Soccer in SoCal has been a competitive hotbed for ambitious talent and teams looking to play at the next level. With a saturated number of adult amateur teams within the Inland Empire region, only one team reigns supreme in the IE: Future FC.
FFC began as the Blues Youth soccer club in Corona, CA, located 50 miles southeast of Los Angeles. With the help of current head coach Shayon Jalayer, he led the transition to what the club is now: Future Football Club.
As a youth club, they operate many age groups for both boys and girls. However, coach Jalayer has been responsible for managing the women’s adult amateur side for almost four years now.
In the US, soccer outside of the MLS (and other professional leagues) is complicated for the average American to understand. For those involved in the youth game in this country or who understand the basics of capitalism, the adult amateur game is a free market ecosystem where youth clubs train their players to reach a position at a college or European team. Suppose the players don’t get that level or seek more training/experience; in that case, they join an adult amateur team to perform at the top level that’s not professional.
Relating to the free market comparison, there are multiple national and regional leagues that US Soccer sanctions, the sport’s governing body. So long as you’re sanctioned by one of the many associations of US Soccer, you are officially under their umbrella of adult amateur. That means this level is not Sunday league or professional. You can be called “semi-professional” as some clubs pay players.
How much do players get at this level if they get paid (which most don’t)? It is about as much as paying a friend for a favor for cleaning/painting a room of your house to gas money. This explanation applies mainly to the men’s side but to a lesser extent to the women’s game.
Understandably, this system and organization is complicated. Still, if you understand that leagues at this level are just companies servicing customers (clubs), that should help.
Back to FFC, the club ventured to field adult women players to incubate them for the professional game and college training and to be the best versions of themselves. This journey started for coach Jalayer and FFC around four years ago during the transition out of the stay-at-home orders from COVID-19.
From 2021, they played three seasons in the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL), a national amateur league servicing more than 100 clubs across the country in the men’s and women’s divisions. Future FC played in the SoCal conference and dominated the competition without anyone matching their level.
After conquering the local competitors, the team and coach Shay decided to try a new league and look for a new challenge. A new regional league called the South West Premier League started a women’s division, and FFC joined as one of the bigger marketable teams for the league.
In the inaugural season, the SWPL operated in the summer, starting in May and ending in July. FFC was with six other women’s clubs in a single round-robin season where each team played once, and the first-place team after the regular season took the title. In typical FFC fashion, their dominance remained the same. Below are their season table standings and match results.
| GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
| 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 1 | 38 |
| Opponent | Score |
| Prestiage FC | 4-0 |
| SoCal FC | 2-0 |
| Ocelot Academy | 11-1 |
| Capo FC Women | 4-0 |
| California Natives FC Women | 3-0 |
| AValencia FC | 3-0 |
| Laguna FCW | 12-0 |
Top goal scorer Tara Oper has recorded ten goals and assists in the season and has been FFC’s top goal scorer for a second year.
It’s rewarding to see things that you work on outside of practices and games is paying off
The Arlington high school grad is a Cal Poly Pomona senior with six goals in her two years.
Going undefeated for yet another season has proved the might of Future FC and coach Shay’s philosophy. Beyond the results and play on the field, coach Shay says
It’s our players physical, mental and emotional health first. Trust the process and buy in 100% to the club culture
This holistic approach to the beautiful game is unique from other clubs at this level, and the results prove it.
Most of the amateur teams at this level (even teams that are part of wealthy youth clubs) operate at a loss to provide a platform for aspiring young players wanting to play at the professional level. That’s what’s next for the invincible Future FC: “We just want to be the destination players come to grow as people and players and give them the best possible environment we can.” For those who would like to donate to the continued success of Future FC, check out their website at Future-fc.org. Below are some other content on FFC.