Rec 5-A-Side

UC Santa Barbara's Rec 5-A-Side is a 10-week recreational soccer clinic running Saturday mornings from April 4 through June 13, 2026. The program costs $225 and is offered by the men's D1 program in the Big West Conference. This is a day-based clinic format, not an overnight or multi-day ID camp.

This clinic is not structured as a recruiting event. The format—recreational 5-a-side play on Saturday mornings over 10 weeks—is designed for skill development and enjoyment rather than college evaluation. Prospective players of any age or graduation year would be welcome to participate, but families should not attend expecting coaching staff to scout or document performance for recruitment purposes. The absence of a head coach commitment and the recreational nature of the program signal that this is a skills and fitness opportunity, not an offer-pursuit venue.

Recruits should know upfront that the head coach does not attend these sessions, so there is no active staff evaluation happening. The 10-week format provides extended training time compared to a single-day camp, which can build fitness and touch, but the recreational framing means coaching feedback will likely be general rather than personalized recruitment assessment. At $225 for the full 10-week session, the cost is modest relative to traditional ID camps. No prior reviews are available to gauge the session quality or coach instruction style.

This clinic works best for club or high school players looking for offseason training, fitness maintenance, or casual exposure to a D1 program's style of play—not for recruits actively pursuing a roster spot or serious evaluation. Families focused on college recruitment should pursue ID camps or showcases with active head coach participation instead. If recreational soccer development and UC Santa Barbara familiarity appeal to you, registration is open with no stated deadline.