TKO Premier SC
Kalamazoo, MI
Founded 1983 — Southwest Michigan's premier youth soccer club with the most certified coaching staff in the region. TKO Premier SC spans Foundation to High Performance phases across USYS National League, ECNL Regional League, and recreational tiers.
- Founded
- 1983
- Ages
- U4–U19
- Plays
- Boys & Girls
- Programs
- 6
Where on the ladder
Level 3 to Level 5
Each level below lists the leagues this club plays in. Your kid's level depends on the team they make. The six levels are our own reading of public league play. They are not an official ranking.
Sanctioned by Michigan State Youth Soccer Association (US Youth Soccer). The club also played in USYS NL. That league ended in July 2026 and merged into National 1, so it does not count above. The club’s site also lists US Club Soccer. We have not confirmed that from the body’s own member list, so we do not call the club sanctioned. It also lists WMYSA, MSPSP, Great Lakes Premier League. We have not placed those leagues on the ladder, so they do not count above.
See how the whole ladder worksFrom the league tables
TKO Premier, every team.
Last season TKO Premier SC fielded 13 teams in the leagues we track: 5 boys and 8 girls, from national elite down to competitive regional. The ladder tops out in Pre-ECNL from U11 up.
| lvl | U11 | U12 | U13 | U14 | U15 | U16 | U17 | U18 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECNL Regional, Pre-ECNL, Aspire, EAL | |||||||||
| ECNL Regional, Pre-ECNL, Aspire, EAL |
Each dot is one team in the 2026-27 season. We place it by the league the team actually plays in, not by the club’s own team names. A tap on a dot shows that team’s league, flight and record. The dots come from published league tables, so a team playing outside those leagues will not appear here.
Check the tables yourself
The link opens the event's flight list on Total Global Sports, where the ECNL family posts its tables. Your kid's birth year is one of the rows, and the Standings link beside the flight opens the table. Each season gets a new event page, so theecnl.com is the place to pick up a later one.
The link opens the event's flight list on Total Global Sports, where the ECNL family posts its tables. Your kid's birth year is one of the rows, and the Standings link beside the flight opens the table. Each season gets a new event page, so theecnl.com is the place to pick up a later one.
College & pro pathway
Where the players went next.
We counted these from public commitment lists and trackers, not from the club’s own claims.
The counts come from public commitment trackers, club lists, league records, player pages, and the rosters of 2,244 NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA programs. One player counts once per school. “Division unverified” means we matched the school but could not confirm the program level. We never print a current youth player’s name.
Programs
The programs, age by age
These come from the club's site, grouped the way the club groups them. Your kid starts in the one that fits their age.
TKO Academy
U4–U8 · Small-sided recreational
Player-centered introduction to soccer emphasizing fun, basic ball control, and physical movement. Two tiers: TKO Minis (U4–U6) and TKO Juniors (U7–U8). Training 1–2 days per week year-round (indoor in winter).
feeds into Discovery Phase at U9
Discovery Phase
U9–U10 · 7v7 / Recreation
Technical-focused training with 1v1 emphasis and introductory team tactics. Players choose between Directors Academy or WMYSA recreation.
feeds into Development Phase at U11
Development Phase
U11–U12 · 9v9 / Multiple tiers
Balanced technical and tactical training. Three potential tiers: Pre-ECNL, Directors Academy, or WMYSA recreation.
feeds into Competitive Phase at U13
Competitive Phase
U13–U14 · 11v11 / Multiple tiers
Balanced technical and tactical training with growing physical variation due to puberty. Players compete in ECNL RL, N1, MSPSP, or WMYSA.
ECNL RL · N1 · MSPSP · WMYSA feeds into High Performance Phase at U15
High Performance Phase
U15–U19 · 11v11 / Top-flight academy
All four pillars—technical, tactical, physical, and psychological—are emphasized. Players compete in ECNL RL, N1, or MSPSP. The college-recruitment pipeline.
ECNL RL · N1 · MSPSP
TKO-Red Arrow
U13–U19 · 11v11 / Secondary pathway
Alternative competitive pathway for players at U13–U19 who want team soccer without the top-tier academy commitment. Competes in WMYSA and MSPSP.
WMYSA · MSPSP
Tryouts
2026/27 season
Tryouts decide which travel team a kid plays on. Confirm the details on the club’s page before you go.
Kalamazoo Community Soccer Complex (TKO) / Paw Paw Middle School (TKO-Red Arrow U8–U12) · 901 S Drake Rd, Kalamazoo, MI 49009 / 313 W Michigan Ave, Paw Paw, MI 49079
Free (MSYSA) · Paid ID sessions (Elite teams)
May–June 2026
All: Heather Canenguez
Coaching
Who coaches here
4 names from the club's own staff page. The titles and licenses are what the club lists.
Rich Labadie
Director of Coaching
All ages / All genders
Since 1983 (40+ years)
Neil Ridgway
Technical Director
Curriculum & coaching oversight
Dustin Snyder
Director of Youth Development / TKO Academy Program Director
U4–U8
Brian Clements
High School Boys Director
High school boys
Since 2013 (with expanded roles since 2015)
Where they play
3 fields
The fields the club lists as its own. Directions open in Google Maps, so you can check the drive before you sign up.
Kalamazoo Community Soccer ComplexPrimary
901 S Drake Rd, Kalamazoo, MI 49009
River Oaks County Park
9202 E Michigan Ave, Galesburg, MI 49053
Next Level Sports Center (The Dome)
12733 US-131, Schoolcraft, MI 49087
Alumni
Where graduates have gone
The club's own list of alumni, as of 2025. We have not checked these names against college rosters.
College destinations · sample of 80+
TKO publishes a college-commitments roster spanning classes 2025 back to 2016. The sample above reflects a range of D1, D2, D3, and NAIA/junior-college destinations. No national-team or pro alumni are highlighted.
Get in touch
How to reach TKO Premier
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