Achievement+
Perspective+
Perseverance
WEST SIDE ALLIANCE
SOCCER CLUB
UNIFORM PROCESS 2025 CONTEXT
WSA Members,
Welcome to the 2025-2026 Season. Thank you for all you do collectively to serve, advocate for, and lead young athletes in an arena of space, time, and community that will be forever meaningful to their earthly lives. What you do matters, is significant, and is appreciated.
The following memo is only relevant if you would like clarification on the Club Uniform Process. If Club Uniforms are not a part of your "to-do" list to think about, then no further attention or reading is required.
Either way - thank you. We appreciate your support of our ONE MISSION at WSA Soccer to: SERVE | CHALLENGE | TRANSFORM
CLUB UNIFORMS UPDATES SENT TO TEAM LEADERS
1. We are less than perfect and flawed. We have made human errors and misforecasted in our first effort to in-source uniforms.
The following memo is only relevant if you would like clarification on the Club Uniform Process. If Club Uniforms are not a part of your "to-do" list to think about, then no further attention or reading is required.
Either way - thank you. We appreciate your support of our ONE MISSION at WSA Soccer to: SERVE | CHALLENGE | TRANSFORM
CLUB UNIFORMS UPDATES SENT TO TEAM LEADERS
- The MAJORITY (90% or better) of orders have been fulfilled and were fulfilled on time. This rate applies across EVERY team - OPC, NPL, RL, USL-Y, UL, ECNL, Tulsa, East, South, and North, Academy, etc...
- Several WSA-OKC orders are being delivered to OKC today.
- Most WSA-South orders have been fulfilled.
- WSA Goalkeeper kits have been put "on hold" as last priority to fill and are being filled today and Wednesday. Read on to discover why we fell behind and had to place GK orders behind others.
The WOMENS CUT LARGE LONGSLEEVE GK JERSEY was not available in NIKE during any of our order processes. We are substituting the WOMENS CUT LARGE with MENS CUT MEDIUM LONGSLEEVE. If the goalkeeper does not prefer that size we will swap for a preferred size (after all are delivered).
- Backpacks ordered from the CLUB SHOP were delivered to us last week (on an order placed w NIKE in March 2025). They were sent out for embroidery last week. They have an ETA of approximately Wednesday/Thursday back to WSA. I do NOT know why NIKE took 4 months to deliver the backpacks.
- Uniform Items & FanWear ordered from the CLUB SHOP by members will first begin being filled this THURSDAY, AUG 28th. Most likely this means the first opportunity to pick up these orders will be Tuesday, September 2nd, possibly Thursday, Sept 4.
1. We are less than perfect and flawed. We have made human errors and misforecasted in our first effort to in-source uniforms.
One easy to illustrate example of our flawed effort: We hired our U19 girls to count and fill boxes via some simple standard operating procedures. The girls did a great job (in early July). We were ahead of schedule. By late-July we realized the girls had DUPLICATED and TRIPLICATED almost EVERY ORDER they worked on. This created a massive shift in available inventory, our reorder process, and required us to UNDO all of their hours of work, and start OVER.
2. Team Errors. About 25% of our teams ordered LATE - VERY LATE (some are texting in orders late instead of using the form - some thought that "Sizing Days" was the order process - imagine the information flow steps).
Some of our team leaders and parents in Tulsa have shown up in our warehouse asking for swaps, and attention to an individual item, which limits our workers ability to.... work.
2. Team Errors. About 25% of our teams ordered LATE - VERY LATE (some are texting in orders late instead of using the form - some thought that "Sizing Days" was the order process - imagine the information flow steps).
Some of our team leaders and parents in Tulsa have shown up in our warehouse asking for swaps, and attention to an individual item, which limits our workers ability to.... work.
Our warehouse, graciously donated by HUBCAP KINGDOM has regular business operating hours. When we spend 30 minutes to find 2 pairs of shorts - that is 30 minutes of a work day less spent on fulfilling other team orders.
IN VERY RARE INSTANCES a team placed their order on time, all players were registered, and WSA has NOT fulfilled the order and/or communicated w/ the team. We have 200 teams.
