Midwest Developmental League expands to include girls division in 2012-13
CHARLESTON, S.C. (July 2, 2012) – The Midwest Developmental League, part of US Club Soccer’s National Premier Leagues (NPL), will expand to include a girls division beginning with the Fall 2012 season.
The NPL was 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.
In 2012-13, the Midwest Developmental League girls’ season will take place in the fall with U-13 through U-18 age groups, featuring the following clubs:
- Eclipse Select (Ill.)
- Michigan Hawks (Mich.)
- Sockers FC (Ill.)
- St. Louis Scott Gallagher – Metro (Ill.)
- St. Louis Scott Gallagher – Mo. (Mo.)
These five clubs are the initial clubs for the girls’ side of the Midwest Developmental League, but expansion is expected in the future. Midwest Developmental League champions in each age group will qualify for the 2013 NPL Champions Cup.
"We are excited to begin to build out the girls division of the Midwest Developmental League," said NPL General Manager Chris Baer. “We have started with a small number of clubs that are dedicated to focusing on the Midwest Developmental League as their regional competition platform, and will expand to include other top-quality girls clubs with similar programming.”
For more information on the Midwest Developmental League, please contact NPL General Manager Chris Baer at cbaer@usclubsoccer.org or (614) 783-2237.
| ABOUT THE NATIONAL PREMIER LEAGUES: |
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.
| ABOUT US CLUB SOCCER: |
US Club Soccer is a non-profit organization committed to the development and support of soccer clubs and players in the United States. A National Association member of the U.S. Soccer Federation, US Club Soccer maximizes flexibility and offers youth and adult player and staff registration, integrated competition platforms at the recreational and competitive levels, as well as a a variety of other programming, including the Olympic Developmen Program-sanctioned id2 National Player Identification and Development Program.
Unique to US Club Soccer is the ability of member clubs to unite youth and adult programs within one organization, creating a “members for life” culture within each club.