Classic and Premier Division

MSA Announces New Playing Divisions......

Premier and Classic Divisions

For any age/gender division that does not participate in the National Championship Series there will be two levels of play established – Premier and Classic. Premier will be the top tier of Division I soccer in Mississippi. Classic will be the 2^nd tier of Division I soccer. Each club/organization president must submit to the Division I Vice President the Premier or Classic designation for each u11-u13 Division I team within their respective club/organization. The deadline for this submission is September 1st of each season. This must be done via U.S. Postal Service or via electronic media. Those organizations not meeting the September 1st deadline will have all teams placed in the Premier Division.

Criteria for the Premier Division:

1) If a club/organization establishes a Division I team within the age/gender division(s) that has multiple levels, they must have a minimum of 1 team in the Premier Division. Except for U11 and U12 Age group, no club/organization with only 1 team in any age/gender will be allowed to place that team in the Classic Division.

a. Exception: In the u11 age division - if a team is comprised of 80% of players that are younger than the seasonal u11 age - (using the MSA established dates to determine player eligibility). Once player eligibility is confirmed/approved by the MSA office, the team will be placed in the Classic Division. At no time during the seasonal year may the player composition of said team be different than the 80/20 criteria established. If is it determined that the team is in violation, the team will be disqualified, forfeit bond money, and will be subject to additional penalties established by the MSA Council.

2) Each team within the Premier Division will play all other teams within the same Premier Division in league play for qualification/seeding into the annual Mississippi State Premier Cup. This league will be under the direction of the Division I Vice President.

3) In the event an age group/gender has exactly seven (7) teams in the Premier Division – only the top six (6) will advance to the Mississippi State Cup. A maximum of 8 teams from each age/gender division will advance to the Mississippi State Cup.

Criteria for the Classic Division:

1) There must be a minimum of 6 teams in the Premier Division before the Classic Division will be established.

2) Except for U11 and U12 Age group, no club/organization with only 1 team in any age/gender will be allowed to place that team in the Classic Division.

a. Exception: In the u11 age division - if a team is comprised of 80% of players that are younger than the seasonal u11 age - (using the MSA established dates to determine player eligibility). Once player eligibility is confirmed/approved by the MSA office, the team will be placed in the Classic Division. At no time during the seasonal year may the player composition of said team be different than the 80/20 criteria established. If is it determined that the team is in violation, the team will be disqualified, forfeit bond money, and will be subject to additional penalties established by the MSA Council.

3) Each team within the Classic Division will play all other teams within the same age/gender division in league play for qualification/seeding into the Mississippi State Classic Cup. This league will be under the direction of the Division I Vice President.

4) In the event an age group/gender has exactly seven (7) teams in the Classic Division – the top six (6) will advance to the Mississippi State Cup. A maximum of 8 teams from each age/gender division will advance to the Mississippi State Cup.

If a team drops out of the MSA State Cup after having been accepted to the MSA State Cup; that team will remain named in the State Cup Tournament if there is not a next seeded replacement team available. That teams games shall be scored as forfeits.

~09.21.09