First touch & ball control
How comfortable is your child receiving and moving the ball under normal practice tempo?
Academy Teams · 2026–27 Tryouts
Tryouts are free.
No payment before you see the team. No commitment before your child steps on the field. A full 90-minute session to practice, play, and feel out whether Rise FC is the right fit — then you decide.
When
April–May 2026
Where
Ballantyne Ridge HS
Cost
Free for new players
Commitment
None required
How Free Sessions Work
A real practice. Not a side-lane audition.
Your child arrives at Ballantyne Ridge High School in regular practice gear — cleats, shin guards, a ball, and water. They join the scheduled age group for the full 90 minutes, warm up with the team, move through technical work, and finish with small-sided play. The same environment they would step into all season.
No cap, no pressure. Any new player can come to one session or several. No limit on how many free sessions a new player may attend, and no pressure to commit on the way to the parking lot.
1
Register for your age-band night
Pick the session that matches your child's age band and gender. Girls and boys groups are scheduled separately.
2
Train with the team for 90 minutes
Full Rise FC practice: warm-up, technical work, small-sided play. Real coaches, real field, real team.
3
Come back for more — or decide
One session or several. The $10 per-session drop-in rate is also available for families who want ongoing practice without a season commitment. That's a separate option, not a step in tryouts.
What We Evaluate
Four things. None of them is polish.
Coaches watch for these during a free session. Fit matters more than finished form.
Decision-making under pressure
When a defender closes in or a pass has to go somewhere real, what does your child choose?
Work ethic
Does your child keep going when a drill gets hard, or repeat a rep without being asked?
Coachability
Does your child listen, try the correction, and try it again on the next rep?
Not size. Not current scoring output. Not whether your child has been in a competitive program before.
Who This Is For
A year-round, fundamentals-first competitive track.
Academy Teams fits families ready for a bigger weekly training commitment than a rec program. It's a good fit if your child is already comfortable with practice three times a week, wants stronger coaching, and benefits from real team play.
It's also a good fit for newer players who are motivated, coachable, and willing to grow. Free sessions are the honest way to see that before you sign anything.
Current Published Schedule
2026–27 tryouts, live on the pitch.
Girls and boys groups are scheduled separately. Choose the nights that match your child's age band and gender.
Girls · U8–U12
Aug 1, 2014 – Jul 31, 2019
Apr 27 Apr 29 May 4 May 6 May 11 May 13
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Girls · U13–U16
Aug 1, 2010 – Jul 31, 2014
Apr 27 Apr 29 May 4 May 6 May 11 May 13
7:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Boys · U8–U12
Aug 1, 2014 – Jul 31, 2019
Apr 28 Apr 30 May 5 May 7 May 12 May 14
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Boys · U13–U16
Aug 1, 2010 – Jul 31, 2014
Apr 28 Apr 30 May 5 May 7 May 12 May 14
7:30 PM – 9:00 PM
U17–U19 specific dates are not yet published. Free sessions are year-round — reach out and we'll point you to the right night.
Age Bands & Pricing
Three age bands. New-player rates lead.
Rise FC Academy Teams runs three confirmed age bands — all built on the same fundamentals-first foundation.
Academy Teams · 2026–27
Per player, per season| Age Band | New Player | Returning |
|---|---|---|
| U8–U10 Aug 1, 2016 – Jul 31, 2019 | $1,500 New | $1,300 Returning |
| U11–U12 Aug 1, 2014 – Jul 31, 2016 | $2,500 New | $2,300 Returning |
| U13–U19 Aug 1, 2007 – Jul 31, 2014 | $2,800 New | $2,600 Returning |
Paid in full saves $100 on every rate above.
Parent Questions
Straight answers, no upsell.
Is the tryout really free?
Yes. New players attend a full session with the team at no cost. There is no deposit, no commitment, and no upsell at the end. Come back for more sessions if you want more data before deciding.
Can my child try out in the middle of the season?
Yes. Academy Teams tryouts are year-round. The current published cycle is April–May 2026, but free sessions continue outside that window as well.
What should my child bring?
Cleats, shin guards, a ball, and water. Practice clothes for the weather. A good attitude.
What if my child is new to organized soccer?
Still come. Coaches evaluate first touch, decisions, work ethic, and coachability — not résumé. If Academy is not the right fit yet, we will tell you honestly and point you to the right program.
What if Academy Teams is not the right fit?
Rising Stars is the open-enrollment development track for U5–U12 — no tryout, no waiting list, $160/session or $999/year.
How does the $10 drop-in option work?
It is for players who want to practice regularly without a season commitment. Pay per session, come when it fits your schedule. It is separate from the free-session tryout, not a step inside it.
Register for a Free Session
One practice. See the fit.
Register your child for a free session on the age-band night that matches. No payment, no pressure — just one practice with the team to see the fit.
Ballantyne Ridge High School 4004 Toringdon Way · Charlotte, NC 28277