June Full Circle

FULL CIRCLE

PREVIEW WHAT’S INSIDE!

+ HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

+ NL CUP PLAYOFF RECAPS + ‘GIRLS IN SOCCER’ GROWS + MORE!

LATEST NEWS

EGAN, HOFFMAN, KRIEGER, AND MOTTA NAMED TO HALL OF FAME

US Youth Soccer (USYS) recently announced Flo Egan, Steve Hoffman, Ali Krieger, and John Motta as the newest members of its Hall of Fame.

The four-person class will be honored on August 29 at US Youth Soccer’s Recognition Luncheon in Dallas, Texas.

Egan, from 2014 to 2017, was US Youth Soccer’s Region 1 Administrator. She actively managed the National Championship, Presidents Cup, ODP, and TOPSoccer programs in the region while maintaining official records and managing the budget.

Following her stint with US Youth Soccer, Egan spent three years with Maryland State Youth Soccer Association as its Executive Director, where she was responsible for managing the organization’s daily operations, coordinating its programs, increasing player registration, and working with various members to develop new programs throughout the state.

Egan came back to US Youth Soccer in 2022 to serve as the Eastern Region’s National Championship Series Program Manager. She oversaw all operational procedures, including bid processes, schedule making, and communication to all involved parties, among other responsibilities.

In addition to her other administrative endeavors, Egan has also served as a committee member for numerous initiatives, including U.S. Soccer Appeals, USYS Governance and Nomination, New Jersey Appeals and Discipline, New Jersey State Cup, New Jersey Presidents Cup, and Region I Girls ODP.

Egan remains involved with the sport today as Interim Executive Director of New York State West Soccer Association.

Hoffman’s legendary coaching career spans more than three decades across the United States. He’s seen success and longevity at all of his stops, including 36 years with Cal South ODP, most as the Director of Coaching Education and Player Development, and 23 years as a U.S. Soccer Coaching Educator.

Hoffman has also been the Ventura College Women’s Soccer Head Coach since 1996, leading the California college to unprecedented heights. In his 28 years with the Pirates, he’s compiled a 394-129-63 record, been named Western State Conference Coach of the Year 10 times, and led them to 17 conference titles – including 11 in a row from 1996-2006.

In addition to his coaching accolades, Hoffman has also been at the forefront of numerous coaching initiatives, such as mandatory coaching licenses and creation of the ODP scouting program.

Krieger’s first involvement with the sport came with Virginia Youth Soccer’s Prince William Sparklers. She played with the club for 12 years and was a runner-up at the 2000 US Youth Soccer National Championships.

Krieger then went on to star at Forest High School, where she earned the Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior before going on to play at Penn State. With the Nittany Lions, Krieger was a two-time All-American and became the first in program history to earn the honor at two different positions.

She played professionally for eight years – including with Germany’s FFC Frankfurt – before being allocated to the Washington Spirit for the NWSL’s inaugural season in 2013. Krieger spent 11 seasons in the NWSL and played for the Spirit, Orlando Pride, and NJ/NY Gotham FC, and won the 2023 Championship during her final season.

In addition to her domestic career, Krieger was a mainstay for the United States Women’s National Team and appeared in 108 matches from 2008-2021. She helped lead the USWNT to two World Cups (2015, 2019) and competed with the team at the 2016 Olympics.

Motta’s involvement with the sport has seen him spend time as a player, coach, referee, and volunteer, all while making an impact at each step.

Motta has held numerous administrative roles since 1985, but for the last three decades, he’s become a referee mentor and administrator at the local, regional, and national levels. He’s been able to help grow the game by implementing programs that all states and regions can use to recruit, develop, and retain young referees.

Motta is also the current President of the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA), Chairman of the USASA Championships, and serves as a member of multiple Board of Directors’, including the United States Soccer Federation, U.S. Soccer National Soccer Hall of Fame, and the USASA.

With the inductions of Egan, Hoffman, Krieger, and Motta into its Hall of Fame, US Youth Soccer has now honored more than 50 individuals that have made significant contributions to the sport.

