Executive Editorial
Spring Has Arrived – Key Updates from Cincinnati United SC
The spring season is here! After a winter of snow and cold, warmer temperatures and sunshine mark the return of outdoor soccer. While the fields may have been quiet, the soccer world has remained active—this issue highlights key events both within our club and across the broader soccer landscape.
One major milestone: Cincinnati United has been selected to expand to a full pathway in MLS Next, making us the only club in our market, aside from FC Cincinnati, to achieve this status. Additionally, MLS Next and the Girls Academy League announced a strategic partnership and a second-tier expansion. These developments further strengthen our position as the only club in Cincinnati affiliated with both of these premier programs, both of which continue to rise in prominence within youth soccer.
Your Feedback is Driving Positive Change
We want to thank you for your feedback over the past two cycles of the Satori Survey. Your input has been invaluable in driving improvements across the club, and we were pleased to see these efforts reflected in higher scores on the fall survey.
The top reasons given for a positive experience with CUSC were quality coaching and player development, which align with our core mission. Based on your feedback, we’ve taken additional steps to enhance consistency in player experience through increased coach support and development. We’ll share more details on these initiatives in April as we announce staffing structures for the upcoming season.
The biggest frustrations cited in the survey were logistics and scheduling, followed by feedback and communication. Based on this feedback, we implemented updated organizational-level communication protocols which seem to have made a positive impact on the November survey data. That said, we hear you loud and clear when you said you want more direct communication from your coach, age group director, and community lead. Over the next 6–9 months, we will continue to refine our communication strategies to balance club-wide updates with consistent and effective team-level communication.
Upcoming Registration Changes
Since our last newsletter, US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer, and AYSO have announced their intention to move to a September 1st registration cut-off beginning with the 2026-27 season. We will continue to monitor the situation as other governing bodies have yet to confirm their plans. Just as we successfully navigated a similar transition in 2016, CUSC is well-prepared to adjust accordingly. For clarity, any change will not go into effect for another 18 months, so at this time, there is no action required of you other than focusing on a great spring season! We will continue to provide updates as more details are shared.
Thank You for Your Support
Your engagement and feedback are essential to our continued growth and success. We appreciate your support and look forward to a fantastic spring season!
Blake Decker
Chief Executive Officer
Cincinnati United SC
Share your stories with us along the way by submitting on our
Tell Your Story page.
Contents
We hope you enjoy reading our quarterly newsletter and we have worked hard to provide lots of information and updates. However if you want to pinpoint content that is relevant to you, use the links below to navigate the page:
The CUP Girls Academy was once again helping families in need over the holiday period.
Members of the CUP Advisory Panel, led by Sammy Chapman (2008 Gold), worked with child services in Hamilton to support families through the Adopt-A-Family program.
Gifts were collected for 5 families and delivered by players. Well done girls and the club is proud of everyone involved.
Congratulations to former CU & CUP Boys player Anthony Samways on being selected by Sporting KC as the 34th pick in the MLS SUPER DRAFT 2025!
It was great to see Anthony make his first MLS NEXT Pro appearance as recently as last week.
We are sure there is more to come and the whole club is behind you!
CUP 12GA Gold recently volunteered at Matthew 25: Ministries. People helping people.
We all love to see our teams giving something back to the community!
Fantastic job by everyone who helped coordinate this and great to see our younger players embracing this in between all the hard work on the field- more on that from this team shortly :)
A group of CUSC Coaches attended the Soccer Learning University, hosted by Kentucky Youth Soccer Association, in Lexington, KY.
Well done to (from left to right in accompanying photo) Ron Brickley, Harlan Jackson, Dr. Ashley Samson (conference presenter from the University of Kentucky), Hima Devgan, Allison Kessling, Mike Haney and Nico Ranieri (not pictured).
Congratulations to Brooklyn Vann of CUP 08GA Gold!
After returning from a U16 US National Team Camp in Chula Vista, CA, she then headed to the IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL with the Racing Louisville 1st team for their preseason! Brooklyn was one of just two U18 players in the country to be selected to travel and compete vs Washington Spirit and KC Current.
Congrats to Brooklyn, her family, CUSC coaches, and teammates, on this amazing opportunity!
CUP 11GA Gold and CUP 10GA Gold recently attended a session with JGMMA Academy to learn self-defense.
Great job to both teams, and thank you to JGMMA Academy for supporting our players as they take ownership of making themselves safer!
Last not certainly not least....a huge shoutout to CUP 12GA Gold who just last week won the Champions Cup in Bradenton, FL!
