Triangle United Soccer

What Triangle United Soccer does

Triangle United Soccer Association is a private, membership-based youth soccer club headquartered in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, founded in 2005 through the merger of Durham Chapel Hill Strikers and Chapel Hill United. The organization operates a full developmental pyramid serving players from ages 4 through 19 across three regional hubs — Chapel Hill/Durham, Chatham County, and the newly launched Alamance County hub (fall 2025). Programming spans grassroots recreation delivered through partner leagues (Chatham Soccer League, Rainbow Soccer, South Durham Soccer, TAGS), a Youth Development Academy (YDA, ages 7U-10U), NCYSA Classic travel soccer (U11-U19), and elite national platforms including MLS NEXT Homegrown and Academy tiers for boys and Girls Academy (GA), Development Players League (DPL), and National 1 League (N1L) for girls and boys 13U-19U.

The business operates without proprietary technology, relying on PlayMetrics for registration and scheduling and GotSport for tournament management. Revenue is generated through five principal streams: recurring club registration fees and team fees (subscription-style annual payments covering field rental, insurance, league fees, and coaching), one-time camp and training program fees (Half Day Camp $140, Full Day Camp $295, GK Training sessions), tournament registration fees from the annual tournament series (Fall Classic, Pumpkin Blast, Spring Rec Cup, Chatham Clash), uniform sales, and ancillary goalkeeper, futsal, and Triangle Training Academy programs. The organization has historically awarded over $3.5 million in cumulative financial aid, with $249,000 disbursed to 200 participants in the 2025/2026 season. Distribution is community-led via direct registration through PlayMetrics and channel partnerships with semi-autonomous recreational leagues, supplemented by event-driven seasonal tryouts each April/May.

Notable alumni outcomes — including MLS signings (Orlando City, Houston Dynamo, NE Revolution, Colorado Rapids), international placements (Celtic FC, Norway and Trinidad & Tobago national teams), and college placements at UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke, Bucknell, and Utah Royals — support the club's value proposition. A 10-year partnership with Duke Sports Medicine (a FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence) provides integrated sports medicine and performance services, and a partnership with Koru mindfulness delivers evidence-based mental-skills programming. Governance is via a Board of Directors (President: Cameron Tew) with day-to-day operations led by Executive Director Mike Strand; the organization is community-governed with no venture capital or private equity backing identified.

Name

Triangle United Soccer

Legal name

Triangle United Soccer Association

Website

https://triangleunited.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Triangle United Soccer Association is a nonprofit youth soccer club in North Carolina operating a complete developmental pyramid from recreational (ages 4-15) to elite national platforms (MLS NEXT, Girls Academy) across three regional hubs serving thousands of families annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Soccer Club Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Single-Sport Skill Academies (Soccer, Basketball, Tennis, etc.) (MPAKAJAB), Youth & Amateur Sports Tournaments (MPAGAMAF), Recreational & Intramural Sports Programs (MPAKACAG)

Keywords

• Youth soccer programs
• Competitive soccer training
• Soccer club registration
• Youth athlete development
• Elite soccer leagues

Headquarters

HQ city

Chapel Hill

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Club Registration Fees: Annual club fees paid by families covering field rental, insurance, league fees, overhead, and coaching fees. Club fees vary by program level (Recreation, YDA, Classic, GA/DPL, MLS NEXT).
2. Team Fees: Fees paid to individual teams covering referee fees, tournament expenses, coach per diem, registration fees, and team-specific expenses.
3. Camp and Training Program Fees: Revenue from summer camps, spring break camps, goalkeeper training camps, and Triangle Training Academy programs. Examples: Half Day Camp $140, Full Day Camp $295, GK Training sessions.
4. Tournament Registration Fees: Teams pay to participate in Triangle United's tournament series including Fall Classic, Pumpkin Blast, Spring Rec Cup, and Chatham Clash 4v4 tournament.
5. Uniform Sales: Recreational program includes uniform costs (jersey) as part of registration, with replacement jerseys available for additional fee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Triangle United Soccer Association operates a complete youth soccer developmental pyramid serving athletes ages 4-19 across three regional hubs in North Carolina. The club offers recreational programs (ages 4-15), the Youth Development Academy (7U-10U), Classic travel soccer (U11-U19), and elite national programming including MLS NEXT, Girls Academy, Development Players League, and National 1 League. Supporting services include summer/spring break camps, goalkeeper training, futsal, the Triangle Training Academy, and an annual tournament series.

