WPSL Preview Part 1 — Expansion

Coming into this season, there are a number of clubs who have expanded into the league, or moved into our area after conference realignment in the Central, from a number of different philosophies.

The only conference we are ignoring in the Central is the Mountain Conference. This means we say goodbye to the Red River Conference (which we only saw in the playoffs anyway) and hello to the Midwest and Ohio Valley Conferences.

Century United is a youth club in Pittsburgh. The WPSL side is at the apex of a girls development model which goes all the way down to 5 year olds.

Central Illinois United is the new apex of a youth club, with a “college advisory” scheme whereby they help soccer players with recruitment and admissions. They are based in Pekin, IL, in the Peoria metro.

FC Dayton is an expansion team, at the apex of another youth club — CUSA Soccer Club. It arrives at a time when the Dutch Lions organization as a whole (there are 9 sides which are operated by The Dutch Lions Group BV across the USA) could be primed to leave for USL W.

Kansas City Current II is the second team of the 2021 NWSL expansion side. They will play out of Current’s training facility in Riverside, MO.

Midwest Select SA Muskrats describe themselves as “Northwest Indiana’s Pre-Professional Women’s Soccer Club”, a branding which aligns more with USL W than the WPSL, so it will be interesting to see if that is the direction they eventually go.

Quad Cities Rush is a new club to WPSL but is part of the “largest youth soccer club in the world” with 60 US outlets.

Joy Athletic Club enter the WPSL a year after they entered NPSL. JAC was founded in 2009 as an outlet for players developed by St Paul, Minnesota non-profit Joy of the People. Their organizational strategy is demonstrably for the players to “have fun”, which makes their entry into the competitive leagues of WPSL and NPSL interesting.

Manitou FC in White Bear Lake, MN is also the apex of a youth club system. Their playing philosophy is apparently one of possession, but individual growth.

Beadling SC is a youth club in Pittsburgh but there is not a great deal of information available on their philosophy.

Sioux Falls City FC is a new organization owned by a small group. SFC FC expand the Northern Division down into South Dakota for the first time, opening up opportunities for South Dakotan college players to play closer to home during the Summer. Their roster is South Dakota-heavy, as might be expected.

Iowa Raptors are based in Cedar Rapids, IA and founded a women’s side in 2019 after a successful period of running a men’s side in UPSL and Midwest Premier League.

Illinois Lady Cobras seem to not be a thing in this year’s WPSL. If you know otherwise, let me know.