They’re just teenagers.
But they are some of the best teenage soccer players in the nation.
Hailing from the likes of Lutz, Trinity and Wesley Chapel, the Florida Premier 2010 Under 13 girls soccer team is developing a stellar reputation.
The team — made up of all 13-year-olds — has amassed a record of 78-1-5 in the past two years, is champion in the region, in the state and even ranked fourth nationally. And, this comes after playing the past year in the Elite Club National League (ECNL).
Additionally, the team played in the national playoffs in San Diego, California, in late June, finishing in that tournament’s Sweet 16.
“Even before I started working with them, the chemistry was already there, so my goal was to maintain that,” said the team’s coach, Leo Martini.
“We, as a club, and in the first season in the ECNL, we were facing the highest competition in the country,” he added. “We really didn’t know what to expect at first, but the 2010 team is very special. We had great starts in the season, so it made us recalibrate the goals. Once we knew we were going to qualify for the champion’s league (playoffs), we had to create bigger goals.
“And making the (national) Sweet 16 was a great accomplishment.”
According to its website, the ECNL, which was founded in 2009, “represents the epitome of excellence in youth soccer, for boys and girls, as the league and its clubs, players, coaches and everyone involved seeks to constantly ‘Raise the Game’ for the future.
This FP girls team is made of the best of the best from that age group. All the players were born in 2010, but still need to try out — yet many had been playing together for years, either in recreational or travel competitive leagues.
That’s true for Makenna Lawler — one of the team’s defensive backs that helps keep opponents at bay on offense.
“In ECNL, that’s the highest league you play, so you’re competing against some of the best players and teams across the country,” the Cypress Creek Middle eighth-grader said. “It’s been a great experience because we’ve also never experienced anything like this or ever got to see what it was like out there or to be there (in the national playoffs).
“There’s five or six core players that have been playing together since rec (league) or Happy Feet, but we’ve won a lot, which makes the experience even better — especially going from playing locally or in Florida to then going to play in South Carolina and now California.
“It was like a dream — barely felt real.”
The team had won previous tournaments — the Jefferson Cup in Richmond, Virginia, and the Disney Showcase in Orlando — and while excited about the playoffs in San Diego, its run ended at the hands of the top-seeded San Diego Surf in the round of 16.
“Obviously, the quality of the player definitely makes it so special,” Martini said. “It’s a whole team of very good players that are very versatile and they work really well together — and have for a long time, meaning they’re really well coached, which just makes my job that much easier.
“They’re very committed and disciplined — and they’re all just 13, but not one of them is scared to train four times a week.
“They have a great mentality and love being pushed to that (next) level.”
That is exactly what the players wanted. They knew, and still know, that this highly competitive level will push them and be beneficial.
“When you think about it and compete with other teams around the country, it’s really fun and interesting to do that,” said Nora Eagle, a Martinez Middle eighth-grader who plays outside back. “It was really fun to be able to go to San Diego and compete with the top teams in the country. I feel very proud of the team and its accomplishments. It was a long, hard journey and worth it to come together as a team and realize what we’ve done.”
And the team realizes there is still more to be done.
“I think we can do way better next year,” Lawler said. “The elite eight or final four or finals — if we work together and train enough, we are capable of anything.
“It will take a lot of hard work and dedication for our team, but we’re very hungry for next season and to be national champs.”
Published July 26, 2023
