GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (June 15, 2021) — As the Spring 2021 season of the US Youth Soccer Midwest Conference has concluded, 32 teams can plan on taking part in the inaugural season of National League P.RO. in the 2021-22 seasonal year thanks to their outstanding conference performances this spring.
Galaxy SC (IL) saw three teams qualify for National League P.R.O., two of them courtesy of Galaxy’s participation in the Midwest Conference Boys Club vs. Club Divisions.
“I love that our Club vs. Club Division in the Midwest Conference leads to qualification for National League P.R.O.,” said Brett Strang, Executive Director of Galaxy SC. “Our players and coaches love what National League P.R.O. has to offer. The ability to step on the best fields against the best teams in the country while competing for a spot in the USYS National Championships brings the excitement to another level.”
The top two finishers in the Club vs. Club Division of the 15U-18U Boys age groups are joined by the winner and runners-up in the Premier I Divisions from the Spring 2021 season of the Midwest Conference in qualifying for National League P.R.O. From the 13U and 14U Boys and Girls age groups, the top four finishers in Premier I qualify for National League P.R.O.
Dave Beck, Director of Boys Soccer at Sporting St. Louis, believes the new National League platform will provide a huge benefit to the teams in his club and the Midwest Conference as a whole.
“Knowing that putting your team in a position to qualify for a season in National League P.R.O. will put expectations on our players each and every time they step onto the training ground and into a match,” Beck said. “There’s a high demand from the players and coaches to perform at their highest levels and that will be throughout the teams and clubs that play in Midwest Conference.”
National League P.R.O., which kicks off in Fall 2021, will be composed of 48 teams in each gender age group from across the country, with 12 teams coming from each region. Within each age group, teams are placed into six groups of eight, with each side competing in seven games over the course of the season. From there, 12 teams per age group advance to the USYS National Championships.
After seeing its 16U Girls team qualify for National League P.R.O. from the Fall 2020 Midwest Conference season, Kingdom SC (MI) saw its 18U Boys do the same, as the side finished as the runner-up in the Premier I Division — giving the squad an opportunity the players will be eager to capitalize on.
“We’re really looking forward to the new National League P.R.O. setup,” said Chad Wiseman, coach of the 18U Boys Kingdom team. “It gives our players in the Kalamazoo area an opportunity to compete at the highest level against some of the best clubs and players in the country. Being able to showcase our players in front of a diverse college scouting network of coaches is something we would not get without National League P.R.O.”
Click here to view the announcement of automatic qualifying slots and see all the teams that have already clinched their spot in the 2021-22 season of National League P.R.O.
To follow the Midwest Conference results and standings, click here.
Click here for more information on the Midwest Conference. For more information on all 13 of the National League Conferences, the National League Showcase Series, and National League P.R.O., click here.