NorCal Membership
NorCal Membership is our standard level – it serves the majority of clubs playing in our competitive events at all levels.
To submit an application for membership in NorCal Premier, please fill out the online application link at the bottom of this page. In addition to the online application, each applicant must also submit copies of the following items (longer descriptions located in the application):
- Club Logo
- US Club Soccer Sanctioning Confirmation (screenshot of your membership page or email confirmation of acceptance)
- Club Mission Statement
- Articles of Incorporation or 501(c)3 Documentation
- Club Bylaws or Constitution
- License level(s) of the club’s Technical Director (TD) or Director of Coaching (DOC)
- Confirmation that TD/DOC has successfully completed US Club Soccer background check
- Coaching Staff Licenses
- Technical Plan or Curriculum
- Field Permits or Written Agreements for Fields Access
- Written Agreement from Clubs Sharing Fields or Justification of Shared Fields
- 5 Year Growth Model
- 3 Letters of Reference
INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED
PROCESS
Upon receipt of a Club Membership Application, NorCal Premier’s Club Membership Committee (the Committee) will evaluate club applications using the following objective and subjective measures. The Committee will solicit feedback on the club’s application from our current NorCal member clubs both via an online survey, and as part of an in-person presentation from the applying club to their RAC meeting. Based on that evaluation the Committee will make a recommendation to the NorCal Premier Board of Directors (the Board) and the Board may accept or deny Club Membership at their sole discretion.
Steps in the Application Process:
- US Club Soccer sanctioning
- Submit online application & required attachments
- Initial club call w/ NorCal New Club Committee staff member to review process
- In-person club visit from New Club Committee member
- Solicitation of online feedback survey from NorCal Premier member clubs
- Presentation of member clubs at their January RAC meeting (schedule found HERE). Must be attended by at least your DOC/Technical Director and preferably also your club President.
- Review of application by New Club Committee & recommendations sent to Board of Directors
- Membership decisions by NorCal Premier Board of Directors
- Accepted clubs sign NorCal Premier sanctioning agreement
CRITERIA
- Quality – Clubs and their teams must be committed to striving for excellence with respect to play, sportsmanship, fields, referees, and the total soccer experience.
- Director of Coaching – Clubs must have a named and qualified Director of Coaching. The Director must be familiar with each team in their club and the team’s involvement in the NorCal Programs.
- Geography & Fields – Clubs should have at least one high-quality field (5 time slots) per eight teams and operate in a defined geographical area of operation.
- Referees – Clubs must have a current USSF certified Referee Assignor and enough current year USSF licensed referees available to cover all their teams entered in competition.
- Administrator – Clubs must have an administrator responsible for helping teams maintain their club and team information on the NorCal website. This person should have a working email address and be available to assist team managers with all administrative tasks.
- Sanctioned by US Club Soccer
- Impact on Existing NorCal Member Clubs
- Overall Club Infrastructure & Administration
- Technical/Player Development Model
- History of Youth Player Development
- History of Adherence to NorCal Code of Ethics, Rules, & all other Policies
- Adherence to NorCal’s definition of a club – in order for a club to be considered a member of NorCal Premier, the following conditions must be satisfied:
- All teams participating in NorCal events must belong to a single legal entity, with a single leadership structure, a single financial structure, and a single governance structure.
- All teams participating in NOrCal events must have a common club name, logo, uniform, and practice/play games in the same geographical area of operation.
- All teams participating in NorCal events must operate under a single technical structure/plan and report to a single Technical Director, Director of Coaching, or Executive Director.
- All players participating in NorCal events must be registered under a single US Club ID.
TIMELINE
Below is an outline of the timeline of club applications and joining NorCal Premier Soccer:
- December 1 – application window opens
- January 10 – application window closes
- January-March – application process
- March – decisions made on acceptance
- April/May – club onboarding
- May/June – clubs enter NorCal Premier Soccer beginning with annual tryout windows
The NorCal Premier Club Membership Committee and the NorCal Premier Board of Directors reserve the right to evaluate applications from clubs in strategic growth areas outside of the stated application window.
RESOURCES TO HELP YOU APPLY
2019 Club Application Webinar
Powerpoint presentation
New Club Committee
Andy Farrant – Director of Operations
Shawn Blakeman – Board of Directors
Nick Lusson – Director of Membership
Zak Ibsen – Region 1
Haris Obic – Region 3
Toney Wright – Region 4
Brandon Cavitt – Region 6
Jonathan Petty – Region 7
Carlos Zavala – Region 8
