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Thursday August 21, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 5/6 Intro Tackle - 5/6 Intro to Tackle
Northwest Valley Ducks intro to tackle football is offered for 5th and 6th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 105lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 115lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5-7p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5-6 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 8am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 8am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 8am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 8am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 5pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 8am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Steve Eddy- Head Coach, Nate Messier- Asst. Brandon Allen- Asst. and Allen Jacobs- Asst.We are actively looking for two more coaches. IF you'd like to help please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.com. No experience is required!Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 7th/8th Grade Youth Football - 7/8 Tackle Football
Northwest Valley Ducks competitive tackle football is offered for 7th and 8th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thTime: 5:30-7:30pmHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 138lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 145lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5:30-7:30p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5:30-6:30 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 9:30am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 9:30am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 9:30am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 9:30am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 6pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 9:30am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Travis Myers- Head Coach, Matt Depatie- Asst., Tyler Cook- Asst., Aaron Ploof- Asst. and Levi Noel- Asst.Team Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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Friday August 22, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 7th/8th Grade Youth Football - 7/8 Tackle Football
Northwest Valley Ducks competitive tackle football is offered for 7th and 8th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thTime: 5:30-7:30pmHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 138lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 145lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5:30-7:30p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5:30-6:30 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 9:30am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 9:30am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 9:30am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 9:30am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 6pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 9:30am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Travis Myers- Head Coach, Matt Depatie- Asst., Tyler Cook- Asst., Aaron Ploof- Asst. and Levi Noel- Asst.Team Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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Monday August 25, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 5/6 Intro Tackle - 5/6 Intro to Tackle
Northwest Valley Ducks intro to tackle football is offered for 5th and 6th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 105lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 115lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5-7p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5-6 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 8am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 8am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 8am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 8am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 5pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 8am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Steve Eddy- Head Coach, Nate Messier- Asst. Brandon Allen- Asst. and Allen Jacobs- Asst.We are actively looking for two more coaches. IF you'd like to help please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.com. No experience is required!Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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Tuesday August 26, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks Grade 1-4 Flag Football - Grade 1-4 Flag Football
Northwest Valley Ducks is open for kids in 1st through 4th grade. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. The can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL).Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 25thCost: $50Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Tuesday August 26thEnd Date: Friday October 18thTime: 5-6pmHelpful questions.What is flag football?-This program will introduce the very basics of football. This will be a 7v7 format were all players will have an opportunity to throw and catch the ball on offense and play defense by pulling flags. Coaches will be on the field at all times to ensure safe play. There will be two flag groups. Grade 1/2 and Grade 3/4What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to catch, throw and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. The rec department will provide USA Football issued flag belts. The rec will also provide a team uniform that the kids will keep at the end of season.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 26th and the season will end by Saturday October 18th.Will there be games?Schedule is TBDWho are the coaches?Zach Clark and Matt Meunier will spearhead this group. We are looking for more coaches. If you are interested in coaching please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.com. No experience is required.Facebook Page-Please visit the Northwest Valley Ducks Youth Football page for more streamlined infoTEAM STORE-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 7th/8th Grade Youth Football - 7/8 Tackle Football
Northwest Valley Ducks competitive tackle football is offered for 7th and 8th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thTime: 5:30-7:30pmHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 138lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 145lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5:30-7:30p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5:30-6:30 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 9:30am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 9:30am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 9:30am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 9:30am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 6pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 9:30am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Travis Myers- Head Coach, Matt Depatie- Asst., Tyler Cook- Asst., Aaron Ploof- Asst. and Levi Noel- Asst.Team Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 1/2
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 5/6 Intro Tackle - 5/6 Intro to Tackle
Northwest Valley Ducks intro to tackle football is offered for 5th and 6th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 105lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 115lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5-7p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5-6 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 8am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 8am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 8am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 8am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 5pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 8am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Steve Eddy- Head Coach, Nate Messier- Asst. Brandon Allen- Asst. and Allen Jacobs- Asst.We are actively looking for two more coaches. IF you'd like to help please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.com. No experience is required!Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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Wednesday August 27, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 5/6 Intro Tackle - 5/6 Intro to Tackle
