Phoenix chosen to host 2011 US Youth Soccer National Championships

Nation's top youth soccer players to compete at Reach 11 Sports Complex
Lancaster, Penn., Fox Cities, Wisc., Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Boise, Idaho, to host regional championships

FRISCO, Texas (July 29, 2010) - US Youth Soccer is proud to announce the dates and locations for the 2011 US Youth Soccer National Championship Series, the country's most prestigious national youth soccer tournament. After another banner year in 2010, the 2011 US Youth Soccer National Championships will be held at the Reach 11 Sports Complex in Phoenix.

"Hosting the US Youth Soccer National Championships will be a wonderful opportunity to expose young players in the area to an event that showcases the best teams in the country," said Derick Brownell, president of the Arizona Youth Soccer Association, serving as the local organizing committee for the event. "Phoenix played host to the National Championships three times in the 90s and we look forward to sharing the new Reach 11 complex with this generation of players.” Reach 11 also hosted the 2010 US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program Championships.
"We are excited that the 2011 US Youth Soccer National Championships will be held at Reach 11 complex in Phoenix. All of us look forward to working with Arizona Youth Soccer and the complex staff," said John Sutter, president of US Youth Soccer. "Each year, the nation's top players look forward to another year of outstanding competition as teams earn their way from state to regional and national finals competitions, striving to be one of the top 60 teams in the country playing for the national championship."

The US Youth Soccer National Championships will consist of US Youth Soccer Regional Champions in the Under-14 through Under-19 Boys and Girls age groups as well as the US Youth Soccer National League qualifiers in the Under-15 through Under-17 Boys and Girls age groups to complete the field of 60 teams.

Each year brings about new challenges and highlights the motivation and commitment of these youth as they continue pursuing their dreams of being one of the best youth soccer teams in the U.S. The national championships are the final step of the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series and open to any US Youth Soccer member. The U.S. Soccer Federation initiated the open youth championships with the James P. McGuire Cup (Under-19 Boys), the oldest trophy in youth sport, in 1935. In 2011, the McGuire Cup celebrates its 76th anniversary. Since its inception in 1974, US Youth Soccer has added 11 divisions to the national championship tournament, most recently with the Under-14 and Under-15 Boys and Girls divisions in 2001 to create the current format.

Annually, the Series provides the nation's top collegiate coaches with the premier stage to identify and scout the most coveted players in the country. In 2010, over 600 college coaches attended the US Youth Soccer Regional Championships.
US Youth Soccer Region I (East) Championships | Lancaster, Penn.
Hempfield High School (Landisville, Penn.)
Opening Ceremony: June 30 | Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey, Penn.
Round Robin: July 1-3
Semis: July 4
Finals: July 5

US Youth Soccer Region II (Midwest) Championships | Fox Cities, Wisc.
USA Youth Sports Complex (Appleton, Wisc.) and Southwest Park (DePere, Wisc.)
Registration: June 24
Round Robin: June 25-27
Semis: June June 28
Finals: June June 29

US Youth Soccer Region III (South) Championships | Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Opening Ceremony: June 16 | Miller Coliseum
Richard Siegel Soccer Park
Round Robin: June 17-19
Quarters: June 20
Semis: June 21
Finals: June 22

US Youth Soccer Region IV (West) Championships | Boise, Idaho
Simplot Sports Complex
Round Robin: June 20-22
Quarters: June 24
Semis: June 25
Finals: June 26

US Youth Soccer National Championships | Phoenix, Ariz.
Reach 11 Sports Complex
Player Luncheon: July 26
Round Robin: July 27-29
Finals: July 30-31