Following their acquisition of Lacey Lights FC late in February, the FC Olympia Artesians have confirmed that they will compete for this summer’s Evergreen Premier League (EPLWA) and Cascadia Premier League (CPL) through their website Wednesday.
This participation in both amateur outdoor soccer leagues affirms FC Olympia’s vision of providing a path for local players to express themselves on the pitch by joining competitive amateur soccer leagues and slowly climbing up to the football pyramid via the USL2 and USL W franchises.
The Artesians merger will field a men’s team in the EPLWA, “an elite adult men’s amateur soccer league for college and post-college age players to feature their skills on hometown clubs throughout Washington,” as stated on their website. The then-Oly Town FC participated in EPLWA from 2017 to 2022 but opted out last year to focus on their USL2 campaign.
The EPLWA has also announced its schedule of matches for the 2024 season. For their first match, the EPLWA will travel to Vancouver to face Vancouver Victory on May 4.
The Artesians will also field a women’s team in the CPL, an amateur soccer league based in Washington and Oregon with “an instituted promotion and relegation system,” according to their website, and its women’s league debuting last 2022. The CPL is yet to announce the fixtures for the 2024 season, which is expected to kick off this May.
“Another large reason we decided to move forward with this acquisition was to get a local semi-pro women’s team back on the field,” said FC Olympia owner Ryan Perkins. “With the NWPL folding for summer 2024 we decided to make sure we had a team and joined the CPL. We can’t wait to see our local women’s college players competing under the lights of stadiums in Lacey, Washington this summer.”
Through their expansion in Lacey, the Artesians look forward to making an impact, not just on the players but on the local community itself, not just in Olympia and Lacey, but on the whole of Thurston Country.
“Taking two successful clubs on the pitch, merging the two to grow the love of the game for a combined soccer community; to ultimately continue to build a streamline path-to-pro progression in our backyard. The opportunity this will create for the players will transform the community in the years to come.” said Jacob Irwin, FC Olympia Partnerships director and Lacey Lights FC investor.
Despite their acquisition of the club, the Artesians that will compete under the Lacey Lights FC merger will play their home games in Lacey at the Timberline High School field.
“Having the club continue playing in Lacey is beautiful. Keeping the flavor of the past club and putting that flavor into the Artesians so we don’t lose our roots continues to build the story of what was and what is to come for the growth of soccer locally,” added Irwin.
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