You've probably heard the saying, "It takes a village to raise a child." The same is true in soccer. Except most kids in San Antonio don't have one.
I'm Coach Aaron Anderson, and the concept of a soccer village is the reason Apex United FC exists. It's not a facility. It's not a single program. It's the ecosystem of coaches, mentors, teammates, and families that surrounds a young player and gives them every opportunity to develop — on the field and off.
Growing up playing in multiple sports, local recreational soccer leagues and club soccer with the Schertz Lions, I was fast. Really fast. Fast enough to catch the eye of the head coach at the University of San Francisco during an ID camp. He invited me to try to walk on to earn a roster spot. I took the chance.
But speed wasn't enough. The players at USF — kids who'd grown up in the LA Galaxy, SJ Earthquakes, and DC United academy systems — had something I didn't. They had pristine refinement in technique, intensity, and IQ. All from years of structured development, 1:1 technical mentors, and a community built around their growth as soccer players. They grew up inside a soccer village.
I didn't. And by the time I got to college, that gap was difficult to close on work rate and physicality alone. I did learn what the most important aspects of a quality player are, which I use to guide young players at Apex United today.
Qualified coaching. Not just someone running drills, but a mentor who understands the technical, tactical, physical, and mental sides of the game. Is your coach individually and personally invested in your success and not just the team's?
Consistent training environment. Real youth player development requires consistency. We train three days a week at Anderson Fields at McAllister Park because that rhythm builds habits that stick.
A community of families. The car rides to practice, the conversations after a tough loss, the friendships between families — that's the village at work. Parents often mention to us that they tell their children, "We are going to tell Coach Yamil and Coach Aaron if you don't stop now." This is a village at work.
Youth soccer mentorship. Every kid needs at least one adult outside their family who believes in them and pushes them. This concept was first introduced to me in San Francisco. The most successful outliers have the drive and willingness, but they also usually have a significant mentor who knows the craft and accelerates their development. This is sometimes in their own family or outside of it.
Accessibility. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, we built Apex United to lower barriers — because a kid's zip code or family budget shouldn't determine whether they get quality development.
The players who make it to the highest levels almost always have access to a village. That infrastructure exists — but it's concentrated in certain areas and at certain price points.
Youth soccer in Converse TX shouldn't mean settling for less. Every kid in this community deserves the same foundation that kids in major metro academies get.
Want to see the village in action? Come watch a training session at Anderson Fields at McAllister Park (13102 Jones Maltsberger Rd, San Antonio, TX 78247). No pressure, no commitment.
Contact us to schedule a visit or explore our programs.
Coach Aaron Anderson founded Apex United FC in 2024 to provide the soccer village he never had growing up. The club is a 501(c)(3) non-profit serving players ages 7-12 in Converse, Schertz, and the greater San Antonio area.
