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Category Archives: NPSL

Former Silverbacks Reserves Defender Rises to Major Heights

Photo Credit: Bart Young/Colorado Rapids

When former Atlanta Silverbacks left back Chris Klute arrived in Major League Soccer in 2012, not much was known about the Texan. The Colorado Rapids acquired the 22-year-old on a one-year loan from the NASL club and played just one match in the 2012 MLS season.

What happened next was magic.

There is little doubt that the Colorado Rapids have picked a gem out of the NASL, as Klute began his post-collegiate career on the Silverbacks’ reserve squad in the NPSL in 2011.

He quickly rose up the ranks.

“I really enjoyed the time that I played with the team and played with some great guys and great coaches. It was a good experience for me,” Klute says about his time in Atlanta.

Klute admits that in his first few months at the Reserve level were a bit shaky since he had not played for a certain amount of time. That may have been a blessing for Chris, as he was able to refine his skills and relearn the game after playing just a year each at Furman University and Clayton State University.

“Day after day and week after week I was there working at (getting better) and it was a way to get my confidence back and getting back the skills I knew I had. There were a lot of college guys playing just for a chance to make it.”

After two years with the Silverbacks Reserves, the defender signed with the pro side and began his climb to bigger things. His time with the Silverbacks would be short, yet very productive. The defender started 11 of the 12 matches and even notched his first career assist in the process, something that would foreshadow his time in MLS.

“I find that watching myself on tape helps me a lot,” he says, “You have to watch the mistakes you make and if it happens again you have an idea of what to do.”

Klute also helped the club record three shutouts in his last five games in Atlanta, conceding just a pair of goals in that stretch. This coming after the Silverbacks conceded the most goals in the league just a year prior.

The defender knows that the NPSL has helped him climb to the success he sees today.

“The league helped be get back into the competitive mode,” he explains. “Teams and players are competing at a high level so that they can make it to the next level of professional soccer. It helped me develop faster and got me to fight for 50/50 balls better and getting forward.”

The Colorado Rapids came calling for Chris and he left the Silverbacks before the year was over to sign a one-year loan in September of 2012. The defender saw the change right away.

“The MLS is more of jump when it comes to talent. In the NPSL, you are playing against guys that have played professionally, but it’s awesome playing in the USA’s top league.”

Klute started in the final match of the Rapids’ final regular season match in 2012, a 2-0 win over the Houston Dynamo. Just a start under his belt in the MLS, the defender would have to wait for the fourth match of the 2013 season to continue his career and start his mark in MLS.

In that fourth match of the year, against the Los Angeles Galaxy, Diego Calderón injured himself in the 23rd minute. From then on, Klute shot off like a rocket to become one of the best left backs in the country.

“I am very grateful to be playing and I am happy where I am right now. I don’t think many people can say that they have taken off like I have in a short amount of time. I still try to progress season by season and take it from there.”

The defender finished the 2013 season playing in 31 matches, starting in 30, and helped the team collect 10 shutouts, one more than the previous year.

What the Rapids really enjoyed was the seven assists that the defender contributed (most on the team), especially one that was a game-winner.

“I guess that I can be labeled as a hybrid defender, but I don’t like that. I am more defensive as I play left back, which is my first priority. The way we played this year (at Colorado) there was a lot of space that opened up for me and I got more chances to play forward. It was fortunate to play up, make a one-two pass with somebody or lay in a nice cross and get involved in the attack.”

The seven assists and the defensive productivity caught the eye of Goal.com and Klute was added to their Goal USA MLS Best XI. That was the second best gift the Rapids defender got in 2013, as Colorado purchased his contract from Atlanta.

With the success coming in all levels of that Christopher has played, the next step maybe wearing the Red, White, and Blue again, as the defender represented the US at the U-17 and U-20 levels in 2007.

Klute was part of the 2007 U-17 squad that went to the World Cup in South Korea. He didn’t necessarily get much time on the field, but there was much to take in.

