Overview
At Charlotte Independence Soccer Club we strive to be transparent with our members and prospective members. It is important that our community know off the field who we are and what we do. This not only is important to our players and their families, but it is also a core focus of our staff in all we do. Read more about our History, Mission, Vision, Values and Principles below.
History
The Charlotte Independence Soccer Club, one of the nation's largest clubs, stands out as an industry leader in offering youth-to-professional soccer services to communities across North and South Carolina. With a notable history, highlighted by the recent accomplishment of securing four National Championships in the last six years, the club provides a comprehensive pathway for players of all ages and skill levels. From seven National ECNL Programs and successful state-level Competitive teams to inclusive Recreation, Futsal, and Camps programs, the club opens doors for growth and development. The player pathway extends to ownership of the pre-professional Independence USL League Two team, the USL W League Carolina Ascent, and a full professional pathway through the men's USL 1 Professional Charlotte Independence. As the preferred partner of the new USL Super League Carolina Ascent Women's Professional Soccer Team, the club's influence continues to expand. Pioneering youth development, the club holds the distinction of being the first to introduce the Youth Academy in the Carolinas. Demonstrating a steadfast commitment to inclusivity, the club operates three TOPSoccer locations. Under the launched initiatives—Let Us Play, Keep Us Safe, and One Club, One Love—the club leads the industry in providing an exceptional soccer environment for all involved in the game.
Mission
To develop, promote, and administer the game of soccer using the key values of Character, Commitment, Community, Competition, and Communication as the guiding principles to achieve success and provide an exceptional experience, while also developing and promoting life lessons and values.
Vision
To provide the best possible soccer environment for players, coaches, parents, referees and staff by being THE industry leader all the time within all aspects of the club.
The Independence Way
The Independence Way embodies the club's core values, development and training philosophy, performance analysis, player feedback mechanisms, educational initiatives for players and parents, coaching development programs, and player pathway. Discover more about these essential processes below.
Hear Independence Soccer staff get into an in-depth conversation about The Independence Way and the importance about it in our podcast,
Chats with Jacks.
You can also listen to the conversation on your commute to work on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and more.
#TheIndependenceWay is Who We Are.
This mini-series features our staff sharing why it’s meaningful to them and how it guides the growth of our club and players.
Values
We call them our 5 C's and they are a filter for decision making in all that we do and key components to our club culture.
Leadership, Integrity, Honesty, Persistence, Growth Mindset, Power of Positivity, Teamwork, Compassion
Protection of Values, Passion, Role of Educator, Role of Teacher, Role of Coach
Service, Transparency, Honesty, Explaining the Why, Educate, Answer & Affect All
Challenge, Succeed, Passion, Develop, Strive, Leaders, Life Lessons
Positive Impact, Visibility, Collectiveness, Promote Grass Roots, Health & Wellness, Stewards, Partnerships, Schools
Guiding Principles
Behaviors we encourage our staff to adopt and continue to develop, in order to reach our vision
- Technology focused for effectiveness and efficiency
- Problem solvers, not finger pointers
- Growth mindset
- Collectiveness
- Inclusiveness
- Standards & expectations
- Communication, have the honest conversation
- Service industry mindset, we have customers
- Power of positivity
- Inspire and influence
- Do your job, play your role
- We have the right to demand accountability
- Attitude is everything, your attitude is your attitude
Resources
We are committed to helping every child feel inspired about soccer. To support this mission, our club provides all parents and coaches with free access to the Soccer Parent Resource Center.
The Soccer Parent Resource Center is a trusted platform offering courses, videos, monthly live webinars, articles, and interviews with expert tips, advice, and guidance. These resources are designed to help parents and coaches create a positive environment where players feel motivated and supported in their soccer journey.
As a proud Club Member of the Soccer Parenting Association, we believe youth soccer parents are difference makers in the growth of the game. By fostering collaboration between parents, coaches, players, and the club, we can create the best possible environment for player development.
The mission of the Soccer Parenting Association is simple yet powerful: Inspire Players by Empowering Parents. We are excited to share this resource and encourage our families to dive into the content and community available through the Soccer Parent Resource Center.
If you are a member, you can access this resource through the "Club Resources" tab in PlayMetrics. You can learn more about Soccer Parenting Association here.
