Who is TOCA:

TOCA is an advanced soccer training academy. We have a unique player development model with an ability to work with clients of any type and experience. TOCA is a subsidiary of the D-BAT Baseball & Softball Academy franchise in the Atlanta market.

The Position:

The Professional Instructor position is a part-time position that works in coordination with the mission of TOCA. TOCA's mission is to provide quality instruction to enhance the soccer experience for players at all levels from recreational level to the collegiate and professional levels.

We are looking for someone who would like to make a career out of teaching soccer, which includes one on one sessions and camps & clinics to all ages. This is a career opportunity that is very challenging, but extremely rewarding both personally and financially. We do not set your hours, but we have found that the majority of your working hours will be from 2:00 PM - 9:00 PM throughout the school year. Saturday's and Sunday's, throughout the day, have also proven to be a prime time to build your clientele.

The ideal candidate for this position is a highly motivated person who loves the game of soccer. They would also have an excitement for working with youth players and showing a willingness to develop, set goals, and help players achieve those goals.

Other traits that are desired include having a positive attitude, willingness to be part of a team environment, and a desire to be challenged and stretched beyond your comfort zone. Furthermore, this opportunity will solely be what you make it to be. You will receive an elite facility to house your business, one of the best soccer markets in the country to work in, and the TOCA team will give you 100% support to build your book of business.

Job Functions:

Develop a Client Base

  • Work with the D-BAT Sales Team to obtain a list of client lessons leads and pursue those leads
  • Use customer flow such as machine rentals, camps, and clinics to obtain individual lessons
  • Make yourself available for promo lessons and first time lessons that lead into long-term consistent clients

  • Adhere by TOCA Instructional Policies and Procedures
  • Consult with Professional Instructors and TOCA Instructional methodology to coach in a way that is in line with TOCA's missions and values
  • Follow the TOCA instructor rebooking process to ensure that you keep your clients on the schedule

  • Instructional Training Process
  • Develop a specific instructional plan for each and every client
  • Develop an instructional evaluation process for new clients and potential clients

  • Lead by Example
  • Follow the process and procedures for TOCA Instructors
  • Execute on average 15 hours of instruction each week (some weeks more / some weeks less)

  • Qualifications:

    Experience Fit:
  • College or professional playing experience
  • Experience giving one on one lessons or coaching within a soccer camp environment
  • Team coaching experience

  • Culture Fit:
  • Passion for soccer or speed and agility that is contagious
  • Positive attitude and a team player
  • Willingness to learn: An individual that is teachable, coachable, moldable, and a continuous learner
  • High character individual that is good at relationship building, is growth oriented, and enjoys working with youth players

  • Communication and Technical Skills:
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Knowledge on multiple technological platforms
  • Ability to use technology to help himself become more efficient and effective in maintaining his relationships with clients


Just a reminder that the deadline for registration for our winter youth league is NEXT WEEK.
We’re looking forward to seeing all the kids on the fields here again soon!

WINTER 2017-18 YOUTH 6-v-6 LEAGUE
  • Leagues will be offered for boys and girls of all ages
  • 8-game season runs December through February, in-between Club seasons.
  • Register here – discounts are still available!
We will work with teams on schedule conflicts/preferences, INCLUDING post-season tournaments and basketball leagues.

Have interested players but not quite enough to form a whole team?  Contact us to see if we can help...
Have a child who wants to play but doesn't have a team?  Send us an email with your child’s age & gender and we will try to match you up with a team that needs help.
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www.onetouchsoccer.com
One-Touch Soccer logo
Atlanta Sports Complex, Dekalb County, Metro Atlanta
A huge sports complex will be constructed in Dekalb County which will make way for the
possibility of having 2 new professional soccer teams in Metro Atlanta.

Last December, former tech executive Trey Brantley and a group of Atlanta investors were talking about bringing professional soccer to the metro area... and no, not about the Atlanta United.

In February of this year, a press conference was held to reveal the plan to construct a brand new 200-acre sports complex. The sports complex will have a 15,000-seat stadium, 22 soccer, and football fields, seven baseball diamonds, and will be next to Stonecrest Mall in southeast Delkab County. 

With this complex, there is now a chance to have 2 additional new professional soccer teams in the Atlanta area. This could be a professional men's team and a professional women's team.

Previously, Brantley and Southfund Partners pushed for the Vibe, a National Women's Soccer League team. However, that project became less prioritized as they began focusing on the new sports complex project. 

Brantley says that investors and privately placed bonds will fund the new and much-awaited sports complex project. He stated, “It will have zero tax dollars involved in it.” 

Brantley also mentioned that the new facility and teams were not there to create competition or rivalry between them and the United. He believes that the new teams and facility will help promote soccer to more people in Atlanta, which will help the United on a bigger picture.

“We’re just going to help bring soccer to the forefront, which will help the United,” Brantley said.

