US Youth Soccer To Begin National League Next Year

U.S. Youth Soccer to begin National League next season for U15, U16 Boys & Girls; 2 berths at National Championships offered as the carrot
by U.S. Youth Soccer 3/29/2007

Editor's Note: Following is a release from U.S. Youth Soccer announcing format and some details for their newly-announced National League. The league will feature 8 teams per age group, beginning with U15 and U16 Boys & Girls competition in the fall of 2007, and expanding to U17 in fall of 2008.

Teams will compete for berths in the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships, but must still compete in their respective State Cup and Regional Cup, even if they qualify via the National League.

The schedule for the event is very similar to the Red Bull NL-17, which was begun this season by 16 major youth clubs and started competition this season. Teams will meet on select weekends to play in a series of matches which will count toward the league standings, with 4 teams reaching season-ending semifinals and finals.

Following is a copy of the U.S. Youth Soccer release and the charter for the new league:

"As part of the continued development of the US Youth Soccer National League, the US Youth Soccer Board of Directors has adopted the US Youth Soccer National League Charter.

The League will begin operation in the 2007-2008 seasonal year that goes from September 1, 2007, through August 31, 2008. For this first year, competition will be held for the U-15 and U-16 age groups, girls and boys. Beginning with the 2008-2009 seasonal year, the competition will be expanded to include the U-17 age group, girls and boys.

The League will be administered by a National League Committee of up to nine individuals appointed by the president of US Youth Soccer, subject to approval of the US Youth Soccer Board of Directors, and a National League Commissioner appointed by the President in accordance with the Charter.

Each gender age group will have eight teams. For the 2007-2008 seasonal year, all teams playing in the top US Youth Soccer Regional League of each region during the 2006-2007 seasonal year will be eligible to apply to play in the National League. The applications from the teams of a regional league will be reviewed by its Regional Director, and the Regional Director will make recommendations to the National League Committee concerning those teams. The Committee will select the eight teams in each gender age group. The Committee must select at least one team from each region and not more than three teams from any one region. For the 2008-2009 seasonal year and following, the number of teams in each gender age group may be increased with Board approval.

The four semifinal teams in each gender age group for the prior seasonal year will automatically be teams in the appropriate gender age group for the next seasonal year. The balance of the teams in that gender age group will be determined by the Committee. US Youth Soccer programs and events are known for their excellence and the US Youth Soccer National League will continue this tradition. For US Youth Soccer members, the next months will be an exciting time as the plans for the league are further finalized.

More information will be provided as it becomes available.

League Charter
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US Youth Soccer National League Charter
(Adopted March 17, 2007)
PART I. GENERAL ORGANIZATION
Section 101. General

US Youth Soccer shall conduct annually a competition for its highest level of teams as provided in this
charter. This competition shall be known as the “US Youth Soccer National League” (referred to in
this charter as “NL”).

Section 102. National League Committee
There is a National League Committee (referred to in this charter as "NL Committee”).The Committee
has authority for the administration of the NL as provided by this charter.

Section 103. Appointment of NL Committee Members
The President of US Youth Soccer shall appoint the members of the NL Committee with the approval
of the Board of Directors. The President shall appoint one of the NL Committee members as
Chairperson of the NL Committee.

Section 104. Size of NL Committee
The NL Committee will consist of a minimum of 7 and a maximum of 9 members who will represent
the interest of the players, both boys and girls. A minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 members shall
come from the youth soccer coaching ranks.

Section 105. Limitations on NL Committee Members
No NL Committee Member can be a sitting State Association President or a member of the US Youth
Soccer Board of Directors.

Section 106. National League Commissioner
The President shall appoint, either as a paid employee or as an independent contractor of US Youth
Soccer, a National League Commissioner (referred to in this charter as “NL Commissioner”). The Commissioner shall be responsible for the administration of the NL in accordance with this charter and
the direction of the NL Committee. The Commissioner shall serve as an ex-officio member of the NL
Committee.

Section 107. NL Committee Member Term of Office
Each NL Committee member will serve at the pleasure of the President for a two-year term of office.
Committee members may serve more than one term. In order to establish staggered terms of the
Committee members, the President, when making initial appointments to the NL Committee, will
specify which Committee members will serve initial one-year terms and which will serve two year
terms, so that as near as possible, one-half of all Committee members shall be reappointed each year.
After this rotation is established, each Committee member appointed thereafter will serve a two-year
term.

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PART II. AUTHORITY OF THE NL COMMITTEE
Section 201. General Authority
In addition to the specific powers detailed in other sections of this charter, the NL Committee is vested
with all necessary power and authority to manage, regulate, supervise, administer and conduct the NL.

Section 202. League Rules and Procedures
The NL Committee will have authority, subject to the provisions of this charter, to promulgate all league rules, policies and procedures reasonable and necessary for the administration and growth of the
NL. All league rules, policies and procedures must be in writing and available for inspection by
coaches, teams, players, parents and others.

Section 203. Rules, Procedures, and Policies
Except as otherwise provided by section 308 of this charter, all proposed NL rules, procedures and
policies, and amendments to them, must be in writing and must note an effective date at least 10 business days after the date it has been approved by the NL Committee. A copy of each NL rule, procedure, policy, and amendment approved by the Committee shall be distributed to each member of
the US Youth Soccer Board of Directors on its approval.

Section 204. Support Groups and Personnel
The NL Committee is authorized to establish various technical, advisory and other specialized support
groups and designate persons on either a permanent or ad hoc basis to assist and advise the Committee
in the operation of the NL.

Section 205. Paid Staff Positions
In addition to the appointment of the NL Commissioner, the President may establish one or more paid
NL positions and may retain persons to fill those positions either as employees or independent
contractors of US Youth Soccer. From time to time, the NL Committee may make recommendations
to the President about NL staffing needs and requirements.

