USL News Release
Thursday, May 10, 2012
TAMPA, Fla. – United Soccer Leagues has entered into a three-year agreement with IMG Academies in Bradenton, Florida that will see the Super Y-League and Super-20 League North American Finals hosted at the world’s largest and most advanced multi-sport training and education complex.
With the professional facilities at IMG Academies - home to the U.S. U17 Residency Program - among the finest in the nation, both elite youth events will gain an even greater prominence on the national soccer landscape. The new location will also further enhance the overall experience for the players, coaches, college and international scouts and parents who make the events an annual success. Close to 100 men’s and women’s college soccer coaches, as well as U.S. Soccer National Team scouts, attended the 2011 SYL North American Finals in Tampa. Participants also have the opportunity to be identified for the SYL ODP National Camps at IMG.
“As two of the premier competitions on the youth soccer calendar each and every year, the Super Y-League and Super-20 League North American Finals will take another major step forward by offering their teams the world-class playing fields and facilities at IMG Academies,” USL CEO Alec Papadakis said. “By partnering with such an experienced and internationally respected sports organization, USL will be able to provide a comprehensive event experience for players, coaches, referees, college scouts, and fans on par with the best in the country.
“The relocation of these two showcase events to IMG is just one of the numerous youth development and competition initiatives USL will be launching in the months ahead to redefine the pathway for total elite players and coaches.”
IMG Academies has already hosted a myriad of soccer team training camps in 2012, including clubs such as the Seattle Sounders, D.C. United, Columbus Crew, Sweden’s Malmö FF, and, most recently, the U.S. Women’s National Team preparing for the London Olympic Games.
“We couldn’t be more excited to host two of North American soccer’s most-acclaimed events – the USL Super Y- and Super-20 League North American Finals – here at IMG,” said Scott Dean, director of IMG’s soccer program. “We look forward to working with USL, the largest and most respected organization of elite soccer leagues in North America, to host these and many more events in the future. We are also looking forward to attracting thousands of talented players, coaches and families from across the country to our local community.”
The 2012 Super-20 League North American Finals will take place July 19-22, and the 2012 Super Y-League North American Finals are set for December 7-11. This year, 24 division-winning U20 men’s and women’s teams will convene at IMG to battle for the Super-20 national title, while more than 130 U12 to U17 boys’ and girls’ teams will qualify from their respective regions and compete for national titles in the Super Y event.
In its 14th consecutive year, the SYL North American Finals has helped launched the careers of many notable U.S. soccer stars such as Jozy Altidore and 2010 Gatorade National High School Player of the Year Mollie Pathman.
With 130 teams competing, the total daily attendance for December’s Super Y-League North American Finals is expected to exceed 15,000, and fill more than 7,000 hotel rooms in Manatee and Sarasota Counties. Earlier this year, IMG hosted the USL Super Y-League Olympic Development Program (ODP) National Camps for boys and girls, as well as the USL PRO Combine.
For more than 30 years, IMG Academies has helped countless youth, adult, collegiate and professional athletes reach their full potential in and out of sport, by providing world-class coaching, tailored programs and professional facilities within an energetic environment across a 450-acre campus.
Today the Bradenton, Fla.-based campus attracts 30,000 athletes from nearly 100 countries annually. IMG Academies offers youth camp and academy programs in baseball, basketball, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer and tennis, in addition to training opportunities for professional athletes, teams and leagues. IMG also runs a series of events on its campus and throughout the country on an annual basis.
About the Super Y-League
Founded in 1999, the Super Y-League is dedicated to the progression of future professionals and is the premier league for 12-17-year-old players. Affiliated with U.S. Soccer, the Super Y-League ODP Program has opened countless doors for players to be identified for U.S. National Team Programs. The Super Y-League contains the youth academies of Major League Soccer clubs, USL PRO clubs, the Premier Development League and W-League clubs. The league also serves clubs looking to develop the game from the ground up.
About the Super-20 League
As the longest standing and most sophisticated U20 men’s and women’s North American amateur league, the Super-20 League provides the platform for top 17- to 20-year-olds in the United States and Canada to compete at the elite level. While serving as a reserve team system for many W-League and PDL teams, the USL Super-20 League features teams competing in regional divisions, consisting of 8-10 regular season matches throughout the summer months.