In the past, professional soccer has struggled in Atlanta. In 2016, the North American Soccer league pulled the plug on the Atlanta Silverbacks during the season. A new ownership organization picked up the team, and they now play in the amateur National Premier Soccer League. The Atlanta Beat first came to the city in 2001 and played in the Women's United Soccer Association but was dissolved in 2003. They then became part of the Women's Professional League but the organization died in 2012.

Brantley concludes, “The Atlanta Beat was very well-supported, locally. All of their issues came from the league. So from that standpoint, I’m not worried about how a new team would be received. The men’s team will have a completely different model, and the facility will add a lot to it. So right now, we’re feeling pretty good.”

To find out more details about this story, check out Atlanta Magazine.

Photo source: AJC


Mud Creek Soccer Complex closes until March to undergo a transition 
to synthetic turf.

Wow! Soccer fans and players coming to play and watch the sport in Mud Creek Soccer Complex will surely be thrilled by the transition of its soccer fields into a synthetic turf. This may mean that the Soccer Complex will be closed for a while but it's for a good cause anyway!

The Mud Creek Soccer Complex located in Powder Springs undergoes a transition from Bermuda Grass to synthetic turf. This $1.7 million transition is the reason why the Soccer Complex will be closed and unavailable until March.

County spokesman Ross Cavit said that the 3 soccer fields on the Mud Creek Soccer Complex are already closed since November 1. This is for one good reason. The crews will be removing the fields' grass, excavating few inches of soil, grade and install a drainage system under the field, then finally install the turf.

A year ago in December, Cobb's commissioners decided that Mud Creek and athletics fields at two other county facilities should transition from grass fields to synthetic turfs.

The overhaul of the Hubert Soccer Complex amounts to $2.2 million. Just like Mud Creek, the Hubert Complex was scheduled to close the same day.

Another revamping is taking place at Terrell Mill Park in Marietta. Terrell Mill's one field is scheduled to close in late November or December. It's revamping will cost at an estimate of $1 million.

New lights will also bring more glow on the fields.

At Mud Creek, some field lighting poles will be moved to other areas. Also, the crews will replace the underground wiring and install new LED field lights, costing $468,000.

Cavitt revealed that two SPLOST, Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, funds will finance the projects.

Find out more about this story on AJC.com.




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Action Indoor Sports 2017/2018 Winter Indoor Soccer season will officially start the weekend of December 2nd. Age categories are 8U (eight years old and under), 10U, 12U, 14U, 16U, and 18U. Girls and boys divisions will be formed with the exception of 10U and 8U which may be co-ed depending on number of teams and players. 

The season will last until the 2nd weekend of February (february 10th) with an end of season tournament to be held in most divisions. Scheduled Play dates are as follows: 12/2, 12/9, 12/16, 12/23, Jan. 30th will be a bye week (no games), 1/6, 1/13, and 1/20, 1/27, 2/10 will be tournament weekend. 

Costs for teams and players will vary depending on age group. 8U will play 4 vs 4 and costs are $50 per player or $350 per team. 10U and 12U will be 5 vs. 5 ($60 per player or $400 per team). U14 through U18 is $65 per player or $425 per team. 

Game times will be Friday and Saturday evenings for the older age groups (14U and up). 10U and 12U groups will play Saturday mornings/afternoon, 8U age group will play on Saturday mornings or Tuesday evenings. As' a sidenote, there will be "Walk-in" registration every Saturday in November from 9AM to 11AM. You can pay your registration fee's through that method if you so desire without incurring any extra charges.  Read On


Time flies so fast! It’s been one year since the Atlanta United Foundation (AUF) and Station Soccer were founded.

Atlanta United, together with Soccer in the Streets, gathered for an anniversary celebration on October 27, 2017.  Station Soccer is the world’s first soccer field that was built in a major urban transit station.

AUF is striving to make soccer more accessible for all people in Georgia. They have different grant programs, equipment donations, and pitch builds. AUF also receives funds as an affiliate of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.

Soccer in the Streets is a local soccer organization that aims to reach out to underprivileged youth by providing sports-based training, character development, and employability programs.

Atlanta United President Darren Eales expressed how proud he was of their achievements, “We are very proud of the work the Atlanta United Foundation has achieved in our inaugural year. Community service and engagement is a pillar of our club, and with the programs we have initiated this year we have set a strong foundation on which to build upon in year two and beyond.  Station Soccer is a groundbreaking and award-winning project that represents a unique opportunity to provide a practical pathway to the game of soccer for youth across metro Atlanta.  We look forward to building on this groundbreaking project and our successful partnership with Soccer in the Streets.”

In just this year, AUF has pledges amounting to over 500,000 dollars for grants to community organizations targeting to improve grassroots soccer. The foundation also provides life skills programs to less-fortunate urban communities in Atlanta. Grants amounting to 300,000 dollars will be allotted for providing soccer programs as well as character-building education to 20 Atlanta area elementary schools and 11 middle schools. Also included in the budget is a plan to implement Westside Soccer League, which would cater to over 200 students.

