Kingdom Soccer
KINGDOM SUPER Y-LEAGUE CLUB RANKED #6
SENDS THREE TEAMS TO NORTH AMERICAN FINALS
Kingdom Super Y-League youth soccer club was recently ranked No. 6 nationally out of the league’s 107 clubs in the United States and Canada.
Kingdom’s No. 6 position was determined by a new ranking system launched by the Super Y-League in 2005, with the top clubs ranked from 1-22 and separated into the First and Second 11. This system publicizes the top 22 clubs in both the boys and girls categories, as well as overall. The rankings are based primarily upon the on-field results—winning percentage accounting for 70 percent of the score. Minimum standards and operations complete the other 30 percent.
The Kingdom club has three teams that earned the honor of competing in the 2007 Super Y-League North American Finals Nov. 15 to 20 in Tampa, Fla. Combined with the Kingdom’s Men’s Super-20 team that reached the finals in August in New Hampshire, the Kingdom’s four qualifying teams put it amongst North America’s best clubs.
The Super Y-League North American Finals, regarded as the top youth soccer event in North America, is a five-day tournament that includes more than 130 of the best boys and girls youth soccer teams in the United States and Canada from U13 to U17. This year’s event will begin on Thursday, November 15th with the first day of matches being played on Friday, November 16th. Championship matches are schedule for Tuesday, November 20th.
Kingdom’s Midwest division-winning U14 girls team (6-0-2) coached by Chad Wiseman, head women’s soccer coach at Plainwell High School and assistant men’s coach at Western Michigan University, the U13 boys (7-2-1) coached by Chris Karwoski, head men’s coach at WMU, and the U15 boys (7-1-1) coached by Jim Fuller, coaching director of Vardar West, will vie for national championships in Tampa.
Kingdom owner Chris Keenan said his club’s Super Y-League players hail from various Michigan youth soccer club programs.
“The regional cooperation amongst the clubs, for the betterment of the players, is a breath of fresh air,” Keenan said. “The participation of players from Grand Rapid’s-based clubs, Crew Juniors, Georgetown Rangers, PASS Soccer Club, Vardar West, Portage Soccer Club, and the Detroit-based Michigan Hawks has created national recognition for our players, coaches, and clubs.”
Midwest regional powerhouse clubs that compete during the regular Super Y-League season include Chicago Magic, Des Moines Menace, Toronto Lynx Jrs., Cleveland Internationals, and the West Michigan Fire Juniors.
“I’m very proud of these players, many who in their first year have qualified for the league’s national tournament,” Keenan said. “This is a great honor for West Michigan and our players. They will have the opportunity to demonstrate their talent in front of the U.S. National Team coaching staff, who can attend the tournament for one weekend and see all the top clubs and players in the country.”
The Super Y-League is foremost, a professional system serving as the first step for developing youth soccer players in North America, which operates under the umbrella of United Soccer Leagues. Affiliated with U.S. Soccer, the league is designed for talented youth players destined for collegiate, professional, or international careers. The Super Y-League North American Finals is also a sanctioned Olympic Development Program (ODP) of the United States Soccer Federation for identifying players for United States National Team programs. During the finals various U.S. National Team staff coaches will scout for players.
“SoccerFest 2007 marks the beginning of the third decade for United Soccer Leagues,” said USL President and Founder Francisco Marcos, who served as director of public relations and vice president of soccer operations for the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the North American Soccer League for eight years in the 1970’s. “Last season we celebrated our past, 20 years of expansion and passion for the game. This season we look to the future of the game in North America.”
Tryouts for the 2008 Y League teams will begin early December at Kingdom Indoor Center, Portage. For more information about Kingdom Super Y-League coaches and tryout times visit the club online at:
www.kalamazookingdom.com.
