That may seem like an unnecessary link for the executive director of one of the state’s largest soccer clubs to have to make, but watching the youngest of North Meck Soccer Club’s players scoot around the field, laughing and smiling and hustling in pursuit of the bouncing ball is how Finlay draws his inspiration and finds the perspective needed to effectively run a multi-faceted sports organization that now caters to players through adulthood.

Seeing the youngsters’ joy in playing the game provides clarity, along with enjoyment for the Scotland native.

“That’s the future of this club,” says Finlay. “It’s also the purest form of soccer.”

A former Wake Forest University and professional player, Finlay has led NMSC since 2006, and in that time, the club has continued the quick growth it enjoyed since its humble beginnings in1987, when a few families joined forces and formed a small soccer club. NMSC now includes 2,800 unique players and a total participation of close to 3,500, counting multi-season players. Those are figures that have doubled during Finlay’s tenure. He says the growth of the area has caused the program to grow naturally to an extent, but the implementation of programs has maximized the expansion.

“It’s been a lot of hard work by a lot of people,” he says.

Back when it was known as North Meck Youth Soccer Association, the club did not have any full-time employees, just many committed volunteers. Volunteers are still key to the function of the club — about 140 volunteers coach. But there are now 10 full-time staffers and 30 paid coaches.

These days, Finlay is a fundraiser, special event planner, tournament director and the face of a club that is constantly evolving, while trying to stay true to its roots. As more is brought under the NMSC umbrella, the balancing act between business and ball becomes trickier. Finlay says the club wants to maintain its small-town character, but also needs to include as many playing opportunities for as many people as possible. Accomplishing that goal requires some strategic planning, with an emphasis on foresight. Whatever plans are in the works have to include some leeway by the NMSC staff in regards to potential growth.

An event planned six months in advance can change by the time it is at hand. “By the time the six months come and we are ready to pull the trigger, we’ve had to make tweaks,” says Finlay.

Program progress

Not long after Finlay arrived in Huntersville, the club had a new name and a new look, not to mention a new office off Treynorth Drive not far from Bailey Road Park.

Because the plan was to one day add adult play, which occurred in 2008, the moniker North Meck Youth Soccer Association was no longer appropriate. When North Meck Soccer Club became the name, the logo also evolved from a white and black soccer ball with the letters NMYSA spaced across it to a black badge, similar to those used in law enforcement, which can now be seen in car magnet form by the dozen during a drive around Huntersville, Davidson and Cornelius, the towns with which NMSC has partnered.

NMSC held its first casino night and club day in 2006 and first golf tournament in 2007. In 2009, NMSC and Visit Lake Norman began a series of soccer tournaments. So far, three have been held and produced an estimated economic impact of $3.8 million. Finlay says the goal of all NMS Cevents is to offset members’ fees, part of the equation to keep the club within reasonable parameters.

Perhaps the most notable splash for NMSC came in 2007, when it was included in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy after an extensive application process. U.S. Soccer examined all aspects of the club, from facilities to coaches to what curriculum is covered, and NMSC is now one of 80 clubs nationwide to participate in the U.S. Development Academy, a program designed to train, identify and funnel talent for the U.S. national teams.

“It was a thumb’s up from U.S. Soccer, which is really a good thing,” says Finlay. “We’re part of that model to help train for that level.”

Finlay is also proud of NMSC’s involvement in the TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) program, which began in 2008. TOPSoccer is a program for mentally and physically challenged players, and NMSC now has more than 20 players in the program.

“That’s just a wonderful thing to see,” says Finlay.

In 2008, NMSC contributed money toward the new Richard Barry Park beside Barnette Elementary School, a place it now plays many of its games.

And last year, NMSC reached outside northern Mecklenburg County for the first time and began offering recreational soccer in Denver for players ages 5-12. NMSC-Denver now includes 260 players.

Growth potential

Finlay says it’s an exciting time at NMSC.

For starters, the club is coming off its best year in competitive soccer. While individual teams have accomplished more in the past, this past season, collectively, was the highlight. Six NMSC teams — three boys and three girls — reached the final four of the State Cup.

And this week, a group of 19 NMSC boys players, ages 15-16, are going on Expedition Chelsea, which will essentially be a behind-the-scenes look at professional soccer in Chelsea, England. The trip is through NMSC’s partnership with Adidas International and Capital Area Soccer League (CASL), the state’s largest soccer organization, which is located in Raleigh.

As NMSC gets close to its 25th year, Finlay is proud of what the program has become and what he believes it can be. There are challenges on the horizon, too. Field space is still at a premium in north Meck, for soccer and for everything else, too. He’d love to see more artificial turf fields and lighted fields added in the future and new ways for the NMSC brand to be expanded.

Then there’s the constant balancing act of keeping a big program just small enough for the experience NMSC seeks for its members.

“Everything really changes when you grow,” he says. “We never want to lose that neighborhood feel.”