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Referee Availability for
League & Tournaments
As our local soccer community expands, the demand for both new and experienced referees is on the rise! Be part of America's Largest Soccer League and help support the game. Check out the Referee Classes page for details on meeting schedules, training, and certification programs. With games hosted at top facilities like SCHEELS Overland Park Soccer Complex, Swope Soccer Village, Compass Minerals Sporting Fields, and GARMIN Olathe Soccer Complex, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved. Sign up today to become a referee!
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Heartland Soccer Association is now located at The Aspiria Complex
(previously Sprint Campus)
6450 Spring Parkway, Suite A, Overland Park, KS 66211
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.
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Indoor and Outdoor Signs, Flags and Window Decals
913-706-7352
levinead@sbcglobal.net
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Join the Heartland Soccer Association Newsletter!
At Heartland Soccer Association, we’re always looking for ways to enhance communication and stay innovative. We have an exciting opportunity for you to get involved by contributing to our newsletter! Here’s how you can be a part of it:
- Player/Team Stories and Achievements: Share the success stories of players and teams in our community! We’d love to highlight milestones, accomplishments, and special moments.
- Expert Tips & Insights: Whether it’s soccer-related or not, if you’ve got expertise to share, we want to hear from you! Are you a gardening expert? A culinary enthusiast? A nature lover with great hiking trail recommendations? Send us your knowledge!
- Photos & Videos: If you captured any standout moments this season, we’d love to feature them in our newsletter. Send us your best photos or videos, and we’ll make sure they’re shared with the community!
- Inspiration & Encouragement: Calling all poets, artists, and creatives! If you have words or art that inspire others, we’d love to include them in our newsletter to motivate and uplift our community.
- Community Spotlights: Know someone in our community who is making a real difference? We’d love to shine a spotlight on their efforts and share their story.
At Heartland Soccer Association, our goal is to make the newsletter a space where everyone feels welcome to contribute. Your voice, talents, and insights are what make our community strong, so don’t hesitate to share what you’ve got!
To contribute or for any questions, please reach out to Katie at katie@falcocreativemedia.com. Thank you for your continued support!
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Did you know? The first-ever FIFA World Cup held in December was in 2022, hosted by Qatar. It was the first winter World Cup in the tournament's history, strategically scheduled to avoid the scorching summer heat of the Middle East! Soccer in December—proof that the beautiful game knows no
off-season
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Parents' Playbook:
Fun Activities to Kick Off the New Year with Your Kids
- Create a Family Vision Board
- Start a Gratitude Jar - Set up a jar in a central spot and encourage everyone in the family to write something they’re thankful for each week. At the end of the year, you can read through them and reflect on all the good moments you’ve shared.
- Organize a Sports Day
- DIY Memory Books - create a soccer year memory book that you can add to over the season. Have the team sign the book at the end of the year!
- Have a Family Movie Marathon featuring all your favorite sports movies (even ones from when you were a kid!)
- Volunteer as a Team - organize a community service event for your whole team!
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This Month in History:
16 January 2010 - Messi's Milestone
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On 16 January 2010, Lionel Messi scored his 100th goal for Barcelona, becoming the youngest person in club history to hit that milestone.
The goal came in a home league match against Sevilla. The two teams had already met twice that month in the Copa del Rey Round of 16, with Sevilla advancing on away goals after drawing 2-2 on aggregate. In the second leg, which Barcelona won 1-0, Sevilla goalkeeper Andrés Palop repeatedly frustrated Messi, denying him in several one-on-one attempts and preventing him from scoring.
In the league match on 16 January, Palop got off to another good start, keeping the game scoreless through the first half. But shortly after the start of the second half, Barcelona took the lead with a 49th-minute own goal from center back Julien Escudé. A chip from Barça striker Pedro doubled their lead in the 70th minute.
Then Messi struck. In the 84th minute, he scored his record 100th club goal from just outside the six-yard box. At 22 years, six months, and 22 days old, he was the youngest player in club history to score a century. But he didn't stop there, adding another in the first minute of stoppage time to extend the final score to 4-0.
