Inside the SCPL: Why We Built It and What We Learned
When we launched the Steel City Premier League (SCPL), it wasn’t to create another competition—it was to create the right competition.
“The Steel City Premier League was born because of our staff’s desire to create a better competitive games program that enhanced player development,” said Jonathan Velotta, one of our Club Directors. “The process our staff went through to form the league challenged us to think outside the box and hone in on formats, rules, standards and initiatives that pushed our players, teams and club forward.”
We train a certain way. We teach a sustainable, intelligent style of soccer built on decision-making, technical quality, and understanding the game—not relying on size, speed, or chaos. But in many local leagues and regional tournaments, the majority of opponents do not subscribe to that same philosophy. Too often, we face teams that play punt-and-chase soccer, rely on athleticism instead of technique, and generate chances through bounces rather than structure.
So we built something different. “The countless hours of meeting, debating and executing were worth the process alone. The cherry on top was that we were able to make our idea a reality,” Velotta added.
We designed a league with intentional rules and match formats—quarters in some age groups, smaller numbers in others, adjusted match structures—all created to encourage the right habits. A league where development matters just as much as results. A league that reinforces the same ideas we work on every day in training.
Once we did that, we asked a deeper question:
“How do we know if players are truly learning and applying our game model?”
That’s where the data came in.
Across five sites—North, East, Harmar, Metro, and BC United—we tracked nearly 200 matches possession by possession. Not goals, not scores, not who ran faster. We measured the things that actually matter for long-term development.
And the story the numbers told was clear, consistent, and incredibly encouraging.
How the SCPL Works
The SCPL was designed to give players environments that match how we train. That meant creating formats tied directly to the Phase Model and age-appropriate learning:
- 5v5 for U9–U10
- 7v7 for U11
- 9v9 for U12–U13
- 11v11 for U14
Small-sided formats mean more touches, more decisions, and more opportunities to learn the habits that define our identity. This fall’s data showed why we keep players in smaller-numbered environments longer than most clubs.
Why We Chose These KPIs
Before the season began, we identified two measurable indicators that would reveal whether players were applying our game model in real match environments.
“The purpose of tracking KPIs was to put an emphasis on style of play, not just winning and losing. We wanted everyone (staff, players, and parents) to see a connection between our training methodology and how our teams play on game day,” Velotta says.
“We chose these two specific KPIs because they tie in directly to our game model and emphasize the following: playing forward under control, territorial dominance and ‘NEXT ACTION’ mentality.”
1. BUCs (Balls Under Control in the Box)
BUCs measure how often we entered the opponent’s penalty box with control. Not luck. Not a bounce. Not a hopeful long ball. Controlled entries show whether players are creating meaningful, repeatable scoring opportunities through purposeful play.
2. FHRs (Front-Half Regains)
FHRs measure territorial dominance—how often we win the ball back in the opponent’s half and complete the next soccer action. This helps us understand whether we are pressing with purpose, sustaining pressure, and dictating where the game is played.
Together, these two metrics reflected our identity. For Coach Velotta, “The data we collected from the KPIs is a powerful indicator for our coaches and players to determine if our training is working.”
If we did these well, everything else would follow.
What the Data Told Us
Across 188 tracked matches, the patterns were unmistakable.
1. Teams that embraced our identity created significantly more danger
Division winners averaged 15.8 BUCs per game, compared to the league average of 9.9. That is nearly a 60% increase.
The teams that performed best were the ones that:
- built attacks with patience
- entered the box with control
- created repeatable, meaningful chances
2. Our best teams controlled more of the field
Champions averaged 17 front-half regains per match, compared to the league average of 13.4.
This translates to:
- higher pressing success
- sustained territorial dominance
- opponents pushed deeper into their defensive third
3. Champions were not better finishers—they just created more chances
This was one of the most surprising patterns.
League-wide conversion rate: 30.8%
Champions’ conversion rate: 29.4%
Basically identical.
The difference?
Champions simply created more high-quality chances. They averaged nearly 5 goals per game, not because they finished better, but because they produced more opportunities.
4. Format truly shapes development
Our four formats revealed important truths:
5v5:
- 11.31 BUCs per match
- 51.4% conversion rate
High reps, high touch volume, high engagement—exactly why we invest heavily in this stage.
7v7:
- Nearly 14 controlled box entries per game
Players carry confidence from 5v5 into more complex environments.
9v9:
- 9.53 BUCs per match
- 3.57 BUCs needed to score
Decision-making becomes more demanding; structure matters most.
11v11:
- 1.75 FHRs required to create one BUC
- 3.78 BUCs required to score
Finishing chances becomes significantly harder. The foundations built in earlier phases matter more than ever.
5. Our identity emerged across all five sites
Every single site produced at least one division champion:
- Harmar: 6
- Metro: 6
- North: 3
- East: 3
- BC United: 2
This showed that the success of our identity is not tied to one coach or one location. It is shared across the entire club.
View the winners:
Why We Built This League
The SCPL wasn’t created to make a statement. It was created to solve a real problem.
Our players needed match environments that reflected the same principles we teach during the week: patience on the ball, decision-making, structure, and bravery under pressure. Too many local leagues reward long balls, physical mismatches, and chaotic moments that do not help players grow.
The SCPL allows us to do the opposite.
This fall’s data confirmed that the environment we designed is doing what it was meant to do:
- It encourages players to build attacks rather than bypass them.
- It rewards pressure applied with organization, not just effort.
- It supports a consistent club identity across every site.
- It gives coaches reliable feedback on what’s working.
Most importantly, it showed that when players lean into the habits we teach, those habits translate into meaningful performances. The teams that embraced our identity most consistently were the ones that succeeded—not because they were older, bigger, or faster, but because their approach matched the demands of the environment.
Where We’re Headed
Reflecting on the inaugural fall season, Velotta notes: “The first season of the SCPL was a resounding success but there are still a lot of areas for growth and improvement. Site vs Site games will inevitably get more competitive as the league builds and we hope to continue to add other clubs and partners that raise the level of the league.”
This was our first full dataset from the SCPL, and it provides a strong foundation for future growth. Next season, we will:
- Track additional KPIs
- Expand our analysis
- Continue improving match environments
- Strengthen communication and education for families
“At the end of each season, the leadership team will evaluate what is working and what needs to improve,” Coach Velotta explained. “The beauty of the league is that WE are in control and also willing to make changes where needed.”
“The SCPL is built for the long term,” he concluded, “and will be a key part of the club’s foundation and catalyst for our player development model.”
We’re not building teams for a weekend.
We’re building players for the long term.
And this fall was a strong step in the right direction.