Schedule announced for US Youth Soccer National League Fall Showcase
Girls teams kick off year-long competition Dec. 3-6 in Wilson, N.C. and Rocky Mount, N.C.
Boys season starts Dec. 10-13 in Wilson, N.C. and Rocky Mount, N.C.
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FRISCO, Texas (Via US Youth Soccer) — The schedule has been announced for the opening weekend of the 2015-16 US Youth Soccer National League season, as the Girls will gather Dec. 3-6 in Wilson, N.C. The National League Boys teams will kick off the following week, Dec. 10-13.
The two weekends in North Carolina will feature all 80 girls and 80 boys teams, respectively, creating another significant opportunity for the nation’s collegiate, professional and national team coaches to see National League players in an environment of meaningful play.
The games in North Carolina will be played at the Wilson Gillette Soccer Complex and Rocky Mount Sports Complex.
+Read: Field of 160 teams announced for 2015-16 US Youth Soccer National League
The National League features the top 160 US Youth Soccer teams in the Under-14 through Under-18 Boys and Girls age groups. With 16 teams divided into two divisions per age group, each team has had to earn its place in the league through success in US Youth Soccer Regional Leagues and National Championship Series play. Teams automatically qualify for the National League by finishing in the top two of their division the previous year, through success in their respective US Youth Soccer Regional League or by winning their respective US Youth Soccer Regional Championship.
The National League provides a pathway for four teams per gender age group to qualify for the US Youth Soccer National Championships, sending the top two finishers in each division of the Under-14 through Under-18 Boys and Girls age groups to compete for the National title. The four National League representatives will join the four regional champions at the 2016 US Youth Soccer National Championships at the Toyota Soccer Center in Frisco, Texas, July 25-31.
The ninth year of National League play is shaping up to be one of the most competitive yet. Several players competing in the 2015-16 National League have already been called into U.S. National Team camps this fall, and the pool of teams includes the following:
Boys
4 National Champions
4 National Finalists
8 National League Division Champions
16 Regional Champions
Girls
4 National Champions
4 National Finalists
5 National League Division Champions
14 Regional Champions
“With each team earning its way into the league, the National League provides the most competitive environment possible with quality play and meaningful games,” said Paul Luchowski, National League commissioner. “In 2014-15, we had 56 National League teams qualify for the National Championships, and eight of a possible 10 titles were won by National League teams. This season, we have 58 teams competing in the league that qualified for last summer’s National Championships, and we feel like 2015-16 will be one of the most competitive seasons to date.”
The National League is an extension of the US Youth Soccer Regional Leagues (US Youth Soccer Region I Champions League, Midwest Regional League, Southern Regional Premier League and Far West Regional League). The National League provides an avenue for teams to play against top competition from across the country for continued development and opportunities for exposure at the national team, collegiate and professional levels.
Since its inception, National League teams have captured a combined 39 of 58 possible National Championships. For a list of past National League champions and history, click here.
After the Boys and Girls opening weekends in North Carolina, the National League will continue the season in December alongside the Disney Soccer Showcase in Orlando, Fla., with the Boys playing Dec. 27-29 and the Girls competing Dec. 31-Jan 2.
