Tishan  with young fans

The Richmond Kickers of the USL PRO League  has announced  the signing of St. Kitts & Nevis international, Tishan Hanley.

Born in Basseterre, St. Kitts, Hanley attended Washington Archibald High School prior to joining the St. Kitts Premier Division team, Garden Hotspurs as a 16-year old, where he played three seasons and recorded 10 goals. He represented his country on the U17 National Team in the 2007 CONCACAF U17 Tournament before making his first appearance with the senior team in 2008 against St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The 5’11 forward later moved to the United States when he signed with the Harrisburg City Islanders, making his debut against the Real Maryland Monarchs on April 24, 2010. Hanley split time between the Fredericksburg Hotspurs and Ocala Stampede of the USL Premier Development League in 2012 before leading RVA FC of the National Premier Soccer League to the 2013 National Championship.

Hanley’s salary as a USL Pro player was not announced . However players salary in the USL range from US$20,000 to US$60,000 per season.

The USL Professional Division, commonly known as USL Pro (stylized USL PRO), is a professional men’s soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011. USL Pro is sanctioned as a Division III Professional League by United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer), placing it under Major League Soccer (Division I) and the North American Soccer League (Division II) in the hierarchy.

The league is owned and operated by United Soccer Leagues (USL) and was formed as result of the organization’s merger of the old USL First and Second Divisions, following the controversial 2010 season which saw neither the USL First Division or the North American Soccer League (NASL) receive sanctioning from the USSF, resulting in the temporary USSF Division 2 Pro League. The merger is meant to consolidate USL’s position within the American professional soccer landscape and focus on stability, commercial growth and the professional development of soccer in four main regions throughout the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean.

In January 2013, USL and MLS reached an agreement to integrate USL Pro league competition with the MLS Reserve League, primarily to improve player development in North America, strengthen league competition and build ties between divisions in the American soccer pyramid. This multi-year deal encourages MLS and USL Pro team affiliations and player loans, and it will lead to more games for teams and developing players.