| TROPICAL STORM ALBERTO -- The threat of severe weather from Alberto has thankfully passed. The final evening of tryouts for competitive teams, developmental teams, and developmental training is this evening, Wednesday, June 14, so join us if weather has kept you home thus far. Email us with questions. Practice is on for Wednesday morning, 8:30-10, and afternoon, 3:30 -- 5 pm as scheduled for U16 Caimans preparing for the US Club National Cup Regional. |
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Defenders Ram Nicoloff (19) and Wiley Sinkus played key roles in a qualifying win over Orlando Inter-United. |
THE LSA U16 CAIMANS EMERGED THE WINNER OF A TOUGH GROUP OF SOUTH FLORIDA TEAMS to advance to a spot in the State Cup Final 4, the Gainesville area's only team to survive a grueling weekend of Round of 16 play. The team emerged as group winner from a three-way tie by earning the highest goal differential, a +4 to runners-up Kendall Soccer Coalition (+3) and Miami Strike Force (+1). As last year's state finalist, Kendall was heavily favored to capture the group win and advance to the Final 4, but the Caimans had other ideas, holding high-powered Kendall to a 0-0 tie. The Caimans then played Strike Force to a 1-1 tie, before erupting for five goals against an overwhelmed Hollywood Wildcats team to eclipse Kendall for the group win. The Caimans have stalked the Final 4 since bowing out in the State Cup's first round just two years ago as U14s, but advancing to the Elite 8 as 15s. The team will face perennial state cup power Tampa (Bay) Knights Kickers in the state semi-final on June 10 in Palm Bay. The other semi-final match will feature West Pines United of Miami and Strictly Soccer of St. Petersburg. The championship match will be played June 11. (See all State Cup results) |
THREE LEG-A-Z- SENIORS HAVE SIGNED NATIONAL LETTERS OF INTENT to play collegiate soccer for the 2006-2007 academic year.
Stephanie Stopka is one of 11 new signees that will play with the University of South Florida in Tampa. Stephanie keeps for the LSA U18 girls. She is also goalie for Gainesville High, and plays there under LSA coach Fritz Kaufmann. In 2005, she led the 'Canes to the district championship, for which she earned first team all-area honors. She also lettered in volleyball while at GHS and helped lead the team to the state championships in 2005. She is the daughter of Christine and David Stopka.
“Stephanie is a very hard-working player who is going to help our goal area,” says USF coach T. Logan Fleck. “We are looking forward to her pushing herself and becoming a better player as the years go on." (See article)
Liz Theurer has been accepted to Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass., and will play soccer for coach Krista Fulton. Liz shared honors as the Gainesville Sun's Player of the Year. She is Alachua County's all-time leading scorer in high school girls' soccer, starting her high school career at Oak Hall, and finishing up at Eastside High School. She finished her career with 151 goals and 77 assists, which is just 10 short of the all-time assist record. She has trained under the direction of LSA Coaching Director Basil Benjamin since grade school.
Liz also excels in the classroom and is an honor student at Eastside High School, as well as being dual enrolled at the University of Florida. She is the daughter of Jean and Ernie Theurer.
Tim Roark graduates this year from Oak Hall School and will attend Davidson College in Davidson, NC, as one of 10 signees to play for coach Matt Spear. A captain and center midfielder of both his high school and LSA teams, Roark completed his prep career with an impressive 57 goals and 75 assists, and also shared honors as the Gainesville Sun's High School Player of the Year. When Oak Hall added football this year, Tim played as quarterback. “Tim is a excellent example of a recruit that came through our summer camp," says coach Spear. "He is extremely physical, and a great all-around athlete.” He is the son of Gigi and Steve Roark. (See article)
(May 1, 2006)
LSA COACHING DIRECTOR BASIL BENJAMIN HAS BEEN NAMED 2006 BOYS AND GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL COACH OF THE YEAR by the Gainesville Sun. Basil is the varsity head coach of the Oak Hall Eagles. This year, he led his 2A boys program to the district championship and a regional final appearance, all the more remarkable given that the Oak Hall boys team made the move from fall soccer into the more competitive winter soccer season.
He also led his girls team to a district championship and a regional final appearance, even though the team had only one senior and started a number of players that had not played soccer for Oak Hall before. (See Gainesville Sun, April 18, 2006)
U16 MIDFIELDER RECEIVES INVITATION TO JOIN REGION III TEAM IN ARGENTINA -- Thomas Zimmerman has been selected to represent the United States Youth Soccer ODP Region III at the adidas International Festival 1990 event in Argentina from February 10 -18, 2006. Thomas has been invited to join 17 other 1990s from Region III at the adidas International Festival. He has been named to the Region III pool the past two years, and is also a member of Florida's 1990 state team. He will have the opportunity to train intensively with USYSA Region III coaches, and compete with his teammates against a number of youth teams from well-known clubs in the Buenos Aires and La Plata area. (Jan, 2006)
E LICENSE COACHING COURSE IN 2006 -- Leg-A-Z Soccer will hold a Florida Youth Soccer "E License" Coaching Course Jan. 21-22, 2006 at Oak Hall School in Gainesville. This is FYSA's entry-level course to 11-a-side soccer, and will cover methods of coaching, technical and tactical drills, team administration, and more. Coaches should come to this course prepared to play. Minimum age to attend is 14 years. The E course also serves a preparatory course and prerequisite for the D-license course. Total course time is about 18 hours. Cost is $70. Space is limited so reserve a spot now.
LEG-A-Z U18 KEEPER PREPARES FOR REGION III ODP INTERREGIONALS --- Mike Canard will join top national talent in Austin, TX, for the US Youth Olympic Development Program Thanksgiving Interregionals. Competition begins Nov. 25. Mike qualified for the coveted spot in the 2005 Region III 1989 pool by competing against keepers from 10 other Southeastern US states at Region III trials in Tuscaloosa in July. He keeps for this year's U18 Leg-A-Z team, and has also represented Florida on its 1989 state team for the past three years. This will be his first appearance in the Region III pool. (See article)