Product overview

Triangle United Soccer is a youth soccer organization offering a comprehensive developmental pyramid from grassroots recreation through elite national competition. The organization operates multiple program tiers: Recreation (ages 4-15) through partner leagues (Chatham Soccer League, Rainbow Soccer, South Durham, TAGS); Youth Development Academy (YDA) for 7U-10U; Classic Soccer (NCYSA) for U11-U19; and top-tier programs including Girls Academy (GA), Development Players League (DPL), MLS NEXT Homegrown, MLS NEXT Academy, and National 1 League (N1L) for U13-U19 competitive players. Supporting programs include Goalkeeper training, Futsal, Summer/Spring Break Camps, Triangle Training Academy, and annual tournaments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Chatham Soccer League (CSL): Recreational program for Chatham County, NC, partnered with Triangle United since 2020
• Rainbow Soccer
• Southern Durham Recreation
• Triangle Area Girls Soccer (TAGS)
• National 1 League (N1L)
• MLS NEXT
• Girls Academy (GA)
• Development Player League (DPL)

Products and services

• Recreation Soccer Grassroots recreational soccer for boys and girls ages 4-15 with coed and single-gender options, minimal travel, and community-based programming with local volunteer coaches. Focuses on age-appropriate development and sportsmanship.
• Youth Development Academy (YDA) Introductory competitive soccer program for 7U-10U boys and girls selected through yearly evaluations. Teams train 2x/week with Sunday afternoon games in NC Youth Academy competition. Includes 7U-8U (4v4/5v5), 9U-10U (7v7), and 10U Elite tiers.
• Classic Soccer (NCYSA) Highest level of NCYSA play for U11-U19 boys and girls. Teams train 3x/week with competitive games and 3-6 tournaments annually. Includes Pre-Academy teams for U11-U12 competing against MLS NEXT and GA conference teams.
• National 1 League (N1L) Top team-based national competition for U13-U19 boys and girls, integrating US Club Soccer's National Premier Leagues with US Youth Soccer's National League and ECNL. Players train 3x/week with GK training 1x/week. Season runs August-May for 13U-14U, December-May for 15U-19U.
• Girls Academy (GA) Highest-level national platform for elite female soccer players (U13-U19). Teams train up to 4x/week including performance sessions. Competes in Mid-Atlantic Conference (South Division) with 12 clubs including Alexandria SA, Carolina Core, Charlotte Independence. Features showcase events and college exposure.
• Development Players League (DPL) Second-tier elite platform for girls U13-U19. Teams train 3x/week with 1-2x/week GK training. Season from late August-May. Includes DPL Full Status for clubs competing for regional and national championships in the Carolinas Division.
• MLS NEXT Homegrown Top-tier elite boys program (U13-U19) within MLS NEXT. Players train 4x/week including sports performance sessions with Duke University Sports Medicine. Competes in national showcase events including MLS NEXT Fest, FLEX, and Playoffs/Showcase. Features 6 teams covering 13U-19U age groups.
• MLS NEXT Academy Second-tier boys program within MLS NEXT. Includes regular season games, regional tournaments, and MLS NEXT national events. Players can participate in high school soccer. Season runs August-May for 13U-14U, December-May for 15U-19U.
• Futsal Programs Fast-paced indoor soccer for skill development. Includes Triangle United Futsal League (games Sunday afternoons December-February) and partnership with Hornets Futsal Club for higher-level competitive futsal competing around NC, Region, and US.
• Camps (Summer & Spring Break) Day camp programs for various age groups. Summer 2026 offers Half Day Camp ($140, Ages 7U-14U), Half Day Camp+ with lunch supervision ($165), Full Day Camp ($295, Ages 9U-14U), Girls Only Camp, and GK Training. Spring Break 2026 camp March 30-April 2 (Half Day $140, Full Day $250).
• Triangle Training Academy Elite training program focusing on technical skill development, first touch, dribbling, and 1v1 situations. Program covers technique, tactics, psychology, and fitness. Open to recreation through classic level players.
• Goalkeeper Program Specialized goalkeeper training focusing on reflexes, agility, and game reading. Includes in-season training (1x/week for Classic, 2x/week for MLS NEXT and GA), camps, and off-season training through Triangle Training Academy.
• Tournament Series Annual tournament programming including Fall Classic (August, for 9U-16U girls and 9U-14U boys), Pumpkin Blast Rec Cup (November), Spring Rec Cup (May), and Chatham Clash 4v4 Tournament (May/June). Attracts teams from NC, SC, VA, WV.