Northwest Valley Ducks intro to tackle football is offered for 5th and 6th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 105lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 115lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5-7p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5-6 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 8am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 8am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 8am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 8am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 5pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 8am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Steve Eddy- Head Coach, Nate Messier- Asst. Brandon Allen- Asst. and Allen Jacobs- Asst.We are actively looking for two more coaches. IF you'd like to help please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.com. No experience is required!Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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Thursday August 28, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks Grade 1-4 Flag Football - Grade 1-4 Flag Football
Northwest Valley Ducks is open for kids in 1st through 4th grade. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. The can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL).Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 25thCost: $50Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Tuesday August 26thEnd Date: Friday October 18thTime: 5-6pmHelpful questions.What is flag football?-This program will introduce the very basics of football. This will be a 7v7 format were all players will have an opportunity to throw and catch the ball on offense and play defense by pulling flags. Coaches will be on the field at all times to ensure safe play. There will be two flag groups. Grade 1/2 and Grade 3/4What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to catch, throw and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. The rec department will provide USA Football issued flag belts. The rec will also provide a team uniform that the kids will keep at the end of season.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 26th and the season will end by Saturday October 18th.Will there be games?Schedule is TBDWho are the coaches?Zach Clark and Matt Meunier will spearhead this group. We are looking for more coaches. If you are interested in coaching please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.com. No experience is required.Facebook Page-Please visit the Northwest Valley Ducks Youth Football page for more streamlined infoTEAM STORE-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 7th/8th Grade Youth Football - 7/8 Tackle Football
Northwest Valley Ducks competitive tackle football is offered for 7th and 8th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thTime: 5:30-7:30pmHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 138lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 145lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5:30-7:30p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5:30-6:30 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 9:30am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 9:30am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 9:30am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 9:30am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 6pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 9:30am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Travis Myers- Head Coach, Matt Depatie- Asst., Tyler Cook- Asst., Aaron Ploof- Asst. and Levi Noel- Asst.Team Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 1/2
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 5/6 Intro Tackle - 5/6 Intro to Tackle
Northwest Valley Ducks intro to tackle football is offered for 5th and 6th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 105lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 115lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5-7p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5-6 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 8am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 8am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 8am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 8am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 5pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 8am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Steve Eddy- Head Coach, Nate Messier- Asst. Brandon Allen- Asst. and Allen Jacobs- Asst.We are actively looking for two more coaches. IF you'd like to help please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.com. No experience is required!Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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Friday August 29, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 7th/8th Grade Youth Football - 7/8 Tackle Football
Northwest Valley Ducks competitive tackle football is offered for 7th and 8th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thTime: 5:30-7:30pmHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 138lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 145lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5:30-7:30p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5:30-6:30 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 9:30am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 9:30am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 9:30am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 9:30am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 6pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 9:30am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Travis Myers- Head Coach, Matt Depatie- Asst., Tyler Cook- Asst., Aaron Ploof- Asst. and Levi Noel- Asst.Team Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 5/6 Intro Tackle - 5/6 Intro to Tackle
Northwest Valley Ducks intro to tackle football is offered for 5th and 6th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 105lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 115lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5-7p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5-6 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 8am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 8am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 8am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 8am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 5pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 8am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Steve Eddy- Head Coach, Nate Messier- Asst. Brandon Allen- Asst. and Allen Jacobs- Asst.We are actively looking for two more coaches. IF you'd like to help please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.com. No experience is required!Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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Saturday August 30, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Itty Bitty
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Pre K/ K
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
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Northwest Valley 'Jays Youth Field Hockey 2025 - Swanton 'Jays Youth Field Hockey
Northwest Valley 'Jays Field HockeyMonday's and Wednesday's from 5-6pmRegistration: 06/01/2025-08/03/2025Week of August 25th-October 18th.Schedule: WeekendsGames: Working with Green Mountain Field Hockey Club to get on the season schedule for competitions at UVMCost: $70 per childOpen to Grades 3-6.Head Coach: Anna ComiskeyPlayers will need sneakers or cleats, shin guards, a mouth guard, and a water bottle. Sticks are available, but players are welcome to bring their own equipment. We will play on the lower field at Swanton Rec.
