The Regional Tournament begins today with opening ceremonies. 212 top boys and girls teams from 14 state associations will be competing June 22-27 in Des Moines, Iowa. Preliminary games will be played June 23-25. Semifinal matches will be played June 26, and final games will be on June 27.
Springfield will be well represented as noted earlier. The Springfield SC U16 boys will be one of 16 teams competing for the Regional title and I’ll be posting regular reports with photos from Des Moines. I’ve also got some additional opportunities to cover players who will be Representing Springfield Soccer at this high level tournament. By the way, Rob Evans (pictured with Cory Carr, Coach) of KOLR10/KSFX27 was out on Wednesday evening to visit with the SSC team and his interview and video will be on the news this evening. Check it out!
Chealsey Russell (Kickapoo 2008), who has signed with Rice University, will be competing with her U17 St Louis SC teammates. You remember her run to the U15 National title two years ago, when this website was in its first year. This is the fourth straight year the girls will compete at Regionals.
A few of her teammates and their college plans include
Chealsey’s college choice, the Rice Owls, made the Top 20 and the NCAA tournament in 2005, and were ranked in the top 20 in 2006 including a win against then ranked #8 Texas.
Skyler Russell (Kickapoo 2009) is headed to Regionals for the 3rd straight year. His Scott Gallagher team made the semi’s in 2005, last year they lost their opening game to the Chicago Wind who took second at Regionals and this year they open with the Chicago Magic. An early gut check for his U15 squad that includes Charles Gerken, who headed to Bradenton FL last Fall to participate in the National team residency program.
Tyler Williams (Kickapoo 2007) is headed back to Regionals for the second year. His Scott Gallagher team has won state and gone to regionals every year since 2003, making this year their 6th state chamionship. In 2004 they made it to the regional finals and won regionals last year.
State champions and select runners-up participate (from the Midwest Regional League that SSC competes in). Other state associations represented are Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio South, Ohio North, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Regional winners of the Under-14 through Under-19 brackets earn a berth to the July 24-29 national championships in Frisco, Texas, a suburb of Dallas.
Twelve national championship trophies are awarded, and this year marks the 72nd anniversary of the James P. McGuire Cup, the oldest trophy in youth sport. Dating back to the inaugural youth championships in 1935, the McGuire Cup is awarded to the under-19 boys national champions.
The U.S. Soccer Federation initiated youth championships with the McGuire Cup. Since its creation 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 series current format.
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