US YOUTH SOCCER NATIONAL LEAGUE PIEDMONT CONFERENCE SEASON GENERAL TEAM INFORMATION

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1 US YOUTH SOCCER NATIONAL LEAGUE PIEDMONT CONFERENCE SEASON GENERAL TEAM INFORMATION INTRODUCTION The US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference mission is to provide the highest standard of competitive play for youth teams that are members of US Youth Soccer State Associations North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee (East). The US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference offers quality league competition for teams primarily against teams outside of their state association. Teams playing in the US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference compete for the chance to earn spots into the Southern Regionals as part of the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series. Additionally, teams participating in the 13U-18U age groups have the opportunity to qualify for the US Youth Soccer National League for the following seasonal year. COMMITMENT Any team looking to participate in the US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference must understand the level of commitment it takes to participate in a League that stretches across 4 different state associations. All teams understand that this is a multi-state league and that teams may travel hundreds of miles to participate in conference games. Teams understand that they may not play any true home games. A limited number of teams are accepted into the US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference, so it is important that each team makes the commitment to travel BEFORE applying to the conference. BOYS and GIRLS AGE GROUPS OF COMPETITION The US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference will include the following Boys and Girls age groups: 13 and Under (13U) for players born on January 1, 2006 or later 14 and Under (14U) for players born on January 1, 2005 or later 15 and Under (15U) for players born on January 1, 2004 or later 16 and Under (16U) for players born on January 1, 2003 or later 17 and Under (17U) for players born on January 1, 2002 or later 18 and Under (18U) for players born on January 1, 2001 or later 19 and Under (19U) for players born on January 1, 2000 or later ENTRY FEE The Team Entry Fee to participate in the US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference is $925 per team (paid to your state association) and is non-refundable if a team is accepted into the conference and later drops out. State Association s may have a higher entry fee to cover additional costs associated with the conference. The Team Fee does not include Referee Fees, which will be paid in accordance with the Conference Operating Procedures. Team Fees are paid to your respective State Association and are to be paid to your State Association as determined by your local State Association. The State Association pays US Youth Soccer for all teams entered in the US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference. Teams do not pay entry fees directly to US Youth Soccer. THE SEASON The start date of the season for the US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference will be August 25, All games for the US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference must be completed by June 1, 2019.

2 TEAM INFORMATION DOCUMENT page 2 COMPETITION FORMAT The US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference will include 2 tiers for Boys 14U-18U (Premier I and Premier II) and 1 tier (Premier I) for the 19U Boys and all Girls age groups. Each team shall play a round robin against other teams in it s tier. There will be no end of season playoffs. Based on the number of teams in the Boys Premier I bracket, 14U-18U Boys Premier I teams may play up to a total of 9 US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference games during the course of the season. The 19U Boys Premier I, all Premier II Boys brackets, and Girls Premier I brackets may play up to a total of 11 games. Please be aware of the number of games that teams will be required to play. US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont South Conference teams are required to fulfill their commitment by playing out their entire conference schedule of games. APPLICATION PROCEDURES The Team Application deadline is THURSDAY JUNE 28, 2018 for 14U-19U teams and FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2018 for 13U teams. The registration link is posted below and is also being sent to each State Association. Following your application, US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference will send your team information to your State Association so they may review and approve the submission into the conference. In completing any application into the US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference teams are required to submit accurate information on team accomplishments. Misrepresentation of team accomplishments may result in the team being disqualified from conference participation. Registration Link: SELECTION AND PLACEMENT There is a two-step approval process for the US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference. First, each team must be endorsed by its respective State Association. Second, the US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference shall review and determine the final selection of all teams. Accepted teams shall be notified via a website posting or an regarding their acceptance and placement into the US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference. In most cases, the Boys 19U Premier I, Boys Premier II and Girls Premier I tiers will include up to 4 teams from each State Association (NC, SC, and GA--East TN teams will be added should there be available slots). Teams in the Boys Premier I tier will be accepted based on their qualification from the previous seasonal year. Any TBD slots in Boys Premier I will be filled by the League. LOCATION OF GAMES--HOSTING In the Boys Premier I tier, there will be 3 major play weekends for each team, plus any intra-state match-ups. The 3 major dates of play for teams are below and were spread throughout the Conference State Associations. All teams in the Boys Premier I tier will travel to the same location. In cases of rain-out reschedules, games may not be at the same location/date. The intra-state game(s) will be scheduled and managed by the local State Association (as of 5/30/18). 14U-18U Boys Premier I Hosting Dates September 1/2/3, 2018 MESA Soccer Complex (1020 Anderson Ridge Rd, Greer, SC 29651) Boys: 14U (2 games),15u-18u (3 games) September 29/30, 2018 John B Lewis Soccer Fields (439 Azalea Rd E, Asheville, NC 28805) *Primary location Boys: 14U-`18U Buncombe County Sports Park (58 Apac Cir, Asheville, NC 28806) Boys: 14U-18U October 13/14, 2018 Boys: 14U-18U October 27/28, 2018 *Reserved for intra-state match-ups or needed inter-state matches. Intra-state matches scheduled by teams/state association. Inter-state matches scheduled by league locations TBD

