US Youth Soccer Regional League Teams Gear up for 2016 Fall Season
The 2016 US Youth Soccer Regional Leagues fall season prepares to hit full swing as more than 1,000 teams gear for a run at the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series. The National League competition is for the nation’s top teams in the Under-15 through Under-19 boys and girls age groups.
Youth Soccer News: Several early matchups have taken place to kick off the 2016 fall season of the US Youth Soccer Regional Leagues, and the action will soon be in full swing across the country as more than 1,000 teams participate in meaningful games to test their development.
The leagues provide an opportunity for the most competitive teams in each region to play each other on a scheduled basis while also competing for placement in the prestigious US Youth Soccer Regional Championships, as well as the highly-competitive US Youth Soccer National League. The meaningful competition provides a stage for players to compete in front of college coaches to continue their soccer careers at the next level.
In Region IV, the US Youth Soccer Far West Regional League (FWRL), featuring play in the Under-13 through Under-19 age groups, got underway in August as the first games in the California Regional League took place. The remaining FWRL subdivisions, the Northwest Division and the Desert Premier League, are set to begin their seasons on Sept. 10 and Sept. 16, respectively.
In Region III, the US Youth Soccer Southern Regional Premier League (SRPL) 2016 fall season features Under-15 through Under-19 boys and girls teams — a total of 396 teams competing in 1,919 games. This year marks the second SRPL season with the current format of two divisions — East and West. After kicking off this past weekend, the SRPL East will continue play Sept. 3-5, with teams competing in Greenville, S.C., Plant City, Fla., and Nashville, Tenn. The SRPL West will also continue play Sept. 3-5, as teams play in Tulsa, Okla., and San Marcos, Texas. The SRPL will hold its competition for the Under-14 age group in the spring.
In Region II, the US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional League (MRL) began play in August and will continue with games through November. During fall play, nearly 500 teams will compete in the MRL in the Under-14 through Under-19 Girls age groups, as well as the Under-14 Boys age group. All fall season Premier I and Premier 2 girls teams in the Under-15 through Under-18 age groups will compete in the inaugural MRL Girls Showcase weekend, Oct. 8-10 in Rockford, Ill. Overall, the MRL features play for the Under-14 through Under-19 age groups for boys and girls teams, and the gender age groups not playing in the fall will hold their competition in the 2017 spring season.
The entirety of the US Youth Soccer Eastern Regional League (ERL) season will take place in the spring of 2017. The registration deadline for teams to apply for the ERL is Oct. 10, 2016, and play is scheduled to begin on Feb. 1, 2017.
Following the spring season, Regional League qualifiers will move on to their respective US Youth Soccer Regional Championships, the second stage of the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series, with hopes of advancing to the US Youth Soccer National Championships, the oldest and most prestigious national soccer tournament in the country.
Additionally, the top teams in the 2016-17 Regional League competitions earn qualification for next year’s US Youth Soccer National League. This season, the National League features an expanded field of teams in the Under-16 through Under-18 age groups — creating further opportunities for Regional League teams to earn their place in the league.
The National League offers additional exposure to collegiate, professional and U.S. National Team coaches and provides teams with the highest level of competition in the country as each side must earn its place in the league. In each gender age group, the top teams advance to the US Youth Soccer National Championships. The 2017 National Championships will take place July 25-30, 2017 in Frisco, Texas.
Source/Photo Credit: US Youth Soccer
