Play 2 qualifiers
Choose designated weekend tournaments in your Series division. Every team that meets the two-event minimum is eligible for the finale.
Spring 2027 · Clemmons, NC
SWAT Championship Series
Play 2. Count your best 3. Compete for the title.
Two qualifying weekends make your team eligible for the finale. Your three best finishes decide your seed.
Spring preview: Registration is not open. Dates and policies marked “Proposed” await final approval.
The 60-second version
Two gets you eligible. Three helps your seed.
Count your best 3
Earn one score for your official finish at each event. Your three highest scores count. With only two events, the third score is zero.
Win it on the field
Points determine starting seeds, pool placement and any byes. The team that wins the Championship Finale wins the Series title.
Find your division
A race within your age group
- 7U
- 8U
- 9U
- 10U
- 11U
- 12U
7U has its own standings and championship. Each age group competes for its own title, and 7U teams are seeded against other 7U teams.
How will a smaller 7U finale work?
We are aiming for four 7U teams at the finale. Four is a planning target, not an entry limit or points cutoff. Every qualified 7U team is eligible to register.
- Three teams: a round robin followed by a championship game between the top two teams.
- Two teams: a best-of-three championship series.
The final format and playing schedule will be published after entries are confirmed. 7U will have its own championship; a small field does not automatically merge the finale with 8U.
13U 60/90: A pilot division is under consideration, subject to team interest and capacity. 14U: Not included in this Series.
Use your team's Spring 2027 playing age when planning. SWAT will verify age eligibility and any skill classifications before registration opens; do not assume your Fall division automatically carries over or automatically moves up.
Plan your spring
Your Spring Series calendar
Tentative schedule Eight qualifying weekends are planned across the Series. Dates below are for planning. Event names, divisions offered each weekend, fields, fees and registration links will be confirmed before entries open.
7U schedule: Four of these weekends will be designated as 7U qualifiers, with a rain makeup available. The four 7U dates are still to be confirmed; not every weekend below will offer 7U. Choose at least two designated 7U qualifiers, and play a third to add another finish score.
- Qualifier 1Opening weekend · replaces the April 3–4 date
- Qualifier 2Weekend tournament
- Qualifier 3Weekend tournament
- No Series eventEaster weekend
- No Series eventSpring-break travel weekend
- Qualifier 4Weekend tournament
- Qualifier 5 · Signature weekendStandard points in this draft; no bonus has been approved
- Qualifier 6Weekend tournament
- Qualifier 7Weekend tournament
- No regular qualifierMother's Day weekend · May 8 may be used for a Saturday-only rain makeup
- Qualifier 8 · Last chanceLast scheduled qualifying event
- Rain makeup reserveUsed only if SWAT announces a rescheduled qualifier
- Championship FinaleMemorial Day weekend · separate finale registration
- Finale backup weekendUsed only if SWAT activates it
Why move April 3–4 to March 6–7?
Both local districts have spring break running through April 2. We have left the following weekend open for family travel and moved that qualifier to March 6–7. The eight qualifying weekends are numbered in date order.
Calendar sources checked October 23, 2026: WS/FCS student calendar and Davie County school calendar. Individual schools may use different calendars.
Simple finish points
One event. One finish. One score.
Proposed points scale The same finish-points scale applies to every Series division, including 7U. Points come from your official final place in your Series division or published championship group and are compared only within that division. There are no extra points for wins, runs scored or signing up early.
| Official finish | Points |
|---|---|
| 1st · Champion | 100 |
| 2nd · Runner-up | 80 |
| 3rd–4th | 65 |
| 5th–8th | 50 |
| 9th or lower | 40 |
The 40-point tier for 9th or lower is a proposed addition so larger brackets have a complete scale. Only an official finish earns finish points; registering alone does not. Byes, pool wins and consolation wins do not create extra scores. A champion of a two-team group earns the same standard 100 points as a champion of a larger group under this proposed scale.
2 eventsminimum to qualify
Best 3finishes count
300maximum standard total
Your best three, explained
With two events, add both scores plus zero. With three events, add all three. With four or more, keep only your three highest scores. A lower finish never reduces your total.
