Youth Sports League Guide

It’s surprisingly hard to navigate sports league sign-ups if your child has never played before. But we’ve done the legwork for you! Pick a sport and read on to find kids’ leagues in your area and when to get registered.

Credit: David Lemke

So, you’ve got a kid that likes to move. One day, after a few too many sessions of “catch me, Mom!” at the local park, you have a light bulb moment — sports! This kid needs sports. And maybe there’s a local neighborhood league in which you could sign them up. We’re here to tell you that, yes, there absolutely is a sports league — many, in fact — in your neighborhood that would love to have your kid on the field or court. But they’re surprisingly hard to track down. You can always ask other parents in your neighborhood for suggestions, or ask at your local school (even if they are not run by Portland Public Schools, many leagues are affiliated with PPS in some way or another). We’ve rounded up some of the most beloved Portland-area sports leagues, and we’ve even tracked down registration deadlines and other helpful info. In other words, this is your kids-sports CliffsNotes — one to stick on the fridge and keep forever, or at least until your kids are old enough to figure it out for themselves. 

SOCCER

Lincoln Cluster Youth Soccer
Comprising the Forest Heights Soccer Club, Hillside Soccer Club, Skyline Soccer Club and the Vista Soccer Club, this cluster serves a huge area of Portland’s westside. If your kid is headed for Lincoln High School, this club is for you! 
Ages: Kindergarten to third grade.
When to sign up: Register for fall by September 16, for winter by January 13 and for spring by March 24. 
Seasons: Fall, winter and spring.
Area served: Portland’s westside. 


David Douglas Soccer Club
This light-hearted recreational soccer club is focused on soccer-for-the-fun-of-it. All practices take place on fields within the David Douglas School District.
Ages: Kindergarten to third grade.
When to sign up: Register for fall by September 16, for winter by January 13 and for spring by March 24. 
Seasons: Fall, winter and spring. 
Area served: SE Portland.


Foothills Soccer Club
The largest soccer club in Southwest Portland, Foothills offers both recreational soccer for 4- to 14-year-olds and academy soccer for older kids.   
Ages: Preschool to eighth grade.
When to sign up: Registration for fall opens in May and for spring in January. 
Seasons: Fall and spring.
Area served: SW Portland.


Hollywood Soccer Club
Offering a low-key “Kinderkicks” program for the littlest players, and more serious fun for older kids, this recreational soccer club emphasizes fair play and building a culture of encouragement, fun and teamwork. Scholarships and a cleat exchange program make it accessible, too.
Ages: Kindergarten to  eighth grade.
When to sign up: Register for fall by September 16, for winter by January 13 and for spring by March 24. 
Seasons: Fall, winter and spring.
Area served: Generally located in Northeast’s Hollywood neighborhood, though families outside of Hollywood can participate.


Holy Redeemer Soccer Club
Practicing on a home field located at the intersection of North Dekum and North Williams in Portland, this recreational league doesn’t require attendance at either Holy Redeemer Church or Holy Redeemer School — they invite all members of the community to join the fun.
Ages: Kindergarten to eighth grade.
When to sign up: Register by August 1 for the fall season.
Season: Fall. 
Area served: North Portland and beyond.


Irvington Soccer Club
Practicing at Irving Park and Irvington Elementary School, this recreational soccer club is a neighborhood must-join!
Ages: First to eighth grade.
When to sign up: Register for fall by August 8 and for spring by March 1. 
Season: Fall and spring.
Areas served: Primarily serving Irvington, King, Boise-Elliot, Humboldt and Harriet Tubman neighborhoods, but open to everyone regardless of location.


Mt. Tabor Soccer Club
This recreational soccer club serves kids from 13 schools around the Mt. Tabor area.
Ages: Kindergarten to eighth grade.
When to sign up: Registration opens around the end of the school year and closes in mid-July. 
Season: Fall. 
Area served: Most kids are from the Mount Tabor area, but no one is turned away. 


United PDX
In 2018, the Bridlemile Soccer Club and Northeast United Soccer Club merged to form United PDX and become one of the largest soccer clubs in the city. They offer a wide variety of programs for kids, from competitive to recreational and everything in between.
Ages: 4 to 19. 
When to sign up: Spring registration opens January 1; check website for fall registration. 
Season: Fall and spring.
Area served: The entire Portland-metro area. 


Southeast Soccer Club
One of the oldest soccer clubs in Portland, SESC was one of the founding clubs of the now-massive Portland Youth Soccer Association.
Ages: 5 to 14.
When to sign up: Recreational soccer registration for the fall is May 15 to July 15. Competitive program tryouts begin in early April and run through early May. Spring registration is February 15 to March 15. 
Seasons: Fall and spring. 
Area served: SE Portland.


i9 Sports  
i9 is a national organization that supports tons of community leagues in and around Portland. It’s easy to use their site to search by zip code and see what’s available close to you.
Ages: 3 to 12.
When to sign up: Summer registration is open April to June, fall registration is open June to August; spring registration is open January to March.
Seasons: Spring, summer, fall.
Areas served: Clackamas, Gresham, Tigard, Beaverton, SW Portland, Lake Oswego, West Linn, Parkrose, N Portland and Vancouver.