Congrats to all the players, families and everyone involved on what is a great accomplishment for the whole club. We are very proud of you!
The team was led by Girls Academy Director Katrin Kaarna, who is also the focus of our Staff Spotlight feature later in this edition. Well done Kat!
Special Mentions
Here are some other special mentions from the last 3 months!
Cinci Enquirer Awards
These had not been announced before the last edition, so we wanted to congratulate all the CUSC players who received HS awards from the Cinci Enquirer over the winter.
Our HS Honors page will be linked at the end of this newsletter if you want to learn more.
Additional programs guide
Thanks to all the players, coaches and families in our additional programming.
We were delighted to release our first program guide last month and well done to everyone involved in its creation. There is a link at the end of this edition if you missed it.
COACH FOR COMMUNITY
CUSC CEO Blake Decker recently conducted a "Coach for Community" presentation at the Ohio Soccer Association AGM.
Thanks to the 40 grassroots, school and recreational coaches who attended in order to better serve their players.
ahmed graber
Congratulations to CUP Boys and CUP Girls Coach, Ahmed Graber, for completing his US Soccer C License. We are that sure all your players and colleagues will also benefit from this latest qualification.
BUCKEYE COLLEGE SHOWCASE
CUP Girls hosted their annual college showcase this past February at Let's Play Soccer in Mason, OH. Thanks to all the players and coaches that attended!
CUP BOYS PATHWAY 2025 / 2026
In case you missed it...CUP Boys will expand within the MLS NEXT Dual Pathway as of Fall 2025. This represents an exciting update for our U13 – U19 age groups.
[link to article at the end of this newsletter if you want to learn more]
CUP girls pathway 2025 / 2026
And similarly....CUP Girls will be a part of the Girls Academy expansion as it launches ASPIRE, a new competitive platform to elevate player development and club progression.
[link to article at the end of this newsletter if you want to learn more]
Coaches Corner
Every season we feature an interview with one of our fantastic staff members. For this edition we have focused on Jeff Woodson.
Name: Jeff Woodson
Place of Birth: Petersburg, VA
Tell us about your life away from the field:
Away from soccer, I enjoy spending time with my son and my dog. I also like to stay active by lifting weights, walking the dog and just doing anything that's fun!
When did you start coaching?
I started coaching in the spring of 1999 (17 years old) when my future college coach was coaching a club team. He asked me if I'd help, so I agreed. I've been coaching ever since.
When did you join the club?
I joined in the spring of 2020.
Teams you coach this season?
This season, I coach CUSM 16B Bayern, CUSM 16B Dusseldorf and CU North 13B Astra.
What inspired you to become a coach?
When I was given the opportunity to coach, I really had no aspirations to do so at that point, but once I began, I really enjoyed teaching the technical and tactical sides of the game, and seeing the results. Once I started to see that I was a pretty decent coach, I decided to explore the coaching world more. At the end of the day, my true inspiration comes from my players. I enjoy watching them grow and achieve their goals through hard work and dedication to becoming better players.
What's your best memory on and off the field at the club?
I would say that my favorite memories are seeing the overall excitement of my teams playing well in and winning tournaments. There is something about players seeing their success following hard work which provides me with the best feelings in the world. When players doubt themselves, but work hard and see the success of their hard work, it is the best feeling that there is.
Each season we focus on a CUPGOAL, and this edition it is OWNERSHIP. How does that translate to the youth soccer world for you?
I always run into and work with players who strive to be the best. However, these same players have very little understanding of what it means to play at an elite level (college, semi-pro, pro, etc.) It takes more than saying "I'm going to be an elite player". It takes work and dedication to play at higher levels. There are also times where the commitment conflicts with other things and the question needs to be asked, "do I want to sacrifice doing certain things to achieve my goal?" Players must take OWNERSHIP of their playing careers and decide how much effort that they truly want to put into reaching a higher level. Attending practice 2-3 times a week is not going to make that dream happen. It's truly going to take working outside of 'normal' training days in order to reach elite and/or higher levels of play.
Funniest moment as a coach?
The funniest moment that I've experienced as a coach is when I was working with another coach at a tournament with our high school team. We ended up winning the tournament. After the tournament was over, the boys completely covered the other coach and myself with shaving cream. Without knowing it, the players had also wrapped the other coach's car with plastic wrap from the tires to the roof. The coach was so mad, but he was also happy that we won.
Is there anyone on your coaching journey who you identify with as a mentor?
