USL News Release - www.uslsoccer.com
Thursday, April 14, 2011
TAMPA, FLA. - The USL Super Y-League has a little bit of a different look for the 2011 season. The league hasn’t become any less competitive or stopped developing some of North America’s best soccer talent, but it has added a U12 division for 2011.
"The addition of the U12 age group offers member clubs an outlet for their U12 teams who are increasingly competing on a regional basis through tournament play and in other programs," Senior Director of Youth League Development Brian D’Amico said. "By offering a U12 age group in the SYL, we will give the younger players who already train at a competitive level, the opportunity to compete against other competitive clubs within our league."
Super Y-League has added U12 boys and girls, and each will have South Atlantic, Mid Atlantic, Southeast, and Midwest divisions in their inaugural season. Super Y-League stalwarts such as the New Jersey Stallions, TSF Academy, FASA, and the Northern Virginia Royals/Majestics are just some of the clubs that have entered the division in its inagural season. More than 55 U12 teams will compete throughout the regular season for the right to attend the Super Y-League North American Finals presented by Umbro.
Traditionally, the U12 age group is where young players begin to transition into full field 11v11 soccer and Super Y-League competition is aiming to be the perfect gateway to the next level in players’ development.
"In terms of the excitement level from the clubs, all the clubs are thrilled to expose their players to the elite competition within the Super Y-League and this age group serves as an excellent introduction to the 11v11 game," D’Amico added.
The U12 division will aim to continue its expansion during the coming seasons, but the focus of the league will remain on the development of the youth player.
"Integrating the U12s into the Super Y-League structure truly gives them a developmental model of progression from year to year," D’Amico said. "Any elite player wants to compete at the highest level, and giving this opportunity to the U12s grants them that exposure."
The U12 divsion kicked off on April 4, when the TSF Academy girls took down the New Jersey Stallions. The two sides will meet again this Saturday, as the Stallions look for some revenge in the Garden State rivalry.