NEWS

VICTORIA UNITED SUPPORTS VICTORIA HIGHLANDERS

Thursday November 19, 2009

VICTORIA UNITED SUPPORTS VICTORIA HIGHLANDERS JOINING THE PACIFIC COAST SOCCER LEAGUE

In a joint media announcement this morning, Victoria United Soccer FC and The Victoria Highlanders confirmed:

►The Highlanders have applied to the Pacific Coast Soccer League to have its               RESERVE SQUAD join the PCSL’s Premier Division for the 2010 season, and

►Victoria United FC strongly supports this application.

“The success of our first season in the USL’s PDL Division shows us that we can compete, and generate a good product for Victoria soccer,” commented Highlanders’ General Manager Drew Finerty.  “At the same time, we have enormous respect for the outstanding accomplishments of Victoria United in the PCSL, and the image it has projected in the Greater Victoria soccer community.  We do not wish to do anything that would detract from their successes going forward.  Rather, we see this as an ongoing opportunity for our two organizations to work together,” he added.

Highlanders’ Reserve Program Director Steve Simonson was delighted with the announcement.   “By entering our Reserve Squad into the highly competitive PCSL, we will be able to enhance our development program, working with a group of young prospects for our senior team.  Competing in the PCSL will give our young players the game experience they need to advance,” he said.  

Victoria United FC President Bill McCreadie was also pleased with this development.
“The Highlanders approached us early in September to discuss this idea,” he commented.  “Having looked at the two teams that both organizations have, we see great opportunities for cooperation between us.  We have been gratified to see a number of our top players move up to their PDL team this year.  We also already have benefitted from having some of the Highlanders play for both Victoria United teams when we were short of players during our 2009 season.  Going forward, we can see referrals to the Victoria United program from both the overage players who leave the Highlanders’ PDL team, and younger players on their Reserve team who will not advance in their program for various reasons.”

The Highlanders’ application to join the PCSL is still pending, and will be considered at the PCSL Annual General Meeting, to be held in Surrey on November 28.

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