Thurston County United (TCU or TC United) was founded in 2011 by Chinqually Booters Soccer Club (CBSC). Our program was intended to fill a void in the community by not just offering competitive soccer at a reasonable cost, but also allowing the easiest possible transition from recreational soccer to competitive soccer for both players and coaches. We are now the only US Club Soccer affiliated program operating in the region, with all of our teams playing in the Washington Premier League (WPL). Through our partnership with Chinqually, and our affiliation with WPL and their WPL Academy, we are the only program in Thurston County that offers a seamless route from Super Mod through recreational and into college (or even the US National Team for a lucky few). We try to offer as much training to Chinqually players as possible, and as players join TC United we encourage them to attend as many academy level tryouts and combines or College ID camps as possible. We pride ourselves on our grassroots approach to soccer in which we have a large foundation of volunteers to act as coaches, team managers, and program administrators. We really love our volunteers! Although coaches do receive a small stipend, much of TC United’s day-to-day operations are based on the actions of volunteers that believe in the passion for sport and service to the community. Our backgrounds are truly diverse, we have college soccer coaches, former professional and college players, teachers, police officers, and bankers. Soccer may not be our day job, but it is still our life! Even with an all-volunteer staff, all of our head coaches hold a minimum of a National E or an NSCAA Level 6, but many of our coaches have much higher credentials than that. TC United works with the WPL, US Club, and United Soccer Coaches to offer as many coaching education opportunities to our coaching staff as we can. We also extend many opportunities for coaches’ education and training to members of Chinqually. Our affiliation with US Club offers the finest possible soccer experience in Thurston County. US Club shares our values that competitive soccer should be accessible and affordable to any player that has the desire to play. US Club fosters an atmosphere for its member clubs that allows unrestricted access to soccer and assists in developing programs that promote a comprehensive approach to the player and parent experience. US Club offers best-in-class resources to assist in coach and player education and development, while also ensuring the health and welfare of all players through programs such as Player First. The WPL’s rules on promotion and relegation ensure that the US Club’s core value of improved player development and growth of the game is upheld. Teams are placed in their league based off of their playing history to guarantee that each player develops and prospers by letting the game be the teacher. The WPL is also one of the largest competitive soccer leagues in the Northwest, with over 60 clubs and nearly 1,000 teams participating in 2015. US Club and the WPL is the best option for any player to become the best they can be. Through US Club, TC United exists under one organizational umbrella, creating a “members for life” culture of unity within each club. While we are a competitive program, we retain strong ties with our parent recreational club, Chinqually. TC United’s standing committee is made up entirely of members of Chinqually’s board of directors – and they act as our governing body. Our program remains deeply committed to the development and success of recreational players and coaches, with the belief that high-level competitive soccer cannot exist without a prosperous recreational foundation.
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