Two wins vs. three semifinals
100 + 100 + 0 = 200
65 + 65 + 65 = 195
Two wins still lead by five points. Both teams qualify.
A third event can help
50 + 50 + 0 = 100
50 + 50 + 50 = 150
A third 5th–8th place finish adds 50 points.
Four finishes: 50, 80, 65, 100 → count 100 + 80 + 65 = 245 points. The 50 drops out.
Examples assume verified official placements. This is a total, not an average. The zero for an unplayed third event is intentional.
Your route to the finale
Qualifying rules
- Play at least two designated Spring 2027 qualifiers in the same Series division and classification, if classifications are offered. The 7U move protection below preserves qualifying credit when SWAT moves a registered 7U team into 8U.
- Only designated weekend tournaments count. Friday Night Lights and Saturday Night Lights are not qualifiers. A weather makeup of a designated qualifier remains part of that original event.
- Each event counts once, even if it has pool play, multiple bracket stages or consolation games. The finale itself does not qualify you or add regular-season points.
- Every team meeting the minimum is eligible. Points never determine who is allowed to enter. Register separately for the finale by its published deadline.
- Points stay with the same team in the division played. Voluntarily entering an older division earns qualifying credit and points there; they do not transfer back down. The exception for a SWAT-directed 7U move protects 7U qualifying credit only, not finish points.
What if SWAT moves our registered 7U team into 8U?
If your team registers for a designated 7U qualifier and SWAT moves it into 8U because of low entries, that event still counts toward your two-event minimum for the 7U finale. Your team must complete its assigned schedule under the event-participation rules below; the same weather exception applies. The event counts once toward 7U qualification.
7U finish points require an actual 7U bracket that determines placement. If the event includes a separate 7U bracket, its official finish earns the normal 7U points. If there is no 7U bracket, your team receives qualifying credit but zero 7U finish points for that event. An 8U finish does not convert into 7U points, and being the only 7U team does not automatically earn 100 points.
This protection applies to a move directed by SWAT. A team that voluntarily enters 8U earns credit in 8U. SWAT will record any protected 7U event credit separately from finish points.
Proposed: what counts as playing an event?
Normally, a team must play at least two games and complete its assigned event schedule. If SWAT ends play for weather, the exception below applies. Byes and unplayed forfeits do not count as games played. A voluntary withdrawal or disqualification earns no qualifying credit or Series points for that event.
SWAT verifies team identity across registrations. A verified name change keeps your record; separate teams, even within the same organization, cannot combine points or event counts.
Proposed: roster carryover for the finale
At least 60% of your finale roster must have played for that same team in at least one of its qualifying events, rounded up. A 12-player finale roster needs at least eight returning players.
Submit the finale roster by the published deadline. Later injury replacements need director approval before play, and a player may appear on only one finale roster within a division. Spring age eligibility and SWAT's event roster rules still apply. This carryover proposal must be approved before registration opens.
Finale capacity, field assignments, umpire coverage, entry fees and registration deadlines are still being finalized. Eligibility does not complete registration or pay entry fees. Any entry process will be published in advance and will not use Series points to exclude eligible teams.
Earn a better starting position
How finale seeding works
Eligible, registered teams are seeded within their division by their best-three total, highest first. 7U has its own seeding list and championship. Those seeds guide pool placement, bracket positions and any byes in the published finale format.
Early registration, a package purchase or a discount does not buy a better seed. Once the finale starts, results are decided on the field. The points leader is not automatically the Series champion.
Proposed tiebreakers, in order
- Head-to-head, for a two-team tie only. Use winning percentage in official qualifying games against each other in the same Series division; a tie is half a win. Skip this step if they did not meet or if three or more teams are tied.
- Most 1st-place finishes among the three counted events.
- Average capped run differential in games actually played in the counted events. Each game contributes no more than +10 or −10 runs; exclude byes and unplayed forfeits. Divide by games played so extra games do not automatically help. Skip if either team has no played games in counted events.
- A documented random draw conducted by SWAT.
For 7U tiebreakers, use only games played in the 7U division. Games played in 8U do not enter 7U head-to-head or run-differential calculations, including when SWAT protects a moved team's 7U qualifying credit.
