Nationals and FCA Discuss Merger for 2016 

A merger between Northwest Nationals and FC Alliance has been talked about for years. This came close to happening about five years ago, but for a number of reasons the clubs and their associations could not get over the hump. However, the benefit to our members of a merged entity has never been in question. It is with those benefits in mind that the two clubs began discussing a potential merger last year. The initial discussions were focused on ensuring that we had a shared vision for the club and a common philosophy on player development. As discussions progressed we worked to prepare a presentation for our respective boards outlining the goals and benefits of a merger, and addressing the potential concerns of all stakeholders including staff, our respective associations and most importantly, our players and their families. Those presentations were given to the respective boards last winter by a group consisting of staff from both NWN and FCA. Following those presentations both boards were in support of continuing to work toward a merger of the two clubs. Since that time representatives from both clubs have continued to meet to outline the structure of the merged club and to create a plan for implementation of a merger for next year.

Initially, we hoped that the two associations that we represent, South Snohomish County Youth Soccer Association for NWN and Northshore Youth Soccer Association for FCA, would also merge. This would provide for a more seamless integration of the new RCL club and the association that it represents. Unfortunately, those talks have not progressed to a point where a merger of the associations will be possible for next year. As a result, movement, particularly in the area of communication has been slowed as we work through the necessary issues related to having a single RCL club represent two associations. The good news is that this is possible. In fact, we already have a successful model for this in Washington with Pacific Northwest Soccer Club. PacNW is the product of a recent merger between two smaller RCL clubs (Greater Renton FC and Dosvedanya), and represents both Greater Renton Junior Soccer Association and Kent Youth Soccer Association.

We are now at a point now where we believe it is important to move forward with a merger for the 2016/2017 season. The age group realignment for next year only adds to that, as we would prefer to avoid shaking up our teams two years in a row. Further, we have the opportunity to provide the added value of a combined club to our membership at a time of uncertainty for players and their families.

Please look below for more information on the merger discussions:

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Fast Facts:

• NWN is the RCL club (premier club) representing South Snohomish County Youth Soccer Association (SSCYSA). The geographic boundaries of SSCYSA are the Edmonds School District boundaries.
• FCA is the RCL club representing Northshore Youth Soccer Association (NYSA). The NYSA boundaries are roughly those of the Northshore School District.
• The two school districts are nearly identical in student population (20,910 ESD, 20,881 NSD).
• The two associations share an East/West border.
• The two clubs are of similar size (approx. 500 players) and have complimentary strengths. NWN has been stronger on the girls side and FCA has been stronger on the boys side.
• The two clubs face similar challenges including, competition from larger clubs to their south and resource limitations based on the size of our membership.
• Both clubs are financially healthy.

 

Goals and Objectives for a Merged Club:

• Provide top level player development
  • Comparative parity with top RCL clubs enhances player retention and helps to ensure that player development remains the top priority.
  • Support players to play at their highest competitive ability.
  • Create multiple avenues for success with a long-term focus not short-term wins.
  • Ensure that ALL players get adequate playing time, even at tournaments and Cup play.
  • Develop a consistent training program and curricula for each age group and carefully evaluate its implementation.
  • Provide regular feedback to players on areas of improvement and a clear path for development both at training, off the field, and in games.
  • Strengthen all teams and ensure that B and C team players regularly train and get access to play with higher level teams.

• Build a family-friendly, community-based soccer club
  • Continue to conduct events that involve the whole club.
  • Do team building events to support overall team character.
  • Ensure that all families feel welcome and involved in the club.
  • Provide regular avenues for parents to get feedback, participate and volunteer for the club.

• Develop excellent coaches through a systematic program of mentoring, licensing, and professional development.
  • Develop technical staff that are leaders, collaborative and promote teams across the club.
  • Hire only coaches that have passion and energy and want to learn.
  • Ensure that coaches build communication skills with players and parents.
  • Coaches will be expected to continually upgrade their coaching education consistent with current standards.
  • Work to improve the diversity of coaches.

