2022
Annual Report
The Story of ASA
Mission, Vision, & Values
MISSION — Connect and engage the community through high quality, accessible, sports programs that positively impact Alexandria.
VISION — Be a leading community organization that empowers participants to achieve their greatest potential.
VALUES —
We engage the Alexandria community
We are accountable
We evolve
We prioritize health & safety
Tommy Park Executive Director
Executive Letter
The past year was filled with growth, celebration, strategic planning and of course, thousands of hours of play for youth and adults in the community! As I think back over the past twelve months I am in awe of our team’s accomplishments and excited for what the future holds.
We kicked off 2022, reflecting on our 50th anniversary by hosting the “Golden Gala,” where we honored current ASA participants and programs, and took a trip through the past five decades. It was a joyous occasion where community members, partners, city officials, soccer parents, coaches and staff came together to support and recognize the role that ASA plays in our community.
In addition to a look back, our team, along with community stakeholders and the ASA board of directors, wrapped up a year-long strategic planning process with the unveiling of our new mission and vision. This process was incredibly energizing and I am excited about what the future holds as we embrace this direction and focus. I believe that the opportunity (and our commitment) to grow and adapt in our ever-changing world sets ASA on a path for success as we continue to find new ways to support children and families.
I am particularly proud of our strong grassroots advocacy that helped make soccer accessible to more kids than ever before. We hosted free after school programming at nine schools, for hundreds of students. We reached new communities by expanding our programming to Francis C. Hammond Middle School and Bren Mar Park Elementary, a Fairfax County Public School. I am grateful to the amazing school staff and administrators who partner with us each year to bring soccer and futsal programming to their students.
We wrapped up 2022 by installing outdoor “sport court” on top of the turf playing surface at Brenman Soccer Field. This innovative adjustment created four outdoor futsal courts for our winter futsal programming to utilize throughout the winter. I mention this because I believe it’s indicative of the creativity, adaptability and focus of our team and our commitment to evolve. With a goal of ensuring children have access to safe and quality programming, we are ready and excited for 2023 and beyond!
ASA was founded in 1970 with 60 boys and girls participating throughout the city. Several dads placed an ad in the local newspaper with information about a new soccer program and the rest is history.
In March we honored 50 years of ASA with the Golden Gala, an evening of camaraderie, fun, and celebration at the Torpedo Factory in Old Town, Alexandria. With more than 300 people in attendance we highlighted ASA’s growth and development over the past five decades, celebrated our Access4All program which provides free soccer programming, and honored two extraordinary students with the “Griffin Award.”
The Griffin Award is given to youth participants who show initiative, go above and beyond, and embody the spirit of community involvement and giving back. This year’s recipients were Ellie Goodrich and Jeffrey Aguilar Reyes.
Griffin Award
Ellie began playing in the ASA Recreational League when she was four years old. Over the past decade she has participated in and coached for almost every program ASA offers. Ellie has committed to ODU to play soccer.
Jeffrey began playing in the ASA Recreational League when he was five years old. He has traveled from California to Barcelona to New Jersey and beyond competing on ASA teams. Jeffery has committed to JMU to play soccer.
I started playing for ASA in 1970 and was active until 1975. My coach for ASA was Coach Vinci from Italy, who coached all of my seasons. His passion and coaching style convinced me that soccer is the sport I wanted to continue as long as possible. He even convinced my Mom to coach and be involved with ASA, (she coached the Women Libbers).
Coach Vinci was truly a one-of-a-kind coach dedicating his time, knowledge, and style of play to our team. Once I left the DMV area I knew from that point on I wanted to continue to play and one day I'd give back to the community and teach players the dedication, preparation, and attention to detail that Coach Vinci showed us. I was fortunate enough to eventually go on and play in college and then later coached a local girls travel team, ultimately ranked fourteenth in the state.
The bond of friends I made over those five years with ASA were amazing and to this day I keep in touch with my former neighbor Bobby Schotta who was the midfielder on our team - he fed me so many assists. Thanks Bobby!
