UPSL Tropics SC begin inaugural season Wednesday at Disney's Wide World of Sports

AUBURNDALE, Fla. – A new era for the Tropics Soccer Club will debut Wednesday when the Tropics SC – the organization's second developmental outdoor side – will meet The Institute FC at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. and admission is free.

The Tropics SC will play a 12-game spring schedule in the UPSL's Sutheast Conference, Pro Premier Florida Central West Division, highlighted by the home opener Friday, April 12 at the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex stadium field in Auburndale. 

The Lakeland Tropics will continue to play in USL League Two starting in May, with its home games at Bryant Stadium in Lakeland as has been the case in the past two years. The Tropics are field two teams going forward with the goal of creating an available pool of players to form a fully professional USL League One team in the coming seasons.

The UPSL roster will include many of the fan favorites from the Florida Tropics Major Arena Soccer League roster including leading scorers Ricardo Diegues and Victor Parreiras, Andre Braitwaite and Guilherme and goalkeeper Hugo Silva. Also making the cut for the Tropics SC is former McKeel Academy soccer standout Nik Meche, who was a first team All Ledger all star in in 2016-17.

The Tropics SC Coach is MASL veteran defender Lucas Teixeira, who because of injury has appeared in just five games for the indoor team this winter.

The spring schedule includes eight games at Lake Myrtle Sports Park, where the Tropics have also submitted a bid to hos a U.S. Open Cup game in May. The USL League Two Lakeland Tropics have earned a bid to the prestigious event for the second straight year. Last spring, they went on the road, falling to Midland-Odessa. Texas .of the NPSL.

The UPSL was founded in 2011 and currently includes more than 300 teams Nationally. The UPSL is the fastest growing Pro Development League in the USA, with 400-plus teams targeted for 2019/20 Season. Each UPSL team is individually owned and operated, and is responsible for maintaining UPSL minimum standards at all tier levels.

UPSL teams are all eligible to participate in the U.S. Open Cup Qualifying Rounds through the leagues affiliation with the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) and the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). Additional information regarding the UPSL can be found by following the league on social media via Facebook (www.facebook.com/upslsoccer), Instagram (@upslsoccer) and Twitter (@upslsoccer).

All eight home games in the UPSL regular season will start at 7:30 p.m.The Tropics SC full 2019 spring schedule is below:

Wednesday, March 27    at The Institue FC                       Wide World Of Sports

Friday, April 12                 vs. Leg A-Z Soccer Int'l              Lake Myrtle Sports Park

Wednesday, April 17       vs. St. Petersburg FC Aztecs    Lake Myrtle Sports Park

Tuesday, April 23            vs. Sporting Orlando                   Lake Myrtle Sports Park

Friday, April 26                vs. Inter Orlando Academy        Lake Myrtle Sports Park

Friday, May 3                  vs. Golden Goal Sports SC         Lake Myrtle Sports Park

Sunday, May 12              at Jacksonville Armada FC        Patton Park

Friday, May 17                vs. Clay County SC                      Lake Myrtle Sports Park

Sunday, May 26              at Huracan FC                              Oldsmar Sports Complex

Wednesday, May 29     vs. OFC Barca                               Lake Myrtle Sports Park

Wednesday, June 5      vs. Interunited Academy            Lake Myrtle Sports Park

Saturday, June 8          at Sportsparadize Academy       Boone High School