Featured Club: City SC Kings County

This month, we’re proud to spotlight City SC Kings County. We sat down with Katie Smith, City SC Kings County, to learn more about the club’s community, recent successes, and what the future holds as part of the City SC Affiliate Network.

Q: Tell us about your club and community. What makes your club unique, and what are you most proud of as an organization?

A:  Our organization is run entirely by dedicated volunteers. Our coaches give their time because they want to help players become not only better soccer players, but also good people and future leaders in their community. From running our programs to maintaining the fields, our volunteers do it all to provide a positive environment where players can learn, grow and thrive.

Q: What has been the biggest benefit of being part of the City SC Affiliate Network?

A: Looking back, we sometimes laugh at the headaches we put ourselves through while trying to decide which club to affiliate with. We wanted to stay true to our roots in Kings County and the Central Valley while creating new opportunities for growth. We chose City SC because of its people and soccer-first approach, and it has been by far the best group we have had the opportunity to work with. City SC allows us to run our club in the way that best serves our community while providing the support and guidance needed to strengthen its direction.

Q: Looking back over the past year, what accomplishments or milestones are you most proud of?

A: We have continued to grow as a club, and our coaches are gaining valuable experience and earning additional licenses. Our Futures program gives our youngest players an introduction to competitive soccer, and we have built strong teams with players advancing to professional academies. Adding DPL for our girls and having teams compete in ECNL-RL have created even more opportunities for our players to grow and develop.

Q: How has the City SC Network helped create opportunities for your players, coaches, and families?

A:  We have had the opportunity to send players to City Connect and even overseas to experience soccer at a higher level. These opportunities mean so much to us because they allow our players to see more of what the game can offer and enjoy experiences they may not have had without City SC. It is especially rewarding to hear from players and families afterward. They consistently share wonderful feedback about the coaches, the people they met and the opportunities they received.

Q: What initiatives, events, or experiences has your club hosted or participated in recently that have had a positive impact on your players and community?

A:  We are working toward hosting our first tournament, and the experience and guidance of the City SC leadership team will be incredibly valuable. We will learn what it takes to organize a successful event, from coordinating teams and schedules to creating an enjoyable experience for players, coaches and families. We are excited to take this next step and hope our first tournament becomes the beginning of something we can continue building each year.

Q: Looking ahead, what are you most excited about for the future of your club and your partnership within the City SC network?

A: What excites us most is seeing how our club has come together. It is not only about our players’ development and the new programs we can offer, but also the growing involvement of our families and the community as a whole. Seeing everyone come together to support our players and our club makes us proud and excited to be part of City SC.

Q: What are your goals and priorities for the upcoming season, and what excites you most about the future of your club?

A: Our goal is simple: to keep improving. We want to continue developing our coaches, creating better opportunities for our players and, most importantly, making sure the kids are having fun. If we continue moving in this direction, the time and dedication of our volunteers will help our program thrive. Above all, we want to keep building a club where players can develop, families feel involved and everyone is proud to belong.