In regards to the allocation of slots tables, the following is the explanation for situations where a team that earns a slot in the 2018-2019 National League seasonal year but does not wish to claim its slot for the 2018-2019 seasonal year, as well as the procedure for filling the Open Slots available within all age groups:
Category NL (Automatic Qualifiers)
--Teams that have earned NL slots in this category have until the date established by the NL Committee to complete the team application form for the 2018-2019 season year.
--Full payment of the team fee for 2018-2019 is due on or before the date established by the NL Committee.
--If a team does not claim its slot, then the slot will become an Open Slot (Category OPEN) to be filled at the NL Committee’s discretion after the deadline from a pool of teams that wish to fill any Open Slots. These slots may be filled by a team from any Region.
Category RL (Automatic Qualifiers)
--A Regional League automatic qualifier slot shall lose its automatic qualifier status should the competition with the Regional League involve less than 6 teams and less than 5 matches in such Regional League competition.
--Teams that have earned NL slots in this category have until the date established by the NL Committee to complete the team application form for the 2018-2019 season year.
--Full payment of the team fee for 2018-2019 is due on or before the date established by the NL Committee.
--If a team does not claim its slot, then the slot will become an Open Slot (Category OPEN) to be filled at the NL Committee’s discretion after the deadline from a pool of teams that wish to fill any Open Slots. Open Slots in this category are to be filled by a team from the same Region. If there are no eligible teams available to fill a slot, then the slot may be filled by a team from any Region.
--In a situation where a team that is a Category RL qualifier and is also either a Category NL or Category CUP automatic qualifier, then the slot in Category RL shall become an Open Slot (Category OPEN) to be filled at the NL Committee’s discretion after the deadline from either an additional National League automatic qualifier or from a pool of teams that wish to fill any Open Slots. These slots may be filled by a team from any Region.
Category RL (Representative)
--These slots are filled at the NL Committee’s discretion after a review of the team applications from either National League automatic qualifiers or the respective Regional Leagues that are due on the date established by the NL Committee with full payment due on or before September 1, 2017.
Category CUP (Automatic Qualifiers)
--Teams that have earned NL slots in this category have until the date established by the NL Committee to complete the team application form for the 2018-2019 season year.
--Full payment of the team fee for the 2018-2019 seasonal year is due on or before the date established by the NL Committee.
--If a team does not claim its slot, then the slot will become an Open Slot (Category OPEN) to be filled at the NL Committee’s discretion after the deadline from a pool of teams from any Region that wish to fill any Open Slots. These slots may be filled by a team from any Region.
Category OPEN (Teams Selected by NL Committee)
--These slots are to be filled at the NL Committee’s discretion after a review of all team applications that are due on the date established by the NL Committee. These slots may be filled by a team from any Region.
--Full payment of the team fee for the 2018-2019 seasonal year is due on or before the date established by the NL Committee.
The application period will take place during the time period as established by the NL Committee.