The Great Lakes Alliance, a new competitive league this season covering Ohio, western New York and western Pennsylvania, has taken the next step in US Club Soccer programming by being accepted into the National Premier Leagues (NPL) landscape for the 2017-18 season.

The Great Lakes Alliance includes 21 clubs in 10-U through 18/19-U boys and girls age groups.

• Arsenal FC of PA (Pa.)
• Buffalo-GPS (N.Y.)
• Cleveland Cobras SC (Ohio)
• Cleveland FC (Ohio)
• Cleveland Soccer Academy (Ohio)
• Cleveland United SC (Ohio)
• Cleveland Whitecaps SC (Ohio)
• Croatia Cleveland SC (Ohio)
• Empire United Soccer Academy (N.Y.)
• Everest Premier SC (Ohio)
• FC Pittsburgh (Pa.)
• Hotspurs SC (Pa.)
• MSA (Pa.)
• Northern Steel Soccer (Pa.)
• Ohio Premier SC (Ohio)
• Pennine United SC (Ohio)
• Rochester FC (N.Y.)
• Soccer Vision Academy (Ohio)
• Syracuse Development Academy (N.Y.)
• Toledo Celtics (Ohio)
• Western NY Flash (N.Y.)

This season, league winners in 13-U through 18/19-U boys and girls age groups advance to the cup-based National Cup XVI Finals, which will be held July 21-24, 2017 at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind. Next season, those league champions will gain entry to the 2018 NPL Finals, competing against top teams from around the country in a league-based national championship.

“The Great Lakes Alliance has shown exceptional commitment and NPL-like standards on and off the field since joining US Club Soccer earlier this year,” NPL General Manager Leo Garcia said. “We’re looking forward to seeing how the Great Lakes Alliance’s clubs rise to the challenge next season.”

For US Club Soccer membership-related questions, please contact membership services representative Todd Bailey at tbailey@usclubsoccer.org. For Great Lakes Alliance-related questions, please contact Ed Bernstein at ed.bernstein@att.net or Pedro Argaez at pedro@eriepremiersports.com.