Five Virginia Clubs Establish New Youth League to Further Player Development

RICHMOND, VA  - (Saturday, March 23, 2013) -  Through the collaboration of three VCCL and U.S. Soccer Development Academy members, the VA Premier League has been established to provide a high level of competition and a professional, player-centric environment designed to enhance player development at all levels.  Founding members Chesapeake United, Chesterfield United, Richmond Kickers, Richmond Strikers and Virginia Rush are slated to begin play in the newly created, club-format league in the fall 2013. 

"The Richmond Strikers are very pleased to be a founding member of this new league, commented Bob Jenkins, Richmond Strikers Technical Director.  “The VA Premier League represents club collaboration at its best with the expressed goal of establishing a competitive environment for our players that fosters real development."

U16 ASL acadamy girls represent Chesterfield United on national stage

Chesterfield United's U16 ASL Academy girls won 3 out of 4 games at the Mayor's Cup International Showcase in Las Vegas this past weekend.  The showcase attracted over 225 colleges and universities to recruit players over the 3 day event. After a narrow to defeat to the eventual finalist, Cal Blues of Northern California, the girls went on to defeat Heat FC of Nevada (State Cup Finalist), Grand Rapids Crew Jrs (Michigan State Cup Semi Finalist), and Dakota Rev (Minnesota State Cup finalists).  

"I am so proud of the girls and the way they went about their business this weekend.  They prepared professionally and went into every game with the right attitude.  They have grown closer as a group, and I can't wait to get back on the field and continue the hard work that has already been put in."-Dale Parker, Girls Director of Coaching

Chesterfield United Soccer club looks to make a splash

Chesterfield United Soccer Club has expanded south and are looking to make a big splash in the Tri Cities.  Over the last two years, Chesterfield United has experienced phenomenal, climbing from 25 to 38 travel teams in the space of just 2 years as well as increasing their UDP program numbers from 2 to 200 annually.

"I feel that Chesterfield United has transformed itself into a club that people want to be a part of.  We feel that the environment we look to create, along with our curriculum and developmental structure, allows for players to thrive and we are excited to build this structure within the tri cities area."-Pat McStay, Technical Director

The two new programs being offered will start this March and registration is going on now at www.chesterfieldunited.com.

Chesterfield United Technical Director, Pat McStay w/Marta at 2013 NSCAA Convention

A New and Improved Recreational program based out of Richard Bland College

All practices and games will be played out of Richard Bland College. Richard Bland College located on the border of Prince George and Dinwiddie County just south of Petersburg.  7 games will be guaranteed plus 6 weeks of FREE Friday Night Skills Nights.  The skills nights will serve as both a fun environment for the players of our new rec program to learn and improve, but also as coaching education sessions for recreational coaches.

"It's important that the coaches learn during these skills clinics.  This will be the basis for their practices and will be a chance for the coaches to become educated in the sport.  A lot of times recreational coaches are left on their own.  As volunteers, we feel that they are extremely important to the success of this new program, so we plan to put a lot of time and energy into properly educating them."-Miquel Casajuana, Director of Richard Bland Rec Soccer

On top of the 7 games, practices, and free skills nights, each player will receive season passes to all Chesterfield United Semi Pro games played at Ft. Lee this summer as well as free coaching education and practice plans each season. For more information about recreational soccer at Richard Bland, please email Miquel Casajuana at mcasajuana@chesterfieldunited.com.

A new branch of the club's development program called UDP which will be out of Ettrick Park

The primary goal of the program is to act as a transitional link between Recreational and Travel soccer, which will create the perfect learning environment for players to progress through our club's stages of development.

If you would like your child to receive enhanced skills training and to be involved in an educational experience that inspires players to be creative, perform with confidence, and to have fun while improving their overall soccer game and taking it to the next level then sign up for the United Developmental Program.

“The United Developmental Program is a great way for young players to learn all the fundamental technical skills needed to play travel soccer in a fun environment” commented Matt Lacey, Director of Player Development. “This is a great way to continue the growth between Recreational and Travel soccer. We all feel here at the club that with this program the future is very bright for our young soccer players”.

Sessions for United Developmental Program teams will be held twice a week and will consist of age specific technical training and small sided scrimmages. Professional and Licensed coaches from within the United FC Staff will conduct all sessions and monitor the progress of each player.  For more information about UDP, please contact Matt Lacey at mlacey@chesterfieldunited.com.

