Frequently  Asked  Questions    

Q.  The  club’s  mission  is  Soccer  for  Life.  What  does  that  mean?  

A.  Simply  put,  FC  Boulder  provides  an  environment  suitable  for  every  player  –  from  the  least  experienced  recreational  player  to  the  most  experienced  college-­‐bound  competitive  player  and  beyond.  We  strive  to  instill  traits  in  players  that  are  useful  long  after  the  last  whistle  blows  –  character  …  sportsmanship  …  discipline  …  fitness  …  achievement.    

We  aim  to  empower  all  of  our  players  to  strive  toward  achievement  both  on  and  off  the  field,  to  promote  equity  and  social  justice  in  our  community,  to  seek  friendships  and  to  embrace  the  successes  and  failures  that  are  experienced  through  team  sports,  and  ultimately  to  find  passion  and  love  for  the  sport  that  lasts  a  lifetime…  Soccer  for  Life.  

For  more  details  in  support  of  the  club’s  mission,  vision  and  values,  please  visit:  fcboulder.com/our-­‐club/our-­‐mission-­‐values/.  

 

Q.  Who  are  the  club’s  Board  Directors?  What  are  the  Board’s  responsibilities?  What  is  the  Board  election  process?  

FC  Boulder’s  Board  of  Directors  consists  of  nine,  membership-­‐elected  volunteers  and  the  Executive  Director.  The  Board’s  collective  responsibilities  include:  

• Hire  an  Executive  Director  • Oversee  club  operations  • Establish  fees  for  services  provided  by  the  club,  approve  the  club’s  annual  budget  

and  oversee  the  financial  affairs  of  the  club  • Provide  insurance  programs  for  the  membership  and  the  officers,  directors  and  

employees  of  the  club  • Fundraise  on  behalf  of  club  programming  and  club  growth  and  development  • Hear  appeals  from  membership  • Render  final  business  decisions  in  consultation  with  the  Executive  Director  • Formulate,  interpret  and  enforce  the  rules  and  regulations  of  the  club  

Terms  are  three  years  –  elections  for  open  Board  positions  are  held  annually  in  November.  The  Executive  Board  consists  of  four  officers  elected  by  the  Board  including  the  positions  of  President,  Vice  President,  Secretary  and  Treasurer.  The  2016-­‐17  Board  Members  include:  

Jaymi  Bauer  Stephen  Dalla  Betta  (Treasurer)  Jonathan  Epstein  Jennifer  Fox  (Secretary)  Adam  Hayes  (Executive  Director)  

Roger  Pielke  Jeffrey  Rose  Jon  Skinner  Markus  Taekla  (Vice  President)  Jeff  Weltzin  (President)  

 

Q.  What  are  the  club’s  policies  and  procedures  around  employee  reviews  and  employment  agreements?  

As  a  Colorado  501(c)  3  non-­‐profit  organization,  all  FC  Boulder  employees  work  under  annual  work  agreements.  Colorado  is  an  at-­‐will  state  and  either  employer  or  employee  can  separate  from  the  agreement  at  any  time  with  or  without  notice  and  with  or  without  cause.    

Employee  reviews  are  ongoing  with  a  more  formal  review  process  occurring  between  the  fall  and  spring  seasons.  E.g.,  in  November  and  December  2016,  all  full-­‐time  FC  Boulder  employees  participated  in  and  received  feedback  from  a  comprehensive  360-­‐peer  review.    

Employment  agreements  are  renewed  annually  by  the  Executive  Director.  The  Board  of  Directors  is  responsible  for  reviewing  and  renewing  the  work  agreement  of  the  Executive  Director.  

 

Q.  What  benefits  are  provided  to  eligible  FC  Boulder  employees?    

Full-­‐time  and  benefit-­‐eligible  employees  are  provided  with  opt-­‐in  health  benefits  including  medical,  dental  and  vision.  The  club  pays  50%  of  the  employees’  monthly  medical  premium  to  a  maximum  of  $300  per  month.  Spouses  and  child(ren)  are  not  included.    

Employees  are  not  provided  with  a  retirement  plan  or  matching  retirement  benefits  but  are  encouraged  to  set-­‐up  independent  retirement  planning.  The  club  does  not  provide  compensation  beyond  work  done  to  staff  members  who  resign  from  the  organization.    

