SD Surf G04 Advance to US Youth Soccer National Championships
San Diego Surf’s GU13 (girls 2004) side will be taking their talents to Texas as they earned a berth to the annual US Youth Soccer National Championships this month. Paul Dolinsky’s side edged Real So Cal in the Far West Regional final as they prepare to face competition from across the country. 
Youth Soccer News: Surf SC is one of the top youth soccer clubs in America. Internationally recognized for excellence in player development, more than 10,000 youth soccer players nationwide proudly wear the Surf logo on their jerseys through a highly successful affiliate program. In San Diego, the headquarters for the youth soccer club, the San Diego Surf SC attract top players from the USA / Mexico border down south and LA to the north and fields approximately 70 teams. The girls’ program is especially well recognized for developing players who receive call ups to U.S. Soccer Youth National training camps.
Recently, the Surf GU13s were crowned US Youth Soccer Far West Regional champions after going undefeated in six highly competitive matches.
Led by head coach Paul Dolinsky, SD Surf SC Assistant Girls Director of Coaching, the U13 side advanced to the US Youth Soccer National Championships set to be held July 25-30 at the Toyota Soccer Center in Frisco, Texas.
This talented team represented Cal South in the Far West Regionals and emerged the top team in their age bracket in the 14 western states.
“I could not be happier for our Surf girls that were able to feel the physical rewards of 16 months of preparation and looking forward to this moment,” said Dolinsky. “Hopefully we can carry this momentum to the next phase in Frisco.”
Related article: Youth Soccer Star Turned Pro Paul Dolinsky
Senior Director of Coaching and Surf SC Vice President Josh Henderson believes it is the responsibility of a coach to create an environment where children can excel.
“Our Surf SC coaches know that it is important to help self-motivated players reach their dreams — and captivate a kid’s passion for the game,” said Henderson.
“We believe winning and development can be achieved. Congratulations to our talented GU13 champions and coach Pauly Dolinsky.”
“At Surf SC, our coaches realize they must always be prepared for training — and that it is important to be patient with both the players and their families,” said Henderson.
US YOUTH SOCCER FAR WEST REGIONAL GAME RECAP:
SD Surf concluded group plays with two wins and a draw, earning the top seed heading into the knockout stage. In the quarterfinals, Surf cruised to a 3-0 victory over LVPSA 04 Red of Nevada. Following a 10-0 rout versus PacNW G04 Maroon A of Washington, Dolinsky’s side was set for a SoCal matchup in the final against Real So Cal G04.
Never daunted by being down one — Surf SC girls rallied after conceding an early goal to claim the glory of being the champion.
Real So Cal opened the scoring in the eighth minute, but SD Surf’s Cosette Thistle responded at the 16th-minute mark to level the score. Ella Giannola scored the game-winning goal for Surf in the 67th minute to have Surf SC become the 2017 Region IV Champions.Dolinsky credits the success at Far West Regionals as an overall group effort since taking to the field last year.
“The girls started this adventure in April of 2016, coming together after the age group change,” said Dolinsky.
“The focus has been on development.”
“The process has been a combination of developing a brand of soccer we want to play as well as learning how to compete and grind games out when necessary. The final match was a combination of both against a very good Real So Cal team.”
“This team is a group of incredibly talented girls who have truly taken their individual qualities and come together to be a very fin ‘team’ to watch. From back to front, the ’04 Girls collectively are highly impressive,” said Dolinsky. “Our players have extremely high soccer IQs and are creative — being able to think quickly on the field and execute. They have also taken on the challenge of playing on both sides of the ball.”
Surf SC’s forward Acacia Edwards scored a total of 7 goals and ranked as the top goal scorer.
“Acacia has great pace and the desire to create chances going forward,” said Dolinsky.
What’s Next?
“The most important part of preparing for Frisco is staying focused,” Dolinsky said looking ahead to the next national US Youth Soccer tournament at the end of the month. “The players are not going to learn anything new to be prepared for Nationals. We need to be sharp as we can be. Diet, sleep, training habits and our desire to work for one another is key to our success.”
The U.S. Soccer Development Academy team joins 96 qualifying teams who will play preliminary matches Tuesday, July 25 through Thursday, July 27 to determine who will advance in the pursuit for the National Championship. Following a day of rest on Friday, July 28, U13 and U14 title games will take place on Saturday, July 29.
SD Surf G04 Group Opponents
- SDFC Yellow (NJ) (Region I Champion)
- SPORTING Blue Valley (KS) (Region II Champion)
- Lonestar 04 Red (TX-S) (Region III Champion)
Annually, the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series provides the nation’s top collegiate and professional coaches with the premier stage to identify and scout the most coveted players in the country.
