Who we are
Oakland Soccer Club (OSC) has been putting youth from our most underserved communities on fields through Oakland since 1974. OSC was originally founded as a community recreation program in 1974 by the owners of Oakland based Jade Soccer Store and over the decades has served numerous generations of players positively thru providing access and inclusion to sport. OSC, along with its community, have endured through the well documented and historical challenges that marginalized peoples of color have often faced in Oakland and through that history has remained steadfast in its service to the youth and families of our town. Oakland Soccer Club provides affordable, high-quality training and competitive opportunities for underserved youth in Oakland to develop skills for soccer, school and life.
To this day, many underserved Oakland youth face a myriad of social and economic stressors which negatively affect their daily living. Our program works with players to build life skills through soccer to equip our members with tools with which to counteract the daily challenges that they face in their day to day lives. Through helping them to negate some of these socio and economic stressors, participation in our program helps players to address feelings of incompetence, social disconnectedness, and negative experiences with social institutions in their communities. Through developing these various emotional, cognitive and interpersonal life skills and competencies, OSC seeks to ensure that Oakland youth are positioned to succeed both on and off the soccer field.
To this day, many underserved Oakland youth face a myriad of social and economic stressors which negatively affect their daily living. Our program works with players to build life skills through soccer to equip our members with tools with which to counteract the daily challenges that they face in their day to day lives. Through helping them to negate some of these socio and economic stressors, participation in our program helps players to address feelings of incompetence, social disconnectedness, and negative experiences with social institutions in their communities. Through developing these various emotional, cognitive and interpersonal life skills and competencies, OSC seeks to ensure that Oakland youth are positioned to succeed both on and off the soccer field.
We are 100 percent committed to leveling the playing field for the underserved players we serve.
OUR MISSIONProvide affordable, high-quality opportunities for underserved youth in Oakland to develop skills for soccer, school and life.
OUR VisionRemove the Pay-to-Play barriers restricting the youth of Oakland from participation in soccer and developing to their highest level.
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OUR Core Values
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OUR Challenges
Pay to Play SportIn Oakland, the average annual cost to play competitive soccer is roughly $2,500, with OSC families average household income being 38k-48k. OSC families would have to commit over 50% of their total household income in order to play within the pay to play youth soccer system. OSC exists to remove these barriers.
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supportFor Oakland youth, the demands of travel and lack of reliable transportation can severely limit the ability to play in competitive regional leagues. Additional challenges surrounding the digital divide as experienced within communities of color further limit families in their ability to remain ‘in the know’ about sports happenings within their community and OSC.
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safe spaces to playSafe spaces for youth to play are seriously lacking in Oakland, with numerous facilities in need of immediate refurbishment and renovation, especially to playing surfaces, restrooms, and changing areas. Additionally, encampments existing thru the Oakland homeless crisis leave many parks spaces not feeling safe for youth to enjoy recreation and sport.
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