USL Feature Article

Thursday, November 5, 2009

GROUP A
Parsippany SC
Parsippany’s U13 team, the Lightning, hail from northern New Jersey and are coached and trained by Dominick Bucci. Their 2009 season was their first season playing in the Super Y-League and they finished in first place with an impressive 12-0-3 record. Last year, they were New Jersey State Cup semifinalists. They participate in many premier tournaments in the Mid Atlantic region. The team is very excited to represent Parsippany in their first national tournament.

Coastal WFC
Coached by Gregor Young (CSA B License and Technical Director for Point Grey SC and Kerrisdale SC) and assisted by Dennis Kindel, the U13 girls went 7-2-3, recording 27 goals for and 10 against. This record earned a first place finish for the U13 girls in a very competitive division. Head-to-head with fellow North American Finals qualifier, Coquitlam, Coastal won 3-0 and 1-0 to claim the division.

MPS Renegades
MPS Renegades finished second in the New England Division with a record of 10-2-0. The only two losses suffered by Renegades, came at the hands of Nordic SC, a pair of 1-0 losses. Coached by Mark McDevitt and Sarah Dooley, the two goals given up to Nordic accounted for two-thirds of the goals the team gave up all season. Renegades defense and goalkeeper combinations allowed just 0.25 goals per game – one of the best marks in all the SYL. This side also earned nine shutouts.

Match Fit Chelsea
Match Fit Chelsea Academy ended the SYL regular season with a record of 10-4-1. That total earned the team 31 points, good enough for a fourth-place finish in the 16-team Mid Atlantic Division. Most importantly, their 31 points was enough to edge the one-loss New Jersey Stallions (8-1-6) out of post-season contention. Head-to-head with the Stallions, Match Fit suffered a 2-0 loss on Saturday, July 18, but against the rest of the division, Match Fit proved stronger, picking up important wins over Long Island (3-0), Brooklyn (2-1), Super Nova (3-1) and TSF Academy (2-1), where New Jersey earned only ties – a difference of eight points that made the difference for Match Fit Chelsea.

GROUP B
Kings Soccer Academy
Kings Soccer Academy, located in Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky produced this year’s Midwest U13 girls Super Y-League Champions. A total of 21 girls from the Greater Cincinnati area were able to gel in a very short period of time under the coaching by the Kings Soccer Academy’s Director of Coaching, Jon Pickup and Associate Director, Joe Mehl. This is the first year the Kings Soccer Academy has participated in the SYL and one of three their teams advanced to the finals. The success the team has had is a testament to the hard work and dedication of these talented athletes and their coaches.

Northern Virginia Majestics
The Northern Virginia Majestics U13 girls are players who have dedicated themselves to the game of soccer. The Majestics are coached by Chris Jones, USSF “A,” and they train year-round as individuals to enable their team to compete at the national level. During the fall and spring seasons, they represent the Northern Virginia Soccer Club (NVSC) and compete in the Washington Area Girls Soccer League (WAGSL). They were the 2008 (WAGSL) Division I Fall and Spring Champions, 2009 VA State Cup Semi-Finalist and the 2008 U12 VA State and US Region I Champions.

Washington Freedom
The Washington Freedom took second place in the Mid Atlantic Division with a record of 12-2-1 this season. The Freedom had the top goal-differential in the region (+49), stemming from their top-scoring offense who got five goals and three assists from Monica Spafford, five goals and four assists from Laila Gray and five goals and five assists from Margaret Purce. In all, the Freedom got point production from 25 of their 33 players this season, meaning their goals at the North American Finals could come from anywhere.

Coquitlam Metro-Ford Soccer Club
The Coquitlam Metro-Ford Soccer Club is a large and successful club in the province of British Columbia. The 2009 was the first season the Coquitlam Metro-Ford Soccer Club participated in the Super Y-League. The U13 girl’s team is comprised of players from four different teams within the club and most players are born in 1996. Despite this team’s loss to Coastal WFC in July, the team improved by two goals, the 3-0 result on the last day of May. The team continued to develop throughout the SYL season, winning four of their last five games.

GROUP C
Nordic Soccer Club
The Nordic U13 girl’s team is part of the Nordic Spirit Soccer Club, a nonprofit club dedicated to excellence in youth soccer. The team plays together from November through July competing in the Vermont Soccer League, the Super Y-League and tournaments around New England. The team roster includes 17 members from across northern Vermont (Hyde Park, Waitsfield, Colchester, Georgia, Essex Junction, Williston, Milton and Hinesburg) and northern New York (Plattsburgh, Morrisonville and Peru). This team owns the distinction of being the first Vermont team ever to qualify for the Super Y-League finals.

West Pines United
West Pines girls did not come close to a loss. Twice this season, once against Schulz Academy (2-0) and a second time when facing Kendall SC (3-1), these girls escaped with a two-goal margin of victory. With over 35 of their players being selected into the FYSA ODP Program, both the boys and girls are full of confidence heading into Super Y-League North American Finals.

“This Super Y-League season has been a tremendous learning experience for our side,” said U13 Girls Head Coach and West Pines United President Todd Goodman. “As a unit, we are anxiously awaiting the opportunity to put forth our best effort collectively to compete against some of the most elite teams in the country at the North American Finals.”

Mequon United
Mequon United U13 girls exemplify some of the best female players in Wisconsin. The team is comprised of girls from 17 different communities within southeastern Wisconsin, representing nine different clubs. Mequon United is in its third season as a girls program participating in the Super Y-League. Their success in qualifying for the USL North American Finals is an impressive accomplishment both for the players and their team as well for Mequon United and the future success of the SYL program in Wisconsin.

Match Fit Chelsea
Match Fit Chelsea is located in central New Jersey, where we draw kids from all areas of the state. We are privileged to be part of an exciting competitive three team age group in The academy. All three teams are highly ranked in the state of New Jersey. This provides the girls with a great training environment to help develop the girls to the highest possible level. Match Fit United is the original Match Fit team with several of the girls enjoying their fourth year with Match Fit. The girls are very excited to be attending the SYL North American Finals.