RECEIVED
APR 2 9 2022
April 28th, 2022 MERCED CITY COUNCIL
& CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE
Merced Youth Soccer Association
President, Daniel Jovan Pulido - jovan(@mercedunited.com 410 W. Main St G, Merced, CA 95340
Board@mercedun ited ,com
EIN: 94-2626228
Dear City Manager Stephanie Dietz,
It is with great pleasure and excitement that we are applying for the City of Merced Community Funding. The Merced Youth Soccer Association (MYSA) is traditionally known for providing the Merced community with opportunities to learn about and develop their soccer skills, but our goal with our application is to expand our services so that we can better prepare a group of youth players with the college planning and financial literacy to feel confident in the next steps they take on their career and life path. Below, I have provided insights into the MYSA mission, our goals as we move forward with building the organization, and programming that our organization has coordinated over the past few years.
Mission:
Merced Youth Soccer Association provides recreational and competitive youth and 9adult soccer programs that inspire players to develop to their highest potential, and experience the rewards of pursuing excellence, teamwork, and sportsmanship. Our Core Values & Beliefs - Our players, families and coaches aspire to:
• Demonstrate integrity, respect, leadership and sportsmanship in all we do. • Instill a lifelong love of the game.
• Build a strong sense of community among all our club members. • Take a holistic approach to developing our student athletes (Technical, Psychological, Social, Physical)
• Develop all student athletes, regardless of skill level, to their full potential.
Goals for our Organization moving fonvard:
• Establish Merced Youth Soccer Association as a leader in youth sports in our region • Increase recreational program participation rates to underserved communities and vulnerable youth populations
• Establish K-12 educational opportunities for our student athletes • Establish a full player development pyramid (4 year olds to adults) • Create our own soccer complex
• Create a women's semi pro team
Objectives:
• Educate our volunteer coaches and staff with official US Soccer coaching licensing classes
• Lower the cost for all recreational programs by 50%
• Create educational programs outside the realm of sports, such as Merced United Leadership Academy
• Establish connections with community organizations and businesses to raise funds for a soccer complex.
Through the execution of our organization's mission over the past forty years we have realized a gap that needs to be filled for the youth within our organization. The funding we are requesting is only the beginning of the Merced United Leadership Academy will help prepare high school students for the next steps in their career with exposure to a variety of community leaders, opportunities, and college majors/options. We are also prioritizing financial literacy because we are seeing this is a huge need in our community as well. Our goal is to expand the program to allow more student athletes to participate in the future. With our past experiences and collaborations with various organizations we are confident we can bring together the sessions proposed for the Merced United Leadership Academy to develop a valuable program for the youth in Merced.
MY SA organizational experiences and programming are listed below:
MYSA Recreational City League
Description: Established in 1979, our flagship youth recreational programs serve age groups from U6 (4 and 5 year olds) to U 18s. With a Spring and Fall season, together both programs combined bring in around 1,600 youth players yearly. All coaches are volunteers within our community and kids come from every school in the City of Merced. Since 1979, MYSA Recreational City League has been overseen by the California Youth Soccer Association, which is affiliated with the national governing body of the sport; US Soccer Federations.
- �: Spring Season: - April - June.
Fall Season: September - November
Location: Merced Sports Complex and Merced College (All practice locations are at Merced City School's that have a joint use agreement with the City of Merced, and local parks.)
Cost of Services Per Year: $130,000 - Merced College, Sports Complex Lights, Referees, Field Maintenance, Field Equipment, Player Uniforms, Insurance, and Miscellaneous.
Merced United
Description: Established in l 990, our flagship competitive program has created opportunities for boys and girls to develop and compete at the highest levels of soccer domestically and internationally. With close to 400 competitive players annually, the coaches follow a club wide curriculum to train players in a holistic approach combining technical, psychological, social and physical training methodologies. All of our youth teams play in NorCal Premier Soccer, a statewide organization that is affiliated with the US Soccer Federation; the governing body of the sport in the United States. The age groups are from under-8 teams to a recently established semi-pro team where most of our high level high school, Merced College and UC Merced players are rostered. Our semi pro team plays in the United Premier Soccer League. Thus creating a player pathway for the boys to develop from 7 years old to adults in soccer. We are currently establishing the groundwork for the women's semi pro team. We have also created programs to help our student athletes to connect with college programs and professional teams domestically and internationally, as well as establishing the groundwork for educational programs outside of sports.
