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Cal South partner outlines expanded Bell youth soccer program; local coaches urge keep-it-local approach
Summary
City officials announced a partnership with Cal South to expand Bell's youth soccer program while promising no fee increases for residents. Local coaches and volunteers at the meeting urged the council to preserve locally led roles and clarify field access, fee and staffing details.
Bell announced a new partnership with Cal South on March 11 to expand its youth soccer offerings while maintaining existing resident fees, but local coaches urged the city to preserve locally led coaching and field access.
Finance Director Ricky Manbahal introduced the recreation update and said the city will keep current pricing for Bell residents. A representative from Cal South, Eddie Salcedo, told the council the organization will offer coaching education, referee training and pathways to regional tournaments while seeking to lower barriers to club soccer. "We will offer coaching education, free of charge to the community," Salcedo said, adding that anyone 13 or older could pursue referee licensing through the program.
Cal South and city staff said the program will include background checks: Salcedo said every coach must be live-scanned and complete the SafeSport protocol. On fees, staff and the Cal South representative confirmed resident fees will remain at about $89 and nonresident fees roughly $170, with resident registration opening earlier than nonresidents.
Local coaches at the meeting voiced concern that outsourcing administration to Cal South could reduce opportunities for long-time volunteers. Coach Andres Del Real said the program historically relied on community coaches and local resources and warned that bringing in an outside administrator "eventually it's gonna not gonna be community" and may raise costs and reduce local control. Another longtime volunteer, who identified herself as Daisy, said volunteers and staff "understand our kids" and asked the council to keep the program "locally led, rooted in our community."
City staff responded that existing volunteer coaches are welcome to remain involved and that the partnership would augment city capacity rather than replace existing volunteers. Staff also said registration opened the following week, estimated past-season participation at more than 600 youth and projected a goal of returning to 900–1,000 participants within a few years.
Why it matters: The announcement signals an effort to expand recreation offerings without raising resident fees, but it also prompted community members to press the city on field access, long-term maintenance, volunteer roles and how outside partnerships affect local control. Council members and staff said they would include more detail in upcoming materials and registration information.
What’s next: Staff said registration will open within a week, residents will get priority registration windows, and the council expects to return with additional details on field maintenance and program rollout.
