Players and two family members are invited to celebrate the end of the season on Tuesday, December 9, 2025 at The Woodland, 60 Woodland Avenue in Maplewood from 6:30-9:30 pm.
Please RSVP here by November 17, 2025.
Category: Freshman team
Categories
Save the Date!
Planning for the end-of-season celebration is underway! Details are as follows:
Tuesday, December 9, 2025 at The Woodland (60 Woodland Road, Maplewood, NJ 07040) 6:30-9:30 pm.
Please save the date!
The CHS Boys Soccer merch store is live! It’s open until Monday September 8. Get your spirit wear, your cold weather layers and more for delivery by early October. Click the link to shop!
Watch the VEO Livestream of today’s Varsity game against Newark East Side @ 4pm!
To watch the livestream, download the Veo Live app (iOS or Android). Once installed, sign-in or create an account on Veo Live. Search for and follow “Columbia HS Cougars – Varsity” to find the livestream.
FAQs and info on how to get up and running with Veo Live can be found at Veo.
Here’s the latest information on the upcoming season.
Team Schedules
To see schedules for all three teams, go to the CHS page on the Super Essex Conference website (seconference.org). You will see the high schools listed on the main page on the right. Click Columbia High School. You can click the appropriate “view” box (Freshmen, JV, Varsity) on the right. Note that the schedules are not finalizes, and therefore are subject to change, so check frequently to make sure you have the most up to date information.
Veo
CHS Boys Soccer Boosters have two Veo Cameras available to film and record Varsity and JV games. The Veo cameras automatically track the action, capture key game events and create highlight clips that can be reviewed and analyzed by coaches and players. All players will be given access to the Veo Platform so they can review the games and even generate personal highlight reels.
In addition, Varsity games will be livestreamed during the season – starting with the season opening game vs. Seton Hall Prep on Thursday, 9/28 @ 4pm. Information on how to get up and running with Veo Live can be found at Veo.
Here’s how to watch live and recorded games this season:
- Install the VEO Live app on your smartphone (iOS or Android).
- The first time you open the app, you’ll be instructed to Create a Veo account. If you already have a Veo account, simply click on Sign In.
- Search for “Columbia Cougars” and look for the school crest.
- Click “Follow” and the club will be added to your list.
- After you follow Columbia, you will receive notifications whenever a live stream begins.
Boosters Dues and Fundraising
We will soon be collecting dues (email with details coming soon). Dues help us to fund both development opportunities and celebrations for our players, among other things.
While we ask any family who can cover the annual dues to do so, all players will receive the benefits of the Booster Club regardless of their ability to pay.
Any donation you make above the dues will be tax deductible and will help pay for team extras and for families who cannot afford the dues. A tax receipt for the donation amount will automatically be emailed to you when you complete the form.
You can also contribute to our fundraising efforts by finding sponsors or contributing items for raffles. For example, we are able to sell advertising banners at Underhill for $600. For raffle items, tickets to sporting events or shows are always a hit. If you have ideas, please email us at: info@chsboyssoccerboosters.org
Senior Night
We’ll be celebrating our seniors October 14. Game time is 6:30, with the ceremony beginning at 5:30 pm.
Volunteers (family of non-senior players) are needed to make this celebration happen. If interested please email: info@chsboyssoccerboosters.org
Merch Store
More information to come.
For now, if you’re interested in purchasing a CHS Soccer car magnet, please email Rachel Herwaldt: rherwaldt@gmail.com
About the Boosters
We are parent volunteers working to support the boys soccer program at CHS. We are an officially recognized 501(c)(3) organization, tax ID 90-0439169.
We encourage you to follow the boosters on Facebook and subscribe to our email list.
The current boosters are listed below. If you are interested in joining, email info@chsboyssoccerboosters.org.
