HISTORY
2015 - 2018 era
Carolina Soccer Club was formed in the spring of 2015.
At that time there were already three soccer clubs operating in Cabarrus County, however, only one of them was actually based in the county. The two others were based in South Charlotte and Lake Norman. When members of the local soccer community learned that FCCA, the only Cabarrus-based soccer club was going to fold, some decided to take action. We wanted a club for the community, by the community.
CSC held their first try-outs in May 2015 and as a result formed 5 junior academy teams, 3 boys and 2 girls, ages U9 - U10.
In the fall of 2015 CSC began their first "Junior Programs" season, for children ages 4 - 8. The concept was to provide development-based programs, as opposed to a traditional "recreation" style programing, led by experienced and licensed coaches in pool-training formats. Fall 2015 saw 60 players enroll in our junior programs, while the spring 2016 season included over 80 players.
Heading into the 2016/2017 season, CSC formed a partnership with Mint Hill Athletic Association in order to participate in North Carolina Youth Soccer Association (NCYSA) leagues by playing under the umbrella of Mint Hill's membership. (Previous attempts by CSC to join NCYSA were met with immediate rejection by NCYSA's member clubs, as those organizations looked to stifle any and all competition.) What followed was an extremely productive year on the field, however; Mint Hill's exorbitant and ultimately prohibitive charges meant a necessary break between the two organizations at the end of the 2016/2017 season.
Heading into the 2017/2018 season CSC formed a partnership with the Carolina Rapids Soccer Club, (now part of the Charlotte Independence Soccer Club,) again in order to participate in the NYCSA leagues. Carolina Soccer Club continued to operate our unique Junior Programs along with our hugely successful and growing Academy program. As part of the arrangement with the Carolina Rapids, however, CSC ceased to operate teams at the U11 age group and above. Going into the 2017/2018 season all players and teams in U11, U12 & U13 age groups were registered under the Carolina Rapids Soccer Club, with the provision that they would still be coached by original CSC staff members.
From initial try-outs in May 2015 to the end of the spring 2018 season, Carolina Soccer Club had grown from an initial 43 members to over 230 members. Still a relatively small club, but a big family.
For the first 3 years of CSC's existence we participated in every Harrisburg July 4th parade, every Autism Speaks walk, held 3 special needs soccer clinics, 4 college nights, provided countless free soccer clinics for the Cabarrus County "Kids Plus" after-school program, created an adult coed soccer team that participated in - and kept winning! - the local recreation league, played one parent-coaches game, and hosted cook-outs before, during and after every season. We achieved our aim and CSC had truly become a club for the community, by the community.
2018 - 2020 era
Before the start of the 2018/2019 season, the Carolina Rapids took over CSC's junior academy, ceased all support for CSC's Junior Programs, and parted ways with several of CSC's original founding members.
From fall 2018 - summer 2020 Carolina Soccer Club continued to operate the hugely popular "Sunrise" and "Sunset" summer soccer programs, in addition to unique winter camps, including "Dutch Cup Winter Futsal" during the winter of 2019/2020.
Due to the global coronavirus pandemic, CSC did not offer any winter programs for the 2020/2021 season.
2021 - onwards
"Super-clubs" with 6000+ members rule the Charlotte soccer landscape. However, CSC's core belief that "boutique is better" remains in our hearts, and we believe is still shared by enough of the local population to again offer unique, education-based soccer programs.
Beginning in the spring of 2021 Carolina Soccer Club will start offering soccer classes with enjoyment, development, and transparency at the forefront of all that we do.
#QualityAndCommunityLivesOn