By Mike Barnes | January 27, 2017
[Text of an email sent out to all ASC family members earlier today]
Alameda Soccer Families,
Thank you very much for the families that took the time to complete the Annual Parent Survey. Feedback of this nature is crucial in Club development and is looked at closely to identify areas for improvement. The following have been identified through this and previous years surveys as areas within the Club families feel we have room for improvement. Initiatives outlining what the Club is doing to address these areas are included.
Coaches Training – As a volunteer based organization we rely heavily on the support of our dedicated community volunteers. The majority of our coaches are volunteers. In an effort to provide training and mentorship to these volunteers we teamed with Challenger Sports 3 years ago to not only provide our players access to professional training, but to expose our coaches to it as well. This year we have taken the additional step of hiring Lee Dunne as our Director of Coaching. Lee, along with the support of our Board of Directors, will focus on the development of age-specific coaching curricula and the fostering of a Club philosophy with respect to coaching and player development. This year coaches will be provided mandatory National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) age-specific training which will consist of classroom and field training. The NSCAA course highlights player development, principles of play, technique, and tactics with small-sided games. Coaches will receive an age-appropriate license following the completion of this course. Please help us welcome Lee to the ASC Family; his experience and qualifications will be a valuable asset to the Club.
Referees – The Board has identified the need to bolster not only the number of referees affiliated with our Club, but to increase their training and mentorship opportunities. Highly trained and motivated referees results in the increased safety of our players and a higher quality of play on the pitch. Scheduling of referees is managed through Jack London Youth Soccer Sports League (JLYSSL). Teams within ASC our required to fulfill a predetermined number of credits through referee affiliation. At the completion of a season JLYSSL administers a fine per each credit not fulfilled. These fines can be thousands of dollars. In an effort to eliminate these fines, bolster numbers of referees affiliated with our Club, provide quality training and mentorship to our referee pool, and to eliminate the burden of our volunteer coaches having to find referees for their games, ASC has hired John Richer to take the lead as Referee Coordinator and Development. Please help us welcome John to the ASC Family; his experience and qualifications will be a valuable asset to the Club.
Communication – Effective and timely communication of Club business and the ability for the Board to respond to inquires and requests of parents and players is something we are working to improve.
- ASC has partnered with Team Snap on the Competitive side of our Club. Through Team Snap we are able to manage various registrations at a lower cost to the Club. The Team Snap registration platform is an integrated data base which provides Club wide administrative access as well as individual Team pages for our competitive teams so coaches are able to communicate and schedule effectively with their players families. The cost of individual Team Snap pages will now be paid for by the Club rather than by the team. We look to expand the use of Team Snap on the Rec side of the Club in the near future.
- A new and improved website will launch in the near future. ASC, again has partnered with Team Snap to develop and maintain what we are confident will be a highly effective tool to provide Club information.
- A newly elected and rapidly growing Board of directors is eager to help improve Club communication and efficiencies.
Board of Directors – The Alameda Soccer Club is a volunteer, non-profit organization. An elected Board of Directors runs ASC. Each director is a volunteer, participating in the management of the club and its programs. This past year the Board actively solicited additional support to help support Club goals and objectives. Our Club has shown tremendous growth over the years and we’re extremely thankful for the dedication and commitment of all our Board members; past present and future. On January 9, 2017 the 2017 Board (effective January 23, 2017) was elected. The turnout and support we have with this newly elected Board is unprecedented and gives me a great deal of excitement for what’s to come. The ASC Board of Directors names and contact details are posted on this site. For their roles, responsibilities, and open positions click here.
Field Improvements – With the exception of Hornet Field, ASC has little control over the maintenance and development of our soccer fields within Alameda. However, we do work closely with ARPD to ensure our teams have adequate field space and the fields are maintained to provide a safe and enjoyable playing experience for our children.
Outdoor Futsal Court
- Some may have noticed that directly adjacent to Hornet field there are unused and now dilapidated tennis and basketball courts (formerly part of the Alameda Naval Weapons Station recreational center).
- Alameda Soccer Club, with the backing of the City of Alameda Parks and Recreation Department, lobbied for and gained City Council approval to amend our current Hornet field lease to include these tennis and basketball courts. In 2016, the
- ASC Board approved initial funding and in 2017 renovation and re-purposing into 3 full-sized Futsal courts will begin.
- How will we use this space? ASC plans to fully utilize these valuable ‘all-weather’ courts in several ways. First and foremost, the courts will provide ASC-controlled practice and weekend scrimmage space, for ASC teams, in-season. Likewise, it will allow us to have practice and scrimmage space when all grass fields are closed for rain in-season and for maintenance in the off-season. Additionally, it will offer easier access (than our current grass fields) to our Champions League players with physical challenges/disabilities.
- In addition, many are already aware of our long standing and successful partnership with Alameda Futsal Club (AFC). AFC’s ‘Friday Night Futsal’ and Winter Futsal League have been a mainstay for many of our players for years. Upon completion of our Futsal courts, ASC and AFC will continue to work together to expand their Futsal programming to include skill clinics and tournaments.
- As the sport of soccer has gained popularity and our membership has grown, access to grass fields has not. Renovation of this space provides additional access and expands our ability to deliver more soccer opportunities to our players!
Estuary Park Athletic Field Complex
Estuary Park Athletic Field Complex Renovation Project is scheduled for competition in the Fall of 2017. ASC will receive access to this facility at a discounted rate which should provide an exceptional playing environment for our children. For more information please click here.
Sponsorship & Fundraising – Due to a lack of volunteers in 2016 our Sponsorship Program was not as profitable as in years past. Sponsors are a key source of Club revenue and are crucial in keeping registration fees down as well as funding Club initiatives and improvement projects. In addition to filling the Sponsorship Director Board positon we will be working with new Board members on creating additional community-based fundraising opportunities to help further grow and support the Club. If you would like to sponsor a team or know of someone who would please contact our Sponsorship Coordinator at sponsor@alamedasoccer.org
ASC has shown a tremendous amount of growth over the past few years. We look forward to continuing to improve the Club to provide a high quality, unique, and positive community-based playing experience for our players and their families. If you would like to help support our Club in any way please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Mike Barnes
Alameda Soccer Club
President
president@alamedasoccer.org