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PUMA vElite Group

PUMA vElite Group

New PUMA vElite Group will showcase eight elite teams during the Schwan’s USA CUP Weekend Tournament

If you’re looking to see some elite soccer during Schwan's USA CUP Weekend, go no further than the PUMA vElite Group, a new U16 super group consisting of PUMA’s top premier clubs in the United States and select international and domestic teams. The teams include: Charlotte United (Charlotte, N.C.), Texas Lightning (Arlington, Texas), Albion SC (San Diego, Calif.), Pro Select (San Diego, Calif.), KFUM (Oslo, Norway), Oakville Gunners (Ontario, Canada), Bermuda Gombey Warriors (Bermuda) and the Arsenal Super Eagles (Brooklyn Park, Minn.).

The PUMA vElite Group will play all their games on the stadium field (U1) and the exhibition field U2), with the first rounds of games scheduled for 9:15 am and 10:40 am Friday, July 11, on both fields. All the PUMA vElite Group games will be televised on www.NSCwebcast.tv, with professional play-by-play announcing.

Here is a run-down on the teams gunning for the inaugural PUMA vElite championship:

The Bermuda Gombey Warriors feature players selected from local Bermuda clubs who compete in Bermuda’s U15 Division. Some players on the team traveled to Schwan’s USA CUP last year with the Football Academy who finished runners-up in the Weekend U15 Cup Division.

“To date they have not won any tournaments as a team but we hope that will change during this year’s tournament,” said team manager David Sabir in an email. “Schwan’s USA CUP will provide a good measure by which to judge the development of our players and we hope that with the experience that some of the players benefitted from last year will assist the team to better performance this year.”

The Arsenal Super Eagles, are the local hometown team in this tournament, with players hailing from the Twin Cities of Minnesota. The team won the boys’ U15 weekend championship in last year’s tournament.

The team embraces diversity, said Larry Mulligan, a parent of one of the players.

“The group of young men is a cross section of race, ethnic groups, religion and geographic locations from around the world. Our team is comprised of young men from the U.S., Kuwait, Nigeria, Cameroon, Mexico, Russia, and Liberia.”

The Oakville Gunners have been together for over four years. Head Coach Phil Ionadi said the team is made up of players who have “discipline, commitment, and passion for the game.”

“The style of soccer that we like to play is quick movement and support,” Ionadi said in an email. “Soccer is a team sport and we put focus on supporting each other. We feel USA CUP is a great opportunity to showcase our boys’ skills to many U.S. coaches, so they could receive a soccer scholarship.”

The Gunners are currently in first place of the Ontario Youth Soccer League (OYSL) which is the top level of soccer in Canada.

Pro Select Academy is an elite training academy that trains players within USA and in Brazil. The team is made up of select players from around the United States. The team has never played together and that will present the biggest challenge, said head coach Noah Gins in an email. “But with the talent and the program structure, the players should be in a good position to show well,” he said.

The team will have several national team players, regional team players, ODP players and elite club level players from all over the country. Many of the players have trained with the Pro Select program in Brazil.

Gins said they expect to “showcase the talent at USA CUP and play a quality brand of soccer with possession and creativity.”

The Charlotte United Gold will be playing a year up from their age group. and without several key members of its roster due to regional ODP call ups. However in spite of this, the players are in a confident mood and are looking forward to testing themselves against new opponents from around the U.S., said team manager Leah Williams in an email.

“[Schwan’s] USA CUP will be an opportunity for a couple of the new squad members to see field time in what we expect be a very strong tournament,” Williams said. “The team prides itself upon being able to adapt to many differing styles and formations to suit the needs of the day and we fully expect to be tested to the full in Minnesota.”

CUFC Gold progressed through to the Southern Regional Championships as Region III Premier League champions this year, in addition to capturing the prestigious Jefferson Cup on the way.

The Albion Boys U16 team manager Bill Callahan calls the team, “one of the top teams in soccer-crazy Southern California.”

“Albion plays in San Diego's Presidio League and they are former league champions, playing an exciting, attacking Brazilian possession style of soccer,” Callahan said. “The boys recently made it to the quarterfinals of the Cal South Nationals, perhaps the toughest regional competition in the United States, drawing from teams in San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and Santa Barbara Counties.”

The KFUM (YMCA) is one of the largest football clubs in Norway with 1,300 active players, and has had a USACUP championship trophy on their shelves since 1998.

“The KFUM players are mainly recruited from the local area, Ekeberg in Oslo, a location also known for hosting the Norway Cup international soccer tournament,” said head coach Per Brosstad in an email. “The majority of the players have been on the team since the age of six. KFUM U16 has made a strong presence in cup tournaments over the years and has captured a total of 10 trophies. Our current international experience comes from games versus teams from Sweden, Denmark, UK, Germany, Romania and Brazil.”

KFUM plays in an interregional elite division in the Oslo area. The club encourages a game strategy where the ball is moved on the ground, preferably with one-touch play, said Brosstad.

The Texas Lightning Black plays in the North Texas Classic League and has finished in the top half of the league for the last two years.

Team manager, Lucinda Able said in an email that the team “focuses on a Brazilian style of play that has been influenced by their training in Brazil and their head coach Renato Sampaio.”

“We are looking forward to the international competition offered at USA CUP," Able said.

Here is the PUMA vElite Game Schedule. All of the games are free and open to the public.

Group A: Bermuda, Albion, Oakville, Texas Lightning
Group B: KFUM, Pro Select, Arsenal Super Eagles, Charlotte United

Friday, July 11:
9:15 Field U2: Bermuda vs. Albion; Field U1: KFUM vs. Pro Select.
10:40 Field U2: Oakville vs. Texas Lightning; Field U1: Super Eagles vs Charlotte United.
14:55 Field U2: Oakville vs. Bermuda; Field U1: Pro Select vs. Charlotte United.
16:20 Field U2: Albion vs. Texas Lightning.
17:45 Field U2: KFUM vs. Super Eagles.

Saturday, July 12:
9:15 Field U1: Texas Lightning vs. Bermuda; Field U2: Pro Select vs. Super Eagles.
10:40 Field U1: Albion vs. Oakville; Field U2: Charlotte United vs. KFUM.

Semifinals, Saturday, July 12:
17:45 Field U1: Winner of Group B vs 2nd Place of Group A.
19:10 Field U1: Winner of Group A vs. 2nd Place of Group B

Championship Game, Sunday, July 13:
11:10 Field U1: Semifinal winners.