3. Members Registering Late. About 40% of the WSA members registered well after June 1st. The industry standard for a uniform order is June 1st to be received by September 1st (per 5 different major brand companies we met with last year). EVERY LATE REGISTRATION interferes with the process. When 40% of the members register late, it is magnified.
We will outdo industry standards by months on fulfillment (i.e. late orders will not be fulfilled in October and November but will be fulfilled in weeks) and those who ordered after June 1st will not be fulfilled late into September but likely by this week.
IN VERY RARE INSTANCES a team placed their order on time, all players were registered, and WSA has NOT fulfilled the order and/or communicated w/ the team. We have 200 teams.
3. Members Registering Late. About 40% of the WSA members registered well after June 1st. The industry standard for a uniform order is June 1st to be received by September 1st (per 5 different major brand companies we met with last year). EVERY LATE REGISTRATION interferes with the process. When 40% of the members register late, it is magnified.
We will outdo industry standards by months on fulfillment (i.e. late orders will not be fulfilled in October and November but will be fulfilled in weeks) and those who ordered after June 1st will not be fulfilled late into September but likely by this week.
Our objective is delivery in FULL 100% of every team, by August 1st. We did not meet this objective in 2025. We will aim towards it for 2026.
WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED:
1. We will still hire our kids to help. However, our standard operating procedures need adjusting for oversight and accountability.
2. We need to rent our own space for uniform storage, inventory and fulfillment. This will inevitably increase the cost of work-flow and will require a pass through cost to our members. This will be worth it in what we believe will be a better fulfillment process. We are actively budgeting and financially modeling options now. And how GRATEFUL we are to HUBCAP KINGDOM. We have overstayed our stay and overused their space and resources. And they have been continually gracious and generous!
3. Late Registrations is systemic within every WSA community club - Tulsa, OKC, South and East. Directors of coaching will correct this process by revamping our tryout process and registration process.
WHAT WE ASK OF OUR MEMBERS:
1. Do not compare your team with pics on Facebook. You have a limited picture and our social media is a very limited view.
WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED:
1. We will still hire our kids to help. However, our standard operating procedures need adjusting for oversight and accountability.
2. We need to rent our own space for uniform storage, inventory and fulfillment. This will inevitably increase the cost of work-flow and will require a pass through cost to our members. This will be worth it in what we believe will be a better fulfillment process. We are actively budgeting and financially modeling options now. And how GRATEFUL we are to HUBCAP KINGDOM. We have overstayed our stay and overused their space and resources. And they have been continually gracious and generous!
3. Late Registrations is systemic within every WSA community club - Tulsa, OKC, South and East. Directors of coaching will correct this process by revamping our tryout process and registration process.
WHAT WE ASK OF OUR MEMBERS:
1. Do not compare your team with pics on Facebook. You have a limited picture and our social media is a very limited view.
No one athlete at WSA will ever be MORE SPECIAL than the NEXT. All are equally valued, cared for and invested in by our leadership and staff. It is one of our few NON NEGOTIABLES.
You as the parent have every right to believe your child is the most important. WSA simply believes EVERY CHILD is the most important.
And inasmuch as I hope you always love your child unconditionally and irrationally, I hope you'll find sensibility in The WSA Way which requires us each to think OF OTHERS to the degree we have to focus LESS on OUR OWN SELF.
We ask for your TRUST as we engage in a process of serving ALL ATHLETES and asking your athlete to endure shared spotlight, focus and attention.
2. Be patient. Understanding. Kind. If you have feedback, offer genuine FEEDBACK to construct a better process - not a criticism disguised as feedback.
Congratulate Caitlyn, who missed uniform fulfillment the past week to get engaged.
Thank Teagan, our Tuesday night Club Shop warrior, who has stood in the gap the past month to help remedy issues.
Be grateful Caitlyn's dad is recovering strong from a significant heart surgery which required Caitlyn's attention at the height of our fulfillment process.
Be thankful to Ali at SoccerUSA who gets up at 4 AM to begin pressing logos and numbers until 10 AM when his store opens.
