
The Appalachia Highlands Champions Cup is designed as a regional advanced soccer league for U12 - U19 players. As a regional "advanced recreational" league, it is ideal for recreational players and teams throughout Southwest Virginia, Southern West Virginia, and Northeast Tennessee seeking a higher performance level between recreational and competitive soccer. The league is administered by Southwest Virginia Rush Soccer Club. Participating teams can include an already formed recreational team, an all star team from an existing local league, a competitive recreational club team, or as a blended team. League features and benefits include:
- 6 Week Seasons with Playoffs
- Tentative Group Play Team Formation Areas (Limited Travel)
New River North: Beckley, Bluefield, Blacksburg, Giles, Christiansburg, Princeton
New River South: Radford, Pulaski, Dublin, Hillsville, Wytheville, Galax, Grayson
Clinch: Tazwell, Richlands, Lee, Scott, Wise
Holston: Marion, Abingdon, Bristol, Rural Retreat
Watauga: Gate City, Greenville, Johnson City, Kingsport, Sullivan County
- Participation is extended to all club and recreational teams regardless of current governing body affiliation. Players will be registered through US Club Soccer.
- Fall and Spring (Weekend Games) - Held after or before most area in-town or county sponsored recreational leagues
- Fall 2020 - Full team competition held November - December; Rush sponsored teams begin training mid October (suspended)
- Spring 2021 U16 - U19 - Full team competition held February - April 11th; Rush sponsored teams begin training in February
- Spring 2021 U12 - U14 - Full team competition held April 12 - May 23; Rush sponsored teams begin training in March
- Team (volunteer or club sponsored) & Individual (Rush club sponsored) Registration
- Matches players with a more appropriate competitive level
- Supplements rather than replaces existing community-based recreational leagues
- Group play takes place in geographic divisions with limited travel time and associated costs.
- Boys and girls divisions are preferred and formed based as registrations allow; coed teams are formed as a contingency.
*Note: There is no guarantee that there will be enough teams in each age group to create divisions as planned, but Rush will attempt to create equitable divisions and help find appropriate team placements as much as possible when creating divisions.