Tech Specs. (Part 1 of 6)
Due to a “rain delay and rescheduling”, I now present you with the Tech. Specs. for National Cup 2017 and the 04 age group. It’s been a roller coaster of a season that has seen quite a shake up as our 04 DD’s went from playing in the combined 03/04 age group to “coming down” to their own 04 age group. There were some exceptions as a few girls played up the entire season and others passed back and forth from the older squads down to the 04s.
As teams started to form and gel, it looked like everything was starting to settle in and the age changes were far behind us and there was nothing in the way that could derail the stability of…..uh yeah, scratch that. Let’s disregard the working model to showcase the “olders” via ECNL and let’s shake up the soccer landscape one more time with “DA”. Let’s build anticipation and roll out the accepted teams, build suspense and invite new clubs into the mix and provide a “level” playing field across SoCal. And just like that, a year with some sort of foundation was gutted for many as tryouts started early, again. Offers were made, again. Promises made, again. Uncertainty rampart, again. More changes, again.
But alas, the only constant has been change and with it comes the final foray into competition for the 04 age groups to put a period, comma, or exclamation point on the 2016-2017 season. So for the next few weeks, let time stand still and let these young ladies do what they do best. Let the games begin, let the sweatshirt buying commence, let the ODP scouts swivel back and forth scouring the fields for the talent, and let the talking be done on the field. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.
As the 1st weekend of group play kicks off, we will lose out on the 1 game a day format, to take into account this age group has two rounds of group play and the games can’t be pushed out that much further than they already have after the rain delayed the opening weekend.
This particular age group will be absolutely fun to watch, the format is unforgiving as only 1 team from every group will advance with the exception of 1, yes 1 wildcard, that will make every game count and make for the even more dramatic rise for a Cinderella team.
2nd Round BYEs
Looking at the BYEs, it’s no secret that they don’t reflect the overall body of work for the strongest teams in the age group, but the BYEs were really up in the air after the age group changed the history of having a team’s prior State / National Cup performance dictate who got directly seeded into the 2nd round. Both Surf and Arsenal certainly earned it this year with Beach and Galaxy very deserving as well. Blues Kale and IE Surf were up and down this year at best and will have their work cut out for them in the 2nd round. But like the saying goes, “It is what it is.” Now all that’s left is to play the games in front of you and control your own destiny…
Format / Rules
National Cup – Official Rules (PDF)
The document I’ve linked to above shows the rules for National Cup, of which I will list the most commonly referred to ones below.
Ball Size
Size 5
Brackets
2 Rounds of Group Play lead into Quarter-Finals Format
1st Group Round, 9 Groups – 4 Teams per Group
1st Group Round, Top Team from each Group + 1 Wildcard advance to 2nd Group Round
2nd Group Round, 4 Groups – 4 Teams per Group
2nd Group Round, Top 2 Teams from each Group advance to Quarter-Finals
Games
1st Group Round: Saturday (2/25), Sunday (2/26)
2nd Group Round: Saturday (3/4), Sunday (3/5)
Quarter-Finals: Saturday (3/11)
Semi-Finals: Sunday (3/12)
Finals: Saturday (3/18)
Game Duration
35 Minute Halves
Overtime / Penalty Kicks
Elimination Games - (2) 10 Minute Halves
Scoring System
3 Point System
Win = 3 Points
Draw = 1 Point
Loss = 0 Points
Tie Breakers
Head to Head
Goal Differential
Goals Allowed
Goals Scored
Shutouts
PKs
If there is a tie between two or more teams for wild card placement, step 6 will be replaced with a coin toss by the NCPC or Designee.
If more than two (2) teams are tied at the end of the preliminary round, the tiebreaker criteria listed shall be used in the order shown until one team is advanced or one team is eliminated, or both. If remaining teams are still tied at this point in the tie-breaking process, they will then be compared beginning again with step 1 until another team is either advanced or eliminated or both.
Venues
Silverlakes Sports Complex (1st & 2nd Group Rounds)
Galway Downs (Quarter Finals through Finals)
Schedules & Standings
Onto the group breakdowns…..