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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Monday September 1, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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Tuesday September 2, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks Grade 1-4 Flag Football - Grade 1-4 Flag Football
Northwest Valley Ducks is open for kids in 1st through 4th grade. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. The can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL).Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 25thCost: $50Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Tuesday August 26thEnd Date: Friday October 18thTime: 5-6pmHelpful questions.What is flag football?-This program will introduce the very basics of football. This will be a 7v7 format were all players will have an opportunity to throw and catch the ball on offense and play defense by pulling flags. Coaches will be on the field at all times to ensure safe play. There will be two flag groups. Grade 1/2 and Grade 3/4What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to catch, throw and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. The rec department will provide USA Football issued flag belts. The rec will also provide a team uniform that the kids will keep at the end of season.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 26th and the season will end by Saturday October 18th.Will there be games?Schedule is TBDWho are the coaches?Zach Clark and Matt Meunier will spearhead this group. We are looking for more coaches. If you are interested in coaching please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.com. No experience is required.Facebook Page-Please visit the Northwest Valley Ducks Youth Football page for more streamlined infoTEAM STORE-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 7th/8th Grade Youth Football - 7/8 Tackle Football
Northwest Valley Ducks competitive tackle football is offered for 7th and 8th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thTime: 5:30-7:30pmHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 138lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 145lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5:30-7:30p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5:30-6:30 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 9:30am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 9:30am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 9:30am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 9:30am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 6pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 9:30am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Travis Myers- Head Coach, Matt Depatie- Asst., Tyler Cook- Asst., Aaron Ploof- Asst. and Levi Noel- Asst.Team Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 1/2
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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Wednesday September 3, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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Thursday September 4, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks Grade 1-4 Flag Football - Grade 1-4 Flag Football
Northwest Valley Ducks is open for kids in 1st through 4th grade. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. The can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL).Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 25thCost: $50Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Tuesday August 26thEnd Date: Friday October 18thTime: 5-6pmHelpful questions.What is flag football?-This program will introduce the very basics of football. This will be a 7v7 format were all players will have an opportunity to throw and catch the ball on offense and play defense by pulling flags. Coaches will be on the field at all times to ensure safe play. There will be two flag groups. Grade 1/2 and Grade 3/4What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to catch, throw and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. The rec department will provide USA Football issued flag belts. The rec will also provide a team uniform that the kids will keep at the end of season.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 26th and the season will end by Saturday October 18th.Will there be games?Schedule is TBDWho are the coaches?Zach Clark and Matt Meunier will spearhead this group. We are looking for more coaches. If you are interested in coaching please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.com. No experience is required.Facebook Page-Please visit the Northwest Valley Ducks Youth Football page for more streamlined infoTEAM STORE-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 7th/8th Grade Youth Football - 7/8 Tackle Football
Northwest Valley Ducks competitive tackle football is offered for 7th and 8th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thTime: 5:30-7:30pmHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 138lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 145lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5:30-7:30p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5:30-6:30 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 9:30am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 9:30am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 9:30am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 9:30am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 6pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 9:30am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Travis Myers- Head Coach, Matt Depatie- Asst., Tyler Cook- Asst., Aaron Ploof- Asst. and Levi Noel- Asst.Team Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 1/2
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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Friday September 5, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 7th/8th Grade Youth Football - 7/8 Tackle Football
