Our History

St. Pete Raiders / Northeast Raiders Soccer Club

In 1970, Northeast Raiders was formed as a recreational soccer club and in the mid 80s and due to popular demand, St. Pete Raiders was created as our competitive soccer division. Both programs run side by side.

Over the years, the club went through numerous name changes but has always been St. Pete Raiders at heart. We are a club steeped in tradition with a strong emphasis on player development, core values and keeping the love of the game within our players.

We are a non-profit family organization whose goal is to foster the physical, mental, and emotional growth and development of St. Petersburg and Pinellas County youth through the sport of soccer at all ages and levels of competition.

The club has had huge success with State Championship teams and numerous regional champions along with college bound athletes.

Our major goal is to educate, offer first class training and offer a product which services soccer for fun all the way up to both college and the professional ranks.

We offer programs from 3 years of age all the way though U-18 for both male and females and also offer a TOPS program for our disabled players.

We look forward to continuing our excellent relationships with our families and growing together through the love of the beautiful game.

Our Mission Statement

The St. Pete Raiders/Northeast Raiders Soccer Club is a nonprofit organization which provides competitive and recreational programs for players between the ages of 4 and 19. Our mission is to foster the physical, mental, and emotional growth and development of St. Petersburg and Pinellas County youth, through the sport of soccer at all ages and levels of competition. Our goal is to provide a safe, structured, and fair environment in which young players can have fun playing and learning the game of soccer. We also hope to nurture and develop a lifelong passion for the sport of soccer.

The purpose of the Recreational Program, is to provide a beginning player and the experienced recreational player an opportunity to play and learn the game of soccer in a friendly atmosphere that stresses fun and the enjoyment of soccer and de-emphasizes the concept of "winning at all costs!" Recreation teams are selected on a basis of balance and fairness. A blind draw is used to assure balance between teams. No statistics or scores are recorded during the season.

The Competitive Program is for those seeking a more competitive experience and more intensive training. The purpose of this program is to develop and prepare soccer athletes for accelerated levels of competition while still promoting the physical and moral benefits of the game of soccer. Competitive tryouts are held annually in May/June in order to form the teams for the next season. During the season, players receive specialized training by professional coaches and trainers who prepare them for a more competitive environment. Players, parents, and coaches must be committed to training, travel, and the overall competitive experience.

Our Core Values

Personal Development
To be receptive to new ideas and concepts that help improve and broaden your horizon. To constantly strive to improve yourself in what ever you do. This in turn will help strengthen character and build a stronger club. Go above and beyond in your quest to improve your talents and gifts.

Respect
To respect your peers and all people in and around our club and community. To treat people in the manner that you like to be treated. This in turn will lead to a more harmonious working environment for all to share and be a part of.

Integrity
To be honest in word, action and deed. This is something that cannot be compromised. We must think before we act and the ultimate outcome of such actions and its effect on ones self and our club in general.

Community
To hold a value for the people involved within the organization and people that support us. To foster a sense of belonging. To create a feeling of mutual trust, care and respect. To create a wholesome environment helping to build a solid foundation for the future.

Excellence
To work hard at everything you do...this in turn will help you excel. Excellence must take place both on and off the field for us to realize our goals and this, in turn, will lead to excellence!

Stewardship
To be responsible with the resources that are bestowed upon you. To hold a value on all that is around us. To avoid frivolous and wasteful behavior that drains our resources, applying this to our club and our surroundings.