When we talk about youth soccer, the conversation often drifts to the elite. The travel tournaments, the college showcases with hefty price tags, the “pay-to-play” environments that have become normalized in many parts of the country. Those programs absolutely have their place—but what about the rest of the kids? What about the 90% who don’t have the resources, or the family flexibility, to jet off every other weekend? What about the players who want to compete at a high level, but shouldn’t have to sacrifice financial stability or time with their families to do so?
This is where Oregon Youth Soccer Association (OYSA) is stepping up. With the introduction of the PCL, SCL, and RCL structures, we are taking a bold step forward in creating a pathway that is inclusive, accessible, and designed to keep as many kids as possible playing the game we all love.
Our guiding principle is simple: soccer should be for all players, regardless of where they play their club ball or what pathway they choose.
Why Inclusion Matters More Than Ever
We live in a time where opportunities in youth sports often correlate directly with a family’s financial means. The more a family can spend, the more doors seem to open. Showcase events cost thousands of dollars once flights, hotels, meals, and registration fees are factored in. And while those experiences can be rewarding, they also create an unintended gatekeeping system.
Our job, as a state association, is not to reinforce those barriers—it’s to break them down.
That’s why the PCL, SCL, and RCL are designed differently. These competitions don’t just serve a narrow slice of the youth soccer population. They are built with the entire community in mind—from the top-tier player chasing a national team dream to the dedicated kid who wants to represent their club, school, and community with pride.
And here’s the key: you don’t need to be an OYSA “insider” or have a club that aligns perfectly with us to participate. Even if OYSA isn’t your first choice, you and your team still have access. That’s inclusion in action.
Understanding the Difference: PCL, SCL, and RCL
I’ve thrown a lot of acronyms at you already, so let me take a moment to break down what they actually mean — and why having three distinct platforms matters. You can find a cooler version, with graphics, here.
- Platform Conference League (PCL): This is a small group of clubs — 14 to be precise — comprised of clubs whose top teams are competing in national platform leagues like ECNL, GA, or MLS T2. These clubs still have many players and teams outside those national platforms, but the PCL creates a stable, local competitive environment for them to compete in, without taking away from their travel obligations. It bridges the gap between their national commitments and the broader state ecosystem, ensuring those kids aren’t left behind simply because their club operates at multiple levels.
- State Conference League (SCL): The SCL is for any of Oregon’s clubs and teams not currently in one of those national platform leagues. It’s a true state-championship caliber league — challenging, organized, and designed for the best of the rest, with a clear pathway to cups, showcases, and opportunities without needing to fly across the country.
- Regional Conference Leagues (RCL): The RCLs are designed for kids and families who want strong, organized soccer without heavy travel demands. These are often players who love the game, want quality matches, and want to represent their community — but soccer may not be their only or highest priority. For them, statewide travel or weekend-long tournaments aren’t always realistic or appealing. RCL offers a way to stay local, play local, and still be part of a clear developmental structure.
Together, these three conferences, within OYSA, form a connected, inclusive ecosystem. They’re not competing with one another; they’re complementing one another. Each exists to serve a specific piece of Oregon’s youth soccer community — making sure that no matter where a player’s journey begins, there’s a pathway that fits, without politics, guesswork, or financial gatekeeping.
Access to Great Programming Without Boarding a Plane
The U.S. Soccer youth landscape has become heavily reliant on air travel. Kids are boarding planes as early as 12 or 13 to play league games or showcase events. Let’s pause and ask: Is that really what’s best for kids?
The answer, most of the time, is no. Not because competition isn’t important—it is. But because meaningful competition doesn’t need to come with that kind of financial and logistical burden.
And before anyone fires off a comment accusing me of “hating” on elite platforms like ECNL—let me be clear: I’m not. Those events can be fantastic, and we’ve tried to copy aspects of them here in our own cup finals. They have a place. They can provide incredible competition, exposure, and memories. But context and perspective matter. Who goes, why they go, and when it makes sense to go are questions worth asking. Putting 13-year-olds on airplanes for routine league games & showcases probably isn’t a developmental requirement; it’s a logistical choice driven by a system that sometimes forgets the real cost on families.
That’s why we’ve structured these leagues in a way that prioritizes regional play and minimizes unnecessary travel. The PCL, SCL, and RCL offer strong competition, accessible locally, with opportunities that rival (and often surpass) what’s available to kids forced into the “fly-to-play” model.
And for those worried about college exposure? OYSA hosts its own college showcase every year specifically for the “rest of the kids.”
This isn’t about exclusivity, it’s about inclusivity. Not every family can—or should—be asked to spend thousands of dollars just for the chance to be seen. Our showcase provides a platform for players who deserve to be scouted, who deserve opportunities, but who shouldn’t have to pay an unreasonable entry fee just to step on the field.
Safeguards for Player Choice
One of the misconceptions about inclusive programming is that it somehow “waters down” the experience for top-level players. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Our structure has built-in safeguards to ensure that the best players maintain the freedom to choose their competitive pathway. If you’re a high-level player, you’re not locked into a single track. You can pick and choose any USYS National Cup, Presidents Cup, or OYSA-sanctioned competition that best fits your development.
