San Ramon Futbol Club (SRFC) celebrated its 50th anniversary with an elaborate ceremony on Aug. 27. Players, families, and members of the community alike gathered at Athan Downs Park to commemorate the milestone.
As the leading soccer club in San Ramon, SRFC works to ensure the competitive success of athletes from the ages of 18 months to 18 years. Since its inception in 1973, the club has trained middle and high school players at the state, regional and national team levels, as well as college athletes at the NCAA Division I (D1), Division II (D2), and Division III (D3) levels. Today, over 2100 members represent SRFC across all levels.
SRFC prides itself on facilitating the personal growth and development of its players. The club’s “11 pillars of character” places importance on values such as inclusivity, leadership, respect and integrity. At the celebration, SRVUSD Board President Rachel Hurd emphasized the significance of these values in her speech.
“This club is such an important piece of the fabric of San Ramon,” Hurd said. “The beauty of youth sports is the values that it instills in our kids: hard work, teamwork and dealing with disappointment and joy.”
These values have proved to be useful within the SRFC community, which has faced multiple unexpected changes over the past few years. In light of the pandemic in 2020, players transitioned to training while distancing in six foot circles. Teams developed a familiar routine of training in masks, sanitizing equipment after practices and regularly screening for symptoms of COVID. In years past, extreme heat in the summers has also forced coaches to modify players’ training schedules.
“Journeys are not straight lines. They look like the mountain range behind us, with ups and downs,” Club President Tim Coats said at the event. “For the last several years, things have not always gone as we would expect.”
Regardless of these unexpected changes, the community remains unified in continuing to expand membership and a growing financial aid program, sponsoring coaches and inviting members of the community to obtain referee licenses and become more involved with the program.
Hurd herself played competitive soccer in high school. Upon moving to San Ramon, she became a volunteer coach for her daughter’s soccer team. Hurd saw this as the perfect opportunity to use her love for soccer as a way to inspire young athletes and give back to the community. She especially valued the opportunity to build close connections with student-athletes.
“There was one girl who wouldn’t talk at school [but] over time, she would talk to me,” Hurd remembered. “Just the fact that I earned her trust was amazing.
The involvement of local businesses and organizations demonstrated SRFC’s commitment to fostering strong connections with the San Ramon community.
Hurd’s personal experiences emphasize the role SRFC plays in bringing individuals of different ages and backgrounds together. The anniversary event is an example of what a community can accomplish by working together. Coaches and players came together to organize a celebratory parade, while directors, parents, and community volunteers set up stalls, food trucks, games, a photo booth and a raffle. Uplifting music raised the spirits of the crowd, while an assortment of food trucks including Maoli Shaved Ice and Cousins Maine Lobster, rounded off the lunch hours.
The event also included activities and opportunities set up by the San Jose Earthquakes, Soccer Without Borders, East Bay Referee Association and other local vendors. The involvement of local businesses and organizations demonstrated SRFC’s commitment to fostering strong connections with the San Ramon community.
“I am proud of the journey so far, and I am thankful for the support of our members in our community,” Coats said. “I hope you all continue with us on our journey.”
