Salvo & Mendota Heights Athletic Association Partnership!
Mendota Heights Athletic Association (“MHAA”) and Salvo Soccer Club have partnered together to provide a complete soccer pathway for Mendota Heights’ players ages 4 to 19.
MHAA soccer program (aka “Warrior Soccer”) has built a strong foundation in their Rec/In-house soccer program built on teaching the basics of soccer and fostering friendships and community connections. As the program grew, there was also a need for additional help and opportunities for the players.
The partnership between MHAA and Salvo will include both administrative and on-field components. Salvo’s dedicated staff will continue to provide Mendota Heights families with the member service care they have come to expect from the program. Salvo will also provide support to the 100s of volunteer coaches that are vital to the program. MHAA will continue to have oversight of the program through the Commissioner position, currently held by Cam Johnson, and the Soccer Advisory Committee.
MHAA will continue to offer the existing Fall Warrior Soccer season with the support of Salvo. Salvo will continue to offer programs in the Spring/Summer and Winter seasons. This includes a winter and spring season of Community (Rec/Inhouse) soccer along with an option to transition to Performance or Traveling soccer. This partnership will provide a structured pathway for players to continue to participate in the sport whether they stay in the single season of Community each year or decide to pursue traveling soccer for a season or at a higher commitment level. Mendota Heights families are able to participate in the programs offered by MHAA and Salvo.
Soccer is a unique sport in that the traveling level is rarely offered by an athletic association. Unlike basketball or baseball, for players to transition from the in-house program to travel program, a family needs to identify a soccer club to make that transition. This partnership will provide that opportunity for families in a seamless transition, similar to the other sports offered by MHAA--we now offer “travel soccer”!
“While enhancing our great Fall Soccer programming, this partnership serves our community by allowing us to offer a clear soccer programming pathway for kids that seek the opportunity to play outside of our current MHAA 10-week program. This partnership provides additional opportunities for players/families that are looking for more competitive / travel soccer -- an option that I enjoyed as a youth, and one that has been absent from our immediate area for some time. We know we have a strong core of athletes in our area, and our community soccer program, with nearly 1,000 participants, continues to grow. We want to offer a bridge for continued enjoyment of the sport to higher levels for those that are looking for that opportunity as they move through our program,” says Cam Johnson, MHAA Soccer Commissioner.
Salvo Soccer Club is based out of the southeast metro with its primary locations being Apple Valley/Rosemount/Farmington in the south, West St Paul/Mendota Heights as the central, and Woodbury as the east. Salvo provides programming for players ages 4-19 at all levels of play throughout the age groupings. Salvo’s mission is to develop outstanding people through soccer experiences and we believe that can only happen if we are supporting the players and their families at the level of participation that best fits them. Salvo programs include seasonal Community (Rec/Inhouse) soccer, Performance (Travel) soccer with programs both seasonally and year-long, Summer Camps, and Soccer School. Salvo is a strong supporter of kids participating in multiple sports and builds programs to be conducive to the multi-sport athlete.
“We are excited for the opportunity to partner with MHAA and work with all of the dedicated volunteers that have built and continue to support the program. The opportunity to impact the youth and families through soccer programming goes well beyond the field. Through the game, we have the ability to help players develop into people we want as our neighbors in the future. Soccer is the game that unites us all,” says Salvo Executive Director, Lisa Wolf.
Registration for the fall season of Warrior soccer is now open and can be found at the MHAA website. The season will run between early August to early October and is open to players Pre-K through 6th grade.
If there are questions about the partnership or fall registration, you can direct them to soccer@mendotaheightsathletics.com or salvosc@salvosoccer.org.