Director’s Corner: A Note from Director of Coaching Ashton Betts
My name is Ashton Betts, and I serve as the Director of Coaching at Portland City United.
PCU has been a part of my life for a long time. I grew up playing for the club while playing at Southridge High School and then continuing my playing career at Oregon Tech. After college, I began coaching at Oregon Tech before eventually returning to Portland and, in many ways, back to where my soccer journey started.
I joined the PCU coaching staff in 2015, and from 2019 to 2025 I served as the club’s Youth Development Program Director. Working with our youngest players, families, and coaches during those years had a huge impact on how I view player development and what I believe a youth soccer club should provide. Some of the players I first worked with when they were just beginning their time at PCU are now playing in our oldest age groups, which has made it especially rewarding to watch their journeys through the club.
Now, as Director of Coaching, I have the opportunity to help shape that experience across the entire club. My goal is to continue raising the standard of what we provide while protecting the sense of community that has always made PCU special to me.
Having experienced PCU as a player, coach, program director, and now Director of Coaching, I understand how important this club can be in a player’s life. I want PCU to be a place where players are challenged to grow, supported by coaches who care about them, and ultimately look back on their time here as an important and positive part of their lives.
I’m incredibly grateful for everything PCU has given me over the years, and I’m excited to continue giving back to the club and community that helped shape my own love for the game.
What Makes PCU Unique?
Portland City United SC has always been more than the teams we put on the field. Our goal is to provide all players with the opportunity to play, develop, and build a lasting love for soccer.
What makes PCU unique is the balance we strive to create between development, opportunity, and community. We want players to challenge themselves and pursue their goals while being part of a club where they are known, supported, and valued as individuals.
We aim to be a club that players want to come back to. Today, more than one-third of our coaching staff are former PCU players, creating a connection between generations of players and coaches that is an important part of our identity.
Our structure allows us to provide different pathways for players with different goals. Not every player’s soccer journey will look the same - and we don’t believe it should. Whether competing at the highest level within our club, developing toward that opportunity, or simply enjoying the game with friends, our responsibility is to provide the right balance of challenge, development, and enjoyment.
Our age-group training structure is an important part of that approach. Players regularly train alongside their peers, creating opportunities to experience different challenges, coaches, teammates, and levels of play. Rather than operating as isolated teams, we want connected age groups where coaches know and engage with players throughout the group.
Our facilities also help build that community. Buckman Field Park has provided a home where our teams train, play, and interact. Our clubhouse provides additional space for players and families, team and parent meetings, staff development, and everyday collaboration between our coaches.
As PCU has grown, Portland Christian High School has become a second home for games, additional programming, and now training. Expanding to PCHS allows us to provide appropriate training space across all age groups while continuing to create a consistent experience for our players and families.
What Comes Next?
As we look ahead, we want to become even more intentional about protecting and strengthening the qualities that make PCU unique. That means investing in our coaches, establishing clearer standards for the player experience, strengthening communication, and ensuring that development and opportunity remain available throughout the club.
This Fall, coach observations and individual development meetings have been ongoing, while our directors and head coaches have begun working collaboratively to better define the values, standards, and methodology that will guide PCU moving forward.
Just as we expect our players to continue learning and developing, we believe our coaches and our club should do the same.
Our goal is to continue building a club where players can be challenged, supported, and proud to belong - and where there is always an opportunity to take the next step.
To connect with PCU's Director of Coaching, Ashton Betts, please reach out at atb.pcusc@gmail.com.
