I've got three kids (10, 8, and 6) who have been playing soccer since they could walk. After…read morebouncing through a few leagues over the years, JFC has been the one that actually stuck. We're going on our third year now. JFC has a bunch of programs: Rec, Bridge, Academy, Competitive. Rec League: We've had the same volunteer coaches for three years. They've all been great. No yelling, no "my kid is going to the MLS at age 9" energy. Just good people teaching kids how to play and have fun. My kids have gotten a lot better and more importantly, they actually enjoy playing. Rec uniforms aren't on any kind of cycle. You buy it once and your kid wears it until it doesn't fit anymore. Love that. Bridge Program: If your kid wants more than Rec but competitive sounds intense, Bridge is that perfect middle step. More structure, more skills, but still fun, and build confidence without getting overwhelmed. Competitive Program: My youngest is 6 and plays Competitive. The coaches are paid and trained. They've been really good with him. He's learning a ton and still comes off the field smiling, which is all I care about at this age. Uniforms (Bridge & Competitive): Those do run on a two-year cycle. They're not cheap (We Got Soccer never is), but at least you know you're good for two years. I won't sugarcoat it none of this is cheap, especially with three kids. A sibling discount would be amazing if they ever offer one. Facilities: Patton Park has good fields, one stadium field with lights, several full-size lit fields, and smaller ones. Grass is usually in great shape. Parking is a nightmare (just being honest), bathrooms are okay, and the concession stand has saved us more than once on long soccer weekends. My kids love it. The coaches have been great. The community is solid. And out of every soccer league we've tried in Jacksonville, JFC has been the one where my kids grew the most and actually had fun doing it, and that's what matters.

JFC has been the best soccer experience my three kids (10y, 8y, 6y) have had. We've tried a few…read moreleagues over the last 8 years. We found JFC 3 years ago and have stayed. The club offers several programs, some being recreational, academy, and competitive. It's a lot to navigate. On the REC side, the coaches are volunteers. We've been lucky with the volunteer coaches we gotten (and kept for the last 3 years), they've been knowledgeable, professional, and kind (not one has yelled at the kids or been disrespectfully competitive). They've kept the game fun and competitive for the kids. I've seen a lot of growth in my kids abilities and confidence. It's an added bonus that the parents are chill too. The competitive program has paid, trained coaches. I have one kid who does competitive. No complaints. The coach was good. My kid (6y) learned soccer skills and most importantly, had fun. Yes, it's expensive. A sibling discount (any discount) would be helpful if offered. Uniforms are purchased through We Got Soccer, also pricey, but unlike other leagues, JFC doesn't force you into buying new ones every year. My kids have worn the same uniforms for three years and they've held up great. The club offers a free training session for kids that also serve as informational sessions for the parents. They're essentially informational where you can talk with staff, ask questions, and learn how the programs work while the kids play. The facilities at Patton Park are solid: one lit full-size stadium field, multiple lit full-size fields, and a few unlit junior fields. The grass is usually in good shape and the environment feels professional. Parking is a beast, even with a huge lot! The bathrooms are... meh. Could definitely be better. And the on-site food concession is a nice bonus during long game days. Overall, JFC delivers good coaching and solid competition (especially if your kids want to go all the way aka college).

We come to this park relatively frequently due to many activities…read more It seems like these fields are always crowded. Especially on the weekends. This particular time we came in the middle of the afternoon and it was quite busy. I will say the amount of parking doesn't accommodate all those that come to spectate, so if you're coming for a game or practice, be sure to leave yourself enough time to find a spot and walk. The fields are in good condition.

I hate that they tore down all of those trees to redesign the frontage of this park, but regardless…read moreof my tree-hugging sentiment, the new entrance is beautiful! Loves: -Lots and lots of fields for soccer, football and baseball (some of which are lighted) -Ample parking at each field -Dog parks with pond (for those of you who have water loving Retrievers!) -Playground (small, but in good shape) -Clean restrooms!! Whoo hoo! Note: You may want to keep your dogs away from the far fields' pond, as it is reputed to have a small alligator residing there.

My son has been training with them for the past year and a half, and he absolutely loves it…read more He looks forward to game days all week and truly enjoys every moment of being part of the team. He's made great friends through the games and has developed a real passion for the sport. His favorite moments are definitely when he manages to score against the coach -- those stories get retold at home quite a bit! Most importantly, his confidence in the sport has grown tremendously, and we're very grateful to his coach for that.

