MADISON, WI (01/11/10) - The Midwest has traditionally been a hotbed of both men's and women's soccer, and in 2010, it looks like it has been made when it comes to the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL). The biggest news coming from the WPSL off-season is the expansion of the Midwest Conference to nine teams - potentially eleven - and one of the two new Wisconsin-based organizations (alongside Milwaukee F.C.) helping to solidify the regional women's soccer foundation are the Madison 56ers Soccer Club.

The idea of bringing a team into the WPSL has been on the mind of Madison 56ers General Manager Charles Billings for some time, but wanted to make sure the organization could put a top-notch product on the pitch. After the organization's success with their men's team in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) - including hosting the 2009 NPSL National Championship at historic Breese Stephens Field - the decision was made to take the next step up.

"[The WPSL] gives the 56ers, quite frankly, the opportunity to have the flagship adult programs in the Madison area for both genders," Billings said. "We wanted to show that we could get [the men's side] established and demonstrate that it could work, that we knew how to do it, before we went back to the [56ers] board about the women."

"The growth of support in the Midwest for the sport of women's soccer has been real encouraging," said WPSL Commissioner Jerry Zanelli. "Having strong organizations like the Madison 56ers join the WPSL further cements the foundation we're trying to build in the WPSL Midwest Conference. Women's soccer fans in the state of Wisconsin will have two quality sides to enjoy this upcoming summer."

Billings is a long-time member of the Madison 56ers Board Of Directors and has over thirty years of experience managing competitive adult programs at the state & national levels. John Reddan has been named Head Coach for the Summer 2010 season, and is currently the Madison 56ers Coaching Director & previously, the Assistant Coach for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Women's Soccer Team. Reddan, a life-long player & coach for the Madison 56ers, was the Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association (WYSA) Associate Director of Coaching & has a USSF "A" Coaching License.

The club was founded in 1956 in Madison, Wisconsin and has been a member of the Wisconsin Soccer Association for 54 years (1956-2010). A winner of numerous adult state and United States Soccer Federation (USSF) Region II Championships, the Madison 56ers Soccer Club has twice been a USSF National Amateur Cup Finalist, taking the championship in 1992.

A premier youth club with 34 youth teams from the U-11 to U-18 levels playing in the top Wisconsin & Midwest Region youth leagues, the 56ers Adult program currently consists of a women's team in the WPSL, a men's team in the NPSL and a women's team in the Wisconsin Women's League (WPL). For more information on the Madison 56ers, contact the team by phone at 608-271-4914, by e-mail at billict47@yahoo.ca or by mail at: P.O. Box 2053, Madison, WI 53701-2073. Stay tuned for the team's new website!!

About the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL): The WPSL is a 50-plus team national league with five conferences starting in 2010 and is the largest women's soccer league in the world. The league is sanctioned by the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) as an affiliate of the United States Soccer Federation (USSF). The WPSL's mission is to provide the highest level of soccer in our effort to: bring affordable & quality family entertainment to the community; display positive role models for our youth; while, being a stepping stone for aspiring players to Women's Professional Soccer (WPS).

For more information, visit our official website at http://www.wpsl.info, phone us at 1-800-854-0913 or contact us via email at media@wpslsoccer.com. You can also keep up with our league on our social networking sites on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com), LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com) and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/WPSL)!!