Referee Availability for

League & Tournaments


As our local soccer community grows, the need for new and experienced referees continues. Join America’s Largest Soccer League. More details on referee meeting schedules, training, and education can be found on the Referee Classes page. Games are available at SCHEELS Overland Park Soccer Complex, Swope Soccer Village, Compass Mineral Sporting Youth Fields, and new GARMIN Olathe Soccer Complex.

Sign Up to Become a Referee.

Become a referee

Heartland Soccer Association 

Celebrates 45 Years of Soccer!

9161 W 133rd Street, Overland Park, KS 66213

Phone: 913-888-8768



Heartland Soccer Association is recognized as one of the

largest soccer leagues and tournament hosts in the country. We offer recreational to premier divisions, ages U8 through U19. 

Click Here for Laws of the Game
MYSA NEWS
 Under MYSA's sanctioning agreement and guidelines, ALL Missouri based teams (all ages and divisions) registering for the Heartland Soccer Fall 2023 League season must be registered through MYSA. 
Heartland Soccer is a qualifying league for Missouri State Cup.
Click here for our 2023 Fall Calendar
Let Triffic Shirts & More provide all your custom apparel needs including Uniforms and Spirit Wear for your school, clubs, sports teams, family gatherings, and much more. We provide:
* Screen printing from 1 to 6 colors
* Custom art and design work
*Personalized names/numbers for your team spirit wear
*Embroidery

This Month in History:

August


30 August 1919

A Nation's Long Wait Is Over

On 30 August 1919, English League football began its first season since 1915, when the League was suspended for World War I.


While many clubs fielded teams for regional competitions during that period, all Football League and FA Cup matches were cancelled for the duration of the war. When League play resumed on 30 August 1919, it picked up where it had left off, so that clubs who had been relegated or promoted in 1915 finally appeared in their new surroundings.


Both Derby County and Preston North End played their first League matches since achieving promotion at the end of the 1914-15 season by finishing first and second, respectively, in Division Two. Derby enjoyed their season debut with a 1-1 draw against Manchester United (whose 1919-20 squad is pictured above), while Preston suffered the top flight's most lopsided result of the day, a 4-0 beating at the hands of Blackburn.


Tottenham Hotspur, on the other hand, opened its season in the Second Division, relegated after finishing at the bottom of the First Division table in 1915. Their Division Two opener was a stellar 0-5 win away to Coventry City, which was the largest margin of victory that day in the second tier. The start was no fluke, as Spurs went on to win Division Two and earn promotion back to the top-flight in 1920.


This article was taken from https://tdifh.blogspot.com/2009/08/30-august-1919-nations-long-wait-is.html 

Go behind the scenes at Children's Mercy Park! Learn about the history of Sporting KC and take a look at the Pitch, Press Box, Broadcast Booth, Locker Room & more!

For more information contact
Kylie Perkins at kperkins@sportingkc.com 
or 913-912-7578.
2022/2023
Tournament Team Numbers

Border Battle '23 - 160

Midwest College Showcase '23 - 85

Heartland Spring Cup '23 - 138

KC Champions Cup '23 - 453

Mother's Day Classic '23 - 401

Kansas City Invitational '23 - 336

Heartland Open Cup '23 - 61

Fall Kick Off Challenge '23 - 215

Heartland Midwest Classic '23 - 140

Midwest All Boys '22- 209

Midwest All Girls '22 - 291

Heartland Invitational Girls '22 - 391

Heartland Invitational Boys '22 - 427



*In the last 12 months Heartland welcomed teams from a total of 17 states and Canada.

Come ESCAPE with us! 

Exercise your MIND

at one of KC’s most exciting

escape room adventures.  

Lots of fun! 

Soccer weekends sell out quickly 

Book Now!

2022-2023 Heartland Numbers

 Spring league teams '23 1,380

Fall league teams '22- 1,322

League players - 42,000

Tournament teams - 3,011

Tournament players - 46,000+

Referees - 2,000+

Coaches - 4,000

Hello soccer families!


The wait is finally over! We are so excited to welcome you all back to another action-packed season full of teamwork and unforgettable memories! 


Whether you have been with Heartland for years, or you’re new to our family this season promises to be a celebration of community. 


This season isn’t just about the game; it’s about the togetherness that comes with being a part of this soccer community we all love so much. It’s about making new friends, setting goals and pushing your potential to the fullest. 


As the season begins, let’s remember the values that make soccer so wonderful — patience, sportsmanship and courage. Let’s all continue to leave a positive impact on the Kansas City community. Get ready to embrace this beautiful game we love. We can’t wait to see you all on the pitch!

 Heartland Soccer is offering a discounted group ticket for

The KC Current next home match on Friday, August 18th vs. OL Reign at Children's Mercy Park.

Buy Tickets

What Are The Benefits Of Meditation For Kids And What Do They Learn Out Of It?


