Each Competitive squad consists of talented young players selected by our Technical Staff through the evaluation process. Returning Academy or Competitive players are not subject to formal tryouts, since they are evaluated routinely over the course of their previous season. Players considered "new" (those who did not play competitively with the club in the most recent season - fall/winter) must register for an evaluation. This is done via PowerUp, our registration platform – look for a product that includes the term "Evaluation Fee" once logged in. New players will then be contacted by the relevant Staff Coach to formally set up an on-field evaluation.

Returning players should simply register for the "Base Competitive Fee" on PowerUp to be considered for the following season. Note that players who participated in the program in one season are not necessarily guaranteed a position in the same program the following season. New groups are formed every season with each player's current ability and development in mind.

Following the evaluation period, trialists will be notified of their evaluation result by their respective Staff Coach. Players will be placed at the level that currently best suits their ability, with their long-term development in mind. Players who are selected for the program will be sent an Competitive Program invitation letter, which will invite them to accept a position in the squad for the season.

The U10 to U13 Competitive program features a squad approach that ensures players are continuously challenged and exposed to players outside of their matchday team. This helps foster a healthy training environment that keeps things fresh and allows for player movement during the season. Players are, however, split into smaller teams for matchplay, enabling them to develop closer relationship with their teammates and compete against other teams and clubs around the region. Over the course of the summer, teams will participate in a mix of 7v7 (U10-U11) or 9v9 (U12-U13) league games, intrasquad matches and other small-sided games, along with at least one festival event.

Training sessions are planned and overseen by our Academy Staff, while being run by our Competitive coaches. They are designed primarily to focus on building individual skill, as is recommended by Canada Soccer and numerous studies for children at these ages. Our technical plan, which is consistent with that of our Academy program, incorporates a blend of station-style exercises and small-sided match play, ensuring that players can develop through repetition first, and then have the opportunity to apply their learnings in realistic game scenarios. Finally, players learn principles of play, how to work as a team and how to compete through the matches themselves.

New this year: As our program continues to grow year over year in both size and quality, we have established two levels within the competitive program: Advanced and Core.

Advanced level teams, one step below the Academy level, can expect to train twice a week and participate in local league play, typically at the Premier or Tier 1 divisions. Advanced competitive players have the option of registering for the Competitive Skills Centre program to match the training volume of the Academy program.

Core level teams can expect to train once, and participate in local league play, typically at the T2 level. Core competitive players have the option of registering for the Competitive Skills Centre program to match the training volume of the Advanced Competitive program.

If you have questions, please contact the Staff Coach for your program by clicking on their name below!

U10-U12 Boys Competitive Staff Coach: Jordan King

Jordan has dedicated his entire competitive soccer career to the club, starting in the Competitive program at 10 years old. He quickly rose to leadership, captaining his team from the entry-tier competitive divisions to the provincial level and representing the club in multiple overseas tournaments. With nearly a decade of coaching experience at AOJ (primarily with U10-U12 Competitive and Academy programs) and seven years of referee experience, Jordan brings a multifaceted perspective to the game. Holding a National C-License, he emphasizes a mentality-first, no-nonsense approach to creating both talented players and well-rounded individuals.

U13 Boys Competitive Staff Coach: Kousha Aminian

Kousha serves as AOJ’s Boys Competitive Director. Having grown up playing his entire youth career with AOJ’s predecessor Cumberland Cobras, he is now involved in multiple areas of the club, including our boys High Performance Academy. Kousha holds a CONCACAF B Diploma and is heavily involved in the success and growth of the club's programs. His presence and approach is always appreciated by his players, making him an important piece of our culture.

U10-U11 Girls Staff Coach: Jordan Lundin

While she is perhaps best known for her charisma and energy, Jordan first made her name as one of the top female players produced in Ottawa. Her talents not only allowed her to represent Eastern Ontario at the provincial level, but to be included in the Big South's all-decade team for her NCAA D1 career at Radford University. Jordan has coached at the club for nearly 15 years, but became a full-time staff member upon her graduation from Radford in 2018. Since then, she has gained experience coaching and leading all levels and ages at the club. She currently oversees the Girls High Performance Academy, as well as the Girls U10-U11 Academy. Like all of our staff, Jordan intends to pursue further education through Canada Soccer and CONCACAF.

