One Knox is home to the only full player pathway in Knoxville; from recreational ➡️ club ➡️ pre-professional ➡️ pro
- A 2-8 year old will spark their love of the game in our recreational Monsters program
- From rec they move into the Youth Club where they are taught to master the fundamentals of the game
- As their commitment and skill level grows they may get opportunities to make the pre-professional player pool, which includes Academy matches and training with the First Team
- Finally, the most driven and talented local players will make it all the way to the top of the pyramid – representing our beloved Knoxville, TN at the professional USL 1 level
First, what does One Knox believe in?
1) At any age, a player must first and foremost love the game of soccer. Having fun, making friends, finding success, gaining confidence and feeling supported are what lead to commitment. At all grassroots levels, we start with love
2) Technical skills are foundational for success. The ability to dribble at pace, trap difficult passes, and strike the ball in a variety of ways are important for any high level player. We are obsessed with development
3) There is a place at One Knox for all. This simple game has the power to change lives. To do that we seek to offer programs for all skills levels
Sounds great! But where do kids start?
One Knox Monsters
We designed Monsters as an intro-to-soccer program. It’s for any player that is new to the game. Maybe you played soccer and you want your 3 year old to try it out. Maybe you have a 7 year old that plays baseball, basketball and wants to try soccer with their friends.
Monsters is where you start. It’s just plain fun.
We work on the basics but mostly we play games and the kiddos score lots of goals!
Once a week | Short season | Low commitment & price point
One Knox Pre-Club
What if my child is ready for more than Monsters?
If you have a 5 – 7 year old that already likes soccer, wants to play more than once a week, and wants to play in games –– we have Pre-Club.
Players attend one training session a week with a Youth Club coach and then play games on Friday nights in an in-house league.
While many talented youngsters sign up for Pre-Club, a high skill level is not required. Any 5 – 7 year old can join! At training, our One Knox coaches focus on ball mastery, 1v1 and 2v2 games. You’ll be amazed how quickly the kids start to gain confidence on the ball!
Twice a week | Seasonal | Medium commitment & price point
One Knox Youth Club
What is the One Knox Youth Club model for 6 to 8 year olds?
At U8 we keep everything in-house. Our 6 and 7 year olds practice twice a week and play 5v5 games on Friday nights. Players have the same group of coaches and longer seasons than Pre-Club.
The curriculum is 100% focused on technical development – players learn to drive with the ball, take other players on, develop their skills moves, and show it all off during games. Everything in the curriculum is related to technical development & coordination.
One Knox does not put U8 players into a 7v7 gameplay environment. Instead, we use 3v3, 4v4 and 5v5 formats to provide players with more actions on the ball which leads to more rapid skill acquisition.
At U9 we begin to phase in 7v7 play. However, the curriculum is still very similar to U8. At training, players are pooled together by skill level and/or social connections. Each session they spend time on agility, ball mastery, 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 and 5v5 games. Practices are very simple – consistency helps our players gain confidence and have space to try new things. We keep lines short, we maximize touches on the ball, and we keep the energy high!
Three times a week | Year round | Higher commitment & price point
Yes, all good, but can I get some numbers to compare these programs?
| MONSTERS | PRE-CLUB | U8 CLUB | U9 CLUB | |
| Ages | 2-8 | 5-7 | 6-7 | 8 |
| Weeks | 7 | 9 | 30 | 30 |
| Soccer Sessions | 8 | 18 | 80 | 90 |
| Total Minutes | 480 | 1,080 | 6,000 | 6,750 |
| Program Cost | $125 | $275 | $1,000 | $1,150 |
| Uniform Cost1 | $0 | $0 | $125 (annual) | $125 (annual) |
| Total Cost | $125 | $275 | $1,125 | $1,275 |
| Cost / Session | $15.63 | $15.28 | $12.50 | $12.78 |
In closing
We understand each family is different. Perhaps you are balancing multiple children and activities and committing to 3 nights a week doesn’t work. Or maybe your child has started to play (and seems to like it) but you’re unsure about jumping into club just yet.
We get it – club soccer is not for every 6, 7 or 8 year old.
However, if your child really likes to play and you can commit to multiple sessions a week we encourage you to check out our Youth Club environment. At any time you can reach out to join a U8 or U9 session to see what it’s like and speak with a Director.
For those that can make it we encourage the commitment because there is a direct correlation between actions on the ball and skill level; the more you play, the better you get.
So, in closing – we’ve done our best to meet your family where you’re at, and to be as accessible as possible to our younger soccer community. We would love to help your family get started in soccer, and we’re always here to answer questions. Please reach out to sam@oneknoxsc.com to get a conversation started!
Parent Feedback ⭐
“Our family has absolutely loved being part of the One Knox youth soccer community! We first enrolled our child in the Monsters and Pre-Club programs, where they had the chance to build strong foundational skills and, most importantly, develop a genuine love for the game — all in a fun, supportive environment.
After a great season, we spoke with our coaches about next steps and were encouraged to explore the Youth Club program to continue growing both skills and time on the field. Following a positive and welcoming tryout experience, our child was placed on a team perfectly matched to their age and skill level.
Since joining Youth Club, we’ve been thrilled with the continued focus on skill development, teamwork, and having fun. The coaches create an encouraging atmosphere that gives every player the tools they need to grow and thrive as young athletes.
We highly recommend One Knox Youth Soccer for any family looking for a nurturing, exciting place for their child to learn, play, and fall in love with the beautiful game!”
– Lisa (2018 Youth Club parent)
“I could not be more appreciative of the structure, layout, development, and plans of One Knox. This is everything I wish I could have had in a club team growing up, and clearly with the European model in mind. Keep up the excellent work!”
– Matt (2017 Youth Club parent)
“Monsters was a fantastic introduction to soccer for both of my kids. It is a low risk commitment to see if soccer may be something they enjoy. The practices were very laid back and fun. The coaches were always positive, a great mix of experienced coaches returning season to season and Two Knox players coming to help, who are like celebrities to my young kids. Both of my boys ended up loving soccer and wanted to try pre-club and club, but they both are still very excited to see their favorite Monsters coach at other One Knox events.
My kindergartener has had a great Pre-Club season. He really wanted to start playing some games like his big brother, and pre-club was the perfect introduction. Practices are very relaxed, but they are learning true soccer skills. Coach Sky is an absolute wizard with a group of excited young kids – he is able to keep things fun and high energy while still demanding appropriate respect and focus. With various levels of talent and skill, the coaches do a great job mixing the players to keep it fun and competitive for everyone.
My 3rd grader has had a fantastic first year of Club soccer. He has really grown in the sport this year, going from a kid that wants a different activity every night to really wanting to play soccer nearly every chance he gets, which I think is testament to the fun yet challenging environment. It has been a fun experience to be on a team for the year, getting to know his teammates and families. As a parent, I have appreciated the values that are being reinforced – hard work, dedication, responsibility, teamwork. It is certainly more of a commitment – the expectations are to be at all practices on time, to games early, recognize and learn from mistakes, but all within a positive framework with a growth mindset.”
– Jess (2016 Youth Club, 2019 Pre-Club)
- if joining Youth Club in second year of uniform cycle the projected cost is $250 ↩︎
