CSC Galaxy Premier: About Us

The CSC has sponsored travel soccer teams for boys and girls for over 20 years. First called the Howard Soccer Club, the organization began with only a small number of teams playing in both WAGS and NCSL. Over the years CSC has expanded to include teams playing in the BBSL, MPSL and the CMSSL. The Columbia Soccer Club seeks to foster a strong foundation of personal growth for its players and coaches. Our mission is to develop our players and coaches to their highest potential in soccer.

Brief History of Galaxy Premier U-17:

Coach Russo formed the Galaxy Premier under the banner of the CSC in June 2008 with a core group of players from his previous team at the Soccer Association of Columbia.  The team was Columbia based until the late fall of 2008.  Several players left the team to play on other elite squads or had other sports or school interests. During that transition, a U-15 Catonsville Cobras team disbanded and a number of players joined Galaxy. The team now draws players from the region, including Columbia, Laurel, Severna Park, Fort Meade, and Catonsville. Galaxy improved on its third place finish in Division 7 of the NCSL (Fall 2008) and achievement as a finalist in the Columbia Fall Classic Tournament to win the Freestate Cup Tournament in March 2009.  Galaxy finished the spring 2009 season with a 6-1-2 record in the 10 team NCSL U-15 Division 6. They returned to NCSL Division 5 this fall and ended the campaign as runner-up at 5-1-2. In Spring 2010, Galaxy finished 3rd in NCSL Division 5 with a 5-1-3 record earning promotion to Division 3 (Fall 2010). 

Q: Can you tell us something about your playing and coaching experience?  Well I played a little soccer in high school, but my main sports interests were football and wrestling.  I have three boys, so I began coaching soccer about 20 years ago. I have coached at all age levels and been an assistant for a U-19 team. I have a USSF “D” license and practical experience building teams and developing youth players.

Q: What role do the tournaments play in the travel soccer experience?   Tournaments are a great way to see where we stand as a team and important in that the results effect our state ranking.  We are a new team and the better players will stay or be drawn to a higher ranked team.

Q: What do you look for when inviting players to try out? Drive, commitment, and skill.  I look for players who play the game with determination and the will to do their best at all times. The players must be committed to the team making practices and the games. Parents make a commitment to support the team by having the players attend team meetings, practices, and games. Finally, we want skilled players ready to work to improve the team.     

Q: Can you give us your thoughts on Galaxy’s 2010 spring season and what the future holds?  Well we had a good year in 2009 in the NCSL and finished 6-1-2 in the Spring and 5-1-2 in the Fall. We also played in the Panther Summer League to stay match fit. Galaxy won the Break Out Classic tournament and played well in the Gettysburg Blue-Gray and the OGBC Capital Cup. Unfortunately, we just couldn't find the net in those tournaments even though we dominated possession and shots in many of the games. Considering the team formed in 2008, we've done well gaining promotion in each season and contending for the division championships in the 2009 spring and fall seasons. I am proud of the boys and think we will continue to improve and to move forward. 

Who were those masked men competing as the Central Maryland Futsal Red U16B1 team in the Maryland Futsal State Cup?  You guessed it, none other than Galaxy Premier players who powered their way to  a 4-1-1 record and a Futsal state title. (Six of the seven players on the CMF Red team were Galaxy players). Each year the state’s best soccer teams come together to play a Futsal tournament, an indoor soccer game played on a hard surface using a smaller ball with less bounce than a regulation soccer ball, in Frederick, Maryland. Five players, including a goalie, may be on the playing the field at a time.

After losing the opener 3-4 to the Baltimore Bays Blues (Barcelona), Galaxy Premier competing as "U-16B CMF Red" went on to go unbeaten in 5 games finishing 4-1-1 and topping the division with 13 points.  The flight included rising National Capital Soccer League Division 2 Laurel Wildcats (Dutch Soccer School), Region I Colonial League Baltimore Bays Blues (Barcelona), and 2009 U.S. Futsal Federation national championship finalist, Denison Cabral Futsal Academy Corinthians. Congratulations to Columbia Soccer Club’s U-16 boys on a great finish outclassing a distinguished field.

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