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Jim Kilmeade speaks with NPSL Commissioner Cindy Spera about her journey from Wall Street executive to soccer leadership and the evolving landscape of American soccer.

• Cindy shares stories of playing with the pioneering Long Island Lady Riders team that became national champions within two years
• The Lady Riders played an exhibition match against the 1996 US Women's National Team before they won Olympic gold, holding them to a 3-0 score
• Long Island was once the epicenter of youth and senior soccer talent that the American Soccer Club is working to revitalize
• Cindy describes her transition from Morgan Stanley executive to becoming the first employee of the NPSL
• The NPSL provides autonomy to clubs while maintaining minimum standards that differentiate it from other amateur soccer leagues
• Success stories like Hickory FC in North Carolina demonstrate how smaller markets can build thriving soccer communities
• The league is exploring a "3.5 level" that would bridge the gap between amateur soccer and Division III professional standards
• Unlike franchise models, the NPSL focuses on sustainable growth and turns away applications that don't meet their business viability standards

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