Wednesday, September 15, 2010
TAMPA, Fla. – United Soccer Leagues is proud to announce that the Fredericksburg Area Soccer Association will be fielding teams in both the Premier Development League and W-League beginning with the 2011 season.
“We’re very excited to have an organization of the caliber of FASA joining the PDL and W-League,” Senior Director of PDL Operations Jeff McRaney said. “With the level of aspiration they have shown with their Super Y and Super-20 programs this year, we feel they will be a valuable addition to both the PDL and W-League for many years to come.”
A community of soccer players, families and coaches, FASA is dedicated to maintaining a positive atmosphere for athletes to compete through the sport of soccer – and to promote and encourage camaraderie among club members through team participation in athletic events.
“We are thrilled to be bringing elite-level soccer to the Fredericksburg community and have no doubt they will enthusiastically support our teams,” FASA General Manager Pete Cinalli said. “The area has a history of producing quality soccer players and to have the opportunity to have a ‘hometown’ team to compete on a national level will create a lot of excitement.”
FASA, which has been a fixture in the Central Virginia soccer scene for more than 30 years, began its involvement with USL this year with 10 teams participating in the Super Y-League and Super-20 League. Cinalli believes adding the PDL and W-League to the organization will allow for even greater player development in the coming years, and a goal for the organization’s younger players to aim for as they progress through the club.
“Our explosive growth and focus on elite player development was certainly a key motivator for pursuing PDL and W-League franchises, as was the success former FASA players are having at the college level,” Cinalli said. “Our club will now have the ability to have players start with us as young as 4 years old in our Classic Program, move to Travel and Super Y, then return from college to play on our PDL or W-League teams. It allows us to take our focus on player development to the highest level possible.”
The top U23 men’s league in North America, the USL Premier Development League (PDL) featured 67 teams within four conferences across the United States and Canada in 2010. The PDL season consists of 16 regular season matches for each team, eight home and eight away, and provides elite collegiate players the opportunity to taste a higher level of competition while maintaining their eligibility. In addition to league play, PDL teams compete in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as well as various exhibitions. The USL Premier Development League has proven to be an important stepping stone for top professionals now playing throughout the world. This year’s PDL champions were the Portland Timbers U23s, which defeated the Thunder Bay Chill, 4-1, in the final.
The first and longest-standing women’s league in North America, the W-League is USL’s highest level of women’s soccer in the United States and Canada. The 2010 USL W-League campaign featured 29 teams in three regional conferences playing 10 or 12 regular season matches. In addition to featuring international and professional stars, elite amateur players have the opportunity to compete on amateur teams in the league while maintaining their collegiate eligibility. The league is recognized throughout the world for providing superior competition for female players, while offering affordable family entertainment for fans across North America. This season’s championship was won by the Buffalo Flash, who defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps, 3-1, in Santa Clarita, Calif. on July 31.
United Soccer Leagues
Founded in 1986, United Soccer Leagues has become the largest organization of elite-level soccer leagues in North America by building on the vision, commitment, and passion of players, fans and investors. Now in its third decade of operation, USL continues to be a driving force in the growth of soccer in the United States, Canada and Caribbean. USL provides a clearly defined path for the progression of male and female soccer players beginning at the youth level (USL Super Y-League/USL Super-20 League), continuing through the amateur level (USL Premier Development League/USL W-League) and up to the professional level, both outdoor and indoor (USL PRO, I-League). A platform for countless players to reach for their dreams each year, USL is devoted to developing the sport at the grassroots level in every community across the region.
USL Public Relations - Jay Preble / Nicholas Murray / David Wagner - Tampa, FL - 813.963.3909 - Twitter: USLsoccer
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