In other words: we’re not restricting options—we’re expanding them.
The reality is that player development doesn’t happen in a straight line. Talented players may want to explore different competitive environments over the course of their youth career. By keeping pathways flexible, we’re empowering athletes—not boxing them in.
Loyalty vs. Inclusion: Addressing the Critics
Now, it would be disingenuous to pretend that everyone supports this approach. Some critics argue that OYSA is “rewarding disloyalty”—that by opening our leagues to clubs and teams who may have chosen different affiliations in the past, we’re undermining those who have stood by OYSA consistently.
It’s an understandable concern. Loyalty matters. It matters in business, in relationships, and in soccer. Clubs that have walked alongside OYSA through thick and thin have contributed to the stability and growth of our programming, and we don’t take that lightly. We value loyalty immensely.
But here’s the reality: loyalty cannot be the only lens through which we build youth soccer pathways. If we were to restrict opportunities only to clubs that have been “loyal,” who would really suffer? Not the administrators, not the boards—it would be the kids.
And when the choice comes down to protecting a principle of organizational loyalty versus creating opportunities for children, the answer has to be obvious: we choose the kids.
Why loyalty matters—but not completely:
- Stability and trust. Loyal clubs provide the backbone of consistent programming. Their ongoing commitment ensures we can plan ahead and invest in the future.
- Shared history. Longstanding partners carry the stories and lessons that shape our culture. That’s valuable heritage.
- Community bonds. Loyalty strengthens relationships across the soccer ecosystem. It builds trust.
But loyalty has its limits when it begins to act as a barrier to inclusion. Kids do not choose which “side” of organizational politics their club leaders align with. They just want to play. To lock them out because of a loyalty debate between adults would be to put egos before athletes.
This is where OYSA is different: we recognize loyalty, but we refuse to weaponize it. Instead, we choose inclusion.
So yes—some will say we are “rewarding disloyalty.” We see it differently. We are rewarding kids’ desire to play soccerno matter what logo is on their jersey.
The Party of Inclusion
At OYSA, we don’t see ourselves as the gatekeepers. We see ourselves as the party of inclusion.
We believe:
- Every player deserves access to meaningful competition.
- Every team deserves the opportunity to participate in quality leagues and cups.
- Every family deserves to pursue soccer without unnecessary financial stress.
That means saying yes more often than saying no. It means opening doors, not closing them. It means embracing teams even if their first choice isn’t OYSA—because at the end of the day, our mission is bigger than organizational lines.
The PCL, SCL, and RCL are tangible proof of this philosophy. These leagues reflect our commitment to inclusion, not as a buzzword, but as an operational reality.
Solutions Over Complaints
If you’ve spent time on LinkedIn, you’ve probably noticed a trend: lots of posts about what’s wrong with youth sports, and far fewer about what’s being done to fix it.
It’s easy to moan about the issues. It’s much harder to roll up your sleeves and create solutions.
At OYSA, we are not content to simply point out the flaws in the system. We are actively building a better one. The PCL, SCL, and RCL aren’t perfect—they will evolve, and we will adapt. But they represent real, tangible steps toward a more inclusive future.
And while others debate endlessly online, we’re putting in the work to deliver results on the ground for kids and families.
OYSA Leading the Way
We are proud to say that Oregon is among the leaders in this movement. Other states have similar models, but we believe our structure has the potential to be the most nimble and agile in the country.
Why? Because Oregon’s soccer community is unique. We’re large enough to sustain diverse competition, but small enough to pivot quickly. That flexibility allows us to adapt our programming to the needs of players, families, and clubs in real time.
OYSA is proving that it’s possible to combine elite opportunities with broad access, all while staying grounded in the reality of what families can sustain. That balance is rare in youth sports—and it’s something we intend to protect and grow.
What Success Will Look Like
So, what does success mean for the PCL, SCL, and RCL?
It’s not just about crowning champions, though competition is important. Success is about:
- Participation: More kids staying in the game, longer.
- Access: Families from every background being able to afford high-level competition.
- Development: Players improving at every level, from grassroots to elite.
- Opportunity: College coaches, scouts, and community leaders recognizing the depth of talent across Oregon—not just the kids who can afford the pay-to-play system.
If we achieve those outcomes, then we’ll have done more than build leagues. We’ll have created a true community of inclusion that puts kids first.
Final Thoughts
Soccer is at its best when it reflects the diversity, energy, and passion of the people who play it. When programming is exclusive, it narrows the game. When programming is inclusive, it expands it.
The PCL, SCL, and RCL are our way of saying: all are welcome. Whether you’re chasing national titles, trying to get recruited, or simply playing because you love the game, there’s a place for you here.
We know there will always be critics—those who would rather highlight problems than pursue solutions. Some will even argue that our model rewards disloyalty. But we know this: loyalty matters, yes, but inclusion matters more. Because when loyalty and inclusion collide, the kids’ opportunity to play must always win.
At OYSA, we’re committed to action. We’re committed to inclusion. And we’re committed to leading the way in building a youth soccer ecosystem that works for every child in Oregon.
Because at the end of the day, this isn’t about organizations, leagues, or acronyms. It’s about kids. And every kid deserves the chance to play.