Tryouts announced for new NPSL club, Chesterfield United

NPSL Tryouts are Coming! Mark your Calendar February 9th

The newest club in the NPSL, Chesterfield United, will hold tryouts on Saturday February 9th for all eligible players. This is the first step towards building a team for the upcoming inaugural season in the fourth tier of US Soccer. The squad will be face some quality competition and will be eligible to take part in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

Chesterfield are looking to players that are currently holding amateur status as well as former players looking to be competitive or even looking for a setting where they can get exposure and have the opportunity to play at the professional level.

The NPSL season will take place during the summer months of May through July, with regional playoffs that will result in a national champion.  The teams will play against other regional franchises based in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina during an 8 game regular season.

Joe Farrell will take the reigns as the team’s head coach and has high hopes for what will be a special first year.  “I am tremendously excited about the upcoming NPSL season. This is a huge step for our club as it shows that we have not only drive and ambition but the quality of staff to achieve something great.  My hope is that our NPSL team will be extremely competitive with some outstanding talent on show. I expect us to do well and compete with all the teams in our division.”

2013 TRY-OUT

WHAT: NPSL Tryouts (Men’s team)
WHEN Saturday February 9th, 2pm-4pm
WHERE: United Training Center (2610 Weir Place, Chester, VA 23831)
REGISTRATION: $20 on Site or register directly here   https://ssl.demosphere.com/scripts/runisa.dll?s7:gp::73244+regis/guidelines

For more information about tryouts, player selection, Chesterfield United’s NPSL team, NPSL Reserves and Women, please email our Director of Operations, Miquel Casajuana at mcasajuana@chesterfielduntied.com  or follow this link to register https://ssl.demosphere.com/scripts/runisa.dll?s7:gp::73244+regis/guidelines

ABOUT CHESTERFIELD UNITED:  The Chesterfield United Football Club is a result of 28 years of club development and evolution. The club debuted in 1980 as Dale Youth Soccer and in 1995 became Chesterfield Soccer Club. In 2002 Chesterfield Soccer Club merged with James River United to form Chesterfield United Soccer Club. On May 1st of 2008 Chesterfield United Soccer Club made a subtle name change from “Soccer Club” to “Football Club” and is now known as Chesterfield United Football Club, Chesterfield United FC, CUFC or “United FC”. For more information visitwww.chesterfieldunited.com.

ABOUT THE NPSL:  The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is the successor to the Men’s Premier Soccer League (MPSL), which was formed in 2002.  By 2005 it became necessary for the league to expand to a national format in order to accommodate teams from the Midwest region.  The NPSL expanded further in 2007 by adding a Northeastern region.  In 2011, with the addition of a Southeastern region, the National Premier Soccer League has truly become a nationwide league.  

The NPSL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), the governing body of soccer in the United States. The NPSL operates and is managed as a team-run league. The structure of the league allows each team to have one vote on the executive committee.  Each team is individually owned and operated, and is responsible for maintaining league minimum standards.  New teams seeking membership into the NPSL are subject to approval from an executive committee comprised of existing team owners.

NPSL Team creates new path for Chesterfield United’s future

Chesterfield, VA (Thursday November 1st, 2012) - The National Premier Soccer League, or NPSL is a USSF Sanctioned league and considered the 4^th Division of professional soccer here in the United States.  It is similar to the PDL where youth and college players are able to fill roster spots without affecting a player’s amateur status.

“We wanted to provide an avenue for the club to continue to serve players in our club and surrounding areas by providing opportunities for current players, alum, and others to play at a high level over the summer without losing their amateur status.  The staff here at Chesterfield United has worked really hard to make this a success so far, and when the first season is over, we can look back on it and say that we put together something special.”-Pat McStay, Technical Director

The NPSL (www.npslsoccer.info) season will run from May through July.  Chesterfield United will play in the South Region with at least two other teams from Richmond and one team from Myrtle Beach.  The NPSL team will play out of the Ft. Lee area and the schedule will be finalized in early March.  Chesterfield United also has plans to field an NPSL Reserve team and women’s team this summer.  More details will be available on their website in the next few months. (www.chesterfieldunited.com)

Matt Lacey, NPSL Team’s Co-General Manager will also be featured on the field and is looking forward to getting back to playing at a high level.  “We have worked very hard to create this NPSL team and we look forward to seeing the benefits it provides for our membership. The clubs players will now have a new goal to play for the NPSL team as they continue their growth through our player development pyramid. It will also have a great impact on the local community as it will provide Chesterfield and beyond a local sports team to take pride in and get behind. We are all very proud of the fact that we have been able to make this happen and I am personally looking forward to having the privilege of representing Chesterfield United at the next level.”