Northwest Valley Ducks competitive tackle football is offered for 7th and 8th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thTime: 5:30-7:30pmHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 138lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 145lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5:30-7:30p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5:30-6:30 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 9:30am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 9:30am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 9:30am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 9:30am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 6pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 9:30am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Travis Myers- Head Coach, Matt Depatie- Asst., Tyler Cook- Asst., Aaron Ploof- Asst. and Levi Noel- Asst.Team Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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Saturday September 6, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Itty Bitty
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Pre K/ K
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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Monday September 8, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 5/6 Intro Tackle - 5/6 Intro to Tackle
Northwest Valley Ducks intro to tackle football is offered for 5th and 6th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 105lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 115lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5-7p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5-6 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 8am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 8am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 8am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 8am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 5pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 8am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Steve Eddy- Head Coach, Nate Messier- Asst. Brandon Allen- Asst. and Allen Jacobs- Asst.We are actively looking for two more coaches. IF you'd like to help please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.com. No experience is required!Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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Tuesday September 9, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks Grade 1-4 Flag Football - Grade 1-4 Flag Football
Northwest Valley Ducks is open for kids in 1st through 4th grade. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. The can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL).Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 25thCost: $50Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Tuesday August 26thEnd Date: Friday October 18thTime: 5-6pmHelpful questions.What is flag football?-This program will introduce the very basics of football. This will be a 7v7 format were all players will have an opportunity to throw and catch the ball on offense and play defense by pulling flags. Coaches will be on the field at all times to ensure safe play. There will be two flag groups. Grade 1/2 and Grade 3/4What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to catch, throw and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. The rec department will provide USA Football issued flag belts. The rec will also provide a team uniform that the kids will keep at the end of season.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 26th and the season will end by Saturday October 18th.Will there be games?Schedule is TBDWho are the coaches?Zach Clark and Matt Meunier will spearhead this group. We are looking for more coaches. If you are interested in coaching please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.com. No experience is required.Facebook Page-Please visit the Northwest Valley Ducks Youth Football page for more streamlined infoTEAM STORE-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 7th/8th Grade Youth Football - 7/8 Tackle Football
Northwest Valley Ducks competitive tackle football is offered for 7th and 8th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thTime: 5:30-7:30pmHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 138lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 145lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5:30-7:30p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5:30-6:30 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 9:30am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 9:30am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 9:30am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 9:30am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 6pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 9:30am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Travis Myers- Head Coach, Matt Depatie- Asst., Tyler Cook- Asst., Aaron Ploof- Asst. and Levi Noel- Asst.Team Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 1/2
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 5/6 Intro Tackle - 5/6 Intro to Tackle
Northwest Valley Ducks intro to tackle football is offered for 5th and 6th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 105lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 115lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5-7p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5-6 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 8am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 8am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 8am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 8am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 5pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 8am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Steve Eddy- Head Coach, Nate Messier- Asst. Brandon Allen- Asst. and Allen Jacobs- Asst.We are actively looking for two more coaches. IF you'd like to help please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.com. No experience is required!Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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Wednesday September 10, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 5/6 Intro Tackle - 5/6 Intro to Tackle
