2002 Mid-Atlantic Division Champions
2006, 2004, 2003 Mid-Atlantic Runners-up
Premier Development League - USL
After more than a quarter of a century of operation, the Williamsburg Soccer Club (now Virginia Legacy SC), a non-profit soccer club dedicated to the promotion of soccer, education and youth development, joined the United Soccer Leagues (USL) in 2001 when it was awarded a Premier Development League franchise. The club’s primary purpose in obtaining a PDL affiliation was to provide an additional opportunity to develop our local player’s soccer talents to the maximum extent possible.
Tim Cristian, Virginia Legacy Soccer Club’s Technical Director, will head the coaching staff of the PDL Virginia “Legacy”. Assisting him will be William and Mary coaching legend Al Albert, former Legacy club coach Bob Behncke as well as club staff Johnny Kamara and Bobby O'Brien. “Our player pool will rely predominantly on current and former Legacy Soccer Club players, top local collegiate talent as well as a handful of former professional players to enhance the level of play." Tim Cristian
By offering a United Soccer League affiliated PDL team as its flagship team, the Virginia Legacy Soccer Club has uniquely distinguished itself from almost all other youth soccer clubs in Virginia while providing the Williamsburg area with its first community based sports venue in a national league.
USL's Premier Development League
The top U23 men’s amateur league in North America lives in the USL Premier Development League (PDL), the development ground for elite players. The 2008 campaign features a 65-team format within four conferences, consisting of 16 regular season matches, 8 home and 8 away. The schedule is augmented by participation in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, and various exhibitions. Players have the ability to compete in the PDL throughout the summer months in a professionalized setting while maintaining their collegiate eligibility. The league is the proving ground for players that aspire to reach the highest-levels of the game, while providing affordable family entertainment within their city. The league consists of over 60 teams nationwide with the Virginia Legacy participating in the Mid- Atlantic Division along with teams from Richmond, Pennsylvania, Virginia Beach and Fredericksburg and Northern Virginia. www.pdl.uslsoccer.com
2008 PDL News:
June 13, 2008: SEASON UPDATEAt the halfway mark, the Virginia Legacy is poised to make a run at first place in the Mid Atlantic Division of the PDL. After a slow start with an undermanned team in early May, the team has been undefeated since their third game on May 17th against the Hampton Roads Piranhas. The Legacy is preparing this week to visit the Piranhas Saturday in a key divisional matchup.
Although sitting in third place in the division at the moment, the Legacy PDL team has beaten second place Fredericksburg twice and have 2 of their remaining 8 games against the division leaders, Reading Rage.
The Legacy is led in scoring by Nate Belcher, who missed the first two games of the season, but has scored 5 goals in the last 6 games. The defense, led by goalkeeper Andrew McAdams, and back four Nick Allessandrov, Pat Brown, Jason Loizou and Alexi Achilleos have 3 shutouts to their credit and have only allowed an average of a goal a game since the opening 5-1 loss to the Long Island Rough Riders.
In midfield Doug McBride has anchored the team since the third game, and a number of players have contributed in helping defend and create goals. Doug Ernst had both assists versus Fredericksburg in the first matchup between the teams, a 2-1 win. Justin Vaughter has turned in several 90 minute performances, playing both centrally and wide at times.
Up front, besides Belcher, Andrew Hoxie has scored a big goal in the 1-0 win over the Richmond Kickers. Hoxie is a key player, who has been struggling with a hamstring injury that he picked up in the first half versus Long Island.
The talent for the team comes from local colleges as well as former club and area players. Most of the players still have eligibility remaining at their schools. Five players come from William and Mary, and 3 each from Old Dominion, Virginia Commonwealth, Longwood and Applachian State. Three members of the team-Andrew Hoxie (W&M), Pat Brown (Lynchburg College) and Marcus Dixon (Longwood) were members of the Legacy u-19 team that were regional finalists several years ago.
The Legacy is coached by Bob Behncke, Tim Cristian and Al Albert.
May 17, 2008: HOME OPENER
The Legacy kicked off their season home-stand with a 2-2 tie vs the Hampton Roads Piranhas.
In what turned out to be a very exciting game, the Legacy came out strong in the first fifteen minutes with energy and some dominating ball possession. Unfortunately, that did not result in any goals or even serious opportunities, as the attack continuously broke down against a tough, athletic back line in the opponent's third of the field. The Piranhas began more carefully with a single forward and defensive oriented lineup. As the game transpired, the more experienced Piranhas, which included a number of ex-professional players, began to push some players forward and grab more of the game. The Legacy struggled with and was unable to solve the extra player roaming in the top of the Piranhas' midfield and the opponents began to get opportunities on goal. One of those opportunities off a corner ended in a score off a header before the break. It is worth noting that only some courageous net-minding by McAdams in goal perhaps prevented a worse score-line at the half. Those efforts included a one-handed point blank stop late in the half one-on-one with the opponent's right mid-fielder.
The second half began with some even play as the Legacy pushed a defender up to deal with their extra midfielder, but still without providing any Legacy opportunities. Then, ten minutes into the half, Nate Belcher won a ball inside the opponent's half, turned, and cracked a forty yard left footed shot over the unsuspecting keeper and into the upper right corner of the net. So sudden was the tally that it took the crowd a minute to erupt in response. The score appeared to provide the forward line a confidence it had been lacking and led to a second spectacular strike and score five minutes later on a shot from Jason Loizou. The Piranhas used their experience to regroup and counter to an open player on the left who ran at goal and drove the ball into the net to even the score.
A recurring groin injury to Ambane Emmanual forced the Legacy to dig further into a forward depth chart already depleted by a hamstring injury to Hoxie in the opening game of the season.
From that point on, the game seesawed back and forth, with both teams looking dangerous at times, but also looking to preserve a point. McAdams again made several important saves, including another pair of one-on-one stops to preserve the score. All in all, a fairly good result against a very good team. With a week to practice and recover three of the players lost to injury, and add a few players who had other early commitments, the Legacy should be primed to come out strong against a New Jersey squad that is also looking for their first win at Warhill Stadium at 7PM on Saturday, May 24th.
March 28, 2008: 2008 Legacy PDL season is up and running. The Legacy will look to Local Talent to get them back in the playoff picture. click for full story
