What does this change mean for my current DMSA or Seton Roadrunners team?

• DMSA will be co-branded with Bethesda SC in the U8-U12 age groups.
• Beginning at the U13 age group (when games switch to 11v11/full field), DMSA teams will become Bethesda Royal teams.
• Seton Roadrunners FC teams will become Bethesda Red teams for all age groups.
• This partnership aims to provide competitive teams for every age group and facilitate a player pathway that accommodates different skill levels.

Why does DMSA change to Bethesda Royal at the High School level?

• Avoiding a conflict of interest at the high school level is essential.
• We want to provide club soccer opportunities for all players in our community, not just those who decide to attend DeMatha and Seton.
• Bethesda SC allows neutrality and alleviates implicit pressure to attend DeMatha or Seton.
• Selection for High School teams is separate from that of Club High School teams, and this partnership strengthens their boundaries.

Who will Coach my team?

• Our coaching staff will largely remain the same, with some changes to specific team assignments.
• We are adding some new coaches and operations staff. These appointments will be announced after tryouts when we know the final numbers and ages of the teams.
• The partnership with Bethesda SC opens the doors to additional staffing resources.
• Our players will have access to the Bethesda Goalkeeper coaches.
• Coach Parnell has been named the Director of Player Development within Bethesda SC. His role will be to facilitate the assessment and placement of players with Bethesda Royal/Red teams.

Where will we train and play home games?

• We will continue operating outside the local Prince George's County area.
• Elizabeth Seton High School field will continue to be one of our flagship home field.
• We will also be utilizing other fields in Prince George's County.

When does this change take effect?

• This partnership will take effect on July 1st, 2024. The Spring 2024 season will continue as usual for the DMSA and Seton Roadrunner FC teams.

How does this change benefit the players?

• The current youth club soccer ecosystem is mainly dependent on youth soccer leagues. Entry into these higher-level, competitive leagues is not feasible nor possible for DMSA and Seton Roadrunner FC teams as they are currently constructed.
• Partnering with Bethesda SC will allow our players to be registered as Bethesda SC players and included in player pools that are eligible for MLS Next and ECNL teams at the age-appropriate teams.
• As it currently stands, a DMSA or Seton Roadrunner FC player would have to leave the Club and go to a tryout for an MLS Next or ECNL club (i.e., Bethesda SC) with the hopes of being seen and approved in the small window of a tryout session or two.
• This partnership will support the development of Bethesda SC players in larger player pools and offer an internal pathway for evaluating and selecting all players.
• This change also opens up the coaching, staffing, and programming resources available to our players and families.
• By being registered under the Bethesda SC umbrella, we will have opportunities to enter more competitive tournaments.
• We will also have access to other Bethesda teams for scrimmages and additional off- season programming.

How competitive is Bethesda SC?

• Bethesda SC teams have had a long history of success. The boys' teams play in the two top leagues nationally, MLS Next and NAL. The girls' teams play in the top league nationally, ECNL. The Club also has teams that compete in the USYSA Region 1 League, EDP, NCSL, and Super Y Summer League. Bethesda SC teams participate in the Maryland State Cup and Maryland President's Cup, and the Club is a four-time national champion.
• Bethesda SC currently has over 75 girls and boys teams.
• Bethesda SC currently tiers teams as follows: MLSNext/ECNL (Academy), NAL/ENRL (Blue), and EDP/NCSL (various colors).
• Bethesda SC players have had success with Bethesda SC teams and beyond. Bethesda SC players have earned National Team call-ups in their youth and senior national teams. Bethesda SC has had over 75 players play professionally since 2000.
• Bethesda SC has an extensive pathway to college programs for both boys and girls teams and provides a reliable path for players to compete at the next level. In the past 20 years, BSC has placed over 500 players in Divison I, II, and III schools across the United States. Those schools include every Ivy League school, Stanford, Duke, Georgetown, the University of Maryland, and the University of North Carolina. BSC is committed to providing its players with every opportunity to play at the college level and enrich their lives by obtaining a college education