“You saw really good talent on the field in the World Cup and you think about where you are in your career and ask yourself if there is more that you need to work on. You also cannot just sit back on your talent since there are guys out there working as hard as you are.”

Among the notable names that the United States saw in that World Cup are Belgium’s Eden Hazard (Chelsea) and Christian Benteke (Aston Villa) as well as German and Bayern Munich midfielder Toni Kroos, who won the Golden Ball in that tournament.

“It was great to see guys like that play and it makes you wonder and dream about making it overseas with a big club in Europe.”

As Chris has shot from the Reserve side of the Atlanta Silverbacks to MLS in just a short time, it is likely that Klute will be making an appearance on the USMNT backline sometime soon.

BCS Clash Joins the NPSL

The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is proud to announce that BCS Clash (Bryan-College Station, TX) has joined the league as an expansion team.  They will begin play in the South Central Conference of the South Region in 2014.

“The great soccer republic of Texas is adding another quality market with the addition of College Station,” NPSL Commissioner Michael Hitchcock commented. “BCS Clash will provide a chance for local players to continue to develop by playing high-level NPSL soccer and who knows, maybe there is a Johnny Futbol waiting to be discovered and developed in College Station, Texas.”

The South Central Conference already includes Flower Mound FC, Houston Regals SCA, Liverpool Warriors, and Tulsa Athletics.

BCS Clash is led by David Gutierrez, Alfonso Colins, Chris Lehr, and Doug Kent. Gutierrez serves as owner and head coach with Collins, an employee of the Houston Dynamo, and others leading the front office.

“We want to be able to show our community that homegrown talent stands a fighting chance against other professional teams,” Gutierrez stated. “With the right recruitment and the proper coaching, a soccer team has the potential to accomplish anything. Throughout these next months we will be doing everything we can to play our cards right and garner the best talent this community can muster.”

The team will play their home matches at the Allen Academy, a facility with an AstroTurf field and seating for over 600.

“You can tell this is a league devoted to American soccer,” Gutierrez added. “Everyone from the owners down to the last player on the bench is passionate about what they do and they are all rational about how they do it. There are tons of options as far as professional soccer leagues to join but the NPSL has a formula that is proving more and more successful ever year. Every year the league grows significantly by not only gaining new membership, but by also retaining and supporting its already established membership.  The BCS Clash is proud to be apart of the solid soccer model that is the NPSL.”

The club can be found on the web at www.bcsclash.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bcsclash, or on Twitter @bcsclash.

BCS Clash joins Minnesota United FC Reserves (Blaine, MN), Greater Lowell United Football Club (Lowell, MA), Atlanta Silverbacks Reserves (Atlanta, GA), NPSL Virginia Beach (Virginia Beach, VA), FC Bordo Saint Louis (St. Louis, MO), PA West Soccer (Pittsburgh, PA), Gate City FC (Greensboro, NC), Nashville Atlas FC (Nashville, TN), Virginia Legacy (Williamsburg, VA), Cincinnati Saints (Cincinnati, OH), Flower Mound FC (Flower Mound, TX), Temecula FC (Temecula, CA), Storm FC (Broward County, FL), and Lansing United (Lansing, MI) as expansion clubs for the 2014 season.

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 is the fastest-growing national soccer league in the U.S., operating in 70+ markets across the country.  Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs, D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls, operate U-23 squads in the NPSL.

Minnesota United FC Announces Reserve Team

Minnesota United FC today announced the club has a new reserve team joining the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) in 2014. The club will be named Minnesota United Reserves and will play at East Ridge High School in Woodbury, Minnesota.

“We want to continue to grow the vision of what the club can be,” said United Head Coach Manny Lagos. “Having a Reserve team is a big piece of developing potential local players but also keep the first team competitive. When you have something like this it can grow into a lot of different areas but it’s really about building this club the right way so we can be strong and have a great culture for the future.”

The NPSL is the successor to the Men’s Premier Soccer League (MPSL), which was formed in 2002. Since 2005 the league has expanded nationally, adding the Midwest region, Northeastern region and Southeastern region. The league is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), the governing body of soccer in the United States, and operates in the 4th Division. The Minnesota United Reserves will play in the Central Conference of the Midwest Region.

