The Del Mar/Carmel Valley Sharks soccer league is now Legends FC SD-Del Mar. They may have a new name with new branding and new black and gold uniform colors, but it is still the same local club that has been a fixture in youth soccer since its establishment over 50 years ago. Legends offers soccer for U6 through U19, from beginners in Little Legends to the top levels of the competitive SOCAL and elite ECNL programs. “It really is a club that has a place for everyone in the community,” said Davor Gazivoda, director of recreational soccer. The switch to Legends is very new, with the changeover just occurring in January. The DMCV Sharks entered into a strategic partnership with the nationally respected youth soccer organization Legends FC in order to enhance its offerings and expand its reach and be more competitive. While there has been some confusion with the change, Gazivoda said they want to let people know they’re still here. There still the same community club that provides an average of over $100,000 per year in player financial assistance, and supports local schools through financial sponsorships and participation in school events, fundraisers and free camps. Shannon MacMillan is still involved as the league’s executive director—the former professional U.S. soccer player, World Cup champion and Olympian will still be signing jerseys on opening day of the recreational program this fall. The Legends recreational program is fairly big, one of the largest in San Diego with over 800 kids playing soccer in the fall. “Last year we had over 60 teams,” said Gazivoda. “It’s fun and obviously the biggest challenge is getting parent volunteer coaches, but we always do it.” On the recreational side, Gazivoda recently ran spring soccer camps and a six-week spring season known as Minor League Soccer will wrap up this month. Registration is open through May 25 for the fall recreational season, meant to be a fun experience playing soccer with the goal of building a lifelong passion for the game. With field space at a premium in Carmel Valley, games are usually held at Torrey Hills or Sage Canyon and hopefully, games will also be played on the new turf field at the Carmel Valley Recreation Center. Legends FC’s competitive and elite programs are designed with a proven development curriculum to prepare players for the highest levels of local and national competition. Tryouts are ongoing for the upcoming 2025 season. Coming up soon, Legends FC will also be hosting its first-ever Copa de Cinco, a 5v5 tournament on May 3-4 at Pacific Highlands Ranch Community Park. Participants can put together their own teams with players from different clubs and levels—they can even play with parents or grandparents. “It’s a soccer in the park weekend we’re really excited about,” Gazivoda said. To register for Copa de Cinco or learn more about playing soccer with Legends FC, visit legendsfcsd.com — Business Spotlight features enterprises that support this publication.