YMCA Indoor Soccer
Low-key and friendly, three Portland-area YMCA locations offer an entirely indoor intro to soccer for the youngest players.
Ages: 3 years to second grade. 
When to sign up: Rolling.
Seasons: Fall, winter and spring. 
Areas served: Beaverton, Clark County and Sherwood YMCAs.


Lil’ Kickers
Focused on the joy of movement and the most basic of skills, Lil’ Kickers is a completely non-competitive soccer program offering things for the littlest players, like parent-and-child classes for toddlers.
Ages: 18 months to 9 years.
When to sign up: Rolling. 
Season: Year-round.
Areas served: Portland Indoor Soccer Center (SE Portland) and The Plex (SW Portland/Beaverton).


Soccer Shots
This international organization, with franchises throughout the U.S. and Canada, is a good option for little kiddos. It’s easy to search their website by zip code to find camps and classes near you.
Ages: 2 to 8.
When to sign up: Rolling.
Season: Year-round.
Area served: Locations throughout the metro area. 


Eastside & Westside Timbers/Thorns
Both clubs offer competitive teams that play all over the state and have produced college and professional athletes. Players must register for tryouts. (Developmental and recreational leagues also offered; see their websites for more details.)
Ages: 7 to 18 eastside;  6 to 18 westside.
When to sign up: Register in April for May tryouts.
Seasons: Competitive league is a year-long commitment with twice-a-week training starting in June. Eastside offers recreational spring and fall teams.
Area served: Portland’s eastside and westside.


Portland City United Soccer Club
This competitive club is for enthusiastic athletes who want to take their skills to the next level — and want to have fun while doing it!
Ages: 6 to 18.
When to sign up: Tryouts are in early May for U11 to U19 teams. Evaluations in early May for summer and fall U8 to U10 teams, and early February for spring U8 to U10 teams.
Seasons: Spring, summer and fall.
Areas served: Portland metro.

Readers also recommend:
North Portland Soccer Club
Bridge City Soccer Academy

BASEBAll / SOFTBALL

Credit: i9 Sports

Southeast Portland Little League 
Offering both baseball and softball, this popular little league organization serves a huge area of Southeast Portland, from inner Southeast all the way to Woodstock.
Ages: 4 to 14.
When to sign up: Fall registration starts August 1, spring registration runs December 1 to March 1. 
Seasons: Fall and spring.
Area served: SE Portland.


SW Portland Little League
SWPLL has both softball (girls) and baseball (co-ed). They also participate with T-Mobile to offer financial aid up to the full registration cost for families who need it.
Ages: 5 to 12.
When to sign up: January for spring, August for fall.
Seasons: Spring season is the formal league, “Fall Ball” is more informal and focused on skill development.
Area served: SW Portland in the Wells High School feeder neighborhoods. 


Wilshire Riverside Little League
Schools within this league’s boundaries include Alameda, Beaumont, Faubion, The Ivy School, Madeleine, Sabin, St. Rose, Vernon and Woodlawn.
Ages: 4 to 12.
When to sign up: January and February for spring, and August for fall (available for third to sixth grade only).
Seasons: Spring (ages 4-12) runs March through early June, Fall Ball (third to sixth grade only) runs late August through October.
Area served: North and NE Portland.


Hollywood Rose City Little League
This league strives to create a positive, supportive and inclusive community for players, families and coaches. Kids do not need to try out if they are playing T-ball, single A  or double A.
Ages: 4 to 16.
When to sign up: Spring registration is December 15 to March 1; fall registration is August 10-31.
Seasons: Spring and fall. 
Area served: Eligible schools include Irvington, Beverly Cleary, Laurelhurst, All-Saints, Rose City Park, Roseway Heights Middle School, Le Monde, Portland Montessori and Da Vinci Middle School. 


i9 Sports
Use their site to search by zip code to check out what baseball and softball leagues are close to you.
Ages: 3 to 6.
When to sign up: Summer registration is open April to June; fall registration is open June to  August;  spring registration is open January to  March.
Seasons: Spring, summer and fall.
Areas served: Clackamas, Tigard, Beaverton, SW Portland, West Linn, Parkrose, North Portland and Vancouver.


Portland Eastside Baseball
Teams are made up of 15 players. Players not chosen to join a team at initial tryouts can choose to be on a call-back list.
Ages: 6 to 19.
When to sign up: Check website for details.
Season: Summer.
Area served: North, NE and SE Portland.


Portland Cal Ripken Baseball
Founded in 2013, Portland Cal Ripken is a subsect of the national Cal Ripken Baseball organization.
Ages: 5 to 15.
When to sign up:  Check website for details.
Seasons: Fall and spring.
Area served: North, NE and  SE Portland.

Readers also recommend:
Cleveland Youth Baseball & Softball

BASKETBALL

Credit: Denise Castañon

Lay-Ups
A co-ed basketball league that’s focused on making sure kids have a good time and feel self-confident.
Ages: Kindergarten to third grade.
When to sign up: Register for fall by September 16, for winter by January 13 and for spring by March 24.
Seasons: Fall, winter and spring.
Areas served: Lake Oswego, Tigard and Milwaukie.