Practicing mindfulness from a young age creates a great foundation for consciousness and awareness in adulthood.

We are born with adversity. At every stage of our lives, we face certain challenges. From when we are born, to being a child, then a teenager, and finally an adult. Developing relationships, navigating school, and exercising independence are all stress-inducing.


The basics of meditation and mindfulness practices can help us in life through all the different obstacles we might face – reducing stress and inducing happiness.


Mindfulness techniques highlight cultivating focused attention to the present moment and learning to treat our thoughts without judgment but instead with acceptance. It has become popular as a practice in adults but also teaching it to toddlers and children.


Practicing and learning about mindfulness early on in life sets us up for an aware and purposeful future. It teaches us many fundamental skills that we can carry on into adulthood – many skills that people only learn later on, which might set them back in coping with various situations.


15 Concepts And Skills That Are Developed During Meditations For Kids:

1. mindfulness

2. breathing technique

3. relaxation

4. stress management and self-management

5. anxiety reduction – coping mechanisms

6. self-awareness

7. focus

8. concentration

9. effects on attention

10. awareness

11. calmness

12. peace

13. happiness

14. tranquility

15. serenity


HCA Midwest Health is the official healthcare provider for Heartland Soccer Association and we work with parents and coaches to keep athletes safe and on the field of play year round, learn more about our services at www.hcamidwest.com 

5v4 + GK – Combination to Penetrate


Exercise Rules

44x36 yard area

Ball always begins with the #8 and plays into the #9.

Play 5v4 + GK to goal creating combinations to create overload and scoring opportunities

Defender play to counter goals.

When a ball goes out of play, #8 begins with a new ball immediately.

Focus Team Objective: - 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11 to combine and create goalscoring opportunities

Coaching Points:

Defending Team – Get compact, stay compact. Press the ball and force play one way. How do we make play predictable? When we might press, when we might drop/stay

Attacking Team – Weight/timing/texture of pass. Movement off the ball. Scanning/checking the field. Diagonal runs and passes. Creation of Overloads 

Referee Review
Place your Referee Kit Order Here Use Password HEARTLAND

 The Referee Corner: Goalkeepers and handling …  


It is a common understanding that Laws of the Game allow goalkeepers (goalkeepers are identified by wearing a distinct color jersey) unique powers while they are in the Penalty Area. These unique powers are based on the goalkeepers being allowed to use their hands. There are limits to the goalkeeper’s use of hands and sanctions for violations. That will be the subject of this article.


Let’s make sure we all understand that when a goalkeeper leaves the Penalty Area, they are under the same Laws that every other field player must adhere to, i.e., they cannot legally handle the ball. If they do, the Referee stops play and awards a Direct Free Kick to the other team. If the actions by the goalkeeper deny an obvious goal scoring opportunity, they will be sent off in the same way that any other field player would be sent off. But what about inside the Penalty Area?


Every weekend goalkeepers are sanctioned for illegal use of their hands in the Penalty Area. Have you witnessed a deliberate pass back to the goalkeeper resulting in a Penalty Kick? Is this consistent with the Laws of the Game? Let’s look at Law 12 to answer this question.


An indirect free kick if awarded if a goalkeeper, insider their penalty area commits any of the following offenses:

  • Controls the ball with the hand/arm for more than six seconds before releasing it
  • Touches the ball with the hand/arm after releasing it and before it has touched another player
  • Touches the ball with the had/arm, unless the goalkeeper has clearly kicked or attempted to kick the ball to release it into play, after:
  • It has been deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper by a teammate
  • Receiving it directly from a throw-in taken by a teammate.

A goalkeeper is considered to be in control to the ball with the hand(s) when:

  • The ball is between the hands or between the hand and any surface *e.g., ground, own body) or by touching it with any part of the hand or arms, except if the ball rebounds from the goalkeeper or the goalkeeper has made a save.
  • Holding the ball in the outstretched open had
  • Bounding it on the ground or throwing it in the air

A goalkeeper cannot be challenge by an opponent when in control of the ball with the hand(s)



The Law is very consistent. If a goalkeeper commits a handling offense in their Penalty Area, the restart is always an Indirect Free Kick. We stress this to the Referees during their Entry Level and Recertification clinics. Now you know the correct restarts for handling violations/infractions by a goalkeeper. You have a start on your career as a soccer Referee.

To learn more about the Laws of the Game and how to become a certified Referee go the Kansas Referee Website . Entry Level Clinics for the Fall season have now been posted on our new Officials Management System software. We hope to see you in class and help you lead the way in the correct application of the Laws of the Game for Heartland Soccer.

The Referee Blog


The Fall season is almost here. Shouldn’t you become a certified Soccer Referee this Fall?

