Changing the Youth Soccer Competitive Landscape
Youth Soccer: A Labyrinth of Problems
The current youth soccer market is a labyrinth of different leagues, sanctioning
organizations, and clubs – all claiming different places with the competition
hierarchy … a PROBLEM for new players and parents to understand.
Many of the existing competition platforms feature far too many games, too many
games without adequate competition levels, and allow too few training
opportunities … a PROBLEM for developing players.
Many of the existing major national competitions are played in a cup format,
emphasizing a “one and done” mentality … a PROBLEM for creating positive playing
styles.
A Start to Solving Problems:
US Club Soccer’s 10-Year Vision
US Club Soccer’s 10-Year Vision articulates, among others, the following principles:
Clubs and their leadership should be the primary decision makers in the structure
and organization of youth soccer.
Local leagues should form the basis of a club’s 12-month competitive calendar.
Leagues should include player identification and development programs - US
Club Soccer’s id2 Program and Player Development Programs (PDPs).
A Start to Solving Problems:
US Club Soccer’s 10-Year Vision
Provide an encompassing National Premier Leagues system, representing the
highest level of competition in a given area, in order to:
 Provide leadership in raising the standards and expectations for clubs and
coaches.
 Provide a vehicle for clubs and technical leaders to work together to elevate
the game and the player development environment.
2012-13 Development Initiatives
For the 2012-13 season, US Club Soccer has launched three significant initiatives to
execute on the 10-Year Vision:
1) The launch and build-out of the National Premier Leagues (NPLs), including the
inaugural NPL Champions Cup. The NPLs provide the highest level of
competition in given geographic areas, and will include additional programming
to elevate the standards of the youth game.
2) The integration of NPL competition into all US Club Soccer national competitions
to provide meaningful year-long competition with more opportunity for all
players.
3) The launch and build-out of id2 Player Development Programs (PDPs) integrated
within every NPL.
A Simple Solution
After reviewing the existing American youth soccer landscape, and US Club Soccer’s
own competition platforms within it, US Club Soccer determined to restructure its
competition platforms with several specific goals:
 Create a league-driven platform based on improved technical and developmental
principles;
 Empower technical leaders within clubs to make decisions on structure of leagues
and programs;
 Integrate local and national competitions in a meaningful way;
 Integrate player identification and development programs into league
competitions to eliminate additional cost and burden on players; and
 Provide clarity for players, parents, coaches and clubs.
NPL Mission Statement
National Premier Leagues are created to provide a national competitive
developmental platform:
• (i) focused on long-term player development;
• (ii) for the country’s top soccer clubs, allowing consistent, meaningful highlevel games appropriately scheduled with higher training-to-game ratios;
• (iii) that allows players to be scouted and evaluated by U.S. Soccer National
Staff and Technical Advisors;
• (iv) that is designed and structured by the clubs, based on the needs of the
clubs;
• (v) using international rules of competition; and
• (vi) that provides an avenue for qualification for the NPL Champions Cup.
NPL Basic Structure
The competition format of every NPL is different depending on the needs and
demands of the geographic area, and the size and quality of the player pool.
However, there are several fundamental requirements of every NPL:
 The best clubs in the area
 A meaningful league structure of home and away games
 No re-entry in a half at U-13 to U-15, and no re-entry in a game at U-16
and above
 One game per day; daily roster changes possible
 Minimum training frequency and participation expectations consistent
with U.S. Soccer technical guidelines
 An Advisory Committee of participating Directors of Coaching
 A US Club Soccer Player Development Program incorporated into the
league as part of the id2 Program
NPL Membership: Minimum Standards
NPL membership is conditioned on achieving and maintaining minimum standards in
multiple technical and administrative areas, many of which mirror that of the U.S. Soccer
Development Academy. Clubs seeking to join the NPL must meet these standards.
 The standards do include competitive performance at some level, but they are not
solely based on competition.
 The standards are club-based, not team-based.
