HEADLINES: CHARLESTON, S.C. (April 23, 2012) – Set to kick off in Fall 2012, US Club Soccer has announced that the Washington Premier League has become the newest addition to the organization’s National Premier Leagues (NPL).

The NPL has been created to provide a unified, league-based national developmental platform with the highest level of competition in given geographic areas, and to elevate and change the competitive youth soccer landscape based upon fundamental principles outlined in US Club Soccer’s 10-year vision.

The Washington Premier League will be managed by the Puget Sound Premier League (PSPL), the fastest-growing soccer league in the state of Washington. The PSPL is also one of the largest competitive soccer leagues in the Northwest, with 59 clubs and nearly 700 teams participating in 2011.

Fifteen PSPL clubs will initially form the Washington Premier League. Clubs outside the PSPL and smaller clubs within the league will be able to apply for admittance, provided they meet the Washington Premier League standards and requirements.

The Washington Premier League, which will include U-13 through U-18 boys and girls, is composed of 14 initial clubs:

Academy of Soccer Excellence Cascade FC Cobras Emerald City FC FC Crush Fury Issaquah Soccer Club/Gunners Maple Valley Premier

Mount Rainier Futbol Club SoccerEdge Academy South Hill Revolution Spokane Foxes Tynecastle FC Wenatchee Fire Xifa

The Washington Premier League will represent the highest level in the PSPL, replacing the Super League. Washington Premier League teams will play a 12-game regular-season schedule. Winners of the Washington Premier League will qualify for the second annual NPL Champions Cup.

“The PSPL has numerous competitive clubs that are doing a fantastic job developing players, and the NPL is a great opportunity to showcase these quality organizations,” said PSPL Executive Director Stanley Holmes. “One of our missions is to help clubs in Washington develop players at the highest level and offer them the chance to play on a national stage.”

"This creation of the Washington Premier League is very exciting news for the NPL,” said NPL General Manager Chris Baer. “The state of Washington has had a long history of producing high-level soccer talent on both the boys and girls side of the game and we look forward to working closely with the clubs in the state to continue to raise the level of club soccer."

 US Club Soccer’s National Premier Leagues have been created to provide a national competitive developmental platform:

• focused on long-term player development;
  
  
• for the country’s top soccer clubs, allowing consistent, meaningful high-level games appropriately scheduled with higher training-to-game ratios;
  
  
• that allows players to be scouted and evaluated by U.S. Soccer National Staff and Technical Advisors;
  
  
• that is designed and structured by the clubs, based on the needs of the clubs;

              using international rules of competition;

• that provides an avenue for qualification for the NPL Champions Cup.

 The NPL is an important component of US Club Soccer’s 10-year vision to refine the landscape for competitive youth soccer. This vision recognizes that:

• properly-structured youth soccer clubs are the vehicle through which player development does and must occur in the United States;

• clubs should play in leagues that provide meaningful games, allow establishment of the proper training-to-game ratio, and eliminate calendar congestion;

National Premier Leagues, as well as the best clubs, should be integrated in US Club Soccer’s id² National Identification and Development Program,      include Player Development Programs (PDPs) in select local markets, and work closely with U.S. Soccer staff regarding player identification, and player and coach development.

The culminating event each year is the NPL Champions Cup, where national championships will be awarded. The NPL Champions Cup will feature qualifiers from every NPL across the country in a true “champions league” competition.

 For a listing of all leagues and clubs within the NPL, please visit nationalpremierleagues.com.