I identify every coach and player that I've ever interacted with as a mentor. I'm a coach who is always looking to improve and become better. I truly feel as though a coach should always strive to get better. Anytime a coach feels as though they know everything, then it's time for that coach to quit. I also truly believe that we as coaches can learn just as much from each other as we can from our players. Our players are the ones who play the game and can come up with some great ideas for team improvement if given the opportunity to express themselves. In order for a team to be truly successful, it takes the effort of everyone. Therefore, I would consider any coach or player that I've interacted with as an inspiration to me.
What one piece of advice would you have to someone who is considering starting out on their coaching journey?
For anyone beginning as a coach, I would ask them to exercise patience with their players and to always dedicate themselves to learning and becoming a better coach by being a student of the game. I would also ask them to truly teach their players as much about the game as they can, whilst also allowing their players to be autonomous when playing the game.
Who is your favorite soccer team apart from Cincinnati United 🙂?
FC Cincinnati in MLS, and I'm very partial really to any EPL team.
Apart from soccer, what other sports do you like to watch or play?
Other than soccer, I enjoy watching college football and college basketball. Really, I can sit down and watch just about any sport, but those are my 'go to' sports.
Tell us a 'fun fact' about yourself that very few people know?
I don't gauge my success as a coach based on the number of trophies that I have, but I do gauge my success as a coach based on the success and growth of my players.
Jeff also works as an ODP Coach in Ohio and is on the District and State staff. Thanks to Jeff for taking the time to answer our questions!
Nominations for the next edition of Coaches Corner can be emailed to content@cincinnnatiunitedsc.com.
Partners on the Pitch
At Cincinnati United Soccer Club, we’re dedicated to not just developing players, but also ensuring their health and safety. For that reason in this edition of "Partners on the Pitch" we have decided to focus on Beacon Orthopedics and highlight how their support has made a difference for our players. We will also explain how you, as a family member or coach, can make the most of this partnership to help your players, and also, yourselves.
The Beacon Difference
Founded in 1996, Beacon Orthopedics has grown into the largest and fastest-growing orthopedic practice in the Greater Cincinnati region, with over 60 physicians across 20+ locations in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Beacon offers a comprehensive range of services, including sports medicine, orthobiologics, joint replacement, spine care, physical therapy, and imaging. With their emphasis on immediate access to care, Beacon helps athletes get back to play as quickly and safely as possible.
Beacon and Trihealth are proud to partner with over 40 local high schools and college athletic programs as well as more than 20 recreational programs, 6 professional sports teams, and over 15 professional sports organizations. We are very proud to say that CUSC is the only youth soccer organization included in this group.
One of the main benefits of partnering with Beacon is their commitment to efficiency. They offer same-day or next-day appointments for sports injuries, ensuring that our players don’t have to wait long for diagnosis or treatment. This priority access means that CUSC players can get the care they need right when they need it, without delay.
How This Partnership Supports CUSC
Since the beginning of our partnership with Beacon in early 2024, more than 70 CUSC players or members have benefited from their fast, high-quality care. Whether it's a sprain, fracture, or more serious injury, Beacon provides access to a specialized team of doctors who are ready to evaluate and treat injuries quickly.
For example, one player who sustained an ACL injury while traveling in Florida was able to secure an appointment with a specialist within 30 minutes of landing back in Cincinnati. This quick access ensured that the player could begin recovery right away. Whether it’s on the road or at home, this level of support gives players and their families peace of mind, knowing that quality care is always available.
As a coach or player, if you are injured, you can take advantage of Beacon’s priority access to ensure that they receive timely care. In cases where urgent attention is needed, Beacon’s streamlined process makes it easy to get seen quickly and start the recovery process immediately.
Supporting Recovery and Staying Connected
For players recovering from an injury, staying connected with their team and support network is critical. Beacon’s comprehensive approach doesn’t just focus on treatment; it’s about the recovery journey as well. Working with physical therapists, athletic trainers, and the medical team ensures athletes return to sport in the best possible shape.
“We encourage athletes to stay engaged with their team throughout their recovery,” says Michael Slemons, Director of Sports Medicine Outreach at Beacon, “It’s important to have that social and mental support, and it also helps maintain a sense of normalcy as they heal.”
That being said it won't always be in the player's best interests, both physically and mentally, to be standing on the sidelines for prolonged periods day in, day out, and Beacon will recognize and cover this with players and coaches: "It's all about finding that balance based upon the individual situation" says Slemons, "that's the key and each player will get their own return to play plan to follow".
Throughout any recovery period, Beacon maintains open communication with players and their families, ensuring that plans are clear and that each player is ready to return to the field as quickly but crucially, as safely, as possible.
