Annual player luncheon to be held at DCU Center
FRISCO, Texas (June 1, 2009) – US Youth Soccer is proud to announce the times for the player luncheon and match schedules for the 2009 US Youth Soccer National Championships to be played July 21-26 at the Citizens Bank Field at Progin Park in Lancaster, Mass.
The annual player luncheon will be held at the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass. The luncheon serves as the kickoff to the weeklong event highlighting the achievements of the players, coaches and staffs and sets the stage for the finals. The national finals will consist of 60 boys and girls teams in the Under-14 through Under-19 age groups.
In 2009, the US Youth Soccer National League expanded from Under-15 and Under-16 to add Under-17 Boys and Girls. The league is an extension of the highly successful regional leagues. The 10 teams, two in each age group, have earned an automatic berth to the national finals from their success in the National League.
The traditional 48 teams will advance through the first two legs of the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series where more than 10,000 teams begin their journey at the US Youth Soccer State Championships. State champions advance to the one of four US Youth Soccer Regional Championships, where 926 teams will compete. The national championship field consists of these regional champions and National League representatives.
US Youth Soccer National Championships kickoff Tuesday, July 21, with the player luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Teams will play round robin matches Wednesday, July 22, through Friday, July 24, to determine who will advance to play for the national title. All round robin match times are scheduled for 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Teams will earn three points for a win, one point for a tie and no points for a loss. The two teams with the most points at the conclusion of Friday's play will advance to play for the national championship on Saturday, July 25 or Sunday, July 26. The Under-14 and Under-15 finals will be held on Saturday with the remaining finals to be played on Sunday.
2009 US Youth Soccer National Championships Game Lineup Schedule*
Tuesday, July 21:
11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.............................................................................. Player luncheon (DCU Center)
Wednesday, July 22:
7:30 a.m.................................................................................................................................... Games
9:30 a.m.................................................................................................................................... Games
11:30 a.m.................................................................................................................................. Games
1:30 p.m.................................................................................................................................... Games
Thursday, July 23:
7:30 a.m.................................................................................................................................... Games
9:30 a.m.................................................................................................................................... Games
11:30 a.m.................................................................................................................................. Games
1:30 p.m.................................................................................................................................... Games
Friday, July 24:
7:30 a.m.................................................................................................................................... Games
9:30 a.m.................................................................................................................................... Games
11:30 a.m.................................................................................................................................. Games
1:30 p.m.................................................................................................................................... Games
Saturday, July 25:
3:30 p.m....................................................................................................................... U14 Boys Finals
3:30 p.m....................................................................................................................... U15 Boys Finals
4:00 p.m........................................................................................................................ U14 Girls Finals
4:00 p.m........................................................................................................................ U15 Girls Finals
Sunday, July 26:
7:30 a.m....................................................................................................................... U18 Boys Finals
7:45 a.m........................................................................................................................ U18 Girls Finals
8:00 a.m....................................................................................................................... U17 Boys Finals
8:15 a.m........................................................................................................................ U17 Girls Finals
8:45 a.m....................................................................................................................... U16 Boys Finals
10:15 a.m...................................................................................................................... U19 Boys Finals
10:30 a.m...................................................................................................................... U16 Girls Finals
10:45 a.m...................................................................................................................... U19 Girls Finals
*Subject to change
The 2009 US Youth Soccer National Championship Series is the country's most prestigious national youth soccer tournament. The event provides over 185,000 players from US Youth Soccer's 55 state associations, the opportunity to showcase their soccer skills against the best competition in the nation while emphasizing teamwork, discipline and fair play. The Series is known as the ultimate destination for the country's collegiate soccer coaches and the future of soccer.
The complete schedule for 2009 US Youth Soccer National Championships will be available when the crowning of the final regional champions takes place after July 8. For complete game scores, stories, standings, video and more for the regional and national finals, visit the online home to the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series,
http://Championships.USYouthSoccer.org.
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About the United States Youth Soccer Association (US Youth Soccer) – US Youth Soccer - "The Game for ALL Kids!
®" is the largest youth sports organization in the country and largest member of the United States Soccer Federation, the governing body of soccer in the United States. US Youth Soccer registers more than 3 million players annually, ages 5 to 19, and over 900,000 administrators, coaches and volunteers in 55 member State Associations. US Youth Soccer programs provide a fun, safe and healthy environment for players at every level of the game. For more information, visit
www.USYouthSoccer.org.
Media Request: When referring to the United States Youth Soccer Association, the largest youth sports organization in the United States, please refer to the association only as US Youth Soccer, and never as USYS or USYSA. We appreciate your cooperation.
About the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series
The US Youth Soccer National Championship Series provides more than 10,000 teams from US Youth Soccer's 55 State Associations the opportunity to showcase their abilities against the best in the nation while emphasizing teamwork, discipline and fair play. The yearlong competition begins with over 185,000 players in the US Youth Soccer State Championships. These champions and selected wildcard teams, through US Youth Soccer Regional Leagues, advance to compete in one of four the US Youth Soccer Regional Championships. Champions (U-14 through U-19) from each regional event advance to the US Youth Soccer National Championships. The Under-15 through 17 Boys and Girls age groups have two teams representative of the US Youth Soccer National League, in which the top two teams in each gender age group earn a direct path to the national championships. Overall the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series provides the nation's top collegiate coaches with the premier stage to identify and scout the most coveted players in the country.
Media Request: When referring to the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series, the most prestigious event in youth sports, please refer to the event as US Youth Soccer National Championship Series on first reference and National Championship Series on anything thereafter. Never refer to as NCS or USYS NCS. We appreciate your cooperation.