+HIGHLIGHT

WHYFC (NC) punched its ticket to The NL Cup Finals

THE NL CUP WRAPS UP SOUTHEAST PLAYOFFS IN NORTH CAROLINA

After three days of captivating action in North Carolina, 10 girls teams and 12 boys teams are moving on to The National League Cup Finals, which will be played July 7-9 in St. Louis, Mo.

The opening weekend of The National League Cup — the postseason competition for 13U-19U boys and girls teams in the National League — featured the Southeast Playoffs in Greensboro, N.C from June 12-14. The event saw teams compete in a group play format to determine which sides advance to the knockout rounds in St. Louis.

“These events are important,” said Houston Surf 11B Blue (TX-S) coach Steven Grave, whose team qualified for The NL Cup Finals after winning all three of its games in Greensboro. “Playing different groups from different parts of the country, where styles and coaching are different. Doing that while the biggest event in the entire world is going on – to be able to watch those games and learn off of it while you’re at an event like this is something these guys will remember forever.”

>> VIEW ALL QUALIFIERS

In Greensboro, Georgia led US Youth Soccer State Associations, as it saw four teams qualify for The NL Cup Finals. Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and South Texas followed, with each having three teams advance to St. Louis.

As a club, Houston Surf (TX-S) excelled at the Southeast Playoffs. Its teams went a combined 6-3-0 while advancing two teams to The NL Cup Finals.

For more information on The NL Cup, click here.

FIND YOUR EVENT PHOTOS

THE NATIONAL LEAGUE CUP FINISHES

LAST TWO PLAYOFF EVENTS

After three days of thrilling action across two playoff events, eight more girls teams and 24 additional boys teams earned their place in The National League Cup Finals, which will be played July 7-9 in St. Louis, Mo.

The teams that advanced from this weekend’s action will join qualifiers from the previous weekend’s playoff event to represent the full field of teams that will compete at The NL Cup Finals.

The second weekend of The National League Cup — the postseason competition for 13U-19U boys and girls teams in the National League — featured action at the Northeast Playoffs in Fredericksburg, Va., and the Northwest Playoffs in Provo, Utah. Teams competed in a group play format to determine which sides advanced to the knockout rounds in St. Louis.

“An event like this is so fun,” said Hudson Souders, midfielder for Legends FC San Diego 07/08B NL (CA-S). “Everything we do is for this game. To be able to go up against amazing teams from around the country and fight for a chance to be in the next round is a beautiful experience.”

>> VIEW NORTHEAST PLAYOFFS QUALIFIERS

In Fredericksburg, New Jersey led US Youth Soccer State Associations, as it saw six teams qualify for The NL Cup Finals. Eastern New York and Indiana were close behind with both advancing three teams to St. Louis. In total, nine different State Associations had teams qualify from the Northeast Playoffs.

As a club, Indy Premier (IN) excelled over the weekend in Fredericksburg. Its two teams went a combined 4-02 to earn trips to The NL Cup Finals.

Another team that went undefeated in the Northeast — WVFC 10B Black (WV) — topped the 16U Boys Group B with a come-from-behind win on the final day of play.

“Their goal has always been the same — go win it all,” WVFC coach Fayanga Keita said. “That has always been our mentality... It’s not easy to come from West Virginia, play against some of the top teams out here, and get three wins. I’m super proud to be a part of the team and super proud to be the coach.”

>> VIEW NORTHWEST PLAYOFFS QUALIFIERS

At the Northwest Playoffs, teams from Arizona captured four tickets to The NL Cup Finals from the action in Provo — the most of any USYS State Association. Meanwhile, Cal South and Utah each saw two teams advance. Overall, the 12 qualifiers came from seven different State Associations — showcasing the diversity of competition at the event.

Tuzos Academy (AZ) proved to be the strongest performing club in Provo, as its two teams went 6-00 — qualifying both its teams for The NL Cup Finals. Spartans (AZ) represented the only other club to advance multiple teams from the action in Utah.

One of the tightest groups in Provo was the 19U Boys Group A, which concluded with a pair of high-scoring draws on the event’s final day. Those results allowed Legends FC San Diego 07/08B NL (CA-S) to finish in first place — securing the group’s ticket to The NL Cup Finals in St. Louis.

