Qualifications for Entry
Participation in the Spring 2013 Region I Premier League will qualify teams for their National Championships Competition. The Region I Premier League is available ONLY to those teams withing the 15 State Associations of Region I. Only a US Youth Soccer organization member can apply to compete in the Region I Premier League. A team cannot be sponsored by a US Youth Soccer Member. Any US Youth Soccer club or organization that attempts to sponsor a non US Youth Soccer team is subject to disciplinary action and dismissal of the sponsored team.
Age Groups
- Under 13 Boys & Girls new for 2013
- Under 14 Boys & Girls
- Under 15 Boys & Girls
- Under 16 Boys & Girls
- Under 17 Boys & Girls
- Under 18 Boys & Girls
League Information
The League will consist of a sixteen (16) team Premier Division for both boys and girls in the Under 13 (new for 2013), Under 14, Under 15, Under 16, Under 17 and Under 18 Age Groups. The league season will begin in March and will conclude the weekend of Mothers Day with Semi-Finals and Finals.
The sixteen teams will be divided into two (2) groups of eight. Each team will play each team in their group once for a seven (7) game schedule. At the end of league play there will be a semi-final and a final match for the top four teams (top two teams in each group).
Games will be played on Saturdays and there generally will be two (2) games scheduled each day.
Team Acceptance
The Region I Premier League is for the top sixteen teams through out the Region in the U13 (new for 2013), U14, U15, U16, U17 and U18 age groups for both girls and boys. The competition is designed to allow the very best teams in Region I to play each other in a league format. With only sixteen positions available in any age group through out the Region, entry into the league is competitive. Each year, selection of the 16 teams becomes more difficult. We have established a promotion/relegation system to assure that the best 16 teams are selected for the league. An automatic bids for the Premier League will be given to:
- The semi-finalists of the previous year's Regional Championship (four teams)
- The top four teams in each of the North and South divisions from the previous year's Premier League play (eight teams).
- Each of the two Sub-Regional leagues champions (two teams).
Therefore 14 of the 16 bids may be earned by teams playing regional competition
Rosters
All teams must demonstrate a continuity of roster from the previous year to the current year. To demonstrate continuity of roster, a minimum of 51% of the players from the team's previous year roster must be on the team's current roster. Any team that does not meet the continuity of roster requirement will be fined $2000 and will be automatically removed from the league. Teams that are new to the league must submit their roster with their League Application.
The frozen roster for each team is due in the League Administrator's office by 12:00 noon, of the Wednesday before the first scheduled match for the team's age group as published on the Region I website. This requirement does not change if the first game has to be rescheduled due to weather or other factors. The original submission date for rosters will not change.
If the team's State Association date for freezing rosters is earlier than the Premier League date, the team's roster is frozen on the State Association date.
Wildcards
The Boys and Girls Under 13 (new for 2013) 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 Champions of the Region I Premier League will be the automatic wildcard (regardless of their team's actual age level) for the Boys and Girls Under 13 (new for 2013) 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 Region I National Championships respectively.
- If a Premier League Champion is a State Champion, the wildcard of that age group will go to the Premier League's Runner-Up.
- If the Runner-Up is a State Champion, the wildcard of that age group will go to the Premier League's third place team.
- If the third place team is a State Champion, the wildcard of that age group will go the Premier League's fourth place team.
- If the fourth place team is a State Champion, the wildcard of that age group will go the Premier League's fifth place team.
- If the fifth place team is a State Champion, the wildcard of that age group will go the Premier League's sixth place team.
- If the sixth place team is a State Champion, the wildcard of that age group will revert back to the Region I Championship Committee.
There will be no play off to determine the fifth and sixth place team. The league's tie breaker rules will be applied to the two teams finishing in third place in each division to determine the fifth and sixth place teams.
Teams participating in the Boys and Girls Under 13 (new for 2013) 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 Region I Premier League are subject to their own State Associations National Championship State Cup Rules as well as all US Youth Soccer National Championship Rules.
A team that participates in the Boys and Girls Under 13 (new for 2013), 14, 15, 15, 16, 17 and 18 Region I Premier League and does NOT participate in their State Association's National Championship State Cup Competition CANNOT be the automatic wildcard and/or alternate.
A team who captures the Boys and Girls Under 13 (new for 2013), 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 Region I Premier League Championship and has forfeited a game(s) in their State Association's National Championship State Cup Competition (either prior to or after the Premier League Competition) CAN NOT be eligible for an automatic wildcard and/or alternate in the Region I National Championships.
Guest Players
Guest Players will NOT be allowed on any teams participating in the Region I Premier League.
Forfeit Fee
Any team forfeiting a game will be fined $250 and will also have to pay the entire referee fee of the forfeited game. Any team forfeiting a game after April 15th (of the current season) will be fined $500 and will also have to pay the entire referee fees of the forfeited game.
League Rules
All applicants MUST download and read the Premier League Rules which are available on the Region I website.
Game Availability
All accepted teams must make themselves available for ALL Premier League Games beginning March 1st through Mother's Day weekend. Game schedules will be published by the League Administrator and will not be changed within 72 hours of the start of the scheduled match.
Teams must recognize that the Region I Premier League becomes their primary playing league. Teams are expected to play the published league schedule in preference to any other league competition in which they may be entered. This requirement also applies to tournaments that the team may enter. If your team is not prepared to play the published league schedule, your team should not enter the Premier League.
