# US Youth Soccer Announces New League Structure



## timbuck (Apr 18, 2018)

https://www.usyouthsoccer.org/us-youth-soccer-announces-new-leagues-structure---the-us-youth-soccer-national-leagues/
"*FRISCO, Texas (April 18, 2018)* — US Youth Soccer is pleased to unveil its new US Youth Soccer National Leagues Program for high-level competitive leagues that will kick-off in the 2018-19 soccer season. The US Youth Soccer National Leagues Program will feature a network of Conferences (formerly known as Regional Leagues) that are more geographically focused, under one leadership and management structure, and linked into the highly successful National League and National Championship Series...."

The only thing constant is change.....
Can someone explain why this is necessary?


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## zebrafish (Apr 18, 2018)

Facepalm


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## Surfref (Apr 19, 2018)

timbuck said:


> https://www.usyouthsoccer.org/us-youth-soccer-announces-new-leagues-structure---the-us-youth-soccer-national-leagues/
> "*FRISCO, Texas (April 18, 2018)* — US Youth Soccer is pleased to unveil its new US Youth Soccer National Leagues Program for high-level competitive leagues that will kick-off in the 2018-19 soccer season. The US Youth Soccer National Leagues Program will feature a network of Conferences (formerly known as Regional Leagues) that are more geographically focused, under one leadership and management structure, and linked into the highly successful National League and National Championship Series...."
> 
> The only thing constant is change.....
> Can someone explain why this is necessary?


No I cannot explain, but I am sure it has something to do with $$$$$$


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## Simisoccerfan (Apr 19, 2018)

More work opportunities for refs.


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## MWN (Apr 19, 2018)

timbuck said:


> https://www.usyouthsoccer.org/us-youth-soccer-announces-new-leagues-structure---the-us-youth-soccer-national-leagues/
> "*FRISCO, Texas (April 18, 2018)* — US Youth Soccer is pleased to unveil its new US Youth Soccer National Leagues Program for high-level competitive leagues that will kick-off in the 2018-19 soccer season. The US Youth Soccer National Leagues Program will feature a network of Conferences (formerly known as Regional Leagues) that are more geographically focused, under one leadership and management structure, and linked into the highly successful National League and National Championship Series...."
> 
> The only thing constant is change.....
> Can someone explain why this is necessary?


Its necessary in order for US Youth Soccer to stay relevant in the eyes of elite clubs and grow in light of the ever changing landscape of youth soccer.  Appreciate that US Youth Soccer (National), like US Club (National), AYSO (National), and YES (midwest) are Voting Members of the USSF as Youth Affiliates and the organizations that execute on the USSF's youth soccer initiatives.  The mission of these youth affiliates is to grow youth soccer and meet the needs of their direct members.  In the case of USYS, its key members are the State Associations.  There are 55 member State Associations ... Cal South is the State Association in our region (Region IV - West).

If you accept the mission statement of US Youth Soccer "... foster the physical, mental and emotional growth and development of America's youth through the sport of soccer at all levels of age and competition..." then it naturally follows that USYS and its State Affiliates should serve the needs of the recreational youth and elite youth.  To this end, USYS has seen an incursion by the USSF (the DA) on the elite end, and by US Club with its NPL and Boys ECNL.  USYS has also watched its ODP program be rendered mostly irrelevant with the USSF Development Academy, so its shifting gears, by reorganizing its National League into a much more structured league with similar rules/play dates, etc., across the 4 regions.

This move/change was requested by the 55 State Associations to provide a better mechanism to retain top level talent in USYS, rather than having those teams/clubs/members leave for U.S. Club, Super-Y, etc.


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## outside! (Apr 19, 2018)

It seems to me that they just renamed CRL and broke it into smaller pieces to reduce travel. If it does reduce travel, that would be a good thing.


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## MWN (Apr 19, 2018)

outside! said:


> It seems to me that they just renamed CRL and broke it into smaller pieces to reduce travel. If it does reduce travel, that would be a good thing.


CRL is a Cal South and Cal North gaming league, this is USYS's national league, which has nothing to do with CRL.  That said, its feasible that some Cal South teams would play in both CRL and the National League.  Think of this purely something similar to some of US Club soccer's national/regional gaming leagues: ECNL (Girls and Boys), ENPL (Elite National Players League), NPL (National Players League), etc.


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## outside! (Apr 19, 2018)

CRL used to be a feeder into National League.


