A New
The US Youth Soccer Board recently
announced a new program due to be inaugurated this fall – the National League -
that will be open to any team that has participated in its 2006-2007 Regional
Premier League.
At the recent board meeting on
February 3-4, 2007, it was agreed that for the 2007-2008 seasonal year, a
National League program would be instituted with eight teams in each of the U15
and U16 gender age groups (current U14 and U15 teams). In 2008-2009 the program
would be extended to include that years U17 gender age groups. Games would be
scheduled on weekends of major tournaments or holidays, thereby minimizing any
additional extra travel. Following completion of the seven league games, the top four teams in each gender age group
will compete in a semifinal and final competition, with the two finalists being
invited to the annual US Youth Soccer National Championships in July.
Suggested play weekends are: Labor
Day, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving weekend, Christmas – New Year’s, Martin Luther
King, Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Easter weekend, and Memorial Day weekend.
The league will be administered by
a committee to be selected, but chaired by Chris Christoffersen from Region II.
The committee will establish the rules, set the play dates and schedule, and
work with the National Championship Committee to determine how the two
additional teams will impact the current National Championship Series Rules.
Following the 2007-2008 seasonal
year, the top four National League teams in each gender age group will be
invited to participate in the next years National League program. In addition,
the National League Committee will determine if additional teams should be
invited beyond the eight teams per gender age group.
Regions I, II and IV are organized
as a single league with multiple levels or sub leagues, so their selection will
be relatively easy by picking the top two teams from their top sub league for
each gender age group. Team selection may be a problem for Region III teams the
first year, since Region III Premier League is organized on a geographical
basis, with East, Central and West sub regions.
The following solution has been
adopted by Region III for the first seasonal year. Team eligibility for the
first seasonal year will be:
-
Any U14 or U15 team
that has participated and successfully completed the 2006-2007 RIIIPL program
may apply to participate in the 2007-2008 NL
-
Criteria for Team
Recommendation:
o 2006-2007 Regional champion in their gender age group
o 2006-2007 Regional finalist in their gender age group
o 2006-2007 Regional Semifinalist in their gender age group
o 2006-2007 Regional Quarterfinalist in their gender age
group
o If the their and fourth criteria produce two or more teams,
the RIIIPL will a) evaluate appropriate Regional results, or b) may require a
playoff, to determine final ranking
The list of teams selected by the
above will be presented by the RIIIPL to the Region III Executive Director who
will make the final decision on the teams to be presented as candidates for
selection by the National League Committee.
The above reflects the information
available to date, and naturally begs many questions. The intent of this brief article
is to raise awareness of this new league in a public forum, so that eligible
teams can prepare for the future if they are inclined to apply to the inaugural
National League program.