Girls Wrap Up Opening Weekend of 2017-18 US Youth Soccer National League Season
The National League brings together some of the best teams in the country, all of which have had to earn their place in the league through success in US Youth Soccer regional and national competition.
Hundreds of collegiate coaches, as well as members of the U.S. Soccer staff, attended the National League matches in North Carolina to scout some of the top talent in the country.
Player evaluation is enhanced by the competitive level and importance of each game, as teams compete for a berth in the National Championships.
Youth Soccer News: After four days of play, the US Youth Soccer National League 14U, 15U, 16U, 17U and 18U Girls have solidified their spots in the standings until half the field meets again at the National League Winter Showcase in Bradenton, Fla., where they will continue competing for a league title and a ticket to the 2018 US Youth Soccer National Championships in Frisco, Texas.
The competition within each age group has been very competitive, and multiple teams are still very much alive for every division title. The first place team’s lead is three points or less in 14 of the 16 divisions, and two divisions have ties at the top of the standings.
Related Article: US Youth Soccer National League Fall Showcase
The 18U Red Division exemplifies just how close the competition can be, as six of the teams picked up two wins and just two points separate first place from sixth. PacNW 00 Maroon (WA) is among those two-win teams, and coach Malia Arrant said picking up points in the standings wasn’t the only positive taken from the week in North Carolina.
“I think getting the win was important, but the biggest thing for us is coming here and playing good teams and getting exposure with the college coaches,” Arrant said.
“The competition has been awesome.”
“We’ve played teams from Virginia, Nebraska and New Jersey”, said Arrant. “We never play those teams, being from Washington. The league is awesome, and it’s a really cool chance to play teams from across the country.”
National League teams earn their place in the league based on a proven track record of success in US Youth Soccer regional and national competitions and are among the nation’s best.
Competing for a league title and a spot in the US Youth Soccer National Championships, each and every game will play into who represents the National League this summer in Frisco, Texas.
The National League is an extension of the highly successful US Youth Soccer Regional Leagues (US Youth Soccer Eastern Regional League, Midwest Regional League, Southern Regional Premier League and Far West Regional League).
The National League provides an avenue for teams to play in meaningful matches against top competition from across the country for continued development and opportunities for exposure at the national team, collegiate and professional levels.
National League Girls action continues when half of the 128 teams meet Jan. 13-15 in Bradenton, Fla., for the National League Winter Showcase, while the remaining 64 squads play March 16-18, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nev., alongside the Players College Showcase.
Complete standings, scores and schedules, including goal scorers and match information, can be found at the results page here. Click on the score of each game for more information.
