BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – As many local youth sports programs are wrapping up their fall seasons, Legacy Football Club has afforded Raleigh county residents the opportunity to continue developing their skills on the soccer field during the off-season.
Founded in 2014 by Jay Rist, Jerry Umberger, and Jason Logan, Legacy Football Club is a nonprofit organization which seeks to provide children in the community the experience of traveling and putting their skills to the test through tournaments in which they face both in and out-of-state competition.
The institution seeks to offer a more affordable alternative to existing travel-based sports programs. “We were amazed at what parents pay for travel soccer in Maryland, New Jersey, and other areas,” says Coach Jason Stafford.
In past seasons, Legacy participants have gone up against competition in an assortment of areas including Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio, and North Carolina. Players are encouraged to enjoy themselves on the field, but also to take their contributions seriously, as Coach Stafford notes: “The goal is for the kids to learn European style soccer, have fun, and develop their abilities to the highest possible level.”
To accommodate players of various ages, participants are grouped into one of two categories: Academy or Select. Legacy’s Academy Program is geared toward younger players, specifically those in the U8-U12 age groups, and focuses on basic concepts and skill-building. Older players need look no further than the Select Program, which is available to players in the U12-U18 age groups, and expands upon basic concepts while further developing the necessary skills to be successful in competitive play.
The payment structure, which facilitates the organization, is broken up into two categories: Registration Fees, which are $100 for all players and are paid annually, and Club Fees, which are paid monthly, and are determined through a tier-based pay system in which fees correlate with projected expenses for activities in each tier level. For example, the lowest tier level of the Academy Program is Little Kickers, for which monthly fees are $25, while the highest tier of the Academy Program is Competitive, for which monthly fees are $105. “We try to keep registration fees on the lower end,” says Coach Stafford. Players can partake in up to two team practices before registration and payment are required. There is no obligatory commitment upon registration, and players can choose to withdraw at any time.
The program runs ten months out of the year, with July and August set aside as rest intervals. Parents and players are welcome to join semi-weekly practices at the YMCA Paul Cline Memorial Youth Sports Complex. Further details are available on the program’s Facebook page at https://m.facebook.com/legacyfcwv/ and on their website at https://www.legacyfcwv.com.