posted March 18, 2010; modified March 30th, May 31st, 2010 and March 1st, 2011
NorCalState Cup(s): General Principles – U9 to U13 Age/Gender Divisions
Every event organized by NorCal (Spring League, Summer League, Fall League,Year around League, NorCal State Cup(s), Player Identification Program, Coaches Education, Adult League and the soon to be formed Open Adult League) has one major purpose:
“To raise the level of play and the soccer skills of every - every - Northern California player – young and old - who loves to play soccer!”
The younger 2010 NorCal State Cup(s) – Under 9 to U13 – are beginning to be organized with new teams registering every day. During the next three months, we will be posting information on-line to help Club officials, coaches and managers understand the formats and how they affect the teams that enter what has become one of the largest (2010: 1,200 teams) State Cup(s) tournaments in America.
As the NorCal State Cup(s) have grown, so has the need for coaches and parents – especially parents - to understand the underlying principles on which the Cup(s) are based. Some aspects of the Cup(s) are counter-intuitive and need to be explained and understood.
It is very important that at least one person on each team have a good understanding of the formats and the tournament in general. This is not a “play a three game preliminary round the first week-end and 75% of the teams are eliminated” event.
Having a coach, manager or parent or two on each team who have taken the time to understand the formats, schedules, rules and responsibilities will help the players enjoy the experience and also avoid having the team cause unnecessary problems for the other teams that have entered.
As many of you know from personal experience, for all teams – many hundreds – this is an event that remains exciting and meaningful for every serious soccer team from game # 1 in August to game # 7 in November for the Under 9 & 10; early December for the White Under 11 to U13 teams; and late January, 2011 for the Red Under 11 to Under 13 teams.
A perceptive parent has suggested that for most teams the normal tournament format is like a school field trip - a day or two and it is over. However, the NorCal Cup(s) is more like a band or school play with multiple peformances (and improvement) over a period of time - in the case of the NorCal Cup(s) - months.
General Principle #1:
The NorCal State Cup age/gender Divisions are similar to a High School Honors Class in that both groups are mainly high achievers and at the top echelon of all students, or in the case of NorCal – all soccer players. Most of the teams in NorCal are either already among the top achieving teams (players) in Northern California or are “striving” to reach that level.
Recognizing that the Honors Classes have very advanced students compared to the general population of students, teachers usually modify their grading to take that reality into account. They do not give the hard working student who tests in the middle of the Honors’ Class the usual “Middle C”. They recognize the need to take into account the more difficult level of the work compared to other classes and often give every student who worked hard an A-, A or A+.
It is the same with NorCal. At the Under 13 and below, we recognize that the great majority of NorCal teams would be ranked in the top echelon of the Northern California more than 1,000 teams in any age/gender division. Given that NorCal is working mostly with the top 10% of teams (players) – we organize accordingly.
NorCal has created a unique format where the very top teams can have the usual type of tournament competition among the teams that win their 3 first round games and then their next 3, but for the 75% of the teams that lose or tie a game or two and do not advance in the traditional format – there is an exciting second round and Quarter-finals game among NorCal State Cup teams that have had similar experiences.
The last re-ranking for the Quarter-finals again recognizes the high level of competition among the teams. By having all the teams play a NorCal State Cup(s) Quarter-final game, from State (previously Super) to Bronze 5, 6 or 9, against another team that had a similar record – NorCal recognizes that the team at the bottom of the NorCal standings after 6 games is most likely near the top of all the Northern California teams in that age/gender.
Teachers and coaches need exciting short and long term goals to help motivate their players. The NorCal State Cup(s) last from 5 to 8 months and provide a series of exciting games with many different outcomes depending on whether the team wins, ties or loses – and how the other teams are doing.
NorCal organizes every grouping from State to Bronze 8 (2009: U11 Boys – 104 teams) in exactly the same manner. We have watched every group play games and most are played with both great joy and great energy.
While Clubs are free to prioritize their teams as they choose, NorCal has never treated the teams differently whether it be a team that wins a Super (now State) Championship or the team that finishes at the bottom of a Bronze 8 Championship Division. NorCal always remembers that we are dealing mostly with the most skilled young players and teams in Northern California – and they deserve our complete respect and admiration for the energy and joy they bring to our wonderful sport.
That is what makes these formats work – young players trying to play the best they can at that particular time and place; and coaches encouraging that great attitude that is at the root of all progress Northern California will make in improving the level of soccer in our area of the world.
Every team cannot win a State Championship, but every team and player can be - and should be - appreciated for the work and effort with which they play our wonderful sport. It is that work and effort that will over time bring our NorCal players to increasingly higher levels of play - based not only on a Northern California standard, but that even more treasured World standard!
