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GREENSBORO -- Steve Allison, who turned an elite boys soccer team into the Triad's largest athletic program, is out as Greensboro Youth Soccer's director.

Board members sent an e-mail to the group's parents and players this week informing them of Allison's departure, but offered no details. Executive director Steve McBride declined to comment Thursday.

"There will be a time when we can discuss this, but that's for down the road," he said.

Several sources within the association said Thursday Allison was forced out. On Thursday, Allison talked about his legacy at GYS, but would not discuss why he left.

"Obviously when you've been doing something for as long as I have you're going to miss the day-to-day things, the people, but I'm looking forward to the future," he said.

Under Allison, Greensboro Youth Soccer has grown into one of the biggest and most competitive soccer clubs in the state. More than 2,800 children and teenagers compete in the club's youth and select programs. Another 700 men and women participate in the adult league.

The group's select programs have won several state and regional championships.

Allison's departure is the latest of several major announcements by GYS this year.

Last month, GYS and the Carolina Dynamo, a Greensboro minor-league team made up of college players, announced a joint licensing agreement that brings both groups under GYS's umbrella. The group also announced a $5.6 million capital campaign that would, in part, expand Macpherson Stadium, where the Dynamo play, from 2,500 seats to 7,000 seats.

The group plans to install artificial turf on two existing lighted fields at Bryan Park. It also wants to build an indoor practice facility and improve the Smith Complex.

Allison said for years he pushed to bring the Dynamo and GYS together.

"It's a natural," he said. "Now we're all-inclusive. We can take players from babies to professionals and bring them along."

Allison was Greensboro College's coach in 1979 when he was asked to coach the Bucks, a local boys select team. That team merged with another select boys team.

In 1995, the Twisters, a select girls program, was added.

As director of Greensboro Youth Soccer, Allison brought the city's youth and select leagues together under the GYS umbrella in 2003.

"Whatever success soccer has had in Greensboro is due largely to (Allison's) work," said GYS board member Dr. Steve Lucey, who declined to discuss details of Allison's departure.

Contact Robert Bell at 373-7055 or robert.bell @news-record.com