“We’re excited to add Minnesota United to the NPSL’s Central Conference of the Midwest Region,” said NPSL Commissioner Michael Hitchcock. “Under new ownership, Minnesota United have taken major steps to establishing their brand and growing the game, on and off the field. We’re honored that Minnesota United has selected NPSL as the league for their Reserve team to play which is an important part of their business model to develop players for the NASL team.”

Games will run from May until August and the team will consist of amateur and professional players. Ticket information and 2014 schedule have not been released. East Ridge High School is on the same campus as the newly renovated Bielenberg Sports Center, which will become the official training facility of Minnesota United FC when the complex opens next spring. All team information will be available online at MNUnitedFC.com.

Minnesota United FC is now accepting $50 deposits for 2014 season tickets. On October 5 the club announced it is dropping prices in over half the stadium. The plan includes a new seating map of the National Sports Center in Blaine and season ticket holder benefits. For more information, fans can visit MNUnitedFC.com/seasontickets.

 

The NPSL Comes to Lowell, MA

The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is proud to announce that Greater Lowell United Football Club has joined the league as an expansion team.  They will begin play in the Northeast Region’s Atlantic Conference in 2014.

“We are excited to bring NPSL soccer to the great soccer city of Lowell, Massachusetts with the launch of Greater Lowell United FC,” NPSL Commissioner Michael Hitchcock added. “Lowell will be a great addition to our competitive Atlantic Conference of the Northeast Region while providing great opportunities for Massachusetts players to play high level NPSL soccer.”

The Atlantic Conference already includes Brooklyn Italians, New York Athletic Club, New York Red Bulls, Rhode Island Reds, Seacoast United Mariners, and Seacoast United Phantoms.

GLUFC is led by a passionate front office that includes Director of Operations Tim Melican, Director of Business Operations Manny Andrade, Director of Marketing Lee Pender, and Head Coach Joao “John” Ramos.

As co-founder of GLUFC, Melican oversees day-to-day operations of the club and is heavily involved in recruiting sponsors, staff and fans alike.  Andrade, a local business owner and entrepreneur, brings considerable business development experience to GLUFC.

Pender brings years of marketing, public relations, and journalistic experience to the club, while Ramos sports a decorated playing and coaching career.

“The NPSL presents the perfect opportunity for us to establish ourselves in a soccer-ready market and immediately jump into a high level of competition,” Melican stated. “The NPSL’s stability and national profile will enable us to gain credibility and build fan interest from the first time our squad takes the pitch.”

The team will play their home matches at the iconic Cawley Stadium, nestled in Lowell’s Belvidere neighborhood. Cawley is home to Lowell Public Schools sports as well as various events, including many prestigious soccer tournaments.

The facility was built in 1937 and features an artificial playing surface, locker rooms for home and away players and officials, a large working scoreboard and PA system, and a spacious press box. Cawley also has ample parking in a large lot directly next to the stadium.

GLUFC wants to identify themselves as Lowell’s team, a team the whole city and area can come together and support. Players and staff will be active in their interactions with the community, in schools, businesses, and houses of worship.

“We bring passion for the game and for our city,” Melican concluded. “Our goal is to set alight the soccer scene in Lowell, a city with a passion for the game but no major outlet for enjoying it live. Demographically and geographically, Lowell and the towns surrounding it are ideally suited to hosting a professional soccer team and filling out development and youth squads.”

More information about the club can be found at www.glufc.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GLUFC2013, and on Twitter @glufc2013.

GLUFC joins Atlanta Silverbacks Reserves (Atlanta, GA), NPSL Virginia Beach (Virginia Beach, VA), FC Bordo Saint Louis (St. Louis, MO), PA West Soccer (Pittsburgh, PA), Gate City FC (Greensboro, NC), Nashville Atlas FC (Nashville, TN), Virginia Legacy (Williamsburg, VA), Cincinnati Saints (Cincinnati, OH), Flower Mound FC (Flower Mound, TX), Temecula FC (Temecula, CA), Storm FC (Broward County, FL), and Lansing United (Lansing, MI) as expansion clubs for the 2014 season.