Northwest Valley Ducks intro to tackle football is offered for 5th and 6th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 105lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 115lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5-7p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5-6 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 8am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 8am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 8am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 8am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 5pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 8am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Steve Eddy- Head Coach, Nate Messier- Asst. Brandon Allen- Asst. and Allen Jacobs- Asst.We are actively looking for two more coaches. IF you'd like to help please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.com. No experience is required!Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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Thursday September 11, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks Grade 1-4 Flag Football - Grade 1-4 Flag Football
Northwest Valley Ducks is open for kids in 1st through 4th grade. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. The can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL).Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 25thCost: $50Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Tuesday August 26thEnd Date: Friday October 18thTime: 5-6pmHelpful questions.What is flag football?-This program will introduce the very basics of football. This will be a 7v7 format were all players will have an opportunity to throw and catch the ball on offense and play defense by pulling flags. Coaches will be on the field at all times to ensure safe play. There will be two flag groups. Grade 1/2 and Grade 3/4What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to catch, throw and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. The rec department will provide USA Football issued flag belts. The rec will also provide a team uniform that the kids will keep at the end of season.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 26th and the season will end by Saturday October 18th.Will there be games?Schedule is TBDWho are the coaches?Zach Clark and Matt Meunier will spearhead this group. We are looking for more coaches. If you are interested in coaching please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.com. No experience is required.Facebook Page-Please visit the Northwest Valley Ducks Youth Football page for more streamlined infoTEAM STORE-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 7th/8th Grade Youth Football - 7/8 Tackle Football
Northwest Valley Ducks competitive tackle football is offered for 7th and 8th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thTime: 5:30-7:30pmHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 138lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 145lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5:30-7:30p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5:30-6:30 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 9:30am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 9:30am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 9:30am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 9:30am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 6pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 9:30am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Travis Myers- Head Coach, Matt Depatie- Asst., Tyler Cook- Asst., Aaron Ploof- Asst. and Levi Noel- Asst.Team Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 1/2
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 5/6 Intro Tackle - 5/6 Intro to Tackle
Northwest Valley Ducks intro to tackle football is offered for 5th and 6th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 105lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 115lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5-7p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5-6 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 8am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 8am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 8am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 8am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 5pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 8am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Steve Eddy- Head Coach, Nate Messier- Asst. Brandon Allen- Asst. and Allen Jacobs- Asst.We are actively looking for two more coaches. IF you'd like to help please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.com. No experience is required!Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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Friday September 12, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 7th/8th Grade Youth Football - 7/8 Tackle Football
Northwest Valley Ducks competitive tackle football is offered for 7th and 8th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thTime: 5:30-7:30pmHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 138lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 145lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5:30-7:30p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5:30-6:30 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 9:30am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 9:30am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 9:30am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 9:30am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 6pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 9:30am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Travis Myers- Head Coach, Matt Depatie- Asst., Tyler Cook- Asst., Aaron Ploof- Asst. and Levi Noel- Asst.Team Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 5/6 Intro Tackle - 5/6 Intro to Tackle
Northwest Valley Ducks intro to tackle football is offered for 5th and 6th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 105lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 115lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5-7p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5-6 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 8am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 8am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 8am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 8am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 5pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 8am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Steve Eddy- Head Coach, Nate Messier- Asst. Brandon Allen- Asst. and Allen Jacobs- Asst.We are actively looking for two more coaches. IF you'd like to help please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.com. No experience is required!Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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Saturday September 13, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Itty Bitty
