To ensure the correct seeding for State Cups and determine relegation implications for WSPL, each team will be required to play every team once. After week seven, the top four teams and bottom four teams from each division will be grouped together for the remaining three seasonal games. The final league results will provide both the top two teams for State Cup seeding and the bottom two teams for potential relegation.
As this new league format unfolds, WSYSA is conscious of the fact that field availability is always a challenge. Internal discussions are already underway with the goal of scheduling even distribution of home and away games for each team if possible.
With this new format and timeframe in place, results of the season will have an immediate impact on WSYSA’s State Cup which begins only a week after the spring season ends.
The reciprocal impact on the State Cup will be evident as the bottom two teams from a division and top two teams of a lower division will be paired against one another. After playing each team once, the two top teams will not only move forward in the tournament, but will also advance to the upper division during the next spring season. Subsequently, any team choosing not to participate in the State Cup would relegate their standing in the following spring season.
“WSYSA understands that this new format and change will be an adjustment, said WSYSA Executive Director Todd McGann, but we as an Association are making a concerted effort to provide our players with an environment that provides them the opportunity to play at their highest competitive level within a condensed season, while taking into consideration the other outside obligations these kids are faced with. We want our players and programs to be successful both here at home and abroad; this format and change in season will help them do just that.”
Prior to the decision to establish a ten game season, WSYSA entertained the idea of a fourteen game season. After a comprehensive review, WSYSA agreed that the stress from an additional month of play, the necessity of holding back-to-back games, and the lack of game re-scheduling options under this format, was not in the best interests of the players or program.
“The choice to implement a ten game season versus a fourteen game format was definitely taken into thoughtful consideration by the WSYSA leadership,” stated Dave Schumacher, WSYSA Coaching Director. “We solicited input from various sources, including other Directors of Coaching in the soccer community, and with strong endorsement all the way around, felt this course was the best way to both support our players and continue strengthening the women’s game in Washington.”
For additional information, please contact Todd McGann at the Washington State Youth Soccer Association, 253-476-2237 x.105.
Tentative Spring Season Schedule
Feb 3 Game 1
Feb 10 Game 2
Feb 17 Game 3
Feb 24 Game 4
March 1 Game 5 (Double-header weekend)
March 2 Game 6
March 9 Game 7
March 16 Game 8
March 30 Game 9
April 6 Game 10
Tentative State Cup Schedule
April 12 Preliminaries
April 13 Preliminaries
April 19 Preliminaries
April 20 Preliminaries
April 26 Quarterfinals
April 27 Semifinals
May 4 Finals
