The Cleveland Whitecaps Premier Soccer Club was established in the Indoor season of 1996. Mike, Grace and Pat Sweeney along with the club’s first Administrator, Joe Parente, put together a program designed to highlight, emphasize and harness the coaching enthusiasm, direction and style of Mike Sweeney.It was a natural evolution from the summer camp program, All Star Soccer Camps, which had been successfully operating since 1989. Parents and children would frequent our retail location and quite often ask, “When are you going to start coaching kids year round”? Mike hung up his pro boots in 1994 with the Canadian National Team trials to the World Cup and began directing the Cleveland Whitecaps (along with the many other hats he wore).

The Club name and colors have history as well. It was named after Mike’s favorite and home professional team, during his career with the North American Soccer League, the Vancouver Whitecaps. The Vancouver Whitecaps are still competing in the A-League division of the USL. It was not a bad fit considering we have Lake Erie in our backyards. Any boaters know, when the lake starts spouting whitecaps, you had better move out. Grace selected the team colors. At the time, teams did not select black as a team color because it was the color of the referee shirt. Once ref shirt colors changed to pink and then yellow, it opened up the black color for teams. It was a natural choice since no one else was wearing that color. The black, white and teal provided a nice color combination for a water themed logo.



The club needed a league to play in. The Lake Erie League did not want to accept Mike and his teams as a new member. At that time, if you did not hold a franchise in the league, you had to be voted in by the membership. We were, however, accepted graciously into the North Coast Amateur Futbol League, which was based in Hudson and Lodi. That first year we fielded 8 boys’ teams at U9, U10, U11, U12, U13, U14, U15, and U16, and 1 girl’s team at U16. Within one year, its benefactor, Albert Kaufmann, gifted the very first and original Lake Erie League franchise, East West Soccer Club, to Mike. We changed the name on the franchise to the Cleveland Whitecaps and in 1997, we were fielding 10 boys teams and 3 girls teams, in both the Lake Erie League and the NCAFL.



During 1997 the Sweeney’s started a Division Three Professional team called the Cleveland Caps. The concept of exciting outdoor professional soccer seemed a wonderful idea. For two years, our Whitecaps players were able to benefit from the observation and direction of the local pros on a weekly basis. Matt Garey was hired as the Club Administrator, and the Club philosophy expanded to develop a youth professional system. Unfortunately in the end, the team lacked fan and financial support and packed it in, in 1999.



  The Whitecaps Premier Soccer Club operates for the benefit of its playing members and families. Our primary focus is total player development, on and off the field. We provide above average athletes with a positive and educational learning environment. We are focused on offering our players the best possible training and playing experience, locally, regionally, nationally and ultimately internationally. All players are encouraged and coached to achieve their maximum playing potential for current, and future play.



 Our players have the opportunity to learn all elements that make up a successful soccer player:



   

      Technical training

   

      Tactical awareness

   

      Responsibilities of teamwork

   

      Confidence

   

      Goal setting characteristics

   

      Importance of academics



We seek good athletes who have the potential to become good soccer players through our training programs. This takes commitment to the sport, the team and the Club.



Our Club emphasizes all-around development of each individual within a team concept. We believe that to be successful as a whole, the entire team must be a close-knit family of successful young people enjoying a competitive environment. We expect a level of commitment in terms of your attitude towards the game, but also expect the same level of commitment towards academics.  Our belief is that family comes first, followed by academics and then your recreational activities, including soccer.