Sponsors and partners have played a big part in making this new team a reality.  Our biggest and most exciting sponsor, Colonial Orthopaedics, signed on to be a 5 year sponsor of the club and team.   Chesterfield United also wanted to thank Primrose School, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Jersey Mike’s, First Command Financial Services, and Insulation Specialties Inc. for also becoming sponsors of the club and team recently.

Every child playing under the Chesterfield United banner will be allowed free entry into games just by wearing their Chesterfield United jersey.  Parents can purchase season tickets at the United FC Office for $20 or online at www.chesterfieldunited.com for $25!  The first 200 season tickets purchased will come with a FREE Chesterfield United NPSL Supporters shirt!  

Joe Farrell will take the reigns as the team’s head coach and has high hopes for what will be a special first year.  “I am tremendously excited about the upcoming NPSL season. This is a huge step for our club as It shows that we have not only drive and ambition but the quality of staff to achieve something great.  My hope is that our NPSL team will be extremely competitive with some outstanding talent on show. I expect us to do well and compete with all the teams in our division.”

Chesterfield United plans on having clinics and camps in the Ft. Lee area over the summer.  Dale Parker, the club’s Director of Youth Programs plans to expand his reach into the Colonial Heights/Ft. Lee area this summer.  “I am very excited to be able to reach out to the Ft Lee area and provide camps and clinics for the local players.  Hopefully these camps will generate more interest in the game and the NPSL team and inspire future generations of soccer players!"

For more information about tryouts, player selection, Chesterfield United’s NPSL team, NPSL Reserves and Women, please email our Director of Operations, Matt Beale, at bealemj6@yahoo.com or visit the NPSL site on our homepage.  Thank you!

Chesterfield United Name Pat McStay Technical Director; Re-structure Staff

Congratulations to frequent guest contributor Pat McStay who has been named the new Technical Director at Chesterfield United FC (Richmond, VA).

Read posts by Pat McStay

Official United FC Press Release:

Chesterfield United is excited to announce the re-structuring in the club’s already successful chain of command effective June 1, 2012. The  changes coincide with the well received changes in player development and the new European Academy model released last week.

The club’s new structure will see Pat McStay take over as the clubs Technical Director, who hopes to continue the clubs ever increasing rise in the city of Richmond and surrounding areas. Pat will oversee the clubs technical staff and the daily operations of the club.

“Everyone’s hard work over the last 18 months has gotten the club to this point. I feel that the next step isn’t to relax but work harder and that’s what we plan on doing. I am excited about taking over as Technical Director and cannot wait to work with our players and coaches.”

The Ultimate Cup will now be run by Matt Lacey who will continue to serve as the club’s Director of Player Development and UDP.

“I am very excited to be involved with The Ultimate Cup. I think that Chesterfield United and Richmond Kickers have created a great product and service to the soccer community and I look forward to being part of something very special and unique” commented Matt Lacey, Director of Player Development.

Dale Parker will be promoted to Girls Director of Coaching and will now oversee the development of all Girls teams in the club while combining his role as Camp Director.

“I hope to increase participation on the girl’s side as well as add quality. I feel that this is a great opportunity for me, and I am looking forward to the challenge.”

Joe Farrell will continue his role as the clubs Boys Director of Coaching, ASL Academy Director, and Recreational Director.

“I have been here almost 10 years and cannot remember the last time the staff was this excited about the future. We have put the time and effort into building the club into what it is today, and we will continue to grow. I am anxious to see what 2012 has in store for us!”

Today we officially announce that we will sadly be losing a great member of the club. Heather Pedersen has decided to take a step away from Soccer and begin a new profession as a full time mother to her wonderful daughter Anna Jane starting June 1 st.

