TAMPA, Fla. – The PDL announced on Thursday it has awarded a new franchise to the city of Port St. Lucie, Fla. for the 2016 season. The South Florida Surf, guided by a leadership group of Nick Matteo, Peter Fuller and Eric Arbuzow, will play their home contests at South County Regional Stadium.
 
“We are very pleased to welcome the Surf to the league,” said PDL Director Todd Eason. “It has been a pleasure working with Peter Fuller, Nick Matteo and Eric Arbuzow to begin this project, and we believe they will quickly become a strong club in the Southern Conference for years to come.”
 
The Surf will unveil their official colors, crest and first head coach in early February, and is looking to invest strongly in top-quality facilities that will provide a professional environment for the club’s players as they look to take the step to the professional ranks. 
 
“The Surf are excited to become part of the PDL, as we look to build a new club that will offer top-level action for area soccer fans,” said Arbuzow, who will be the club’s General Manager. “As an organization, our ownership group is committed to investing in world-class facilities and teaming with experienced partners as we look to grow our organization, with the goal of one day moving to the professional ranks.”
 
The highest level of amateur soccer in North America, the PDL has a history dating back more than two decades that has helped top-level players rise to the professional ranks. Among the PDL’s alumni are players such as U.S. Men’s National Team members Brad Guzan, DeAndre Yedlin, Gyasi Zardes and Geoff Cameron. More than 200 PDL alumni competed in the 2015 Major League Soccer season, with another group of league alumni set to begin their professional paths next week at thefollowing the recent 2016 MLS SuperDraft in Baltimore, Md.
 
The PDL has provided  a major development platform for future professional players, with 12 of the league’s current membership being owned and operated by an MLS or USL club, or holding a partnership with an MLS or USL club. 70 percent of the players selected in the MLS SuperDraft over the past seven years are PDL alumni, while Homegrown Players such as Gyasi Zardes, Harry Shipp, Darwin Jones and Jay Chapman also competed in the league on their path to the professional ranks.
 
The PDL has received strong support from both Major League Soccer and the USL as it provides a proven pathway to the professional ranks for top college-aged players in North America.