WEST SIDE ALLIANCE S.C.

Letter of Orientation

WEST SIDE ALLIANCE S.C. LETTER OF ORIENTATION

Club Background & Vision

On behalf of the WSA coaching staff and WSA soccer community I would like to thank you for your interest in our competitive soccer program. WSA maintains a basic geographic identity, serving communities west of Tulsa. However, WSA’s player enrollment comes from a diverse group of players. Several WSA teams include many players from Midtown, East and South Tulsa, Bixby, Broken Arrow, Muskogee, Stillwater,Mannford, Pawhuska, and Bartlesville. WSA is proud to have the Sand Springs Soccer Club and Sapulpa Soccer as its co-hosts. SSC and SSSC provide WSA with access to some of the premiere training and match venues in Oklahoma, as well as the basic support needed by a competitive program from its host clubs.

WSA’s founding vision was to provide every young player who possessed the talents, desire, and love for the game with an opportunity to improve and succeed in the sport of soccer. To maintain this commitment WSA makes every effort to keep costs at a minimum, and traveling reasonable. WSA coaches are instructed to observe a "level of tolerance" for young athletes participating in other activities. Furthermore, WSA maintains a need-based scholarship program to ensure that no player will be denied the opportunity to play due to financial need. WSA balances each of these concerns with a strict agenda and commitment to excellence that provides the premium opportunities for growth, improvement, and success in competitive youth soccer.

WSA’s older teams traditionally enjoy much success competing in regional and national college showcase events. Many WSA teams are regionally and nationally ranked. WSA’s younger teams focus on "player development" ahead of results, a unique trademark of WSA. The WSA program is based on a commitment to player development, and a faith in hard work and dedication paying dividends in the long run. WSA’s senior players are traditionally well recruited by college soccer programs. Several have signed letters of intent accepting generous soccer scholarships. In addition, many WSA graduating seniors have been recognized as Oklahoma high school All-Staters or Oklahoma and Regional Olympic Development players. These honors are a direct result of hard-work and perseverance by these players, their WSA teams and coaches, and WSA’s commitment to player development. These very players that are now accepting soccer scholarships and other honors developed through the WSA program during their younger years with the WSA club, and are now reaping the benefits.

WSA Trademarks, Standards, & Expectations

The organizational approach behind the WSA program is a family oriented approach to competitive soccer. WSA boasts as being one of the most cohesive clubs with a huge amount of camaraderie and cohesiveness between the separate teams. When you become a part of WSA you not only join a team, but you become a part of a much larger soccer family. It is unusual for a player not to know several players from other WSA teams. Another aspect of the WSA soccer program, and our trademark, is loyalty. WSA is sincere in its efforts to develop soccer players. Our player retention rate from season to season is well over 90%. If a player is seen to possess the correct attitude, approach, effort to improve, and level of play, he or she will be given a chance. At WSA it is very unlikely you will see massive player overhauls in the off season. At WSA you will find our strongest tradition is "player development".

Finally, you must be wondering what our soccer is like. In the past several years WSA has had several teams earn regional and national recognition at some of the nation’s most prestigious events. Most of our teams compete at the Oklahoma Premiere League and many at the GCSA “A” division level. In 2009 WSA had the unique distinction of having a boys team in every division of the Oklahoma Premiere League. Each WSA team is formed and then trained with the ultimate goal of being state champions and competing at regionals. We believe our kids deserve the highest expectations for achievement.

Our older squads (U-16 thru U-19) enter college showcase tournaments designed for college recruiting. From freshman year on players are guided in their efforts to reach college, academically and athletically. Freshman through Senior year WSA plays a strong role as advocate on behalf of every college prospect in their college search process. Recent trends show the results: 2008 20 college signings, 2009 15 college signings, and 2010 is likely to be our best year yet.

Coaching Philosophy

WSA allows flexibility and freedom in regards to playing style for each individual team. However, players will be instructed tactically to reflect the most current approaches of the United States National side and the youth player development models of the US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer, endorsed by the US Soccer Federation. WSA also lays out age-appropriate and age-specific objectives for its coaching staff so that in reality WSA is a true soccer program, designed for player development.

The most important aspect of the WSA soccer program is the experience that it provides for the player. Not only do WSA teams provide a competitive environment for soccer, WSA provides a positive environment for learning, growing, developing, and improving. WSA’s ultimate goal is the development of our youth into model student-athletes, which is why we have such high expectations and standards for our players. Players and parents will be asked to sign a that outlines these standards of expectations WSA players will be held to.

I hope this has been a fair assessment and presentation of our soccer club and given you some idea of what WSA soccer is about. If you have any further questions about tryouts, registration, or WSA in general ask a WSA coach or manager. If you would like to know more about the details of the WSA program please refer to the WSA website wsasoccer.org or email a club official.