In the GU16 division, BSC Portland 96G Black didn’t exactly cruise to the cup, winning all but one of their games by a one-goal margin. In a semifinal matchup against Rogue Valley, which was a rematch of their first group game in which BSC Portland game away 2-1 winners, the Black team managed to eke out a 1-0 result this time to earn a spot in Sunday’s final. There, against TFA Barcelona, the U15 team from BSC Portland managed to put together a solid 80 minutes against a fellow U15 team, to win the U16 Cup with a 1-0 win. 

In the GU18 Division, after a trying season in the GU18 Premier Division, the Rogue Valley Timbers managed to piece together a good run through the tournament, coming away with the GU18 trophy after posting a 1-0 over the BSC Portland 95G Black (U17). 

For the BU16s, it appeard the Hillsboro SC Real Madrid team were on an easy march to be Cup winners. 4-1 winners over Cascade FC in the semis, they looked sure to repeat as champions with only THUSC Radon standing in their way. Radon, no slouches themselves with a number of convincing wins in group play, had other plans though. In a highly spirited game at Buckman, both teams never relented and went at a furious pace over the course of the 80 minute game. In the end, a repeat just wasn’t in the cards, as Radon captured the Cup as 3-1 winners, with a late insurance goal sealing the fate of Real Madrid.

In the BU18 division, two seemed to be the magic number for the BU17 BSC Portland 95 Gold team. After 4-0 result (4 is a multiple of 2, right?) over their U18 94 Black team to open group play, the 95 Gold needed only two goals in each of their next 3 games to earn their Director’s Cup. In the semifinal, Thelo Athletico managed to cut the winning margin by 1, but in the end BSC Portland came away winners, advancing to Sunday’s final where they posted a 2-0 result over Hillsboro SC Chivas. 

All year long, the OPL has donated every cent accrued from fines to AC Portland. Now, we want to challenge our players and families to to chip in to support the underserved urban communities in our area; AC Portland provides hundreds of students with structured physical activity, nutrition education and mentorship – at no cost to their families, but needs your help to continue to teach and inspire these students. AC Portland program participants receive programming 4 days per week, which keeps them active, healthy, and engaged in a positive and stable after-school activity.

Of course, we wouldn’t expect donations without a little incentive friendly competition among our age groups! 

It’s pretty simple:

We will be out at the Tualatin Hills Parks and Rec Center under the blue tents by Field 1 all weekend this weekend, and all day May 4. Simply stop by, add your contribution to the age group(s) State Cup trophy of your choice (we will also accept your donations during the week at our office).

The three age groups whose cups fill up the highest in donations will be entered to win the following prizes:

Grand Prize (age group donating the most): Portland Timbers game in the adidas Suite - Package for 4

2nd Place: Two Season Tickets for the Portland Thorns FC

3rd Place: Two Season Tickets for The University of Portland Soccer (Men’s or Women’s team)

(We would also consider giving the Grand Prize winner the option of choosing the Thorns tickets instead, with 2nd place getting the Portland Timbers adidas Suite package). 

Every $5 donated puts your name in the age group lottery once; for every $20, you get 5 entries. We’ll announce the winning age groups on our Facebook page on Sunday, May 5, followed by the prize winners on Monday, May 6. Finally, once all the money has been counted, the OPL will match, dollar-for-dollar, your donations to AC Portland. 

It’s up to YOU to offer Portland area youth the support they need to develop their talents and change our world.

Learn, Serve, Play, and may the best age group win! 

CHARLESTON, S.C. (Feb. 12, 2013) – The Oregon Premier League is pleased to become part of US Club Soccer’s Premier Leagues platform, a network of leagues in local, statewide and similar geographic regions for competitive clubs and teams.

The Premier Leagues platform builds on the success of the National Premier Leagues (NPL) and the principle that league-based competition is the primary means for long-term player development and growth of the game.

