6.26.14

For their final competitions of the year, FC Wisconsin USSDA traveled to Grand Park in Westfield, IN to participate in the end of the year Showcase.  The USSDA showcase hosts all 79 clubs at the U16/18 age group.  Over the course of the week, teams play three games with one day off for recovery.  The event had US Scouts at every game and draws hundreds of college coaches evaluating the best players in the country. 

“The event, the atmosphere, the best players in the states all make for an atmosphere that is unmatched anywhere in the country.  The best clubs, the best players competing with each other at the highest level all while being evaluated by US Scouts, US National Team Coaches, and college coaches from across the nation really makes this the best showcase in the country.  The players had an awesome experience and all generated huge interest from schools across the country” said Assoc Director Billy Solberg.

The team departed on the 22^nd early enough in the morning to get to Indianapolis and enjoy a night before pregame meal while watching the USA draw against Portugal. 

The next day the team would face the Chargers, out of Tampa Bay.  The team would take a few minutes to get the travel out of their legs before they really began to out pass and out possess the Chargers.

Despite maintaining possession the majority of the game, the team would drop the game late 2-1.  The goal for FCW came from Sal Gloria making a slashing run to get behind the defense where Brady Lenius fed Gloria who took his first touch of the game and slotted it past the goalkeeper.

Tuesday would be a day off for recovery.  The team would go through a light recovery session, enjoy a team meal and prepare for the next day’s game against the Houston Texans.

Wednesday’s game vs the Houston Texans who finished in the top ten in the 2013-2014 season would prove to be a physical battle between two teams hungry for a result at the showcase.  After dealing with high pressure from the Texans for the first 20 minutes, FCW would compose themselves and release pressure with changing the point of attack on the pass and driving forward.  FCW would get on the board first with a serve from Lenius to Blake Carr who would settle it 9 yards from goal and strike it passed a diving Texan goalkeeper.  The team would then give up a late goal in the game off a serve to end the game in a 1-1 draw. 

The last game would put a fitting close to the USSDA season for FCW as they would play their best game of the showcase vs a quality Real Colorado team who finished fourth in their conference.  The team would out possess, out pass, and create numerous more opportunities than Real.  FCW got the first goal on a serve from center back Antonio Amaya who got forward on the dribble and found Blake Carr in the box who took a quick touch and finished the serve.  The Nationals would then go up 2-0 with a dynamic run forward by outside back Daniel Giraldo who put in a beautiful serve to Adrian Roman on the far post.  Roman showed great composure to head back across goal to Carr who would smash it in the back of the net to go up 2-0.  Not long after that, they gave up a goal but would see the game out with possession and seal the win 2-1.

“This was a real fitting way to end the year for the boys.  We really played some of our best futbol today.  We played in great rhythm, got our outside backs forward into the attack and scored two quality goals.  We were so pleased at the pace we played the game today, the energy and work rate was superb.  To finish out what was a really positive year with a proper result that will propel us into an exciting 2014-2015 season is quite fitting.  I’m extremely proud of all of our players and really excited to start the new year come August” said USSDA Director Ben Shepherd.

The FC Wisconsin USSDA program will now get a much need break until preseason begins in August.  To learn more about the USSDA, and FC Wisconsin’s USSDA’s program please see the link below.  FC Wisconsin remains the only official USSDA club in the state of Wisconsin.  To see a list of the colleges recruiting the FCW USSDA Showcase see below.

http://www.fcwisconsin.com/USSDA/index_E.html

College attendance at the FCW USSDA Showcase games:

Marquette University

University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

Penn State

Clemson

Creighton

Furman

Duke

Indiana

Butler

Saint Louis

Oregon

Seton Hall

Penn

Kentucky

Missouri St.

Western Michigan

Princeton

Loyola Chicago

Cincinnati

Cornell

Georgia Southern

North Florida

Wright St.

St. Francis

Belmont

Tulsa

UNLV

Northern Illinois

Western Illinois

IUPUI

Eastern Illinois

Indianapois