What ages and program levels does Gjøa Youth Soccer offer?Weekly classes and MLS GO-style programming focus on about ages 3–14 for families who want coaching without travel. Little Vikings serves ages 3–5, YDP and Game Day cover roughly 6–12, and travel soccer spans about ages 6–18 for boys and girls who pass tryouts and commit to the late-August-through-June schedule.
About
Sporting Club Gjøa (pronounced YO-ah) began in 1911 when Norwegian immigrants organized a sporting club in New York, taking its name from explorer Roald Amundsen’s ship. Today’s Brooklyn youth arm, SC Gjøa Youth Soccer, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that welcomes more than 800 girls and boys each year. Programming runs from introductory classes through competitive travel, with a player-first nonprofit model, full-time USSF- and UEFA-licensed professional coaches across offerings, and a long arc that has sent alumni toward college, professional, and national-team paths.
What the club offers
Weekly soccer classes and clinics target ages 3 through about 14 without the travel commitment. Little Vikings (ages 3–5) uses play-based activities for balance, coordination, and basic ball comfort. The Youth Development Program (YDP) gives non-travel players weekly technical work and small-sided scrimmages for roughly ages 6–12, with co-ed and girls-only groups when numbers allow. The Game Day add-on layers structured small-sided matches with staff coaches and referees so players rehearse rules and decisions in real games (not a standings league). MLS GO combines weekly practices with small-sided league play for a team feel in a supportive setting. Camps round out seasonal options, and travel soccer serves committed athletes from about ages 6–18 on boys and girls sides.
Travel soccer: schedule, leagues, and venues
Travel teams train twice a week in fall and spring, with a third session plus dedicated goalkeeper training built into the program, winter work, and room for a winter tournament block. The soccer year stretches from late August through mid-June: weekend league games in fall and spring, then once-a-week indoor training from early November to mid-March at Socceroof in Brooklyn, plus optional winter practices, scrimmages, and tournaments on select weekends. Home league matches use Dyker Beach Park; fall and spring training sites commonly include the Prospect Park Parade Ground, Red Hook, Sunset Park, Pier 5 in Brooklyn Bridge Park, and occasionally other borough fields. Most away fixtures stay inside New York City’s five boroughs through EDP or CJSL, with some trips to Long Island, Westchester, or nearby areas. Each year select teams also connect with the club’s Norwegian roots by traveling to Norway Cup in Oslo.
Fees, uniforms, and aid (classes and travel)
Recent spring clinic cycles have run about $280 for Little Vikings, about $340 for standard YDP blocks, about $260 for subsidized girls-only YDP groups, and about $275 for Game Day, with an automatic 25% Game Day discount when a child is already enrolled in YDP; pricing prorates if families join mid-cycle, and a 10% sibling discount applies automatically on class signups. For the 2026–27 travel year, full-season tuition is about $2,875 for U9–U19 teams and about $2,150 for U7–U8 sides; that bundle covers professional coaching, league and referee fees, winter Socceroof training, player insurance, and club-arranged indoor and outdoor tournaments. The required Nike kit is purchased separately for roughly $260 through Soccer.com after registration, with step-by-step ordering instructions sent to families. Need-based partial scholarships exist for travel families who receive an invitation to register, and class financial questions go through the registrar email below.
Philosophy and development promises
Gjøa frames travel soccer around attacking, possession-based soccer that still prizes care, fun, and community. Travel players work from individual development plans with their coaches, receive extra goalkeeper training, may attend optional weekly club practices at no added tuition charge, and are expected to see the field for at least half of every league match when attendance, behavior, and health allow. The club pairs those developmental guarantees with reasonable fee levels relative to many for-profit competitors and scholarship support for families who qualify.
Tryouts and registration
Travel tryouts for the 2026–27 season run in late April and early May at Red Hook fields and the Prospect Park Parade Ground; families choose a session during Sprocket Sports registration and should confirm age groups with the club’s 2026–27 chart before picking a slot. General class and camp enrollment also flows through the same registration platform. Tryout or program questions can go to the director of youth soccer or registrar contacts in the section below.
How to reach SC Gjøa Youth Soccer
Email info@gjoa.org for general inquiries. Registrations and payments: register@gjoa.org. Youth soccer leadership: lee@gjoa.org. Coaching staff: anthony@gjoa.org (director of coaching) and kaha@gjoa.org (girls technical director). Little Vikings and YDP programming: marcio@gjoa.org. Camps: camps@gjoa.org. Youth athletic director: jimmy@gjoa.org. Families can also join the mailing list at gjoa.org and follow @gjoasoccer on Instagram for announcements.
Explore more teams
Compare Gjoa Youth Soccer with other youth soccer options in your area before making a decision. These directory links make it easier to review local clubs, broader New York programs, and nearby team options in one place.
Frequently asked questions
Where does Gjøa train and play?Class and clinic sessions often meet at Washington Park/J.J. Byrne, Dean Playground, or Red Hook Field 7 depending on the block. Travel teams practice across Brooklyn locations such as the Parade Ground, Red Hook, Sunset Park, and Pier 5, with winter training at Socceroof. Home league games take place at Dyker Beach Park, and most away games stay inside NYC’s five boroughs through EDP or CJSL.
When are travel tryouts and how do families register?Tryouts for the 2026–27 season run in late April and early May at Red Hook and Parade Ground fields with staggered age-group windows. Every player registers through Sprocket Sports, picks a session, and should verify the correct age band on the club’s 2026–27 chart first. Email lee@gjoa.org for soccer questions or register@gjoa.org for signup help.
What do classes cost and is aid available?Recent spring clinic cycles showed about $280 for Little Vikings, about $340 for standard YDP, about $260 for subsidized girls-only YDP groups, and about $275 for Game Day, with automatic proration after missed weeks, a 25% Game Day discount for enrolled YDP players, and a 10% sibling discount on class registration. Email register@gjoa.org to ask about financial assistance for classes.
What does a travel year cost at Gjøa?For the 2026–27 travel year, budget about $2,875 for U9–U19 teams and about $2,150 for U7–U8 teams. That covers coaching, league and referee fees, winter Socceroof training, insurance, and club-arranged indoor and outdoor tournaments. The full Nike kit is extra—roughly $260 through Soccer.com after you register.
What is Gjøa’s mission and coaching approach?The 501(c)(3) nonprofit keeps fees in check, offers scholarships, and staffs full-time professional coaches with USSF and UEFA licenses. Travel players follow individual development plans, receive goalkeeper-specific training, may attend optional weekly club practices at no extra tuition, and are promised at least half of every league game when attendance and behavior support it, reflecting a development-over-trophies mindset.
How can families contact or follow Gjøa Youth Soccer?Email info@gjoa.org for general questions, register@gjoa.org for payments and class aid, lee@gjoa.org for youth soccer leadership, anthony@gjoa.org or kaha@gjoa.org for coaching staff matters, marcio@gjoa.org for Little Vikings and YDP, camps@gjoa.org for camps, and jimmy@gjoa.org for athletic director topics. Join the gjoa.org mailing list and follow @gjoasoccer on Instagram for updates.
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