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## watfly (Apr 19, 2018)

Seems there is a scramble by all the organizations to get their market share (ie $$$) of the so-called elite youth.  (however, if you believe this article http://newsportfuture.com/elite-junior-athletes/ there is no such thing as an elite junior athlete).  In the last couple of years we've seen the following:

DA (girls)
DPL/DA II  (still makes me chuckle)
ECNL (boys)
DA expansion (boys)
USYS National League
SCDSL Discovery League
Super Y League (California expansion)
Bio Banding tournaments

Am I missing anything?


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## MWN (Apr 19, 2018)

outside! said:


> CRL used to be a feeder into National League.


Not National League, but National Cup.  The winners of CRL go directly to the Far West Nationals.  As a Region IV member, Cal South gets so many slots and sometimes extras because the other State Associations are weak and don't fully participate (Alaska, for example).  Cal South will send the CRL champions AND the Cal South National Cup winners to the The Far West Regionals (Hawaii this year, Boise, next year), where they will compete against Region IV teams, with the winners moving on to the National Championship in Frisco. National League winners go straight to the National Championship as the National League representatives.  In sum, there are three paths to the National Championship:

Play in CRL, win your bracket, bypass National Cup and go straight to Regionals.
Play in the Cal South National Cup Tournament, win and go to Regionals (note, CRL teams get a "by" the first round).
Play in the National League, win and bypass all Regional and go straight to the National Championship.


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## timbuck (Apr 19, 2018)

Pretend I am an idiot (pretty easy to do) and explain to me exactly what this change means.
There are currently 4 regions.
There are currently 16 teams per age group that play in the "National League" today.  And these teams play 7 games over the course of a few weekends. (November and March?).
And to become one of these 16 teams you have to do one of the following:
-Win a Regional Championship (Does this mean State Cup/National Cup?)
-Win or runner up in the previous year National League
-Win a regional league qualifier

Under the new structure -  There will be at least 8 new "Conferences" and probably as many as 30?
Does this have any impact on what State Associations do with their season / league games?   
This statement sounds like there will be something happening within each regions league/gaming system:  "For teams participating in the Conferences (during the 2018-19 soccer season), the long-time linkage with the National Championship Series Regionals and the National League will continue. In addition to the traditional team vs team model of play within each Conference, newly formed club vs club brackets may be offered and would serve as additional pathways to the National League and Regional Championships."

Will State Cup/National Cup be impacted by these changes?
Seems they are pretty excited about the fact that "The Conferences are now under the management umbrella of the highly successful US Youth Soccer National League.  League Managers will oversee the day-to-day activities of the Conferences in accordance with National Leagues Policy and the National Leagues Rules and Regulations."


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## outside! (Apr 19, 2018)

At one time the winners of CRL also get invited to join National League the following season. Maybe that has changed.


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## younothat (Apr 19, 2018)

watfly said:


> Seems there is a scramble by all the organizations to get their market share (ie $$$) of the so-called elite youth.  (however, if you believe this article http://newsportfuture.com/elite-junior-athletes/ there is no such thing as an elite junior athlete).  In the last couple of years we've seen the following:
> 
> DA (girls)
> DPL/DA II  (still makes me chuckle)
> ...


The new NPL west spring league:
https://www.nplwest.com/

This is on top of the SCNPL that already existed:
https://www.nationalpremierleague.com/

Every year there seems to be more and more leagues but has the competition in those league decreased?  We now have fall, spring, summer (super Y) leagues as well as year round or full time leagues.


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## gkparent (Apr 19, 2018)

Question - & hopefully not horribly off topic- but what is ODP exactly & how does it fit into this structure/change? My DD is kind of new to anything other than SCDSL & trying to figure out which opportunities to spend time pursuing given long-term goals and possibilities. I have appreciated many forum posters’ advice and insight over the past few months because we usually feel we really have no idea how it all fits together.


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## MWN (Apr 19, 2018)

I have a graphic I'm working on, stay tuned.


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## watfly (Apr 19, 2018)

MWN said:


> I have a graphic I'm working on, stay tuned.


Huge task but it would be awesome if someone did a graphic/flow chart of all the So Cal leagues by organization.


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## Surfref (Apr 19, 2018)

MWN said:


> .....where they will compete against Region IV teams, with the winners moving on to the National Championship in Frisco.....


Awesome, so the players and their families can dodge the homeless, heroin needles, trash and human feces that are on the streets of Frisco and neighboring cities.  It was absolutely disgusting when we were up there a few weeks ago. Hopefully they hold the games at a venue across the bay from the ever growing cesspool that is San Francisco.


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## CaliKlines (Apr 19, 2018)

Surfref said:


> Awesome, so the players and their families can dodge the homeless, heroin needles, trash and human feces that are on the streets of Frisco and neighboring cities.  It was absolutely disgusting when we were up there a few weeks ago. Hopefully they hold the games at a venue across the bay from the ever growing cesspool that is San Francisco.