Looking Ahead: Proactive Care and Injury Prevention
As our partnership with Beacon continues to grow, there are exciting developments on the horizon. Beacon is working on implementing an athlete assessment and monitoring program to help identify potential risks before injuries happen. This program will give coaches and parents more tools to ensure that players are physically prepared and safe.
This proactive approach will help reduce injury rates, optimize performance, and ultimately improve the long-term health of our players. By staying ahead of potential issues and tracking performance, everyone will have more insight into a player’s health and can take preventive steps to keep them on the field.
Conclusion: A Strong Partnership for the Future
The partnership between CUSC and Beacon Orthopedics has already had a significant positive impact on our players’ health and recovery. With priority access to care and a team of experienced specialists, Beacon helps ensure that our players stay healthy and are able to return to play quickly and safely.
As Blake Decker, CUSC CEO explains, "We are extremely grateful for our partnership with Beacon Orthopaedics. In any athletic endeavor, injury is a possibility and the Beacon team provides our members with something worth its weight in gold: peace of mind. Peace of mind that no matter what, when or where any injury occurs, an appointment to be seen by their team is a click, call and less than 24 hours away".
For parents and coaches, this partnership means having access to top-tier orthopedic care whenever it’s needed. Whether it’s an injury during practice or a more serious condition, Beacon is here to provide the care our players, coaches and family members need to keep them performing at their best.
As we look to the future, we are excited to continue working with Beacon to take ownership and enhance the care and performance of our players, coaches and family members. We’re confident that with Beacon’s support, CUSC will continue to thrive on and off the field.
Thanks for Mike Slemons and the whole team at Beacon Orthopaedics for their assistance in sharing content for this article. We will provide a link to their dedicated Sports Medicine page on our website at the end of this edition.
Unsung Heroes
Our club could not survive without our team of unsung heroes who work tirelessly behind the scenes. In this edition we will focus on Lisa Hausser, whose dedication has been instrumental in our growth and success over the years.
Unsung Heroes: Lisa Hausser, Director of Member Services
Lisa’s journey with CUSC began long before the club was even a reality: “I was an admin and board member for Lakota United Soccer Club when Lakota United, Sycamore Soccer Club, and CUP merged to become one club,” she explains. This early involvement laid the foundation for what would become an extensive role within CUSC.
Her dedication to the sport and the club started with her own children. When her eldest daughter began playing for Lakota Soccer Club, Lisa stepped up as a team admin for her U9 team. As her children’s involvement in the sport grew, so did Lisa’s commitment to the club. She became an age group admin for the U10 age group and later took on the responsibility of handling carding for the club. Over time, her role continued to expand as the club itself evolved, eventually leading to her current position as the Director of Member Services.
“It’s hard to say exactly how long I’ve been in my current role. Things were always changing, especially in the first five years of the club,” Lisa reflects. “But as the club grew, I became more involved in various areas, and the role I’m in now evolved from that.”
Today, Lisa is responsible for overseeing the club's finances, managing the carding processes, ensuring compliance with risk management protocols, and working with Playmetrics system management. She also plays a key role in coordinating tryouts and programs, collaborating closely with the club’s accountant to handle day-to-day operations. But above all, her priority is to provide an excellent member service experience to families involved with the club.
Lisa’s impact extends beyond just the logistics and systems; it’s deeply rooted in her connection to the club’s community. “One of the standouts for me has been watching both of my younger daughters' teams make it to Nationals in the same year,” she shares. “But the experiences that stand out the most are the ones where I’ve seen how many people volunteer their time or work to help in so many different areas. It’s the relationships with the people who care so much about what happens on and off the field.”
Her dedication has never been just about ensuring operations run smoothly; it’s about building a community. From working with coaches, parents, and staff to seeing her daughters’ experiences in the club, Lisa has always had a front-row seat to the growth and development of the athletes and their families.
For Lisa, the motivation to continue in her role comes from her deep connection to CUSC. “I love this club,” she says with conviction. “I enjoy working with so many wonderful people, and I want to see the club succeed and continue to make a positive impact for years to come.”
Lisa has witnessed firsthand the evolution of the club over the years, from its early days of being “siloed” into different areas to becoming a cohesive, unified team. The transformation has not only been structural but cultural, as the club has cultivated a shared sense of purpose and community.
As for advice to someone considering a role similar to hers in youth sports, Lisa has a straightforward approach. “You have to love what you do,” she advises. “You get to work with parents, players, coaches, staff, and a whole network of people. You need to enjoy working with others and be ready for non-traditional hours, because this job never stops.”
