The South Region Soccer League would like to update our membership regarding the 2015 Outdoor Season as it stands now.
The SRSL attended meetings on Sept 27th & Sept 30 and have been advised of the following:
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Only 1 Regional conference of 8 Teams will be authorized for U14 to U18 as the districts did not want 2 Regional conferences per age group.
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Each conference will be comprised of 5 teams from Peel Halton District, 2 teams from Hamilton District, and 1 team from Niagara District.
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The District Associations will select the Club/Teams that will participate
Our understanding is that all existing South Region Soccer League teams will not be grandfathered, rather the Districts will be selecting the Clubs/Teams.
Any questions regarding how divisions will be populated should be directed to your district association and/or Club.
The SRSL did request that we be allowed to run all divisions as we have done for many years however this request was denied.
Thank-you
SRSL Executive Board
Please find attached the revised document entitled ‘OSA League Structure changes for 2015’ sent out by OSA late yesterday afternoon.
The number of teams in a conference incorrectly stated 8-12 teams when it should have read 6-8 teams as defined in OSA Policy 15.0.
To view revised document - Click Here
The SRSL board of directors passed the following motion at their board meeting on September 8th, 2014.
The South Region Soccer League will follow the OSA mandate for League formation for 2015 U14 to U18 boys and girls. The OSA updated league structure will be comprised of one or two regional conferences of 6-8 teams (Divisions to be determined at a later date geographically and/or by standings of 2014) and comprised of teams from the three district associations.
Further information will be available and posted on the SRSL website after the meeting with the OSA League Management Committee of the league at the OSA on September 27th.
This letter was sent out today, Sept 9, 2014 - Click here to view
The below letter was distributed in the Kick-off packages at the Coaches Kick-off meeting.
EXISTENCE OF SOUTH REGION SOCCER LEAGUE
The South Region Soccer League (SRSL) was established over twenty-five (25) years ago to serve the greater region of Southern Ontario. The SRSL has provided competitive soccer for over 50 clubs in age groups U8 to U18. The SRSL represents the largest league in the area and in Ontario for youth soccer, combining the municipalities of Peel, Halton, Hamilton, and Niagara regions.
The SRSL Board and staff would like to thank the players, officials, and clubs who participated in the SRSL for all their support over the past 25 years.
In the 2006 season, the SRSL had teams participating from Mississauga to Windsor and six (6) District Associations with more than 600 teams, ranging in ages from U8 to U18. Under OSA governance, a decision was made by the OSA to create a new Western League which removed more than 240 teams from the SRSL.
The SRSL regrouped and worked to create a stronger league. By 2010, there were once again more than 600 teams within the SRSL organization with only three (3) District Associations.
Unfortunately, the OSA continued to remove teams from the SRSL to create a new development system, LTPD, governed by the OSA and run by the District Associations.
The SRSL’s successful run of excellence in organizing competitive soccer for the communities it serves has been slowly diminished by the new development systems created by the OSA. The future of SRSL is in jeopardy. In the 2015 season, the SRSL is expected to have only 80-160 teams ranging in ages from U14 to U18. This level of participation is not sufficient to run a successful competitive league without a significant increase in operating costs per team and per player.
The new era in soccer in Ontario has been devastating to the SRSL and many other leagues in Ontario. It is unfortunate that the players, parents, and clubs will no longer be able to have a high level of service in league play, at a reasonable cost to all.
The SRSL may not disappear completely; it is up to the players, parents, coaches, clubs and the soccer community to determine the appropriate direction for the development of youth soccer in the South Region in Ontario.
The SRSL will look at all possibilities to utilize the experience of over twenty-five (25) years of service to provide opportunities for every player to enjoy the sport, play at a level appropriate to his/her skill and ability while increasing their skill level through competitive league play. The present Board of Directors and some clubs are considering the option to continue to operate and emerge as a new private league under difference governance. The next step is up to the players, parents, coaches, and clubs to inform the OSA of their preferences for the future of soccer in Ontario.
Click Here to view the letter - SRSL Update May 9, 2014