Not long ago Boca Raton FC was alone among the conversation around Palm Beach County soccer. The club which has completed its fourth year of existence has continued to grow and last week announced Jim Rooney, a local playing legend from the days of the Miami Fusion of MLS was staying on as Manager for 2019. 

Boca Raton FC continues to feature teams in multiple leagues including the NPSL, APSL and GCPL. The club’s owners the Heizer Family have worked hard to build bridges throughout the soccer community, irrespective of league or ideology.

This weekend however Boca Raton FC takes a back seat as the UPSL state playoffs will take center stage. The playoffs will showcase the full might of Palm Beach County within Florida soccer. The playoff matches will take place at Ives Estates Park just south of the Dade-Broward line. 

On Saturday, December 8th at 3:00PM Jupiter FC will face the Palm Beach Spartans (Boynton Beach) For the past couple of UPSL Seasons, Jupiter FC (formerly Jupiter United SC) have been the standard bearer for Palm Beach County. This season, they again end the season as the team with the best record. However, Palm Beach Spartans, a club that gives under privileged youth an opportunity to excel may have entered the UPSL Florida South Conference Division late, but they made up ground quick and perhaps had the biggest win of the season as the final match of the regular season ended with them beating previously unbeaten and untied, #1 nationally ranked in UPSL, Florida Soccer Soldiers. 

Thursday December 13, Hebraica Miami FC  will face Hurricane FC (Boynton Beach): This should be a close match and it probably will be.  Hebraica has not been playing particularly well of late, and Hurricane FC a club that’s been around for years and attracted some top local talent has come on strong of late  Hurricane FC have some good and eye-catching internationals on their squad, including Edmar, a former Ukrainian national team midfielder with a remarkable touch and technical ability. This match will be tightly balanced and worth checking out! 

On Sunday the 9th, the highly-touted Florida Soccer Soldiers will face supporter and player owned Gold Coast INTER AFC. On paper, this shouldn’t be close. The team many consider the #1 team in UPSL from coast to coast, that lost to the eventual national champs in the semifinals just a few months ago, versus the plucky supporter & player-owned underdogs from Greater West Palm Beach that just came up from recreational soccer this past summer. Gold Coast INTER AFC represent a concept growing in soccer supporter circles and have been an example that many seek to emulate. Still Florida Soccer Soldiers  despite coming off a loss in their last regular season match, a loss to Palm Beach Spartans are a heavy favorite. This club is considered among the best in South Florida and nationally among non-professional teams. 

Palm Beach County’s clubs have done a great job at getting young, hungry talent to stay at home and ply their trade locally. The area boasts some of the best youth clubs in the state and as Boca Raton FC and  multiple UPSL clubs have shown, the area’s soccer is elevating to a new level.