FRISCO, Texas (May 13, 2020) — US Youth Soccer and Florida Youth Soccer Association are pleased to announce the continuation of the Sunshine Conference with a revamped format. In an agreement to keep the Sunshine Conference in the confines of Florida, top teams in the state will participate in a premier league with minimal travel while competing for a spot at the US Youth Soccer Southern Regional Championships.
As one of 13 conferences in the reimagined National League, the Sunshine Conference provides a competitive league platform for teams and clubs primarily from Florida. FYSA is well positioned to provide synergy between the Sunshine Conference and other youth soccer competitions within the state.
The new Sunshine Conference league manager will be Luis Torres, who has 20 years of experience in youth soccer within the state of Florida and currently serves as a technical director at the club level with United Soccer Alliance. Torres — whose former youth players include two-time FIFA World Cup Champion Morgan Brian — led several teams to success in the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series, and he has background as an assistant coach on U.S. Youth National Teams.
“Since debuting in 2018, the Sunshine Conference has provided Florida teams with a competitive league structure and pathway into some of US Youth Soccer’s top competitions,” Torres said. “By allocating some of our resources to focus solely on the Sunshine Conference, I am excited to work with FYSA to continue to move the league forward and maximize the opportunities for teams in our state.”
The new management structure for the Sunshine Conference will help to optimize the competition for the teams and clubs, as FYSA will be able to integrate the Sunshine Conference play dates with existing State competitions — ensuring a more efficient seasonal calendar for all participants. The US Youth Soccer leagues staff will work in cooperation with FYSA to guarantee the Sunshine Conference maintains the consistent play standards that are implemented in each of the conferences across the country.
As part of the network of National League Conferences, the Sunshine Conference provides top teams with an opportunity to earn advancement to the annual US Youth Soccer Southern Regional Championships. Additionally, Sunshine Conference teams also have access to the new National Showcase Series, in which they can compete against similar-performing opponents from other areas of the country in a cross-conference format.
“No one is more knowledgeable of the soccer landscape in Florida than those people who work daily to grow the game in the state,” said Marley Wilson, Director of Leagues and Competitions for US Youth Soccer. “FYSA has the experience, understanding and resources to continue to move the Sunshine Conference in a positive direction that benefits all participants.”
For more information on the National League and its 13 conferences, including the Sunshine Conference, click here.