The women’s soccer player pool in the United States is often spoken of in terms of NCAA development; every year, the eyes of coaches and fans alike turn to top Division-I programs like Florida, UCLA, and West Virginia, debating the merits of young players who could make the leap to the professional level or even the national team. But there is an unsung hero in the maintenance and development of the player pool: the second tier of US women’s soccer, comprised of two leagues in United Women’s Soccer (UWS) and the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL). Together the leagues feature over 100 teams with several thousand registered players in total; from high schoolers to retired national teamers, and everything in between.



It’s a mixed affair in every possible way, with staff and funding levels as varied between the teams as the experience level of the players. Many players go completely unpaid, mostly due to the rosters that feature so many with...