USL News Release
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Tampa, Fla. - United Soccer Leagues released the U12 age group qualification allotments today for the 2012 Super Y-League North American Finals presented by Umbro. The 2012 SYL season marks the second year of the U12 age group’s inclusion. A total of 12 boys’ teams and eight girls’ teams from the Mid Atlantic, Midwest, South Atlantic, and Southeast divisions will meet at IMG Academies in Bradenton, Florida, from December 7-11 to compete for the Super Y-League championship.
The Cleveland Internationals claimed the 2011 U12 title, and the club is once again hoping to send one of the two teams that will advance out of the Midwest Division. The South Atlantic Division will also receive two bids for the Finals. The Mid Atlantic Division, with 14 teams, will send five teams, while three Southeast Division teams will be included.
Each of the four U12 Girls divisions will receive two bids for the Finals, as a total of eight teams will participate at IMG Academies. The Long Island Rough Riders of the Mid Atlantic Division won last year’s championship, defeating the Richmond Kickers 2-0 in the championship game.
IMG Academies, a division of IMG Worldwide, the global sports, fashion and media company, is the world’s largest and most advanced multi-sport training and education complex. 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.
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.
The remaining bid allocations for the U13-U17 age groups will be released during the next two weeks.
| Boys | |
| Division | Bids |
| Mid Atlantic | 5 |
| Southeast | 3 |
| South Atlantic | 2 |
| Midwest | 2 |
| Total | 12 |
| Girls | |
| Division | Bids |
| Mid Atlantic | 2 |
| Southeast | 2 |
| South Atlantic | 2 |
| Midwest | 2 |
| Total | 8 |