TEAMPLAYR SPOTLIGHT: Tony Cavalle & Mike Fruia, Dallas Surf

In today’s TeamPlayr Spotlight, we sit down with Tony Cavalle and Mike Fruia, the founders of Dallas Surf Soccer Club. They discuss their journey, from their introduction to the North Texas soccer community to the growth and success of their club.

From providing tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships to players each year to providing free college ID camps, Dallas Surf is breaking the mold and setting new standards in youth soccer.

Let’s get right into it and hear from Mike and Tony.

Note that the following interview was conducted in person and the following text has been edited for conciseness and clarity.

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So, guys, let's start with how you got introduced to the North Texas soccer community. Tony, can you share your story?

[TONY] Sure, I grew up playing in the North Texas community, starting with the Irving Soccer Association. I began coaching when I was in high school, and eventually, I started coaching with the D’feeters organization. Then, after some time at Solar Soccer Club, Mike approached me with an opportunity to build a club, and I guess the rest they say is history.

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Mike, what about you?

[MIKE] Yea, my story is a little bit different as I am not a native North Texan. I was born and raised in Houston but moved to North Texas and got involved in local soccer leagues. I met Tony when our daughters started playing with the D’feeters. As soon as our paths crossed it was clear to me that the man knew exactly what he was doing. He had a mission and a vision – which was great, because when the opportunity to start a club came up, Tony was the first person and only person I approached as a partner. Luckily, we both have the right amount of crazy that it’s worked and since have really found our groove.

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It’s a tough market to start a new club. Can you share more about the origin story?

[MIKE] So not to go back to far in time, but I was actually working, in a different profession, for a family that was instrumental in helping us dive into this foray. I was looking for something different and more meaningful.

So after approaching Tony, and getting his buy in into the crazy idea of starting a youth soccer club, he actually had the idea of approaching an existing and very well-known brand in Surf.

So, we approached Surf with a business plan, and they liked our ideas. From there we launched the club in February 2021… right during a major freeze in Texas. Widespread power outages and terrible weather presented some challenges, but we moved forward anyway. 

[TONY] So, our first signing day was in July 2021. We initially aimed for 15 teams but blew through that and ended up with 26. We owe a lot of our success to our partnership with Surf in San Diego and their business approach to soccer.

We know that for some, talking about youth soccer as a businesses is a negative thing, but for us that’s what we’re looking for. By operating as a business, we are obligated to ensure that our customers are getting their money’s worth and that we’re doing a good job. Otherwise, we know, they will go somewhere else.

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What are your current roles within the club?

[TONY] We both wear many hats, from marketing to soccer operations. We’re not in Silicon Valley, but we treat it like a startup, working seven days a week to ensure everything runs smoothly.

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Can you discuss the core values of your club?

[TONY] Yeah, the key for us is to be as transparent as possible in all aspects of our club. We want to be clear with players, parents, and kids about what happens both on and off the field. We understand that our approach may not be for everyone, but we believe in being honest and upfront about what we offer. Sometimes there's a tendency to tell people what they want to hear just to get them on board, but we prefer to be truthful, even if it means losing some potential members.

We consider ourselves operators, whether it's in soccer or any other business, and our goal is to run things efficiently and effectively. Our focus in this case is soccer, and we're committed to being transparent in everything we do. Our fees and uniform costs are all available on our website, and we're always reachable for any questions or concerns.

One of our main missions is to ensure that any kid who wants to play soccer can do so, regardless of their financial situation. We're proud to say that we've provided over $65,000 in scholarships in our second year, and even more in our first year. This represents a significant portion of our revenue, but we believe it's important to invest in our players.

We're currently working on a scholarship fund that will not only help cover costs for current players, but also provide support for those who go on to play in college. We're committed to growing this fund and expanding the opportunities we can offer to our athletes.

Mike, anything to add?

[Mike] Just to highlight that across the Surf organization, the core mission is to be the best of the best, and this applies to all the affiliates as well as the corporate level. This overarching goal encompasses various aspects, such as being transparent and providing opportunities for those who may not be able to afford club sports.

In today's world, people often find themselves isolated, whether it's due to technology or differing views. We believe that our commitment to transparency and open communication sets us apart and attracts people to our club. By focusing on these values, we're able to create a welcoming and supportive environment for players, parents, and coaches alike.

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Ok, so we’ve spent a lot of time talking about what makes Dallas Surf unique off the field. What about on the field? How are you tackling player and coach development? 

[TONY] We're selective with our coaches, ensuring they fit our culture. We provide coaching education, game models, and a consistent style of play. We also have various directors who we pay a salary to help with different aspects of the club.

[MIKE] We really focus on collaboration between our coaches. In many other clubs, there are silos, even at some of the larger clubs coaches are somewhat left on their own.  We don’t do that. We believe it’s more beneficial to have a collaborative presence on the field.

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Can you talk about the ID camps that you host and why they are so popular in the community?

[TONY] We held our first ID camp in January and had great results, with 75 kids attending and 15 college coaches present. The event was so successful, and we decided to do another one. For the second one, we really wanted to differentiate ourselves from other clubs by having more coaches and fewer players. In many cases you have 250 players and only 20 coaches. Which is still great – however, for us, we decided to cap the event at 96 players and still try and bring in more coaches.

Also, for the second camp, we wanted to ensure these types of events are accessible by making it free. It doesn't cost much to run one of these, and we believe that any kid should be able to participate and have access to opportunities to play at the next level.

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Have any connections or offers been extended to players that have attended the ID camps?

[TONY] In our previous camp, lots of players were asked to stay and talk to coaches so we’re confident that the connections being made a valuable for both them and the coaches.

Definitely be on the look for future camps for the girls and boys side as well.

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Are you guys doing anything else to help provide college exposure to your players?

[MIKE] As a club, we wanted to emphasize college exposure and education. The idea for the free camp came from Tony. From a cost perspective and considering what's right for the players, it was a no-brainer.

[TONY] We also have a quarterly "On the Pitch College Series" on Zoom for our high school players and their parents, where we have guest speakers and college coaches. We provide a company called Scouting Zone, which connects our players with college coaches, and we have recently partnered with Huddle for video services.

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So, what does the future of Dallas Surf Soccer Club have in store.‍

[MIKE] We want to grow at the right pace, making sure our core values remain intact. We have control over the entire state of Texas, so growth is inevitable. We want to make sure our players, families, and coaches feel valued as we grow.

[TONY] When Mike first approached me about starting this club, I told him I would do it under two conditions. First, we had to have our own fields. Which we have. Two, I said I’m not doing it unless we’re trying to be the best of the best. At the end of the day, our long term goal is to compete with the best clubs, not just locally or regionally, but nationally.

We want to be viewed right up there with clubs like San Diego Surf, Solar, and FC Dallas.

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Thanks so much for join us today! If you're interested in connecting with one of Dallas Surf's teams, check out their Team Profiles and drop them a message on TeamPlayr!

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