"We've already been doing much of what this new platform offers since our inception," said Angela Harrison, OPL Director of Operations. "So as far as how are leagues are structured, there won't be much change. But the Council have evaluated and approved a few modifications in hopes of continuing to advance the development of the game in our state."  

An initial group of eight leagues from across the country have been designated as part of the Premier Leagues platform:

 * The second division of these leagues is part of the Premier Leagues platform, while the top division is part of the NPL platform. This integrated structure allows for movement between divisions within these leagues.

Premier Leagues are created with similar philosophies as the NPL, as well as the U.S. Soccer Developmental Academy and Elite Clubs National League (ECNL), but with unique structures for participating clubs and teams.

While US Club Soccer’s emphasis on club development led to a club-based structure for the NPL, one of the differentiating factors in the Premier Leagues platform is the allowance for more team-based competition due to the smaller geographic region that each league covers (for example, no overnight stays are necessary). In areas with existing NPLs, the new Premier Leagues platform will extend opportunities to more clubs.

In addition to competing for league championships, qualifiers from each Premier League will meet for a Regional Premier Leagues Championship in future years, eventually culminating in a Premier Leagues national championship event. Qualification paths will be based on the number of leagues, regional travel logistics and calendar considerations. 

“The creation of the Premier Leagues platform represents US Club Soccer’s continued drive to innovate and create better league-based competitive platforms, bringing those development formats to more clubs,” said US Club Soccer Executive Director Bill Sage. “Club development is the most important factor in the growth of the sport and the Premier Leagues provide an avenue for more clubs to become involved in US Club Soccer competition, player identification, education and development initiatives.” 

Among the benefits to Premier Leagues will be integration into US Club Soccer’s id2 Program and Player Development Programs, to allow opportunity for selected players to participate in these Olympic Development Program-sanctioned programs. 

In selected markets, Premier Leagues may also operate a state cup on behalf of US Club Soccer. Many US Club Soccer state cups will be qualifiers for the National Cup Finals. Teams in the Premier Leagues may receive “mid-stage” entry into state cup competitions in which they participate based on their Premier League competition results. 

# # #

• 2013 NPL Champions Cup Web page

• Recap and videos from 2012 NPL Champions Cup

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PREMIER LEAGUES (NPL):

• focused on long-term player development;
  
• for the country’s top soccer clubs, allowing consistent, meaningful high-level games appropriately scheduled with higher training-to-game ratios;
  
• that allows players to be scouted and evaluated by U.S. Soccer National Staff and Technical Advisors; 
  
• that is designed and structured by the clubs, based on the needs of the clubs;

• that provides an avenue for qualification for the NPL Champions Cup.

• properly-structured youth soccer clubs are the vehicle through which player development does and must occur in the United States.

• clubs should play in leagues that provide meaningful games, allow establishment of the proper training-to-game ratio, and eliminate calendar congestion.

• National Premier Leagues, as well as the best clubs, should be integrated in US Club Soccer’s id² National Identification and Development Program, include Player Development Programs (PDPs) in select local markets, and work closely with U.S. Soccer staff regarding player identification, and player and coach development.

ABOUT US CLUB SOCCER:

Based on the Youth Club Standards created by US Club Soccer, the Minimum Requirements to Qualify as  Club are to hold clubs to a higher standard and ensure all particpants in the Oregon Premier League are unified with the common purpose of raising the quality of competitive play in Oregon. 

"The goal in adopting these standards is simply to ensure all clubs are focused on providing the best possible programs they can for their players," said John Bain, Executive Director of the Oregon Premier League. "As a League, we continually want to raise the standard of competitive soccer in our state, and we believe by requiring clubs to meet these standards, they can then begin to target other areas for improvement in their club, such as field and coaching development, which we think is vital for clubs to continue to thrive and excel." 

Any new club not currently in the league will have to meet these requirements prior to competing in any League-sanctioned event. Current clubs in the league will have until July 31, 2013 to come into compliance with these standards. 

OPL MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO JOIN