Blount United Partnership
NEW PARTNERSHIP TO BENEFIT THE REGION
Blount United Soccer Club and FC Alliance are thrilled to announce a partnership starting in the Fall of 2024 with planning and organization to start immediately. Beginning in August, FC Alliance will operate its successful Elite Soccer League (ESL) for U5-U8 through Blount United Soccer Club at Vulcan Park Fields in Maryville, TN. The Elite Soccer League is a developmental soccer program that welcomes players of all skill levels. It is the perfect program for new players looking to learn the fundamentals as well as experienced players looking to prepare for the next level of play. The program offers weekly practices within a team environment, coaching from a trained professional working from the proven FC Alliance curriculum, and weekly league play against other teams within the program. All of this is delivered in a Players First (licensed in 2018) environment that focuses on fun and player development. The goal of the Elite Soccer League is to offer young U5-U8 players an all-in-one soccer experience that provides everything a player needs to learn and love the game of soccer.
The goal of this partnership is to build the base programs of Blount United while developing a new generation of players in Blount County using professional coaches and a proven curriculum for U5-U8 players. These players will practice and play locally in Blount County. ESL Director Caleb Lucas, who attended Maryville High School and Maryville College, will work directly with BUSC’s Director of Academy Growth, Anna Land, to shape the future curriculum of this particular age group thereby increasing skill level in preparation for the competitive landscape and growing soccer successfully in Blount County and surrounding areas.
To build off of the synergy of this partnership both clubs will benefit from cooperation on soccer events including the continued success of VESL league. Blount United Soccer Club has been developing players since 1997, and FC Alliance has been doing the same since 2008. We are beyond excited that the two oldest clubs in East Tennessee are partnering to raise the game in our region. Can’t wait to see our players, old and new, on the pitch!!
Our Club Partners:
“I could not be more excited for the opportunity to bring the Elite Soccer League to BUSC. Blount County is where I grew up and learned to love the game of soccer, and it’s still my home today. I’ve always directed the Elite Soccer League with the goal of building a positive soccer community, and I take pride in being able to now share that community with my home. I’m thrilled to have the chance to help young Blount County players find the same joy that I found playing in this community.”
~Caleb Lucas, FC Alliance, ESL Coaching Director
“FC Alliance is excited to help raise the game in Blount County through this partnership. We are both community-based clubs and we knew right away that they wanted the same thing as us, and that is to grow the game in Blount County and the region.”
~Josh Gray, FC Alliance VP, Girls Director of Coaching, ECNL Director
“Blount United has been the home of competitive soccer in Blount County for years. We are excited to continue as a community partner in the Knoxville area with the partnership of FC Alliance. FC Alliance has offered elite level youth soccer in Knoxville for years, and BUSC is excited to extend that groundwork to the youngest soccer players in Blount County. The future of soccer players looks bright with this opportunity.”
~TJ McCallum, Director of Coaching, Blount United Soccer Club
“We are excited to start this journey together with FC Alliance. There is nothing better than sharing a vision for growing soccer through development, passion for the sport, and community. With Blount United Soccer Club’s proven history of laying the groundwork of preparation for the next level plus FC Alliance’s amazing stats for elite-level play and college commitments, we can’t think of a better partnership. Our main goal is to support the individuality of each club while working together in support of positive player development including all the benefits that team sports provides to players long term.”
~Becky Clendenin, President, Blount United Soccer Club