Semi-pro women’s league will give fans a new team to cheer
for come May. 

[view:node_ad=5]The Women’s Premier Soccer League, a stepping stone to
professional soccer, is starting a team in Santa Clarita and they’re holding
tryouts on February 28. 

The Santa Clarita Rooks are looking for girls over the age
of 18 to play in the league, which will compete against teams from all over California starting in
May. 

“Our focus is to get young women who have been in college or
have graduated college, because we want to run this more like a pro team,” said
Rooks Manager Pat Riggins.  “We want to
give them an outlet to play after their NCAA eligibility is up.”

According to Riggins playing in the league will not damage player’s
eligibility in NAIC and NCAA if players are still in college. 

Tryouts will be held at Central Park, and games will most
likely be played at Canyon
High School, but Riggins
says that the College of the Canyons Stadium is also an option.

Santa Clarita was chosen as the home for the WPSL’s latest
team because of its strong youth soccer programs and because of its ability to
utilize talent from College of the Canyons and Masters College, according to WPSL
League Commissioner Jerry Zanelli.

The WPSL is the highest level of amateur soccer and has had
more than 15 players drafted into the professional Women’s Soccer League. 

The WPSL started in 1998 and has more than 50 teams
throughout the United States