I believe I read in an account of the USOC match between the Portland Timbers and Kitsap Pumas that the Pumas are one of four pro clubs in the PDL. Anybody know who are the other 3? And what does it mean to be pro at the PDL level? Do the players actually get paid and how does that fit in with the PDL philosophy of maintaining college players' eligibility?

No player at the PDL level can be paid any money whilst playing at that level.

Several players may well have dropped down to PDL from higher leagues where they were once paid.

I've heard that former professional players have joined PDL rosters, but they have to give up pro status and play for the love of the game if they want to work themselves back.

Actually, the PDL-Pro was set up so that players CAN get paid

However, in recent years, teams such as Laredo Heat, New Orleans Jesters, Vancouver Whitecaps Residency, Kitsap Pumas and the Hollywood United Hitmen have been embracing at least partial professionalism through a new program called PDL-Pro, whereby teams can choose to employ non-NCAA players who are paid for their performances[1], but who still meet the age eligibility criteria. This does not contravene NCAA rules, which state that college players cannot play alongside professionals, but may play against them.

above was from Wikipedia but if you want a more reliabe source this is the press release that the league issued when Hollywood joined the league:

http://pdl.uslsoccer.com/home/325443.html
The PDL team will also be one of four sides in the league competing under professional status.

And one more source:

http://goalkitsap.blogspot.com/2008/09/community-warm-to-kitsap-pro-soccer.html

but Kitsap will begin life in the Premier Development League (PDL) with hopes of doing more soon after that. United Soccer Leagues First Division will go dark in the state of Washington.

The PDL is a summer league (May-July) that uses college talent to staff clubs' unpaid rosters. It is the third level in the United Soccer Leagues system. Waite says his Kitsap PDL club will be professional and will pay its players. He says this is already happening in Vancouver with the Whitecaps residency club, and may also happen next year when Victoria Highlanders FC join the league

there is noting in the USL rules against PDL players bring paid. However any NCAA player that plays for a team that pays its players (or even ONE player) loses his eligibility.

If an entire PDL team is professional, theres nothing to stop them. I remember not so long ago when the D2, then called D3) played an interlocking schedule with the PDL teams. It was pretty bad when the winner of the PDL Mid Atlantic division was determined by who got to play NoVa the most number of times in a season. ::running from the wrath of Scrumpy::

Then the Royals turned PDL in 2006 and Richmond PDL went right to the bottom of the Mid Atlantic table.

NVA 6 - 10 - 0
RCH 4 - 9 -3

Also, Royals PDL was not last in 2007 either, that honor belonged to West Virginia Chaos, albeit due to a one point deduction for some sort infraction (probably ineligible player).

The USL began its Pro-Am status for teams in the PDL and W-League (I actually think this started in the W-League with FC Indiana but I could be wrong) a few years back. Essentially, teams in both leagues may choose to declare themselves professional, thereby giving up all utilization of NCAA eligible players on their specific roster. In addition to not having NCAA players, the operational costs are generally higher as these teams, even if their pros are signed to zero dollar contracts, must pay additional workmans compensation and other various state-by-state costs similar to having employees.

Does anyone know how many PDL teams have declared themselves pro?

In the W-League, I think its FC Indiana, Buffalo Flash, and I know Hampton Roads was heavily considering it. There might be one or two others declaring soon, possibly in cities that may be attractive to WPS. The Western NY team was going to be pro, but they never made it to the start of the season (for reasons unknown, but probably money)and were taken over by the amateur Rochester Ravens.

As always interesting to hear from the management side of things Maj.

Glad to see that Nova FC still keep 2 teams going, and our instate rivals ditch teams due to lack of interest/finances etc.

I never bite at Mikeyratt, as Suz used to say, 'You never knew where he had been !"