Be grateful to Midwest Sporting Goods and Scott B who continues to advise, counsel and help us streamline processes from his years of expertise (in addition to prioritizing our logo and decorating needs).
3. Hold us accountable. This is WSA's first year to take on a uniform fulfillment process. Two years ago we did it "out of necessity" with a notice on July 5th that we "had to".
We will create a better, less expensive process for our members. We will also simultaneously tackle an in-sourced CLUB SHOP that is 24-7-365 for our members.
If there are growing pains while we go through this process, we will ensure those reap better results for future WSA athletes - LEGACY (planting the tree whose shade you'll never enjoy).
Lastly, please keep in mind you have NOT paid in FULL for your uniform. The uniform is a part of your Club Annual Registration Fee. You have currently paid about 60% of the cost of your uniform for this year (varying from youth academy to ECNL). Your last payment towards the uniform will happen in February and/or March of 2026.
This year your Annual Registration Fee stayed the same as it has the past 2 years. Directors of Coaching are committed to fundraising the increased costs of: ref assignors, paint, mowing, water, electric, registration costs to our affiliates, etc...
The uniform product cost to WSA was $50 more than the previous cycle, for a higher quality uniform kit, and WSA charged members $25 less than the previous cycle (a cost savings in 2025-26 of $75 approx per member - varying +/- between type of kit).
We appreciate your patience and willingness to try to understand.
Your feedback will be valued when offered to construct a better plan or process. The mechanism is to inform your coach or director of coaching for your program and allow that person to pass on information to our uniform team.
Thank you for all you do to advocate for the ONE MISSION:
SERVE | CHALLENGE | TRANSFORM
We ask for your TRUST as we engage in a process of serving ALL ATHLETES and asking your athlete to endure shared spotlight, focus and attention.
2. Be patient. Understanding. Kind. If you have feedback, offer genuine FEEDBACK to construct a better process - not a criticism disguised as feedback.
Congratulate Caitlyn, who missed uniform fulfillment the past week to get engaged.
Thank Teagan, our Tuesday night Club Shop warrior, who has stood in the gap the past month to help remedy issues.
Be grateful Caitlyn's dad is recovering strong from a significant heart surgery which required Caitlyn's attention at the height of our fulfillment process.
Be thankful to Ali at SoccerUSA who gets up at 4 AM to begin pressing logos and numbers until 10 AM when his store opens.
Be grateful to Midwest Sporting Goods and Scott B who continues to advise, counsel and help us streamline processes from his years of expertise (in addition to prioritizing our logo and decorating needs).
3. Hold us accountable. This is WSA's first year to take on a uniform fulfillment process. Two years ago we did it "out of necessity" with a notice on July 5th that we "had to".
We will create a better, less expensive process for our members. We will also simultaneously tackle an in-sourced CLUB SHOP that is 24-7-365 for our members.
If there are growing pains while we go through this process, we will ensure those reap better results for future WSA athletes - LEGACY (planting the tree whose shade you'll never enjoy).
Lastly, please keep in mind you have NOT paid in FULL for your uniform. The uniform is a part of your Club Annual Registration Fee. You have currently paid about 60% of the cost of your uniform for this year (varying from youth academy to ECNL). Your last payment towards the uniform will happen in February and/or March of 2026.
This year your Annual Registration Fee stayed the same as it has the past 2 years. Directors of Coaching are committed to fundraising the increased costs of: ref assignors, paint, mowing, water, electric, registration costs to our affiliates, etc...
The uniform product cost to WSA was $50 more than the previous cycle, for a higher quality uniform kit, and WSA charged members $25 less than the previous cycle (a cost savings in 2025-26 of $75 approx per member - varying +/- between type of kit).
We appreciate your patience and willingness to try to understand.
Your feedback will be valued when offered to construct a better plan or process. The mechanism is to inform your coach or director of coaching for your program and allow that person to pass on information to our uniform team.
Thank you for all you do to advocate for the ONE MISSION:
SERVE | CHALLENGE | TRANSFORM
Roger Bush
West Side Alliance S.C.
Executive Director
C: 918 629 4476
SIDE BEFORE SELF. EVERY TIME.