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Pre K/ K
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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Monday September 15, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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Tuesday September 16, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks Grade 1-4 Flag Football - Grade 1-4 Flag Football
Northwest Valley Ducks is open for kids in 1st through 4th grade. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. The can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL).Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 25thCost: $50Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Tuesday August 26thEnd Date: Friday October 18thTime: 5-6pmHelpful questions.What is flag football?-This program will introduce the very basics of football. This will be a 7v7 format were all players will have an opportunity to throw and catch the ball on offense and play defense by pulling flags. Coaches will be on the field at all times to ensure safe play. There will be two flag groups. Grade 1/2 and Grade 3/4What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to catch, throw and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. The rec department will provide USA Football issued flag belts. The rec will also provide a team uniform that the kids will keep at the end of season.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 26th and the season will end by Saturday October 18th.Will there be games?Schedule is TBDWho are the coaches?Zach Clark and Matt Meunier will spearhead this group. We are looking for more coaches. If you are interested in coaching please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.com. No experience is required.Facebook Page-Please visit the Northwest Valley Ducks Youth Football page for more streamlined infoTEAM STORE-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 7th/8th Grade Youth Football - 7/8 Tackle Football
Northwest Valley Ducks competitive tackle football is offered for 7th and 8th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thTime: 5:30-7:30pmHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 138lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 145lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5:30-7:30p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5:30-6:30 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 9:30am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 9:30am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 9:30am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 9:30am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 6pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 9:30am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Travis Myers- Head Coach, Matt Depatie- Asst., Tyler Cook- Asst., Aaron Ploof- Asst. and Levi Noel- Asst.Team Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 1/2
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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Wednesday September 17, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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Thursday September 18, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks Grade 1-4 Flag Football - Grade 1-4 Flag Football
Northwest Valley Ducks is open for kids in 1st through 4th grade. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. The can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL).Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 25thCost: $50Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Tuesday August 26thEnd Date: Friday October 18thTime: 5-6pmHelpful questions.What is flag football?-This program will introduce the very basics of football. This will be a 7v7 format were all players will have an opportunity to throw and catch the ball on offense and play defense by pulling flags. Coaches will be on the field at all times to ensure safe play. There will be two flag groups. Grade 1/2 and Grade 3/4What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to catch, throw and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. The rec department will provide USA Football issued flag belts. The rec will also provide a team uniform that the kids will keep at the end of season.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 26th and the season will end by Saturday October 18th.Will there be games?Schedule is TBDWho are the coaches?Zach Clark and Matt Meunier will spearhead this group. We are looking for more coaches. If you are interested in coaching please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.com. No experience is required.Facebook Page-Please visit the Northwest Valley Ducks Youth Football page for more streamlined infoTEAM STORE-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 7th/8th Grade Youth Football - 7/8 Tackle Football
Northwest Valley Ducks competitive tackle football is offered for 7th and 8th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thTime: 5:30-7:30pmHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 138lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 145lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5:30-7:30p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5:30-6:30 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 9:30am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 9:30am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 9:30am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 9:30am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 6pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 9:30am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Travis Myers- Head Coach, Matt Depatie- Asst., Tyler Cook- Asst., Aaron Ploof- Asst. and Levi Noel- Asst.Team Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 1/2
