Beaverton, OR – Oregon Youth Soccer Association and the Oregon ODP program is pleased to announce today they have partnered with the Portland Rain of the Women's Premier Soccer League, starting in the 2010/11 ODP season. The partnership will combine all five Oregon ODP girl's age groups with the Rain amateur program.

"Oregon ODP is thrilled to partner with the Portland Rain," said Oregon ODP Director Erik Lyslo. "The Rain represents the top women's amateur team in the state of Oregon, and we think the combination of the best youth girl's players at the ODP level and the top women's players at the amateur level will help continue the incredible growth in women's soccer in the state of Oregon and will give female players the motivation and incentive to get to the professional ranks of soccer."

The Women's Premier Soccer League is an independent national league whose main focus is on the development of highly competitive amateur women's soccer teams. The WPSL was formed in 1998 and is sanctioned by the United State Adult Soccer Association as an affiliate of the United States Soccer Federation. Many former and current U.S. and International National Team players have played on WPSL teams including: Julie Foudy, Brandi Chastain, Kristine Lilly, Joy Fawcett, KaKeysia Beene, Kylie Bivens, Abby Wambach, Shannon Boxx, Leslie Osbourne, Shannon MacMillan and more.

"Ever since we took over the franchise earlier this year, we were thinking of ways to get involved with the OYSA Olympic Development Program," said Portland Rain Director of Soccer Operations John Madding. "Over the past few weeks this hope has become a reality. We believe in the importance of the Olympic Development Program, in the development and identification of youth players, especially on the girl's side. The OYSA ODP program has shown tremendous growth and success over the past few years and we feel in partnering with OYSA, we will have a true vertically integrated player development structure for the girl's/women's soccer in the state of Oregon."

For more information on the Portland Rain women's soccer team, log on to the WPSL website at www.wpsl.info. For more information on the Oregon ODP Program, go to www.oregonyouthsoccer.org.

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Organization: OYSA is an incorporated non‐profit 501 (c) (3) who promote, develop and administer the game of soccer among youth (boys and girls under 19 years of age) playing in Oregon while also promoting national and international amateur soccer competition for Oregon youth. The purpose of OYSA is to foster an environment that promotes the physical, mental and emotional development of Oregon's youth through the sport of soccer.