~ Tim Phelps
ASA participant 1970-1975
Programs
13 programs
6500 participants in core programs
850 students in Access4All programming
20,000 participants in six tournament weekends
310 volunteer Rec League coaches
250+ contracted referees & coaches; 65+ part-time professional coaches
Access4All Project
I am a Reading Specialist that works with the English Learners at George Washington Middle School. At the height of the pandemic during virtual learning, when so many of my neediest students were isolated at home and disconnected from their peers and their favorite activities, ASA came through and helped create a program right in their neighborhood where students could walk over, have some fun and take a little break from a very stressful time in all of our lives. Since then, the program has gotten stronger and been able to serve more and more of our young people, in a safe, supportive environment.
After returning to school for in-person learning, we moved the program to the fields at the school and we just finished our fourth successful season. Students can simply walk outside after class to play (Croc shoes and crop tops welcome!) and take a late bus home, thus eliminating nearly all of the barriers to participation. We have tons of participants across three grades each week of all skill and resource levels. ASA and the team of coaches have been nothing short of amazing. They are there waiting for the kids before every session with the fields and equipment ready to go. They've learned their names and personalities, coach and play alongside them, and have truly built lasting relationships with these young players. Many of these kids have nowhere else to play, or even to hang out, and the sessions have provided a wonderful space to this community. The question I get asked the most when I'm at work has nothing to do with my job but rather, "Is there soccer today?"
~ Allyson Noble
- Hosted free After School Leagues for 850 students at nine schools
- Brought soccer and futsal to hundreds of elementary students at schools during “gym class takeovers”
- Provided $750,000 of scholarship support to participants in core programming (Rec, Academy, Futsal ID, etc)
Rec Soccer League
My daughter JJ and I have “done soccer” together for nine years now, starting when she decided to give the U7 Dolphin Fire Lions a try in second grade.
She is 16 now and a junior in high school. The past 18 (!) seasons have given us countless hours together at practices, at games, and in the car going to and from those practices and games.
We’ve established traditions, like pregame Starbucks stops or post-practice Taco Bell runs. And the soccer has extended beyond Alexandria. We have D.C. United season tickets, also attend Washington Spirit games, and even took a trip to France in 2019 to see the Women’s World Cup.
That father-daughter time has been my favorite part of coaching, but a close second are the friends JJ and I have made across the city. There are a handful of girls who have played together since the single-digit age groups. And then there are the newer teammates who attend different schools, or the parents I have shared a beer with, and even the refs we chat with at Fort Ward Field every Saturday. Soccer has helped make Alexandria a little smaller and a lot friendlier for us.
Many of those relationships have extended past friends' soccer playing/coaching days, and I expect that to continue. I really look forward to seeing what the U19 players I coached this fall do after high school. They had better stay in touch!
~ Coach / Dad Jon Denunzio
- 3,000 spring participants
- 2,241 fall participants
- Participants from every Alexandria City zip code
- 90 percent of Rec League survey respondents believe that their child’s participation in the league had an overall positive effect on their physical health
- 1500+ annual participants
- The tots curriculum is designed to support motor skills, listening skills and socialization of our youngest participants
Tots Soccer
March 2020 hit and the world stopped for our 18 month old Emory. Her daycare closed, the playgrounds closed, we couldn't see family and friends, and her world became much, much smaller. In August 2020, we heard about the Tots soccer program and knew we had to sign Emory up!
Two years later, we are still an ASA Tots family and enjoy spending our Saturdays on the field. In Emory's first year, we were excited for the social benefits of the class. She was able to meet new friends and build relationships when so many other activities had been canceled because of the pandemic.
As a kindergarten teacher, I always look for activities that help children develop broad sets of skills that can be transferred to different situations. Tots does just that. Emory has learned to hone her listening skills and follow multi-step directions while practicing the basics of soccer. She is always proud to show friends and family "soccer chair" and "superhuman freeze." This year when she began a new pre-kindergarten program, she impressed the director with her gross-motor skills. He was amazed that she was able to cross the midline of her body with such ease — a skill that is a precursor to many fine motor activities such as letter formation. We are so grateful for her years in Tots and highly recommend the program to all Alexandria parents.
