Full Press Release

CHARLESTON, S.C. (April 26, 2022) – The Virginia Premier Soccer League (VPSL) is welcoming the Skyline Club Soccer League as its new Western Division beginning in Fall 2022. The VPSL expansion bolsters the league’s geographical and competitive influence, as the Skyline Club Soccer League is an established presence in west central and southwest Virginia.

Thirty clubs with U-11 through U-19 boys and girls teams make up this new Western Division, which joins 26 clubs from the eastern half of the state in the VPSL, announced earlier this month. The result is a balanced team-based competition for the VPSL NPL Division for the U-13 through U-19 age groups, while the U-11 and U-12 players compete within the VPSL.

Here are all the clubs in the VPSL NPL Division, with Skyline Club Soccer League members annotated with asterisks:

AFC Chesapeake Golden Ball Soccer Academy Shenandoah Valley United*
Augusta United SC*      Greene FC*       Smith Mountain Lake Jets*
Baystars FC       King George United*       Smithfield SC
Beach FC       Legacy FC*      SOCA*
Bedford Soccer Association*      Louisa FC*      Southwest Virginia Rush*
Broadway SC*      Luray Valley SC*       Steel United
Central Virginia United*      Madison County Soccer*      Suffolk Youth Athletic Association
Chesapeake SC      Nelson Express*      Tidewater Sharks SC
Chesapeake United SC      New River United*      Tri-Cities United
Christiansburg SC*      Old Dominion SC      Valley United*
Churchland       Orange Soccer Association*      VIP United FC
Clarke County Soccer League*      PG Xtreme      Virginia Beach City FC
Culpeper SC*      Piedmont Youth Soccer League*      Virginia FC
C’ville United      Powhatan FC      Virginia Legacy
Danville SC*      Richmond Kickers      Virginia Reign
FC Richmond      Richmond Strikers      Virginia Rush
Fluvanna Youth Soccer Association*      Rockbridge United*      Virginia Skyline FC*
Fredericksburg SC Inc. Phoenix*      Salem Sabres*      Western Branch SC
Front Royal Soccer Association*      Shenandoah County Soccer League*

“I have been impressed with the vision of US Club Soccer in Virginia,” said Matt Wilson, Commissioner and founder of the Skyline Club Soccer League. “The combination of the ECNL Regional and NPL platforms provides a place for all clubs to play and progress in their development. The Skyline Club Soccer League has always been about club development in the smaller cities, towns and rural communities of western Virginia. We recognize a shared philosophy with US Club Soccer that prioritizes healthy and well-supported clubs as a key element of player development. Strong clubs lead to strong teams, and ultimately, strong players.”

The VPSL NPL Division will compete within the established National Premier Leagues platform, providing national pathways and a plethora of resources available to NPL participants and US Club Soccer members. The VPSL NPL Division receives pathways to the annual NPL postseason, in which teams have an opportunity to compete for National Premier Leagues championships. Additionally, participating teams have access to a variety of US Club Soccer resources and programming, including safety and risk-management standards, cup-based competitions through the Virginia State Cup and the National Cup, player identification via id2 and PDP, coaching education through LaLiga Formation Methodology and U.S. Soccer courses, and various Players First-related opportunities.

“The NPL will be a perfect fit for the clubs in the Skyline Club Soccer League,” added Wilson. “Being able to maintain our regional identity while taking advantage of cross-region opportunities and expanded postseason pathways provides our membership with a great setup to play matches, develop players and grow the game in western VA.”

The 2022-23 NPL season is expected to be one of the best in league history due to new growth – evidenced by new member leagues VPSL and Soccer Alliance of Arizona – and expanded resources, such as health and safety initiatives and coaching education opportunities.

“The Skyline Club Soccer League is a great addition to the VPSL’s NPL Division,” said Leo Garcia, US Club Soccer VP of Competitions and NPL General Manager. “We now have a true NPL presence throughout the state, and we can offer a rigorous calendar of league games with minimal travel burdens. This collaboration between Skyline Club Soccer League and the Virginia Premier Soccer League is a win-win for their members clubs and families.”

ABOUT US CLUB SOCCER:
A National Association member of the U.S. Soccer Federation, US Club Soccer fosters the growth and development of soccer clubs in order to create the best possible environment for players of all ages.

Anchored by Players First and its five pillars of Club Development, Coaching Development, Player Development, Parent Engagement & Education and Player Health & Safety, US Club Soccer offers registration, league- and cup-based competition platforms, player identification and a variety of other programming, resources and services.

US Club Soccer is sponsored by Nike and supported by LaLiga through a technical partnership.