How to Run an Adult Soccer League: 80 to 1,500+ Players

Chapters

1. 0:00Cold open: from 80 to 2,000 adult players
2. 0:22Intro: Donnie Emerson, Executive Director of Bend FC
3. 2:102,800 players: competitive, rec, and adult
4. 3:08How Bend FC grew by adding adult leagues
5. 4:39Advice for new clubs: patience and serve your community
6. 5:25Adult vs. youth leagues
7. 5:57Small-sided 7v7: two fields from every 11v11
8. 6:27Team vs. individual registration
9. 7:11Captains help govern the league
10. 7:52One referee and no offsides
11. 8:57Zero tolerance: one-year suspensions
12. 9:23Who plays: age 16+, A/B/C ability leagues
13. 10:45The tech gaps club directors still have
14. 11:43Gap 1: accounting in one system
15. 12:56Gap 2: club communication
16. 13:12How Waresport handles club communication
17. 13:55When a parent goes negative in the team chat
18. 17:45Automating the response
19. 19:11Politics in team chats
20. 21:16Kids use the club app too
21. 22:51Policy vs. restricting messages
22. 24:03How Donnie handles it: pick up the phone
23. 25:07Photos, foster care, and player privacy
24. 25:45Where admin time goes: half on communication
25. 27:34Would clubs pay for done-for-you social media?
26. 30:11Software you never have to log into
27. 31:03Waresport's AI employee
28. 31:56How AI is changing youth soccer
29. 33:21Next time: a club blueprint and a live demo
30. 36:34What would 10x club software look like?
31. 37:15Outro

Key takeaways

1. 1

   Bend FC's adult program grew from 80 players to 1,500+.

2. 2

   The nonprofit has about 700 competitive players, 1,500 recreational players, and 1,500+ adults.

3. 3

   They play 7v7 across a 9v9 field, with one center referee and no offsides.

4. 4

   Poor behavior means a one-year suspension.

5. 5

   Announcements, email, and social media take about half of a director's week.

Keep reading

• Parent communication
• Scheduling
• Registration
• Pricing