HOSA History

Overview 

The Hilliard Ohio Soccer Association (HOSA) was formed in 1976 as the Ridgewood Optimists Club, a volunteer organization, to coordinate and govern soccer activities for the Hilliard area residents.  For all these years, an ever-changing group of dedicated area residents have volunteered to be HOSA trustees.  Being a HOSA trustee, gives one the opportunity to work long, hard hours for no pay for the reward of being able to provide any youth who so desires the opportunity to play the game of soccer in safe, conducive venues.
 
(Note: HOSA’s primary interest is in serving the residents of the Hilliard City School District but it has never turned away any youth based upon their address.)
 
Facilities

HOSA funds have come from the community either through pay-to-play fees, donations or the sale of soccer related clothing and supplies.  The community at-large through the Hilliard City School District, the City of Hilliard Parks and Recreation Department, the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department, Franklin County Fair Board, Brown Township, Washington Township, churches, businesses and residences, has provided facilities.
 
HOSA has a long-term lease on one facility entitled the Hilliard Soccer Park located off of Scioto Darby Road adjacent to the City of Hilliard Municipal Park East.  Past HOSA Trustee Mr. Steve McVoy purchased this land for HOSA’s exclusive use through a generous $50,000 donation to the City of Hilliard.  HOSA and the City of Hilliard maintain the facility.
 
A second facility entitled the Hilliard Soccer Complex opened in 2003 approximately one half mile further West on Scioto Darby Road from the Hilliard Soccer Park.  The land was purchased at a cost of $600,000, graded and seeded at a cost of $420,000, and a parking lot installed at a cost of $13,200 by the City of Hilliard.  HOSA has signed a 25-year lease on this facility.  To date, HOSA has drilled a well, purchased water wheels and built a ‘pump house’ at this facility at a cost of over $150,000.  A Boy Scout has landscaped the entrance and erected a sign at HOSA’s expense for his Eagle Scout project.
 
Programs

In 1976 HOSA fielded six coed youth Recreational teams playing on three fields located on land owned by the St. Brendans Catholic church. 
 
By 1978, select (“traveling”) teams were established and playing against other community teams in Mid Ohio Select Soccer League (MOSSL).  These teams would later form the Futbol Club program in 1998.  In 1978, the Recreational Program included teams aged Kindergarten through Sixth grade and used fields at Ridgewood Elementary School, Avery Elementary School, Brown Elementary School and Britton Middle School. 
 
In 1984, Hilliard Ohio Soccer Association (“HOSA”) was incorporated as a 501C3 not-for-profit corporation.  The Recreational and Select Programs supported 250 players.  HOSA’s ability to use school property for play began to diminish as the growth of the school system escalated. 
 
In 1989 to alleviate a dire shortage of fields, the City of Hilliard leased the Franklin County Fairgrounds parking area from the Fair Board for the exclusive use of HOSA when the Fair Board was not using the area for parking.  HOSA and the City of Hilliard jointly maintained this facility up until June 2002.  At this time, Fair Board usage of the fields as parking areas for their events increased and precluded the use of this area for soccer.
 
In 1991, the Hilliard Soccer Park, with three (3) full size fields, was opened for the exclusive use of HOSA.  In 1999, additional ground was cleared of trees to accommodate the current three (3) full size fields and one (1) U-10 field for the Futbol Club Program, four (4) mini-fields for the TOPS Program and two (2) U-6 Recreational Program fields.
 
In 1997 HOSA’s recreational program reached a milestone with 1,000 registered participants in the Recreational Program and an additional 300 players registered in the Select (Futbol Club) and GOYSL Programs. 
 
In 2002, HOSA had 1,700 players registered in the Recreational Program, 300 players registered in the GOYSL Program and 300 players registered in the Futbol Club Program. 

The year 2011, HOSA offered a choice of various levels of soccer from 7 different programs.  HRSL - Hilliard Recreational Soccer League, Junior Academy, HFC U8 Academy, Hilliard FC (Elite level and Select level), MSSA - Middle School Soccer Association, HSSA- High School Soccer Association, TOPSoccer for players with special needs.  In 2011 Hilliard FC expanded it's program by offering a Select level that parents who had an appropriate soccer coaching license could coach their child's team. The organization serviced over 2,000 soccer players in Spring 2011 alone. 

In 2016 HOSA celebrates 40 years of serving Hilliard and surrounding communities. In celebration of this achievement, HOSA has announced that beginning in the fall all programs will operate under the name Locomotive SC. The name and updated color scheme are deeply rooted in the history of Hilliard and were selected with input from City leaders.