FRISCO, Texas (April 7, 2025) – US Youth Soccer (USYS) today announced Joel Dragan as its Director of Member Services and Participant Safety. USYS Interim CEO Tom Condone made the announcement. Dragan will transition into his new role with USYS after being the Executive Director of the Florida Youth Soccer Association (FYSA) since 2019.
Dragan will oversee membership support for each of the 54 State Associations via the US Youth Soccer national office, as well as oversight of USYS’ player safety. Dragan currently serves as Chair of the US Youth Soccer Participant Safeguarding Committee, which is tasked with developing and implementing safeguarding policies for each of the 2.68 million soccer players inside of USYS.
“I am thrilled to welcome Joel Dragan as our new Director of Member Services and Participant Safety,” said Condone. “With his extensive background as a State Executive Director in Florida and Kansas, Joel brings valuable insight and a deep understanding of the needs of our State Associations. His leadership will be instrumental in furthering our efforts to enhance the safety, support, and overall experience of our members and participants.”
Under Dragan, FYSA’s growth helped position itself as a leader in the youth soccer landscape. Primary initiatives, such as fostering inclusivity, creating additional pathways for player development, and providing top coaching for its members, led to a record 113,000 registered players in Florida in 2023.
Dragan has also been an influential figure in the implementation of Florida Statute 943.0438 (CS/CS/HB 975), calling for background checking and fingerprinting of youth sport coaches in Florida.
Before his time with FYSA, Dragan held leadership roles with both the Kansas State Youth Soccer Association (Executive Director) and Michigan State Youth Soccer Association (Director of Member Services), giving him more than 15 years of experience inside of the US Youth Soccer landscape.
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About US Youth Soccer
US Youth Soccer, the largest youth sport organization in the country, is on a mission to provide world-class support, resources, and leadership, helping every member fulfill their goals on and off the field of play. US Youth Soccer registers 2.68 million players annually. Through its programming, resources and leadership, US Youth Soccer is advancing the game for its 54 Member State Associations, 10,000 clubs and leagues and one million administrators, coaches, and volunteers. US Youth Soccer connects families and communities to the power of sports and its shared love of soccer. US Youth Soccer provides a path for every player, coach and referee offering programs that provide a fun, safe and healthy environment at every level of the game.
