March 6, 2009

In simpler, slightly less hectic times, say 20 years ago, the youth sports calendar was fairly well defined for parents and youngsters alike. In the fall there was football and soccer and during the winter basketball. Spring sprung and baseball and track came along with it. Finally in summer it was swimming or a well earned rest for parents worn out from loading the minivan and hauling kids to practices, games, meets and tournaments. But as life has become more complicated so has the understanding and thus management of youth sports activities for the family. At some point, the phrase “year-round” entered our lexicon. Now every sport has tiers of participation ranging from recreation to club to elite programs. Locally the youth soccer scene has embraced all of those levels. The sport exploded in participation over a quarter century ago with numerous organizations started to serve an ever expanding need.

Kiana Mason of U13 Diablo FC 95 Blue splits her defenders in action this season.

Parents found the sport met many of the real and perceived needs for their children. It was a good means for their children to get healthy outdoor exercise, exposure to competition and teamwork and a sport for players of almost every skill level and size.

Concord Athletic League (1970) and Walnut Creek Soccer Club (1971) were the first to offer organized recreation soccer programs for local residents. Concord AYSO evolved out of a baseball group, PCL, with soccer initially the “second sport” in the 1970s until it eventually became a soccer only program in 1986. Mt. Diablo Soccer Association began in the Clayton Valley area in 1980. All of these groups operate under the American Youth Soccer Organization’s five tenets of “everyone plays, balanced teams, open registration, positive coaching and good sportsmanship.” What more could a parent ask for?

As in every endeavor, some people’s competitive urges looked for more challenges, and thus Diablo Valley Soccer Club in 1991 evolved out of CAL (which dropped its soccer program in the late ‘90s) with a competitive program for the Concord, Clayton, Pleasant Hill and Martinez areas to match that already offered by WCSC. A decade later in 2001 Mt. Diablo Soccer League sprang from MDSA with its own competitive program. Coming full circle, DVSC and MDSL merged one year ago to form Diablo Futbol Club.

Things, as we said, were complicated in that growing enrollment and passion for the sport rolled over into more competitive programs, and that competition wasn’t just on the field of play. Area programs competed to secure use of valuable but finite fields and then sought to fill those facilities with players, who now had choices where they could play. Then there was a contest to get the most qualified coaches to instruct players when it was no longer good enough for a willing mom or dad volunteering to put a whistle around their neck, grab a bag of balls and let the kids loose to play.

This explosion of interest in soccer put a strain on local municipalities and school districts for use of their fields. Concord had developed a tremendous park system in the 1960s, before there was even a thought of organized soccer in the area. Baseball diamonds and basketball courts abounded but flat grass spaces 60 yards by 120 yards, without trees or other obstructions, were few and far between. A group of local civic leaders and volunteers did tremendous fund raising and worked with Cal State East Bay and the city of Concord to build the Daniel E. Boatwright Youth Sports Complex, which opened in 2000 on the Concord-Clayton border. The city of Clayton had opened its Community Park several years before, both facilities helping meet the growing need for field space.

Somehow the needs and demand were met and registration in soccer continued to rise. Local leagues offer “k league” for five- and six-year-olds up to the highest age group of “under 19”. This allows players interested in the sport to play from the time they enter kindergarten until they leave for college.

Someone looking back fondly on “the good ole days”, when soccer was a fall sport, can do that every August through November with MDSA, Concord AYSO or WCSC. In fact, the majority of participants in those recreation programs do just that. However, even recreation programs have expanded to add select (more competitive) league in the winter. Come spring they have a co-ed recreation season and also tournament teams that play in annual competitions in Reno, Pacifica, Davis, Pleasant Hill and Concord.

Today, youngsters from eight to 18 play soccer year round with Diablo FC and WCSC. For the competitive player, there is professional coaching and training by former pro and international players, and leagues and tournaments around the country.

Diablo FC is a competitive soccer program only. During its inaugural 2008 season Diablo FC teams competed on the regional, national and even continental level in Hawaii, Idaho, Arkansas and Florida. Diablo FC teams won State Cup, regional and North American championships. The club participates under the national umbrella organizations of US Club Soccer, Super Y-League and US (California) Youth Soccer Association.

Its 48 competitive teams for boys and girls from Under 9 through Under 21 play in leagues and tournaments local, regionally and nationally. The Diablo FC coaching staff includes international superstar Sissi, St. Mary’s College head coach Adam Cooper, Cal Berkeley goalkeeper coach Henry Foulk and former professional players Richard Weiszmann, Marquis White and Tafarel.

WCSC competitive teams play in CYSA and US Club Soccer leagues, tournaments and cup competitions, yet true to its original mission, 75% of the 2900 players in WCSC are on the recreation level. New WCSC President Kevin Erwin says, "We pride ourselves on being able to offer a program to fit all skill levels, from recreational novice to high level competitive, and most anywhere in between."

This year, WCSC is taking another step by affiliating with the Women's Premier Soccer League, an independent national league whose main focus is on the development of highly competitive amateur women's soccer teams. Walnut Creek Power is the local team which will wear the same colors as the WCSC youth teams.

MDSA has the largest Concord-based youth soccer program and draws 95% of its players from Concord and Clayton. About 135 teams play each fall and 40% of those players return for spring league, a program that didn’t existent 20 years ago. “We believe the best way for kids to learn soccer is to play. Therefore MDSA mandates that every player on all teams play at least three quarters of every game [National AYSO mandate is at least half of every game],” MDSA Regional Commissioner JC Araujo explains.

He adds, “Every year we strive to form new teams as evenly balanced as possible by age group, because it is fair and more fun when teams of equal ability play. MDSA is committed to positive coaching. Encouragement of every player’s effort provides greater enjoyment by the players and ultimately leads to better-skilled and better-motivated players.”

Concord AYSO offers a full range of recreation programs in fall, winter and spring for over 800 players, utilizing fields in central and north Concord, including Concord’s newest park at El Dorado and Westwood schools. Regional Commissioner Steve Forbes says, “Concord AYSO uses the media of soccer to teach kids lifelong lessons about teamwork, developing new friendships and dealing with conflict resolution, all while providing a safe, fair and fun environment to enjoy soccer.”

Concord AYSO has the distinction of also playing host to the only VIP Challenger program in the greater East Bay area. AYSO’s VIP Program provides a quality soccer experience for children and adults ages five and up whose physical or developmental challenges make it difficult to successfully participate on a mainstream team. About 80 people participate in Concord AYSO VIP Challenger.

Concord has one other youth soccer group which is not affiliated with a national organization. Liga Latina began over a decade ago with soccer for mostly Hispanic families in the area. Their season runs spring through fall.

By Jay Bedecarre
Reprinted from The Concordian March 2009
and Clayton Pioneer March 6, 2009