United Soccer Leagues announced today the final Super Y-League First and Second 11 Club rankings for the 2007 season, recognizing the league’s top competitive and administrative clubs. Northern Virginia FC jumped a spot on the First 11 Club ranking, earning the Royals and Majestics program as the tenth best Super Y-League club in North America.

 

Northern Virginia FC previously earned the number eleven spot on the preliminary First 11 Club rankings released in October. The U14 Royals, U17 Royals, U16 Royals, and U16 Majestics had all previously qualified for the chance at a North American title to garner the preliminary honors.

 

The release of the final rankings follows the SYL North American Finals, where 21 of the clubs in the rankings competed for ten championships held late last month in Tampa, Florida. With four teams showing well and the U14 Royals earning the title of North American finalist, Northern Virginia FC moved up a spot to tenth in the rankings.

The Super Y-League launched a new club ranking system in 2005 with the top clubs ranked from 1-22 and separated into the First and Second 11. With the extensive growth of the second-year USL Super-20 League, the 2007 rankings also include a club’s performance in the new league. This system publicizes the top 22 clubs in both the boys and girls categories as well as overall. The rankings are based primarily upon the on-field results - winning percentage accounting for 70 percent of the score. Minimum standards and operations complete the other 30 percent.

“The criteria used to rank these clubs is basic yet essential to the Super Y-League’s philosophy of providing a professionalized atmosphere for the top youth players in North America,” said USL Super Y-League and Super -20 League Director of Operations Melanie Fitzgerald. “United Soccer Leagues wanted a way to salute those clubs who consistently succeed not only on the field but off the field as well.”