Soccer Continues To Grow in America As More Teams Join NPSL
The National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) is committed to growing the sport of soccer in the United States in a sustainable way. The 2015 expansion plan is to grow strategically by strengthening their existing conferences and expanding the national footprint of the NPSL into new areas of the country. Here is the most recent team joining the NPSL.
The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) welcomed FC Frederick (Frederick, MD) to the national men’s soccer league as an expansion team. Besides fielding a men’s soccer team, FC Freerick is Maryland’s Premier Youth Soccer Club located in Frederick, Maryland for over 17 years.
“We are truly excited to have FC Frederick as a member of the NPSL,” NPSL Chairman Joe Barone said. “Their organization is the complete package, offering a developmental pyramid that puts them among the top programs in the country. We were thoroughly impressed by their leadership team, their club’s organizational structure, and their commitment to the beautiful game. We are very proud to say that they are the newest member of the NPSL family.”
Home matches will be played at Thomas Athletic Field on the campus of Hood College in Frederick. The facility underwent a $2.5 million renovation in 2009 and features a state-of-the-art FieldTurf playing surface, along with a new locker room facility, picnic area, scoreboard, and press box. It is just minutes from Frederick’s vibrant downtown area, which is home to hundreds of shops and restaurants.
FC Frederick brings a highly organized and successful club structure to the NPSL. The five-member board of trustees has combined for more than 50 years of leadership in the organization, and two trustees are board members on three other leagues/organizations. With more than 600 travel players and 2,000 others associated with the club, FC Frederick will have a built-in audience to support its NPSL team.
FC Frederick’s NPSL Program is open to men’s college soccer players (current and former), and select U17 and U18 players, interested in participating in high level league play and training during the summer months.
The club’s NPSL squad will be led by Bo Eskay, Chris Spinks, and Scott Mohler.
Eskay, a former NCAA Division I and professional player, has been the executive director of FC Frederick since 2009 and a Trustee with FC Frederick since 2002. He will serve as general manager of FC Frederick’s NPSL team.
Spinks is Senior Boys Director for FC Frederick and will serve as FC Frederick NPSL’s head coach. He has coached on the U15, U16, U17, U18, and U23 levels with FC Frederick, which included coaching the FCF ’94 boys to the U17 and U18 Maryland State Cup titles and US Youth Soccer Region I semifinal appearances in 2012 and 2013.
Mohler, who will manage team travel and game-day logistics, joined FC Frederick’s coaching staff in 2007. He has served as head coach at the U6, U7, U8, U9, U10, and U11 levels as well as manager of the FC Frederick U23 men’s team.
“The primary reasons FC Frederick joined the NPSL are to complete the developmental pyramid in the club and help grow the game in the U.S.,” Eskay added. “The FC Frederick NPSL team provides an opportunity for college players to continue their development during the summer, creates an avenue for players with professional aspirations to showcase their talents, and the team adds another summer entertainment option to the Frederick County experience.”
Frederick offers a robust and successful athletic community. The city is home to the Frederick Keys, members of Minor League Baseball’s Carolina League. In addition, in the past five years, Frederick natives have made NFL, NBA, and minor league baseball rosters, and hundreds of local athletes have gone on to college athletic careers, many on nationally ranked college sports programs.
The first-year expectations for FC Frederick start with fielding a competitive NPSL team comprised largely of players from the Greater Frederick area. In addition, FC Frederick aims to work with businesses interested in supporting the team, to launch outreach programs for youth soccer players through camps and clinics, and to build relationships with local soccer fans who can help create an exciting atmosphere for home matches.
Men’s Soccer Facts: … 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 remains one of the largest national leagues in North America.