Quantifiable outcome

• Produced professional soccer players signed to MLS teams (Orlando City, Houston Dynamo, NE Revolution, Colorado Rapids) and international clubs (Celtic FC)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Duke Sports MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 201510-year partnership with Duke Orthopaedics (#1 orthopaedic provider in southeast, one of three FIFA Medical Centres of Excellence in U.S.). Provides onsite injury assessments at fields, preferred access appointments for injured athletes, and sports performance training. Duke staff includes Ryan Kimball (FIFO Medical Centre Managing Director) and Brandon Surber (sports PT/AT).
• Koru MindfulnesssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Koru mindfulness program developed at Duke University student counseling center. MLS NEXT players participate in evidence-based mindfulness, meditation, and stress management curriculum that has been empirically tested in randomized controlled trials for benefits on sleep, perceived stress, mindfulness, and self-compassion.
• Chatham Soccer League (CSL)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership since spring 2020. CSL runs recreational programming in Chatham County and Pittsboro areas. Triangle United provides coaching education, staff support, and pathway to competitive programs. CSL serves ages 4U-16U with small-sided soccer formats.
• Rainbow SoccercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership since 2005 (club founding). Rainbow runs recreational soccer serving Chapel Hill with 1,100+ children per season. Coed youth programming with multicultural focus. Provides pathway to Triangle United competitive programs.
• South Durham Soccer (Woodcroft)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFormerly Woodcroft Soccer, integral part of Triangle United since 2005. Serves boys and girls ages 4-15 in South Durham. Incorporates regional crossover games with Rainbow Soccer and CSL for ages 10-15.
• Triangle Area Girls Soccer (TAGS)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpecialized all-girls recreational collaboration formed 2017 by Rainbow Soccer and Southern Durham Recreation. Expanded into Chatham County in 2021. Serves female athletes ages 7-14 in Chapel Hill, Chatham, and Durham.
• Hornets Futsal ClubsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to provide higher-level futsal programming. Offers sign-up program and tryout-based travel program competing around NC, Region, and US. Jointly hosting Chatham Clash 4v4 tournament.
• PlayMetricscoreTechnology or IntegrationRegistration and scheduling platform used across all Triangle United programs. Handles tryout registration, camp registration, tournament registration, and team/facility management.
• GotSportsupportingTechnology or IntegrationTournament management platform used for Fall Classic and other club tournaments. Handles schedule publishing and team registration for tournament events.
• Girls Academy LeaguecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational youth development platform for elite female soccer players. Triangle United participates at highest tier (GA) for girls 13U-19U. Provides national showcase events, collegiate exposure (250+ colleges at June 2026 events), and player-centered advisory panel.
• MLS NEXTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMLS NEXT is the most elite youth development platform in North America (launched 2020). Triangle United participates at Homegrown (Tier 1) and Academy (Tier 2) levels for boys 13U-19U. Provides national events, college pathway support, and professional scouting opportunities.
• Development Player League (DPL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStandards-driven national league connected to Girls Academy. Triangle United re-joined for Fall 2025 with 2nd teams in 13U-19U age groups. Part of emerging talent pathway below GA level with emphasis on collegiate opportunities.
• National 1 League (N1L)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTop team-based competition in US Club Soccer and US Youth Soccer. Integration of National Premier Leagues and US Youth Soccer National League. Triangle United joined for 2026 season for boys 13U-19U and girls 13U-14U.
• NC Youth Soccer Association (NCYSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial state governing body for youth soccer. Triangle United is a member club offering NCYSA leagues, Classic travel teams, and Olympic Development programs. Club uses NCYSA age determination charts and sanctioning.
• Soccer Parent Resource CentersupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerClub provides free membership to SoccerParentResourceCenter.com for all parents and coaches. Platform offers courses, videos, webinars, and guidance to improve youth soccer experience and collaborative environment between coach, parent, and club.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Solar Soccer Club: Solar SC is a major Texas-based youth soccer powerhouse participating in ECNL, Girls Academy, and other national platforms. A broader incumbent with multiple national affiliations similar to Triangle United's full-pyramid positioning, providing a benchmark for national-elite club scale.
• Eclipse Select SC: Eclipse Select is a large, established Midwestern youth soccer club that competes on the ECNL and Girls Academy national platforms. As a broader incumbent with deeper resources, it represents the type of larger multi-platform organization that elite Triangle United alumni may face in college recruitment and showcases.
• LA Galaxy Youth Academy (LAFC/MLS NEXT): LA Galaxy's youth academy is part of the broader MLS NEXT ecosystem in which Triangle United competes at the Homegrown tier. As a benchmark MLS-affiliated academy, it represents the type of resource-rich incumbent Triangle United's MLS NEXT program is benchmarked against.
• NCFC (North Carolina FC): North Carolina FC is the USL Championship professional club whose youth program competes with Triangle United. The professional parent organization provides a broader-incumbent competitive reference and feeds talent into the same Triangle regional market.