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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Friday September 19, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Northwest Valley Ducks 7th/8th Grade Youth Football - 7/8 Tackle Football
Northwest Valley Ducks competitive tackle football is offered for 7th and 8th graders. The player pool is all kids that are living in the Swanton, Highgate, Franklin, Alburgh and Berkshire are in the NWV Ducks territory. Open towns include Sheldon, Enosburg, Richford, Montgomery. They can choose where to play. This program is supported by Swanton Recreation. The team will compete in the Northern Vermont Youth Football League(NVYFL) in Division 2.Registration: Monday April 1st- Friday August 30thCost: $90Scholarships: Please contact Nick at athletics.swantonrec@gmail.comStart Date: Monday August 11thEnd Date: Saturday October 18thTime: 5:30-7:30pmHelpful questions.What is competitive tackle football?-This program will introduce the competitive side of football with the focus on player safety and teaching all techniques. All coaches will be USA Football certified in Blocking and Tackling to ensure proper techniques are taught correctly using best practice methods. The game is limited in what defenses can do and will be played on a smaller field. Weight limits will be in place to ensure player safety. Kids 138lbs or under will be able to be Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers. Kids 145lbs or under will be able to be a pass catching Tight End. Defense does not have weight restrictions so the coaches will use best judgement in putting kids in the best position possible to succeed. Kick off and Kick return are removed for player safety. Punt and punt return are controlled.What will my player learn?-Your player will learn the most basic fundamentals on how to block and tackle in the game of football. They will also get an opportunity to compete using their techniques learned throughout the year. They will learn self confidence, respect for others and develop teamwork. Is there equipment?-Yes. We have purchased helmets, shoulder pads, integrated football pants and jerseys for all players. All equipment will be returned to the Rec. department at the end of the season. Any equipment that is not returned will result in an invoice sent to guardians of the player.What will my player need?-Mouth guard, cleats and water bottle. Any additional football equipment will not be provided such as football gloves, forearm pads etc.When is it?-Practices will begin August 11th. The first two weeks of the season there will be practice from 5:30-7:30p.-NVYFL Jamboree will be Saturday 30th from 9-1pm at the Essex Tree Farm-Beginning the week of 9/1 practice will be 5:30-7:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with a walk through on Fridays from 5:30-6:30 until the end of the season. Games are Saturday morning with a start time of 9:30amGame Schedule8/30 @ Lyndon Jr. Vikings- 9:30am9/6 Home v Burlington/Winooski Rams- 9:30am9/13 @ St. Albans Steelers- 9:30am 9/20 Home v Barre Crimson Tide- 9:30am9/27 @ Fairfax Patriots(First ever night game!)- 6pm10/4 Bye Week10/11 Home North Country Jr. Falcons- 9:30am 10/18 Quarter Final PlayoffsWho are the coaches?Travis Myers- Head Coach, Matt Depatie- Asst., Tyler Cook- Asst., Aaron Ploof- Asst. and Levi Noel- Asst.Team Facebook PageNWV Ducks Facebook PageTeam Store-Northwest Valley Ducks Team Store
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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Saturday September 20, 2025
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8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Community Gardens @ Swanton Recreation - Community Garden Plot
Grow Together at the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens!
Dig into something amazing this season with the Swanton Recreation Community Gardens! Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious beginner, this is your chance to grow fresh, delicious produce, connect with nature, and be part of a vibrant, green community.
What’s Included:
Your Own Garden Plot: Reserve a plot with us! Limited plots.Water Access: Stay hydrated with easy access to water for your plants.Community Tool shed: No tools? No problem! Borrow what you need.Learning Opportunities: Gain gardening tips from workshops and experienced neighbors.Shared Green Spaces: Enjoy communal areas and the chance to grow connections alongside your veggies!Location:
Swanton Recreation Community Gardens are conveniently located in the lower lot of Swanton Recreation — close to the rail trail and John Raleigh Memorial Baseball Fields. Its a perfect spot for a peaceful growing environment.
Key Dates:
Registration Opens: Now!
Season Runs: May through October
Why Join?
Fresh & Healthy Food: Nothing beats the taste of homegrown!
A Green Escape: Unwind, relax, and get your hands dirty.
Community Connection: Meet new friends and share gardening tips.
Give Back: Help beautify Swanton and promote sustainability!
How to Join:
Reserve your plot today! Spaces are limited, so don’t wait to be part of this growing community.
Check out Guidelines for Community Gardeners @ Swanton Recreation
Start planning your plot!
Let’s make Swanton bloom—one plot at a time! Want to get more involved with the beautification of Swanton check out the Swanton Enhancement Projects Beautification Committee
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9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Itty Bitty
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Pre K/ K
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
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Swanton Rec Ravens Youth Soccer 2025 - Grade 3/4