Marc Merriweather
Catherine Bernard
Peter Goldberg
Melinda Hecht
Randy Blackmon
Kirsten Brash
Pau Santesmasses
Rachel Herwaldt
Friday, 8/22, there will be a parent meeting at 6pm on Ritzer Field (behind Columbia High School). Come hear from Coach Muirhead and the Booster Club about the upcoming season!
Tryouts
Freshmen
Monday 8/18 2:30pm – 4:30pm, at Ritzer (Grass field behind CHS)
Tuesday 8/19 2:30pm – 4:30pm, at Ritzer (Grass field behind CHS)
Wednesday 8/20 8:00am at Underhill Track for 2 mile run; final evaluation 9:00-11:00am at Ritzer
Wear sneakers for the two mile run on the track. Music is allowed and GPS tracking/timing devices are encouraged to track pace/time. Walk or bike down to CHS for the final tryout session.
Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors
Monday 8/18 7:00 – 9:00am, at Underhill; 2:00-4:30pm at Underhill
Tuesday 8/19 2:00 – 4:30pm, at Underhill
Wednesday 8/20 7:00 – 9:00am at Underhill; 2:00 – 4:30pm at Underhill
Seniors will start with a 2 mile run (wear sneakers) while juniors and sophomores will participate in field evaluations. After seniors run, juniors will do the 2 mile, with seniors and sophomores on the field, ending with a sophomore run.
Parent Meeting
There will be a parent meeting (location TBD–either Ritzer or Underhill) Friday, August 22 at 6pm.
Preseason & Start of the Season
Players must be present for the first three days of tryouts (and, if they make the team) the next three days of practices in order to be eligible for scrimmages on Monday 8/25 and Tuesday 8/26 (NJSIAA rule states a player must have six days of practice and a day of rest before competing in competition against another school).
Our season begins on Thursday 8/28 with games for JV and varsity; there will be practice for all teams on Friday 8/29.
For the freshman team, no practice will be held on Saturday, 8/30, or Sunday 8/31. They will practice Monday morning, 9/1, as their next game is Tuesday 9/2.
The varsity team will have their first ever Media Day, Saturday 8/23 from 10:45am-11:30am in the CHS Main Gym. Practice will be Sunday 8/24.
Varsity and JV will practice multiple days over Labor Day Weekend since their second game of the season is on Tuesday 9/2.
Game Schedules
To see scrimmage and game schedules for all three teams, go to the CHS page on the Super Essex Conference website (sec conference.org). At the home page, click ‘Columbia High School’ at the right, which should take you to the calendar. Please note that the schedule is subject to change, so check often for the latest information.
Historically games have started after Labor Day–but not this year. For the first time in many years, games will start before the Labor Day holiday: August 28 vs. Seton Hall Prep.
As a reminder, tryouts start the week of August 18. Tryouts typically end with a parent meeting (August 22). We will update once we have more specifics.
Categories
Freshman Tryouts
Freshman tryouts will be at 2:30pm on 8/18 and 8/19 on Ritzer Field directly following orientation. Participants should bring everything they need for tryouts to orientation with them and they’ll be met by coaching staff on the field when orientation concludes each day.
We’re waiting for confirmation on times for varsity and JV tryouts the week of 8/18, and will update as soon as possible.
The CHS athletic department is using a new registration system, Arbitersports, and the deadline for registering for fall sports is June 6. Detailed step-by-step instructions are available to guide you through the entire process. Please see the links below to begin:
If you have any questions, reach out to Director of Athletics Sjocquelyn R. Winstead at swinstea@somsd.k12.nj.us.
Coach Muirhead and his staff are putting together two teams for a summer league at Montclair State. This is open to players who played on any CHS team last year and to those who will be trying out for a team in August. You do not have to be present for all games to participate.
Upperclassmen and players from last year’s varsity team will play on Monday nights. Underclassmen and incoming freshmen will play on Tuesdays.
Details:
- 8 v. 8
- June 9-July 15
- six games on Monday or Tuesday nights
- approximately $65-70 per player
If you are interested, fill out the form below.