Direct peers

• Wake FC: Wake FC is a youth soccer club based in Wake County, NC that participates in the DPL Carolinas Division alongside Triangle United. A direct regional peer competing for the same talent pool, coaching staff, and tournament visibility in the Triangle/Raleigh corridor.
• Capital Area Soccer League (CASL): CASL is one of the largest and most established youth soccer clubs in North Carolina, based in Raleigh. Offers a comparable full-pyramid pathway including ECNL and is a direct competitor in the state for elite player development, college placement, and tournament participation.
• NCFC Youth (North Carolina FC Youth): NCFC Youth is the official youth development program of North Carolina FC (USL Championship), serving the Raleigh-Durham area with a similar pyramid from recreation to elite national platforms. Directly competes with Triangle United in the Triangle region for both players and coaching talent.
• Charlotte Development Academy (CDA): Charlotte Development Academy is a North Carolina elite girls soccer program that competes in the DPL Carolinas Division with Triangle United. A direct peer offering similar national-level competition for elite female players in NC.
• Charlotte Independence Soccer Club: Charlotte Independence SC is a North Carolina-based youth soccer club competing in the Girls Academy Mid-Atlantic Conference alongside Triangle United. A direct peer on the elite girls' national platform, competing for the same collegiate-recruitment narrative.

Emerging players

• Carolina Core FC: Carolina Core FC is an emerging MLS-affiliated youth program in North Carolina participating in the Girls Academy alongside Triangle United. A newer entrant in the same competitive conferences, representing a younger but increasingly relevant competitive threat.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/triangle-united-soccer

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Triangle United Soccer