The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is proud to announce that Laredo Heat Soccer Club (Laredo, TX) has joined the league as an expansion team. The club will compete in the South Region’s Texas Conference.
“We are excited to bring a team of Laredo Heat’s caliber into the NPSL family,” NPSL Chairman Joe Barone said. “They are a tremendous organization that has a storied tradition of winning on a national stage. Fans and supporters in Texas should look forward to this addition with great enthusiasm.”
Heat SC is led by Owners Shashi and Priya Vaswani, front office members Mrinali and Rishi Vaswani, Marketing Specialist Edith Ortiz, and General Manager J.J. Vela. The team’s coaching staff will be announced at a later date.
“We will most definitely bring a high level of professionalism both on and off the field so that we are perceived as an asset to both our conference and the league,” Shashi Vaswani commented.
The team will play home games at Texas A&M International University in Laredo, TX. The facility has a grass playing surface that measures at 116 yards x 78 yards with no football lines. The seating capacity is 2,000 and the facility also includes a press box and VIP seating area in close proximity to the playing field. The stadium is also the home to the NCAA Division II Texas A&M International University men’s and women’s soccer programs.
“Expectations will always be high for our club when it comes to play on the pitch,” Vela added. “We have been out of the soccer scene for two years now with our senior club and can’t wait to get back to competing with the other quality clubs that play in the NPSL to see how we will fare after our hiatus. At the end of the season, we expect to represent our community with dignity and play well enough to bring it a league championship.”
Heat SC was founded in 2004. The club played in the USL PDL for 12 years, competing in the USL PDL title game in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2011. Laredo would win the USL PDL Championship in 2007. Their title sponsor is Falcon Bank.
“We chose the NPSL primarily for the competitive structure and the number of teams in the region,” Vela concluded. “It made sense to be financially responsible, because of this, the NPSL as a whole made the decision easier.”
More information about the club can be found at www.laredoheatsc.com or by following the club on Facebook (@laredoheatsc), Instagram (@laredoheatsc), and Twitter (@LaredoHeatSC).
