Joy of the People Youth Soccer & Futsal Programs

Joy of the People Youth Soccer & Futsal Programs offers soccer and futsal through leagues, free play, skills programs, seasonal skills, seasonal leagues, a fall league, summer camps, and winter skills. The program also includes Rice & Beans club soccer, which has no tryouts and allows year-round play for participants, including players from other clubs.

• Schedule: Year-round play

Joy of the People (JOTP) is a Non-Profit 501(c)(3) that has operated since 2009. In 2009, Joy of the People partnered with the City of St. Paul to take over the running of the South Saint Anthony Rec Center. The organization’s mission is to support the idea of play as an important part of a child's development, to build small soccer spaces for kids to play, to serve disadvantaged youth, and to build community spirit. Each year, the program offers more than 1,500 hours of safe, monitored free play soccer time at no cost to participants.

Joy of the People is the only club in Minnesota with 2 National Championships and has a 2022 NFPL National MVP, Bennett Kouamé. The program uses the Powered By Joy Development Model and promotes the idea of soccer free play as a way to build healthy kids and communities. Its motto is “Beauty comes first. Winning is Secondary. What matters is JOY.” and it states a vision of a safer, healthier, more imaginative, inclusive youth sports experience scaled to the world.

Last updated June 27, 2026.