Wesley Chapel Soccer Club has always had hard-working, athletic players who enjoy the game and strive to improve. But even with a variety of teams ranging in age from U9 to U18, they’ve never had a state champion.
That is, until now.
(Courtesy of Alex Vilutini)
The U15 Girls White Team captured the Region C title — also a first for the club — to participate in the four-team state tournament for the President’s Cup earlier this month. The Flames then got past the Florida Blast (4-2) and Creeks Krush (3-0) in convincing fashion to earn the cup in Auburndale, marking the club’s first state championship since it began more than a decade ago.
“The whole team was thrilled. They were filled with excitement,” said assistant coach Jeff Olsen.
The team was able to execute its team philosophies on its way to the President’s Cup. They utilized a “strike first” mentality, scoring within the first few minutes of both the semifinal and final. But after that they preach a defensive mindset, calling on every player, regardless of position, to be on guard when the other team has the ball. The end result is a quick-strike offense and a challenging defense that was too much for their opponents in the tournament.
They also have a specific plan when it comes to fouls: Don’t do it. Even when the other team plays an overly aggressive style, Olsen said, the players know that the proper response isn’t retaliation. It’s determination.
“We play harder and smarter, but we like to play clean, too,” Olsen said. “We focus on the game.”
That focus allows them to concentrate on scoring and playing sound defense when an opponent might be struggling with a yellow card, which signals a warning, or even a red card, which signals an ejection.
Carrie Greene, a midfielder and team captain, agrees.
“We understand that if we play to the best of our abilities, the rough play won’t matter,” she said.
Playing their best comes easier because the players know each other so well, Greene said. Many have played together for years in the competitive system, as well as the recreational one. That familiarity allows them to predict each other’s movements and play better as a team. As a result, they can set the tone of the game and face challenges with confidence.
The Flames now face a couple of new challenges.
They’ll travel to Lafayette, Louisiana, to represent Florida and to compete in the Region III President’s Cup in June.
And, they have to find a way to pay for it.
The team has less than six weeks to raise around $20,000 for travel, lodging and expenses for 17 players and two coaches.
They plan to reach out to individuals and businesses, as well as host fundraisers, to meet their goal.
Since goals — especially those on the field — seem to come naturally to the team, it is looking forward to its out-of-state competition in June.
Claiming the state regional title, and then the state’s President’s Cup, has already taught players the value of staying focused and playing as a team.
It’s also brought notoriety to the Wesley Chapel Soccer Club, proving that the philosophy of good sportsmanship and enthusiastic-but-clean play can bring results on the scoreboard, too.
“It shows that hard work, dedication, and loyalty to your club and your community pays off in the end,” Olsen said.
The club will have competitive tryouts at the end of May.
For information about the Wesley Chapel Soccer Club, visit WCAASports.org. To help with the U15 team’s fundraising efforts, visit their donation page at gofundme.com.
Published April 22, 2015
