ABOUT_+
Not The "Typical" Soccer Organization
Our goal is to assure your youth soccer community is receiving personalized attention. We recognize needs will vary from league to league and aim to provide the flexibility and support to assist you in reaching your goals and objectives. SAY Soccer encourages interplay with other SAY organizations, as well as Non-SAY organizations.
A Brief History
The Soccer Association for Youth was established in 1967 in Cincinnati, Ohio at a meeting of the eight Founding Fathers. This new Board of Directors met to organize a youth soccer program. Each director had a vision for the program and immediately saw the possibilities of a national program. The Founders got to work creating a trademark, playing rules, organizing officials, creating a Constitution, Bylaws and more.
The first President was Tom Allen Stevens. Members from Finneytown and Schwaben, a local German Club in Western Hills, formed the initial SAY Soccer season with approximately 400 players and 27 teams. SAY Soccer was off and running.
Soccer was growing exponentially in the US and SAY Soccer saw expansion to all parts of Greater Cincinnati including Northern Kentucky and Dayton. In 1972, SAY proudly announced the beginning of the girl’s program lead by Mary Ann Kaminsky. The SAY Board grew to 20 members as the organization required additional expertise. Several significant additions to SAY Soccer were player insurance, tournament play, expanded rules, creation of a Referee Handbook and training for coaches, referees, parents, and players. SAY Soccer had become a full-service organization for the recreational player.
In 1980, the great Pele visited Cincinnati Children’s Hospital as part of a SAY Soccer promotion. An autographed ball still highlights the SAY Soccer office display. In addition, SAY Soccer expanded into multiple states and neighborhoods. The number of players had reached 70,000.SAY Soccer also went through several changes including reducing the National Board of Directors to 9 members from 22, expanding risk management practices, data collection, improved communications and creating a robust online store presence. The Roland Bedard Hall of Fame (RBHOF) was created to commemorate our long-serving, one and only Commissioner. Today, there are 14 members of the SAY Soccer RBHOF.
In 2017, SAY Soccer celebrated its 50th anniversary with a formal celebration and after several decades of renting office space, the organization purchased a building in Springfield Township that became the SAY Soccer National Headquarters and the permanent home for our employees, RBHOF, National Board meetings and more. The National Office allows for additional funding of member programs by keeping player fees low.
Today, SAY Soccer is a proud member of the US Soccer Federation (USSF) with 100,000 players in 35 states. The Board of Directors and National Staff are focused on world-class customer service and operating in an efficient and effective manner for all stakeholders today as well as future generations. Everything we do is focused on our motto “Kids Having Fun.”
Social_+
Coach_+
SAY Soccer strives to help educate all our coaches that are part of our programs across the country. The more educational opportunities that we provide our coaches the better the experience will be for all that are involved.
SAY soccer prides itself on giving children a safe, social, and FUN soccer experience. We want players to thrive in positive coaching environments that emphasize good sportsmanship, encouragement, and fair play.
We are aware that some of you have played before, some of you have coached before and some of you are entering this soccer world for the first time. No matter what level of experience is, please know that the SAY Education department is working hard to make sure that you have the most up-to-date, easy-to-access, coaching resources
Admin_+
SAY Soccer is a U.S. Soccer affiliated national governing body that supports thousands of soccer programs across the country. We believe in providing unparalleled support and assistance that is tailored to the specific needs of your organization. We want you to be free, progressive, and to thrive without bureaucratic interference.
Take the next step:
We would love to set up a meeting to answer any questions you may have regarding SAY Soccer and how we can help your organization.
Contact: [email protected]
Phone: (800) 233-7291 Ext. 2
Referee_+
SAY Soccer provides a wide variety of referee educational materials and support for referee educators. Online training, referee testing, and assistance in organizing referee courses are all items that SAY soccer can assist with.
SAY National Referee and Rules Committee is a committed group of referee educators that strive to assist all members in better educating new and returning referees. They are a great support system to all our SAY programs.