SEATTLE -- The Puget Sound Premier League is pleased to announce the creation of a new Super League format for Fall 2010 to keep pace with the rapid growth of the league as well as adopt more rigorous competitive standards that will ensure quality competition at all levels of play.

Registration for all PSPL leagues will be open on the league web site in June. The league expects to double in size, according to current commitments coming from competitive clubs around the state.

 ``The growth has been simply amazing and underscores our belief that players and parents want options when it comes to youth soccer and they want value for their money,’’ said PSPL President Stanley Holmes. ``This new structure is designed to bring meaning back to league play.’‘

The PSPL Super League creates three basic leagues – The Super League, the Championship League and The Copa League -- U11 to U17.  The Super League is reserved for the top competitive teams -- a premier level statewide league that requires teams to meet competitive standards.

``We’re excited to announce a new league structure that reflects our growth and the competitive strength of the PSPL,’’ said Jimmy Ball, technical director for the PSPL. ``We believe this new league will ensure teams of similar ability play against each other. What’s more, we believe the tougher standards imposed for our Super League will attract the best teams and clubs from around the state.’’

The winner of the Super League automatically qualifies for a spot in the Northwest Championship League in 2011. Those PSPL teams will compete against the best teams from Washington state’s Player Development League (PDL) and the Oregon Premier League.The PSPL will have representation in the inaugural Northwest Champions League ("NWCL"), kicking off in August, 2010. The NWCL is a supplemental, US Club-sanctioned league for U12 to U18 teams that pits the top Washington and Oregon teams against each other in an 11-match contest from August to March. Winners of the U12-U14 age groups in the NWCL receive an automatic berth to the 2011 Surf Cup, played in San Diego, California.

The new Super League format is designed to create competitive leagues for different levels of play. The Championship League is the place for ambitious B-level teams that want to travel for the best competition. Expect statewide travel. The Copa League will accommodate C-level and rec-select teams. The Copa League is the PSPL’s entry- level league for select play. It will generally be confined to regional areas. One of the first will be the creation of the Copa League for Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho district-select teams that want to compete in their region.

Except for the Super League, divisions within the Championship and Copa leagues can be expanded depending on the number of teams. Central to the PSPL vision is to ensure teams of similar ability are matched together to create the most competitive environment in each league and in each division.

Team placement will be determined by several factors. New teams registering will need to apply to the league and submit a competitive history to the league’s competition committee. That five-member committee, headed by the technical director, will make final decisions on league placement. Once in the league, placement will be determined by competition. The league supports promotion and relegation.

Here’s how the leagues break down:

The PSPL Super League: This is our premier-level division, which require teams to meet certain standards to be accepted. Automatic Relegation to the Championship League will be for the lowest placed team; the second lowest-placed team will play against the 2nd place finisher in the Championship League. Winner plays in the Super League.

The Championship League: League winner is automatically promoted to Super League. The 2nd-place team will compete against the 2nd-lowest team in the Super League in a one-match playoff. Relegation from the Championship League will include the two lowest placed teams and the 3rd lowest placed team will play off against the 3rd placed team in the Copa League.

The Copa League: Automatic promotion to the Championship will be awarded to the 1st and 2nd placed teams the 3rd place team will playoff against the 3rd lowest placed team in the Championship. Promotion also will depend on teams and clubs fulfilling other criteria.

Other important rule changes:

Playing Up: Teams wishing to play up may only be the champions of the Super League 1 and will only be allowed to enter the age above at the Championship level. This will be subject to approval from the PSPL Technical director and space in the league. 

Number of Teams: There will be maximum of 11 teams in each division. A 12-game Fall Season will kick off following Labor Day weekend in September. An 8-game Spring Season begins late February. Results from fall and spring leagues will dictate promotion and relegation. Number of teams dictate the number of divisions within the league.

Promotion/relegation: We believe competition determines the pecking order. We believe that if you are good enough, you should be allowed to compete. That is the foundations of this league but we recognize extraordinary circumstances. The competition committee has the power to consider extraordinary issues.

Competitive Standards: Entrance into Super league will depend on certain criteria: Affiliation with a recognized club; minimum two-year team history (u12 and above);  club must have a Coaching Director (Minimum “C” License and given 18 months to earn a ``B’’ license). NSCAA Director of Coaching certificate also suffices until earning ``B’’ license, or can demonstrate equivalent experience. Club must be composed of a minimum of six teams and/or have a recognized player development plan and/or a demonstrated track record of competitive excellence. Clubs must meet minimum field expectations.

Competition Committee: The League competition committee will consist of five representatives, including the league technical director. The Technical Director heads the committee. The composition of this committee is drawn from clubs that have placed several teams in the league for at least one full year.

For more details on these and other league and rule changes, go to www.pugetsoundpremierleague.com.

Registration for development and youth leagues opens in early June.

The PSPL is sanctioned by US Club Soccer. For more information about US Club, go to www.usclubsoccer.org.

PSPL Contacts: 

•   Stanley Holmes, president, 206-200-2245

•   Jimmy Ball, technical director, 410-303-1618

US Club Soccer Contact:

•   Gabe Rood, Western Regional representative: 707-571-1425