Before the inception of Cal South in 1978, the Del Mar Carmel Valley Sharks (DMCV, for short) were already involved in the soccer world for around eight years. Back then, the club was small, but the vision and values have remained for over 40 years – to develop great soccer players and persons, while making a strong and positive impact in its community.
Over time, DMCV has grown to be a firm representative of its community, becoming one of the top influential clubs in Southern California. Although it has had its successes on the field, the club’s ties to the local community and the hard work and dedication both on and off the field is what helps DMCV stand out.
“We want to strive a great club,” said JC Duncan, DMCV President of the Board of Directors. “We’re constantly working on ways we can improve, work more efficiently, not only with our constituents, our club members, but with the surrounding community, the school districts and local businesses. Our philosophy is to be there, be present and be a good partner in the community and I think that we do that. We’ll continue to strive that way because we’re a big club and we’re all over this community and that’s important.”
Among one of the club leaders is Olympic Gold Medalist, FIFA Women’s World Cup champion, Cal South Hall of Famer, and now Sharks Director of Soccer Operations, Shannon MacMillan. With MacMillan at the helm of the club for the past eight years, DMCV has gained a lot of strides during this time, now considered one of the top clubs not only in Southern California, but in the nation.
“I’m proud of the fact that for a solid seven years now, going into our eighth with me, it’s really about the kids,” said former USWNT player. “We’re starting to see the results now because people are really buying into that and believing that we are legit and it really is about these kids.
“I really feel that [DMCV] is a family, from myself and all of us in the office to our coaching staff. I believe it starts at the top and trickles down, so we really treat this as a family, we’re there to help each other, on the coaching level and putting these kids first and foremost,” she added.
Because of each and every staff member’s work and dedication with every DMCV players, the club has earned 55 tournament championships in 2015 alone, coming up as finalists in another 52 tournaments. Aside from their on-field success, DMCV has proven its dedication to its community, being voted the Best Kids League in North County for three years in a row now, sticking to their values set since day one.
“What we’re doing in growing, just since I’ve been here in the last four years, is phenomenal, and again, holding true to what we want to be,” said Felicia Kappes, Sharks Coach and College Program Director. “As we talk about Cal South being, in a positive way, extremely competitive, can you do it while holding on to certain core values that you believe in; giving back to the community, still offering an elite program at a national level, sticking strong to those morals and values is really important I just feel pretty passionate and I feel fortunate to be working for a club that does that.”