Club Resources

APPLY for NorCal Membership – Opens 9/1/23

NorCal Membership is our standard membership – it serves the majority of clubs participating in NorCal competitive events at most levels of play.

To apply for membership in NorCal Premier, please fill out the online application link above.  In addition to the online application, each applicant must also submit copies of the following items (longer descriptions located in the application):

• Club Logo
• Club Code of Conduct
• 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 completed US Club Soccer background check
• Coaching Staff Licenses
• Technical Plan or Curriculum
• Field permits or written agreements confirming field access
• Written agreement from clubs sharing fields or justification of any fields shared by member clubs
• 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 each 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 at 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 NorCal Club Membership at their sole discretion.

Steps in the Application Process:

1. Obtain US Club Soccer sanctioning
2. Submit the online application & required attachments
3. Initial club call w/ NorCal New Club Committee staff member to review process
4. Solicitation of feedback from NorCal Premier member clubs via an online survey
5. Applicants present to member clubs and respond to Q&A at their region’s January RAC meeting (when available, the schedule is found HERE). The meeting must be attended by your club’s DOC/Technical Director and preferably also by your club President.
6. In-person club meeting with New Club Committee member
7. Review of application by New Club Committee & recommendations sent to Board of Directors
8. Membership decisions by NorCal Premier Board of Directors
9. Accepted clubs sign NorCal Premier sanctioning agreement

CRITERIA

• Quality – Clubs and their teams must strive 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 (minimum US Soccer D License or equivalent, with a commitment to develop their coaching education further).  The Director must be familiar with each team in their club and each team’s involvement in NorCal Programs.
• Geography & Fields – Clubs should have access to at least one high-quality field (five time slots) per eight teams and operate in a defined geographical area of operation (one community that is entirely connected – geographically adjacent).
• 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
• Code of Conduct (Behavioral expectations of your club’s Coaches, Parents and Players)
• Impact on Existing NorCal Member Clubs
• Overall Club Infrastructure & Administration
• For clubs entering competitive teams in U12 and younger ages only: Minimum of three teams in NorCal competitive leagues
• For clubs entering competitive teams in U13 and older ages: Minimum of six teams in NorCal competitive leagues
• 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: 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, financial, and governance structure.
• All teams participating in NorCal events must have a common club name, logo, and 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:

• September 1  – application window opens
• December 1 – application window closes
• Early January – survey distributed to member clubs soliciting feedback on applicants
• Late January – Applicants attend RAC meeting.  New clubs can respond in person to relevant survey feedback and additional questions/concerns.
• February – in-person interviews with NorCal Staff & member club DOC & President
• March/April – 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
Paolo Bonomo – Board of Directors
Rick Fullerton – Club Membership Coordinator
Aidon Jennery – Referee Coordinator
Zak Ibsen – Region 1
Haris Obic – Region 3
Brandon Cavitt – Region 6
Jonathan Petty – Region 7