The Ohio Champions League (OCL), started in 2009, is designed for youth soccer teams above the recreational level between the ages of U-07 and U-19.  In the Fall of 2018, the program expanded up  to include the Central Ohio Premier League (COPL).  The COPL will include the top teams from the top clubs in the Central Ohio area.  Nearly all of these teams are professionally-coached teams.  For the Fall 2021 Season, the Ohio State Premier League (OSPL) was added as the Top Division of the Program.

The OSPL only offers one division, the State Division.  The COPL continues to offer one to three Elite Divisions for upper mid level teams and Premier Divisions for mid level teams.  The Ohio Champions League will continue to offer the Blue Division for the upper level teams, the Red Division for mid-level teams and the White Division for lower level teams.  In the Spring 2021 season, we began offering a full program up through U-19.

The primary mission of the OCL is to provide an enjoyable soccer environment for a wide range of players desiring to play above the basic community-based recreational program.  The OCL provides its teams, coaches, parents and players with tremendous flexibility in terms of game scheduling dates/times, opponents (including younger/older aged-teams as desired by the coaches), number of games, etc.  The league allows for in-season roster flexibility as well.  

The OSPL provides top level local teams and some non-local teams the opportunity to play against the best teams in the area and beyond.  The primary mission of the COPL is to provide a competitive local soccer environment for the upper and mid-level teams from some of the top clubs in Central Ohio that will play games in Central Ohio.  The COPL offers teams with the opportunity to play against upper level and mid-level competition right here in Central Ohio without playing "home games" 60 miles from Columbus.  The COPL will shares many of the qualities of the OCL including flexibility in scheduling, roster flexibility and a willingness to be flexible to work for the benefit for all teams. 

Teams from the OCL can schedule games with COPL teams.  COPL teams can play OSPL teams.  Players can move freely between the three programs within the same club.  

In addition, the OCL, COPL and OSPL will offer joint season-ending tournaments at the end of each Fall and Spring season.  All of our programs are proudly sanctioned through USClub Soccer.

Should you have further questions about any of these programs, please feel free to send us an e-mail  to us.

Thank you,
Ken, Barb, KC and the Program Team

All,

The Final New Referee Class for the Fall is this coming Sunday 12:00PM-5:00PM in Dublin.  The class is full, but we expect to be adding 10 more slots for the course since several outside the Columbus have registered.  In order to register, go to:

https://learning.ussoccer.com/referee

If you are struggling to get signed into the site, click on ANY of the options on the left side of the home page (in the vertical blue ribbon -- Event Calendar, for instance) and then go back up to click on Sign in.  This resolves the issue in almost 100% of the cases.

OSPL/COPL/OCL Team

Referees interested in becoming a referee in our program need to complete this form:

https://freeonlinesurveys.com/s/N71ktyq5

New referees are added to the site weekly.

OSPL/COPL/OCL Assigning Team

Parents, Coaches and Referees, 

Despite the fact that we send warnings to Club Directors every Summer, every Fall brings a small number of players trying to wear earrings while playing a soccer game in our program.  IFAB (International Football Association Board) is VERY CLEAR on this issue:  Per IFAB:

LAW 4 THE PLAYERS' EQUIPMENT

4.1 Safety
A player must not use equipment or wear anything that is dangerous.

All items of jewellery (necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, leather bands, rubber bands, etc.) are forbidden and must be removed. Using tape to cover jewellery is not permitted. (spelling taken directly from IFAB Laws of the Game)

The players must be inspected before the start of the match and substitutes before they enter the field of play. If a player is wearing or using unauthorised/dangerous equipment or jewellery, the referee must order the player to:

remove the item

leave the field of play at the next stoppage if the player is unable or unwilling to comply

A player who refuses to comply or wears the item again must be cautioned.

Referees are expected to enforce this rule 100% of the time.  This is a safety and liability issue, period.  The LOTG do not have a provision allowing the parent to waive filing a suit in the event of an issue.  In reality, an opposing player is just as likely to be injured by a player's earring.  We have had several instances this year in which a referee erroneously either does not notice or ignores taped earrings.  In subsequent games, referees are unfairly chastised for enforcing the rules.  

Jewelry, taped or not, is NOT permitted in ANY soccer program in the US (USSF prevents it by following the IFAB Law 4.1).  If a player is being told that they cannot remove their earrings, referees cannot force the player to remove his/her earrings, HOWEVER the player is not permitted to play.

Please do not blame the referees.  Please do not blame the league.  Please do not blame the coach.  Please do not blame USSoccer.  This directive comes from the very top of the International Body down to us at the league level.  Thank you in advance for your cooperation.  

Finally, back by popular demand, there will be one more referee class in Dublin on October 1st (possibly indoors).  This class should be loaded into the system by Tuesday.  https://learning.ussoccer.com/referee to register starting on Tuesday.
Ken and the OSPL/COPL/OCL Team

Certified Referees interested in refereeing in our program?

Here is our current Availability Form:

https://freeonlinesurveys.com/s/pEbbPhIV

It is NOT a guarantee of game assignments, but will get or keep you on the distribution list for referee emails.

OSPL/COPL/OCL Assigning Team

In order to improve responses to ADD/DROP/MODIFY requests, please copy the following on each request:

1. ohiochampionsleague@gmail.com

2. ocl.gamechanger@gmail.com 

3. BOTH coaches 

4. The individual who assigned the field to you.  Thank you.

The following is the GAME ADD / GAME DROP / GAME MODIFY procedure, please follow this.

GAME ADD in subject line