The MDSL will be expanding throughout the mid-county region of Montgomery County, MD for the Fall 2023 season. In the Spring of 2023, all games were played at the Sandy Spring Friends School, but now the league will expand to a location in Olney and another in White Oak. The reason for the move is to improve the quality of fields that can be best suited for the league’s various formations of 4 v 4, 5 v 5, 7 v 7, 9 v 9, and 11 v 11. The reason for the expansion is to also offer fields in higher populated areas of mid-county in addition to higher quality fields like the Bermuda grass field that will be used at White Oak.
The expansion to White Oak will open up more doors for teams from Silver Spring to join the league. Currently there are only two clubs from the Silver Spring area who are part of the league, but there are many more clubs and independent teams who could join in the near future. According to Acting Commissioner Justin Reid, “The East Silver Spring area features a number of teams, but there aren’t any leagues that cater to classic level teams who are transitioning to a competitive level based in the East Silver Spring area. There are recreation leagues and programs between Silver Spring, Calverton, Takoma, and other parts of the area but there isn’t a league that is providing teams with the next step. And this is a reason as to why we have decided to expand to this part of the county. Teams who are classic level often times find themselves in other leagues where some require more travel and we would recommend that those teams stay put and join our league because we are bringing the competition to them.”
The East Silver Spring area is also seeing improvements in their facilities. Currently there are a few facilities in the area that are being renovated including Hillandale Local Park which will feature two new 7 v7 fields and a full-size 11 v 11 field. The league hopes to acquire this field as well in the future in addition to other quality facilities in the area that meets the league’s criteria.
Reid explained, “We want to see the sport grow here in the Silver Spring area. We know the quality of the players and they deserve a quality league that will help them to nurture their talents. Going to school in Montgomery County, I have always felt that the east side of the county has been neglected in terms of investment because the demographic’s median income levels aren’t as high as what you would see on the west side of the county where Bethesda, Potomac, and the other cities are based. But we believe that by investing in Silver Spring that we can help to grow the sport here in the area. We aren’t here to launch a club, but to bring the clubs together and to support their growth.”