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Younger Players Packing A Punch

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By NICHOLAS J.E. MURRAY The Tampa Tribune

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 27, 2008

TAMPA - While in the past, older age-group teams could be relied on for success in the United Soccer League Super-Y League, this summer it has been the younger age groups that have shone in the spotlight. RSL Florida's boys under-14 team already has secured its place at the North American Championships in November, while Hillsborough County United's under-13 team is on the verge, needing only one win from its final three games to book its berth.

This isn't coming as a surprise to either of the teams' coaches. RSL coach Mo Loregnard said in recent years the club has put a premium on developing skills in younger players, and making sure the bad habits that can develop and stick with a player are worked out before they get into competitive age-group soccer. He added that he sees similar things happening at other Tampa Bay area clubs.

"I think that in the Tampa area there is a lot of passion for the game," Loregnard said. "I think that there's always been that potential. However, I think that there are a lot of good coaches in the area that have started developing players from a younger age and I think in terms of the potential now is being reached.

"In the past I think the focus was on the older kids. Now I think the trend has switched to the younger kids, which is really where it's supposed to be."

RSL's under-14s have run away with their Southeast Division qualifying pool, losing only once in 12 games. HCU's path has been similar, with only one loss in 11 games. Coach Scott Moniz said his team has benefited from the academy HCU set up in the last few years, which has emphasized developing players techniques, with relatively little competitive play.

"All it does is provide emphasis on the small stuff, the skill work, trapping, passing, technique and really focusing on that as opposed to games," Moniz said. "The kids come out of that and go into the U-10s and 11s and 12s and so on with a really good basis as far as the technical individual stuff. Once they get to the team phase, the coach just emphasizes more structure and shape and knocking the ball around and moving."

Moniz, who grew up playing in the Tampa area, said it reminds him of the way he was coached as a youngster.

"It's just going back to the way I grew up playing," Moniz said. "When I was U-9, U-10 all we did was skill work and then at U-11s we went out and played. That gave me a basis, and I know that's what we're trying to get back to."

Raiders Advance To USTA National Finals

The Plant City Raiders tennis team has advanced to the under-18 Intermediate Team Tennis National Championship after advancing from the state tournament in Lakeland.

The team, which consists of Stephan Creary, Kyle Madill, Jessica Barnes, Valeishia Kendrick, Arielle Rollyson and Dustin Hinson, gained some revenge in the championship match, defeating a Pembroke Lakes Top Guns team that had beaten them a year before in the final.

"We're happy and excited about winning sectionals, and we're going to take it one day at a time," Plant City coach Shane Johnson said of going to nationals. "It's the best of all the teams from across the country, so I expect it's going to be very competitive. You never know what's going to happen until you get there."

Team Tennis is played head-to-head with a series of five matches, with boys and girls singles and boys, girls and mixed doubles. Teams earn a point for each game its players win, with each match the best of six games.

Johnson said Madill and Kendrick anchored the team, playing most of the singles matches, with the rest of the team chipping in in doubles.

"They really did a fantastic, fantastic job," Johnson said.

Team FLA Has Strong Showing At Nationals

When he first saw the draw for the Amateur Softball Association Girls' Class A 16-Under Fast Pitch championship in Owensboro, Ky., Tampa-based Team FLA manager Frank Arcuri wasn't discouraged.

"We went to the coaches meeting, and people were coming to me telling me, 'You know you have the hardest draw in the bracket?' and I'd say, 'Yes, but that's why we come to play here,'" Arcuri said.

After finishing 17th at the championship a year before, Arcuri's team finished with a 7-2 record, good for ninth in the 144-team double-elimination tournament. Team FLA's only losses came against the Orange County Batbusters from California. Arcuri said the team's arduous path was good for his players, with a large number of college coaches taking the opportunity to watch his team.

"One of the best byproducts of playing that tough a schedule was the number of college coaches that came out to watch us play," Arcuri said. "We were playing one game, and we had 29 Division I coaches watching us play that game, so that was pretty incredible."

Team FLA also posted some impressive wins after losing early in the bracket to Orange County. It defeated the Corona (Calif.) Angels, a team it had lost to in nationals last year, and beat the East Cobb (Ga.) Cobras as it reeled off four straight wins in one day to move through the loser's bracket.

Then it again ran into Orange County, which used its speed to run by a tired FLA squad. Arcuri said he expected his team to grow from its experience.

"They just had good natural speed, top-to-bottom," Arcuri said. "We enjoyed playing them and we know what we have to work on to beat a team of that caliber for next year."

Nicholas J.E. Murray can be reached at (813) 259-8243 or at nmurray@tampatrib.com

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