Lower Tier Soccer | Top Tier Coverage
Protagonist soccer is a media organization dedicated to lower-tier soccer; UPSL, NPSL, BSSL
Another weekend is here and we go again! With Bay State Soccer League, NISA, UPSL, Southwest Premier League, EPSL, USL League One and USL Championship all underway this weekend, our staff and guests catch us all up on what games are can’t miss!
by Protagonist Staff
Read MoreWith week 24 in the books for NISA, let’s take a look at the biggest stories in the league. Chattanooga takes a loss, but will cruise to the top-seed, regardless. LA Force look to make up ground, while there seems to be big problems in Orlando and Livonia.
by Dan Vaughn
Read MoreFew regional leagues can claim the growth of the Midwestern Premier League. Each season, the league has added clubs to its impressive roster, creating one of the most dynamic and fun regionals in the country. This season Troy United joined the league and learned many lessons for next season. This story focused on the club’s origin and path to the future.
by Rich Schenck
Read More“Our Badge represents the NYC/Long Island multi-ethnic cultures. BRAVEHEART- stands for the people of NY, who struggled and endured during the rough pandemic in 2020-2021, but were resilient, brave and made it through rough times. NY BRAVEHEART represents the people of New York!”
Read MoreAre you ready for a fantastic weekend of soccer? The first round of the 2024 US Open Cup Qualifiers kicks off on Saturday, we get the NISA and NISA Nation regular seasons; UPSL’s Fall/Winter season is well underway now; and finally, the USL League One and USL Championship regular seasons are getting closer and closer to playoffs.
by Protagonist Staff
Read MoreFrank Yallop has been around the soccer world. Now he’s guiding the second-year USL Championship club Monterey Bay FC and in the hunt for a playoff spot. But whether he makes it or not this year, the lessons he’s learned along the way will guide him to the future.
by Dan Vaughn
Read MoreEstablished in 2019, the Metroplex Premier League is growing the game in the heart of the Lone Star State. Focusing on affordability and access, the league is offering clubs the chance to develop at their own pace and enhancing the local soccer community in Dallas and Fort Worth.
by Ben Brannigan
Read MoreWith the 2023 Midwest Premier League season in the books, we look back at the two champions of the Great Lakes Conference and why this season was so special for both.
by Rich Schenck
Read MoreOne of the most highly regarded amateur soccer teams in New England during the late 1920s and early 1930s were the Black Cats of New Bedford. The team’s entire roster was made up of second generation Americans in their early twenties. The players were sons and grandsons of whalers and sailors from Poland, England, Portugal and France. Almost all of the players worked in the New Bedford textile mills.
by Dan Creel
Read More“We evaluated the women’s pre-pro leagues already playing as well as the (at the time) yet-to-be-announced USL W League, and we felt like the W League had a good chance to be the best and most competitive league. Combine that with the efficiencies it would create with the men’s team being in USL1, we wanted to go that route. COVID pushed back the W League’s (and thus our) announcement of the team, but we were excited to be a charter member of the league when it launched in 2022.”
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