Sporting Jax Soccer Academy

★★★★★Ian Bennett

This club (like many many clubs in Florida) is focused on top level soccer. It is setup like many large clubs in Tampa and Orlando and South Florida. You 100% will get a chance to play with the best in FL. They produce may D1 athletes if you commit to the training and the program. This club also has recreational soccer but I only have experience with the competitive side of the club. If you are having a bad experience (just like any service you have like Amazon or Walmart or Nordstroms or Yard Services) you should reach out to the club. I have found this club to be more receptive and consistent to feedback than other clubs in the state that offer the same services and opportunities. I will be signing up my son again next season, even though my other son is deciding about playing again. 5 stars from me because it is very organized compared to other options. However it will not be as organized as Inter Miami or Orlando City Academies, but it is more organized than other clubs in the area in my opinion and they do a good job offering the product you pay for.

★necko d

This club deserves zero stars. I’ve had my grandchild play in this league for years, and unfortunately, it has only gotten worse over time. The club seems to care only about money. They will promise you everything until you pay. After that, things change. They put 20+ kids on a roster and won’t turn anyone away. They don’t care about team quality — only quantity. At tryouts, there can be 300 kids on the field with very few coaches. They often start late. The coaches take the kids briefly, then you receive an offer and are pressured to accept it on the spot so you don’t look elsewhere. This has been happening for years. Some coaches have little to no playing experience and lack proper training. At technical practices, they combine multiple teams together, and the kids just kick the ball around while coaches stand and talk without instruction or explanation. Before signing up, carefully review what you are getting into. It’s disappointing to see the direction this club is going

★Jessica Lynne

I wish I could give zero stars because this doesn’t even deserve 1. The most disorganized youth program I have ever seen. We paid for a season that was neither consistent nor complete. Between canceled sessions, last-minute schedule changes, shortened practices, and poor communication, the program failed to meet even basic expectations. I would be embarrassed if this was my program. We enrolled our son in last season and it was wonderful with no issues. Heather, the new director , clearly is the issue here.

★★★★★Don Griffith

My grandson signed up to play Rec u5. I volunteered to coach. Me and the boys had a great time. Games were competitive, my fellow coaches that we played against were great, and the Rec Directors Dana and Erin were fantastic. Lots of communication and very organized. We will be back for the Fall Season.

★Rise Up

FLORIDA REFEREES BE AWARE** Imagine stepping onto a soccer field, whistle in hand, only to find yourself in the middle of what feels like a reality TV show gone off the rails. The kids? They’re just trying to figure out which way to kick the ball. But the parents? Oh, the parents are in a league of their own. Picture this: A dad, face painted like it's the World Cup final, yelling instructions at his kid who’s more interested in picking dandelions. Meanwhile, Mom's decked out in team colors from head to toe, wielding a megaphone and shouting strategies that would put professional coaches to shame. And let's not forget Grandma, who's ready to throw down with anyone who questions her grandson's offside call. You know you've truly arrived when the "Soccer Dad" yells at you to get glasses from a distance so close, you can count the veins in his neck. Then there's "Hockey Mom" who thinks this is the Stanley Cup, charging onto the field to dispute a call with the intensity of a linebacker. And just when you think it can't get any wilder, one parent starts a chant that turns into a full-blown musical number, complete with choreography. It’s less like a soccer game and more like a cross between a Broadway show and a gladiator match. As for the staff, well, calling them a joke would be an understatement. It’s like they’re running a circus, and you’re the lone lion tamer trying to keep everything from falling apart. Professionalism? Safety? Those concepts are as foreign as a unicorn in a football field. Now let’s talk about the coaches: Ever seen a grown adult throw a tantrum that would make a toddler blush? Welcome to the FLORIDA ELITE world of youth soccer, where some coaches take "passion" to a whole new level. Picture this: a coach, veins popping, face redder than a tomato, yelling instructions so loudly that even the birds in the nearby trees are taking notes. These coaches have a unique talent for turning every game into a dramatic performance. One minute, they’re channeling their inner Shakespeare, delivering soliloquies about the injustice of a missed call. The next, they’re doing their best impression of a drill sergeant, barking orders at kids who are just trying to remember which goal is theirs. And let’s not forget the classic move: the clipboard slam. Nothing says "I’m in control" like smashing a clipboard to pieces because a 7-year-old missed a pass. It’s like watching a live-action cartoon, complete with exaggerated gestures and over-the-top reactions. Thanks a lot Florida Elite Soccer Academy, I now understand why referees do not want to get involved with your program. RUN REFEREES RUN!!!