Need info on youth soccer and football...

[Beach Dad]

My family may be moving to Santa Rosa Beach in the near future. I would really appreciate any info about youth sports in the area. My 6 and 10 year old sons love soccer and football. Where do they play/practice? Contact names? websites?

Also, I know of Butler Elementary, but what is the name of the Middle School that serves the area? Website?

 

[beachmouse]

WAVE Futbol Club in Destin seems to be the biggest youth soccer organization in the area

http://wavefc.com/

 

[SGB]

Walton County has a youth league for soccer that is going on now (Fall). I think they take ages 6-12 or something close to that. They practice/play at Butler and at Helen McCall park off Moll Drive. This league is for south Walton.

There is also a Football league in South Walton and I know a couple of 11 & 12 year olds that play, but don't know the age limits. They practice at Helen McCall I think and sometimes play at South Walton High School.

Emerald Coast Middle School is the public school for the area. It is located behind Butler Elementary. We also have Seaside Neighborhood School for middle school students in the area. It is a public charter middle school. www.seasideschool.net

Besides soccer and football, there is a very active basketball and baseball/softball south walton league for kids. All of these sports are growing by leaps and bounds every year.

 

[ShallowsNole]

There is youth football (peewee, junior and senior - up to about 13 or so) and little league (teeball to majors). I don't have contact numbers as they have changed since my child played, but registration info is usually mailed home with kids in the elementary schools and signs typically go up EVERYWHERE. Also, youth basketball and soccer are offered through Walton County's Recreation Department.

Emerald Coast Middle School has football. I don't think Seaside does but they both offer basketball, track and field and (I think) soccer.

Good luck!

 

[Camp Creek Kid]

My family may be moving to Santa Rosa Beach in the near future. I would really appreciate any info about youth sports in the area. My 6 and 10 year old sons love soccer and football. Where do they play/practice? Contact names? websites?

Also, I know of Butler Elementary, but what is the name of the Middle School that serves the area? Website?

We just finished the football season and had a great time. The football league is administered through Walton County, but staffed and run by parent volunteers. There is a website for football at http://www.thepyfa.com. (The Panhandle Youth Football Association). South Walton has a relatively small group of players so we had one team in each the Pee Wee, Juniors, and Seniors divisions. We practice at Helen McCall Park in Santa Rosa Beach which is on Moll Drive (off Hwy 98 just a block west of Hwy 393). It was a good experience with good coaches and parents who don't take it too seriously. Sign-ups will be in late July with practices starting the week before school starts. There will be ads in the Walton Sun.

As stated above, Emerald Coast Middle (behind Butler) has a football team, Seaside does not due to lack of facilities.

Soccer is offered by Walton County. For the younger players, teams are coed with four players on the field at once--the coach is also on the field to direct the players and there is no goalie. The kids seem to enjoy it. The older kids play traditional soccer. Practices and games are held behind Butler/Emerald Coast Middle School. Games are Saturday mornings. Sign-ups will be late July/early August with practices starting late August and games going from early Sept. to mid November. There will also be ads in the Walton Sun.

Hope this helps and good luck in your move. Where will your boys be going to school?

 

[Beach Dad]

Thanks for your replies...

My boys will most likely attend Butler and Emerald Coast. We currently live in Texas but I have spent lots of time in the Santa Rosa area.

My company has a opening in the Panhandle that would allow me to live wherever I would like. It has always been my dream to live down there.

We should know more in the next couple of weeks.

 

[DD]

Re: Thanks for your replies...

My boys will most likely attend Butler and Emerald Coast. We currently live in Texas but I have spent lots of time in the Santa Rosa area.

My company has a opening in the Panhandle that would allow me to live wherever I would like. It has always been my dream to live down there.

We should know more in the next couple of weeks.

I'm green with envy, beachdad! Where are you in Tx.?

 

[Camp Creek Kid]

Re: Thanks for your replies...

My boys will most likely attend Butler and Emerald Coast. We currently live in Texas but I have spent lots of time in the Santa Rosa area.

My company has a opening in the Panhandle that would allow me to live wherever I would like. It has always been my dream to live down there.

We should know more in the next couple of weeks.

Good luck.

F.Y.I. the current elementary school boundary is Hwy 393. Everyone west of Hwy 393 goes to Butler, and all students east of Hwy 393 to the Bay County line go to Bay Elementary in Point Washington. We are allowed to choose the school we are not zoned for, but must provide our own transportation. Seaside Middle School is a charter school that has a lottery admissions process. Emerald Coast Middle is new, but is becoming a very good school. I hope all goes well for you.

 

[iwishiwasthere]

Re: Thanks for your replies...

My boys will most likely attend Butler and Emerald Coast. We currently live in Texas but I have spent lots of time in the Santa Rosa area.

My company has a opening in the Panhandle that would allow me to live wherever I would like. It has always been my dream to live down there.

We should know more in the next couple of weeks.

Congrats on the opportunity! Sounds wonderful!

 

[Beach Dad]

Currently live in New Braunfels...

and really like the Hill Country. We've only been here for four years, having moved from Bham, AL. and we love this area. Making the decision to move again so soon is a tough one, but the Panhandle is like my second home and my wife is originally from Ft. Walton Beach.

Her brother is an architect who lives just off of Hwy 30-A. Her mom lives on Choctawhatchee Bay just off 393. Despite having younger kids, we are in our mid-forties and the thought of being close to Grandma and the beach may be too much of a draw not to move.

Our biggest concerns are the cost of housing and quality of the public schools. We love the area and the people already.

This may be one of those once in a lifetime opportunities that is just too good to pass up. My goal has always been to eventually retire over there, but this opportunity has kind of sneaked up on us unexpectantly. I pray we make the right call.