History
The Ohio Premier Girls’ Soccer Club, a non-profit organization founded in 1993, has grown to be one of the largest and most successful all-female clubs in the nation. Originating with three teams at our inception, we currently have a total of 30 teams ranging in age from U-9 through U-19. The Club takes pride in the fact that it has produced many college players and scholarship athletes with over 95% of graduates receiving scholarship offers to colleges.
Ohio Premier began adding teams in the U-15 and above age groups in 1996, and immediately achieved great success. Since 1996, Ohio Premier players individually have been placed on ODP State, Regional, and National teams at the most prolific rate in Ohio South. As for Ohio Premier Soccer Club teams, after just two years as an all-encompassing club, in 1998, Ohio Premier achieved more State Cup Championships than any other girls’ club in Ohio South, and had three teams advance to play in Region II Championship games. In 2000, Ohio Premier repeated the feat, taking home four state championships, while no other Ohio South club won more than one girls’ state championship. These teams also competed well at the 2000 Region II Championships, with two teams playing in the semifinals and one in the championship match. After near misses again at Regionals in 2001, in the summer of 2002, Ohio Premier won the U13 Region II Championship culminating a fantastic run of seven Regional Championship matches in 5 years. In the last three years, Ohio Premier has won eight additional State Championships. As of 2005, Ohio Premier boasts more state championships than any other girls or boys club in Ohio South.
In the fall of 2001 Ohio Premier began another ambitious program called the “Fall Team.” This team is offered to players as an alternative to high school soccer. Players compete for Ohio Premier in the fall season and travel to some of the top tournaments in the nation, including the Surf Cup and WAGS. These players then rejoin their age appropriate Ohio Premier teams after the high school season has completed and their teammates have returned to the club. While such programs have been developed in a few clubs nationally, Ohio Premier is the first to offer an alternative team for high school age players in Ohio South and in Region II.
In 2002, Ohio Premier began a low-cost developmental level program called OP Select. Currently names "Professional Assisted", this program is designed to introduce players to the philosophies and training of the Ohio Premier Soccer Club, while also significantly reducing the required time commitment and travel.
Recently, Ohio Premier SC was featured in Soccer America as a top national youth club and also had a major feature article written about the club in Goal Magazine.
Additionally, Ohio Premier renewed a four-year agreement in June 2005 with NIKE, Inc. as one of their “elite” clubs. This agreement marks a new era in the development of the club and we enjoy and benefit from our continuing relationship with NIKE, its partners, US Soccer and the US Women’s National Team. In addition, Ohio Premier each September now hosts one of the top tournaments nationally for U9-U14 teams, The Ohio Premier Invitational.
Some of the reasons for Ohio Premier’s continued growth and excellence are the education of the coaches and a recent reorganization to better serve all players at a variety of levels and ages.
Coaching education is of great importance to the Ohio Premier staff, and coaches are supported financially when furthering their education. Ohio Premier currently has six staff members with a USSF “A” license.
The strength and structure of the club was recently heightened with the formation of the positions of Director of Soccer Operations, Director of Player Development, Director of Collegiate Recruitment and Director of Recreational Training. This organization allows Ohio Premier to better serve all players in the community and prepare for continued growth in the future.
Club Philosophy
The Ohio Premier Girls’ Soccer Club strives to:
- Offer committed players the opportunity to develop their skills both technically and tactically, and to compete at the highest level of play. The Club will travel, when necessary, to seek this premium level of play because of its educational value and belief that soccer improvement is born of superior competition.
Promote the development of academic standards and social skills (communication, discipline, good sportsmanship and teamwork) necessary for academic achievement and good citizenship.
Provide continuing educational opportunities for the OP coaching staff.
- Elevate the profile and image of the Ohio Premier Girls’ Soccer Club and Dublin area soccer on the local, regional, national and international levels.
- Focus on the development of physical, mental, as well as emotional fitness of its team members. The Club takes a “no tolerance” approach, requiring players to abstain from all drugs and alcohol. The use of profanity will also not be tolerated.
- Establish programs for both players and parents that are designed specifically to enhance the knowledge, appreciation and enjoyment of soccer.
- To prepare players for competition at the collegiate level, thereby maximizing exposure to college recruiting.
The Ohio Premier Girls’ Soccer Club is unique in that it is not just a loose collection of individual teams, but a true soccer club in which teams get to know and support each other, both on and off the field.