Based  on  role  in  the  organization,  some  employees  may  receive  seasonal  stipends  toward  travel  costs  and  cell  phone  usage.    

 

Q.  When  FC  Boulder  raises  programming  fees,  what  are  the  driving  factors  that  lead  to  the  increases?  

There  are  a  number  of  factors  that  play  into  determining  registration  fees.  Below  are  some  of  the  most  significant  expense  variables  that  are  considered:  

Rising  field  costs  –  We  are  all  so  fortunate  to  live  in  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  special  communities  on  the  planet.  Similarly,  we  pay  a  higher  cost  than  any  other  club  in  the  state  just  to  use  the  land  around  us.  2017  is  year  2  of  an  expected  4-­‐year,  40%  increase  in  field  rental  costs  imposed  by  the  city  of  Boulder.  By  2020,  we  expect  that  the  club  will  pay  the  city  over  $200,000  in  field  use  fees  annually.  

Referee  pay  increases  –  Colorado  referees  have  been  among  the  lowest  paid  referees  in  our  region  and  the  newly  formed  Colorado  Referee  Committee  through  partnership  with  the  Colorado  Soccer  Association  have  begun  increasing  the  referee  pay  scale.    

Retention  of  coaches  and  employees  –  as  with  any  business,  when  employees  perform  at  a  high  level,  additional  financial  support  is  required  to  retain  their  services.  

Governing  agencies  –  US  Youth  Soccer  continues  to  raise  player  fees  annually  which  forces  Colorado  Soccer  Association  to  raise  fees  and  those  fees  are  passed  down  to  clubs  and  players.    

 

Q.  What  percentage  of  expenses  are  committed  to  salaries  for  coaching  and  club  administration?  What  are  other  expenses  are  significant  to  the  club’s  operating  budget?  

In  2016-­‐17,  salaries  to  FC  Boulder  employees,  including  coaching  staff  and  members  of  the  club’s  administrative  team  represent  42%  of  total  operating  expenses.  We  believe  this  is  in  line  with  regional  and  national  averages  for  non-­‐profit  organizations  similar  to  ours.    

In  2016-­‐17,  facility  rental  to  the  city  of  Boulder  will  be  approximately  $175,000,  or  nearly  10.2%  of  the  club’s  operating  budget.  On  a  per-­‐player  basis,  this  expense  is  2x-­‐4x  greater  than  some  of  our  neighboring  soccer  organizations.  

Other  significant  annual  expenses  (by  approximate  percentage)  include:    

Competitive  team  coaches  and  recreational  coaching  support:  11.6%  Facility  (SPC),  Office  and  Storage:  8.8%  Payroll  Taxes,  Employee  Benefits,  Insurance:  6.9%  Referees  and  referee  assigning  compensation:  6.3%  Miscellaneous  (office  supplies,  overhead,  other):  4.1%  CSA  Player  and  Coach  registration  fees:  3.5%  Tournament  Entry  Fees  for  FC  Boulder  teams:  3.4%  Merchant  Services  and  Online  registration  fees:  3.2%  

 

Q.  What  is  the  PDL?  What  is  the  cost  of  the  PDL?  

The  Premier  Development  League  (PDL)  is  the  highest  pre-­‐professional  level  of  play  in  the  North  America.  Owned  by  the  United  Soccer  League  (USL)  and  in  vertical  alignment  with  Major  League  Soccer  (MLS),  the  PDL  is  a  true  Path-­‐to-­‐Pro  model  for  high-­‐level  players.  The  

addition  of  the  PDL  to  FC  Boulder’s  portfolio  directly  supports  the  club’s  Soccer  for  Life  mission.  

Upon  invitation  to  the  league  in  October  2016,  and  based  on  FC  Boulder’s  non-­‐profit  status,  the  PDL  provided  a  financial  model  that  allowed  FC  Boulder  to  join  the  league  without  experiencing  the  normal  start-­‐up  costs  associated  with  owning  a  PDL  franchise.  

Expenses  incurred  by  the  club  due  to  the  addition  of  PDL  programming  include  field  rentals,  referee  costs  and  travel  costs  to  away  matches.  The  duties  of  the  coaching  staff,  the  PDL  admin  team  and  game-­‐day  operations  are  being  done  on  primarily  on  a  volunteer  basis.  Hard  expenses  for  the  PDL  are  being  supported  by  donations,  sponsorships  and  grant  monies  –  PDL  expenses  will  not  be  paid  through  youth  player  registration  fees.  

