Portage Soccer Club
EIN: 38-2996787 · Tax status: 501(c)(3) nonprofit
Overview
Portage Soccer Club (PSC) is a volunteer-led nonprofit youth soccer club based in Portage, Michigan (Kalamazoo County). The club began in 1985 with four boys’ teams and was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in February 1991. Today PSC is one of the largest clubs in the West Michigan Youth Soccer Association (WMYSA), fielding more than 40 boys and girls teams and over 700 players from U9 to U19. The club’s stated philosophy emphasizes player development over winning — the “win through development” framing.
Financials
PSC reports modest, stable financials consistent with a volunteer-run, facility-owning community club:
| Fiscal year (Jul) | Revenue | Expenses | Total assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 (BMF) | $603,682 | n/a | $1,231,844 |
| FY2023 | $546,680 | $343,558 | $1,063,490 |
| FY2022 | $354,862 | $391,835 | $1,121,870 |
| FY2021 | $212,177 | $312,577 | $906,316 |
Source: ProPublica Form 990 filings (HIGH confidence). Revenue grew sharply post-COVID — roughly 3x from FY2021 to FY2024 — driven by program-service revenue. The club carries roughly $1.2M in assets (largely facility-related) with minimal liabilities, reflecting the club-owned soccer complex on the balance sheet. No paid officer compensation is reported (volunteer board).
Teams & Players
- 40+ competitive travel teams across boys and girls, U9-U19 (HIGH)
- 700+ travel-program players (HIGH; club self-report)
- Recreational programs in addition to travel
League Affiliations
- WMYSA (West Michigan Youth Soccer Association) — primary state-affiliate league
- ECNL Regional League — Greater Michigan Alliance, founding member (2025-26)
- USL-Y (USL Youth) for select age groups
- Pre-ECNL development tier internally
Facilities
PSC owns and operates two facilities — an unusual asset position for a volunteer-run club of this size.
- Portage Soccer Complex — 4422 Bishop Avenue, Portage. Nine-field game complex opened in 2002. Self-described as “one of the foremost soccer complexes in Michigan.”
- Practice Facility — Eight-field practice complex with two training grids, opened 2008. Houses goalkeeper-specific training.
The 17-field combined footprint and $1.2M asset base are the club’s defining structural advantages relative to peer WMYSA clubs that rent municipal field time.
Leadership
The club is volunteer-led with no paid officers per 990 filings. Public 990 contact lists John Calnin as the registered agent. Communications routed through communications@portagesoccer.com.
Tournaments
- Co-hosts the Kalamazoo Invitational Soccer Showcase (KISS) tournament (est. 1990) in partnership with TKO Premier SC
- Hosts the PK Classic tournament
- Annual late-spring and late-summer tournaments at the Portage complex
- Operates FootGolf and Golf for Kicks fundraisers
Competitive Position
PSC is the largest WMYSA club outside the Grand Rapids metro and the strongest competitive program in the Kalamazoo market alongside TKO Premier. The two clubs jointly hold the Greater Michigan Alliance ECNL-RL anchor positions for southwest Michigan, having been named founding members of the league in March 2025.
Industry Context
Portage SC is unusual within Michigan youth soccer for combining three traits that rarely coexist: (1) a volunteer-led, all-amateur governance model, (2) ECNL-RL franchise access, and (3) club-owned land and field assets. Most ECNL-RL Michigan members rely on rented municipal or school facilities; most Michigan clubs that own facilities are paid-staff for-profit or hybrid operators. The 17-field footprint provides revenue capacity (tournaments, rentals) that subsidizes program fees. The recent revenue trajectory — roughly 3x growth since FY2021 — suggests the post-pandemic consolidation of competitive families into the club has accelerated, plausibly tied to ECNL-RL franchise approval.
Open Questions
- Field surface mix (turf vs natural) and condition cycle on the 2002 complex
- Indoor practice availability for winter months
- Coaching-staff size and paid-coach compensation structure (none in officer comp)
- Tournament revenue contribution to total revenue (KISS + PK Classic)