Competitive Soccer

C

What is “P.C. United”?

P.C. United”  (Ponca City United) is our club’s competitive identity, and therefore, the name of every competitive traveling soccer team that represents PCSI. Teams are formed by age groups that follow the same system as recreational teams,  i.e.,   birthdates from August 1st of one year, thru July 31st of the following year.  The teams all share the common name of “P.C. United” but will be differentiated by a “year” which is the birth year of the oldest child in that age group.   Therefore you will have team names such as “P.C. United ’99 Girls,”  or “P.C. United 2000 Boys”.   In the event that there are enough players in a given age group to form two teams, an “A” & “B” team will be formed.  These teams are sometimes assigned an additional designator such as a “color” to further differentiate the 2 teams.   An example would be “P.C. United 2000 White Girls” , & “P.C. United 2000 Navy Girls”.

Why should my child play competitive soccer?

Competitive or “Club” soccer is the next level of soccer for those players who desire and need to be challenged beyond what the recreational soccer experience offers.   Our P.C. United competitive players compete against other competitive “club” teams from all over Oklahoma.  Generally, only the best players from our area are chosen to compete on these teams.   The coaches of competitive teams are required to hold United States Soccer Federation (USSF) licenses.   Players on these teams will receive extensive, quality training, and have the opportunity to play against the best players in the state of Oklahoma.  Playing club soccer will assist in developing the skills and game knowledge necessary to play High School, ODP, and College level soccer.   It is important to note that the majority of college recruiting is done at competitive matches & at competitive showcase tournaments.  Playing club soccer gives the advanced soccer player exposure to these opportunities.

How are the teams & players selected?

Tryouts are held in early June.  Specific dates for tryouts are posted annually on this website about 1 month prior to the tryout dates.   Registration and tryouts can take up to 1-1/2 hours, and tryout times are staggered by age groups.   During the tryouts, three qualified, USSF licensed coaches will conduct individual player evaluations while watching a small sided training session.  The players are chosen from these evaluations.

After my child’s tryout, what happens?

If your child is selected to play for a P.C. United team, their name will be listed on this website  along with their teammates sometime shortly after the final tryout date.  Usually this list is posted within 10-14 days,  but will normally always be posted prior to July 1st.   If your child does not make a competitive team this season, we strongly encourage them to continue to play soccer by signing up for our recreational league in August.   We will keep a list of reserve players , and potentially offer them (those in the reserve pool) the opportunity to attend  competitive team training sessions, in order to have them well prepared  to fill spots in the competitive rosters when they become available.

How long is the season?

P.C. United teams play in a competitive league in Tulsa, Oklahoma, called “Green Country Soccer Association (GCSA)” or “Green Country” for short.    The fall season runs from late August or early September thru November, and the spring season generally runs from March thru May.  However, with the growth of soccer in the United States, soccer has become extremely competitive.   To be successful  at this level of competition, most club teams play some form of soccer in all seasons, year-round.  Some P.C. United teams choose futsal or other  indoor leagues during the winter months to keep their competitive edge, and play in small sided 3v3 tournaments in the summer as well.   Additionally, there are many opportunities in state and out-of-state tournaments nearly any time of the year.   It is important to note that being selected for a P.C. United team requires a one year commitment to the program as tryouts are only held annually.

How much travel is involved?

Travel during the season is moderate, depending on what your team decides.   During league play, approximately half of your games are played at home and half are played “away” in the Tulsa area.  This equates to 5 or 6 trips to Tulsa each season.  Additionally, if your team decides to play indoor soccer in the winter, all of those games will be played out-of-town in the Wichita, Tulsa, or Oklahoma City area, depending on which league they decide to play in.   Usually this equates to 3 to 5 trips to that metro location.  Tournaments which your team decides to attend will also be out-of-town as well.

How much does it cost & who will be our coach?

Cost can vary from year to year, but the following list of expenses should give you enough information to approximate the average costs.

Registration & Coaching fee costs:  [CURRENTLY UNDER BOARD REVIEW].

 

Uniform costs are usually semi-annual (meaning they are usually used for 2 years or 4 seasons) and average around [Currently under board review] for the official home/away uniform.  Uniform fees if you need a new uniform kit,  or just individual parts of a uniform kit are currently ordered from, & paid for online in our team wear store.

Other costs depend on which and how many tournaments we as a club  decide to participate in.  Parents should be aware that tournaments (especially showcase tournaments and state tournaments), are one of the primary tool used by college coaches to scout and recruit potential college players.   Additionally, in this age of Got Soccer Rankings,  every game a team plays, effects their state, region, and national ranking.   Ranking does affect how much attention coaches give to scouting a particular team in a tournament. A good approximation of tournament registration fees is around $35-$45 dollars per player, per tournament attended.   Obviously, the more tournaments attended, the more your additional costs will be.   While league games are a very important part of “Player Development” because there is usually a minimum of 1 weeks practice in preparation of each game, tournaments are important for player “career advancement,” so to speak.

Other costs include travel expenses, and on some occasions lodging if you choose to stay the weekend for a tournament.  Many times, families on a team work together to fund raise and offset the cost of club soccer beyond the registration fees.   Also, after the initial registration is paid, and uniforms are purchased,   the expense of tournaments may be paid in increments, and not usually be due all at the beginning of the season, but rather can be paid shortly prior to the tournament date, allowing your family to spread out or budget for expenses.   All these costs should be discussed with your coach and team manager prior to the beginning of the season.  If you have questions about coaching or trainer assignments, or associated fees, you can contact our Director of Coaching and Player Development,  David Carson  (580) 716-2856.

Additionally, PCSI is working on the establishment of a scholarship foundation for the exceptional player with financial hardships.  Any persons interested in donating time, capital or other resources in order to develop and expand a scholarship program should contact our club Competitive Commissioner, Bubba Smethers.   Bubba is also the contact person if you have further questions regarding competitive club soccer.  He can be contacted @ 765-1910.

go to: team pages ;   tournaments ;  competitive news