KICKOFF
OCT 2026
ALL THINGS MSYSA
Halloween Costume Contest U.S. Soccer Integration United Clubs League 21 Maryland players selected at U.S. Soccer ID Camp
Photo credit: 2026 UCL
Table of Contents 4
GRIP Courses Available in Maryland
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U.S. Soccer Integration
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United Clubs League: Through the Lens
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Affiliate Grants & Heffelfinger Scholarship
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Halloween Costume Contest
Maryland Olympic 12 Join Development Program
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500 Backpacks. 1 Incredible Community.
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21 Maryland players selected at U.S. Soccer ID Camp
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International Trip: London Walking Tour
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On The Line: Corey Parker, FIFA Referee
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MSYSA News
CONNECT WITH US!
MSYSA is the primary advocate for youth soccer in Maryland and DC and works collaboratively with our Affiliates, partners, and sponsors to grow the game by educating, promoting, supporting, and providing.
EDUCATE
*Coaching Education *Communicate policies/procedures for programs, plater registrations etc. *Disseminate info from US Soccer, US Youth Soccer and East Region *Parent Education
PROMOTE
SUPPORT
PROVIDE
*Affiliate Club spotlights
*Issue Grants
*Insurance coverage
*Award scholarships
*Affiliate Coach Spotlights
*Club Leadership Webinar Series
*Issue Certificates of Insurance
*Player Accomplishments
*Offer technical and administrative expertise
*Recognize players, teams, coaches, and referees with annual awards
*Provide resources to expand recreational opportunities
*Highlight talented players that make National level pools and teams
*Serve as a repository for ideas/ initiatives for benefit of all members
*USYS Carding and rostering PROGRAMMING *ODP *Indoor Training *Presidents Cup *State Cup *Summer Soccer Academy *Strategic Partnership and Sponsorship benefit affiliates
MISSION Grow the game of soccer by educating, promoting, supporting, and providing
VISION Provide an opportunity for everyone to participate in the game of soccer
WHY WE TRANSFORM LIVES! Membership organization with more than: 230 member clubs and leagues 85,000 players 10,000 coaches, administrators, and volunteers 2,500 referees, assignors, mentors, and coaches
AVAILABLE GRASSROOTS IN-PERSON COACHING COURSES! 2026 GRIP COURSES HOST PASADENA SOCCER CLUB 7v7 GRIP COURSE 10/12/2026-10/14/2026 @PASADENA, MD
HOST PASADENA SOCCER CLUB 11V11 GRIP COURSE 10/13/2026-10/14/2026 - @PASADENA, MD
C COURSE
B COURSE
HOSTED BY MSI ROCKVILLE, MD - OCTOBER 11TH JANUARY 24TH, 2027
HOSTED BY CSA PRINCE FREDERICK, MD – JAN 11TH - MAR 8TH (MONDAY EVENING GROUP)
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GREAT COACHES NEVER STOP LEARNING Great coaches never stop learning and Maryland coaches are continuing to invest in their development through the U.S. Soccer B License Coaching Course. Grounded in U.S. Soccer’s core principles, the B License connects individual player development with team performance. Coaches translate development goals into purposeful training weeks and game plans aligned with their game model, using analysis and reflection to strengthen player learning within safe, inclusive environments. For coaches, earning the B License is more than adding another credential to their résumé. It is an opportunity to reflect on their coaching, challenge their ideas and develop new tools that can create better learning environments for their players. Congratulations to all of the coaches taking on this challenge and continuing their coaching journey. Your commitment to learning helps build better coaches, stronger players and a stronger soccer community.
Ready to take the next step? Coaches interested in pursuing their B License can explore upcoming course opportunities and eligibility requirements through the U.S. Soccer Learning Center.
LEARN MORE AND EXPLORE AVAILABLE COACHING COURSES
U.S. SOCCER AND US YOUTH SOCCER ANNOUNCE HISTORIC INTEGRATION TO STRENGTHEN SOCCER IN AMERICA MSYSA joined State Associations from across the country in supporting a historic step to make US Youth Soccer (USYS) part of U.S. Soccer, bringing the organizations closer together to invest more in local soccer and create better experiences for players and families; creating greater alignment across the game and new opportunities to strengthen soccer locally. USYS State Associations voted to approve the change during their Annual General Meeting, which will begin a two-year integration process on September 1. The decision brings USYS’s decades of experience and reach across youth soccer closer together with U.S. Soccer’s resources and national scale. What This Means for Soccer in Maryland and DC The integration begins a two-year process in which State Associations will work closely with U.S. Soccer and USYS to help shape the future of soccer in communities around the country. The goal is to create a stronger and more connected soccer system that can: Bring more resources and investment to soccer locally. Strengthen State Associations and their ability to support and grow the game in their communities. Create more opportunities for people to play and stay in the game. Better support clubs, leagues, coaches and referees serving players every day. Make soccer easier for families to understand and navigate. Connect local communities more directly to U.S. Soccer and the resources, expertise and opportunities available nationally.