Section 206. Budget
The NL Committee, in consultation with the US Youth Soccer Executive Director, will submit a
proposed annual budget in accordance with US Youth Soccer Financial Policy.

Section 207. Disputes, Discipline and Appeals
The NL Committee is authorized to settle disputes which arise in the course of NL play. The NL
Committee, in accordance with the disciplinary policies and procedures of US Youth Soccer and U.S.
Soccer, will investigate and adjudicate all allegations of misconduct by teams, coaches, players or others involved in NL operations and will impose an appropriate sanction for any violation found.
When an appeal of a NL Committee decision is authorized, the appeal will be made to an Appeals
Committee, appointed by the President, chaired by the US Youth Soccer Bylaws and Policies Chairperson and composed of no less than 3 nor more than 5 members, including the Chairperson.

PART III. OPERATION OF THE NL COMMITTEE
Section 301. NL Committee Chairperson
(1) The Chairperson of the NL Committee will preside at NL Committee meetings, sign all contracts on behalf of the NL Committee, represent the NL Committee, and supervise the
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work of the NL Commissioner. However, all contracts may be signed only with the approval of the President of US Youth Soccer, except that sponsorship contracts require the
approval of the US Youth Soccer Board of Directors.
(2) In the event of a vacancy in the NL Commissioner position, the NL Chairperson will assume general executive authority over the work of the NL Committee and the NL and will supervise the work of all NL volunteers and staff.

Section 302. NL Commissioner General Responsibilities
The NL Commissioner shall be the chief executive officer of the NL. He or she will be responsible for
making sure that all responsibilities assigned to the NL Committee by this charter are performed. The
NL Commissioner will faithfully perform all duties detailed in his/her job description and all tasks
assigned by the NL Committee.

Section 303. Chain of Command
All NL volunteers, committees, staff and others accountable to the NL Committee will report to the NL
Commissioner. The NL Commissioner will report to the Chairperson of the NL Committee.

Section 304. Job Description and Compensation
The NL Committee shall establish a detailed job description and compensation package for the
Commissioner’s position, in accordance with the budget.

Section 305. Voting by NL Committee Members at NL Committee Meetings Each member of the NL Committee will have one vote on the NL Committee.

Section 306. Formal Meetings
The NL Committee may meet in formal session in person or by conference call on five days notice.
An agenda must be provided to NL Committee members at least 3 days before the meeting.

Section 307. Emergency Meetings
The NL Committee may hold an emergency meeting with minimal notice as determined by the NL Committee Chairperson or NL Commissioner, or both. Only matters needing immediate attention may
be acted upon during an emergency meeting

Section 308. Emergency Decisions
The NL Committee may meet by telephone, email or in some other manner to reach agreement on some matter that must be resolved quickly. The decision will be placed on the agenda for the next
formal meeting for ratification at that time. The Chairperson or his/her designee may also poll
individual NL Committee members on a matter where time is of the essence and the decision is final,
provided each NL Committee member was given a chance to vote on the issue.

PART IV. OTHER PROVISIONS
Section 401. League Structure
In accordance with the US Youth Soccer Board of Directors action to launch the NL—
(1) the NL will begin operation in the 2007-2008 seasonal year that goes from September
1, 2007, through August 31, 2008. For this first year, competition will be held for the U-15 and U-16 age groups, girls and boys. Beginning with the 2008-2009 seasonal year, the competition will be expanded to include the U-17 age group, girls and boys.
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Only the US Youth Soccer Board of Directors may add an age group to compete in the NL.
(2) each gender age group in the 2007-2008 seasonal year will have 8 teams. For the 2007-2008 seasonal year, all teams playing in the top regional league of each region
during the 2006-2007 seasonal year will be eligible to apply to play in the NL. The applications from the teams of a regional league will be reviewed by its Regional Director, and the Regional Director will make recommendations to the NL Committee concerning those teams. The Committee will select the 8 teams in each
gender age group. For this first year, the Committee must select at least one team from each region and not more than 3 teams from any one region. Subsequently, the teams will be determined by NL rules, procedures, and policies. Increasing the
number of teams beyond 8 in a gender age group is subject to approval of the US Youth Soccer Board of Directors.
(3) the top 4 teams in each gender age group for the prior seasonal year will
automatically retain their team slot in the appropriate gender age group for the next
seasonal year and the balance of the teams in that gender age group will be determined by the NL Committee.
(4) consistent with these requirements, the NL Committee will have authority to structure the NL, to divide it into various divisions, to assign teams to those divisions, to provide for the promotion of teams from regional leagues into the NL and relegation of teams out of the NL, to designate the NL seasons and team schedules, and to
establish and enforce team participation eligibility rules.

Section 402. State, Regional and National Championships Participation
(1) In order to be eligible to advance to the US Youth National Championship finals, all teams participating in the NL must also participate in their respective State Cup competition, as well as their respective Regional Cup competition should the team qualify, and the top regional league of each region should the team qualify.
(2) As provided by the Policy on US Youth Soccer National Championships, each State Association determines the teams to represent it at the regional level of the National Championships competitions, and each region determines the teams to represent it at the national level of the National Championships competition. The top 2 teams in each gender age group that are not teams representing their region at the national level advance to the US Youth Soccer National Championships automatically qualify
as additional teams for the US Youth Soccer National Championships, held annually in July.
(3) Failure to participate shall result in immediate team disqualification from the NL for the
current and following season.

Section 403. Amendment of Charter
This charter may be amended at any time by a majority vote of the Board of Directors or the US Youth Soccer National Council.

Section 404. Effective Date
This charter will become effective the day after it is approved by majority vote of Board of Directors.