USL News Release

 

Tuesday, February 1, 2005

 

TAMPA, FL – United Soccer Leagues announced today the Super Y-League Olympic Development Program Select Teams for the U16 and U17 Boys SYL ODP National Camps held last weekend at the Cocoa Expo Center in Cocoa, Florida. The camp featured a pair of games against the US U17 National Team program.

The second set of boys camps featured U16 and U17 players with 54 of the nearly 300 players being named to SYL ODP Select Teams upon review by the SYL Scouting System and SYL ODP National Camp Technical Director Perry Van Der Beck.

“The guys did an excellent job this weekend against one another and against the US U17 National Team pool,” said Van Der Beck. “Their stellar performances made the selection process for the Select Teams very difficult.”

The US U17 National Team program, which consists of a U17 team and a U16 team visited the camp Saturday. Players selected based on Friday’s training and scrimmages in each of the two age groups came together on Saturday to play the two youth national teams with the U16 squad coming away with a 2-2 draw behind the outstanding play of captain Eric Alexander at midfield and the U17 team falling 5-1.

"We were very pleased with the outcome of this event and the matches against the US National Team program," added Perry. "The U16 and U17 SYL ODP National Camp was a huge success for the players and the coaches this past week. It was an incredible opportunity for players to compete against the US National Team."

"This success proves that we can create a strong network with the clubs to identify players for US National Team Programs, while simultaneously saving cost and time to players and clubs in the United States," said SYL Director Matt Weibe.

One of the players who may see the most from the event was Alexander of Vardar SC (Detroit, Michigan). The 16 year old dominated play in the midfield and up top during the match against the US U16s.
 

“I thought that it was one of the best soccer experiences that I have ever had,” said Alexander. “The competition was outstanding and to be able to form a team in a weekend and have one practice and still be able to compete with the national team was great. I had a lot of fun playing against the national team and I think it would have been hard to make that game any more exciting than it was.”

The SYL ODP National Camps wind up this weekend with the U16-U17 Girls February 4-6.

U17

G: Alexander Horwath (Chesapeake Athletic), Patrick Sampson (FC Portland)… D: Drew Jeskey (Chicago Sockers), Kipp Erskine (Triangle FC), Miguel Duran (Santa Cruz Catalyst), Sean Tripi (FC Portland), Ethan Mulligan (Parsippany SC), Kyle Segebart (Ohio Elite Soccer Academy), Brian Harrison (Raleigh CASL Elite Jrs)… M: Justin Morrow (Cleveland Force Jrs), Dennis Sanchez (San Juan SC), Peter Horn (Charlotte Soccer Club), Neil Barlow (Reston FC), Felix Motagalvan (De Anza SC), Jason Herrick (Chicago Sockers), Salvatore Fusari (Salvatore Fusari), Jesse Retan (Spokane Shadow)… F: Eric Conklin (Chicago Magic), Todd Anderson (FC Portland), Kevin Mesa (Brooklyn Knights), Everardo Flores (Baltimore Bays), George Davis (Cleveland Internationals)… Coaches: Al Pastore (Triangle FC), Bill Irwin (FC Portland)

G: Jimmy Maurer (Concorde Fire SC), Tom Booth (Cosmopolitan Rough Riders)… D: Kris Byrd (Charlotte Soccer Club), Tyler Lassiter (Raleigh CASL Elite Jrs), Chris Schlegel (Reading Rage), Adam Roscioli (Richmond Kickers), John Penilton (FC Portland), Cody Stanley (Chicago Magic), Jamal Neptune (Jersey Shore Boca), Patrick Coleman (Cleveland Internationals)… M: Kenny Walker (Cleveland Force Jrs), Eric Alexander (Vardar SC), Jorge Mora (Cosmopolitan Rough Riders), Paul Kopec (Chicago Magic), Kyle Montgomery (Washington Crossfire), Gary Laronde (Cosmopolitan Rough Riders), David Piedrahita (Westchester Flames), Patrick Dolan (DVSC)… F: Brett King (Raleigh CASL Elite Jrs), Alex Nimo (FC Portland), Thomas Drake (Triangle FC), Guillermo Jalomo (Cal Odyssey)… Coaches: John Hannan (Chicago Magic), Anthony Roros (Brooklyn Knights)