I get that an article like this can be a little bit “inside baseball,” meaning that some people may not appreciate it or get it. No worries, there’s a whole website full of lower league soccer articles, so keep scrolling!

This week, United Soccer Coaches held its annual convention in Anaheim. The convention, which the website touts as “a must-attend for any individual looking to update their coaching resume,” took place just next door to Disneyland in the Anaheim Convention Center. After four days of exciting presentations and sessions, the event officially wraps today.

Any reader’s first response might be, “I’m not a coach or administrator, so who cares?” And that’s entirely understandable, but for the many thousands of people involved in soccer clubs of all sizes, USCC is a highlight of their year. The event is five days of training sessions, events (like the NWSL draft), and vendor demonstrations, but it’s even more than that. It’s also a reunion for the nation’s soccer community, where old friends from across the country get to reconnect with each other. For our site and others like us, it’s a chance to meet and greet hundreds of club reps from around the world, while recording as many podcasts as we can.

Dan Vaughn interviewing members of OSA’s leadership team.

Our booth was on Media Row, with the many other podcasts and social media outlets that follow the sport. Old friends like Shea Butter FC, Jonathan Ward (UWS), Jackie Gutierrez (Women Kick Balls), and many other content creators had booths that surrounded a futsal court in the Exhibit Hall. The rest of the hall was stacked with kit makers, ball producers, website promoters, and every maker of any gadget you’ve ever imagined a soccer player might use. When open, the aisles fill with coaches, looking for the thing to take their club to the next level.

Over the course of two and a half days (with some limitations to our schedule), we recorded ten podcast interviews (the first, with Oakland Soul’s Jessica Clinton, and the second, with Open Soccer Association, are live wherever you get our podcasts) and met so many important contributors to the game (including the legendary editor of Soccer America, Paul Kennedy). Keep an eye on our feed for more content each day from this event.

We’d encourage every soccer front office person, coach, and administrator to consider making it to Chicago for the 2025 Convention. Our site has a tight budget, but our presence at this event is a must for our continued impact on the game. I know this might read like an ad, but do the research and pack your bags. You will not regret it. The United Soccer Coaches Convention is the place to be for anyone involved in the game.

- Dan Vaughn