Three New Members Join the NPSL

No one can argue that the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is not in full-bore expansion mode. Since the first of the year alone, the largest organized men’s soccer league in the United States has added three more teams—two of them in Virginia. They are:

Northern Virginia United FC

Based in Leesburg, Northern Virginia United FC will compete in the Mid-Atlantic Conference in the NPSL’s Northeast Region. Club president Liam Hogan is a lifelong northern Virginia resident who has dreamed of owning a pro soccer team since he was 17, while GM/VP Chris Welsh is a former Washington Post All-Met selection out of Battlefield  (VA)High School who went on to play collegiately at VCU and at Wofford.

“We feel that the NPSL is a natural fit for Northern Virginia United,” Hogan said. “The expectation for our inaugural season is to lay a strong foundation and establish meaningful relationships by offering a memorable and exciting match-day experience. We expect to field a team that plays with passion and style while fighting for every inch.”

Home matches will be played at Cropp Metcalfe Park at Evergreen Sportsplex, a 1,300-seat facility sporting a FIFA One Star certified playing surface as well as a center concourse offering several flat screen televisions, comfortable seating, a sports store, and a restaurant. It also has a spacious second-tier party deck and skybox. More information about Northern Virginia United can be found at northernvirginiaunited.com or by following the club on Instagram (@NVUFC), Facebook (@nvufc), and Twitter (@NVUFC).

Saint Louis Club Atletico

Based in the nation’s heartland, Saint Louis Club Atletico (STLCA) will compete in the South Region’s Heartland Conference. Team management includes by Jim Krupp (president), Ricardo Garza (GM/head coach), and Chris Burke. The team also go by the nickname the Bluebirds.

 

Krupp, a former collegiate soccer player, is actively involved in coaching teams, as well as organizing and operating a multicultural inner-city soccer non-profit organization.

Garza is the founder of STLCA. He helped launch a collegiate soccer program at Jefferson College in 2005, earning a .900 winning percentage after eight seasons and bringing the program to national recognition each season. Named Coach of the Year numerous times, Garza, who also co-founded soccer academies in South American and Africa, has won conference, regional, and national championships throughout his career.

Burke was recently added to the ownership group and will bring a certain value and leadership to the franchise. Through 32 years the Burkes have embraced the entrepreneurial spirit through business ownership and in 2000 a new journey emerged into the world of soccer via their daughters Ava Isabel and Vivian.  Today their love of the game will continue with an ownership interest in Saint Louis Club Atletico.

“We appreciate the organization and leadership style of the NPSL,” said Garza, whose vision is to help amateur players gain professional identification domestically and internationally and move on from STLCA to pursue their dreams at the next level. “We want to represent our city in the playoffs and show the league we will be a strong contender for years to come.

STLCA will play its home games at historic soccer-rich St. Mary’s Stadium in South St. Louis, a facility seating 1,500 fans and featuring a dual-fiber artificial turf playing surface. “We are bringing soccer back to an area filled with tradition,” Garza concluded.

More information St. Louis Club Atletico is available at www.stlclubatletico.com, or by following the club on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter (@stlclubatletico on all three social media platforms). In addition, a club-specific app is available on iTunes and at the Google Play Store by searching for “Stl Club Atletico.”

 

Charlottesville Alliance

The second new team to enter the NPSL since New Year’s out of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Charlottesville Alliance FC (CAFC) will join Northern Virginia United FC in the Northeast Region’s Mid-Atlantic Conference. The club’s roots date to back 2014-15 when, then named Aromas Café FC, the team made a solid run in the U.S. Open Cup. That season, the team was made up of players from over 10 different countries, a reflection of the rich diversity of the Charlottesville community. The team expanded this experience to extensive community outreach. They have purchased soccer goals for in-need communities, mentored youth, played charity games, conducted free clinics, and even played soccer with incarcerated youths inside the local detention center. Community, diversity, and fun are the tenets of the team’s values.

CAFC is led by Executive Director David Deaton and a core staff that includes local professionals, business owners, and ex-collegiate and professional soccer players. Home matches will be played at Charlottesville High School, which is located in the heart of the city. The stadium features a professional turf field, seating for 2,000, and ample parking.

“Our goal in the first year of launching the organization is to build a community asset, one that is competitive on the field, but equally important, one that uses soccer as a vehicle for unity and camaraderie,” Deaton said. “We plan to assemble a team, fan base, and community partners who believe in this vision. There will be opportunities for fans to meet and engage with coaches and players through community town halls, pre-game celebrations, and fundraising events.”

For more information about Charlottesville Alliance FC, please visit www.cvillealliancefc.org, or follow the club on Instagram (@cvillealliancefc), Facebook (@cvillealliancefc), and Twitter (@Cville_Alliance).

The National Premier Soccer League features 96 teams (and counting) competing across the country. The NPSL is a successor to the Men’s Premier Soccer League (MPSL), which was formed in 2002. A member league of the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) and sanctioned by U.S. Soccer, the governing body of soccer in all its forms in the United States, the NPSL’s cooperative and turnkey ownership platform has led to its explosive growth, countless player development opportunities, and commitment to grow the game in the United States.

 

Connecticut’s connection to the NPSL is strong: The league’s defending champs are the Elm City Express, which plays its home games at Reese Stadium at Yale University. For more information about the NPSL, please visit www.npsl.com.

—Staff Reports