~ Amy (Emory’s Mom)
Academy
My name is Diab Al-Kraydi and I am a member of the 2006 Boy Blue team in the Academy program. My time with Alexandria Soccer Association has been amazing! In 2018 I tried out for the ASA Academy team for the first time and was given an opportunity to join the club.
The thing that stands out to me the most and what makes ASA so different from other programs are the countless opportunities, great coaching, and the idea that soccer is much more than just a game. My coaches have taught me about individual responsibility, teamwork, hard work and how to have fun while competing. ASA has helped me so many ways on and off the pitch. I’ve learned life lessons to help me grow and prepare me for the future.
Recently, I participated in two town hall meetings to support ASA’s advocacy efforts to add athletic field lighting in our community. I was proud to speak in front of City Council in support of the youth in my community. It was the first time I have ever testified in a City Council meeting and is a testament to the life lessons that being a part of the Academy soccer program has taught me.
~ Diab Al-Kraydi
Academy teams compete locally, regionally and nationally in MLS Next, GA, National League and NCSL
- 1250 Academy participants on 82 teams
- Participants, ages 8-19, receive hundreds of hours of healthy activity annually in our most comprehensive program, teaching; leadership, time management, teamwork, adaptation, hard work, and more
- 90 percent of survey respondents believe that their child’s coach is a positive adult role model
- 94 percent of survey respondents said that their child’s participation in the Futsal ID program had an overall positive effect on his/her physical health
- 87 percent of surveyed respondents said that their child’s skill level and understanding of the game of futsal improved during the season
- 470 participants
Futsal ID
My name is Aiden Zarate, I am a 2008 soccer player that has played at ASA since I was a 4 year old playing rec soccer. I am currently playing on the ‘08 DC United Academy soccer team. But I am playing futsal again for ASA during the winter break. I have participated in the Futsal ID program since I was 6, and I’ve loved it ever since I stepped on the court.
Futsal has been a huge opportunity and helped to improve every aspect of my soccer skills. Futsal is a very high-paced game where you tend to get a lot of touches on the ball. With a smaller court, the game requires you to be creative and rely on your dribbling ability in tight spots. Playing futsal has helped my dribbling ability, my awareness and decision making, and my work rate.
The Futsal ID experience has grown to have a bigger impact on my life than I would have imagined when I first started playing. I have been able to play on big stages for ASA in local, regional, and even national tournaments. This development led to an opportunity to play for and captain the U14 United States. Futsal National team in the Futsal World Championship in Spain. It was a huge honor to represent the USA and to win the World Championship, along with ASA Coaches Will and Peja, and great teammates from ASA and around the country.
My coaches have always made a big, positive impact on my life, demanding intensity and excellence. They have taught me that fine margins and details make all the difference between success and failure.
Without the loving community and support of ASA and the Futsal ID program, I wouldn’t have had the opportunities to develop as a futsal player and play on the world stage. This has made me the soccer player and person I am today. None of this would have been possible without ASA.
~ Zarate
Program Success
3 USYF Regional Championships
2 USFF Regional Championships
5 USSF National Team Players and 2 Coaches
Junior Academy
I started playing soccer at age nine. I skipped the phase of “ball chasing” and “dandelion picking” and jumped in at an age when coaching highlighted a bit more about the structure of the game. I fell in love with the team dynamic of the sport and made some of my closest friends.
I’m now a nurse in the Navy, and a couple summers ago I moved from San Diego to Northern Virginia. I consistently saw kids of all ages playing soccer, and when I asked a family friend how I might get involved, she informed me that practically every family in the area is a part of ASA. When I reached out, I was met by an incredible team of people excited to welcome me into a well established and ever-growing program.
When I showed up on my first day of coaching Junior Academy, it dawned on me that the six- and seven-year-olds excitedly running to the fields were in the age range of “ball chasing” and “dandelion picking.” Yet we jumped into drills I hadn’t even learned until I was twice their age. Each week we progressed from simpler skills to more dynamic concepts. The approach was to invite the kids into drills that may at first be a bit challenging, but to teach, encourage, and support them so as to foster growth each week. I was blown away by just how much they grew.
