November 20, 2020
Dear Coaches and Managers,
We are optimistic that soccer will return to full capacity this spring with no interruptions. If you are looking forward to it as much as we are, please consider participating in either the Spring State Cup or the Junior State Cup!
The Spring State Cup is for U13 – U19/U20 boys teams and U13 girls teams that are affiliated with MSYSA. There are now two divisions to better accommodate teams at differing competitive levels. The top division is called the ELITE division and it is expected to be composed mainly of teams that participate in the NLC and MSPSP Premier 1. Other teams may be considered for participation as "wildcard" teams when extra teams are needed to fill open holes in brackets. The next division is called the PREMIER division and it is expected to be composed mainly of teams that participate in MSPSP (not Premier 1) and other select leagues around the state. During the State Cup application process, teams may request a preferred division, but ultimately it will be MSYSA's decision where a team is placed.
Teams in both divisions are competing to represent MSYSA at regional and national events. Teams in the Elite Division are competing to earn spots at the US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional Championships (June 2021) and potentially the National Championships (July 2021). Meanwhile, teams in the Premier Division are competing to earn spots at the US Youth Soccer Midwest President's Cup (June 2021) and potentially the National President's Cup (July 2021). Although we expect teams to want to attend these events if earned, they certainly do not have to.
The Junior State Cup is designed to provide the highest quality of competition for Michigan teams in the U10 - U12 age groups. Many of the teams who participate in the Junior State Cup aspire to play in State Cup, the National League Conferences (NLC), and/or the Michigan State Premier Soccer Program (MSPSP) when they are older. In this tournament, the U10 age group has one division and plays 7v7 (roster max = 12). The U11 & U12 age groups each have two divisions and play 9v9 (roster max = 16). For all age groups, teams need at least 51% of their players to have birthdates falling within the specific age group that they will be playing in at the tournament.
Regardless of tournament/division/age group, teams will play either three (3) or four (4) preliminary games. Preliminary games for both tournaments are scheduled to be played March 13 – May 9, and the Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Finals weekends for both tournaments are May 22 – 23 and June 5 – 6 (tentatively scheduled for Saginaw).
The cost to participate in State Cup is $695 for teams in the Elite Division and $595 for teams in the Premier Division. The cost to participate in the Junior State Cup is $450 per team. Only credit card payments will be accepted, and credit cards will only be charged if/when a team is officially accepted into the tournaments. If conditions with COVID-19 cancel the tournaments before they get started, teams will receive a full refund.
Applications and payment for both tournaments are due by 12:00 Noon on February 1, 2021. To submit an application, go to State Cup page or Junior State Cup page at www.michiganyouthsoccer.org.
We look forward to hopefully seeing your team on the field!
Sincerely,
MSYSA State Cup & Junior State Cup Committees
