The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is proud to announce that the Virginia Legacy Soccer Club has joined the league as an expansion team. Virginia Legacy will start play in the Mid-Atlantic Conference in 2014.
The Mid-Atlantic Conference already includes CASL Elite (Raleigh, NC), Chesterfield United FC (Chesterfield, VA), D.C. United U-23s, Myrtle Beach Mutiny, and RVA Football Club (Richmond, VA).
“On behalf of the NPSL, I’d like to welcome Virginia Legacy to the NPSL to start play in the 2014 season,” NPSL Commissioner Michael Hitchcock stated. “I’m very impressed by the club’s leadership, vision, business plan, and commitment to growing the sport of soccer in their market. Williamsburg, Virginia is a strong soccer market and will be a great addition to the Mid-Atlantic Conference and the NPSL.”
Founded in 1976, the Virginia Legacy Soccer Club is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization proudly serving the communities in Eastern Virginia including Williamsburg, James City County, York County, Gloucester, Poquoson, Newport News, Hampton, and other communities in and around the Virginia Peninsula. Virginia Legacy is a full-service soccer club that is home to recreational, developmental and travel soccer teams providing opportunities for youth soccer players of all ages and abilities.
“I look forward to providing a top level of soccer for our community that has been absent for several years,” Virginia Legacy President Stu Spirn commented. “Competition in the NPSL will provide an opportunity in soccer for the youth of this area to be excited about.”
The NPSL team will operate under the guidance of the Virginia Legacy Soccer Club Board of Directors. With almost 40 years of soccer operations experience in this area as administrators, coaches and leaders, the board provides the knowledge, experience, and relationships necessary to guide the club into the future, a future that now includes the NPSL.
Board members include Al Albert and Chris Norris. Albert served as the head men’s soccer coach at The College of William & Mary for 33 seasons, was elected to serve as the NSCAA President in 2006, and was awarded the prestigious NSCAA Honor Award in 2011. Norris is the current William & Mary men’s soccer head coach.
“The NPSL is a great a fit for our club. It is a league full of great owners, teams and players committed to growing the game,” Virginia Legacy Executive Director Bobby O’Brien added. “This team will provide members of our club, past and present, as well as players throughout Hampton Roads with the opportunity to continue their soccer careers. Virginia Legacy is excited to bring the professional soccer experience to the thousands of players, parents, fans and soccer supporters in this region.”
The team aims to provide an inspiring, passionate, and soccer-enthused culture for youth soccer players, parents, fans, supporters and visitors to the Williamsburg community. They also hope to be competitive immediately, building a championship caliber NPSL team of players, coaches, staff and volunteers that define the ideals and values of the Virginia Legacy Soccer Club.
Virginia Legacy’s NPSL team will provide exciting, affordable soccer entertainment while competing in the highest-level environment possible. Games will be family-friendly and cost-efficient, with significant discounts and giveaways for youth players and sponsors, and will provide a quality, professional soccer experience including entertainment, concessions, and merchandising.
The NPSL is a national league that operates in the 4th Division of the U.S. Soccer pyramid. NPSL teams are eligible to participate in the U.S. Open Cup through their affiliation with the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) and the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). The NPSL operates in 60+ markets from across the country and is currently one of the fastest-growing soccer leagues in theU.S. Two Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs, D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls, operate U-23 squads in the NPSL.