I realized that even at a young age, the girls wanted to be challenged. And sure, in some moments, gymnastics or sharing a joke with the team took precedence over soccer, but I realized that this dynamic is the beauty of their age. I discovered the joy of entering into those moments, celebrating the anecdotes they shared, and the laughter that characterized each practice. Thanks to ASA’s focus on developing the kids as athletes and teammates, the girls grew tremendously in their soccer abilities, and thanks to the girls, I gained a renewed mentality in celebrating the littlest moments and was reminded to encourage big things from all of those around me (especially six- and seven-year-olds).
~ Nicole Weldon
- 245 boys and girls participants
- 17 female coaches in the girls program
- 50% of participants also play in the Rec League
Additional Training
Ball Mastery: 300 Rec League participants added extra training sessions each week in the fall and spring.
Advanced Ball Mastery: 60 Academy participants added a training session during the fall and spring season that focused on shooting and finishing activities.
- This is our 18th year of TOPSoccer
- Coach Molly joined the team and introduced activities and sensory items for kids, like a pool noodle tunnel, bubble wands and more
TOPSoccer
I initially registered my 10 year old daughter for the Spring Season of TOPSoccer in the hopes of her becoming more involved in peer interaction as she is on the Autism Spectrum and often has difficulty interacting with children her own age, and also as an opportunity for her to grow within a team and become more active.
From the outset, Coach Molly and friends were welcoming, encouraging and showed immense patience with all participants in the program. They built such a strong trust with the children and it made our Saturday morning sessions something to look forward to, so much so, we registered for Coach Molly’s Summer Season.
I have seen a growth in my daughter in her social skills interacting with peers, her communication skills with adults and peers and she also developed a strong sense of accomplishment and pride due to the constant attention and encouragement she received from all who were involved.
I can’t thank Coach Molly and TOPSoccer enough and look forward to next season and witnessing the continued growth of all participants in this much valued program.
~ Jackie Sheehan McFadden
Camps
Gene is an energetic outdoor loving optimist who clearly prefers team sports. As a toddler, he saw ASA fields with lots of running soccer players, and immediately asked me to get him on the field. Since then, he participated in all summer camps, REC league and now is enrolled into a winter soccer program. Gene made a lot of friends through ASA summer camps. In the summer of 2022 he participated in seven weeks of camps! He was fond of all coaches, whom he had a chance to work with, especially coach Matt. We are thankful to ASA for communicating to us about various opportunities to play soccer throughout the year.
ASA is a wonderful organization, which not only teaches our kids how to play soccer but teaches them to be kind by showing their support to others, and focusing on life skills throughout the weeks of camp (like communication, leadership, teamwork and more). I have no doubts trusting my children’s athletic and social emotional upbringing to this team of people. We’ll be back again next summer!
~ Ludmilla Huntsman
“Life Lessons” such as teamwork, communications, and leadership were integrated into programming each day
- 750 campers
- 13 weeks of Soccer Camps
- 12 weeks of Camp ALEX
- 94 percent of survey respondents rated their child’s camp experience as very good or excellent
- 90 percent of survey respondents said they are very likely to send their child back to ASA camps!
- 32 female assistant coaches
- Every U9-U12 girls Academy team had an Assistant Coach (female high school athlete)
- Assistant coaches also support Junior Academy and Ball Mastery programming; leading drills, interacting with players
Female Coaching Initiative
Hello! My name is Sofia Christie and I am a high school student who has participated in almost every program ASA offers. Nowadays, I can also add the title of Assistant Coach. This opportunity to be in the assistant coach program has taken my involvement to another level—expanding my knowledge of soccer, development, and leadership. As I wrap up 2022 (my third season assisting with the 2013 Girls Red team) it is easy to reflect on the impact this role has made on my life.
