Cal South Soccer: The Year in Review
2014 was a great year for Cal South’s coaches and teams. Did you know that Cal South teams have won 64 National US Youth Soccer Championships over the years? Or that Cal South has won 167 US Youth Soccer Far West Regionals titles since 1997, four times more than the closest US Youth Soccer State Association. Cal South teams continued to earn honors in 2014 and many alums-turned-professional players continued to excel at the higher levels.
Here’s a By-the-Numbers look at Cal South 2014 highlights.
1
Sometimes One Goal is Enough – Alta Loma product Jamia Fields scored the only goal in the NCAA Division I College Cup final, giving Florida State a 1-0 win over Virginia and handing the Seminoles their first national title. Before her stellar college career that included four straight final four appearances with FSU, Fields won the 2009 U.S. Youth Soccer ODP title with Cal South and was the national ODP Golden Boot winner.
2
For The Second Straight Year, Cal South teams swept all the titles at the ODP national championships – picking up boys and girls crowns for 1997 and 1998 age groups. Cal South has now won 28 out of 60 ODP championships since the competition was established in 2000.
4
Four Members of the 2014 MLS Cup champion Los Angeles Galaxy have a Cal South connection. Landon Donavon capped a career considered the greatest in American soccer history with the 2-1 MLS Cup win over the New England Revolution. The Galaxy’s first goal was scored by Hawthorne native Gyasi Zardes. It marked the second MLS title for Rancho Palos Verdes native Robbie Rogers, who started at left back for the Galaxy. A fourth LA Galaxy-Cal South connection in this year’s MLS Cup was 33-year-old striker Alan Gordon. (New England Revolution defender A.J. Soares was another Cal South alum who played in MLS Cup 2014.)
5
Five Cal South Alums earned NCAA Division I all-America honors: Stanford junior defender Brandon Vincent (Valencia), Georgetown sophomore defender Joshua Yaro (Santa Barbara), Washington sophomore midfielder Cristian Roldan (Pico Rivera) and, on the women’s side, Virginia junior forward Makenzy Doniak (Chino Hills) and Stanford senior midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta (Rancho Cucamonga).
6 Professional
The U.S. women’s national team reached its seventh Women’s World Cup by outscoring five foes, 21-0, in Concacaf qualifying play. Six members of the U.S. roster played youth ball with Cal South: Whitney Engen, Sydney Leroux, Alex Morgan, Christen Press, and Amy Rodriguez. Rachel Buehler Van Hollebeke, another homegrown Cal South player has been with the US Women’s team since 2008 and was also called up! The 2015 Women’s World Cup will be hosted by Canada June 6-July 5.
6 Youth
Six Cal South Teams brought home U.S. Youth Soccer National Championship titles: San Diego Surf SC Academy (U-13 girls), Pateadores San Diego (U-15 boys), Beach FC 97 Academy (U-16 girls), DMCV Sharks Elite (U17 girls), Beach FC Ingrassia (U18 Girls) and Santa Barbara FC White(U-18 boys). The DMCV Sharks’ victory marked back-to-back titles under Coach Felicia Kappes.
“Cal South teams have won more national championships than any other state association in US Youth Soccer. In 2014, Cal South’s six U.S. Youth Soccer National Championship and three silver medalist teams were among 10,000 teams competing in the nation’s most prestigious youth soccer tournament – and each year the competition gets tougher. Our leagues, clubs, and coaches have done an outstanding job of developing the talented players from Southern California. We are all very proud of our coaches and players accomplishments,” said Derek Barraza, President of California State Soccer Association South – Cal South.
10
Cal South Pro+ ODP teams won all ten titles at the 2014 US Youth Soccer ODP Region IV Championships. The sweep marked the first time that the feat had been accomplished in the event’s history. Cal South has won 63 of a possible 76 regional championships for which it has competed in the last eight years.
11
Eleven Cal South teams won U.S. Youth Soccer Regional Champions titles: boys — FC Golden State PDA (U-12), FC Golden State PDA (U-13), Pateadores San Diego (U15), Santa Barbara SC (U16), Santa Barbara FC White (U18); girls — Cal Blues Baker (U12), San Diego Surf SC Academy (U13), Legends FC (U14), Beach FC Academy (U16), Legends FC (U17), Legends FC (U19).
13
Cal South earned their (12th and) 13th U.S. Youth Soccer Presidents Cup Championship Crown – Eagles White (girls U13) and FC United White (girls U14) captured 2014 U.S. Youth Soccer Presidents Cup titles, giving Cal South 13 of the 52 titles (25%) since the Presidents Cup’s launch in 2009. Texas South is second with six titles.
35
35 US Youth Soccer Regional titles – Cal South picked up four Region IV Presidents Cup crowns — Eagles White (U-13) and FC United White (U14) on the girls side; boys HG Eagles (U13) and Oxnard Wave SC (U14) – upping the Cal South total to a record 35 regional titles since the competition’s inauguration in 2009.
64
A total of 64 U.S. Youth Soccer National Championship Titles – Since the Mission Viejo Soccerettes and Fram-Culver won the girls U-16 and boys U-19 titles in 1986, Cal South teams have won 64 U.S. Youth Soccer National Championship titles. Since 2001, when the U14 and U15 brackets were added, Cal South has won 48 national championship trophies, 27 more than the next nearest state association over that span.
Steve Hoffman, Cal South’s Cal South Director of Coaching Education and Player Development believes the coaches and clubs do an excellent job in player development. Complimenting the dedicated and talented coaches for their on going development of elite players and successful teams, Hoffman said, “Week in and week out, our youth teams face tough competition in their local area leagues and this helps develop our players and prepare them for success when competing on a national level. I am very proud of our coaches and the excellent young soccer players who are dedicated to our favorite game.
Cal South performed exceptionally as well last year when teams claimed seven 2013 National Championships. US Youth National titles were earned by the following champions: Legends FC 99 were GU13 champs, DMCV Sharks Elite were GU16 champs, Pateadores LA were BU13 champs, Santa Barbara White were BU15 Champs, West Coast FC were BU17 and BU18 Champs
2014 was a great year in review and with Cal South’s emphasis on player development and coaching education, 2015 will most likely be even a better year and has already started off well at US Youth Soccer’s January Region IV ODP Championships. For more information, please visit Cal South.