Due to a “rain delay and rescheduling”, I now present you with the Tech. Specs. for National Cup 2017 and the 04 age group. It’s been a roller coaster of a season that has seen quite a shake up as our 04 DD’s went from playing in the combined 03/04 age group to “coming down” to their own 04 age group. There were some exceptions as a few girls played up the entire season and others passed back and forth from the older squads down to the 04s.
As teams started to form and gel, it looked like everything was starting to settle in and the age changes were far behind us and there was nothing in the way that could derail the stability of…..uh yeah, scratch that. Let’s disregard the working model to showcase the “olders” via ECNL and let’s shake up the soccer landscape one more time with “DA”. Let’s build anticipation and roll out the accepted teams, build suspense and invite new clubs into the mix and provide a “level” playing field across SoCal. And just like that, a year with some sort of foundation was gutted for many as tryouts started early, again. Offers were made, again. Promises made, again. Uncertainty rampart, again. More changes, again.
But alas, the only constant has been change and with it comes the final foray into competition for the 04 age groups to put a period, comma, or exclamation point on the 2016-2017 season. So for the next few weeks, let time stand still and let these young ladies do what they do best. Let the games begin, let the sweatshirt buying commence, let the ODP scouts swivel back and forth scouring the fields for the talent, and let the talking be done on the field. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.
As the 1st weekend of group play kicks off, we will lose out on the 1 game a day format, to take into account this age group has two rounds of group play and the games can’t be pushed out that much further than they already have after the rain delayed the opening weekend.
This particular age group will be absolutely fun to watch, the format is unforgiving as only 1 team from every group will advance with the exception of 1, yes 1 wildcard, that will make every game count and make for the even more dramatic rise for a Cinderella team.
2nd Round BYEs
- Surf
- Arsenal FC
- LA Galaxy SB
- Beach FC – LB
- IE Surf
- SC Blues – Kale
Looking at the BYEs, it’s no secret that they don’t reflect the overall body of work for the strongest teams in the age group, but the BYEs were really up in the air after the age group changed the history of having a team’s prior State / National Cup performance dictate who got directly seeded into the 2nd round. Both Surf and Arsenal certainly earned it this year with Beach and Galaxy very deserving as well. Blues Kale and IE Surf were up and down this year at best and will have their work cut out for them in the 2nd round. But like the saying goes, “It is what it is.” Now all that’s left is to play the games in front of you and control your own destiny…
Format / Rules
National Cup – Official Rules (PDF)
The document I’ve linked to above shows the rules for National Cup, of which I will list the most commonly referred to ones below.
Ball Size
Size 5
Brackets
2 Rounds of Group Play lead into Quarter-Finals Format
1st Group Round, 9 Groups – 4 Teams per Group
1st Group Round, Top Team from each Group + 1 Wildcard advance to 2nd Group Round
2nd Group Round, 4 Groups – 4 Teams per Group
2nd Group Round, Top 2 Teams from each Group advance to Quarter-Finals
Games
1st Group Round: Saturday (2/25), Sunday (2/26)
2nd Group Round: Saturday (3/4), Sunday (3/5)
Quarter-Finals: Saturday (3/11)
Semi-Finals: Sunday (3/12)
Finals: Saturday (3/18)
Game Duration
35 Minute Halves
Overtime / Penalty Kicks
Elimination Games - (2) 10 Minute Halves
Scoring System
3 Point System
Win = 3 Points
Draw = 1 Point
Loss = 0 Points
Tie Breakers
Head to Head
Goal Differential
Goals Allowed
Goals Scored
Shutouts
PKs
If there is a tie between two or more teams for wild card placement, step 6 will be replaced with a coin toss by the NCPC or Designee.
If more than two (2) teams are tied at the end of the preliminary round, the tiebreaker criteria listed shall be used in the order shown until one team is advanced or one team is eliminated, or both. If remaining teams are still tied at this point in the tie-breaking process, they will then be compared beginning again with step 1 until another team is either advanced or eliminated or both.
Venues
Silverlakes Sports Complex (1st & 2nd Group Rounds)
Galway Downs (Quarter Finals through Finals)
Schedules & Standings
Onto the group breakdowns…..
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