The spring season of the Tennessee State League is now fully underway, with teams focused on reaching the TSSA State Cup Tournament for their respective age groups this May. Currently playing in the TSSA Spring State League are girls teams in the 12U-19U divisions, along with boys teams in the 12U-14U age groups.
“This spring season is one of our largest ever,” said Jeannie Louk, Director of Leagues and Programs at the Tennessee State Soccer Association. “We have 350 registered teams and will be playing over 1,100 games across the state. It will be exciting to see which teams end up in the final weekend at the State Championship!”
As mentioned, teams are competing in TSSA State League matches to earn a spot in the TSSA State Cup. During the weekend of May 21-23, the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds of the TSSA State Cup will be hosted for Division 1 and Division 2 girls teams in the 13U-19U age groups, along with Division 1 and Division 2 boys teams in the 13U-14U bracket. The semifinal and final rounds will take place that same weekend for Division 3 girls and boys teams in the 13U-17U groups.
Over the following weekend of May 27-29, the finals will be held in the Division 1 and Division 2 Tournaments. Additionally, the semifinal and final rounds for the 12U boys and girls teams will take place.
Champions at the Division 1 level will advance to the US Youth Soccer (USYS) Regional Tournament this June in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The competition is part of the USYS National Championship Series, which is the country’s most prestigious national youth soccer tournament. Champions at the Division 2 level will continue onto regional play in the USYS Southern Presidents Cup this June in Greenville, South Carolina. The USYS Presidents Cup provides a progressive and competitive environment to teams that might not otherwise get the opportunity to participate in a series of unique experiences highlighting competition, camaraderie and community.
“Our State Cup format is evaluated each and every year by our member clubs who participate in the events,” said Hans Hobson, Chief Operating Officer of the Tennessee State Soccer Association. “This is typically done at our Annual General Meeting each year. If you would like more information on how to get involved or have suggestions to improve our League, please reach out to us at info@tnsoccer.org.”
Open to all member clubs and their teams, TSSA has hosted the Tennessee State Cup since 1976. Games are played at competitive levels within three divisions (Division 1, Division 2 and Divisions 3).