(Frisco as in Frisco, Texas)


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## Surfref (Apr 19, 2018)

CaliKlines said:


> (Frisco as in Frisco, Texas)


I had just heard a story about the crap on the streets of San Francisco (Frisco) and thought you were talking about that area.  It is probably a good thing they will be in Texas.


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## CaliKlines (Apr 19, 2018)

Surfref said:


> I had just heard a story about the crap on the streets of San Francisco (Frisco) and thought you were talking about that area.  It is probably a good thing they will be in Texas.


I agree...I much prefer the humidity laden streets of Frisco, TX than West Sodom and Gomorrah in Northern CA.


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## coachsamy (Apr 19, 2018)

watfly said:


> Seems there is a scramble by all the organizations to get their market share (ie $$$) of the so-called elite youth.  (however, if you believe this article http://newsportfuture.com/elite-junior-athletes/ there is no such thing as an elite junior athlete).  In the last couple of years we've seen the following:
> 
> DA (girls)
> DPL/DA II  (still makes me chuckle)
> ...


The Recreational prefix displaying what all these leagues are (With the exception of DA).


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## MakeAPlay (Apr 19, 2018)

CaliKlines said:


> I agree...I much prefer the humidity laden streets of Frisco, TX than West Sodom and Gomorrah in Northern CA.


You are a 909er and you are talking $hit about San Francisco?  You are a piece of crap did you know that?


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## MWN (Apr 19, 2018)

timbuck said:


> Pretend I am an idiot (pretty easy to do) and explain to me exactly what this change means.
> There are currently 4 regions.
> There are currently 16 teams per age group that play in the "National League" today.  And these teams play 7 games over the course of a few weekends. (November and March?).
> And to become one of these 16 teams you have to do one of the following:
> ...


FIRST, let's get our bearings and understand where everybody is in the "Grand Scheme."


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## MWN (Apr 19, 2018)

@timbuck,

The typical path to the National President's Cup or the National Championship Cup looks like this:


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## MWN (Apr 19, 2018)

timbuck said:


> Under the new structure -  There will be at least 8 new "Conferences" and probably as many as 30?
> Does this have any impact on what State Associations do with their season / league games?


The only impact this would have is for the "Regional Leagues" operated by the State Associations/Regions.



> This statement sounds like there will be something happening within each regions league/gaming system: "For teams participating in the Conferences (during the 2018-19 soccer season), the long-time linkage with the National Championship Series Regionals and the National League will continue. In addition to the traditional team vs team model of play within each Conference, newly formed club vs club brackets may be offered and would serve as additional pathways to the National League and Regional Championships."


I agree.



> Will State Cup/National Cup be impacted by these changes?


I sincerely doubt it.  State Cup should remain relatively untouched.  National Cup may be impacted depending on what the winner v. finalist v. rest of the teams get.  Since CalSouth isn't part of the initial roll out, we just don't know.



> Seems they are pretty excited about the fact that "The Conferences are now under the management umbrella of the highly successful US Youth Soccer National League.  League Managers will oversee the day-to-day activities of the Conferences in accordance with National Leagues Policy and the National Leagues Rules and Regulations."


Yes, however, its probable that USYS will simply appoint CalSouth as its manager for the league activities in CalSouth.


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## Chalklines (Apr 19, 2018)

What new flavor is this kool-aid again?


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## Toch (Apr 19, 2018)

outside! said:


> It seems to me that they just renamed CRL and broke it into smaller pieces to reduce travel. If it does reduce travel, that would be a good thing.


First they assassinated and watered down FWRL in  the name of $$$$


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## GKDad65 (Apr 19, 2018)

But this is for the "really" elite teams/clubs.  The SUPER academy teams.
How about a DA Champions League!!!  For only the TOP non-MLS clubs that 
need to generate even MORE money.


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## MWN (Apr 19, 2018)

GKDad65 said:


> But this is for the "really" elite teams/clubs.  The SUPER academy teams.
> How about a DA Champions League!!!  For only the TOP non-MLS clubs that
> need to generate even MORE money.


This is a US Youth Soccer initiative that consolidates the Regional Leagues, Development Academy teams are not affiliated with US Youth Soccer.  The TOP non-MLS clubs that need to generate more money do it on the backs of their Flight 3-1 teams.


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## Mystery Train (Apr 19, 2018)

I've been working on a graphic flow chart for youth soccer organizations in the US of my own.


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## Toch (Apr 19, 2018)

MakeAPlay said:


> You are a 909er and you are talking $hit about San Francisco?  You are a piece of crap did you know that?


