Official Press Release from SASA and STLFC on Partnership

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Saint Louis FC announced a club affiliation with the Springfield Area Soccer Association (SASA) to further the Saint Louis FC mission of creating a professional pathway for the region’s top talents.

The Saint Louis FC affiliate program was established to align with the club’s mission statement:

"To build the best club in the country. A club that positively impacts the development of our players on and off the field and positively impacts our community."  The affiliate program fulfills that mission by working with local clubs through cooperation rather than competition and offers a number of services, including:

Sharing best practices in Club, Coach & Player Development with Club Leadership

• Coaching education seminars and on-field coursework available to local coaches
• Supplemental opportunities for affiliate club players to train with Saint Louis FC Staff
• Access to the Saint Louis FC player pathway and National Level Competition Platforms

“This is an exciting opportunity for us to continue to establish Saint Louis FC as an integral part of the sport in our region,” said STLFC Vice-President and General Manager Jeremy Alumbaugh. “For years, SASA has been a leader in the growth of the game in Central Illinois and have produced not only great players, but individuals that give back to their community and the sport, in general. We are excited to formalize this partnership with SASA, who, throughout their history, have demonstrated values that we share, specifically, a commitment to excellence and opportunity as well as a sense of responsibility to their community.”

The Springfield Area Soccer Association is a non-profit, competitive youth soccer club with a primary focus of providing a total, well-rounded and positive soccer experience for the player, coach and parent.

“This agreement will enable open communication and knowledge between two historic clubs in their respective communities,” said SASA Director of Coaching Andrew Lenhardt. “This is a great opportunity for the two clubs to learn from each other and continue the development, as well as provide the best environment for our players. Overall this agreement fits with SASA short-term goals to offer our players a clear pathway to national-level competition and to work with STLFC on long-term club goals.”

"SASA is a well-established club with a history of nurturing both players and the game, itself, in the greater Springfield and Central Illinois area,” added STLFC Academy Director Blake Decker. “Over the years, our two organizations have collaborated informally in a variety of areas.  We are extremely excited to now have an official partnership in place which will both formalize and expand this collaboration in more substantive and impactful ways specifically as it relates to player pathway and shared best practices in club, coach and player development."