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USYS Jul 15, 2022

US Youth Soccer National Championships 2022 Preview

The 2022 US Youth Soccer National Championships will take place July 19-24 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla. The field of 200 teams competing at Nationals will include 182 sides from the USYS National League.

Continue reading to get some background on the teams and see how they have performed during the course of this youth soccer season. To view US Youth Soccer’s live streaming schedule, click here.

WHERE THE TEAMS COME FROM

The National League teams competing at the National Championships represent 12 different National League Conferences and 35 different USYS State Associations. The below lists indicates the number of teams that come from each conference.

48 – Midwest
25 – Great Lakes
23 – Mid Atlantic
16 – North Atlantic
13 – Frontier
11 – Desert
10 – Northwest
10 – Sunshine
– Mid South
– South Atlantic
– New England
1 – Piedmont
  • 177 of the 200 teams at the National Championships played in one of the 13 National League Conferences
  • 37 of 56 Regional Champions (66%) played in one of the 13 National League Conferences

TEAMS BY CONFERENCE PERFORMANCE

National League Conference depth on display: Among all teams playing at Nationals that also competed in the National League Conferences, many finished their conference season in first place. But the numbers below will show that National Championship qualifiers can come from any position in the conference standings.

National League Conference Finishes

76 – first place
45 – second place
20 – third place
16 – fourth place
– fifth place
– sixth place
– seventh place
1 – 10th place
  • USYS Regional Champions averaged a top-two finish (1.95) in their National League Conference standings

NATIONAL LEAGUE P.R.O. KEY STATS

  • 160 teams from National League P.R.O. are competing the 14U-19U age groups at Nationals, making up 83% of teams in those age groups
  • 54% of USYS Regional Championship reps at Nationals played in National League P.R.O.
  • USYS Regional Champions who also played in National League P.R.O. averaged a 3rd place finish (3.31) in National League P.R.O.
  • 30 teams that qualified for Nationals via National League P.R.O. also advanced to at least the semifinals of their respective Regional Championship.
  • 10 teams that qualified for Nationals via National League P.R.O. also advanced to the finals of their respective Regional Championship
  • Eight teams that qualified for Nationals via National League P.R.O. also won their respective Regional Championship

DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

Four of the attending National League teams are aiming to defend National Championships that they won in 2021*.

In the 19U Boys age group, Kingdom SC 03 Red (MI) will compete for the storied James P. McGuire Cup with a target on its back as the defending champion for the 03 Boys. It will be a role reversal for the Michigan side, as it acted as a challenger last year when it knocked off a two-time defending champion to secure the National title.

The first of three girls’ sides looking to repeat as National Champions is 14U Girls Team Boca 08 White (FL). The Florida side won the 13U Girls title last season — capping its title run with a dramatic PK shootout in the final. After winning the Sunshine Conference, National League P.R.O. group and the USYS Southern Regional Championships, Team Boca looks primed for another run at the National Championship.

In the 18U Girls age group, Penn FC Youth 2004 Lightning (PA-E) returns to Nationals looking to defend its title from last season. After several tight games in group play and the semifinals, Penn FC put in its best all-around performance to secure to 2-0 victory in the final to claim the 2021 National title. It will aim to repeat that endurance and high level of play this year in Orlando.

With several players that helped Impact MN (UT) to the National Championship last season, 19U Girls Utah Celtic G03 (UT) is looking to wrap up the youth soccer careers of its athletes by having many walk away as two-time champions. With first-place finishes in both the Desert Conference and National League P.R.O., Celtic has shown it has the experience and ability to finish on top in any competition.

*While each team’s club claimed titles in the specific age groups listed, player turnover from year to year may have resulted in this season’s teams having a differing roster compared to those teams that won in 2021.

FORM GUIDE

Here, we are highlighting teams going to Nationals that secured first-place finishes in both their National League Conference and National League P.R.O. during the 2021-22 season. Based on their consistent high-level performances during this season, it would not be surprising to see any of these teams make a run at the National Championship.

A select group of four teams not only finished on top in their conference and National League P.R.O., but are also heading to Orlando fresh off winning their respective USYS Regional Championship.

First place in Conference, National League P.R.O. and Regionals

Age Group Team Conference
14U Boys Las Vegas Diversity FC 08 NL (NV) Desert
17U Boys FC Evolution N B05 (OH) Great Lakes
14U Girls SABR Team Boca 08 White (FL) Sunshine
16U Girls Chicago Inter 2006 Red (IL) Midwest

Another four teams came one game away from matching the above accomplishments, as they topped their conference and National League P.R.O. standings before advancing to the final match at Regionals.

