January 9th, 2026

Skyline Elite SC joins the United Premier Soccer League ­

Elite Youth Club to Field Men’s Team in Nations Largest Pro Development League.

Skyline Elite is proud to announce it has been accepted into the United Premier Soccer League for Spring 2026.  The move represents significant advancement for the club as it seeks to connect local players from throughout central and western Virginia with pro development opportunities.

Founded in 2011, the United Premier Soccer League now stands as the largest and most competitive pro-development league in North America. The league has close to 600 clubs competing nationwide, and the Premier Division alone has over 200 clubs competing for 32 places in the National Playoff Bracket to become National Champion. The league occupies the 4th tier of the US Soccer pyramid, just below the three professional tiers in the pyramid.

With a participant average age of 22.5 years, the UPSL fills and brings structure to the large gap that exists between the youth game and the professional game, serving thousands of aspiring players and coaches as they strive to further their aspirations and fuel their passions.

The Skyline UPSL team represents the top team for Skyline Elite Soccer Club and the Virginia Soccer Alliance. It serves as the peak of the club’s developmental pyramid and connects the highest achieving, most competitive players with the adult and professional ranks.

Skyline UPSL will compete in the Premier Division of the UPSL within the Virginia South Conference. Opponents include clubs based out of Roanoke, Harrisonburg, Lynchburg, Richmond, and the Tidewater area. Regular season league play begins in April and extends until June with postseason play beginning in June and possible National Championship play in July.

This program is open to Skyline Elite alumni, collegiate soccer players, local adult players as well as current Skyline Elite high school age players.  For now, the league only fields men’s teams, but plans are underway for a women’s league in the future.

Head Coach Erivaldo Kates da Silva, a former professional player from Brazil who finished his pro career in the UPSL, will be holding open tryouts on Saturday, January 31 at Saint Anne’s Belfield School from 1-3pm.  Interested players should fill out a candidate form on the club’s website,  https://www.skylineelitesc.org/upsl/

Virginia Soccer Alliance Technical Director, Jimmy Tharpe said:

“The addition of the UPSL team is a critical piece of our development pathway.  It creates a clear bridge between youth and the senior game, giving our players the opportunity to train, compete, and grow in a senior soccer environment.  We believe experiencing senior-level soccer at the right moment can accelerate development and help prepare many of our youth players looking to play in college.”

Skyline UPSL Head Coach, Erivaldo Kates da Silva said:

“I’m incredibly excited about the opportunity to coach this team.  This team will create a blend of our top young players with experienced local adults and alumni returning from college. We will look to establish a professional culture and create an environment where everyone is pushed to grow.”