US Youth Soccer National League
The US Youth Soccer National League competition is for the nation's top teams in the Under-15, Under-16, Under-17, Under-18 and Under-19 boys and girls age groups. The Under-15 and Under-19 divisions consist of a total of 16 teams per gender age group, while the Under-16 through Under-18 gender age groups feature 32 teams each. The National League offers additional exposure to collegiate, professional and U.S. National Team coaches and offers the highest level of competition in the country as each team must earn their place in the league. National League teams continue play in their respective US Youth Soccer Regional Leagues and State Championships to complete their competitive calendar.
Eastern Regional League
The Eastern Regional League is offered by US Youth Soccer Region I for the teams in the New England and Mid-Atlantic states seeking a higher level of play. The Eastern Regional League replaces the former Region I Champions League to identify itself as the premier league in Region I and more closely align itself with the other three US Youth Soccer Region’s leagues.
The league is open to teams registered with US Youth Soccer via their state association providing an opportunity for teams to play meaningful games against teams from around Region I. The league offers play for U13-U19 boys and girls. There are up to three levels of play. The Elite Division is the top level of competition. Premier Division is the middle level of play. The lowest level of play is the Championship Division.
NSL
Founded in 1993, the Northeast Soccer League provides a competitive structure
for more than 850 teams from 100 clubs throughout New England. These clubs range from large, "full service" clubs to those consisting of one or two teams, from the highly selective to the developmental. All games are held on Sundays, with 7v7 and 9v9 games in the morning and 11v11 games in the afternoon. The fall season is nine weeks long, starting the Sunday after Labor Day, and is open to 9U-15U teams. The Spring season is seven weeks, ending with the State Cups in May, and provides play for 9U-18U age groups.
We offer a league structure based solely on merit which is stable, consistent, predictable and comprehensible for all teams. The structure allows all teams access and a chance to rise. NSL's three divisions do this by providing opportunity to
the aspiring, competition for the developing, and challenge to the highly competitive.
Town Select
The purpose of the TSL is for Mass Youth to partner with its town-based member
organizations, in coordination with existing, recognized town travel (MTOC) leagues, to provide opportunities for town registered players to experience a higher level of training, development and competition. We hope to establish a bridge path to higher level state and club programs. The TSL is intended to be an extension of and enhancement to town programs, not competition for them. Players train under the guidance of qualified, committed coaches, with alternating weekends of match play and one-per-week practice schedule limits the required time commitment. Players receive advanced training and experience a higher level of competition with other players of like skills at minimized cost and benefit from consistent teams and philosophy through fall, spring and optional winter seasons.
MTOC Qualifying leagues
There are 10 Massachusetts Youth Soccer Member Leagues that compete in town based competition throughout Massachusetts. The leagues offer local play for players currently in 3rd Grade to High School Seniors. Teams participating in divisions 1 or 2 of 6th Grade and older age groups from BAYS, Berkshire, Coastal, Essex, MAYS, Middlesex, Nashoba Valley, Pioneer Valley, South Coast and South Shore compete to participate in the Massachusetts Tournament of Champions hosted at the Mass Youth Soccer Facilities in Lancaster each year.
Cup Competitions
State Cup
Massachusetts Youth Soccer hosts the US Youth Soccer Massachusetts State Cups Tournament each year. This tournament brings together some of the best 12-U (9v9) to 19/20-U teams in Massachusetts. All teams must be properly registered with Mass Youth Soccer and all (12-U to 18-U) teams must compete in a Mass Youth Soccer approved qualifying league. The 12-U, 13-U and 14-U age divisions are limited to 16 teams each. The 15-U to 19/20-U age divisions will be limited to a maximum 12 teams each. The winner of each age/gender grouping is declared the State Champion and goes on to represent Massachusetts in the US Youth Soccer Region I Championships in Virginia. Regional U-13 to 19/20-U winners will
then go on to play in the US Youth National Championships at the Toyota Soccer
Complex in Frisco, Texas.
Open Cup
Mass Youth Soccer’s Open Cup is open to any 12-U(9v9)-18-U team playing in a league that is based in, or that has games played in, the state of Massachusetts. The teams may be registered with any USSF affiliated leagues/associations/organizations (i.e. USYS, US Club Soccer, AYSO, Super Y, etc.) that are in good standing with their league and the USSF. Mass Youth Open Cup is considered a pre-qualifier tournament for the State Cup tournament for the following soccer year. The winners of the Open Cup will be granted an automatic spot in the following year’s State Cup tournament.
Supplemental Programs
District Select
The District Select Program ("DSP") is run by Massachusetts Youth Soccer each summer. DSP provides players the opportunity to continue their development during the summer in a fun and competitive soccer environment. For the purposes of the DSP, the state is divided into seven Districts. Players will try out for their district during the Spring season, selected players will represent their district in weekend games taking place in July and early August at the Mass Youth Soccer Field Complex at Progin Park.
Olympic Development Program
ODP is devoted entirely to the development of individual players and geared solely to the identification of the elite player. Unlike environments in which team achievement is paramount, ODP is free to develop the individual player with only his or her best interests in mind. In order to serve our elite youth soccer players in Massachusetts, ODP continues to grow and adapt as a program. We continue to tailor each aspect of ODP in a manner that will best prepare our elite players to play and compete at the highest levels of competition. U.S. Youth Soccer’s Olympic Development Program is the original and, to date, most effective method of identifying and developing elite players. Selected Massachusetts ODP players will have the opportunity to participate at Region 1 player Identification camps held in
late June and early July in Pennsylvania.