"I will miss this club tremendously, and wish nothing but the best for Chesterfield United. The past few years I have watched this club grow, players develop, old programs get better, new programs added, and I am proud to have been a part of it. I am looking forward to spending more quality time with my family, and hope to have Anna Jane be a part the UDP program in a few years!"-Heather Pedersen

Heather has played a pivotal role in the clubs recent success in her role as both Technical Director and Tournament Director. Her hard work and dedication to improve the club has helped shape a very bright future for Chesterfield United. Heather began working for Chesterfield United as the Girls Director of Coaching in 2008 and was promoted to Technical Director in January 2011.

In her time she has improved the standard of coaching education, player development, and communication to the club’s membership. She also played a massive role in the success of 2011 Icebreaker and the new 2012 tournament Ultimate Cup which brought in a record number of teams compared to previous years.

“We are all very sad to be losing Heather but at the same time we all know how important it is for her to be at home with Anna Jane. We have all seen how much effort she has put into this job, and we know it must have been a very hard decision for her. We will all miss her but wish her the very best in the future.”-Chesterfield United Staff

Heather will continue her role at the club until June 1, 2012.

Chesterfield United Announce new Player Development Structure, club Academy Model

Richmond, VA – (Tuesday, March 20, 2012) – Chesterfield United is proud to announce the new player development structure and club Academy model. After significant amount of time studying the value of the European Academy club model and structure, Chesterfield United staff has worked hard to improve the club structure to enhance the player development opportunities to all of its players.

“Player development happens at training, not necessarily during games. Players touch the ball more often and are put through more repetitions during training then during a game. So, very simply, more training means more time on the ball, more repetitions, and therefore more development," commented Technical Director, Heather Pedersen.

Each program provided by Chesterfield United now will offer extra player development opportunities and incentives with greater emphasis on training, following U.S. Soccer guidelines continuing the clubs goal to provide the best training environment and cost for players in the city of Richmond and surrounding areas. Directors Matt Lacey and Pat McStay will be flying to England in April to work with Norwich City Football Club (EPL Team) to see this structure in action before it begins in August.

"I am very proud of the fact that we are able to restructure our travel program for the benefit of players without raising costs in a tough economic environment. It speaks volumes about the dedication our directors and coaches have for our club and the willingness of our directors to put in the work and time on the field to ensure that our players are getting better. We are the lowest cost club in the area that provides, without a doubt, the most value. We will continue to work for our members as we grow to ensure that the quality of the staff, teams, and players remains the same in the future." - Pat McStay, Director of Operations

Puma (Elite) teams will now be known as ASL (Atlantic Soccer League) Academy and ASL Jr Academy teams and will now begin to train 3 times a week on a new 9/10 month training schedule.

“The new structure for our ASL Jr Academy teams U10-U13 will allow our already very successful program to grow even further” commented Matt Lacey, Director of Player Development. “With these teams training 3 times a week, we will take this club to another level and create the perfect environment for our teams to play exciting soccer. This model sets us up to prepare these age groups to become successful once they reach the ASL at U14. It’s an exciting challenge I am sure the coach’s will be up for."

ASL Academy U15-U18 teams will still be able to play for their local high school teams unlike other clubs that are being mandated throughout the country.

“The ASL gives us the ability to play great competition at national recognized top events and this is what our players and teams are looking for and deserve. Not only are they receiving college exposure but our players can continue to play high school soccer with their respective schools. We recognize that to play proudly for your High School is an important aspect in a young players life and as a club we will happily support our players and our local community”  - Joe Farrell, ASL Director of Coaching

New Structure Below -
U14-U18 ASL Academy (ELITE BOYS/GIRLS) – ASL Academy teams will compete in the Atlantic Soccer League which provides highly competitive games and allows for maximum amount of training in between events. ASL Academy teams will enhance their development starting in the fall by practicing three times a week on a new 9/10 month season (High School teams U15-U18 will be able to play high school and train August – March). ASL Academy teams will train 2 times a week during the winter starting in January going through February at the state of art complex Sportsquest. Teams will now compete in 4 ASL events and the Ultimate Cup. In the 2011/2012 season of the ASL, Chesterfield United will be sending over 60% of its U18 Boys players to play in college.

