September Academy Affiliate of the Month: Sporting Lee’s Summit
Club Bio
Sporting Lee’s Summit is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization committed to providing our community with low cost, high quality soccer programs.
Nearly 5,000 members from Lee’s Summit and the surrounding communities participate in our programs annually. Our mission at Sporting Lee’s Summit is to create a positive environment in which all players can do what they enjoy – having fun!
Sporting Lee’s Summit provides players with soccer programs that teach fundamentals and encourage player development in a fun and supporting environment.
We value teamwork, sportsmanship and teaching the importance of integrity. And through team activities, we’re encouraging individuals to perform in group settings, growing self-confidence and creating future leaders that will transcend soccer and help our players in everyday life.
Founded in the Spring of 1992, Lee’s Summit Soccer Association (LSSA) was formed with around 650 players. In the Fall of 2003, LSSA created a competitive division that started with 16 teams and more than 200 players.
In 2007, LSSA add an adult summer league and a division for youth with special needs. This division provides youth soccer players with physical or mental disabilities the ability to recreate and play soccer in a fun, friendly, and supportive environment.
In the Spring of 2015, LSSA partnered with Sporting Kansas City to become an Academy Affiliate club member. At that time, LSSA became known as Sporting Lee’s Summit.
Spotlight: Sporting Lee’s Summit Referee Program
Sporting Lee’s Summit is also home to one of the best and most successful referee training programs in the Kansas City metro area. The program allows each new referee to be paired with a mentor who guides them through every step of the referee training journey, including on the field.
The new referees are empowered to develop skills surrounding time management, scheduling, and accepting positive and negative criticism, which they can then carry into future careers and endeavors. The program also allows young referees to earn money refereeing.
Since taking lead on the program 13 years ago, Art Shinabargar has played an influential role in developing the program into what it is today. The team of referees and mentors has grown to nearly 200 people, giving every mentor and referee a chance to build their skills and experience at a variety of age and competition levels.
Recent Accomplishments
Sporting Lee’s Summit Wizards
Congratulations to the SLS Wizards U11 Boys team for winning their division at Sporting Classic! The Wizards went undefeated during the three-day tournament and scored an impressive 16 goals in four games to bring home the gold.
For more information on Sporting Lee’s Summit, visit www.sportingls.org and follow them on Facebook.