Ohio Elite Soccer Academy
EIN: 82-0546165 · Tax status: 501(c)(3) nonprofit
Overview
Founded in spring 2002 by a group of Cincinnati-area business and soccer professionals — Jeff Beckham, Jerry Chambers, Doug Conway, Doug Bracken, and Tim Lesiak — with founding business and financial support from the Beckham family (Jeff, his father Tom, and sister Amy Barnett). Ohio Elite Soccer Academy (“OESA” or “Ohio Elite”) operates from a registered address at 256 East Sharon Road, Cincinnati, OH 45246, with training partnerships at Johnson Soccer and Soccer Village. The academy was a charter member of the ECNL when the league launched its girls competition in 2009.
The 501(c)(3) has held tax-exempt status since May 2003.
Financials
| Metric | FY2025 (ended Jun 2025) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $37,777 | See note below |
| Expenses | $36,974 | |
| Net Income | $803 | |
| Total Assets | $559,086 | |
| Total Liabilities | $0 | |
| Net Assets | $559,086 |
Revenue mix (FY2025): Contributions $14,980 (39.7%), rental property income $17,345 (45.9%), investment income $5,452 (14.4%). Notably, the 990 reports zero program services revenue.
The 990 financial profile (~$38K total revenue, no program revenue, no liabilities, $559K in net assets dominated by passive income) does not match the operating footprint of an ECNL club fielding multiple competitive teams. The most likely explanation is that the competitive teams operate through a separate entity — either a for-profit affiliate, a related nonprofit, or a fiscal-agent relationship with another organization — while EIN 82-0546165 holds passive assets (likely property and an endowment-style reserve). Resolving the operating entity is the highest-leverage open question on this club.
(HIGH confidence on the 990 figures themselves; LOW confidence that they describe the full club’s operations.)
Teams & Players
Public team count not disclosed. The club fields multiple ECNL Girls teams (U13-U19), pre-ECNL Ohio Valley Conference teams, and Ohio River League sides. Recent club news has highlighted players from birth years 2007-2012, indicating active U14-U19 girls programming.
League Affiliations
- ECNL Girls — U13-U19, Ohio Valley Conference (East Division alongside FC Pride, Racing Louisville, Indiana Fire Juniors, FC Alliance, Tennessee SC)
- ECNL Boys (also active per club marketing)
- ECNL Regional League (Pre-ECNL OVC tier)
- Ohio River League (ORL)
Facilities
Operates as a tenant rather than a facility owner. Primary training partnerships at Johnson Soccer and Soccer Village in the Cincinnati northern suburbs. The 990 reports rental income, suggesting OESA may own a small property that it sub-leases or rents out.
Leadership
Board of directors per the FY2025 Form 990:
- Mike Besl — President / Board Member
- Jeff Beckham — Board Member (founder)
- Dave Conway — Board Member
- Jim Sell — Board Member
- Tim Lesiak — Board Member (founder)
- Douglas Bracken — Board Member (founder)
No board compensation reported on the 990. Operating staff (boys and girls directors of coaching, trainers) are listed on the club website but not in the 990 — consistent with the hypothesis that day-to-day soccer operations are paid through a separate entity. Reported coaching leadership has historically included Scott Sievering (Boys Director, USSF A License) and recent staff additions such as Collin Bruggeman.
Competitive Position
Ohio Elite holds an ECNL Girls franchise in the Cincinnati market — a meaningful credential, since ECNL membership is gated and not freely transferable. Direct competitors for Cincinnati-area girls talent:
- Kings Hammer (ECNL Boys & Girls, larger operating scale)
- Cincinnati United (Girls Academy / MLS NEXT dual-pathway)
- FC Cincinnati Academy (MLS pre-academy reach into elite girls cohort is more limited)
OESA has historically emphasized national achievements (national championships in 2002 and 2007 per the club site), US U-17 WNT roster placements, and US Soccer ID Center selections.
Industry Context
The structural anomaly in OESA’s filings — an ECNL-rights-holding club with a passive-income financial profile — is uncommon but not unique. Some legacy-founded nonprofit clubs hold league rights and brand IP in one entity while operating teams through a coach-led LLC or affiliated nonprofit; the arrangement can reflect founders’ preferences around liability, board control, or tax treatment of coaching compensation. From an industry-observer perspective, the relevant point is that the on-field operating scale is materially larger than the visible 990 suggests, and any analysis of the club’s economics requires identifying and reading the operating entity’s filings (if a nonprofit) or estimating from team count and dues.
ECNL franchise rights in a top-100 metro remain one of the most durable assets a youth club can hold, given the league’s gated membership model and college-recruiting reputation. OESA’s continuous ECNL Girls participation since 2009 makes it one of the longer-tenured franchise holders nationally.
Open Questions
- What is the operating entity for OESA’s competitive teams, and what is its revenue scale?
- Who is the current Director of Coaching / Executive Director, and what is the technical staff size?
- How many ECNL Girls teams (and players) does OESA currently field?
- Does OESA have ECNL Boys franchise rights, or only the regional Pre-ECNL tier on the boys side?
- Is the rental income from a club-owned facility or from a passive real-estate holding?