Gallatin Elite Soccer Club is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth soccer club that serves Gallatin County (Bozeman, Belgrade, and beyond) and Montana youth soccer communities.

 

Our Mission and Vision

Gallatin Elite Soccer Club (GESC) is devoted to creating an opportunity for all kids in Southwest Montana to enjoy and grow in soccer; and to provide those players with top-level instruction to impart confidence, fundamental skills, and a winning mentality.

 

GESC holds character, integrity, and respect in high regard and considers it critical to creating uparalleled athletic development and regional success.

 

 

Our Commitment to Excellence and our Commitment to You

• GESC will work to establish a culture and atmosphere where respect, integrity, grit, empathy, loyalty, and confidence are the foundation.

• GESC will strive to create an environment where players are developed to their fullest potential and have the best chance of maximizing their potential as human beings and athletes.

• GESC will provide professional leadership, high quality coaching, and instruction with an emphasis on life skills, decision making, not being afraid to fail, good health, and having fun.

• GESC will work to develop the best possible teams and consistently produce the highest level of competitive players possible – both admired for their skills and respected for their character.

 

Some of Our Beliefs

Many high-level coaches believe that focusing on results at younger ages is detrimental to player development. This is backed up by copious research as well as first-hand experience, so it will be a Gallatin Elite dogma that education and growth take precedence in the early stages of the program.

 

Although GESC believes that player development is the highest priority, it cannot be ignored that the product on game day is also important, especially at the older ages. Being competitive and winning games can be proof of effective training methods and of the work being put in on the training field by the players and coaches. However, GESC will not sacrifice development and holistic values for the sake of winning any one game. A player’s athletic and personal development will always be more important.

 

Our philosophy ultimately focuses on a balanced approach. We encourage players to take risks and to value the fact that some of life’s best lessons are learned from making mistakes. In the younger age groups, we use games to apply training objectives taught in training that week. In those games, we guide and observe the players in order to determine what to focus on in upcoming training sessions. We want to allow players the freedom to be creative in game environments and to play without fear.

 

The balance to this is that there are sometimes events for each group or team in which we play to compete. We focus on building a strong foundation and teaching the fundamentals of the game. We provide age-appropriate training for every player and we educate and communicate with players and parents on this balance between competition and development. Winning can be important at times for our older Elite teams for the purpose of team morale, team dynamics, and confidence, but it is never placed above character. This comes from utilizing the right training methods and clear expectations set forth and as communicated by the coaching staff.

 

Development is important and must take priority because you end up with a team of well-rounded players. Shortcuts lead to sacrifices, and GESC is not willing to sacrifice competition for development or development for competition. In order for this balance to be realized, every component within the club and within each team must work together — from the Club Director, to team coaches, managers, players, and parents, and we appreciate your cooperation and understanding.

 

For more about what sets us apart and why your player would benefit from playing with GESC, please contact info@gallatinelite.com.