Station Soccer, is a Soccer in the Streets program, that is made possible through funds from an AUF grant. The project has been able to achieve exceptional milestones- catering to 1,000 underprivileged children, completing 126 hours of youth soccer sessions, operating the first local youth homeless soccer league, welcoming 3,300 adult participants, as well as hosting 23 special events.

Because of the project’s achievements, Station Soccer gained recognition at the international, national, and local level. It also received various awards, including the Global Award for Innovation and Technology 2017 (Beyond Sport), the Urban Soccer Symposium Innovation Award 2017 (U.S. Soccer Foundation), the Community Design Award 2017 and the Activation of a Public Space Award of Excellence (Atlanta Urban Design Commission), the Social Innovation Award (Urban Land Institute), and also became known as one of Atlanta’s Transit Wins in 2016.

Soccer in the Streets Executive Director Phil Hill explains the foundation’s main objective to make soccer a more accessible sport for everyone in Atlanta. "Station Soccer is providing access to the game to kids that otherwise would not have been exposed to the beautiful game, thus fostering a new generation of soccer fans across metro Atlanta. Our organization pursues making soccer accessible and inclusive, and to do so eliminating transportation barriers is key. The partnership between Soccer in the Streets and the Atlanta United Foundation demonstrates the club's commitment to providing access to soccer to our city's youth, especially in areas that have historically been marginalized; the social impact of Station Soccer by uniting demographics that would not traditionally meet, but are coming together thanks to soccer, is undeniable."

Soccer-driven leadership training, promoting employability among the youth, and forming a sustainable, competitive format through adult leagues are all included in the Station Soccer program. The project aims to reach community members from all over metro Atlanta and seized the opportunity to use downtown Atlanta as a central point to start a new urban soccer culture. Overall, the Station Soccer’s main goal is to promote the global nature of the sport.

ABOUT THE ATLANTA UNITED FOUNDATION
The Atlanta United Foundation aims to make soccer more accessible and inclusive for everyone in Georgia. AUF uses soccer as a medium to provide programs which put emphasis on the importance of physical fitness, while at the same time promoting a supportive culture of play and sportsmanship. Through AUF’s investments in nonprofit organizations, they make soccer enjoyable, thrilling, and within reach for those who may have never played before. The Atlanta United Foundation is affiliated with the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.

ABOUT SOCCER IN THE STREETS

Soccer in the Streets empowers underserved youth through sports-based training, character development, mentoring, and employability programs. Our social soccer organization serves in reaching kids on the field, in small-group classroom sessions, through hands-on experiences and activities, and through participation in youth leadership councils. Equal access to quality soccer training and educational opportunities, as well as leveling the playing field across the board, are also key elements in our core mission. Our organization is behind the construction and program of the world’s first soccer field inside a metro hub - 'Station Soccer', an innovation recognized worldwide. For more information about Soccer in the Streets, visit www.soccerstreets.org, or follow us on Twitter and Facebook @soccerstreets.

To find out more about ATL, visit Atlanta United Foundation.




It’s true!

After Georgia State’s men’s soccer team beat the University of Alabama on October 3, 2017, with 4 goals, the team is now on a winning streak. With the team’s winning streak and no losses in conference play, they have a better chance in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. 

In a non-conference matchup, the men’s soccer team also won over the University of North Carolina at Asheville 3-1. Forward Kwaku Abu-Boahene and defender Alex Summerfield scored their first goals, while midfielder, Hannes Burmeister tapped a crossed ball from Salomon Lorenzano, which resulted in a game-winning goal.

The Panthers also played against Appalachian State which resulted in a double-overtime draw. Although Georgia State scored five shots in extra time, the result was a draw and was the first of the season.

The Panthers’ first loss in 24 days was against Charlotte 3-4 during their last non-conference game of the year. The previous season, Charlotte won their Conference regular-season championship and was invited to the NCAA tournament.

The 2017 Georgia State men’s soccer team was expected to do very well. However, Georgia State was only able to score 13 goals in their first 10 games this year. They did manage to catch up by reaching the same number of goals in just 4 matches.

Once Georgia State began the conference play, Hannes Burmeister showed off his skills by scoring in the first three games. Burmeister further proves that he’s worthy of his title: 2016 Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year for scoring a total of 6 goals this season.

Burmeister has to score 5 more goals to reach his 11-goal record from last season, in which he was ranked 19th nationally. On the other hand, Rashid Alarape slowed down after scoring 6 goals during the first half of the season, but he’s still in the lead among Panthers with 8 goals and 16 points. Alarape is the veteran midfielder and senior forward of the team.

Georgia State will be a top seed heading into the conference tournament if they don’t lose their last two games. Whether they earn the first seed or even lose in their first tournament game, the NCAA could still invite them to the tournament. 

If you are interested in The Signal’s interview with Head Coach Brett Surrency, visit The Signal.