Goldenball Youth Basketball
The Goldenball recreational winter league is run by Portland Parks & Recreation. It’s important to note that due to staffing capacities, the program has a limited number of team slots available so registration sometimes closes early.
Ages: Third to fifth grade.
When to sign up: Registration opens late October and ends early December. 
Season: Winter.
Area served: Portland metro area.


i9 Sports
This national organization supports many community leagues. It’s easy to use their site to search by zip code and see what’s available close to you.
Ages: 4 to 12.
When to sign up: Summer registration deadline is in June, fall registration deadline is in August, winter registration deadline is in December, spring registration deadline is in March. 
Seasons: Spring, summer, early fall, late fall, winter.
Areas served: Clackamas, Gresham, Tigard, Beaverton, SW Portland, Lake Oswego, Oregon City, Parkrose, North Portland, Vancouver.


YMCA basketball
YMCA youth basketball programs include both recreational and competitive leagues and are open to kids starting at age 3, with programs and leagues running year-round. Both members and non-members are welcome to register.
Ages: 3 years old to sixth grade.
When to sign up: Rolling.
Seasons: Fall, winter, spring and summer.
Areas served: Offered at Beaverton, Clark County and Sherwood YMCAs. 


Southeast Portland Girls Basketball 
Founded in 2013 and now made up of 27 teams, this girls’ basketball club is non-competitive in early elementary grades, but does get more competitive as kids get older. Scholarships are available; the club believes that, “Any girl who wants to play, can play, regardless of her family’s economic situation.”
Ages: First to eighth grade. 
When to sign up: Register in November for January through March season. See website for more info.
Seasons: October through March, but there are options for year-round play. 
Area served: SE Portland. Most players are heading to either Cleveland High School or Franklin High School. 


PIL / PPS Clusters
Portland Public Schools offers pretty robust team sports offerings, and it’s great to take advantage of them when your kids are old enough. It’s also a good way to get on the radar of your local school’s coaches, if your child hopes to play high school basketball.
Ages: Sixth to eighth grade.
When to sign up: Registration for the winter season opens in mid September.  
Season: Winter.
Area served: Anyone within the bounds of Portland Public Schools. 

CROSS COUNTRY / TRACK

Credit: Portland Parks & Recreation

PIL / PPS Clusters
Got runners in the family? Let them race!
Ages: Sixth to eighth grade. 
When to sign up:  Register for cross country the first week in July, or for track and field in mid-January. 
Seasons: Fall for cross country, spring for track and field.
Area served: Anyone within the bounds of Portland Public Schools. 


PP&R + Foot Traffic Youth Track 
Portland Parks and Recreation teamed up with local running store Foot Traffic to create this fun-focused lineup of intro-to-track offerings for kids. Sign up for clubs or camps, or simply show up to their fall season meets.
Ages: Second to eighth grade.
When to sign up: Meets begin in late September and continue into early October and no registration is required.
Season: Fall.
Area served: Meets are held at Fernhill Park. 

VOLLEYBALL 

Credit: Jeppe Smed Nielsen

PPS / PIL 
Let your kids learn to bump, pass and block.
Ages: Sixth to eighth grade. 
When to sign up:  Register the first week in July. 
Season: Fall.
Area served: Anyone within the bounds of Portland Public Schools. 


Portland Parks and Recreation
PP&R welcomes all skill levels into their volleyball programs. It’s important to note that this program currently has registration limits, so register early if you can.
Ages: Fourth to 12th grade. 
When to sign up: Registration for spring opens in early March and ends in early April. Registration for fall opens in September and games are played at the beginning of October.  
Seasons: Fall and spring.
Area served: All of Portland.

FOOTBALL / FLAG FOOTBALL

Credit: i9 Sports

PIL / PPS Clusters Flag Football
Get your kids revved up about their local PPS cluster by joining in the flag football fun offered every fall through Portland Public Schools’ interscholastic league.
Ages: Third to eighth grade.
When to sign up: Registration for fall opens in late May/early June. 
Season: Fall. 
Area served: Anyone within the bounds of Portland Public Schools. 


Next Level Flag Football
Based out of Jesuit High School, Next Level sports is a California organization that is new to Portland as of 2022.
Ages: Kindergarten to seventh grade.
When to sign up: Registration for spring 2023 season will open summer 2022 and remain open until all spots are filled.
Season: Spring.
Areas served: Beaverton, Hillsboro, Aloha, Lake Oswego, Tigard and Tualatin.


i9 Sports flag football
Search by zip code on the website to see the closest flag football leagues.
Ages: 4 to 14.
When to sign up: Summer registration is April to June; fall registration is June to August; spring registration is January to March. 
Season: Spring, summer and fall.
Areas served: Clackamas, Gresham, SE Portland, Tigard, Beaverton, SW Portland, Lake Oswego, Parkrose, North Portland and Vancouver. 

General Helpful Links

PPS athletics

Portland Parks & Rec Youth Sports

YMCA 

Portland Youth Soccer Association

Little League Finder Tool

Oregon Youth Soccer Association

Miranda Rake
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