Written by Matthew Auerbach

The Palm Beach Pumas may well be the best-kept secret on the Wellington sports scene.

The Pumas are one of 59 teams belonging to the Premier Development League of the United Soccer League, which is widely considered the highest level of amateur soccer in the country. To put it in baseball terms, the USL is to professional soccer what Triple A is to Major League Baseball — except nobody gets paid.

The PDL is an “under 23” league. All but eight out of the 26 players on each team are 23 years of age or younger. Each squad is permitted to have eight players 23 or older who work with the younger players in a teammate/mentor role.