- �: Year-round
Location: McNamara Park and Merced College
Cost of Services Per Year: $120,000- Merced College Fields, McNamara Lights, Merced College Field and McNamara Turf Maintenance, Referees, Player Jerseys, Equipment, Insurance, and Miscellaneous.
Merced United Adult Recreational League
Description: Established in 2018, the Adult Recreational Program was created because of the high demand for an adult soccer league from the Merced soccer community. With a Men's Premier division where the top teams play, to a Coed division and a 35+ division, there is a division for every level of play for both genders. With over 300 adults playing every Sunday, it has grown in popularity and created a safe and fun environment for adults to play organized recreational soccer in Merced. 90% of the proceeds from the adult recreational programs goes to our youth programs, the rest helps the semi-pro teams become established.
- Dates: Every Sunday, Year-round
Location: McNamara Park
Cost of Services Per Year: $27,000 - McNamara Park Lights, Field and Turf Maintenance, Insurance, Field Equipment
MYSA Indoor Futsal Recreational League
Description: Established in the Winter of 2020, the indoor futsal program was created for those players that wanted to develop their soccer skills in a rapid environment. The league's first season had about 145 kids and all the games were in the morning at the Boys and Girls Club. The COVID-19 Pandemic of 2020 stopped the league from progressing, and has not started up since.
- �: Winter 2020 January - March. (Planned for Winter and Summer) Location: Boys and Girls Club
Cost of Services: $6,500 - Renting of Boys and Girls Club, 2 Futsal Goals, Futsal balls, Uniforms
Merced United eSports Tournaments
Description: Created in the Spring of 2020 due to COVID-19 Pandemic, Merced United eSports is an innovative program that combines sports, and computer technology, where players compete against each other in tournaments in the Xbox, PlayStation or PC platforms. Merced United eSports led the groundwork for a Northern California eSports League under NorCal Premier, where over 800+ players competed online representing their youth soccer club in the game FIFA 2020. This program will involve the learning of the innovation, business, technology, computer programming and social psychology of eSports gaming. This was the first eSports program under a youth soccer club in the State.
Dates: Spring 2020
Location: E3 Gaming in Merced (closed)
Cost of Services: $4,500 - Gaming equipment, renting spaces.
Merced United Day
Description: Created in 2017, Merced United Day is an event that brings all the programs in MYSA together as well as the Merced community to celebrate our teams and take a Merced United group picture with all 400 players. We invite community members, as well as vendors as well as food trucks to make the environment fun and lively. All teams play in skill challenges and older teams connect with younger teams to create a club culture.
Dates: Every Summer ( except 2020 and 202 l)
Location: Merced College or Golden Valley High School
Cost of Services: $3,000 - Renting location, Food, Promotional Material, Miscellaneous.
Each program has their own respective team of volunteer board members that coordinate and manage the duties involved with the leagues, but I oversee and assist with each one as the President, the board can be reached at- [email protected]. Additional information about the Merced United Leadership Academy, budget, and staff experience will be provided in the attached documents.
Thank you for your time in reviewing our application for the City of Merced Community Funding, we look forward to hearing back from you soon! Warmest Regards,
Daniel Jovan Pulido
� --,y<--••1)-f .. -;;-;.<-1__
'· --�-/. -��-��-'"I- � ::__ ;-� ..
President, Merced Youth Soccer Association
Merced United Leadership Academy (MULA)
The Merced United Leadership Academy was developed to expose student athletes to community leaders to further their educational and career goals. Throughout the program student athletes will build their network by engaging in conversations and group activities focused on professional development. With a dual focus on college planning and financial literacy the graduate from the
Program Timeline: The MU Leadership Academy will begin in January 2023 and Continue through May 2023. Session dates and speakers will be secure during the remaining of the year in 2022.
Target Population: Youth High School Students who are planning to pursue a career in soccer or plan to attend college to further their education.