“We fell down, 3-1, early in the first half [on Sunday],” Legends midfielder Hudson Souders said. “It was the most adversity we faced all weekend, and we were able to fight back as a team and rally. We tied it at 3, which ended up being the result we needed to advance.

“We’re insanely excited to be able to go the finals in St. Louis. The amount of highs and lows we’ve gone through in the past couple years as a team — to be in this situation, to be going to the national finals, it’s truly just amazing.”

For more information on The NL Cup, click here.

Tuzos Academy’s 15U Boys (AZ) went 3-0-0 in Provo

STATE ASSOCIATION SPOTLIGHT

FLORIDA’S GIRLS IN SOCCER EMPOWERS NEXT GENERATION

For the second year, Florida Youth Soccer Association’s (FYSA) Girls in Soccer Program traveled the state, providing young female athletes with an opportunity to develop not only as soccer players, but as confident, empowered young women.

What began as an idea to create a space where girls could learn, grow, and connect through soccer has continued to thrive. This year, the free program welcomed participants from communities across Florida, stopping in St. Petersburg, Englewood, Clermont, Clay County, Port St. Lucie, Tallahassee, and Navarre.

While soccer remains at the heart of the program, Girls in Soccer offers much more than technical training and on-field development. Each event features educational classroom sessions designed to teach participants valuable life skills that extend far beyond the game. Topics included mental health, nutrition, social media safety, strength and conditioning, injury prevention, leadership, and overall athlete wellness.

By combining soccer instruction with educational sessions, Girls in Soccer creates a unique environment where participants can learn how to succeed both on and off the field. The value of the program was highlighted through the feedback and experiences shared by the girls who participated.

“Attending this girls only soccer clinic helped me improve my skills, confidence, and understanding of injury prevention and nutrition,” said Olivia Cunningham (14). “I learned so much in a supportive environment and left feeling stronger and more motivated as a player. It was also nice to be able to network with familiar faces that I’ve played against in games before and getting to know them outside of the pitch.”

For older participants, the program also offered an opportunity to inspire the next generation of female athletes.

“For me attending this all girls clinic as one of the older players was fun because it gave me the opportunity to

continue to be an example and role model for some of the younger girls there who may want someone to look up to,” said Arianna Cunningham (13). “Playing soccer has impacted my life so much and getting to learn important skills to help increase my longevity in this sport was really nice and helpful.”

Even the youngest participants found valuable takeaways from the experience.

“I liked learning about healthy foods and the different types of proteins,” shared Ife Awotokunbo (7).

The program’s success would not be possible without the dedicated presenters and professionals who volunteer their expertise to educate and inspire participants throughout the year.

“I feel so blessed to have been brought into this program and connected with these women and these girls. What Melissa has created here is something really special,” said Leslie Imhoff of True Standard Fitness. “Getting to come in and teach these athletes about fueling their bodies and moving them in a way that actually supports their performance has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. These girls are capable of so much more than they realize, physically and mentally, and watching that click for them is something I will never forget.”

Imhoff continued, “The lessons they are learning through soccer go so far beyond the field. They are learning to trust themselves, to show up, to do hard things. That carries into every area of their lives. I am so proud to be associated with this program and with Melissa. Her vision and the way she has made it come to life is truly inspiring. I cannot wait to see how much it grows.”

For Girls in Soccer founder Melissa Alford, the program’s continued growth is a reflection of the need for opportunities specifically designed for young female athletes.

“When I started Girls in Soccer, my goal was to create more than just a soccer clinic. I wanted to create a space where girls could build confidence, make connections, learn important life skills, and realize their potential both as athletes and as young women. Seeing the program reach communities across Florida and hearing the stories from the girls who participate has been incredibly rewarding. This program is about empowering girls to believe in themselves, on the field, in the classroom, and in every aspect of their lives.”

As the Girls in Soccer Program concludes its second year, its impact continues to grow across the state. Through education, mentorship, and a shared love of the game, the program is helping shape a generation of strong, confident female athletes while creating lasting connections within Florida’s soccer community.