US Youth Soccer Players Called to U.S. Under-15 Girls National Team Camp
The prominence of US Youth Soccer will be on showcase as the U.S. Under-15 Girls National Team camp takes place in Chula Vista this week. Twenty players that have ties to US Youth Soccer were called into the camp as the players look forward to qualifying for the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Youth Soccer News: Of the 24 players called into the U.S. Under-15 Girls National Team camp, 20 have US Youth Soccer ties, including three players — Vanessa Buso, Mia Fishel and Madison Mercado — who have won the coveted US Youth Soccer National Championship.
The camp is being held April 16-24 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA, as the players will ultimately look to qualify for the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
A closer look at the players and their common thread of US Youth Soccer…
Buso, who won the 2015 US Youth Soccer National Championships with Legends FC 99 (CA-S), has also won a US Youth Soccer Region IV Championship and has played in two seasons of the US Youth Soccer National League with Legends FC. Fishel and Mercado won the 2014 Region IV and National Championship with Surf Academy (CA-S). Both players tied for the most goals in their age group at the 2014 Region IV Championships with four goals. Sixteen other camp attendees have played in the US Youth Soccer National Championships Series (NCS), while other players with experience at the National Championships include 2015 National Championships finalist and 2015 Best XI player Samantha Meza of Dallas Kicks SC 01 (N-TX) and a pair of Tophat SC (GA) players in 2014 and 2015 semifinalist Natalia Stuade and 2014 semifinalist Eleanor Glenn.
Seventeen of the players attending camp have played in the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program (ODP). Marzia Josephson reached the finals of the 2016 US Youth Soccer ODP Championships with North Carolina 00, while both Mercado and Savianna Gomez have won three US Youth Soccer ODP Region IV Championships with California South 01. Staude, Leah Scarpelli and Kalyssa Van Zanten attended the 2015 US Youth Soccer ODP National Training Camp.
Seven players have represented their clubs at the US Youth Soccer National League. Staude and Meza both claimed National League titles in the 2014-15 season, while Buso and Gomez also have both NCS and National League Experience. Harper White of Tennessee SC (TN), Talia Dellaperuta of United FC (GA) and BRYC’s (VA) Gabrielle Robinson have also played in the National League.
Under-15 USWNT Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Julia Dohle (NYSC; Scarsdale, N.Y.), Marzia Josephson^* (CASL; Apex, NC), Lindsey Romig* (Richmond United ECNL; Midlothian, Va.)
DEFENDERS (6): D’awncey Jones-Black* (Honolulu Bulls FC; Ewa Beach, Hawaii), Nicole Payne^* (Condorde Fire; Birmingham, Ala.), Alexandra Russell (Albion Hurricanes; Katy, Texas), Natalia Staude^*# (Tophat SC; Marietta, Ga.), Harper White^*# (Tennessee Soccer Club; Franklin, Tenn.) Leah Scarpelli^ (PDA; Brick, N.J.)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Ainsley Ahmadian^* (Galaxy SC; Naperville, Ill.), Hannah Bebar^* (Galaxy SC; Naperville, Ill.), Julia Burnell^* (Penn Fusion; Glen Mills, Pa.), Mia Fishel ^* (San Diego Surf; San Diego, Calif.), Eleanor Glenn^* (Tophat SC; Avondale Estates, Ga.), Madison Mercado ^* (San Diego Surf; San Diego, Calif.), Hollyn Torres (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas)
FORWARDS (8): Vanessa Buso^*# (Legends FC; Corona, Calif.), Talia DellaPeruta^*# (United FA; Cumming, Ga.), Sunshine Fontes^* (Honolulu Bulls FC; Wahiawa, Hawaii), Savianna Gomez^*# (Beach Academy; Torrance, Calif.), Payton Linnehan (FC Stars of Mass; Douglas, Mass.), Samantha Meza*# (Dallas Kicks; Balch Springs, Texas), Kalyssa Van Zanten^* (Eclipse Select FC; Buffalo Grove, Ill.), Gabrielle Robinson^*# (BRYC; Springfield, Va.)
^ = US Youth Soccer ODP
* = US Youth Soccer NCS
# = US Youth Soccer National League
Source/Photo Credit: US Youth Soccer
