By Alicia Kelso

Check out Dublin’s Avery Park on Saturdays in the fall or spring and you’ll see color, festivity, sportsmanship and community spirit.

The controlled chaos is facilitated by the Dublin Soccer League, which kicked off its 20th season April 4. The league features recreational games and practices for children of all ages throughout Central Ohio.

An estimated 35,000 kids have participated in the DSL since its inception. More than 200 teams take the field each season, playing six games in the fall and seven in the spring. Avery typically has 25 total fields set up each week. There are times when the park gets so crowded with games and spectators the league sends overflow games to Darree Fields Park.

“The level of participation we’ve gotten up to, you’re lucky to find a parking spot on Saturday mornings. Every week is a very fun, festive, community atmosphere,” says John Muir, who has been the DSL’s executive director since 2000.

The DSL is certainly a success story, with a working model that includes benevolence. The league’s annual Dublin Charity Cup, held each September and also marking its 20th anniversary, provides soccer competition for hundreds of local and out-of-state teams while also raising money for children’s charities.

According Muir, there is no secret to the league’s longevity and accomplishments: it simply sticks to the basics.

“We continue to grow as the City of Dublin has continued to grow. When this league started, (Dublin) was a small town. Now we have one of the largest recreation soccer leagues in the state,” Muir says. “It helps that the sport of soccer is accessible for both boys and girls of all ages. You don’t need hand/eye coordination and you don’t have to wait until your next at-bat. Soccer keeps them actively involved at all times and parents enjoy that, too.”

The DSL’s organized system guarantees participation. Teams form based on age, beginning with groups from Under 5 through U-19. Younger teams have fewer players (three versus three for a U-5 game, for example) so every player gets the chance to play. Teams are also formed based on geographical location.

“When we assign players to a team, we try to distribute as evenly as possible by age and where they live,” Muir says. “This makes it easier for them to get together to practice, for them to be comfortable because they maybe already know each other and it makes it easier for parents that maybe need to carpool.”

Parents and community members contribute in-kind to the DSL, as teams are managed by at least 400 volunteer coaches who devote their time to weekly practices and games. They’re also committed fans, filling the park each Saturday rain or shine.

“This league is all about community enrichment and parents love that it is such a good, wholesome program,” says Patrice Kelley, who has had three children play in the league. “Every Saturday is a colorful, wild site. It’s fun and social. I see all of my neighbors out there. It’s the place to be!”

With the help of the Dublin Soccer League, which is solely recreational, and Ohio Premier (girls travel team), Team Ohio FC (boys travel) and the Dublin Middle Tier Soccer Organization (mixed, local travel), soccer is the largest participation sport in the city.

“The difference is we (DSL) are recreational and the others are more competitive, but we all are on the same page in fulfilling a purpose to make sure Dublin has something for everyone who wants to play soccer,” Muir says.

As a recreational league, the DSL provides employment opportunities for referees as young as 12. There are more than 133 youth referees each season.

“This is a great first work experience and income for kids. They get to learn lessons and responsibility at a young age, and they have to be there on time whether it’s cold or rainy or whatever,” Muir says.

Additionally, the DSL has open concessions each game, staffed by different community athletic groups, with the proceeds flowing back into the community. For example, if the Dublin Coffman golf team boosters, the Jerome band boosters and the Scioto cheerleader boosters agree to work concessions during the DSL’s spring schedule, concessions proceeds are divided up at the end of the season and given back to those specific groups.

“Our concessions program is a unique model because we’re an affluent community and don’t push people to donate or ask people to sell things. We like to reward and help those groups that are involved,” Muir says.

The DSL also donates proceeds raised from its annual Charity Cup event to Central Ohio children’s charities. Since its inception in 1989, the Cup has contributed nearly $400,000 to charities including the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and, most recently, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Central Ohio. In 2008 alone, the Dublin Cup raised $35,000 for Big Brothers/Big Sisters, which impacts the lives of more than 4,800 children in the area through its mentoring program.


“When we decided to turn the Cup into a charity event, we knew the theme had to be about kids helping kids. We’ll always donate money back to charities that help kids, and in turn the charity has to be involved in helping with the event, so they’re not just given a blank check. We throw this big, involved charity event and don’t use the money for ourselves. We’re one of only a handful of charities in the country that uses charity money for something else,” Muir says.

All of the DSL’s initiatives happen with just three full-time employees, in addition to volunteer coaches, part-time referees and a volunteer board of directors. Because the model has worked, Muir says he sees no major changes during the league’s next 20 years.

“We are fortunate to have a city behind us, to have parents that care enough and to have kids that want to be here,” Muir says. “It’s very fulfilling to provide this for youths in Dublin for as long as we have.”

For more information about the Dublin Soccer League, visit www.DublinSoccerLeague.com.

Alicia Kelso is editor of Dublin Life.