US Club Soccer, Positive Coaching Alliance revamp partnership to improve youth soccer culture

CHARLESTON, S.C. (April 12, 2022) – US Club Soccer and Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) have announced an extension of their national partnership to develop positive environments in youth sports through soccer.

US Club Soccer and PCA first partnered with the launch of Players First in 2015, utilizing content from PCA to educate and provide tools for coaches, parents and athletes. PCA will now provide additional support to US Club Soccer in the diversity, equity and inclusion spaces to develop players of all backgrounds and provide a sense of belonging. New resources will also take a holistic approach to player engagement, health and safety, with an emphasis on improving and supporting mental health. PCA’s training resources related to referees will also help manage conflicts and improve retention rates.

“We look forward to our continued partnership with US Club Soccer to go beyond the Xs and Os and help equip coaches, athletes and families with the necessary tools to create inclusive cultures and belonging through soccer,” said Jason Sacks, PCA Chief Development Officer.

“Positive Coaching Alliance is an ideal partner,” said Alexandra Rieben, US Club Soccer Vice President of Programs & Partnerships. “Our members can continue to expect the same level of expertise and content that PCA has provided over the past seven years, in addition to new depths of topics and resources. We have both an opportunity and an obligation to apply life lessons within youth sports, and PCA helps all of us do that.”

Beginning Wednesday, April 13 at 2 p.m. ET, PCA will participate in a series of Facebook Live conversations with US Club Soccer. The first episode is titled: “How Teammates Can Support Each Other’s Mental Health.” Two weeks later, PCA will present “The Intersectionality of Mental Health and Race” on US Club Soccer’s Facebook page. Additional details coming soon.

ABOUT POSITIVE COACHING ALLIANCE

As a catalyst for a positive youth sports culture, Positive Coaching Alliance provides research-based training and resources for coaches, parents, athletes, and leaders to ensure a positive youth development experience for ALL kids, in all communities across the U.S., through sports. PCA ensures sports are ‘done right’ with programming that is research-based and designed to have impact at three levels in a youth sports organization or school:

• YOUTH experience improved life skills and character development.
• COACHES become more positive and increase their focus on using sports to teach life lessons.
• YOUTH SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS AND SCHOOLS see their cultures become more positive and everyone involved has more fun.

PCA believes that all youth can benefit from a positive, inclusive sports culture that develops social and emotional skills, molds character, and prepares them for competition and life. In more than two decades of work, PCA expanded from a small local nonprofit to a strong, nationwide organization that provides programming in all 50 states, reaching thousands of organizations around the country and positively impacting millions of youth athletes every year. PCA has now partnered with roughly 3,500 schools and youth sports organizations nationwide to deliver more than 20,000 live group workshops, reaching over 20 million youth. For more information, visit www.positivecoach.org.