As an assistant coach, I set up “rondos” or other drills, lead activities, and jump in to play as needed during practice. Interacting with the younger players has taught me leadership skills, how to set a good example, and the importance of handshakes (we encourage all players to greet their coaches when they arrive at practice with a handshake!).
It is easy to find connections with the girls using soccer as a common starting point. We share the same love of the game which kicks off conversations about field positions and favorite professional players! I feel like I really have gotten to know each girl on the team.
One incredible result of this leadership role is that I am now learning how to understand the game from a coach's perspective. I have increased my knowledge of the game both tactically and technically. By critically thinking about how to teach the skill, I am also learning each skill all over again!
Probably the biggest impact has been on my confidence. I have already found that I am stronger when working with players and on the sidelines… but I find myself applying these skills in other areas of my life, like at school!
~ Sofia Christie
International Trip
Our two daughters play for the 2007 and 2008 Academy teams, and both age groups were invited to the 2022 trip to Sweden and Denmark. We, as parents, had a rare opportunity to turn this into a family vacation, and we jumped at the chance to attend as chaperones. This trip was superbly organized, with the perfect balance of competitive playing time against international soccer teams and tourist play time, visiting some of the most spectacular landscapes and historic sites that southern Sweden and Copenhagen have to offer.
The purpose of the trip was not simply to play soccer but to also give our girls the opportunity to meet teens from other countries, appreciate the international nature of the sport, and build cross-Atlantic friendships. After the matches it was cool to watch ASA girls socialize, eat hamburgers, and dance with Swedish soccer players to universally recognized tunes, a sign of so much that is shared across our different cultures. It was clear that the respect and hospitality we experienced at every club we visited reflected the ways in which ASA has carefully stewarded trusting relationships abroad.
This trip was also more than soccer. It was truly a vacation. There was plenty of tourist time, including the opportunity to forge stronger friendships. For parents, it was frankly a joy to not stress about the details, because ASA truly had every restaurant, travel detail, and tourist destination figured out. Malmo, Sweden, was the PERFECT, safe destination for 30 teenage girls wanting to expand their independence. We also hit beaches, toured castles, spent an afternoon at an amusement park, and walked the bustling, canal-lined streets of Copenhagen.
Kudos to ASA for putting together an unforgettable trip and experience.
~ Amy and Craig Witmer
- 3 trips (Sweden, England and Barcelona)
- 74 athletes + chaperones traveled to these countries for life changing soccer & cultural experiences
Adult Leagues
I’ve been a resident of Alexandria for a long time and got “involved" in soccer because of my daughter, who grew up playing both recreational and travel soccer. When I was 47, one of the parents on my daughter’s team organized a Parents League.. I was hooked!
After several years of playing I still had no actual training in soccer techniques and skills. I had the opportunity to take part in ASA’s inaugural women’s training program with Coach Emily in 2018. She taught us introductory level skills and tactics, in an environment that fostered interaction, support, teamwork and communication between adult women. This helped me gain soccer skills and gave me the confidence to sign up for a coed team with my daughter—something we had always wanted to do.
After two bad injuries, at 76 years old, I decided it was better to step away from the coed experience. Several of the soccer women I knew encouraged me to check out ASA’s women’s pickup program, which had been growing over the past few years and is offered as an accompaniment to the training program.
I sure wish I had had access to similar situations much earlier! I love the women’s pickup, where the emphasis is on having fun and trying new things. We show up, divide into teams and play. We are a diverse group (with ages ranging from mid-twenties to my 76!) who love to compete with each other in a friendly environment.
Thank you to ASA for providing play opportunities for adult women!
~ Peggy Kleysteuber
- Women’s Pickup Program — 157 participants
- Women’s Training Program — 100 participants
- League teams — Winter 18, Spring 40, Summer 32, Fall 44
ASA Reds
My soccer experience with ASA has been top tier since I joined the club in the summer of 2019. After my first tryout for the U23 team I knew I was in the right spot! Coaches Will and Tim welcomed me to the club and were fully supportive of my soccer goals from the beginning. The competitive training and game time throughout the summers has been a great fit for me as it kept me in shape for my college soccer seasons. Additionally, I’ve had the opportunity to meet new players and build lasting relationships.
