Can you tell me who you are and your role within the club?
My name is Leland Creadick. I am the General Manager of the Alexandria Reds UPSL/NPSL teams. I work closely with Alexandria Soccer Association (ASA) directors to manage this semi-pro level men’s team!

What is your background in soccer?
I started playing when I was young and continued all the way through to the semi-professional level. I played for the club FC Frederick in high school and was also a part of their U23 team while in college. I played collegiately for Hagerstown Community College (MD) and Hood College (MD). Most recently, I played in the UPSL for a team I created and co-owned called, FC 1749.

When was the club initially formed and what was the catalyst to start it?
ASA was formed in 1970 by a handful of parents who were interested in bringing organized soccer to the Alexandria community. For the first 40 years of our existence the club was entirely run by volunteers. Over the past 15 years we’ve worked hard to professionalize the organization and bring more opportunities to both kids and adults in our community. We now offer year round programming for every level of participant. Additionally, through our Access4All project we host free soccer programming at title 1 elementary schools and provide scholarship support to 1700 players across our core programming.

Why "ASA Reds"?
Reds United were an amateur men’s team that competed in the local leagues, WISL then WPL. Andy Lowden, who led Reds in 2008, invited many of the then DC United staff members on to the team. When Andy transitioned Reds leadership over to ASA’s Executive Director Tommy Park it made perfect sense to integrate the team fully into ASA as the adult amateur option for its male coaches and youth team graduates to continue playing. The team won multiple WPL championships and has since transformed into a robust amateur side and defending east region NPSL champions. Former players include Lyle Adams (DC United), Pat Nyarko (Chicago Fire), Andrew Dykstra (DC United) and many ASA staffers including Ryan Rich, Jim Hogan, Will Hanna, Chris Arnold, Peja Ilic and more!

What league(s) do you play in and why?
ASA Reds participates in the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) during the fall and spring. We are one of eight teams that compete in the DMV South Conference which is a part of the Northeast Region. We were regular season champions in the fall of 2022 after an undefeated season.
We also compete in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) over the summer. We are preparing for our second season in the league with hopes to replicate our successful inaugural season last summer. We were Mid-Atlantic Conference Champions and played a closely fought match in the East Region Semi-Final against Appalachian FC (NC).
Reds compete in both the UPSL and NPSL because they are the highest levelsemi-professional leagues, recognized by US Soccer in Tier 3 of theirprofessional pyramid (alongside USL2). We are motivated to compete andsucceed at the national level.

Where do you play your games?
We currently play our home games at Limerick Field in Alexandria, VA. This professional sized turf field has beautiful views and has held numerous historical matches for many ASA teams!

What are some short term and long term goals for the club?
Our short term goals include pushing for continued success on the field in both the UPSL and NPSL. We want to continue providing a professional level environment for the players, staff, and fans. We hope to provide exposure for our players who wish to pursue professional careers.
Our main long term goal is to become a professional side. We have and willcontinue to navigate the US Soccer landscape as it continues to change in orderto make the best overall decision on our next step as a club!

What are some of the biggest challenges you face as a club and as owner/operator of the club? Do you see these challenges as insurmountable?
One challenge we face in Alexandria is the lack of a soccer stadium. Limerick Field is a FIFA sized, premium play space but it lacks in stadium amenities like concession stand, showers, permanent team benches, sound system, etc. We work hard to bring these features in ourselves but this adds an additional layer of work and coordination. We hope to see a small European style stadium in Alexandria in the next decade!

Is there a player (or more than one) we should know more about from your club? (What makes them special? Why do you want folks to know more about them?)
I do not wish to name one particular player as I believe we have many players that are more than capable of competing at a higher level. We have been fortunate to have success in our league play. We have had the chance to play friendlies against the El Salvador men’s national team and against the Maryland Bobcats, who we got a result against! I believe players at our level are looked past for many reasons and our program is a fantastic way to highlight so much local talent. I will continue to push to provide more opportunities for our top level players!

If there is anything else you’d like to share about the club (please don’t hesitate if you want to tell us anything!)? I want to make sure everyone gets a good look at your club and generate more interest in it.
Alexandria has 6,500 participants across all programs, ages two through adult. In addition to our focus on soccer and on field success, we also value developing young athletes into great people. We are a passionate and engaged community organization where athletes grow, develop, play, give back and thrive. We work hard to ensure every child in our community has access to quality soccer programming with an ultimate mission of connecting and engaging the community through high quality, accessible, sports programs that positively impact Alexandria.

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