Qualifying For U13 MRL Premier I Spring

This past weekend we qualified for the spring MRL Premier I Spring Division.  We are the first team in Minnesota to ever qualify for this division. . . So that is cool.  

What does it mean?  

It means that we finished in the top four of our Fall Premier I West Blue Qualification Division

Our top four combine with the top four of the MRL PDQ West Red Division to make up the Spring Premier I Division.

MRL Levels

The U13 Division was added last year, in 2013.  We applied to have a MTA team in MRL last year at U13 but MYSA would not allow a team from MYSA to compete in MRL at that age group.  MRL was furios.  MYSA changed their stance and allowed us to have a team this year.

MRL has evolved over the years and now MRL has many different levels.   At U13 there are two levels. 

• First Division (5 Divisions)
  • Top Teams qualify to Premier II Division
  • Lower teams stay in First Division
• Premier Qualification Division (4 Divisions)
  • Top Teams qualify for Premier I Division
  • Lower teams drop to Premier II Divsion

MRL Spring Premier I Division

The MRL Spring Premier I Division will take the place of Spring tournaments for us as this will give us 7 games vs quality opponents.  

MRL is a part of the USYS National Championship Series.  The National Championship Series starts at the State Cup Level.  If you win your State Cup you go to USYS Regionals.  If you win USYS Regionals your team goes to USYS Nationals.

MRL Premier I winners obtain a automatic qualification for the Midwest Regionals.  If the MRL Premier I winner wins State Cup, the bid goes to the second place team.  If the second place team wins their State Cup the bid goes to the third place team and so on and so on.

Why Are We Doing This As An ECNL Club?

We are doing this for a few reasons.

1. To play the best teams in the Region
2. To qualify for the Midwest Regional 2015 Tournament
3. To obtain entry into the 2015-16 USYS National League

USYS National League

The USYS National League is comprised of a series of tournaments where each team competes in two tournaments, (8 games) to complete the league.  This fits in perfectly with the ECNL schedule and I believe this group can compete at this level and they have the interest level to do this.