December 27, 2019 – Cincinnati – Cincy SC is excited to announce its entry of a competitive U23 men’s team in the Ohio Valley Premier League (OVPL), kicking off with the 2020 Spring Season.

About the Team

The Cincy SC Men’s team includes may talented players, including several current Cincy SC coaches. The OVPL U23 division is primarily comprised of players from 18-23, but it does have an allowance for players over 23 (up to 5 on the 18-player game roster). Players that are interested in joining the team can fill out this registration form. Tryout dates will be announced soon.

Team Leadership

Bret Marshall is the General Manager and Head Coach of the Cincy SC Men’s team. A native of Cincinnati, Bret was a three-year varsity player at Cincinnati’s Finneytown High School before going to Richmond (IN)’s Earlham College (NCAA). He also has had stints with Cincinnati Saints (NPSL) and Indy Eleven (USL), and currently works as a Software Engineer.

Marshall said, “Our players and coaches have been looking to compete at a high level. We’ve played locally with and against a bunch of really good players who want there to be something more in Cincinnati than just the local adult leagues. We’ve got a squad of quality players and we’re all in. We’re going for it.”

Conner Zimmermann is Assistant General Manager and Assistant Coach and a highly-regarded youth coach for Cincy SC. A native of Cincinnati, Coach Conner was a three-year varsity player at Finneytown HS. Coach Conner has several USSF coaching licenses and is currently pursuing UEFA coaching certification.

Benefits to Cincy SC Youth Organization

Russell Lewis, Director of Soccer Operations for Cincy SC, is excited about the Cincy SC Men’s team. “We’ve always wanted to have the full soccer pyramid at Cincy SC, from 2-year-olds in SoccerStarters just learning to control a ball, to over-30 teams for grizzled veterans like myself, and everything in between. The competitive men’s team gives several of our young coaches a place to play and will become a source for future coaches while affording our youth players the opportunity to watch high-level play by people they see and interact with regularly. The OVPL will provide a very affordable, family-friendly environment to watch soccer for our Cincy SC families. And the team can be a path to higher levels of play (college or pro) for our current youth players.”

About the OVPL

During the summer of 2019, Cincy SC announced plans to enter a men’s team into the UPSL, a national league with regional conferences. The UPSL would offer a great level of play, but nearly all the other teams were a 4-5 hour drive away. The creation of the OVPL, a U23 adult amateur league in the OH/KY/IN tri-state region, offers Cincy SC a competitive league with a lot less travel.

OVPL founder Brandon Ponchak said, “We’re thrilled to add Cincy SC to the OVPL. Competitive players in Cincy deserve more opportunities, and Cincy SC is a perfect fit for the OVPL. We wish them the best as they get set for the 2020 Spring Season.”

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