Member clubs of the NPL will be held to minimum standards in the following areas:
 Coaching Licensing and Continuing Education
 Training frequencies and Developmental Curriculum
 Administrative Support and Resources
 Facilities
 Players Developed for Higher Levels
Current National Premier Leagues
Florida Premier League
Gulf States Premier League
Midwest Developmental
League
NPL Division of
New York Club Soccer League
NPL Division of
Nor Cal Premier League
Northeast Pre-Academy
League
NPL Division of Northern
Illinois Soccer League
NPL Division of
Oregon Premier League
Southeast Pre-Academy
League
Southern California National
Premier League
Texas Pre-Academy League
New England Premier League
NPL Footprint
2012-13 Structure and Qualification
NPL Champions Cup:
Structure
The NPL Champions Cup features qualifiers from every NPL across the country in a
true “champions league” competition.
The NPL Champions Cup consists of 16 teams at each age group, from U-13 to U-18,
in the following competition structure:
• Teams are seeded 1 – 16 based on qualification procedure and geography
• Teams will play 4 matches over 5 days to determine a champion (round of 16
game, quarterfinal, semifinal, final).
• A consolation bracket is provided.
NPL Champions Cup:
Qualification Process
The qualification path for the NPL Champions Cup is different for every NPL, but it is
always founded on meaningful league-based competition:
• Automatic Berth Regular-Season Qualifiers: Final regular season standings
determine the qualifier.
• Playoff Berth Postseason Qualifiers: A postseason playoff determines qualifier.
• Play-In Berth Qualifiers: Qualifiers from one NPL participate in play-in games
against qualifiers from another NPL to determine the NPL Champions Cup qualifier.
• Wild Card Berth Qualifiers: Selected NPLs receive additional qualifiers based on the
size and strength of the league.
NPL Champions Cup:
Annual Qualification Process Evaluation
The NPL Competition Committee, which includes one representative from every NPL,
will make recommendations regarding the NPL Champions Cup qualification process
for each NPL based on each league’s relative size and strength.
These recommendations will include:
• Direct berths in the NPL Champions Cup
• Play-in berths in the NPL Champions Cup
• Placement of NPL finalists in US Club Soccer’s National Cup Finals
This annual evaluation process will allow continued growth of NPLs across the
country while maintaining competitive balance both within every NPL and in the NPL
Champions Cup.
NPL Champions Cup:
Overview
NPL
Champions • All NPL Champions Cup qualifiers
Cup
NPL
Postseason
Playoffs
NPL Regular-Season
Competition
• Playoff competition between qualifying teams
from divisions within the same NPL to determine
playoff berth qualifiers
• Play-in competition between teams from different
NPLs to determine play-in berth qualifiers
• All NPL teams compete to
determine final regular-season
standings and automatic berth
qualifiers
US Club Soccer’s National Competitions
US Club Soccer offers a hierarchy of championships for teams and clubs
across the country.
The most prestigious championship under US Club Soccer, the NPL
Champions Cup, is for the elite youth soccer clubs across the country, and
is based on results of National Premier League competitions held
throughout the year, culminating in the crowning of the NPL National
Champions.
US Club Soccer’s National Cup is for any US Club Soccer-registered team in
the country (from inside or outside the National Premier Leagues, to
crown US Club Soccer’s National Cup champions. Within the National
Cup, there are two levels of competition.
US Club Soccer’s National Cup Finals:
Structure
The National Cup is a competition open to any team registered with US Club
Soccer.
Teams will advance to the National Cup Finals through one of two paths:
• NPL qualification
• Winners of National Cup Regionals
US Club Soccer’s National Cup Finals will ultimately consist of 16 teams at
each age group, from U-13 to U-18, and will be structured as follows:
• Teams will be seeded 1 – 16 based on qualification procedure.
• Teams will be play 4 matches over 5 days to determine a champion (Round of 16
game, quarterfinal, semifinal, final).
• A consolation bracket is provided.
2012 National Cup Finals:
Winners of National Cup Regionals
In 2012, champions from the following six National Cup Regionals in
the U-13 through U-17 boys and girls age groups in two competitive
divisions will qualify for the National Cup Finals:
•
•
•
•
•
•
National Cup – West Regional
National Cup – Northwest Regional
National Cup – Midwest Regional
National Cup – Northeast Regional
National Cup – Mid-Atlantic Regional
National Cup – Southeast Regional
The 2012 National Cup Finals will be held July 27-30 outside Chicago
(Waukegan, IL)
2012-13 National Cup Finals:
NPL Automatic Qualifiers
Beginning in the 2012-13 season, teams from specific National Premier Leagues will
receive automatic berths into US Club Soccer’s National Cup Finals.