Though Lisa’s professional role has played a significant part in her life, there’s much more to her story. Outside of work, she has three daughters, a granddaughter, and a grandson. She’s been married to her high school sweetheart for over 35 years and has an extensive professional background, having worked as an HR Manager for a Fortune 10 company. Her family roots run deep, and the sense of community she’s built within the club reflects the strong relationships she has cultivated over the years.
Lisa Hausser’s journey with CUSC is a testament to the power of dedication, adaptability, and a deep love for the sport. As the Director of Member Services, she continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the club’s future while maintaining the heart and soul of what it means to be a part of the CUSC family. Her unwavering commitment ensures that the club remains a place where players, parents, and coaches alike can grow, succeed, and build lasting memories.
WeCU
Thank you to everyone who has submitted content to us recently. Where appropriate, your content will be shared via our website, social media and other online channels.
Every newsletter will contain a selection of some of the photos you have shared with the club, just like the ones below...however in this edition we have thrown in some older photos of some of our Seniors in their younger years with the club, and you can read more about them later in this edition. We hope this adds a sentimental and reflective "We saw you" element to the usual "WeCU" theme :)
Want to get see your kids, coach or team in the next edition?
Visit our Tell Your Story page or Email content@cincinnatiunitedsc.com.
Staff Spotlight
As well as our Coaches Corner piece higher up this page, we focus on one of our CUSC staff members every quarter. Read on to learn more about Katrin Kaarna, Girls Academy Director.
Name: Katrin Kaarna
Place of Birth: Tartu, Estonia
Tell us about your life away from the field:
I enjoy spending time outdoors when I can (hiking, biking, snowboarding in the winter) but also watching a movie, reading books.
When did you start coaching?
I got my first coaching experience when I was a senior in high school but have been coaching consistently since my 2nd year at the University when I started a girl's program at a local club.
When did you join the club?
I joined CUP in November 2023.
What's your best memory on and off the field at the club?
The best memory on the field is from last year's Champions Cup Finals when CUP U19 girls started the half-time talk with the U13s in their semi-final game as the coaching staff was talking through the next steps. That was a great leadership moment by the older players, passing on their knowledge and experience to the younger players.
What is your role at the club currently?
I am the CUP Girls Academy Director.
Can you tell us more about the work you have been doing over the last year or so with the Girls Academy and how this part of the club is changing?
One of the biggest changes for CUP is our second pathway becoming a fulltime Girls Academy league member, which provides more players and coaches with the opportunity to compete at the highest level. This is a great testament for the club as a whole, and the work that the CUSC Staff and players have done over the years to reach this. We added the Recruiting Coordinator and the DarkHorse platform (video analysis and support in creating highlight reels) to support the players' college recruitment process. We are continuously working with the staff to continue to improve the training and playing environments.
Where do you see the Girls Academy and CUP Girls in general in one year?
We have further plans to enhance athletic performance as well as technical and tactical development to continue competing at the highest level and to keep raising the bar.
What are your favorite parts of being involved with the older girls at the club?
I enjoy working with the girls and seeing their growth and development over time as we help them achieve their goals.
How do you feel that CU, CUP Girls and the GA support each other in the overall mission of CUSC?
All support the love for the game and growth as players and people. The Girls Academy League Advisory Panel, which is a unique player-led group, gives the players the opportunity to serve the community off the field and inspires players to lead and serve as role models to drive change and growth.
Each edition we focus on a CUPGOAL, and this time around it is OWNERSHIP. How does that translate to the youth soccer world for you?
Ownership is an important part of growth and development - setting goals and then working towards them, taking initiative and responsibility for their own actions on and off the field, learning from mistakes.
Thanks to Kat for her continued work and for helping with our 'Staff Spotlight' feature. We look forward to sharing more information on another CUSC staff member in the next edition. Please reach out to
content@cincinnnatiunitedsc.com if you have a nomination!
What's next?
Here are some of the key dates on the CUSC calendar over the next 3 months:
- April 5th & 6th: CU Elite Invitational Tournament
- April 12th: Boys College ID Camp
- May 2th, 3rd & 4th: President’s Cup kicks off
- May 17 & 18th: President’s Cup Final Four
- May 24th & 25th: State Cup kicks off
- May 31st & June 1st: State Cup Final Four
- June 6th: CUSC tryouts will be completed
Are there links you were looking for that were mentioned above?
Thank you for reading this edition of our newsletter.
We look forward to sharing more in June! If you want to share content with us at any time you can visit our Tell Your Story page. Visit our News page to learn more about the club or to catch up on any previous editions of this newsletter.