This article was taken from - https://tdifh.blogspot.com/2018/01/16-january-2010-messis-milestone.html
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2024
Tournament Team Numbers
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Border Battle '24 - 160
Midwest College Showcase '24 - 85
Heartland Spring Cup '24 - 148
KC Champions Cup '24 - 410
Mother's Day Classic '24 - 371
Kansas City Invitational '24 - 334
KC 3v3 '24 - 65
Heartland Open Cup '24 - 61
Fall Kick Off Challenge '24- 170
Heartland Midwest Classic '24 - 129
Midwest All Boys '24 - 230
Midwest All Girls '24 - 301
Heartland Invitational Girls '24 - 377
Heartland Invitational Boys '24 - 480
*In the last 12 months Heartland welcomed teams from a total of 17 states and Canada.
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Heartland Soccer's Tournament Reach: A National and International Stage
In the past 12 months alone, Heartland has welcomed teams from 17 states and Canada, demonstrating the league’s reach and influence across North America. These numbers reflect the growth, diversity, and prestige of Heartland’s tournaments, making them key fixtures in the youth soccer landscape.
With each tournament, Heartland continues to provide players with incredible opportunities to showcase their skills while bringing together teams from near and far. We’re proud to be a part of such a dynamic and thriving soccer community!
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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
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2024
Heartland Numbers
Spring league teams '24 1,386
Fall league teams '24- 1,388
League players - 48,000
Tournament teams - 3,500
Tournament players - 56,000
Referees - 2,000+
Coaches - 4,000
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Why These Numbers Matter
The numbers behind Heartland Soccer Association are impressive not just for their size but for the way they reflect the league’s commitment to quality, inclusivity, and community. With nearly 50,000 players, thousands of coaches and referees, and a robust tournament structure, Heartland is setting the stage for future soccer stars while providing a place for everyone to enjoy the beautiful game.
These incredible figures also show just how deeply rooted soccer is in the Kansas City area. Heartland Soccer Association is more than just a league; it’s a cornerstone of youth sports, bringing together families, communities, and passionate individuals who all share a love for soccer.
As Heartland continues to grow, one thing is clear: this league is not just the largest in America—it's a leader in shaping the future of youth soccer, one game at a time.
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MYSA NEWS
Under MYSA's sanctioning agreement and guidelines, ALL Missouri based teams (all ages and divisions) registering for the Heartland Soccer Spring 2025 League season must be registered through MYSA.
Heartland Soccer is a qualifying league for Missouri State Cup.
| For more information on VIDSPORT email: Lisa.Lindsay@Heartlandsoccer.net | |  |
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Kicking Off 2025:
What’s Ahead for Heartland Soccer
As we step into the new year, the excitement is already building at Heartland Soccer! 2025 promises to be another incredible chapter in our journey of fostering growth, teamwork, and passion for the game among young athletes.
Here’s a glimpse of what we’re looking forward to this year:
- Expanding Opportunities: With league play, tournaments and skills camps planned, we’re providing players of all skill levels a chance to shine on the field.
- Supporting Next-Level Dreams: One of our greatest joys is watching our players take their passion for soccer to the collegiate level. In 2025, we’ll continue to celebrate and support their journeys as they achieve incredible milestones on and off the field.
- Building Community: Beyond the field, we’ll continue to create opportunities for players, parents, and coaches to connect and grow as a team.
We can’t wait to see the Let’s make this a year to remember—together!
Stay tuned for more updates and let’s keep the Heartland spirit alive!
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BORDER BATTLE
Feb 28 - Mar 2, 2025
Registration Deadline:
February 3, 2025
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
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The 2025 Border Battle Soccer Tournament will be held in one of the country’s finest soccer facilities, the SCHEELS Overland Park Soccer Complex, home of the 2020 USYSA National Championships and GARMIN Olathe Soccer Complex.
This tournament is well established and recognized as one of the top spring tournaments in the Midwest. It annually attracts ECNL, NPL, State and Regional Champion teams from up to 14 different States. We are anticipating another sell out event in 2025 with teams traveling from all over the Midwest!