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 is the fastest-growing national soccer league in theU.S., operating in 65+ markets across the country.  Two Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs, D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls, operate U-23 squads in the NPSL.

Virginia Beach is Newest NPSL Expansion Team

The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is proud to announce that NPSL Virginia Beach has joined the league as an expansion team.  They will begin play in the Mid-Atlantic Conference of the South Region in 2014.

“With the addition of Virginia Beach, the NPSL’s Mid-Atlantic Conference will now have five strong clubs in Virginia who will help grow the game in the Old Dominion, on and off the field,” NPSL Commissioner Michael Hitchcock commented. “Virginia Beach has always developed great players and with the addition of the NPSL team, these players will have the chance to play high-level NPSL soccer in their hometown.”

The Mid-Atlantic Conference already includes Gate City FC (Greensboro, NC), CASL Elite (Raleigh, NC), Chesterfield United FC (Chesterfield, VA), D.C. United U-23 NPSL (Fairfax, VA), Myrtle Beach Mutiny (Myrtle Beach, SC), defending NPSL National Champion RVA Football Club (Richmond, VA), and Virginia Legacy SC (Williamsburg, VA).

NPSL Virginia Beach is led by owner Steven Wagoner and head coach Brian Hinkey. Wagoner is the founder and partner of Nexus Street, LLC, which owns and operates four companies, including D.C. United U-23 NPSL/ Federal City FC.  Wagoner also serves on the Advisory Board for the George Mason University’s Center for Sport Management.

Hinkey has extensive experience as a coach and player at the professional, amateur and youth levels. Most recently he served as an assistant coach for the Norfolk SharX and the Northern Virginia Royals. Hinkey is currently the Director of Youth Development for Beach FC, which is an also an official partner club of D.C. United.  He currently holds the USSF “B” coaching license.

The team will play their home matches at Virginia Beach Sportsplex Stadium, one of the premier sporting facilities in the region.  It features a 3-level concrete stadium accommodating up to 10,000 fans with authentic bucket seating, along with concessionaires, a FIFA 1-Star approved turf surface, and 2,000 free parking spaces.

“We are excited to grow professional soccer in Virginia Beach and are looking forward to hosting NPSL Virginia Beach on Sunday nights,” stated Chuck Thornton, manager of Virginia Beach Sportsplex Stadium. “This is an exciting time for professional sports in the City of Virginia Beach.”

Wagoner and his staff have big plans for the team, including numerous community-oriented programs and events.

“We have a great respect for the Virginia Beach community, including the large active and retired military community and plan to work closely with them,” Wagoner added. “We also plan to recognize military members at our games to honor them for their service and to work with local youth soccer players, high school and college students to provide development opportunities both on and off the field. We will be providing summer programs for youth players to train and learn from our professional staff and intern opportunities for high school and college students interested in ultimately working for a professional sports team.”

The club hopes to be competitive as quickly as possible despite playing in one of the most difficult conferences in the country.  Virginia Beach NPSL will have a complete club structure including a first team, reserve team, and summer academy program.  All of this is done in the hopes that the game will grow in the region.

More information about the team can be found at www.NPSLVirginiaBeach.com.

Virginia Beach joins FC Bordo Saint Louis (St. Louis, MO), PA West Soccer (Pittsburgh, PA), Gate City FC (Greensboro, NC), Nashville Atlas FC (Nashville, TN), Virginia Legacy (Williamsburg, VA), Cincinnati Saints (Cincinnati, OH), Flower Mound FC (Flower Mound, TX), Temecula FC (Temecula, CA), Storm FC (Broward County, FL), and Lansing United (Lansing, MI) as expansion clubs for the 2014 season.

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 is the fastest-growing national soccer league in theU.S., operating in 65+ markets across the country.  Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs, D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls, operate U-23 squads in the NPSL.