WPSL is a semi-professional women’s soccer league that’s been gaining a lot of attention lately.
About WPSL
WPSL stands for Women’s Premier Soccer League.
The league was founded in 1998 and is the largest women’s soccer league in the world.
WPSL is a direct member of the United States Soccer Federation and part of the unofficial “Fourth Division.” It’s on the same level as the USL League Two, UPSL, and NPSL men’s leagues.
Like USL League Two, the Women’s Premier Soccer League plays a summer schedule. Many of its players are women collegiate players preparing for the upcoming college season.
Where does WPSL fit into youth soccer?
While WPSL has been around for a while, most of its recent growth comes from the fact that many youth soccer clubs are starting WPSL teams.
Notable clubs include:
- Florida Premier FC
- Tampa Bay United SC
- Sports Paradize Soccer Academy
- Florida Kraze Krush
- Utah Surf
- San Diego Surf
- Birmingham United Soccer Association
- So Cal Elite Development Academy
- Lamorinda Soccer Club
- MVLA Soccer
Youth teams are choosing to affiliate with WPSL for a few reasons.
The most cynical explanation is that WPSL is an easy way to get a pro soccer team and tell parents that their kids are joining a professional soccer club. That’s definitely a motive, but it doesn’t mean WPSL isn’t good for a club and its players.
Some clubs use their WPSL teams to help collegiate players train in their off-season. So clubs are helping out alumni who graduated from the club and moved on to college soccer.
Other clubs use their WPSL teams to provide additional opportunities for their youth players. The experienced gained in WPSL playing against older players is much different than a typical youth soccer game.
Finally, having a WPSL team can help bring the club together as many games routinely get hundreds of spectators rather than just the families of the teams involved.
Should you play WPSL or youth soccer?
WPSL is definitely an addition to rather than a replacement for youth soccer.
The season is simply too short for players to develop by playing WPSL alone.
Additionally, WPSL doesn’t have the same college showcase and other scouting opportunities as a top youth league like ECNL.
But before you decide to play WPSL and youth soccer, you might want to consider whether it’s too much.
Injuries are a frequent concern in women’s soccer and many injuries come from playing too much.
So while the experience gained playing in the largest women’s soccer league can be valuable, resting during the summer could help your career even more.
Do WPSL players get paid?
Even though WPSL is a semi-professional league, most players don’t get paid.
In fact, most WPSL teams charge players to play. The fees go towards paying coaches and other team expenses.
Of the teams that do pay, most players only receive small reimbursements for travel and other expenses. You definitely won’t be able to pay your bills playing in the league.
How do you try out for a WPSL team?
Even though many WPSL teams are attached to a youth team, it’s usually not a requirement that you played there.
It’s also common for a city with a large college to have at least one independent WPSL team.
Most teams have open tryouts. When they require invitations, you can usually get one just by telling the coach you’re a current college player.
Because the league plays during summer break, there isn’t much time to have tryouts before the start of the season.
Often, teams will have most of their roster decided before official tryouts.
Start reaching out to teams for information in January or February.