SOCA Premier and Classic teams recently competed in the season opener Ultimate Cup in Richmond, with the girls playing over the February 26/26 weekend, and the boys playing March 3/4.  Three SOCA teams claimed the top prize in their group, with the U12 Augusta Girls Premier edging out their Charlottesville counterpart along with the U14 Girls Charlottesville Premier and the U11 Charlottesville Boys Classic White squads also taking home gold.

Additionally, five SOCA boys teams claimed second place awards in their group:  U12 Augusta Premier, U11 Charlottesville Premier, U14 Charlottesville Classic White, U12 Charlottesville Classic White and U12 Charlottesville Classic Blue.

The girls were comparably successful with second place finishes by the U12 Charlottesville Premier, U11 Charlottesville Premier, U12 Charlottesville Classic Blue and the U11 Charlottesville Classic squads.

The pre-season tournament is a way for the Travel coaches to gather and assess information on the status of their team prior to the start of league play.  The early-season event is useful to kick start the spring campaign and get players primed for the rigors of league play.

SOCA’s consistent success at the U11 and U12 age groups bodes well for the club’s future.  The breadth and depth of talent indicates a successful player development program which prioritizes youth development in the early years.

SOCA staff are impressed by the spring start across all levels of play, attributing the early results to a comprehensive winter program.

“We feel our Travel players are better prepared than ever for the spring, coming out of a comprehensive winter program.  Players had the option to participate in WISL, Futsal and the Winter Academy, all of which kept them fit and sharp over the winter break,” said Bill Mueller, SOCA’s Director of Soccer.

“We made changes to the Winter Academy for our Travel players, grouping them in age, level and gender-specific Academy sessions, and we’re convinced the improved training environment has advanced player development over the winter. We’ll continue to monitor and adjust our programs so that our Travel players, and all our players, get the best year-round program we can offer,” Mueller said.

Skyline Club Soccer League play has begun for the Classic and Premier programs, with a full slate of games this weekend.  For Skyline league info:  follow this link:  https://www.socaspot.org/skyline-league/