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About

MISSION

Our program strives to be the leader in teaching players about life lessons through positive character traits such as good sportsmanship, fair play, teamwork, personal responsibility, perseverance, respecting opponents and officials, innovation, and honor of the game.  

VISION

To be the premier player development club in the region

CLUB HISTORY

1998: The club was formed as FC United under the direction and vision of Jim Long.

2002: The FC United Academy program was founded.

2004: The club re-branded as NW Arkansas Lightning Soccer Club and the club expanded rapidly.

2006: The first ever professional soccer game in the area was hosted at the NWA Lighting fields.

2015: The club became the fourteenth youth club affiliate of MLS team Sporting Kansas City and was re-named Sporting Arkansas Soccer Club.

2017: The club introduced a new coaching and player development model called "The Sporting Way" that aims to take soccer in Northwest Arkansas to a level never seen before.

2017: Sporting Arkansas became a founding member of the newest National Premier League, the Red River NPL, a league that partners top clubs form Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas.

2018: In a partnership with the top 5 clubs in the state of Arkansas, and in collaboration with similar minded clubs in Oklahoma, Sporting Arkansas was a founding and lead member of Arkansas Premier Clubs (APC) association.

2019: Sporting Arkansas sent three teams to compete for the National Cup in Denver, Colorado. The 2005G won the first ever National Championship for the state of Arkansas and the club. The 2006B finished as runners up in their division.

In 2015, the club restructured undergoing the biggest and most exciting changes in its history by becoming the fourteenth youth club affiliate to the Sporting Kansas City Major League Soccer Team. With the restructuring came another name change, Sporting Arkansas Soccer Club.

In 2017, the club introduced a new coaching and player development model called "The Sporting Way" that aims to take soccer in Northwest Arkansas to a level never seen before. The major change is a shift away from the adult based themes that have guided youth development in our region in the past and implement a child centered individual development focused process where parents can both see and gauge progress at each stage of their player development.