What is CASL? What is CASL Classic?

CASL is a non-profit 501 c 3 company and has been in existence since 1974. CASL’s mission is to provide youth soccer playing opportunities in Wake County. We like to say that CASL stands for Character, Attitude, Success and Love of the Game!

CASL has three main playing divisions that form a pyramid of participation. Any one season CASL has 8,000+ players playing the game through the organization. Another 1,000 players play only one season so there are 9,000+ playing members of CASL on a yearly basis. The base of the pyramid is the Recreation Division with has about 5,000 players playing seasonally. The next level of the pyramid is the challenge division with about 2,000 players per season. The top of the pyramid numerically is the classic division which has about 1,000 players playing seasonally.

What is CASL Classic?

The top competitive level at CASL is the Classic Division. The division begins at the Under 11 age bracket and goes to Under 18 in single year age brackets. Classic teams are coached by paid coaches under the guidance of CASL Director of Coaching, Rusty Scarborough, rustys@caslemail.com, John Bradford, Director of Boys' Classic, johnb@caslemail.com, and Sean Nahas, Director of Girls' Classic, seann@caslemail.com. The administrator of the Classic Division is Jean Hogshead, jeanh@caslemail.com.

CASL has multiple teams at each age level and the teams all, but two, play through the NC Youth Soccer Association system in regards to registration and schedules. Two teams play through the USSF Developmental Academy, they are the U16 and U18 Academy boys' teams. CASL also plays in the Elite Clubs National League with the top older girls' teams. Many CASL teams play in the Region III Premier League, as well.

It is the goal of the classic division to provide a high competition level for each player in order for each player to improve his/her game. Teams practice three to four times per week and play games on the weekends. The three to four practices per week are as important as the competition in regards to the development of the players.

CASL Classic has had much success. This past fall, the four oldest girls' teams (high school ages) each won the NCYSA State Cup marking the first time that any NC club has swept the fall championship. All of these teams, therefore, qualified for the US Youth Soccer Southern Regionals this June. The Boys' Academy Teams have gone to the USSF Developmental Academy Finals (Final 8) in five of the six opportunities in the first three years of the program. No other club in the nation has had more than three appearances and no MLS youth club has had more than two appearances. Due to these and other successes, CASL was ranked #2 in the nation for Boys' Soccer Clubs in Soccer America magazine. The Girls were placed #18 by Soccer America. Only five other clubs had both their girls and boys in the top 30 ranking. 

Tryouts are held yearly in late May to pick the multiple classic teams per age bracket. Every player must try out each year as the teams are picked anew yearly. This system allows for movement between teams in each age bracket.

CASL fees associated with Classic include a tryout fee, a registration fee per season and monthly fees to pay for training. Uniform fees and team fees for travel and tournaments are collected by individual teams.

For more information on CASL Classic please visit the CASL web site. The next blog will cover the precursor to Classic, the Youth Training System (YTS).

                                                              Charlie Slagle