WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. (March 11, 2022) – Oaks FC, the professional soccer club headquartered here and beginning play in the National Independent Soccer Assocation in 2023, today announced a merger with Conejo Valley United Youth Soccer Club (CVU) and Brad Friedel 310 Youth Soccer Club (310). The organization, to be named Oaks FC, becomes the foundation of the pro club’s developmental system.
The merger also marks the halfway point to Oaks FC’s goals of 200 youth teams in a complete developmental soccer ecosystem in the region. Both players and coaches will have a clear pathway to the professional level.
“For the first time ever players will have the opportunity to achieve their soccer dreams without ever leaving their Ventura County home,” says Oaks FC Founder and CEO Mark Noorzai.
This partnership is a natural fit as all members share a “Player is the Priority” approach to player development where all club and team decisions are made based on what is best for each individual player.
Oaks FC will focus on training players who can compete at the highest levels of soccer while also developing the character their players need to succeed in all aspects of life. Oaks FC also will provide youth scholarships to hundreds of US colleges and universities to its players through its partnership with Achieve Goals, Inc.
310 is a youth club started by English Premier League and US Soccer legend Brad Friedel. Currently, the B05 team is ranked fifth in California. Six of these players have been invited to professional tryouts in the last six months. One of the players, Danny Lascano, is currently on a month-long trial at Club Atletico Rentistas, 1st Division Uruguay.
“After living in the Ventura area, I can tell you that this county is rich with top quality youth talent,” says Friedel. “Oaks FC can be a destination or bridge for these young players to reach their goals."
For more than four decades, CVU has fielded competitive boys’ and girls’ teams in every division along with an extremely popular juniors program for players aged 3-8.
“We are excited to be joining forces with a club that has the history and recognition as CVU does within the community,” says 310 Director of Coaching Kian Kohan. “We look forward to expanding on what is already a clear pathway from youth to professional soccer in the Oaks FC system.”
CVU has traditionally been one of the largest clubs in Southern California in terms of total number of teams.
"First of all, CVU is happy to partner with Brad Friedel 310, and Achieve Goals because they have proven throughout their history to share the same philosophy as CVU, which is a player first approach,” says CVU Director of Coaching Ross Greaney. “At Oaks FC we look forward to ensuring that every young person has an amazing soccer experience while striving to achieve within a structure that allows them a clear local path to the top."
For more information on Oaks FC, please visit www.OaksFC.pro.