First place in Conference & National League P.R.O., and Regional Finalist

Age Group Team Conference
15U Boys United PDX 07B Premier Black (OR) Northwest
18U Boys CUP 04 Gold (OH) Great Lakes
15U Girls GTFC Impact Girls 07 Premier (OH) Great Lakes
15U Girls Idaho Rush 07 Premier (ID) Northwest

The teams below each finished in first place in both their conference and National League P.R.O.

First place in Conference & National League P.R.O.

Age Group Team Conference
14U Boys YMS 2008 Boys Celtic NL (PA-E) Mid Atlantic
15U Boys La Roca J Milla (UT) Desert
16U Boys Arsenal FC of Pittsburgh 06B Premier (PA-W) Great Lakes
16U Boys JB Marine Academy McKeon (MO) Midwest
17U Boys LVSA 05 Boys Red (NV) Desert
17U Boys Phila Ukrainian Nationals 05B Black (PA-E) Mid Atlantic
18U Boys PDA Hibernian Modric 2004 (NJ) Mid Atlantic
18U Boys FC Somers Arsenal P (NY-E) North Atlantic
18U Boys LI Slammers B04 Maroon (NY-E) North Atlantic
18U Boys United PDX 04B Premier Black (OR) Northwest
19U Boys Nationals Union 03 Boys Black (MI) Great Lakes
19U Boys STA-MOSC 2003 NL (NJ) Mid Atlantic
19U Boys CASA 03M United (PA-E) South Atlantic
14U Girls Galaxy 2008 Girls Blue (IL) Midwest
14U Girls New England Surf State Navy (MA) New England
15U Girls *Solar South 07G FDL Adames (TX-N) Frontier
16U Girls FC Copa Academy G06 Black (NJ) North Atlantic
16U Girls *Libertyville FC 1974 Elite 06G (IL) Midwest
17U Girls *Chicago Inter 2005 Red (IL) Midwest
18U Girls Kings Hammer Academy North 2004G Red (OH) Great Lakes
18U Girls Galaxy SC 2004 Blue (IL) Midwest
18U Girls SDA 04 Blasters (NY-E) North Atlantic
19U Girls Utah Celtic G03 (UT) Desert

*Advanced to the semifinals of their USYS Regional Championships

These teams finished on top of their National League Conference and finished in a top-two position within their National League P.R.O. group.

Age Group Team Conference
15U Boys Michigan Tigers FC 07 Gold (MI) Great Lakes
15U Boys SC Vistula Garfield 07 Lewandowski (NJ) Mid Atlantic
16U Boys CUP 06 Gold (OH) Great Lakes
16U Boys FC Westlake 06B Elite (TX-S) Frontier
16U Boys LV Pros 06B (NV) Desert
17U Boys 2Chicago FC United 2005 Pre-Academy Red (IL) Midwest
17U Boys 3MSC Academy 05 (IL) Midwest
18U Boys 2Germantown Legends 04 Black NL (TN) Mid South
18U Boys 3Houston Legends 04B NLFC (TX-S) Frontier
17U Girls 1Avalanche 05 Black DW (UT) Desert
14U Girls GTFC Impact Girls 08 Premier (OH) Great Lakes
14U Girls Solar South 08G FDL Adames (TX-N) Frontier
15U Girls 307 Lady Lobos Rush Premier (TN) Mid South
16U Girls CUP 06G Gold (OH) Great Lakes
17U Girls LFA Tottleben 2005G (MO) Midwest
17U Girls NJ Nationals FC 05G (NJ) Mid Atlantic
18U Girls 1SABR Team Boca 04 White (FL) Sunshine
18U Girls DKSC 04G Voutier FDL (TX-N) Frontier
18U Girls Team Chicago SC 2004 Elite (IL) Midwest
19U Girls Strikers FV 03/04 Premier (IL) Midwest

1Regional Champion
2Regional Finalist
3Regional Semifinalist

These teams finished on top of their National League P.R.O. group and finished in a top-two position within their National League Conference.

Age Group Team Conference
14U Boys Juventus Pogba 08 (FL) Sunshine
15U Boys Madison 56ers 2007 Boys Red (WI) Midwest
15U Boys Azzurri Storm 07 Boys Premier (FL) Sunshine
16U Boys KC Athletics Academy Elite 06B Galacticos (KS) Midwest
16U Boys West Pines United FC 2006B Ezzy (FL) Sunshine
17U Boys BVB Intl Academy Pittsburgh 05B Premier (PA-W) Great Lakes
19U Boys FC Dallas Premier 03B (TX-N) Frontier
15U Girls Dynamite 2007G (NJ) Mid Atlantic
15U Girls 1Wasatch SC 07G ZB (UT) Northwest
16U Girls RUSA FC G06 Gold (NJ) Mid Atlantic
17U Girls DKSC 05G Weir FDL (TX-N) Frontier

1Regional Champion