CHARLESTON, S.C. (Nov. 25, 2024) – US Club Soccer is excited to announce the hiring of industry veteran Alison Kocoras to the position of Executive Vice President and Counsel of Safeguarding and Compliance.

Kocoras joins US Club Soccer from U.S. Soccer, where she was responsible for key elements of its safeguarding program as Vice President of Safeguarding – Response & Welfare. In three total stints with U.S. Soccer dating back to 2001, she also held positions of General Counsel, Director of Human Resources, Safe Sport Administrator and Senior Counsel.

Kocoras will remain with U.S. Soccer through the end of the year to aid in the transition and begin her US Club Soccer role in February.

“There is no one better in this space than Alison,” said Greg Hutton, US Club Soccer’s Chief Operating Officer and member of U.S. Soccer’s Participant Safety Taskforce. “We are thrilled she is joining the team and for the benefits she will have on US Club Soccer’s membership and participants.”

In this position, Kocoras will drive the creation, implementation, execution and success of safeguarding and compliance initiatives throughout US Club Soccer’s ecosystem. Among her focus areas are the development of ongoing and comprehensive education for members and participants, prevention efforts, and the management of safeguarding and compliance-related reports and cases.

“I support US Club Soccer’s commitment to providing a safe and healthy environment for players in the sport that I love,” said Kocoras. “I’m excited to build on the great work of US Club Soccer’s talented safeguarding and compliance team and to lead the development and implementation of an expansive program to directly benefit all of the organization’s stakeholders as well as the broader U.S. Soccer ecosystem.”

US Club Soccer formalized its Safeguarding and Compliance Department in 2022 and published updates as part of its Safe Soccer Vision in January 2023. Safeguarding and Compliance Manager Ava Grafius joined the team in March 2023, Senior Coordinator Emma Brown followed in January, and US Club Soccer is hiring for an additional Coordinator position. Kocoras builds on this foundation and will continue collaboration with other U.S. Soccer Organization Members in industry-wide efforts to enhance the ecosystem for all participants.

“We are deeply grateful to Alison for her years of dedicated service to U.S. Soccer, where she has been instrumental in advancing our safeguarding initiatives,” said Carlos Kuri, U.S. Soccer Chief Legal Officer. “Alison’s commitment to fostering safe environments has positively impacted countless participants in our programs, and we are thrilled that she will continue to make a difference within the U.S. Soccer ecosystem through her new role at US Club Soccer. We look forward to seeing the positive impact she will bring to their organization and to the broader soccer community.”

Kocoras graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Notre Dame, where the All-American tallied 45 goals and 36 assists while starting every game of her career (81) for the Fighting Irish women’s soccer team. She then earned her law degree from the Loyola University Chicago School of Law, where she served one year as assistant coach of the women’s soccer team.

A native of Schaumburg, Ill., Kocoras is married to husband, John, a former federal prosecutor and experienced trial lawyer. The couple has three children.