SACRAMENTO, CA (02/26/08) - The Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) is proud to announce that Ohio Premier has entered into the Midwest Conference for this upcoming Summer 2008 season. Ohio Premier is based out of Dublin, Ohio and will play their home matches at Dublin Scioto High School (above), which has a spectacular stadium and field turf playing surface.

OP will be run under the direction of Kevin Dougherty, William Gage and Chris King, who are the Directors of Coaching for the Ohio Premier Girls’ Soccer Club. King - who in addition to coaching responsibilities - will manage all player acquisition issues for the senior team.

"Ohio Premier has been on our radar for a few years," said WPSL Commissioner Jerry Zanelli. "We are thrilled that they joined our league and will be a welcome addition to the Midwest Conference. It is really exciting for our league to have organizations like OP who can provide a senior team for their youth players to not only watch but also participate with."

"It is an endeavor we have been looking forward to with great anticipation for many years," said Kevin Dougherty, who holds a U.S. Soccer "A" License, KNVB Advanced License and NSCAA National License. "The team will provide a high level of soccer for many of our senior players and an opportunity for our youth players to witness great soccer right in their backyards. Having a WPSL team allows our club to be fully integrated with our OP Juniors, Parent Coached Teams, Premier Teams and now our Senior Team.

"Utilizing the infrastructure in place at OP’s Youth Club will help make this franchise successful on the field and with day-to-day operations. Game-day should be a tremendous atmosphere for our players and visiting teams. We hope to provide the soccer community with a fun family atmosphere and make our home field THE place to be in Central Ohio."

"We look forward to our inaugural season and providing exciting soccer to the Central Ohio soccer enthusiasts, while showcasing terrific role models for our young players that inspire even more passion for the game of soccer," said William Gage, who also holds a U.S. Soccer "A" License, KNVB Advanced License and NSCAA National License.

OP will be looking to attract players from Midwestern Colleges as well as drawing from their youth player pool and alumni currently playing or recently finished with their college careers.

"In terms of player development having a senior team will expose our high school age players to yet another level of play," said King, a former professional soccer player who is also a Region II ODP Staff Coach & the Director of OP Collegiate Program. "It also provides an excellent opportunity to our alumni to prepare for their upcoming collegiate seasons, while remaining a part of our OP family."

For more information on Ohio Premier, visit their current website at http://www.opsoccer.com or e-mail them at admin@opsoccer.com. The WPSL is now a 45-team national women’s soccer league with five conferences and is the highest level of women’s soccer in the United States; while also holding the distinction of being one of the top leagues in the world.

The mission is to provide the highest level of women’s soccer while simultaneously providing affordable, quality family entertainment and positive role models for our youth. For more information on the WPSL, visit our official website at http://www.wpsl.info or email us at media@wpsl.info.