After another successful U23 summer of soccer in 2021, ASA provided college players the unique opportunity to play in the NPSL, a league that provides a professional level environment against quality opponents. The coaches and team GM were instrumental in making the summer of 2022 an unforgettable experience—from the development I went through as a player to the NPSL Mid-Atlantic Championship we won!
From the quality of the people, to the high level of training and competition, ASA is a club that continues to set the standard as an impactful community organization. There are many good club teams around the DMV, but for me ASA has proved to be a cut above the rest! It has been an honor to represent this club as a player on a local, regional, and national level. I am grateful to have been a part of the club from the U23 program, to the evolution of Reds, and the inaugural 2022 NPSL season. I’m excited to see where this Alexandria Reds program goes as it continues to grow and gain support from the community and attention on a national stage! Thank you for everything ASA!
~ Nicholas Conklu
- Summer 2022 NPSL Mid Atlantic Champions
- Summer 2022 NPSL Regional Semifinalists
- Fall 2022 UPSL DMV South Regular Season Champions
Matias Hendi was selected as an NPSL East Region XI player and a National XI player.
Coach Will Hanna was honored as the NPSL Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year
Futsal League
ASA’s Futsal League is the gold standard in futsal play offering a fun and competitively appropriate experience for both recreational and travel level soccer and futsal players. In 2022 the league offered development, fast-paced play and fun for kids who were new to futsal or those who have played before!
- 262 teams competed across 36 divisions
- Eighth season for the league
- All of ASA’s Futsal ID teams compete in the league
The League utilized 20 courts across 15 locations. We partnered with both schools and the Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural activities to secure court space for the season. We creatively used both indoor and outdoor courts to ensure space for all participants to play!
Brenman Futsal Complex
This Fall featured the ambitious and exciting project of creating an outdoor futsal complex at Brenman Field. The continuous rise in enthusiasm for futsal coupled with the challenge of limited court space, sparked the need for creativity. We partnered with the Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities to lay Ultra Base Sport Court on top of a portion of the turf field.
The state of the art sport court solution performs comparably to an indoor court surface offering players the advantage of training on a professional surface versus the alternative of black top or tennis courts. By building out Brenman field with both court and turf options we were able to create multiple lighted futsal courts with customized lining specific to futsal, netting and sign board blockers.
The Ultra Base court is incredibly versatile and can be utilized on a variety of surfaces indoor and outdoor for many years to come. We have great plans to install the courts in future years, with protection from rain and snow!
Tournaments
As our tournaments grow we have worked hard to overcome the challenges around field and court capacity. More often than not we have more participants than we have space to host on the local fields and courts available to us. In order to provide a high quality, accessible sports programs, we have expanded to host tournament games in northern Virginia, southern Maryland and Washington DC. This challenge has led us to creatively develop ways to make each tournament feel cohesive and festive despite teams playing at a variety of different locations.
7 weekends of tournament competition
Rebranded and hosted the Heritage Cup, our largest tournament to date
40,000 annual visitors to Alexandria City (parents & caregivers)
20,000 annual participants (kids) on 1,000 teams
Tournaments provide more than $10 million of economic benefit to the City through visiting participants
Tournaments provide an excellent experience for our Academy teams
Volunteers & Donors
310 volunteer Rec Coaches
82 volunteer Academy team managers
59 volunteer Futsal ID managers
More than 800 individual donors supported ASA’s Community Fund in 2022! The Community Fund supports our Access4All Project—access to soccer for many kids in the community would not be possible without generous support from individual donors, partners, grants and community sponsors.
Join the Red & Blue Club in 2023!
Red & Blue Club
Sponsors
Financials
ASA programming provides over 10 million dollars in economic benefit to the City through visiting participants who spend money at Alexandria hotels, restaurants, general travel and tourism expenditures. ASA partners with Visit Alexandria to enhance the visitors experience and estimate the total benefit.
We look forward to growing, evolving, adapting and thriving in 2023 and beyond. Our passionate and dedicated team is excited to take on the following initiatives!