U.S. Soccer Development Academy and MLS Pro Pathways Make Club Top Destination for Temecula Valley Soccer Players
Temecula, CA – December 25 2019 – Temecula United Soccer Club has announced that, beginning with the 2020 season, the club will be rebranding as City SC Temecula. The rebrand follows three years of rapid growth both on and off the field for the Temecula, CA based youth soccer club.
City SC Temecula joins the growing City SC brand with LA Galaxy San Diego, which will compete as City SC Carlsbad. City SC is a U.S. Soccer Development Academy Member Club and an MLS adidas Youth Affiliate Network member.
“Joining forces with City SC is a natural next step for the club. Our players and teams on both the girls and boys side will have access to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, the MLS and National Women’s Soccer League through the partnership with the MLS Youth Affiliate Network,” said Michael Richards, City SC Temecula Director of Operations.
“We have always developed excellent soccer players at Temecula United (TU), but the top of the player development pyramid was missing – until now,” said City SC Temecula Technical Director Aaron Kiely. “City SC Temecula will provide honest DA, MLS and NWSL pathways for players who have aspirations of reaching the next level whether it is college, semi-pro or pro soccer,” said Aaron Kiely.
“Temecula has so many talented players that are looking for a club that will help them reach their fullest potential,” said Steve Cowell, City SC Carlsbad Technical Director. “City SC will provide that opportunity through our complete player pathway and commitment to individual player development.”
Temecula United was founded in 2005 and has developed a huge following in Temecula Valley by doing the simple things right; they built a positive club culture which offered a fun, safe and innovative player-first model of teaching the game to boys and girls.
Temecula United has outgrown the club’s current soccer model and has been looking for the right opportunity rather than any opportunity to add the top of the player development pyramid. A simple licensing agreement for a name and uniforms was never an option for Temecula United, according to City SC Temecula’s Michael Richards.
“When we drafted the blueprints for building a better soccer home for Temecula Valley families, we always returned to the word community,” said Terry Olsen, City SC Temecula Girls Director of Coaching. “Soccer is so much more than a game. It is a microcosm of life, and our aspirations are to use the game to better our communities. We have always admired what they were doing off the field in Carlsbad with their fantastic award winning community outreach work and programs, so to partner with them is the perfect addition to our new soccer home,” said Terry Olsen.
“We are excited to take the first step towards our plans for regional expansion by welcoming Temecula to City SC. This is a great opportunity to connect our cities through common goals,” said Michael Duggan, City SC Carlsbad Director of Operations. “Both clubs have deep ties in their respective communities as well as a fantastic soccer culture and rich tradition of growing the game.”
The Temecula United club directors insisted that an expansion would not come at the cost of losing their local identity.
“A city isn’t simply about buildings and streets – it is about the citizens and the values they cherish and protect,” said Angelo Fiorini, City SC Temecula Boys Director of Coaching. “The club has always been and always will be run by locals like myself who share the values and vision of the people of the cities that make up Temecula Valley.”
The City SC crest was designed by renowned graphic designer Matthew Wolff (www.matthewwolff.com), who while at Nike designed several critically-acclaimed uniforms for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, including wear for the champions France and for Nigeria. He also designed LAFC’s soccer crest.