Wow! Someone’s feelings got hurt


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## Desert Hound (Apr 19, 2018)

Mystery Train said:


> I've been working on a graphic flow chart for youth soccer organizations in the US of my own.


That is the best post of the day!


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## espola (Apr 19, 2018)

MWN said:


> FIRST, let's get our bearings and understand where everybody is in the "Grand Scheme."


Some clubs also have rec teams not under AYSO umbrella, and older rec teams sometimes compete in State Cup after, for example, competing in Presidio A circuits (if they still have those).


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## MWN (Apr 19, 2018)

espola said:


> Some clubs also have rec teams not under AYSO umbrella, and older rec teams sometimes compete in State Cup after, for example, competing in Presidio A circuits (if they still have those).


I tried to simplify it by ignoring the miscellaneous recreational leagues, the Cal South signature League, the tops program, Etc.

For 99% of the folks that are trying to get their bearings with respect to where everything sits, they're in the competitive soccer programs.


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## zebrafish (Apr 19, 2018)

The fundamental pathway is unchanged...


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## gkparent (Apr 19, 2018)

MWN said:


> @timbuck,
> 
> The typical path to the National President's Cup or the National Championship Cup looks like this:


Thank you!


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## B.B. (Apr 19, 2018)

Desert Hound said:


> That is the best post of the day!


Best post of the month!


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## Mystery Train (May 14, 2018)

MWN said:


> @timbuck,
> 
> The typical path to the National President's Cup or the National Championship Cup looks like this:


Questions for ya:  If a team wins a place in the USYS National Championships via National League, but also wins Cal South's National Cup, what happens?  Does that team get to skip the Far West regionals if they want?  Or do they automatically have to skip it or have to go?  In the case they win both but don't go to the Far West regionals, who takes their spot?


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## mirage (May 14, 2018)

Mystery Train said:


> Questions for ya:  If a team wins a place in the USYS National Championships via National League, but also wins Cal South's National Cup, what happens?  Does that team get to skip the Far West regionals if they want?  Or do they automatically have to skip it or have to go?  In the case they win both but don't go to the Far West regionals, who takes their spot?


If the winner of CalSouth NC is a NL qualifier for this year's NC Finals or the CRL winner, then the loser of the CalSouth NC goes to FWR.

If the finalists in the CalSouth NC is a NL qualifier and CRL winner, then they have a tie breaker rules to determine which semi finalist will represent CalSouth in FWR.


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## Mystery Train (May 14, 2018)

mirage said:


> If the winner of CalSouth NC is a NL qualifier for this year's NC Finals or the CRL winner, then the loser of the CalSouth NC goes to FWR.
> 
> If the finalists in the CalSouth NC is a NL qualifier and CRL winner, then they have a tie breaker rules to determine which semi finalist will represent CalSouth in FWR.


Got it, thanks. So as I understand it, only one team represents CalSouth in FWR, but there can be multiple CalSouth teams at the National Championships, correct?


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## CaliKlines (May 14, 2018)

Mystery Train said:


> Got it, thanks. So as I understand it, only one team represents CalSouth in FWR, but there can be multiple CalSouth teams at the National Championships, correct?


Yes, there can be multiple teams. In 2015, my daughter's team went, along with Albion and Carlsbad Elite. Same 3 teams in the final 8 again in 2016. However, in 2017, it was just our team from CalSouth.


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## outside! (May 14, 2018)

mirage said:


> If the winner of CalSouth NC is a NL qualifier for this year's NC Finals or the CRL winner, then the loser of the CalSouth NC goes to FWR.
> 
> If the finalists in the CalSouth NC is a NL qualifier and CRL winner, then they have a tie breaker rules to determine which semi finalist will represent CalSouth in FWR.


Kind of. The winner of CalSouth NatCup can go to FWR if they choose to, even if they are already qualified through National League. DD's team faced this situation two times. The first time they chose to skip FWR. Since league play was over, they had problems finding teams to play to help prepare for the National Championships. The second time, they chose to go to FWR in order to be better prepared for the National Championships. It worked.


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## soccermama213 (May 17, 2018)

Cal south sends 2 teams to FWR - CRL winner and NC winner (or runner up if CRL/NC winner is the same) unless the CRL winner isn’t technically called a cal south team but it shows up that way on scheduled once there


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## LASTMAN14 (May 17, 2018)

soccermama213 said:


> Cal south sends 2 teams to FWR - CRL winner and NC winner (or runner up if CRL/NC winner is the same) unless the CRL winner isn’t technically called a cal south team but it shows up that way on scheduled once there


Or if Nor Cal is unable to send a team.


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