Restructuring Mississippi Soccer: Enhancing Competitive Play

1. MSA Soccer Summit August 28, 2010

2. Welcome David Dodd President, Mississippi Soccer Please put your phones on silent or vibrate mode

3. Purpose and Goal To discuss if a restructure of the MSA playing divisions are desired by our membership in order to be more competitive at all levels of soccer

4. Let’s talk about You • Name 3 things that your club does well. • ______________________________ • ______________________________ • ______________________________

5. 3 things your club does well - RECAP • Certifying Coaches • Train Players • Background checks • Moving Players to D2 • Certifying Refs • Following Rules • Parent Education • Instilling Love of Game • Supporting Rec Programs • Interclub Play • Developing Younger Kids • Organizing Volunteers • Spreading Talent Level

6. Let’s talk about You • Name 3 things that you wish your club did or could do better? • ______________________________ • ______________________________ • ______________________________

7. 3 things that you wish your club did or could do better? - RECAP • Better way to transition to D1 • Attracting Committed Coaches • Training Younger coaches • More avenues to player development • Retaining Older Players • More Rec Activities • Better communication to D1 Clubs • Fundraising • Attracting Volunteers • Attracting Sponsors

8. Let’s talk about You • Name 3 things that you wish your club could or would if there were no constraints of any kind? • ______________________________ • ______________________________ • ______________________________

9. 3 things that you wish your club could or would if there were no constraints of any kind? - RECAP • Club/MSA pay for Licensing • Offer top training at Rec level, separated by ability • Clinics and Coaches at Younger Level • Register more kids with economic issues • More fields • Eliminate Divisions • Establish new “carrots” for all players • Smaller Club partnerships in D1 and D2 • Eliminate Boundaries

10. BREAK 15 minutes please…..

11. COMPARISON OF STATE LEAGUES IN REGION III Terry Eguaoje, Ed.D. MSA Technical Director of Coaching

12. MISSISSIPPI Approx. 23,000 Players League Structure Division I - National Cup Series Division II - President’s Cup Division III – Rec. (Kohl’s Cup) LOUISIANA Approx. 31,000 Players League Structure Premier Cup Winners - National Cup Series Division I - President’s Cup Recreational - Kohl’s Cup DOC is proposing just two (2) levels: Select & Rec. LEAGUE STRUCTURE

13. ARKANSAS Approx. 22,000 Players League Structure State League – Classic (National Cup Series & President’s Cup) Local Leagues –Rec. (Kohl’s Cup) ALABAMA Approx. 20,000 Players League Structure Division I - National Cup Series Division II - President’s Cup Division III – Kohl’s Cup Division IV – in-house LEAGUE STRUCTURE… CONT.

14. SOUTH CAROLINA Approx. 21,000 Players League Structure Challenge - Div. I (U13 - 19) National Cup Series President’s Medal Soccer – Div. II (U13 – 19) President’s Cup Recreational & Palmetto Academy Recreational (U9-12) - Kohl’s Cup TENNESSEE Approx. 40,000 Players League Structure Division I - National Cup Series Division II - President’s Cup Recreational (Districts) - Kohl’s Cup LEAGUE STRUCTURE… CONT.

15. CONCLUSION • MISSISSIPPI - 3 Levels • LOUISIANA - 2 Levels • ARKANSAS - 2 Levels • ALABAMA - 4 Levels • SOUTH CAROLINA - 3 Levels • TENNESSEE - 3 Levels

16. Comments / Questions

17. Breakout into groups • Each group should have reps from different clubs • Each group should have at least a President, a D3 Rep, a D2 Rep, a D1 Rep and a DOC if possible

18. Define a state structure that will enable our best teams to be competitive at the Regional Cups Recreational Soccer Competitive Soccer Regional Presidents Cup U13 – U17 National Championship Series U14 – U19

19. Lunch on MSA • Try to sit with your group if possible so that you can still discuss • Session re-starts at 1:00 P.M.

20. Define your Club’s ideal structure that will enable our best teams to be competitive at the Regional Cups Recreational Soccer Competitive Soccer National Championship Series U14 – U19 Regional Presidents Cup U13 – U17

21. Presentation by Groups • No questions at this time • Select a spokesperson to present your groups ideas

22. Group 1

23. Group 2

24. Group 3

25. Group 4

26. Summarize • Which ideas have the most merit? • Where do we go next? • Ongoing webinars to move forward

27. Group Consensus

28. Dual Rostered D2 – Pros and Cons • Doesn’t Affect D3 • Keeps D2 Coaches in D3 • Increase # of D3 Players • Good Players help Lesser Players • More Touches on the ball • D2 doesn’t have time to become competitive • Rec teams count on single good players • Lose players that don’t want to play Rec but want higher level • Amount of time it takes for practices – affects parents and players • Coaches unwilling to coach lesser players • Hurts smaller Clubs Pros Cons

29. Wrap - Up • Here are some discussion points and options that the MSA Vice Presidents have considered.

30. Current Situation Division III Recreational • Proms are an issue for Kohl’s Cup (districts) U19s • Last minute roster “fixes” • Small sided games and coaching has improved D3 • Enforcement of standard brackets for districts • U18 single age not being used

31. Current Situation Division II Intermediate Recreational • Most teams form for SGM • No/Little Participation in Regional President ‘s Cup • Teams we do send are not competitive • Season “Really” runs April-June *April/May for MSA • Is a real issue for staff, i.e passes, rostering • MSA is Dual age - Regional Cup is single age • Club Tourneys not requiring credentials

32. Current Situation Division I Competitive • Level of competition-out of USYS Regionals • Mindset-Let’s win State to go to Regionals (vacation) • Cost of D1 imposed at club level driving players out of program • Teams that should be not be playing at the D1 Level

33. Option 1

34. Option 2

35. Thank You for Participating MSA Soccer Summit August 28, 2010