Midwest Premier League

EXPANSION INTEREST FORM

Expansion

AFC Roscoe Joins MWPL for 2024 Season

The Midwest Premier League (MWPL) is proud to welcome AFC Roscoe (Chicago, IL) as the latest expansion club to join the league ahead of the 2024 season.

The Chicago-based club was founded in 2021 by Zico Shaker and is led by Club President Tommy Bender. Before the MWPL, Roscoe played in the NSL Chicago (now the Greater Chicago Soccer League) and were back-to-back champions of the Chicago Division in 2021 and 2022. For the 2024 season, Roscoe will compete in the MWPL Heartland Conference.

“We are extremely excited for the opportunity to compete against top clubs in the Midwest while continuing to push towards our club goals of providing high-level play and giving back to our Chicago community. Forza Roscoe. No fear, ” said Roscoe President Tommy Bender.

MWPL Commissioner, Patrick Hodgins added, “The MWPL is happy to add AFC Roscoe to our Heartland Conference for 2024. They are a well-run club both on and off the field and will add to the quality of the clubs in Chicagoland.”

AFC Roscoe plans to hold tryouts in March. You can learn more about the club and stay up to date on their latest news by visiting their website afcroscoevillage.com and by following them on Instagram (@afcroscoevillage).

2030 MWPL Plan: Heartland Conference Update

The clubs of the Heartland Conference have proposed a two-division plan, based on sporting merit, to the league’s Board of Directors for the 2024 season. As the league grows through expansion and conferences shift geographically, the final determination on the establishment of the tiered system will be made early in the calendar year. 

If the Heartland Conference does not reach a minimum number of clubs in ’24, a single-division format will be used, the results of which may serve to seed clubs into multiple divisions in ’25. 

The multi-division system will include some form of promotion and relegation, which will be determined prospectively.

For clubs interested in joining the MWPL, you can find more information here: midwestpl.com/membershipinfo. Applications will be accepted until the Expansion Deadline on December 31st.

You can stay up to date on all the latest league news by following the MWPL on Facebook (mwplsoccer), Instagram (midwest_pl), and Twitter (midwestpl).

Ypsi Yetis FC Join The MWPL

The Midwest Premier League (MWPL) is proud to welcome Ypsi Yetis FC (Ypsilanti, MI) to the league as an expansion club to begin play in 2024.

Ypsi will join the Great Lakes Conference in a division to be determined once the league’s conference alignment is finalized ahead of the 2024 League AGM in February.

“We’re happy to welcome the Yetis to the league and the evergrowing Great Lakes Conference. They bring fun branding to the MWPL and fit well with our community-focused philosophy,” said MWPL Commissioner, Patrick Hodgins.

The club is led by Roland Gibson, the club founder and owner. Gibson launched the club earlier this year but is well-versed with the MWPL, having spent time playing for Detroit Union FC, among other clubs in the area. He is also a youth coach for the Michigan Tigers and holds a USSF C License. He played collegiately for Spring Arbor University.

“We are ecstatic about joining the Midwest Premier League and we’re eager to hit the ground running this winter with some exciting announcements. As a first-year team in the MWPL, we are optimistic to make a notable impact by connecting with the untapped soccer talent in the greater Ann Arbor area.

Involving the community and their families through the game of soccer are key goals that our club and league share. We hope to give back a rewarding experience for our players and also our fans & staff through the Ypsi Yetis,” said Gibson.

Joining Gibson in the club’s front office is Kyle Braunschneider and Hailey Donnellon. Braunschneider, who is also a youth coach for the Michigan Tigers and holds a USSF C License, as well as a BS in Sports Management and Communication. Donnellon, who has playing experience at Madonna University, is currently a physical therapy tech and has a BS in Exercise and Sports Science.

The Yetis have announced that their tryouts will take place on December 27th. Interested trialists can sign up here ypsiyetisfc.com/tryouts. The club plans to announce its coaching staff soon.

You can find their website at ypsiyetisfc.com and follow them on Facebook (@YpsiYetisFC), Instagram (@ypsi_yetisfc), and Twitter (@Ypsi_YetisFC).