United Soccer Leagues welcomed the Central Jersey Spartans into the Premier Development League (PDL) as one of its 2010 expansion franchises. With a number of teams already in the region, the Spartans will give the Central Jersey area a team to become excited about and involved in.
The team will play in the Mid Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference, along with the Bermuda Hogges, Carolina Dynamo, Hampton Roads Piranhas, Ironbound Express, New Jersey Rangers, Northern Virginia Royals, Ocean City, Reading United and West Virginia Chaos. Reading won the league’s regular season title last year and Ocean City reached the league quarterfinals and the third round of the US Open Cup after defeating two USL Second Division professional teams.
Central Jersey will take on the Bermuda Hogges on June 12th in the only meeting between the two teams in regular season play, the game is part of a three game in five days trip for the Bermuda Hogges.
The Spartans will begin play in May 2010 and are currently working hard behind the scenes to build the team’s first roster, as well as develop a fan base.
“The Spartans will look to represent Central Jersey with pride and will make an active effort to be part of this community. Rather than just a team, we aim to become something the people of Central Jersey feel involved in and proud to represent,” owner Sal Amato said.
The Spartans will aim to field a roster consisting mainly of young local talent, providing both an elite level for players to play in, as well as a springboard to follow in the footsteps of PDL alumni such as Sasha Kljestan and Brian Ching, who have gone on to the elite levels of the professional game. Two weeks ago, the league saw 48 players selected in the Major League Soccer draft.
“We are thrilled to welcome the Spartans into the PDL,” said PDL Director of Operations Lee Cohen. “We feel they can only add to the continual growth and quality of the Mid-Atlantic region of the nation’s top development league.”
|
