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Stay up to date on the latest club news while gaining insight into how and why we train the Steel City way.
This is your home base for all club updates. But it’s more than just news—we also use this space to bring you inside the Steel City approach: how we think about long-term player development, what we emphasize in each phase of our academy, and how our coaches support athletes on and off the field.
We believe that informed families make for stronger players and a stronger club. That’s why you’ll also find educational articles, coach spotlights, and stories that reflect our values—accountability, consistency, and a commitment to building players the right way.
Why We Start Here: Inside the Foundation Phase at Steel City FC
At the front of what we do, we are trying to help build a love and passion for the sport we all love so much. This is especially true in the Foundation Phase as we focus on ‘training to love the game.’ As a club and individual coaches, we strongly...
Why 5v5? The power of small-sided games
At the forefront of everything we do is individual player development. This is especially true for U10, U9, U8 players as they truly begin to love the game. As we constantly challenge ourselves to evaluate how to best develop and inspire the players, we recognize and believe in the power...
The Relative Age Effect: How It Impacts Young Soccer Players
@JOYofthePEOPLE Being the best and brightest is of utmost reward in society. From an early age we identify cut-off periods to which we group children for both sports and academics. However, a phenomenon has been recognized -- those born closest to the cut-off are at an...
Building the Modern Keeper: A Look Inside Our Goalkeeping Approach
Let’s be honest. Whenever anyone talks about “models” in soccer, goalkeepers are rarely mentioned. Goalkeepers are undoubtedly part of the team process and approach and need to be included in all aspects of the team. But their role is unique and requires their own attention. At Steel City, we have...
Built for Long-Term Success: Inside the Phase Model That Guides Steel City FC
In most soccer clubs, the unspoken balancing act of determining who a coach is for a team is based on how long a coach can keep the parents happy. If the parents are happy, then everything is OK. Right? We don't believe so. This approach overlooks the most crucial components...
Steel City FC will join USL W League and League Two in 2025
Pittsburgh, Pa. & Tampa, Fla. The United Soccer League announced today that Steel City FC will join both the USL W League and USL League Two beginning in 2025. Steel City was formed in 2021 as a collaboration between youth clubs Pittsburgh Hotspurs and Arsenal FC of Pittsburgh with the goal of...
Steel City Players Shine in 2024 High School Season
Congratulations to the following College Prep & Performance Phase players on their achievements in their 2024 high school soccer season: 1A Girls All-Section Brianne Casto Addison Vacanti Hannah Hudack Hailey Marchlewski Briana Ross Avi Keller Marghe Memoli Maeve Dever 1A Boys All-Section Brennan Mattie Mason Smith Gavin Rigby Luke Kost...
Trust, Challenge, Return: Nick Niebauer’s Loan to MLS NEXT is the Steel City Way
The main essentials in every room of the Niebauer house - a light and a soccer ball. And one of the two is negotiable. Nick Niebauer (2008B) has always loved the game - the competition, the mastery, the scoring goals. "I feel most like myself when I am playing soccer,"...
Spotlight: How Referee Ashley Smyda Learns from Every Game
Over 700 games will be organized/hosted at Steel City FC sites this year. Along with the hours the players spend on and off the pitch developing their skills, the time coaches devote to planning, training, and working with each player, and the parents' efforts in organizing all logistics to get...
Spotlight: Referee Sean Heilman’s Message to Spectators
Over 700 games will be organized/hosted at Steel City FC sites this year. Along with the hours the players spend on and off the pitch developing their skills, the time coaches devote to planning, training, and working with each player, and the parents' efforts in organizing all logistics to get...
Spotlight: Referee Taylor Bombalski, from FASA to US Youth Nationals
Over 700 games will be organized/hosted at Steel City FC sites this year. Along with the hours the players spend on and off the pitch developing their skills, the time coaches devote to planning, training, and working with each player, and the parents' efforts in organizing all logistics to get...
Steel City Players High School Achievements 2023
Congratulations to the following College Prep & Performance Phase players on their achievements in their 2023 high school soccer season: 1A Girls All-Section Hannah Hudack Briana Ross Ashley Ross Molly Hurley Meredith Snyder Margherita Memoli Avielle Keller Maeve Dever 1A Boys All-Section Ryan Policicchio Billy Kowalkowski Cam Wagner Luke Kost...