U10-U13 ASL Jr Academy (ELITE BOYS/GIRLS) – ASL Jr Academy teams will enhance their development starting in the fall by practicing three times a week on a new 9/10 month season. The concept behind the ASL Jr Academy is that players and teams will be preparing themselves for the challenges of the Atlantic Soccer League which they will begin play at the age of U14s. The ASL Jr Academy teams will also play a fall and spring season in ADSL or VSL D1 league games. ASL Jr Academy teams will train 2 times a week during the winter starting in January going through February at the state of art complex Sportsquest. Selected teams will compete in nationally recognized events such as Norcross (GA), Jefferson Cup (VA), Ultimate Cup (VA), CASL (NC) as well as supporting local tournaments.

U10 – U18 United Teams (CLASSIC BOYS/GIRLS)- United teams will also enhance player and team development by training twice a week, and have an extra training session with the ASL Jr Academy/ ASL Academy teams periodically throughout the year. This will ensure that Directors and Coaches continue to monitor the development of every player in each age group. Specific dates for these extra training sessions will be released before the beginning of each season. Optional Winter training sessions will also still be a part of our United teams travel program and that schedule will be released half way through the Fall 2012 season. United teams will compete in ADSL or VSL league fixtures and play in 4 tournaments throughout the year.

U9 CDP Travel (Competitive Development Program)- The U9 CDP travel program is a ground breaking program for Chesterfield United as it will see the club modeling the US Soccer Development Guidelines. U9 teams will train together as a pool and then play 5v5 games on the weekend against other local clubs supporting these guidelines. They will also play in 1 tournament per season (1 fall/1 Spring) and compete in several development festival. U9 teams will train 2 times a week at Ironbridge and Sportsquest with a third free session on Friday evenings at UT2 Training. During the winter break U9 players will meet once a week as part of their fees during January and February.

U6/U8 UDP (United Development Program)-The U6/U8 UDP Program is an introductory program for Chesterfield United that is a step above recreational soccer. The teams will train two times a week and play small sided games (3v3 and 5v5). Coaches are licensed and it’s a great program to get your player into from the beginning!

Rec Soccer (U5-U19s) – Is the clubs introductory low cost soccer program. Coaches are provided with coaching education to help provide a fun and exciting experience for children of all levels.

"At the end of the day, we are a service based organization. Our job is to listen to our members and try to provide them with the utmost quality. I think we did listen. This model will give players the opportunity to train in a quality environment and play meaningful games without having to give up their lives outside of soccer. We have options for everyone and do not limit families to what they can and cannot do. We welcome cross training with other sports and embrace representing your school. It’s taken a lot of work, but the club is excited to move forward!" - Pat McStay, Director of Operations

Tryouts for U15s-U18s will be released on Friday, March 23. U9-U14 Tryouts will be released  March 30th.

If you have any questions please contact:

Heather Pedersen-Girls Director and Technical Director hpedersen@chesterfieldunited.com
Joe Farrell-ASL and Boys Director jfarrell@chesterfieldunited.com
Matt Lacey-Director of Player Developement mlacey@chesterfieldunited.com
For more information on the Atlantic Soccer League, go to www.aslsoccer.net

Ultimate Cup Girls Weekend Recap, List of Champions



Futbolr clothing at Ultimate Cup in Richmond



The first ever Ultimate Cup just wrapped up their Girls Weekend tournament action this past weekend in Richmond, VA. The tournament was created by the merger of the Chesterfield United Icebreaker and the Kickers Invitational. Our Friends Futbolr Clothing where their supporting soccer in Virginia with a booth and even had a headers contest and soccer tennis contest. You can check out the Futbolr Facebook page for more of their photos from the Ultimate Cup.

Congratulations to the Girls Weekend Champions and Finalist. CLICK HERE to see the complete list of Division Champions and Finalists for the Ultimate Cup Girls.

The boys will get their turn to compete in the Ultimate Cup this comming weekend as play is set to take place March 3 and 4.

As part of the Boys Weekend, there will be a special showing of Rise & Shine: The Jay DeMerit Story in Richmond, VA brought to you by Chesterfield United & The Richmond Kickers at the Ultimate Cup for the benefit of Stowe Strong. The event will be on March 2nd at 7pm at the Holiday Inn, Koger Center Ballroom. This will be a free event and teams and leagues are encouraged to attend, any donations will be for the benefit of charity.

 

Check out the Richmond Times Dispatch Story about Ultimate Cup:

Jeremy Slayton | Richmond Times Dispatch: Soccer tournament attracts hundreds of teams