Thought I would start a new one for this year. Does anyone know if the Chicago Fire NPSL team will be back this year? They are no longer listed on the league site in the new divisions.
Interesting - the NPSL site has several new teams, and several "vacancies"... Out West there is no Hollywood United and no AZ/NM teams, nor any new San Diego team that were being talked about... But the North Coast Tsunami is there, as are Fullerton Rangers and FC Santa Clarita (formerly the Rattlers?) The NE - Keystone Conference looks pretty small too - but I can't remember how many teams were there last year... I wonder if this is it, or if more teams will be added? I was hoping for more, but the NPSL news has been strangely quiet...
I have been told the Fire are out for 2012 because of youth development system restructuring. They were on the team schedules as of last week, but now are not.
http://colonialsoccer.com/files/news/PDF_2826.pdf The Morris County Colonials will have a number of exciting new challenges in the summer, after it was revealed that they are part of the National Premier Soccer League's restructure following the addition of new teams in the Northeast for the 2012 season. The team will leave the Atlantic Conference and move to the Keystone Conference - a switch that will also see the squad playing rivals much closer to home. The Colonials are now up against a previous NPSL champion - FC Sonic Lehigh Valley - as well as Pocono Snow (PA), AC Crusaders (NJ), Buxmont Torch (PA), FC New York (NY) and the NPSL's newest addition from Philadelphia: Junior Lone Star FC (PA). The NPSL continues to build and expand across the country, resulting in the reorganization to accommodate teams and lessen travel commitments. The Colonials are beneficiaries of this with a considerable reduction in travel distances, though are part of an expansion to a 12-game regular season; the conference winners progress to National playoffs and the NPSL Championship.
Hi all.It's a pleasure for me to be on Big Soccer I'm searching any information. I have heard that some npsl team give a salary for their players,than there are not all amateurs team. Wich are these teams??Exsist a standard salary cup policy ?? Than u all for the answers and sorry for my english,im not from usa
it's all still being hashed out...stay tuned The NPSL is entering a new phase this year as some teams will have the option to turn professional. The league will be making an announcement soon regarding the structure of the salary cap, but paid players will be allowed in the NPSL for the first time in 2012. Teams will either be professional or amateur in makeup, as the NCAA states that amateur players cannot play with professional players without forfeiting their college eligibility. College players can play against professionals though.
I thought they introduced this last year; that teams had a choice to be professional. I don't know who (if anyone) took advantage of it on short notice. Maybe more teams will this season since they've had a whole year to plan and get the infrastructure in place.
Two more thoughts on the pro thing: 1. I can't see any NPSL team spending huge money on players' salaries, although the league could still institute a cap to even the playing field among those who choose to go the pro route. 2. I wonder if we'll even know which teams have chosen to go pro and which haven't. I doubt the league will publish a list, and it's sometimes hard to tell from teams' own press releases and websites (many teams already advertise themselves as "pro soccer", even though they don't pay their players.
Pay limits established last year were $1,500 per game or $2,000 per year. I heard that these might be raised at this year's AGM, but I haven't heard if that actually happened. I was given the impression that many teams around the league plan to pay some players, with the exception of the Midwest Division Central Conference. It's my understanding that none of the teams in that conference will pay players due to heavy college player usage and/or financial constraints.
This is no longer true. That's why academy players can play in MLS reserve games with professionals without jeopardizing their NCAA eligibility.
That isn't entirely true. Its a very clouded area. The Kitsap Pumas which are a Pro PDL team pay there players and are not allowed to sign any collegiate players. The new NCAA ruling as far as they have been able to dig up is that players can keep their eligibility and play alongside professionals as long as they have not signed a letter of intent with any college. Once they have or have begun playing with a college they are no longer allowed to play with professionals only against them. The Kitsap Pumas have spoken to the NCAA directly in regards to this issue as well as many Colleges.
New team Galveston Pirates take on NASL San Antonio. I think it's Scorps first match. http://m.bleacherreport.com/article...irates-line-up-san-antonio-scorpions-friendly
NPSL Teams in Northern California - like the Sonoma County Sol - use college players in league play. But they have to wait until after a certain date in May before they can do so without losing eligibility.
Which is why Sonoma -- along with a bunch of other NPSL teams who use a lot of college players -- probably won't go pro. Same reason a lot of PDL teams stayed the way they were rather than going pro a couple of years ago.
You would be surpised how much influence / control coaches have on where players play during the summer. Some coaches have relationships with various PDL/NPSL coaches and steer players to those clubs. Others may prefer that their players don't play at all in these leagues and stay at school taking classes and working their camps. It's a mix bag with the college coaches.
Galveston Pirates just signed an ex Kenyan international, Eric Ongao. http://www.piratesoccerclub.com/
For a team to go pro, it probably must have an owner with deep pockets who loves the game and and can afford to lose some cash. Expenses for NPSL teams are already high when one adds travel, lodging, NPSL fees, stadium rental, coach fees, etc. However, there seems to be a growing pool of talented players who have graduated and chose a local job instead of pursuing a pro career. Some Northern California teams use these players but must sign up a large number to make sure they have enough players for game day due to a player's job requirements. I suspect a team needs a minimum funding of $25,000. This can be offset through ticket and sponsorship sales.
The season schedule for the Southeast Conference is now up on the league website. http://www.npsl.info/home/596204.html
http://69.56.140.150/ I just happened upon their website, above. No info given on staff, roster, anything.
BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The Brooklyn Italians, the 2011 National Premier Soccer League Northeast - Atlantic Conference regular Season Division Champion, are in search of players for this season. They will hold a two-day open tryout on Saturday, Feb. 25 and Sunday, Feb. 26, starting at 2 p.m. The open tryout will be held at John Desey High School in Brooklyn, N.Y. Previous Brooklyn Italians tryouts have been a successful tool for finding talented players to contribute to the Italians' squad, including current USL PRO players Joseph Tavernese and Don Smarth, who played for the club during the 2011 season. Italians newly appointed head coach Lucio Russo and his coaching staff will evaluate the players. For more information, contact Joseph Barone at: Barone@Brooklynitalians.org.
the NJ Blaze apparently are no more in the NPSL, but add FCNY: http://www.bigapplesoccer.com/sections/usl2.php?article_id=29782