• Develop strong codes of conduct with evaluation and positive support to maintain them.
  • All coaches will be evaluated on a regular basis.
  • Parents that do not abide the code of conduct will be restricted from attending training and games.
  • Ensure that all youth that want to play can do so with a comprehensive scholarship program.
  • Develop and raise funds for a scholarship program that will help any player to participate in premier soccer that is committed to doing so.

 

Questions and Answers:

How would the combined Premier Club benefit my player?

• The merger of our two clubs provides clear and immediate benefits to the more than 1,000 current NWN and FCA players by:
  • Enhancing the overall competitive level of the club providing better exposure for all of our players and providing better stability within teams.
  • The combined club would have first and second division teams in every age group in both genders.
  • The combined club would have ten teams competing in the Far West Regional League, and could expect to field a team in all seven age groups and across both genders within two years.
  • The combined club could expect an increased presence at Far West Regionals.
  • The combined club would see greater acceptance to top level tournaments (e.g., Surf Cup) across both genders.
• Enhancing our coaching staff.
  • Coaching leadership with less team responsibility allows our best coaches to have a greater impact on other coaches within the club as well as the players.
    • Increased ability to mentor young coaches with great potential.
    • Attracting and retaining the best coaching talent available.
    • Hiring coaches that fit our culture and are committed to our model of development.
• Increasing the quality and consistency of development.
  • Enhances our ability to deliver a clear developmental curriculum by freeing our coaching leadership to develop, maintain and implement that curriculum.
  • Narrows the gaps in ability and commitment between players on each team providing a better overall environment for the development of every player within the club.
  • Narrows the gaps in ability and commitment between teams creating achievable steps between teams, allowing for joint training and player pass opportunities, and healthy player movement to the level appropriate for each player’s personal stage of development.
• Providing economies of scale on both the revenue and cost side of the equation that allow increased value for our members while keeping fees under control.
  • Fixed costs spread out over a larger base.
  • Increased leverage with vendors (e.g., uniforms).
  • Increased reach for potential sponsors.
  • Increased opportunity to reach underprivileged kids through scholarship.

 

What will happen to my son’s/daughter’s team (A team/B team concerns)?

• Increased quality of teams throughout the club.
  • Top level 1st division teams at the A team level.
  • Top level 2nd division teams at the B team level (potential 1st division).
  • Top level 3rd division teams at the C team level (potential 2nd division) .

• Teams will be formed via the usual tryout process.
  • Participation and input at each age group from experienced coaches from both former clubs to ensure an unbiased evaluation of each player.

 

Will we be able to maintain the small club, family culture enjoyed at our club?

• This remains a core value of the club, consistent throughout both club.
• Focus on club wide events that involve families.
• Hire only the best people who truly enjoy the families they serve and have the skill set to build relationships with our membership.

 

What about increased travel distances for training?

• See map and fact sheet below.
• Here are some of the methods we may use to mitigate travel concerns:
  Regionalize youngest age group (U9).
• Tailor teams’ training schedules based on roster when possible.
• Focus training in the center of the operating boundaries. (e.g., Lynnwood High School and North Creek) to the extent possible.
• Alternate training sessions between East and West to the extent possible.

 

Will we still be Northwest Nationals?

• Both clubs agree that our new club should make a fresh start with regard to our brand.
• This should not negatively affect our teams acceptance to out of state tournaments.
• We are interested in receiving your input with regard to name, logo, and colors.

 

How does the combined premier club benefit all levels of soccer play?

• Drawing top competitive players enhances player retention at the select and recreational levels, especially with good coordination through all levels of play.
• Creates achievable steps between levels of play – the differences between team levels becomes less pronounced, so progress in development can be rewarded more frequently.
• Narrows athletic, ability and commitment gaps at each level of play.
• Provides for a more competitive RCL club that:
  • Helps to retain players within the association.
  • Attracts new players to the association.
  • Positive relationship increases draw from within the Association (market share).

 

Below is a map of our combined operating area with the major training facilities identified. A couple of facts:

• The furthest distance between any two fields in the combined area is 9.5 miles (straight line)
  The distance from Meadowdale HS to the far Southeast corner of the NYSA boundary is about 15.5 miles (straight line).
• The distance from Woodinville HS to the far Northwest corner of the SSCYSA boundary is about 11 miles (straight line).

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