Pinelanders Youth Soccer Club is an intramural, recreational soccer club located in Howell, New Jersey, that serves Howell, Farmingdale, Freehold, Jackson and the surrounding communities. 

Pinelanders was formed in 1971, and we currently have around 600 players each season - including many that played for our club growing up.

We are a non-profit corporation, run by an elected and volunteer Board of Directors and affiliated with the NJ State Youth Soccer (NJYS), U.S. Youth Soccer and the U.S. Soccer Federation..

Our program is intramural and recreational, meaning that all games are at our own fields, and teams only play other teams from our club. Occasionally our teams may participate in area tournaments.

Where We Play
We play at Hugh Hoffman Fields, Adelphia-Farmingdale Road (Route 524), Howell, about half way between Route 9 and Farmingdale Borough. The street address of the adjacent Township building is 449 Adelphia Farmingdale Road. 

Although all outdoor games are played at Hoffman Fields, all practices and some events are held elsewhere - typically at Howell schools. 

Our Programs

• Outdoor Soccer: We run two ten-week Outdoor Soccer seasons each year, in the fall and the spring.
• Summer Soccer Camp: Evenings, one week in July.
• Indoor Soccer: For Members Only in January & February.
• Adult Soccer (on hiatus): For Members Only

For more details please visit our Programs page.

Who Can Play
Our Outdoor Soccer program is open to children who are up to age 18 on April 1 (Spring season) or October 1 (Fall season). There is no lower age-restriction in our youngest division (Under-4), but players do need to be out of diapers and ready to participate in an organized activity.

We don’t have residency requirements – you can play with us no matter which town you live in.

Our Indoor and Adult programs are members-only programs, restricted to families who have played in our Outdoor program in the current or prior season.

Program Objectives
Our program is a recreational teaching program, intended to teach players the rules and skills of soccer and to enable them to enjoy playing the game. To de-emphasize competition we don’t publish scores or standings, and we encourage coaches and players to have fun, improve their skills, and practice good sportsmanship.

All players should play at least half of each game, and play a variety of positions during the season. Goalkeepers play no more than half of each game in goal.

All families and players are members of our club, and we all have a responsibility to ensure that players, coaches, referees and volunteers have a positive experience regardless of team assignment. 

Most games games are refereed by adult and youth licensed referees, and in some cases games are refereed by Board Members. The program is a learning experience for referees as well as players.

Spectators are expected to support a positive soccer environment.. There is a zero tolerance policy for referee abuse, including dissent. 

How to Register
Click on Play Soccer in the navigation for registration information. We strongly advise that you register early, as team assignments are prioritized in order of registration.

The number of places we have for players is directly correlated to the number of parents that volunteer to coach. Look for our Registration FAQ question for more information. 

Volunteer Activities
Pinelanders is a 100% volunteer run club, and we need participation from our parents in order to be able to operate. When you register, you’ll be asked to commit to volunteering for at least one activity during the season, as a condition of your child’s acceptance into the program. You will be able to choose your activity online, and most activities will take less than one hour of your time.

Coaching is our most important volunteer activity, and most coaches ask for a parent to take on the role of “team parent” to help with team organization, phone calls etc. We also need help with setting up the fields, helping in the snack bar, and clearing up after games.

It’s important that every family participates. Families that do not volunteer will surrender their Volunteer Deposit. 

Learn more on our Volunteering Policies page.

Injuries and Insurance
Soccer is a contact sport, and from time to time injuries do occur. We carry medical insurance through the NJYS. This policy is secondary to your primary policy, and deductibles and maxima apply.

More Information
For further information about our club please see our FAQ pages.