The integration is part of U.S. Soccer’s broader Pathways Strategy, which brings together members and stakeholders from across American soccer to create a more connected future for the game. For Maryland and DC, that future starts locally building on the work already happening in our communities and creating the support, investment and opportunities to help soccer reach even more people across our jurisdiction. For MSYSA and our members, business continues as usual. Our State Association, clubs, leagues, programs, competitions, and membership services remain in place and will continue without interruption. Thank you for all you are doing to grow and improve the game of soccer, and we look forward to continued collaborations!
United Clubs League: Through the Lens
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Week 1 is in the books! United Elite Soccer vs FC Frederick brought the heat to open the 2026 UCL season. This is what it looks like when clubs compete close to home - real matches, real development, real moments.
The competition is heating up in UCL, and Towson United came away with a thrilling 3–2 victory!
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Perfect soccer weather, bigtime energy, and plenty of action on the pitch!
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The energy is ALWAYS up when BUSA hits the UCL pitch!
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BUSA is bringing the intensity and making every UCL match one to watch!
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Weekend Vibes from the UCL pitch! Team pics featuring Lady Marksmen and Panthers FC! The energy, competition, and team spirit are on full display. UCL is the place to be!
AFFILIATE GRANTS & HEFFELFINGER SCHOLARSHIP MSYSA is committing another $45,000 in grants and scholarships to help more people across Maryland and D.C. get involved in the beautiful game!
LEARN MORE AND APPLY FOR MSYSA GRANTS & HEFFELFINGER SCHOLARSHIP
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 2027 ODP CYCLE OPEN TRYOUTS! WHY SHOULD YOU JOIN ODP? CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE 2027 ODP CYCLE OPEN TRYOUTS
500 BACKPACKS. 1 INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY. In partnership with the Washington Spirit and CVS Health, MSYSA helped provide 500 backpacks to students at South Lake Elementary School, helping local students head into the new school year with the supplies and support they need to succeed. “We are all about bringing more access to people, especially more access to soccer,” said Jessica Kaufman, Washington Spirit Director of Partnership and Activation. “I would love if some kids today get really excited about soccer and sign up for their local team!” For the students at South Lake Elementary, the day was about more than receiving a filled backpack. It was about knowing their community was behind them as they headed into a new school year and, hopefully, inspiring a few future soccer players along the way. Moments like this are a powerful reminder that soccer is about more than what happens on the field. Through partnerships, outreach and a commitment to giving back, MSYSA continues to create opportunities, build connections and make a difference in the community. A huge thank you to the Washington Spirit and CVS Health for helping make this incredible event possible, and to everyone who showed up ready to pack, give back and make an impact.
ALL GIRLS LET’S PLAY! PROGRAM PRESENTED BY THE WASHINGTON SPIRIT We’re excited to launch an eight-week all girls Let’s Play! program at South Lake Elementary presented by the Washington Spirit! This has been designed to create more opportunities for girls to get involved in the beautiful game. As the Official Presenting Sponsor, the Washington Spirit is helping make this experience possible by providing cleats, soccer balls, T-shirts, player appearances, and a separate clinic for the participants. We’re proud to work alongside Washington Spirit to create meaningful opportunities for young girls to play, build confidence, and fall in love with soccer.
ODP INTERNATIONAL TRIP: LONDON WALKING TOUR
🇬🇧 Big Ben 🕰️ Windsor Castle 🏰 Tower Bridge 🌉 The London Eye 🎡 Our Maryland ODP athletes took on the city between training and match play - this is what the International Trip is all about. ✈️
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We’ve got an incredible guest joining Priestly On The Line! FIFA Referee, Corey Parker is one of the most experienced American officials on the international stage and he’s bringing plenty of stories to the podcast. Parker has officiated at some of the biggest events in the world, including the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and both the 2022 and 2026 FIFA World Cups. At Qatar 2022, Parker served as a Standby Assistant VAR and was part of the officiating team for the World Cup Final between Argentina and France. On home soil at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Parker stepped into a major on-field role as an Assistant Referee alongside Ismail Elfath and Kyle Atkins. Becoming the first all-U.S. Soccer referee crew to officiate a men's FIFA World Cup semifinal. Now, he’s taking us On The Line to talk World Cup, VAR, the life of an international referee, and what it’s really like officiating on soccer’s biggest stages. October 13. You don’t want to miss this one.
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MSYSA NEWS C Course Hosted by SAC
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A big thank you to SAC for hosting the C License Course and supporting the continued development of coaches in our soccer community! B License Tactical Narrative
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B License coaches took their learning onto the field at Covenant Park, working through a tactical narrative designed to challenge their decision-making, tactical understanding and ability to apply concepts in a real training environment. It’s all part of the process of becoming a more thoughtful, knowledgeable and effective coach.
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MSYSA NEWS
SIDELINE SELFREGULATION TIPS FOR PARENTS / CAREGIVERS
ACTIVITIES THAT BUILD TEAMWORK
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