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MIDWEST COLLEGE SHOWCASE
Mar 7 - 9, 2025
Registration Deadline:
February 10, 2025
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
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The 2025 Midwest College Showcase tournament is an invitational showcase for young men and women soccer players who want to play at the college level. All who participate will demonstrate their talents and abilities to men’s and women’s college coaches from across the Midwest and beyond. More than 1000 collegiate coaches from Divisions I, II, III, NAIA, and NJCAA are invited to scout players.
This College Showcase is designed by College Coaches for college bound youth soccer players and is expected to be one of the finest collegiate showcase tournaments in the USA.
The 2025 Midwest College Showcase will welcome all boys and girls competitive travel teams ages U-13 through U-19 and provide those teams with a three-game guarantee.
In addition, the Showcase will host an individual Combine for players to gain additional exposure in front of college staff.
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Heartland Spring Cup
Mar 14 - 16, 2025
Registration Deadline:
February 17, 2025
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
| The Heartland Tournament series is excited to add the Heartland Spring Cup tournament to the Spring 2025 tournament season. The Heartland Spring Cup will be an excellent early season opportunity for your team to test itself against comparable opponents and features multiple levels of play to ensure that every team finds itself matched against similar competition. | |
Heartland Futsal is proud to have been chosen by US Youth Futsal to host the USYF Central Regional Championships. There are 13 USYF Regionals across the country, providing top level Futsal teams from surrounding states the opportunity to compete for the title of Regional Champion and to qualify for the USYF National Championships July 18 - 21, 2025.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
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NO BS!
Don’t feel like cooking on tournament or practice days? BOGO burgers at the Burger Shed in January! Just mention this ad along with Heartland Soccer. We offer a full bar and restaurant right across the street from the GARMIN Olathe Soccer Complex. The Burger Shed is located inside the Embassy Suites.
Take a look at our menu: https://eatatburgershed.com/olathe/
Please call ahead for parties of 6 or more: 913-353-9335
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1v1, 2v2, 3v3
Game starts with coach playing a ball and one player from each team competes in a 1v1 dual to score. If a goal is scored, the scorer stays on a plays against a new opponent.
This format continues until a ball goes out of bounds. Once a ball does go out of bounds, both players leave the field and two new players from each team compete in a 2v2 dual to score.
Same rules apply as above but when a ball goes out of bounds, three new players from each team come out to compete in a 3v3 dual.
When a ball goes out of bounds during the 3v3 game, the game reverts to the original 1v1 dual with one player from each team competing.
Play for 5 minutes or first team to score 10 goals.
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Three Jar Allowance for Kids
The Three Jar System is a popular way to begin teaching children how to
budget. With this system, you give your child three clear jars, each representing a different fund: spending, saving, and giving. The child will then divide their money into the jars with your guidance. Budgeting their money in
this way teaches children to actively plan for their current and future wants.
Encourage your child to stick to their budget. If they fall short in one category,
the goal is to help the child modify their behavior or budget instead of pulling
from another jar. For example, if your child would like to spend more money than they have in the spending jar, they should re-prioritize their wants, earn more money, or rethink their budget instead of pulling from the saving or giving jars.
The Saving Jar
The Saving Jar teaches kids to set and work toward goals. This shouldn’t be
money put away for a nebulous purpose. It should be specific. Does your child
want to save up for a new game? Or perhaps a certain toy? Help your child determine what they want and then, every time they go to separate their money into their jars, remind them that the more money they’re willing to give up now, the sooner they can reach this goal. It could help to create a general “rule” with your child, like 30% of their money
should always go to savings or for every $2 in the spending jar, one should go to saving-however you and your child decide to prioritize and divide the money is fine. The goal is to impart the importance of saving and begin building the habit.
The Spending Jar
The Spending Jar is all about what kids want to buy now. This is how they finance little things like candy bars or trinkets at the grocery store. This budget can also include budgeting for bigger things like clothing, school supplies, or even food if you decide to want your child to pay for some of those things themselves. Just remember that you need to give them an avenue to earn the
money to cover whatever you expect them to pay for.