The Women’s World Cup and the League’s Cup Tournaments are underway which means many of us will be watching high level soccer matches and providing our input on decisions made by the Referee team. If you watch the fans on TV you see that many of the calls are met with crticism (how was that a foul? Why was that an offside infraction?). Many feel they know the Laws of the Game and will complain. An alternative is to become a Referee and be able to make the correct calls.


Heartland has registered a record number of teams for the 2023 Fall season. This means there will be a record demand for Referees and ample opportunities to realize the personal benefits of becoming a certified soccer Referee. Classes for the Fall season have been posted on the Kansas Referee website so you can register today. 


Let’s review the Personal benefits from becoming a certified US Soccer Referee:

  • Develop life skills: Referees are both do-ers and managers. Learning how to apply the Laws of the Game in dynamic match situations prepares you for being an even more effective member of the soccer community. Referee life skill development includes:
  • Decision making: 
  • Many of the decisions made by the Referee team require real-time judgements. Understanding the considerations that should be applied in dynamic play before an action is considered to be a foul requires answewring questions and making decisions in real time as to what is happening in front of you. Was it a fair challenge for the ball? Was it a deliberate handling of the ball? Was the foul committed in a careless or reckless manner, or did it endanger the safety of the opponent? Making decisions in dynamic situations will help you to better make decisions in many areas of your life as you get more responsibilities.
  • You get to learn how to come back from making mistakes. We underplay the importance of being able to learn from our mistakes as a critical life skill. When you are able to manage the mental challenges of errors and continue to have the responsibility for the next decision, it helps you become a much stronger person.
  • People management:
  • The Assistant Referees have assigned responsibilities, and they work in an environment that includes players and coaches and fans. The Referee also has assigned responsibilities and is in charge of the Assistant Referees. Getting the job done right while managing people is a critical life skill that many Referees reference as they move on to new roles in their adult lives.
  • Responsibilities: Referees are responsible for scheduling their time. When they accept an assignment they understand that there are many other people who will be counting on them to be there so the game can go on. 
  • Soccer benefits: When you understand what the Laws of the Game allow you to do, you can become an even better soccer player or fan. Referees need to be in the moment of the match, thinking like players and anticipating how the play will develop. There are specific moments in soccer that are keys (attacking to defending and defending to attacking). Thinking like a player expands your skill set and ability to perform.
  • Family time: You take your kids to the soccer complex and drop them off. You have to come back and pick them up. What if you could spend time working with them as a Referee crew? Many of our parents have learned that this is a major benefit of certifying as a Referee.
  • Physical Benefits: You have to be fit to be an effective Referee. Players are running to space to create opportunities. Referees are keeping up with the play so they can see the actions of the players. Assistant Referees are running with the attack all the way to the goal line. Yes, you will get tanned and will achieve many physical fitness benefits by becoming a Referee.
  • Financial Benefits: Referees and Assistant Referees get paid for completing their assigned responsibilites. Being close to the game you love, getting better at the game, giving back to the soccer community, getting exercise AND getting paid. That is win-win-win-win-win.
  • Giving back to the game we love: Everyone who takes the field as a player has goals for how far they want to go with soccer. When playing days are over, does this mean we are done with the game that we love? Not at all. Being a Referee allows you to continue to experience the thrill of competition for as long as you want after you hang up the playing cleats. 


The demand for Referees is high. The benefits of being a Referee are great. Think about the benefits that would apply to your specific situation. Don’t be a part of the problem when you could become a part of the solution. We look forward to seeing you in a class to become a certified soccer Referee this Fall.

 Monthly Referee Meetings
 
Are you wanting to improve as a referee? How about get less grief? What about being considered for higher level games and state cup? Attending monthly Kansas Referee Program meetings is a great step to help all of that happen! Don't miss opportunities to hone your craft, win some fun prizes, make new friends and elevate your game as an elite Kansas soccer referee! Referees of all ages and experience levels are encouraged to attend!


2023

Referee Meeting Dates


  • August 21 (Monday) 7-8:30pm
  • September 18 (Monday) 7-8:30pm
  • October 16 (Monday) 7-8:30pm
  • November 13 (Monday) 7-8:30pm


All meetings will be hosted at the 

SCHEELS Overland Park Soccer Complex 

Field House meeting room, 13700 Switzer Rd, Overland Park KS 66213

Become a Referee

Dates:

8/12/23 – 13 and over 8am – 12pm

8/12/23 – 13 and over 1pm – 5pm 

8/13/23 – 13 and over 8am – 12pm

8/19/23 – 13 and over 8am – 12pm

8/20/23 – 12 and under 8am – 4pm

8/26/23 – 13 and over 8am – 12pm

8/26/23 – 13 and over 1pm – 5pm

8/27/23 – 12 and under 8am – 4pm

9/9/23 – 13 and over 8am – 12pm

9/9/23 – 13 and over 1pm – 5 pm

9/10/23 – 12 and under 8am – 4pm

9/16/23 – 13 and over 8am – 12pm

9/23/23 – 13 and over 8am – 12pm

9/30/23 – 13 and over 8am – 12pm

10/1/23 – 12 and under 8am – 4pm



***You will need to complete the online requirements prior to being able to sign up and attend a class***

For the first time ever, Kansas as selected to have 5 referees attending the US Youth Soccer Cups National Championships in Orlando Florida! We are sending a heartfelt shoutout to all the referees and want to thank you for your dedication and passion to the game of soccer. We are so proud of you all! The spotlight is yours- make it shine brightly! 