3 TEAM INFORMATION DOCUMENT page 3 19U Boys Premier I, 14U-18U Boys Premier II, and 14U-19U Girls Premier I Hosting Dates August 25/26, 2018 WRAL Soccer Complex (7700 Perry Creek Rd, Raleigh, NC 27616) J Burt Gillette Athletic Complex (3238 Corbett Ave NE, Wilson, NC 27893) September 15/16, 2018 North Mt. Carmel Park (307 N Mt. Carmel Rd, Hampton, GA 30228) September 22/23, 2018 Bryan Park Soccer Complex (6105 Townsend Rd, Browns Summit, NC 27214) October 6/7, 2018 North Mt. Carmel Park (307 N Mt. Carmel Rd, Hampton, GA 30228) October 20/21, 2018 *updated 6/7/18 BB&T Soccer Complex (1053 Bird Rd, Irmo, SC 29063) Monticello Road Soccer Complex (115 Sunbelt Blvd, Columbia, SC 29203) November 3/4, 2018 *updated 6/7/18 Manchester Meadows Park (337 E Mt. Gallant Rd, Rock Hill, SC 29730) Compurium Athletic Park (1300 Spratt St, Fort Mill, SC 29715) Girls: GA in NC Boys: GA in NC Boys: SC in GA Girls: SC in GA Boys and Girls: SC in NC Girls: NC in GA Boys: NC in GA Girls: NC in SC Boys: NC in SC 13U Boys and Girls Premier I Hosting Dates *updated 12/20/18 February 2/3, 2019 Boys and Girls: GA in NC Bryan Park Soccer Complex Turf Fields (6105 Townsend Rd, Browns Summit, NC 27214) February 16/17, 2019 Compurium Athletic Park Turf Fields (1300 Spratt St, Fort Mill, SC 29715) February 23/24, 2019 Boys and Girls: NC in SC March 2/3, 2019 TBA March 16/17, 2019 Boys and Girls: SC in NC March 23/24, 2019 East Roswell Park Turf Fields (9000 Fouts Rd, Roswell, GA 30076) March 30/31, 2019 MESA Soccer Complex (1020 Anderson Ridge Rd, Greer, SC 29651) April 13/14, 2019 East Roswell Park Turf Fields (9000 Fouts Rd, Roswell, GA 30076) April 27/28, 2019 Boys and Girls: SC in GA Boys and Girls: NC in GA

4 TEAM INFORMATION DOCUMENT page 4 GENERAL SCHEDULING INFORMATION Conference schedules will be developed by the League Manager, who will have sole discretion of game schedules. The anticipated release of schedules will be in Mid-July prior to the 14U-19U age groups, and Mid-December (prior to Christmas) for the 13U age group. A coach of multiple teams within the US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference will be given scheduling considerations so he/she can be present for their team s games, however coach conflict resolution IS NOT guaranteed. Clubs are strongly encouraged to have a 2 nd coach that can step in should a conflict exists. Any reschedules will be done in accordance with the Conference Operating Procedures. Schedule requests for individual teams will NOT be considered. Teams participating in the US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference must be available to play on the published conference dates, which includes rain dates. By submitting your team application, your team is committing to play on the published dates for the conference. REFEREES US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference games will use a 3-man referee system. The amount and form of payment to referees in the US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference will be in accordance with the Conference Operating Procedures. TEAM ROSTERS Teams may utilize 30 players during the course of a season in accordance with League Rules and Policies. A maximum 22-player Team Roster with additional use of a Club Pass Roster shall be utilized in all age groups. Club Pass players may only come from within a team s club, provided that the player is a US Youth Soccer member. RULES AND INFORMATION Rules and additional information may be found on the US Youth Soccer website: COACHING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS Coaches of teams within the US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference must have obtained a certain level of coaching education in accordance with League Rules and Conference Polices. PERMISSION TO TRAVEL Teams are not required to complete Permission to Travel permits/forms for games played outside of their State Association as permission is automatically granted by State Association approval of the team for US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference play. ADVANCEMENT TO REGIONALS The top team in the Premier I tier of each gender age group in the US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference will qualify for 2019 Southern Regionals that same seasonal year as the US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference. To remain qualified for Regionals, a team must also play in their state association s State Cup competition. QUALIFICATION INTO NATIONAL LEAGUE The top team in the Premier I tier of each applicable gender age group in the US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference will qualify for the National League for the following seasonal year. COMMUNICATION FROM/WITH THE CONFERENCE E mail is the primary means of communication within the US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference. It is the responsibility of each team to ensure that accurate contact information is on file with the conference. The US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference compiles team contact information based on each team s application into the conference.

5 CONTACT For more information on the US Youth Soccer National League Piedmont Conference please contact the League Manager, Mike Leland, at Subject to change as of December 20, 2018