The Alameda Soccer Club is located in Alameda, California. Alameda is a city of 75,000 in San Francisco Bay, adjacent to Oakland and about 10 miles from San Francisco.
Our soccer club fields more than 100 teams with over 1,400 kids from the ages of four and one-half to nineteen. Membership is open to all.
The mission of the Alameda Soccer Club is to provide the opportunity for all children to learn and play the game of soccer.
The Alameda Soccer Club is a volunteer, non-profit organization. An elected Board of Directors runs ASC. Each director is a volunteer, participating in the management of the club and it’s programs. Also, many parents participate in the club by coaching teams, refereeing games, and by helping in other ways to make the club work.
You may view the Club Bylaws
The Club may be contacted at its office:
Alameda Soccer Club
875-A Island Drive Suite 326
Alameda CA 94502
The club has no regular office hours. Voicemail and snail mail are routed to an appropriate officer who will respond as quickly as practical.
Where We Fit in US Soccer
Soccer in the United States is governed by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), with youth soccer (for ages under nineteen) directed by the United States Youth Soccer Association (USYSA).
The USYSA divides the country into fifty-one state organizations, one for each state except for California which is broken into two. The California Youth Soccer Association – North (CYSA-N) divides Northern California into nine districts. District IV is bounded by San Francisco Bay to the west, Vallejo to the north, Castro Valley to the south, and Antioch to the east.
Alameda Soccer Club is also a member of the Norcal Premier League, in which it’s competitive teams generally play. Norcal is a regional competitive league organized under US Club Soccer, a member of the USSF.
The Jack London Youth Soccer League is one of fifteen leagues within District IV. It is made up of six clubs: Montclair, Oakland, Piedmont, Rockridge, Bay Oaks, and the Alameda Soccer Club.
Team Selection
Recreational teams are generally formed by random assignment and/or based on a request supplied by parents and coaches, to play with friends or schoolmates. Competitive teams are selected by try-outs which generally occur by early spring. Teams are normally organized by the time the spring leagues begin. Some competitive teams play in both spring and fall, while others play only in fall.
For details, see the ASC’s Competitive and Recreational Team Formation Policy.
Levels of Play
Within United States Youth Soccer there are two broad categories of teams: recreational and competitive. Recreational teams are also referred to as house and are categorized by CYSA as Class 4.
All Under 6, Under 7, and Under 8 teams are recreational and play only in Alameda. Beginning with Under 10, recreational teams may play other teams throughout the Jack London Youth Soccer League.
Competitive teams begin at Under 10. Players must try-out and be selected in order to play on a competitive team. The Alameda Soccer Clubs offers a Select (or Class 3) competitive program (see Alameda’s Competitive Program). As players get older, many additional levels of competitive soccer become available.
Refereeing
As in all sports, soccer requires referees to ensure a fun and safe playing environment for all players. ASC relies on a mixture of trained volunteer adults and youth to fill the needs (youth referees are paid). Unfortunately, a shortage of referees, especially adults, can prevent a game from being played. JLYSL now requires a licensed adult referee on each team Under 10 and older.League policy requires each team to provide for a currently registered referee. These referees can be affiliated with only one team, and are pre-assigned to games so as to provide for the best possible coverage for all the games hosted each week in Alameda. Teams that do not have a licensed referee may not be allowed to play. Numerous licensing clinics are available and convenient. ASC will pay for your training.
Sponsorship
Ties to businesses in Alameda and neighboring communities are provided through our Sponsorship program for details. ASC is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization and our FEIN # is 94-3135721.
See Sponsorship Program for more.
The Alameda Soccer Club maintains a scholarship program for those children who might not otherwise be able to play soccer. Monies are donated to the ASC through a variety of sources making this program available. All applications are reviewed by the ASC Scholarship Committee. For details and a scholarship application, please contact the Club.
Board of Directors
The Alameda Soccer Club is governed by a Board of Directors. The Board is elected for a one-year term at the Club’s Annual General Meeting. All members (players, coaches, and referees) are eligible to vote.
The Board meets monthly. An Executive Board, consisting of the executive members of the Board of Directors, also meets monthly. All meetings are open to members and any interested party. For a description of Board positions and their duties, click here.
Club Finances
The Alameda Soccer Club is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing an opportunity for every Alameda child to play soccer. ASC survives by funds received from registration, sponsorship, fundraising, and donations. The funds are used for field maintenance, equipment (goals, balls, etc) league fees and insurance, administration costs, (mailing, advertising), outreach and scholarships.
Uniforms
All players must be dressed in official Alameda Soccer Club uniforms. Uniforms are available through the Alameda Soccer Club.
Team Parents
In addition to a team’s coach and referee, parents perform many vital tasks. There are many activities that happen throughout the season such as picture day, helping at practices, after game snacks, distribution of sweatshirts or soccer bags, coordination of a team picnic or end of season party, and the distribution of trophies. Coaches really need help with all the administrative tasks. We ask that parents volunteer to help with these events. Please consider helping in any way that you can. It is a great way to get to know the other parents. Get others to help and make this a real team effort.
Practice Sessions
The frequency and length of practices varies with age and coach. These general guidelines apply:
Under 6
All U6 teams practice and play their games in a one hour session on Sunday afternoons. Teams may have a pre-season practice or two. There are no additional practices during the season.
Under 7 and Under 8
These teams play their games on Saturday. They have one additional practice during the week.
Under 10 and Older
These teams play their games on Saturday. They have two additional practices during the week.