If you are interested in becoming a Referee, please check out the Entry Level Clinics are posted at www.kansasreferee.org. There are many ways to create successful young adults in our game. You can build up players. You can support the coaches. You can congratulate Referees on their efforts. You can thank the assignors on site for their contributions. All of us can enjoy the opportunity that we have to enjoy the beautiful game in the Heartland Soccer Association. Remember, this foundation was not created by accident. A lot of committed people spent a lot of their time making this happen. Thank them. 

Q & A with Avery



When did you start reffing? I started reffing at 11 years old in Rec games. I have reffed for 5 years.

What made you decide to get certified to referee? I wanted to get a job and I liked soccer.

What is your favorite part about reffing? I like learning more about the sport and meeting people while getting paid.

What is a life lesson you feel you have learned from reffing? I have learned to ignore criticism and trust what is right.

Do you referee Futsal? Yes, this last winter 2023.

What is your favorite part about reffing futsal? I like that they are high energy quick matches.

What level of referee to you aspire to be? I would like to referee high school games in the future.

Do you play soccer? Yes, I play for Olathe South High School and Sporting Blue Valley club.

How long have you played soccer? Since I was 3 so for 13 years.

Do you participate in any sports/activities? I play soccer and enjoy hanging out with friends.

Do you have another job in addition to reffing? Yes, I work at Walgreens as a customer service associate.

What types of movies do you like? I like comedies. The last movie I saw was the Sound of Freedom. I liked that it was based on a real story.

AB May

Academy Sports and Outdoors

AC Print

Azura Credit Union

Barley's Kitchen and Tap

BRKTHROUGH

Burger Shed

Capelli Sport

Chick-Fil-A 7500 W 135th St

Chick-Fil-A 15919 W 87th St Pkwy

Chicken N Pickle

CH Roofing and Exteriors

Connelly Plumbing Solutions

CONCACAF

Dick's Sporting Goods

Drs. Hawks, Besler, Rogers & Stoppel

GameChanger

Goodcents

Grimaldi's

Hasty Awards

Hawaiian Bros

HCA Midwest Health

Hy-Vee

KC Current

Kansas City Comets

Krusich Dental

Lean Kitchen

Levine Advertising

McShane & Brady Law

Menorah Medical Center

Molle Automotive Group

Museum at Prairiefire

Nautical Bowls

Overland Park Regional Medical Center

Papa John's

Party Cube KC

Pittcraft Printing

Raising Cane's

Research Medical Center

Rock and Brews

Salty Iguana

Security Bank of Kansas City

Soccer Master

Sporting Kansas City

Sporting Kansas City II

Starting Point Pediatric Dentistry

and Orthodontics

State Farm-Harlan Parker

The Merchant Fitness (Julah)

The Rub Bar-B-Que

Tick Tock Escape Rooms KC

Tropical Smoothie Cafe

T-riffic Shirts & More

Truity Credit Union

Urban Air

Zaxby's

Heartland Soccer Association is seeking action photo shots of kids of all ages and abilities playing soccer in Heartland League Games or Tournaments. Submitted photos may be included in Heartland Tournament, League and other promotional materials as well as social media posts.

Instructions for submitting photos:
All submitted photo files must be .jpg format, must be a minimum of 1,200 x 1,600 pixels, and no larger than 2 MB in size. Submitting a photo doesn't guarantee that it will be used.

By submitting a photo for consideration for use in Heartland Soccer Association promotional materials, you agree that:

1. You are the sole author of the photograph and control all rights for its use. The photograph is original. You have the rights to grant usage of the photograph as stated below. There has been no prior sale, publication or transfer of rights to the photograph. The photograph shall not contain any libelous or scandalous matter. To the best of your knowledge, the photograph's creation, publication and use shall not infringe any copyright, right of privacy or right of publicity, or infringe or violate any right of any third party.
2. You grant to Heartland Soccer Association all rights to use the photograph in any and all forms of media, including but not limited to electronic, digital media and print.
3.  You allow Heartland Soccer Association the right to edit, revise, adapt and crop the photo as necessary.

Send Photo submissions to: Bridgette@heartlandsoccer.net
HEARTLAND SOCCER ASSOCIATION HEARTLANDSOCCER.NET
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