These spots will be awarded to individual NPLs based upon the overall depth and
competitiveness of the league.
Qualifying teams will either be finalists or third-place finishers in their respective
NPL.
2012-13: Full Integration of
Leagues & National Competitions
Based on the recommendations of the NPL Competition Committee, NPLs will
receive varying numbers of berths into US Club Soccer’s two national competitions.
For example:
• NPL 1
• Champion: NPL Champions Cup Qualifier (automatic berth)
• Finalist: NPL Champions Cup (wild card)
• Third Place – National Cup Finals Qualifier (automatic berth)
• NPL 2
• Champion: NPL Champions Cup Qualifier (postseason playoff berth)
• Finalist: National Cup Finals Qualifier (automatic berth)
• NPL 3 and NPL 4
• Champion: NPL Champions Cup Qualifier (play-in winner – play-in berth)
• Finalist: National Cup-Finals Qualifier (play-in loser – automatic berth)
US Club Soccer’s id2 Program
Mission: To provide a comprehensive national scouting, identification, and
development program for elite youth soccer players throughout the country to be
identified and developed for inclusion in U.S. Soccer’s National Team programs.
The id2 Program is:
 CLUB-BASED – clubs have the largest impact on player development, and club coaches
and club competitions must be an integral part of an elite player identification and
development program.
 SCOUTING-BASED – the most efficient way to identify elite players is first by identifying
them within the environment they are most comfortable.
 NOT FEE-BASED – elite players should not be charged additional fees for the
opportunity to be identified for elite programming.
Foundational Principles of id2 Program
 The id2 Program is open to all players regardless of U.S. Soccer affiliation, or lack
thereof.
 Players are initially scouted within the environment they are most comfortable –
their club training and competition environment. Clubs have the largest impact
on player development, and club coaches and club competitions must be an
integral part of the id2 Program.
 Players are rated and evaluated for inclusion in identification programs based on
a combination of: (i) objective and independent scouting information; and (ii)
information from the player’s regular trainers and coaches.
 There is zero or very little cost to players for participating in the id2 Program .
 The id2 Program does not create significant additional demands on the calendar
of the elite player.
Id2 Program Process
Initial Evaluation
Teams
Selected Teams
• Players Grouped by Position
• Teams Randomly Formed
• Players Grouped by Ability
• Teams Formed by Position
National
Selection
International
Tours
Training Camps (see
breakout)
Evaluation and Confirmation of
Scouted Players
Club-Based Scouting and
Recommendations
Market-Based
Scouting
Event-Based
Scouting
General
Recommendations
Player Development Programs (PDPs)
Player Development Programs (PDPs) are sub-programs within US Club Soccer’s id2
Program designed to identify the top players in each NPL in specific age groups.
PDPs are created through scouting and coaching references within each NPL.
Each PDP includes:
 Two 11 vs. 11 games (one Saturday & one Sunday) scouted by U.S. Soccer
Technical Staff
 One presentation to participants from U.S. Soccer Technical Staff (or other
technical leader)
 Training gear for participants
 Operated and managed by US Club Soccer staff
A Pyramid of Integrated
Identification
Every NPL will have a PDP integrated within the league on a non-exclusive
basis in which players are scouted throughout the season and recommended
by participating coaches.
PDPs provide several benefits to players: (i) recognition; (ii) developmental
opportunity, and (iii) an opportunity for further scouting and identification
for the id2 National Camps.
The id2 Program National Camps provide a tremendous avenue for
evaluation and consideration in U.S. Soccer National Teams.
The End Game
US Club Soccer was founded to improve the player development
experience by working with youth soccer clubs to create better
competition platforms and more efficient identification programs.
The 2012-13 season marks a significant step forward in this goal by
the complete integration of league competition, national
competition, and player identification programs.
The continued growth of the NPL, the id2 Program, and US Club
Soccer clubs will help to improve the landscape for player
development in the United States.
Questions & Answers