Calgary Foothills WFC will compete in the United Women’s Soccer (UWS) league this summer.
The Calgary club announced this week that it will play in the Western Conference of the UWS – a second-division pro-am women’s soccer league based in the USA.
Foothills WFC will be the first Canadian team to play in the league – the highest level of any female club in Canada.
The club’s head coach said the move is part of Foothills FC’s goal of providing Calgary based soccer players opportunities to compete at higher levels.
“Bringing this high-level of female soccer to Calgary has been a long journey that I am very pleased is moving forward,” said Troye Flannery, Foothills WFC head coach. “We wanted a standards based spring/summer league that will allow our players to maximize their development. An extension enabling motivated young adult female players to continue their development and training for post-secondary teams during the summer months as well as for professional and other opportunities. We have found this in the UWS and could not be more excited – we are ready to endear our supporters with an incredible Summer 2017.”
Sign up to receive free Calgary Foothills FC news via email
Flannery said his roster will be comprised of a wide range of players.
“(The) age range would be from 16-28,” he said. “Quite a broad spectrum as the league is for elite up and comers, university standouts and alumni trying to make/take the next step. We will host open trials in mid-March.”
Foothills WFC will be hoping to emulate the recent success of the Calgary Foothills FC men’s Premier Development League (PDL) team, that won the Northwest Conference and Western Conference championships in 2016.
United Women’s Soccer is a summer league competing from May to July, consisting of 10-12 regular season games per club. The league schedule will be released in the coming weeks.
Other teams competing in the league’s Western Conference will be Colorado Pride, Colorado Storm, Houston Aces, Real Salt Lake Women and Santa Clarita Blue Heat.
“We are excited to have Calgary join UWS,” said Joe Ferrara, Jr., United Women’s Soccer League Director. “In all my years as an administrator, I have seen many business plans and none have been more impressive than the one submitted by Foothills F.C. With its PDL men’s side, the organization has demonstrated that it is a professional operation on and off the field. Calgary Foothills will have the same positive impact on women’s soccer in North America.”
[socialpoll id=”2420794″]-with content from United Women’s Soccer