 

Q.  Why  did  the  club  invest  time  and  money  into  developing  the  Sports  Performance  Center?  How  is  it  funded?    

For  many  winters,  only  a  select  group  of  FC  Boulder  teams  were  afforded  indoor  practice  space  and  space  was  spread  across  many  venues  including  school  gymnasiums,  church  basements  and  rec  centers.    

As  such,  the  Sports  Performance  Center  (SPC)  has  met  a  significant  demand  for  the  club  in  terms  of  providing  year-­‐round  access  to  indoor  soccer  and  Futsal  training  opportunities  for  all  teams  and  players.  Additionally,  the  SPC  directly  supports  the  club’s  player  development  philosophy  of  technical  proficiency,  small-­‐sided  soccer  as  a  tool  for  problem  solving  and  decision-­‐making,  and  creating  joy  in  the  game…  5v5  Futsal  and  soccer  is  really  fun!  

The  addition  of  the  Athletic  Performance  Program  (APP)  to  the  footprint  of  the  SPC  further  supports  the  club’s  philosophies  around  Long  Term  Athlete  Development    -­‐  as  such  all  players  have  access  to  the  APP.    

The  SPC  is  funded  through  a  variety  of  revenue  streams  including:  Lil’  Kickers  and  School  Day  Off  Camps,  FC  Boulder  player  registration  fees,  outside  user  groups,  sponsors  and  advertisers,  winter  futsal  leagues  and  winter  soccer  camps,  field  rentals,  birthday  parties  and  more.  The  SPC  is  one  of  the  club’s  most  valuable  resources  in  support  of  player  development.    

 

Q.  Are  there  FC  Boulder  stand-­‐alone  programs  with  registration  fees  upwards  of  $3000  or  more?  

Simply,  No.  The  highest  program  registration  fee  of  $2750  is  in  support  of  the  U.S.  Soccer  Development  Academy.    

When  teams  travel  to  out-­‐of-­‐state  tournaments,  the  players’  families  are  required  to  pay  the  associated  travel  costs.  For  select  programs,  including  the  Development  Academy  and  

the  Girls’  Elite  Travel  Program,  FC  Boulder  acts  as  a  pass-­‐through  by  collecting  travel  funds  on  behalf  of  the  teams  and  executing  travel  plans  for  those  teams.  

We  are  keenly  aware  of  the  rising  costs  of  participation  in  youth  sports  and  youth  activities  in  general.  Being  a  Boulder-­‐based  organization  brings  additional  challenges  regarding  costs  of  living  and  field  use  expenses  that  other  youth  organizations  in  Colorado  do  not  encounter.  Both  FC  Boulder  and  BVYS  continue  to  work  diligently  to  curtail  the  increasing  costs  of  participation  in  youth  sports.    

 

Q.  It  has  been  approximately  5  years  since  the  merger  between  two  former  clubs  in  Boulder  to  form  FC  Boulder.  What  have  been  a  few  highlights  since  that  time?  

While  there  will  always  be  competition  in  the  youth  soccer  landscape,  in  fall  2011  and  spring  2012,  the  leaders  of  the  former  Boulder  County  Force  and  Boulder  Athletic  clubs  came  together  under  the  umbrella  of  “One  Community,  One  Club”  to  form  FC  Boulder.  A  brief  recount  of  the  FC  Boulder  Story  is  available  at:  fcboulder.com/our-­‐club/fc-­‐boulder-­‐story/.  

In  its  brief  five-­‐year  history,  the  club  has  become  the  most  comprehensive  soccer  organization  in  Colorado  –  able  to  offer  age-­‐appropriate  development  opportunities  for  players  at  all  ages  and  stages  while  meeting  the  demands  of  the  changing  landscape  of  Colorado  and  national  youth  soccer.    Just  a  few  highlights:  

• Partnership  with  the  YMCA  of  Boulder  Valley  toward  the  growth  and  development  of  affordable  recreational  soccer  in  Boulder  County  

• Opening  of  the  Sports  Performance  Center,  a  20,000  sq  ft.,  state-­‐of-­‐the-­‐art  indoor  sports  facility  extending  development  opportunities  for  all  players  year-­‐round.    

