U.S. Club Soccer welcomes New England Premiership
CHARLESTON, S.C. (Via US Club Soccer) – The New England Premiership (NEP), a 21-club league encompassing multiple states with programming for U-9 through U-18 age groups, will join US Club Soccer beginning in the Fall 2014 season.
The transition to US Club Soccer is consistent with the NEP philosophy of providing a league platform that supports player development for its member clubs. US Club Soccer will offer the NEP the ability to control its competitive calendar, providing superior schedules for players and families. Also, beyond regular league play, NEP clubs will have the opportunity to earn berths in US Club Soccer’s national championship events – the National Cup Finals and NPL Finals.
Member clubs of the New England Premiership include:
| Aztec Soccer (MA) | FC Massachusetts (MA) | Sachems FC (MA) |
| Bayside FC Bolts (RI) | FC Stars of Massachusetts (MA) | Scorpions SC (MA) |
| Boston Breakers (MA) | GPS – Massachusetts | Seacoast United Maine |
| Bruno United FC (RI) | GPS – Maine | Seacoast United Benfica USA (MA) |
| Connecticut Futbol Club (CT) | GPS – New Hampshire | Seacoast United SC (NH) |
| CS United (MA) | Lightning SC (NH) | Southeast SC (CT) |
| FC Celtic Bolts (MA) | NEFC (MA) | Western United Pioneers (MA) |
The NEP will host state championship competitions in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island in May 2015. Qualifiers from the state championships will advance to New England regional finals in June 2015, with champions in the U-13 through U-17 age groups advancing to the National Cup XIV Finals.
In conjunction with this transition, US Club Soccer will also expand access to the National Premier Leagues (NPL). Select NEP clubs are existing members of the NPL’s New England Premier League, and additional NEP clubs will soon join this platform in multiple boys and girls age groups. Each season, winners of the New England Premier League in U-13 through U-18 age groups will advance to the NPL Finals – the targeted destination for all NPL teams throughout the year-long, league-based competition.
“Adding the New England Premiership not only immediately enhances our presence in the Northeast, but it boosts the competitive nature of US Club Soccer as a whole,” Bill Sage, US Club Soccer Executive Director, said. “We welcome the New England Premiership with open arms and look forward to working with them to best develop its clubs and players.”
“The New England Premiership and its member clubs are looking forward to working with US Club Soccer. We will be able to offer our clubs and teams new opportunities in our programming from a league and cup perspective,” Sean Carey, New England Premiership League Director, said. “Having more control of the competitive calendar will help provide a better environment for our players that will reduce congestion and allow for a more appropriate game-to-training ratio.”