I am writing this review with genuine disappointment, because I really wanted this academy to work…read morefor my family. I called Mary (who I believe runs the front office) regarding my decision to cancel my subscription. To her credit, she did ask why I was leaving, and I gave her an honest, thorough explanation. Unfortunately, her responses only confirmed that the academy has no real system in place for basic organization or parent communication. Here is the core of the issue, There is zero structure when it comes to tracking attendance or managing who is actually at the classes From day one, I noticed there is no sign-in process. Parents are left standing around unsure if the class has started or not and more importantly, there is no system for coaches to know which kids have paid for the lesson and which kids might just be wandering onto the field. I explained to Mary that this is a major problem. As a paying parent, I need to know that the academy is actively ensuring that only enrolled, paid participants are receiving coaching. On top of that, from the very first lesson, there was no formal introduction--no "welcome, here is the coach, here is how the session will run." The coaches don't know my child's name. We are a few lessons in, with only 6-8 kids in the class, and not a single coach has bothered to learn who my son is. He's just another body on the field. When I brought this up to Mary, her response genuinely shocked me. She told me that *I* should be the one telling the coach my child's name. Let me pause there. In a class of 6-8 kids, I have to walk up to the coach every single session and reintroduce my child? That is not a parent's job. That is basic coaching professionalism. When I pressed further about the lack of attendance tracking, Mary insisted that "there's no way the coaches don't know who is there that is paying or not. Because there was an incident before where they noticed a child at a class he was not enrolled in... Well, Mary, with all due respect, if there is no sign-in sheet, no roll call, and the coaches don't even know my child's name, how exactly are they tracking who paid? Are they just guessing? Are they relying on the honesty of strangers? That is not a system. That is negligence. I genuinely like the skills they teach. The technical training, the drills--that part is solid. My child was learning. But skills alone do not make a good academy. You need organization, accountability, and basic respect for the families paying hard-earned money. You need to know my child's name. You need to know who is on your field. And you need to take responsibility for that, not tell the parent to handle it. I am very upset because this could have been a great place and truly the coaches have been sweet But without organization, without a sign-in process, and without coaches who bother to learn a child's name in a tiny group, I cannot continue to pay for it. Mary's responses were not appropriate instead of acknowledging the problem only made things worse about my opinion on the academy. If you are considering this academy, ask them one question before you sign up: *How do you track which kids have paid during a session?* If they can't give you a clear, simple answer, walk away. Skills mean nothing if there is no structure.

I visited South Beach Park & Sunshine Playground and had a really enjoyable time overall. The…read moreplayground is modern, well-designed, and clearly built with kids of all ages in mind. There's a good mix of equipment, plenty of space to run around, and shaded areas that make it more comfortable on a warm day. The park itself is clean and well-maintained, with open green space and picnic tables that make it easy to relax or spend a few hours outside. It has a nice community feel, and it's a great place for families to gather. Overall, it's a fantastic local park and a great place for kids to play and families to spend time outdoors. Definitely worth visiting if you're in the area.

Sunshine Park is the best and safest playground in Jacksonville Beach. It's a modern, fully fenced…read moredestination designed for stress-free play. Just (sometimes) the big kids run wild and it can be dangerous for toddlers or babies. Why it's a favorite: Safe & Clean: Fully enclosed with artificial turf (no mulch or sand). The "Fort": A massive, multi-level wooden-style structure kids love. Inclusive: Separate "Tot Lot" for toddlers and ADA-accessible gear. Bonus: A seasonal splash pad, skate park, and pickleball courts. Verdict: It's the gold standard for a clean, secure, and fun family day. Bring lots of water during the summer!

We've been going to WeGotSoccer for a few years and was excited when we found out they were…read morerelocating to Durbin Park. Whenever we need to purchase new cleats we always shop here because the staff is very helpful and they have a great selection. Their new store seems smaller than their previous location but still carry all the necessities you need for soccer.

I don't enjoy coming here. It's expensive & the staff is not particularly helpful - especially when…read morethey don't think you wanna drop a lot of cash. Maybe they're on commission. On our most recent trip, they had a very small cleat selection displayed. The bigger cleat companies have 3 or 4 levels of cleats that they produce - think beginner to Pro level in quality. In the past, this store has usually displayed the top 2 levels for comparison. This time, they only displayed the top level - starting well above what most of us would pay for recreational or even elite soccer - nobody's getting a contract today :) Seeing what we thought was a very limited selection, we left. My son called the store later & found that they had the cleats he wanted, just not displayed. Lesson learned - do your homework - cuz no assistance was offered while in the store. Staff preferred to talk amongst themselves

I love soccer & have supported the Armada sine they came to Jax…read more The former owner has abandoned the club, they lost their downtown home-field, fired Tony Meola as coach and sold off their better players - so if you're expecting anything like what you've come to enjoy over the past few seasons, you'll be very disappointed. The Baseball Grounds was not a perfect location for soccer, but the seating was comfortable, it was in the Stadium District, and with Intuition Aleworks & Manifest Distilling all within a block - going to a game was looking to be a great night out! Their new location is Hodges Stadium at UNF. An ok place to watch collegiate soccer - very nice even pitch. But being a little on the older side, I need a seatback if I'm going to be sitting in the stands for a couple hours! The seats are also not numbered. So even though I bought tickets with seat numbers, the seats were no where to be found and many in the crowd just sat where they wanted to. The dining options at the Town Center did lessen the pain somewhat. For some reason, whoever is running the team at this point, decided that the game needed cheerleaders (trust me - it may need something, but not cheerleaders). I'm not sure how much time was spent selecting the group, but they probably spent about the same time training them - quality was less than desirable. The team - I only recognized 2 names from the previous season. The team performed modestly at best. I'm sure the location will work out well for the many soccer families that live in proximity to UNF

At an amazing Jax Armada Playoff Game. The Armada organization invested the right energy and focus…read moreinto making this a grest event. The players are playing at a high level (4-1 @ 79') and the crowd is exciting. They put on a great family friendly event that is worth attending when they play. Go ARMADA!!!!!

