A new partnership has been formed merging Langley FC with Langley United FC into one larger soccer club.
"We are very pleased to have the Langley United FC join with us as it adds more breadth and depth to the options we offer to our club members," said Regan Mostat, the vice-president of soccer operations for Langley FC.
"Like our female soccer players, male players now have life-long options to play soccer at all ages and levels in one successful soccer club where they will receive a complete and high quality soccer experience."
The announcement comes on the heels of Langley FC — which was previously a girls only soccer club — being granted permission last month to offer boys’ youth soccer programs.
The Langley United Youth Soccer Association was also granted permission to field girls youth teams.
The addition of the Langley United Football Club men’s teams helps Langley FC complete its goal of offering a “lifelong soccer” for all female and male players of all ages and abilities.
“The benefits are we are going to build a strong, committed club, where everyone can play: boys, girls, women and men,” Mostat said.
“That is our main goal, building a club where everyone can play.”
“Joining with the Langley FC will allow players to move seamlessly from youth to men’s soccer all within the same club,” added Langley United FC president George Thrower.
“They have the same vision as us going forward.”
“(And) we are excited about the opportunities it presents players within our community.”
With the Canadian Soccer Association’s long-term player development program focusing on having clubs offer soccer for all ages, Thrower said the move was necessary.
“It was a proactive move on our part,” he said.
“We wanted to make it our choice, and not be swallowed up (by another club).”
And by joining Langley FC, Thrower hopes to attract more and more players to their men’s teams, once they are done at the youth level.
Langley FC has close to 1,100 registered players this season, while Langley United Football Club has more than 250 players on 13 teams which play in the various men's divisions of the Fraser Valley Soccer League.