Welcome to Swanton Recreation Ravens Youth Soccer!This registration is for anyone interested in playing soccer for the 2025 season. When registering your child please keep in mind that we will need volunteer coaches for each group. If you are able to coach please mark coach on the questions during the registration process.Registration ENDS SUNDAY 8/3!!!Season DatesStart: Week of Monday August 25thEnd: Week of Monday October 13th Itty Bitty (3 & 4 years old) (50-60 minutes max 1 day per week)Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The mission of the Swanton Recreation’s Itty Bitty Program is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it fun enough that they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Coaching children under six years of age presents some additional challenges due to their immaturity, short attention span, and less developed muscles. Our frame of mind will be to go down to their level of thinking rather than trying to bring them up to ours. Here are the principles that will be followed: Practices and Matches will be kept fun. Coaches will introduce Skill Based games during practice. If practice is fun, the kids will want to participate. Maximized touches on the ball, per player in practice will be focused on. Standing around during practices and drills will be kept to a minimum.Coaches will minimize lecturing. The more movement for the children the better.Lots of small sided games will be played. 3v3 is ideal for this age group. Our goal is to allow as many touches as possible on the ball each training session or game.A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, getting around an opponent, etc. Passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but it will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skills will be broken down into smaller components. For example, passing may be learned by one child rolling the ball to another, who will then try to pass it back. Then have the children slowly push the balls with the inside of their feet and finally have them pass it back and fourth at regular speed. Children will be encouraged to practice at home for 15minutes on days they do not practice. Parents will be encouraged to participate in warm-up exercises with their own child. This allows the coach to teach the proper technique to the parents so they can enforce proper technique at home. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related games. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of the time. Success is related to the attempt, not the outcome. As a program, we get excited about the attempt, not the outcome (if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually improve). This does get difficult because we as coaches (and parents) are conditioned to see the end results. An emphasis on technique rather than speed will be followed. At this age there will be less focus on progression than with the older groups because they are too young to put several skills together successfully and will not stay focused if there is too much down time in between drills. Pre K-K (4-5 years old; 60 minutes, 1 day a week) Every Saturday morning from 9am-10am starting 8/30-10/18The objective of Swanton Recreation’s Pre K-K level is for all of the kids to have fun, make friends, and learn soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and kicking while making it enough fun for them to continue playing as their minds and bodies mature. Our goal with this age is to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. Practices and matches will be kept fun. Practices will include games that cause players to learn skills, not “drills”. If practice is fun, kids will want to attend each day. Coaches will work to maximize touches on the ball per player. Long lines and down time will be avoided. Players will be split into 3 or 4 stations each week to work on specific skill development with one of the coaches for 8-10 minutes per station. Each coach will be responsible for a station with players waiting for direction to go to the next activity. After stations, players will meet with their coach and teammates to play a game against one of the other teams. A small sided game with pop up goals will be used with the sidelines as the goal lines. Each team will have 4 players on the field at a time with no goalkeepers. (4x4 no GK’s)(20-25 minute games) Our goal is to have players receive as many touches on the ball in each training session and/ or game. A high degree of concentration will be placed on improving individual skills, i.e., dribbling, trapping, shielding the ball, shooting, and getting around opponents, etc. Some passing will develop naturally if you play small-sided games, but passing will not be highly emphasized at this age. Skill development will be implemented into soccer related activities. Players will have the ball at their feet for the majority of time. Success is related to the attempt. not the outcome. As a program we should get excited about attempts vs. outcomes ( if the attempt is genuine the outcomes will continually get better.) An emphasis on techniques rather than speed will be followed. Progression should be less of a focus than older groups and will lose attention if there is no variation with skill development. Grades 1-2 1 practice a week for 60 minutes and 1 game per week (2- 20minute halves) The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all the participating children to have fun, make friends, and learn more about soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to introduce them to basic concepts like dribbling and proper kicking while making it fun enough so they want to keep playing as their bodies and minds mature. Our goal will be to introduce important soccer terms and phrases while working on basic skill development. A sense of team, individual improvement, and an understanding of the game will be the focus of the coaches at this level. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field with no goalkeepers (6 vs 6 no GK’s) Grades 3-4 (1) 60 minute practice and 1-2 games per week The objective of Swanton Recreation is for all of the children to have fun, make friends, and learn some soccer skills that will help them should they decide to continue to the next level. Our goal is to build on the basic concepts like dribbling and kicking and make it fun enough so that players want to continue playing as their bodies and minds develop. Coaches will continue to incorporate important soccer concepts of the game while working on overall team chemistry and respect as well as personal skill development. Each team will have a coach and assistant/parent helper to conduct practices and games. Teams will play full field when playing games with age appropriate goals. Each team will have 6 players on the field plus a goalkeeper (7v7 which includes a goalie). POSTED SCHEDULES ARE TENTATIVE. ONCE COACHES HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TEAMS A MORE DETAILED SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED
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