U12 Girls Staff Coach: Caleb Mallette

Known for his relentless work ethic and growth mindset, Caleb is yet another homegrown member of AOJ's core staff. Growing up at the club as a talented player in the Academy, Caleb elected to pursue coaching in his teen years. In his time at the club, Caleb has worked in almost every Girls Academy program and now serves as the Head Coach of both the U12 Girls Academy and U14 Girls High Performance Academy. He holds a Canada Soccer Children's Diploma and is currently pursuing his CONCACAF B Diploma.

U12 Girls Staff Coach: Raz El-Asmar

With a resume that includes nearly 40 years of coaching (at youth and collegiate levels) and over 25 years of experience managing youth programs, Raz has developed a reputation for being a caring, dedicated, and passionate leader in the Ottawa soccer community. Having built AOJ predecessor Capital United from the ground up, Raz helped the club achieve provincial success, as well as aiding many of the club's alumni to compete at the collegiate and professional levels. Raz has also been recognized for his consistent and selfless work on and off the field, being honoured with the Mayor's Cup in 2022. Raz holds a Canada Soccer National A License and is also trained as an Ontario Soccer Learning Facilitator. He currently serves as the club’s Technical Director.

Registration, PowerUp or payment questions: register@aojuniors.com

Learn more about our club staff by visiting our Staff page.

We are always looking to strengthen our coaching staff and add passionate and experienced leaders to our ranks. There are also a variety of ways to contribute to your child's program by volunteering off the field. If you are interested in helping us make the program better, please visit our Coaching, Employment and Volunteering page and fill out the interest form to let us know!

Please note that the weekly training schedule for Competitive programs remains to be determined, as the club awaits confirmation from EOSL regarding each division's game days. The schedule will be communicated to each group as soon as possible by our staff coaches.

Players are required to wear the proper uniforms and gear, in addition to the usual cleats and shin pads, to all training sessions, games and team events. The registration fee includes an AOJ training shirt, which will be handed out during the pre-season.

Other club gear items will be required for players accepted into the program, such as game uniforms, shorts, and socks  – more information will be communicated by staff coaches at the start of the season.

Uniforms and club apparel can be purchased online directly from our new supplier Equiply. For any questions related to the club apparel orders, please use the Contact section on the supplier's website to request more information.

Enthusiastic players who wish to have an additional training session each week can register for the optional Skills Centre session. This session typically takes place on Friday evenings at Millennium, with our Academy staff and strongest youth coaches, and gives Competitive players the opportunity to increase their weekly commitment to that of an Academy player. For more details, visit the Skills Centre program page here.

AOJ also offers a specialized program for goalkeepers, which is heavily recommended for Competitive players who are either exploring this unique position or already committed to it. For more details, visit the GK Training program page here.

Atlético Ottawa Juniors programs will be taking a summer break during which programs will not run, unless otherwise stated. This season's break will take place between Monday July 20 and Sunday August 2, 2026. Activities will be resuming as scheduled on the week of Monday, August 3, 2026.

Applicable registration fees

• Evaluation fee: $65 (new players only)
  • Players who participated in Academy or Competitive programs during the Winter 2025-26 season are not required to pay this fee. Any other players are considered "new" and subject to this evaluation fee.
• Base Competitive fee: $290
  • All players looking to play in Academy or Competitive programs for the season must pay this initial fee upon registration. Players who are not selected will see this fee credited/refunded.
  • Players will not be considered registered (and therefore not considered for squad selection at the start of the season) until this fee is paid or instalments are set up.
• Competitive fee  - one of the following:
  • Competitive Core fee: $175 - $290
  • Competitive Advanced fee: $375 - $490
  • This additional program fee will be added to the accounts of selected players once they have accepted their invitation to the Competitive program, depending on the program level they are placed in by our staff.
• Non-volunteer fee (1 per family per season): $60
  • Fee is credited into accounts at the end of the season for those who volunteer with the club. Visit our Volunteering page to find volunteer opportunities!

Financial assistance: Atlético Ottawa Juniors works with valued organizations and community partners to help families needing support for their child (or children) to be able to play soccer and be healthy. Visit our Financial Assistance page for more information.

Withdrawals: visit our Refunds & Withdrawals page to request a credit or refund. All refunds are subject to the Refund Policy. Only approved requests will be processed. Note that evaluation fees are non-refundable.