For a multi-team tie, apply the same step to all tied teams. If some remain tied, continue to the next step without restarting head-to-head. If equal event scores compete for the third counted spot, use the earlier event so the counted games are fixed.
SWAT will announce the standings review deadline before seeds are locked. Coaches should report a missing event, incorrect placement or team-identity error through Contact SWAT.
When weather changes the weekend
Rainout policy
Proposed policy Qualifying credit and finish points are handled separately.
No games played
No qualifying credit and no points. A registration, bye or unplayed forfeit alone does not count.
At least 1 game played
If SWAT cancels the rest of the event for weather, it counts toward the two-event minimum. A completed division receives normal finish points. An unfinished division receives no finish points until completed.
Event rescheduled
The original dates and makeup are one event, with one qualifying credit and one final score. Finish points replace the pending zero after completion; they are not added twice.
Pool seeding never becomes a championship finish just because rain stops play. If a division cannot be completed, its qualifying credit stands for teams that actually played a game, but its finish score remains zero. Your other best results can still count.
May 22–23 is the main qualifying makeup reserve. Saturday, May 8 is an additional possibility. June 5–6 is the proposed finale backup. A reserve date is used only after an official SWAT announcement.
Refunds and credits follow the policy published for the individual event. Series qualifying credit does not itself promise a refund, credit or free finale entry. Check Weather & Delays and Game Day for official changes.
Parents and coaches
Quick answers
Do we need to play all eight events?
No. Two qualifying events make you eligible. A third gives you another score, and later events give you chances to improve your best three. 7U will have four designated qualifier weekends, plus a rain makeup; its specific dates will be confirmed before registration opens. Choose the weekends offered for your division that fit your team.
Can we qualify with only two events?
Yes. Your total is your two scores plus zero for the third slot. There is no minimum points target. You must still register for the finale.
Do Night Lights events count?
No. Friday Night Lights and Saturday Night Lights do not count toward Series qualification or points. Only the designated weekend qualifiers count. An announced Saturday makeup of a qualifier is still that original qualifier.
Does Fall 2026 attendance carry over?
No. Fall attendance helped SWAT plan the Series, but every team starts Spring 2027 with zero qualifying events and zero Series points. If you played two Fall events, playing two designated Spring qualifiers makes you eligible; a third Spring qualifier gives you a chance to improve your seed.
Are Series points the same as SWAT power rankings?
No. Series points reward tournament finishes. Power rankings use a separate formula for game results. Fall rankings and power scores do not carry into Series points or decide finale entry.
Can our 7U team play?
Yes. 7U has its own Series standings, seeding and championship. Play two designated 7U qualifiers to become eligible; your best three 7U finishes determine your seed using the same points scale as the other divisions. Every qualified team is eligible, even if more than four teams qualify. Confirm your team's Spring 2027 eligibility before registering.
Will every weekend offer every division?
Not necessarily. Each event listing will show its offered divisions and classifications. Four weekends are planned for 7U, with a rain makeup available. Choose two or more qualifiers that offer your Series division. If SWAT moves a team registered for a 7U qualifier into 8U because of low entries, it retains 7U qualifying credit under the move-protection rule; 8U finish points do not transfer into 7U.
Are there bonus-points weekends?
No bonus has been approved. April 17–18 is planned as a signature event using the standard scale shown here. Any proposed change must be announced before registration opens.
Do we need a package? What does it cost?
No package is required to meet the two-event minimum. Event fees, any optional package discounts, finale fees and awards will be announced before registration opens. A package never changes your seed or replaces your qualifying events.
Where will we see standings and game times?
This page will link to Series standings once scoring launches. Standings will show event credits, the three counted finishes and dropped scores after official results are verified. Game Day will show event schedules, fields and results. The existing Fall rankings are not Spring Series standings.
Does joining the interest list reserve a spot?
No. It lets SWAT send dates and registration updates and measure interest by division. You will register for qualifiers and the finale separately when entries open.
Coach interest list
Be ready when spring registration opens.
Get Spring 2027 Championship Series dates and registration updates by email. Tell us your expected age group to help us plan.
What comes next?
SWAT is confirming fields, umpire coverage, Spring age rules, event divisions, fees, awards and finale capacity. The proposed points scale, tiebreakers, rainout and roster policies will be finalized before registration opens.