• Enrollment  growth  to  over  2500  players  and  families  served  in  2016-­‐17  including  greatly  improved  player,  coach  and  volunteer  retention  

• Invitation  from  U.S.  Soccer  to  join  the  Development  Academy  offering  the  highest  level  of  training  and  competition  in  youth  soccer  

• Invitation  the  Premier  Development  League  to  join  the  most  established  Path-­‐to-­‐Pro  league  in  North  America  

• 98  players  advancing  on  to  play  college  soccer  • 2  U.S.  Club  Soccer  National  Championships  (2013  and  2016)  • 9  Colorado  State  Championships  • 2  Colorado  Presidents  Cup  Championships  • 110+  players  experience  European  soccer  travel  through  FCBeyond  

We  live  in  an  area  of  the  country  that  is  filled  with  excellence  and  high  expectations.  We  expect  the  same  from  ourselves  and  our  organization.    

 

Q.  What  is  Boulder  Valley  Youth  Soccer  and  how  does  it  benefit  FC  Boulder?  

A.  Boulder  Valley  Youth  Soccer  is  a  partnership  between  the  YMCA  of  Boulder  Valley  and  FC  Boulder  with  the  goal  of  bringing  comprehensive  recreational  soccer  programming  to  players  and  families  throughout  Boulder  County  at  a  very  high  level  and  a  very  affordable  cost.  With  the  two  organizations  sharing  many  of  the  same  values  and  philosophies  regarding  growth  and  maturation  of  young  people  in  our  community,  we  have  been  able  to  share  resources  to  create  a  robust  and  dynamic  recreational  soccer  program.    

Launching  in  fall  2016,  the  Boulder  Valley  Youth  Soccer  program  has  shown  in  a  short  time  that  when  two  organizations  like  ours  work  together,  that  we  can  create  something  really  wonderful  for  the  our  community.    Like  all  of  our  programming  options,  Boulder  Valley  Youth  Soccer  directly  supports  FC  Boulder’s  mission  of  Soccer  for  Life.  

 

Q.  Why  did  the  club  create  a  spring  girls’  program  for  high  school-­‐aged  players?  Will  the  club  continue  to  support  high  school  soccer?    

A.  The  development  of  the  spring  2017  Showcase  team  for  high  school-­‐aged  players  was,  like  nearly  all  of  our  programs,  in  response  to  a  need  expressed  by  our  membership.  We  heard  from  a  number  of  players  and  their  families  that  they  wanted  an  alternative  to  playing  high  school  soccer  and  asked  the  club  help  to  provide  an  option  for  them.    

FC  Boulder  has  always  and  will  continue  to  support  high  school  soccer  programs.  We  are  fortunate  to  have  many  high-­‐level  and  well-­‐supported  high  school  programs  in  Colorado.  In  the  past  five  years  alone,  FC  Boulder  players  have  represented  25  high  school  programs  across  our  state  including  (in  alphabetical  order):  

Arvada  West,  Boulder,  Broomfield,  Cherry  Creek,  Centaurus,  Dawson,  Denver  East,  Erie,  Fairview,  Fort  Collins,  Green  Mountain,  Golden,  Holy  Family,  Legacy,  Longmont,  Loveland,  Mountain  Range,  Monarch,  Niwot,  Ralston  Valley,  Rangeview,  Silver  Creek,  Skyline,  Stanley  Lake  and  Windsor.  

 

Q.  What  is  the  plan  for  growth  in  East  County  e.g.,  Erie?  

Approximately  two  years  ago,  FC  Boulder  and  the  Town  of  Erie  Parks  and  Recreation  Program  formed  a  partnership  to  support  the  growth  of  soccer  in  Erie.  By  providing  coaching  education,  program  curriculum  and  on-­‐field  player  clinics,  the  Erie  recreational  soccer  program  has  grown  by  hundreds  of  players.  Additionally,  FC  Boulder  competitive  teams  and  BVYS  recreational  teams  also  now  call  Erie  their  home.  More  families  and  players  than  ever  are  experiencing  Soccer  for  Life  in  Erie.    

The  long-­‐term  plan  is  to  continue  to  meet  the  growing  demand  for  quality  soccer  programming  for  the  players  throughout  Boulder  County  including  those  players  living  in  Erie  and  East  County.  

 

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Is  there  a  question  you  that  would  like  answered  but  does  not  appear  in  this  list?  Please  send  to  contact@fcboulder.com.    

 

(updated  May  2017)