The announcement includes both semi-pro men’s and women’s teams starting play in May 2023.
Coates added while League1 teams are open-aged, meaning no restrictions or aging out, they’ll be young and they’ll be local.
“We’re going to be targeting regional club players that are entering that U23 zone, we’re going to be targeting current university players who are maybe from the region, other adult players who are maybe at that level.”
The new organization is a stand-alone group but will have close working relationships with both Nanaimo United FC as well as the VIU Mariners program.
Home games will be played at Q’unq’inuqwstuxw Turf Field, formerly NDSS Community Field.
Harborside FC’s logo is loosely modeled on the shape of a ferry and forms an ‘H’, using waves to represent Nanaimo’s coastal location. A lighter blue, dubbed Salish Sea Blue, is paired with the darker Departure Bay Blue in the design.
Seasons League1 ran from May to August, with Burnaby’s TSS Rovers and Vancouver Whitecaps winning the men’s and women’s divisions respectively in the league’s inaugural year.
Other teams are in North Vancouver, Kamloops, Langary, UBC and Victoria.
“The league as a whole is keen to develop those regional communities or hubs of soccer and we’re really keen to do that,” Coates added. “We are without question to serve the players, male and female, of the central island.”
Information on coaching staff, schedule and ticketing will be public in the weeks and months to come.
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