Play for All
Opening the academy door to every child
BCSAA helps children from low-income and newcomer families take part in professional academy soccer — through funded placements and a free seasonal camp for those who could not otherwise afford it.
Cost should not decide who gets to play
Professional-level coaching is out of reach for many families — particularly those on a low income and those who have recently arrived in Canada and are still finding their feet. Talent and enthusiasm are spread evenly across a community; the ability to pay for them is not.
For eligible newcomer and low-income families, BCSAA waives the $200 season fee, funds a limited number of academy placements with expenses covered for up to six months, and runs a free camp each season for families who cannot afford professional coaching.
It is a practical program run one family at a time, not a mass scheme. We would rather do a smaller number of placements well than promise more than the program can honestly deliver.
For players and families
Ages U6 to U17, boys and girls
Families register their child directly with BCSAA — you do not need to belong to an academy. We form our own teams (BCSAA U6 through U17), provide volunteer coaches, fields and kit, and enter every team into the Academy Super League. One $200 fee covers the whole season.
Register online
Choose your child’s age group (U6 to U17) on Register to Play. Nothing is charged at this step.
We form the teams
We group registered players into BCSAA teams and confirm your child’s place, training day and kit.
Pay the season fee
Pay $200 by e-transfer once the place is confirmed — or apply for a fee waiver through Play for All.
Train and play
Your child trains once a week and plays Sunday games in the Academy Super League for the whole season.
Register your child to play
Newcomer or low-income family? Play for All can waive the $200 fee and place your child in a member academy.
What is offered
Three ways we can help
Fee waiver for BCSAA teams, a funded academy placement for eligible children, and an open, no-cost camp each season.
The season fee waived
Every child pays small fee to play a full season on a BCSAA team. For approved newcomer and low-income families we waive that fee entirely.
Up to six months of academy placement
BCSAA finds a participating academy and asks it to accept the child. Approved expenses are covered so they can train and play for up to six months, then the support may be reviewed.
A free two-day camp each season
Once a season BCSAA runs a free two-day camp for families who cannot afford professional coaching, including low-income and newcomer families. No cost and no obligation.
Who it is for
Eligibility
The program is aimed at children whose families would struggle to meet the cost of academy soccer. Every request is considered on its own merits — not a rigid checklist. Priority goes to genuine financial need and to newcomer families settling in.
Designed to help
- The family is experiencing financial hardship, or are newcomers to Canada adjusting to a new community.
- The child is within the age range served by academy programs and the Academy Super League.
- The family can provide honest information about their circumstances and placement needs.
- The family is willing to work with BCSAA and the assigned academy so the placement can succeed.
How it works
Applying is simple
There is no cost to apply. You fill in the form, we listen, and we look for the right placement.
Apply online
Complete the Play for All application. There is no fee and nothing to buy — the form is enough to begin.
Share your circumstances
We will ask for the information needed to understand your situation and what your child needs from a placement.
We assess and match
BCSAA reviews each request individually and looks for a participating academy that suits the child’s age, location and needs.
Placement is requested
We ask the identified academy to accept the child. Where a placement is agreed, approved expenses are covered by BCSAA.
The application
What we ask
The form asks for as much of the following as you can share. Share only what you are comfortable sharing — we will follow up if we need more.
Help us find a match
- The nature of the financial need or the newcomer circumstances.
- Your location, so a suitable academy can be found nearby.
- The age or ages of the child or children.
- The child’s soccer experience, if any.
- Any language barriers the family or child may have.
- Any specific needs — scheduling, transport or accessibility.
Behind the decision
How placements are assessed, funded and reviewed
We are open about how the program works so families know what to expect from the start.
Assessment
Each request is reviewed individually against the family’s circumstances, the child’s age and experience, and the placements available. Need comes first.
Placement
BCSAA identifies a suitable participating academy and asks it to accept the child. The right match can take a little time if a group is full.
Funding
Approved expenses are covered by BCSAA using revenue from academy league registration. Places go where the need is greatest because funding is limited.
Review after six months
A placement runs for up to six months and may be reviewed then — how it is going, and whether continued support is appropriate and available.
The information you share is treated as sensitive
Details about your financial circumstances and your family are used only to assess your request and to arrange a suitable placement.
Information is shared with a participating academy only to the extent needed to arrange and support a placement, and only with your knowledge. We do not publish your details or use them for any unrelated purpose.
Please read
What we can and cannot promise
Applying to the program does not guarantee a placement. BCSAA depends on a suitable academy having space and agreeing to accept a child, and on funding being available at the time of the request.
Placements are limited and are allocated according to need and availability. Where we cannot offer a placement, we will say so honestly rather than leave a family waiting.
A placement covers approved expenses only, lasts up to six months, and any continuation after a review is not automatic. Acceptance and day-to-day participation remain subject to the academy's own policies and the standards that apply to every player.
If cost is a barrier
Financial support for families
No child should miss a season because of cost. BCSAA runs Play for All for newcomer and low-income families — and there are national and provincial programs too.
Canadian Tire Jumpstart
A national charity that helps cover registration, equipment and transportation costs so that children from families facing financial barriers can participate in organised sport.
KidSport BC
A provincial program providing grants toward registration fees for children aged 18 and under, so that cost is not the reason a child stops playing.
Talk to us about a placement
If cost is keeping your child off the field, reach out. Tell us a little about your situation and we will take it from there — there is no cost to ask.