To: Competitive Youth Soccer Clubs
From: Director of Coaching and Representatives Group

The Directors of Coaching (DOC) from the Premier Clubs in the Portland Metro area began meeting in December 2006 and have continued meeting at least one time per month up to the present. The purpose of the original meeting was to share visions and to discuss problems common to premier clubs that were not being addressed by the state association. The original clubs represented were: Lake Oswego, Westside Metro, Eastside, FC Portland, Southside, Portland City United, Oregon Soccer Academy, and Tualatin Hills United. Clubs that have been added the past year are Rogue Valley, Eugene Metro, Bend United, Oregon Rush and Willamette United. All meetings have been in an open forum format with a prepared agenda. The premise of each DOC group meetings was to discuss and offer changes to the state association in the interest of the competitive player.

As a product of our meetings, the DOC Group has committed to creating a first class, competitive regionalized 11v.11 U11 league for boys and girls. This new league will begin fall 2008 with exact playing dates and tournament information to follow. Efforts were made to work with the state association during the past 15 months to implement certain recommendations related to the regionalized league; the inability to resolve this has lead to this decision.

Clubs wishing to have Premier Club Status, with automatic acceptance of teams to the U11 league and future leagues, must meet the Premier Club Criteria. Teams from clubs not meeting Premier Club Criteria are invited to apply for acceptance into the league. The league will be sanctioned by USClub Soccer. Teams will have open rosters to allow coaches the opportunity to move players week to week for development purposes.

Premier Club Criteria:
1. Full time salaried head coach with a minimum of a USSF “B” license or a NSCAA equivalent.
2. Club Administrator
3. Year round program with access to lights and synthetic turf fields
4. A minimum of eight teams U11-U14 and four U15-18 teams
5. Has had teams in State Cup Quarterfinals the past five years
6. Have an established U9-10 developmental program
7. Host one referees certification class per year.
8. Five staff coaches with a minimum of a “D” license by Fall 2009
9. Current in all dues and fees to OYSA, USClub Soccer, Oregon Premier League, and DOC Group

Web site and application information will be available Thursday, May 1st.

See you on the field!