By By Tony Krausz/assistant sports editor
May 23, 2004
The youth soccer competition in the State Games of Mississippi has undergone some alterations in the 13th year of the Olympic-style competition.
The under-10 and and under-12 divisions have been expanded to include four more teams than in past years, and the playing format has been changed for the two groups.
The under-10 will see six-on-six play in 2004, and the under-12 teams will play games of eight-on-eight. The games for the two age groups will be played on June 19 and 20.
The two age groups can have up to 12 teams in the tournaments, up from the eight-team maximum last year, and the games will be played on half fields.
The under-10 games will be played in 12-minute quarters, and the under-12 squads' games will be divided into 15-minute quarters. The under-12 teams had played halves in previous games.
A goal of having a semifinal and final round of competition for the under-10 and 12 division has long been a goal for the State Games.
If the maximum number of 12 teams is met for the two age groups, teams will be divided into three brackets, with four teams in each bracket. The top three teams from the brackets will advance to the semifinals, and the fourth team will be a wild card based on the best record of the teams that finish second in the brackets.
The ability to have extra teams and an added round to determine the champion was made possible by the Mississippi Youth Soccer Association's ruling that under-8 teams could not be included in state-wide tournaments.
But the State Games does not plan to leave under-8 teams interested in playing out of the weekend of soccer.
Kitchens said he will try to arrange a jamboree for under-8 squads, in which teams will by four-on-four games. The teams will play 10 minute quarters in the jamboree.
The State Games will also have under-14, under-16 and under-19 divisions in youth soccer.
The under-14 and under-16 teams will also play on the first weekend of the State Games, with the under-10 and 12 teams. The under-14 teams will play 35-minute halves, and the under-16 squads will play 40-minute halves.
The 14- and 16-year-old age groups can have a maximum of eight teams, which will be divided into two brackets. The top two teams from the opening day of competition will meet in the gold medal game, and the second place teams will play for the bronze medal.
The age groups will be divided between the Jaycee Soccer Complex and Northeast Park over the two days of competition.
The under-19 tournament will be held on the second weekend of the State Games on June 26 and 27. The teams will compete in 45-minute halves.
The State Games will also require that every player be registered with the MYSA this year, including the under-19 players which haven't had to be registered with the state-wide soccer organization in the past.
Players will receive a pass from the MYSA to prove registration with the sanctioning body. The pass will identify the player as a member of his or her recreation league. Players on select teams are not allowed to play in the State Games tournament.
The youth soccer competition anticipates drawing between 70 to 80 teams, with between 105-110 games being played over the weekends of the State Games.