If your child is serious about Soccer, then the soccer Academy is where you want to be. You need…read moreto be committed since even for six-year-old practices are three nights a week and games on Saturday and training is year round. I have encountered nothing but nice qualified coaches and a dedicated director. The fields are in fantastic shape. They also take the children safety very serious. There's frequent water breaks and if lightning is anywhere in the vicinity, the siren will go off, and everyone must evacuate the fields. I couldn't be happier with our decision to play here.

My daughter has played roughly 12 seasons of recreational soccer at this club and is in her second…read moreseason of Elite Academy. I was satisfied with the recreational level, as my expectations were significantly lower considering the cost, the stated purpose of the league and the coaches being volunteers. As a result of some excellent volunteer coaching, my daughter grew her soccer skills and was encouraged to tryout for the Elite Academy. After tryouts I was contacted by a coach and my daughter was offered a spot on her team. I spoke with the coach a few times over text and phone, because I wanted to understand the level of commitment (one year versus three months in recreational) that would be required for this new level of competition, and I needed to know what I should be expecting for a significant increase in fees, roughly six times the cost of the recreational level. These conversations were productive, and I accepted the position on the team. The coach shared an agenda for the year and I was excited at the initial showing of organization, structure and knowledge. This is where all of that ended. Virtually every point on the agenda has proven to be misleading or outright false. We were told there would be two seasons with an average of 8 games per season, so far that has barely been 6; recreational plays 10 no matter what. We were told that there would be 2-3 local tournaments between the two seasons, there has only been one. In this agenda the coach specifically mentions "Communication is the key to success." Here are just a few of the various examples of coaching communication: * After committing to join the team in May, I was told the Fall season would begin sometime in August, and that the coach would tell us when practices start. August comes around, I'm expecting a text or call, something, but I get nothing. So I reach out and ask the coach when practice is going to start, she informs me it started two weeks prior. So one of your team members just hasn't come to practice for two weeks and you don't even consider reaching out to the parent? * Also in the initial conversation it was communicated to me that there would be two team practices and that as an added benefit, there would be separate and optional practices for technical and goalkeeping skills. But ultimately, they understood kids will miss practice, and if everyone is doing their best to attend, my daughter would be fine. After a few weeks of the season, it became clear that other parents were not given the same impression. This created a rift among the parents, those who were bringing their kids to every practice and those who were doing the best they could. So it was clear that expectations had been communicated differently. * The coach mentioned in the agenda there would be 2-3 local tournaments; the key word being local. The first tournament proposed by the coach was not local, it would have required at least one overnight stay. The coach later polled the parents' availability for a second tournament, but failed to mention that it was also out of town; that seems like quite a large detail to omit. * I asked the coach about breaks in between the Fall and Spring sessions, because understanding the commitment required greatly affected my decision making process. I was told there would be breaks between the two where there would be no practices. This turned out to be untrue as well. After the fall season was over, the coach said they wanted to know what day of the week would be best to 'get everyone together for a practice over the winter break.' A practice, as in singular. But one practice isn't a huge imposition, so I and the rest of the parents all agreed on Sunday. The coach almost quite literally said "Ok great, Saturday it is then!" Then a week or so later, just decided to change it to Wednesdays. Notice the plural. So there actually isn't a break between the seasons, and we don't even get to pick the day. Due in large part to this poor communication, the rift between parents became less passive and more aggressive, after just a few games into the season. At this point I reached out to the director because the lack of communication, combined with coaching that was severely lacking became too much to tolerate. I spoke with her for a fairly extended conversation; during that conversation I was essentially told that my opinions were wrong and that I didn't see what I was seeing. It seems that this club has a misconception about our relationship; they seem to think this is a doctor patient relationship, where the doctor is not to be questioned; but that couldn't be further from the truth. We have a service provider and customer relationship; I have tried several times to communicate my displeasure with the product and have been ignored, condescended or gaslit at every attempt, hence this review. I don't like wasting money or time and I especially don't when it comes to my daughter. We only have about two months left on this contract, but

Did not have a reason to visit this complex until this year when our son started GSA (Gainesville…read moreSoccer Alliance) soccer. This is a very nice field, with many many fields for competition. A complex with restrooms, a play ground and tennis courts. Its a very nice complex. My only complaint is the parking. During tournament weekends its very very hard to find a parking spot. Not impossible, but very difficult. Other than that, great facility.