Industry spotlight
Goals Beyond Goals: Superb Futbol Club's Journey to Empower Youth
The game of soccer ignites joy.
You see it in South America. The Caribbean. Africa. Soccer provides a sense of identity and community for countries around the world. People of all ages love to play, watch, and find camaraderie around the sport.
Dwight Findlay has always had that love for soccer.
But, he observed that there’s a different outlook on soccer in America. Many clubs are very serious and costly, placing more focus on results as a measure of success rather than improvement, community, or just a love for the game. He found that oftentimes, coaches don’t bring out the best in athletes.
Dwight wanted to create a different space – one where kids could be inspired by soccer.
Motivated by the belief that “every child is superb,” Dwight set out to create this supportive, inspiring environment for young athletes in the Wilmington, North Carolina area.
What started as a one-on-one training business focusing on technical abilities and character lessons soon revealed an opportunity for something even bigger: a team environment where players could find community and bring out the “superbness” in each other. In 2020, Dwight expanded his business, founding Superb Futbol Club, a club where kids of all skill levels can be a part of a team.
"The game of soccer ignites joy."
Growth over the years
Dwight got to work building his Futbol Club, starting with his first team. Tim Joyner, a current board member of Superb Futbol Club, volunteered his time to help with their first team. It took blood, sweat, and tears to get their business off the ground and find the finances to keep it running, but the dedication of their team and their passion for the kids brought them success.
“It’s exciting to see the progress and the number of players that are interested, but what has been even more exciting for me is seeing the passion of these kids, and the value they find in themselves and in each other as they have developed through the club.”
What started as a single club team in 2020 has now grown into an organization of 7 club teams, with athletes ranging from 6-18. With over 130 players across 4 different club levels, the mission of Superb Futbol remains the same: to promote a holistic experience in soccer that builds character and a love for the sport.
“We have seen tremendous growth in terms of us being able to serve our community and just offering another option in terms of the game of soccer,” says Tim.
A Superb approach to soccer
One way that Superb Futbol Club promotes soccer in a healthy way is by providing fun opportunities to improve their skills. This includes the opportunity to train on various surfaces such as grass, sand, and futsal courts. This variety is not common within traditional soccer clubs.
“Our players experience all three surfaces during training. It’s an ongoing discussion at the club; which surface do you like the best? It’s interesting to see the different responses you get,” says Dwight.
Some athletes enjoy beach soccer because they can do fun skills like bicycle kicks; others like futsal because it’s a faster pace and you score more goals. And some prefer playing on grass because ‘beach is too hard.’ Each athlete and skill level gets to play on all three.
Regardless of their preferences, Dwight understands and helps convey that this variability in surfaces, style, and training leads to better on-field performance. It also promotes a lifelong interest and active lifestyle when it comes to soccer. Many of their athletes continue to play soccer, either competitively or recreationally, and will take their learned skills wherever they go.
Additionally, Dwight and Tim are committed to providing ways to introduce healthy competition with athlete development tracking in their programming. This helps the athlete see and recognize their own growth, boosting confidence in themselves. It also helps validate the work and time they are putting into training and competition. Coaches and trainers share this information with parents, and are very intentional to engage with them, share their goals and progress, and make them a part of the Superb Futbol community.
It takes a village
In order to successfully lead a multi-team club with over 130 athletes, Superb Futbol Club relies on the help of their board members, parents, and community members who volunteer their time and talent. Despite coming from different backgrounds and having different relationships with the sport, they all share the same passion for encouraging the kids and connecting with the community.
“Tim has come in as a board member and really helped spearhead a lot of new opportunities,” says Dwight. “He, along with the other individuals on our board, have a very strong passion for supporting the community and providing a service that is going to serve our community. The board is really helping us drive that mission and has been a big part of the growth of the club,” says Dwight.
As a 501c3, Superb Futbol Club is committed to reducing barriers for young athletes. Guided by their mission that “every child is superb,” they want to reach the community and not let finances be a reason a child can’t play. Superb Futbol Club offers scholarships to those who do not have the financial means to join their club, and an outreach program where they recruit athletes in underserved areas of the community. Their commitment to the kids in their community makes them special, and their passion is undeniable.
"I want to leave the game better than I found it."
What's next for Superb Futbol Club?
Superb Futbol Club has experienced remarkable growth in a short span, and their lasting impact on athletes has become evident.
“This is the first year that players on our original team are starting to make their high school teams, and that’s a direct correlation to what they were doing through Superb Futbol Club and Superb Soccer training. As our athletes look to play at the next level, Superb is going to be integrated in that; we’re going to be a part of those kids’ stories when they look back and see what they did to get to that point,” says Tim.
As they look ahead to 2024, they are excited about the continued growth and opportunity they can create.
Recently, Superb Futbol Club has joined the North Carolina Youth Soccer Association, which has opened the door to additional training and competition opportunities. Superb Futbol is becoming more attractive and accessible, allowing them to provide more experiences than ever for their athletes.
This year, Dwight and Tim want to level up the club social media, attract more athletes, and continue competing at the highest level. They also want to establish themselves as the best option for a positive learning environment.
No business is without its struggles. For Superb Futbol Club, it’s that they don’t have their own fields. They are always looking for a space to train and play, and at times their requests are denied. They continue to reach out to the community for spaces such as schools, churches, or parks, but they still struggle to find space to train each season. In the future, they would love to have a ‘home field,’ where athletes can train daily, host their competition, and facilitate tournaments.
Dwight has come a long way over the past 4 years, but the journey is just beginning. As the club continues to grow, they are reaching more kids who may have not had the chance to play somewhere else. They are building positive relationships, teaching character lessons, and molding future soccer stars and leaders.
Interested in learning more about Superb Futbol Club?
Superb Futbol Club, based in Wilmington NC, provides the opportunity for all players to learn and fall in love with the game of Futbol in all its many forms while providing attention to individual players’ development.
Dwight Findlay had a dream of founding a creative company to empower children to recognize their true worth and value in the world. The idea of every child being “Superb” stuck with him since college. The concept is inspired by a Bible verse from Psalm 139: “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Dwight believes that instilling a sense of value and greatness in children can ignite hope, excitement, and confidence in their abilities. Witnessing coaches berating kids motivated him to create a company that fosters self-belief and encourages children to pursue endeavors of significant positive value, leading to personal growth.
The vision behind Superb was to have children worldwide proudly affirming their superbness. Seeing this dream come to life is exhilarating for Dwight. Moreover, they support each other in recognizing the superb qualities within themselves and others.
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