Spring State Championships Early Bids & More Info
Ben Fletcher
Date: May 9-10
Location: Long Lake Regional Park in Arvada
Divisions: Girls, Open D1, Open D2
More info on the State Championships can be found on the State Championships AU Page >>>
Upcoming deadlines: submit Early Bid Form and Eligibility form by Friday, April 10 (see below)
Early Bid Form - due Friday, April 10
The bid form for the State Championships can be found here. Please submit this form for each team planning to play in the State Championships! The deadline to submit the form is Friday, April 10.
Submitting this form does not commit you to playing, and this is to collect a list of teams who are intending or interested in competing at the State Championships.
We will be following up with information on qualifying for Division 1 Open if needed in mid-April.
Eligibility Exception Requests
The Eligibility Request form for this season can be found here. The deadline to submit the eligibility form for your team is Friday, April 10.
All teams playing in the State Championships are required to submit the Eligibility form this season. If your team does not have players who attend other schools, this can be indicated on the form. Any teams that do have players who attend other schools will need to provide information about these players, as directed by the form. Teams that have submitted the form this season and do not have any new players from other schools do not need to submit the form again.
Friday, April 10 is the final deadline for all teams participating in the State Championships to have submitted the eligibility form for all players who attend schools other than the school represented by the team. This includes combination teams - all teams that have players from multiple schools need to submit eligibility requests for these players.
CDP Coach Certification
Every team at the State Championships must have a CDP Certified coach. There is an exception for first-year teams, but we still recommend getting certified. Please also note that you may need to recertify if you have previously taken the certification and it has expired. Please visit this link to get started with the coach certification, which is now fully online. Please also note that each team will need a chaperone with a current background check and Safe Sport.
Score Reporting
Please remember to submit scores and spirit scores for all league games using our score reporter. Spirit scores should be done by players immediately following each game. We are missing scores from a number of teams - please be sure to submit scores for all games that have been played this season.
Midseason Tournaments
We have 2 midseason tournaments coming up and we hope to see everyone at one of these! Registration is open for both tournaments.
Division 1 Midseason - April 11-12 at Long Lake Regional Park in Arvada
Division 2 Midseason - April 19 at Monarch High School in Louisville
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Ben Fletcher
Ben Fletcher
Ben Fletcher
Scott, Andrew
I am writing to you both as a youth coach and a supporter of everything AYU does for the ultimate community. As I look toward the end of the season, I want to share some feedback regarding last season's State Tournament and express my concerns about the structure for this year.
Our school represents an uncommon demographic in the league. With just under 1,000 students, 72% non-white and 63% on free or reduced lunch, our program is often the first introduction our students have to organized sports. For our players, many of whom cannot access middle school or summer club teams due to cost, work responsibilities, or transportation barriers, our team is their first athletic experience. The State Tournament is the pinnacle of their athletic experience.
Last season, we felt we reached a milestone by taking 2nd place in Division 2. However, the experience was overshadowed by a significant disparity in recognition. Four trophies were awarded to Division 1 teams, while Division 2 teams received none. This created a demoralizing situation where a D1 team could lose nearly all their games and receive a state trophy, while a D2 team could win nearly all of theirs and leave empty-handed.
I bring this up not out of a personal desire for hardware, but because visibility and recognition are essential for player retention and program growth, especially at schools like ours. When our players see that their hard work isn’t validated in the same way as D1 teams, it sends a message that their division, and by extension their effort, matters less.
As you finalize the schedule and structure for this year, I have a few questions and a standing offer:
Recognition Parity: Will Division 2 teams be recognized with trophies or awards equal to those of Division 1 this season?
Division Integrity: Does the league intend to "demote" D1 teams into the D2 bracket again during the state tournament, or will the divisions remain distinct to ensure fair competition?
Representation: I would like to reiterate my offer to volunteer my time or provide perspective. I believe it is vital that the league's leadership includes the voices of coaches who work specifically with D2 programs and underrepresented student populations.
I look forward to hearing your plans for the tournament and discussing how we can make this year a success for all divisions.
Sincerely,
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Ben Fletcher