 minutes of games.

2025-2026 Season Information

To confirm what age group you should register your child for, please review the LUSC Age Group Policy. To register for the kindergarten program players must be 5 years old by 8/31/25 or be enrolled in a fall 2024 kindergarten program.

Registration Deadlines ($20 late fee after deadline):

• Fall 2025 Season: Aug 13th, 2025
• Spring 2026 Season: Apr 1, 2026

Location: Diamond Field

*Program will be held Indigenous Peoples’/Columbus Day weekend.
**Program will not be held on Memorial Day weekend.

Required Uniform: Reversible K-2 mesh jersey available from Tricon Sports. See the Uniform Information page for more information.

Program Information

The K-2 Soccer Saturdays program is for Lexington kindergarten, 1st & 2nd graders. Residents of Hanscom Air Force Base are also welcome to register. Games are on Saturdays at Diamond Field.

The main focus of our club is that the players have an enjoyable experience while learning the game of soccer. At 2nd grade and below, the game of soccer you’ll observe each weekend won’t resemble the US National team or the Revolution, nor should it.

First things first: Learning advanced soccer techniques and tactics is completely unimportant at this age level. However, this does not mean we won’t teach kids to play soccer. Kicking the ball in a given direction, running and moving the ball with your feet, stopping the ball without using your hands, shooting at the goal, and blocking shots: These are the basic elements of soccer that we aim to teach children by leading them in various exercises and by simply letting them play the game. Each Saturday parent volunteer coaches will follow a practice plan developed by the LUSC Director of Coaching in conjunction with US Youth Soccer. Professional staff coaches will run a coaching demonstration for all volunteer coaches prior to the daily program and remain available to assist throughout the session. The major focus of the activities will be for all players to develop a comfort level and coordination with the ball.

Although the soccer ball will be the main focus of our training, we hope to enhance the child’s overall learning experience by:

• interacting comfortably with one’s peers
• dealing with both victory and defeat
• respecting teammates and opponents
• introducing, accepting and obeying the rules of the game

In addition, your child can:

• develop his/her own style of handling the ball
• learn how to move in a variety of situations
• improve his/her coordination
• have fun playing the game of soccer and being part of a team

We want every child to be physically active and have fun playing the game. The result of the game is of no consequence. Therefore, no score will be kept. Pre-school children are much more interested in chasing the ball and being involved in the play. This is natural and won’t be discouraged. Positions can be learned down the road. We may ask a player to play “up front” or “in back”, but all players will be given the opportunity to move about the field. Forcing a player to play in one spot all the time can lead to that player not enjoying the experience. The top priority of LUSC is that the players enjoy the experience.

Equipment:

• All 1st and 2nd grade players must bring a size 3 soccer ball to every session (write name and phone on ball). Most activities require each player to have a ball.
• All in-town players wear a reversible mesh jersey, available from Tricon Sports. More uniform info here.
• Players must wear their reversible jersey each week. On colder days the jersey may be worn over warmer clothing.
• Players must wear soccer cleats or sneakers. Soccer cleats are not required, but are recommended.
• Shin guards are required.
• Soccer socks must be worn over shin guards so they are not exposed.
• Each player should bring a water bottle.Players are not allowed to wear jewelry, earrings, hats, or anything metal in their hair for safety reasons.

Parent Volunteers

• Parent volunteer coaches are essential to successfully run this program.
• Parents can sign up to volunteer on their child’s registration form.
• The coach’s child will be assigned to the team they are coaching.
• Each team must have two coaches for the program to work effectively.
• No previous experience is required.
• All coaches are encouraged to attend our Introduction to Coaching Course taught by LUSC DOC Brendan Donahue.
• Coaches will be provided with a weekly session plan.
• Professional coaches will be available each week to: •
  o Run a meeting prior to each session to go over the plan.
  o Assist coaches and answer questions.
• All necessary coaching equipment will be provided.
• A criminal background check (CORI) will be conducted on all youth coaches per Massachusetts law.
• Coaches must arrive at the field 30 minutes prior to each session for set up and a coaches meeting.

Field Etiquette:

• No one should be on the goal sides of the field.
• Please offer encouragement to both teams.
• Parents should not give instructions to the players during activities and games.

Session Cancellation:

• The decision to cancel due to weather or field conditions will be made by LUSC by 7:15 am. For more information go to: Rainouts & Reschedules.
• Coaches will notify their player’s parents. A notice will also be on the LUSC web site.
• A session will not be canceled in light rain if field conditions are safe for playing.
• Canceled sessions will be rescheduled if possible.

The LUSC High School Travel program runs every year in the spring and fall. Teams play other clubs in Boston Area Youth Soccer (BAYS), an organization that includes nearly 60 clubs in eastern Massachusetts. Each week has one weekday practice and a Sunday game.

This program is open to Lexington 9th-12th graders.

High school players interested in further developing their soccer and leadership skills are encouraged to check out the Lexington Player Development Academy and the High School Mentor Program.

2025-2026 Season Information

*No games will be scheduled Indigenous Peoples’/Columbus Day or Memorial Day weekends.

These teams will play in the Boston Area Youth Soccer (BAYS) league Division 3, which uses the 7v7 game format on 9v9-sized fields. LUSC will field an appropriate number of teams depending on the number of registrants. There are no evaluations.

Schedule: Each week will have one weekday practice and a Sunday game.

Uniform: Players are required to wear the official jersey, shorts and socks to all games. They are also required to have a LUSC pinnie for practices. See the LUSC Store page for links to the uniform store.

Players who are 18 or will turn 18 during the season are required by Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association to complete the adult athlete SafeSport course in order to participate.

Registration

All players who register for travel by the registration deadline will be accommodated. After the deadline, placement cannot be guaranteed, and will depend on team sizes. Players who cannot be accommodated may choose to play LUSC in-town soccer, for those age groups where it is offered.

Like all of our LUSC BAYS offerings, we rely on volunteer coaches to make this happen. We will need a coach or two for each team. We would appreciate a volunteer for the boys and for the girls who would be willing to work with a LUSC representative to help place teams in the appropriate divisions.