Goals:
Create youth leaders in our community
- Network with various industry leaders to mentor our youth leaders Create college pathways for youth leaders
Educational Field trips to various industries in Merced Objectives:
Prepare student athletes for obstacles outside of sports Connect student athletes to leaders in the community through speaker sessions, Q&A seminars, and group activities
Learn about the various college pathways and career opportunities.
Applicant Criteria:
• High School Students
• 3.0 GPA
• Resume
• Plays soccer in MU
• Interview with MU Board members
Only 20 applicants will be accepted into the Merced United Leadership Academy per cycle.
Merced United Leadership Academy Session schedule:
1st session- Introduction to the City
Christopher Jensen, Director of Parks and Recreation
City Council/mayor
2nd session- Making money and managing money
MUSCU, Mary Andre
Hector Berber, Fruta Loca
3rd session- Introduction to Merced County
Valente Huitron, Merced County Worknet
Bryan Behn, Merced County Deputy Director Parks and Rec County Supervisor
4th session- Credit Score/Cards
Adrian Jimenez CPA, ACTS
Rabobank representative
5th session- College Pathways: Schools and Majors
UC Merced Admissions
UC Merced Women's Head Soccer Coach
Jovan Pulido, President of Merced Youth Soccer Association Merced College Puente Program
6th session- Financial Aid: How to pay for college
UC Merced Financial Aid
Yolanda Campos, MCOE- Scholarships
7th session- Technology and Innovation careers
Norma Cardona, Vice President Bitwise Merced
Daniel Sabzehzar, Tesserakt Ventures
Danny Royer, Ag Tech
UC Merced Technology Professor
8th session- Health
Dr. Christie Bryant
Dr. Thelma Hurd UC Merced
Dr. Humberto Baragan
9th session- Connecting with Community Organizations
Claudia Corchado, Cultiva La Salud
Anissa Faraguso, Merced Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Manuel Alvarado, United Way and Downtown Neighborhood Association Tom Siverly, Merced Youth Soccer Association
10th session- MULA Graduation
Every student athlete gives speech on what they learned/what they envision their career path being after the program/how the program helped prepare them for college and career. The speech can be presented at any City, County, or non-profit board in Merced. • 5-8 minute speech
• Last MULA requirement
Merced United Leadership Academy Voluntary Seminar schedule:
• Soccer College Pathways hosted by Jovan Pulido
• Resume Workshop hosted by Christopher Bernal
• Introduction to Graphic Design hosted by Adrian Ramirez Upon completing the Merced United Leadership Academy
• High School Graduation Stole/cord
• MULA Trophy
• MULA Certificate of Completion
MU Leadership Academy
(MULA)
Item Cost
Program Logistics
Tr ansportation $1,200
Reservations $1,000
Food/Snacks/Beverages $2,500
Graduation Dinner $1,300
total $6,000 �
Program Supplies/Gear
MU LA Notebooks $400
MULA Pens $200
MULA Decals $200
MULA Backpacks $800
MULA Graduation Stole/Cords $500
Program Completion Trophies $500
,-- total $2,600
Staff
Program Coordinator $3,500
total $3,500
Program TOTAL Cost $12,100
Merced United Leadership Academy Staff Experience
Daniel Jovan Pulido -
President of Merced Youth Soccer Association for the past 5 years. Has worked on every program that MYSA has created, and represents MYSA at the City and County level connecting with numerous organizations and colleges to create college pathways for student athletes.
US Soccer C License, Director of Coaching Diploma.
Has been involved with every program at MYSA for the past 7 years. He has coached at every level from youth recreational, youth competitive and assistant to the semi-pro team. Having is professional coaching license with US Soccer, and in a Professional Scouting Program under San Jose Earthquakes has led him to connecting with numerous collegiate soccer programs creating college pathways for MYSA student athletes
Christopher Michael Bernal -
Vice President of Merced Youth Soccer Association for the past 4 years. During his undergraduate studies at UC Merced, he worked four years in Development and Alumni Relations, where he coordinated events, speaker series, as well as bridging the gap between UC Merced and the Community of Merced.
Bachelors in Management and Business Economics with a double minor in Art and Public Health from University of California, Merced,
Masters in Sports Management, University of San Francisco.
PhD Candidate in Management of Complex Systems at University ofCal(fornia Merced