The Giving Jar
The Giving Jar encourages children to think about others. Help them choose a cause that’s important to them, perhaps a charity that supports an animal they like or a Secret Santa fund for a family in your community. The giving jar can also go toward gifts for other people- a birthday gift for a friend, a thank you present for a teacher, etc. When it comes to donating the money they have saved, do your best to find a way to show them the impact of their generosity. Even a little goes a long way.
You can find more tips, tools and valuable banking options at Azura Credit Union. Visit us in person at one of our convenient locations or online at AzuraCU.com.
Source: 3 Jar Allowance for Kids
Azura Credit Union is federally insured by NCUA.
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Referee Corner: Law 12 – Handball or Handling ….
During the recent Advanced Referee Clinic our own FIFA Referee, Jon Freemon, gave the attending senior Referees the opportunity to view and make decisions on handling incidents. Handballs or handling remains a difficult decision and understanding the changes for the next year will help all of us make better decisions.
According to Law 12, it is a foul if a player deliberately touches the ball with their hand or arm - usually by moving their hand or arm towards the ball.
It is also a foul if the contact comes as a result of a player trying to make their body unnaturally bigger. This is a regular point of contention, so to quote the laws: "A player is considered to have made their body unnaturally bigger when the position of their hand/arm is not a consequence of, or justifiable by, the player’s body movement for that specific situation.
"By having their hand/arm in such a position, the player takes a risk of their hand/arm being hit by the ball and being penalized." How close the player was from where the ball was struck is often taken into consideration when referees are judging whether a deliberate action has been taken.
Additionally, a goal can be disallowed for handball if it has been scored either directly from a player's arm or hand - no matter what the intent - or immediately after they have played the ball with their hand or arm.
To try and clarify this decision for the 2024/25 season, IFAB gave some additional considerations:
- Recommendations that handball should not be called if the ball has deflected off another part of a player's body.
- More leniency toward showing yellow and red cards to players after non-intentional handballs.
Not every touch of a player’s hand/arm with the ball is an offense.
According to Law 12, It is an offense if a player:
- Deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm, for example moving the hand/arm towards the ball.
- Touches the ball with their hand/arm when it has made their body unnaturally bigger. A player is considered to have made their body unnaturally bigger when the position of their hand/arm is not a consequence of, or justifiable by, the player’s body movement for that specific situation. By having their hand/arm in such a position, the player takes a risk of the hand/arm being hit by the ball and being penalized.
- Scores in the opponents’ goal:
- Directly from their hand/arm, even if accidental, including by the goalkeeper.
- Immediately after the ball has touched their hand/arm, even if accidental.
The bottom line is that FIFA does not allow goals to be scored with the hand/arm.
Handling will remain a controversial decision, but you now know what the Laws of the Game say. Key phrases are deliberate, making the body bigger, and unnatural position.
If you want to become a Referee you can start by going to the Kansas Referee website and signing up for an Entry Level Clinic. We look forward to seeing you at the Heartland complexes this Spring.
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Celebrating the progress we made in 2024 and looking forward to 2025…
The State Referee Committee conducted one of the six Referee Education clinics that have been scheduled for December to begin the process of preparing for the 2025 playing year. These clinics include the Advanced Referee Clinic (led by Jon Freemon, our Kansas FIFA Referee) and Entry Level Clinics for both the Recreational Referees (12 years old) and the US Soccer Referees (13 and older).
These Referee clinics are the tools that provide certification for your Referees. It is rewarding to work with these young Referees who are excited to contribute to the Kansas soccer experience. All of them are eager to start their new jobs when the Spring season begins. Their reasons for becoming Referees include the opportunity to earn money, to better understand the Laws of the Game so they can deliver FAIR and SAFE matches, and to know more about soccer so they can become even better players.
Referees are just one part of the soccer community at Heartland. The league administration is busy with team signups. They will follow through with seeding and scheduling and assigning the Field Marshals. Each of these tasks is major, and when done together the result will be another successful soccer season at Heartland.
