River City FC has quietly established itself as a cornerstone in the development of young soccer talent. Despite being a small club compared to some of the youth soccer powerhouses in the St. Louis region, it's their unwavering commitment to individual player development that sets them apart. This focus, while rewarding, also presents unique challenges. 

The club's philosophy is clear: nurture each player's potential to the fullest. This means providing dedicated high-level coaches and a supportive environment where young athletes can grow, learn and enjoy the process of development. The results speak for themselves, with a growing number of River City players making the jump to play in some of the top youth leagues and competitions in the nation.

According to technical director Daniel Olstad, “Over the years as players have grown and developed within the club, we have seen them move on to play with some of the top clubs in the area at the elite levels of youth soccer.  We’ve had boys and girls move on to play in MLS Next, ECNL, Girls Academy, and US Youth Soccer National and Regional Leagues.  We’ve even had two players involved in MLS Academy programs at STL City and Sporting KC.  As a smaller club this is something we are very proud of.” 

However, this success comes at a price. As players develop and move on to clubs with more resources in terms of access to higher level competitions, River City FC often finds itself as a stepping stone. Losing promising talent can be difficult, but the club views it as a testament to their development programs.

“While we want to see players reach the highest levels and we are proud when they move on to play in those elite environments it does create some difficulties for us.  Having players leave obviously creates holes in our teams that can be difficult to fill from a numbers perspective.  It can also create a dominio effect where if one player moves on we can see more from the same team do the same.” Olstad said.

“It is also difficult to get our teams to higher levels which creates a negative perception from the outside as there is a lot of focus on team success from the outside and our focus has never been on winning championships.  It’s always been to develop players first and foremost,” continued Olstad.  “At times it has been frustrating to be seen as what people say is a starter club, but we have sort of embraced that role to an extent and really tried to focus our energy on development over wins and losses.  Our goal has always been to help players reach their highest potential and sometimes in order to do that they need to leave RCFC.  If we have helped them move on to an environment that is going to help them, then we have done our job.”

River City’s ability to develop players challenges the perception that young players must start in a "big club" to reach the elite level. River City FC is proof that with the right environment, dedication, and support, talent can flourish anywhere.

Olstad is proud of what they have built at River City FC.

 “We have a strong, dedicated, and talented coaching staff at RCFC.  We have two US Soccer ‘A’ Licensed coaches.  Our coaches have strong backgrounds at the youth, high school, and collegiate, and even international level as players and more importantly coaches.  We have built an environment in the club that focuses on individual development while not over loading players and risking burnout.  We get the players to take ownership of their journey and don’t put unrealistic expectations on them or their families in terms of time or energy.  Our philosophy is quality over quantity in terms of what we do for players.  Sometimes more, is not better.”

Ultimately, River City FC's clear focus on player development, coupled with a supportive environment,  allows young players to achieve their full potential. While the challenges of player attrition are real, the club's unwavering commitment to its philosophy is paying dividends not only for the individuals who wear the River City jersey but for the entire soccer community.