Recreational youth soccer began in Arlington in 1968. It was started by the
Arlington County Department of Recreation with four teams with for boys ages
15 and under. Games were played at Tuckahoe field on Sycamore Street. Games
were scheduled, referees assigned and fields lined by County personnel as they
did for other sports.
 In January 1970, a group of soccer parents wanting to enlarge the youth soccer
program met and formed the Arlington Soccer Association (ASA). When ASA asked
to be able to play soccer during the spring months, the County made fields
available but due to budgetary restraints said that they could only provide
personnel for a fall soccer program. In many ways that decision of the County
was the most vital decision in the life of the Arlington Soccer Association.
ASA volunteers began by registering players, scheduling games, arranging for
the assignment of referees, lining fields and otherwise taking over the
management of the youth soccer program.
By the fall of 1970 the soccer program had expanded to 20 boys teams with U15
and U12 divisions of 10 teams each. Registration increased to 300 players.
Today, over three decades later, the Arlington Soccer Association with teams
from Arlington and Falls Church has over 4,500 players on more than 300 teams.
These are some of the milestones of ASA history:
- Spring and Fall Seasons:
In addition to running our own program in the spring of 1970, ASA changed
the standard of sports being played only in one season. Ever since the first
informal games played in the spring of 1970, ASA has played both spring and
fall seasons.
- All Kids Play:
From day one, ASA has required that every player must play in every game.
When the youth soccer program started, the other sports programs - baseball,
football and basketball - were made upon of teams of limited size. Because of
the size limitations there would be try outs and if a youngster wasn’t skilled
enough he failed to make the team. The “No Cut” program of ASA proved to be a
great inducement to Arlington youngsters to participate in the youth soccer
program.
- Girls and Boys:
Another major factor in the growth of Arlington Soccer has been the
inclusion of girls in the soccer program. While girls did participate on some
teams during those early years, ASA started forming all-girl teams in the fall
of 1973.
- Travel Teams:
Another milestone was the development of travel or select teams. All Star
teams were created early in ASA’s history to play in tournaments over
holidays. From these early All Stars teams developed the over 45 teams we know
today as travel or select teams which play in regional leagues - NCSL
(National Capital Soccer League), WAGS (Washington Area Girls Soccer), and
ODSL (Old Dominion Soccer League).
- Tournaments:
Tournaments, such as the Columbus Day Recreational Tournament and the
Arlington Spring Invitational Travel Tournament, are another
unique aspect of youth soccer program in the United States. Not only would ASA
travel teams travel to neighboring cities and towns to play in their
tournaments but teams would save up money and travel to tournaments throughout
the United States and, indeed, throughout the world.
- Overseas Travel:
An ASA team from Arlington was the first American youth club team to play in
the Peoples Republic of China. That team in 1982 played in Beijing in the
National Stadium.
- Playing Fields:
ASA’s growth has not been without
problems chief of which has been the lack of adequate playing fields. Because
of these field shortages as well as having to utilize fields worn bare with
excessive play, improving game fields in Arlington has always been a primary
objective of ASA. Many in ASA’s leadership have appeared before the County
Board and other advisory or civic groups pleading for better facilities.
In the late ‘70 the soccer community took the lead in what was called “Project
Lamplighter”. ASA members literally followed the County Board at every turn
and lobbied successfully for the erection of lights at Quincy Field, Thomas
Jefferson, Gunston, and Kenmore which extended playing and practice time.
Over the years, fortunately, the County has seen fit to create new grass game
fields as well as instituting programs of field rehabilitation. Most
importantly the County Board took the lead in Northern Virginia in installing
rectangular artificial surfaces fields at all three County high schools,
Wakefield, Washington Lee and Yorktown, as well as artificial surface fields
at Gunston Middle School and the Virginia Highlands and Barcroft recreational
fields. Four additional artificial fields are planned at the new North Tract
recreational complex adjacent to Crystal City.
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