The World of Soccer Organizations

Many people who participate in organized soccer are only aware of the club organization; however, there are a number of soccer organizations that a club relies upon in order to allow a club to operate successfully. They are briefly referenced and explained below:

Club – Our club is the Orangevale Youth Soccer Club (OYSC). The Club is a non-profit, volunteer organization. It is the primary level organization and the one that most people interact with most frequently. The club is responsible for setting many rules for teams, coaches and refereeing. The Club works with local school districts, park districts, private property owners (churches,  etc.) for field development and use.. A portion of registration fees paid when you sign your child up are passed along to the “higher” organizations listed below.

League – In 2023 we officially became a league. That’s just an organization structure issue that gives us more flexibility and autonomy. We play in different leagues depending on the age group. Our U6 and U8 kids play in-house and may play against some other clubs. Our U10-U12 kids play in a mini community playing league that includes teams from East along highway 50. Our big kids, U14+, play against other teams in District VI Community Playing League which covers the greater Sacramento region.

Association – Our league is a member of the California Youth Soccer Association. They provide additional training to help leagues operate more efficiently and provide even more resources (ie: large-scale tournaments like District Cup and State Cup, administrative workshops and Olympic Development Programs). To help keep things organized in a large association, they have divided the area into geographical regions called “districts.” We operate as a member of District VI.

National Youth Organization – Our association is a member of US Youth Soccer. As a national organization, it is dedicated to promoting interest in soccer among the country’s youth and is primarily an educational institution.

National Organization – Our youth organization is a member of US Soccer. This national organization is likely best known for managing the men’s and women’s national teams that represent our country during international competitions.

International Organization – Our national organization is a member of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (in english, International Federation of Association Football)… or more commonly known simply as FIFA. And, of course, the term “football” used here designates what most Americans refer to as “soccer.” This international organization is the highest soccer authority in the world. In addition to providing overarching guidelines for the laws of the game, they host the most popular sporting event in the world – the World Cup.