RICHMOND STRIKERS U14 ACADEMY PROGRAM

Academy Reports 09-24-09

From Staff Reports:

U14 Academy team comes up against strong U15 Weston Fury

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Beginning in the Fall 2009, the Richmond Strikers will be offering a U14 Academy initiative in conjunction with the existing Richmond Strikers Development Academy Program.

The U14 Academy pool will consist of the best '95 and '96 players from the U13, U14 and or U15 age groups. These players will compete for their respective age groups in league play (VCCL, VSLI) during Fall 2009 and Spring 2010.

They will compete in 10-14 Academy games throughout the 2009/2010 season that will be scheduled around their regular team’s activities.

The U14 Academy pool will train together 1 – 3 times a week depending on the time of the year

 Strikers U14 Academy have positive experience in Pennsylvania

The Richmond Strikers U14 Academy team traveled to Manheim, PA this past weekend to compete in the inaugural US Pre-Academy festival. This one game a day event, hosted by PA Classics, produced a great soccer environment and was a huge success!

COMPETING TEAMS: Albertson SC, Baltimore Bays, BW Gottschee, FC Delco, FC Greater Boston Bolts, FC Westchester, Match Fit Academy, Met Oval, New York Red Bulls, NJSA 04, Oakwood SC, PA Classics, PDA, Potomac SA, Richmond Kickers, Richmond Strikers, Seacoast United, and South Central Premier.

Game 1:        Saturday vs. GW Gottschee (NY)

The boys started strongly and dictated the pace of the game. The Strikers players moved the ball well from side to side and up to the forwards. Strikers front man Liam Jenkins was in the right place at the right time to finish well after good work from Marshall Ellick. Strikers 1 – 0 GW Gottschee.

After a promising start, Strikers lost a little momentum. A few minutes before the interval. Gottschee scored to get back on level terms. Half time: Strikers 1 – 1 GW Gottschee.

In the second half, Strikers left midfielder Carson Boyd put his team in the lead from a Timmy Pedrazzi cross with 20 minutes remaining.  However, Gottschee equalized again late on to tie it up.

Strikers 2 – 2 Gottschee

Game 2:        Sunday vs. Oakwood (CT)

The Strikers began sharply again and displayed good movement, particularly up front. The boys in Orange moved the ball well and had a strong physical presence all over the pitch.  The Strikers asserted themselves immediately and dominated the game from start to finish. Carson, Joseph Gonella and Liam did the damage in front of goal with critical finishing to lead the team to a well deserved 3-1 win.

Strikers 3 – 1 Oakwood

Game 3:        Monday vs. South Central Premier (CT)

The 3rd game of the weekend saw the Strikers come up against their toughest opponent and the team was up for the challenge. In the 13th minute, forward Marshall Ellick put the Strikers 1 – 0 up from close range. Timmy Pedrazzi made it 2-0 in the second half before the South Central team from Connecticut pulled one back. Strikers 2 – 1 South Central

The Strikers weathered the storm and extended their lead through a beautiful solo effort by Co-captain Liam Jenkins (3 goals in 3 games for the Strikers big man and 19 goals on the season). Strikers 3 – 1 South Central

With less than ten minutes remaining in the game, South Central equalized on a free kick just outside the Strikers penalty area to cut the lead by one. Strikers 3 – 2 South Central. The Strikers finished out the game and managed the remaining minutes well to secure a hard fought victory

Strikers 3 – 2 South Central

U14 Academy squad

Goalkeepers:   Connor Owens, Patrick Hagerman

Defenders:       Chandler Crescentini, James Hart, TJ Christino, Will Perkins, Cutter Jacobson, Davis Owen

Midfielders:      Pierce Aggen, Timmy Pedrazzi, Carson Boyd, Joseph Gonnella, Mac Blain, Colin Schaffer, Ian Jones

Forwards:         Tucker Hamblen, Liam Jenkins, Marshall Ellick

Head Coach Trevor Spencer said, “For a group that was playing together for the first time, I was very pleased with the effort of all our players. We were competitive, passionate, adjusted well and quickly, showed good leadership, and composure. We improved throughout the three games, and it was nice to score first in all the games. We scored some very good team goals and a few good individual ones too”

Academy Director Erwan Le Crom who was in attendance in Pennsylvania had this to say about the event, “The Northeastern pre-Academy Festival was a very valuable experience: smooth organization, great soccer environment for our players and staff, higher level competition. I am extremely pleased that our younger players got a taste of an Academy environment. It will only help them to get better.”

Le Crom went on to add, “Any time the Strikers teams can be a part of a 1 game a day academy format, the better it is.”

The Strikers had a good core of coaches in attendance at the Pre Academy Festival. In addition to Trevor Spencer and Erwan Le Crom, Director of Coach and Player Development Bob Jenkins and U18 Academy Coach EC Chattawa were also present.

The Strikers U14 Academy Team finishes off the 2009 year with a 2-1-1 record. The team will play its next academy game in January 2010. 

The Striker Pre-Academy Program includes the club’s strongest ‘95’s and ‘96’s players and is designed to prepare our younger players to compete in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy at the U-16 and U-18 age groups.

U14 Academy team comes up against strong U15 Weston Fury

The Strikers U14 Academy team showed well against a good Weston U14/15 Academy team on Saturday September 19th at Striker Park

In the first half, the visitors came out fast and opened the scoring in the 1st minute. The younger Striker players fought hard but were constantly under pressure from a very physical and technical opponent from South Florida. Striker’s goal keeper Patrick Hagerman had to come up with some big saves to keep the Orange in the game as Weston just kept the pressure on, attacking often and in good numbers. Weston were 4-0 up at half time.

Coach Trevor Spencer, former VCU stand out, had a good talk with the boys at the interval. He challenged them not to give up, to relax, and continue trying to play the right way (moving the ball). He also demanded more toughness from some of the players and they responded positively.

With the introduction of four u13 players from Bob Jenkins' team to start the second half, the Strikers went on the offensive immediately.  Myles Brown picked up a loose ball in the midfield and calmly played a perfect pass through to Liam Jenkins who made no mistake from 20 yards. Five minutes later Jenkins made it 4-2 with a rocket right foot blast from just outside the area. The lanky striker completed his hat trick with a 40 yarder that the goal keeper touched on its way into the back of the net.

The final 10 minutes saw Weston back on the offensive, but the Strikers defense was determined to shut their opponent out in the second half to keep the score at 4-3.

U14 Strikers Academy 3 – 4 U14/U15 Weston Fury

Coach Spencer said, “I was proud of the way our players carried themselves especially the composure showed by the boys in the second half”

The U14 Academy group will be back in action Columbus Day weekend