We have shared this before, but it is important that everyone understands the anticipation that a new season will bring. For the new Referees there is a concern that they might not get every decision right. This is a fact. No official at any level has a perfect match. This is the challenge of managing the dynamic game of soccer. Whether it is 14 players on the pitch at the same time, or 18 players, or 22 players soccer challenges the officials’ decision making:
- Was there a foul or was this fair contact?
- If there was a foul, was it committed in a careless manner, or a reckless manner, or did it endanger the safety of the players. Remember:
- Careless is just a foul. No further actions other than the restart is required.
- Reckless fouls result in yellow cards.
- Endangering the safety of a player results in a Red Card.
- What is the correct restart?
- There are 13 fouls that are restarted with a Direct Free Kick (DFK).
- There are 9 infractions that are restarted with an Indirect Free Kick (IFK).
- What about injuries or outside interference? The restart is a dropped ball.
- When is the ball in play?
- On a DFK and an IFK the ball is in play when it is kicked (which means by the foot) and clearly moves.
- On a dropped ball the ball is in play when it hits the ground.
- What needs to be in place for a legal goal?
- On a DFK, you can kick it directly into the goal and it is a legal goal.
- On an IFK, the ball needs to be touched by another player from either team before it can be considered a legal goal.
- On a dropped ball, the ball must be touched by another player before it can be considered a legal goal. And, for dropped balls in the Penalty Area, the ball is always dropped to the goalkeeper.
- How many people participate in a dropped ball restart? Only one.
When the players, the coaches, the fans, and the officials know these basic rules, we can move forward to understanding the beauty of a soccer match. Winning the ball and creating chances on goal is the primary tactic employed by the players. Coaches work on developing individual skills and teamwork to create these opportunities. Fans appreciate effort and development. Yes, winning is important. Developing and getting better every match is even more important and cheering progress is one of our responsibilities as members of the soccer community.
A successful season means that the players, the coaches, the fans, the Referees, and the administrators are working together.
Enjoy the Holiday season. Happy New Year. It will be cold in January. February will bring the start of the Spring season and our opportunity as the soccer community to celebrate the beautiful game we all love. Let’s make this a special Spring season.
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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!
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2025 Spring Referee Meeting Dates
February 10, 2025
March 10, 2025
April 14, 2025
May 12, 2025
Via Zoom: 5:30-6:30pm
In-Person 7:00-8:30pm
All In-person meetings will be hosted at the SCHEELS Overland Park Soccer Complex
Field House meeting room, 13700 Switzer Rd, Overland Park KS 66213
Information will be sent out via email to referees for the “Zoom” meetings.
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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.
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Referee Spotlight: Nadia
Meet Nadia, our January Referee Spotlight! Nadia began her refereeing journey in 2023 after discovering a love for soccer and a desire to get more involved in the soccer community. Her enthusiasm for the sport has quickly made her a standout in our referee program.
Why Refereeing?
For Nadia, refereeing is more than just a job—it’s an opportunity to stay connected to the sport she loves, make new friends, and learn valuable life lessons. She says, “A life lesson I’ve learned from reffing is staying calm under pressure. As a referee, I’m always making decisions that impact the game. Players, coaches, and others may challenge my calls, but staying composed and confident teaches me skills that extend far beyond the field.”
Soccer Background
Nadia plays soccer for Kansas Rush and has been a dedicated player for four years. When she’s not on the field as a player or referee, you’ll find her cooking, reading, or playing the cello—an instrument she’s mastered over the past four years.
Big Aspirations
Looking to the future, Nadia aspires to become a regional referee. “If I ever stop playing soccer, refereeing will keep me connected to the game,” she shares. Nadia is proof that the love of soccer extends beyond playing, offering lifelong opportunities to grow and give back.
Off the Field
When she’s not immersed in soccer, Nadia enjoys action, comedy, and romance movies, with 10 Things I Hate About You being a favorite. She’s also inspired by stories of perseverance, as shown in her admiration for Simone Biles’ autobiography Courage to Soar.
Nadia’s passion for soccer and commitment to her growth as a referee make her a valued member of our soccer community. Thank you, Nadia, for your dedication and for bringing your best to every match you officiate!
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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.
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