Wednesday, August 9, 2006

 

TAMPA, FL – The Super Y-League 1991 Select Team returned Monday from a tour of Switzerland that proved to go beyond the normality of playing in a typical youth tournament. A diverse side of players from the Super Y-League ODP selections represented the US successfully on and off the field while interacting with an international gathering of teams from around the globe, including a special Peace Team consisting of Israeli and Palestinian players. Two other tours visited Germany in the weeks prior, experiencing the host nation of the World Cup just after its conclusion.

 

 

 

A diverse group of teenagers from 18 teenagers chosen from the Super Y-League ODP player identification system came together Tuesday, July 25 at JFK airport in New York prior to departing for Zurich, Switzerland, where they would spend 11 days touring, training and playing in the Fourth Annual International Swiss U16 Cup.

Several players on the team were able to participate in the unique experience courtesy of grants from the US Soccer Foundation, the major charitable arm of soccer in the United States which continually strives to meet its mission to enhance, assist and grow the sport of soccer by seeking out and supporting new partnerships and programs. Three players from economically challenged circumstances made the trip to Switzerland with the US Soccer Foundation assistance that would not have been able to attend otherwise. An additional four economically challenged players from the greater-Miami area received assistance from an independent contributor.

“We are extremely proud of what the USL and the US Soccer Foundation were able to accomplish in the formation of this team for this unique trip,” said USL Managing Director of Club Development Matt Weibe. “We feel it is important that all players, regardless of their financial circumstances, have the same opportunities to succeed in the game and without the US Soccer Foundation and the SYL player development and identification programs, players like these fine young men would not have access to opportunities like this.”

Goalkeepers: Brett Finkelstein (California), Michael Darby (N Carolina); Defenders: Jonathan Mercado (Florida), Alvero Bastidas (Florida), Deion Jones (Florida), Kenny Kolbeck (New Hampshire); Midfielders: Logan Lipinski (Ohio), Tyler Newman (N Carolina), Connor Miller (Illinois), Aubrey Perry (Florida), Jesse Ortiz (Illinois), Shaun Greenfield (Florida), Harrison Petts (Florida), Nicholas Millington (N Carolina); Forwards: Adama Wakai (North Carolina), Glenroy Chapman (New Jersey), Tyler Arnone (New York), Pablo Noriega (Florida); Coaches: Richard McCormick, John Hannan; Administrators: Jim Sidick, Louis Salamanca

 

 

The 1991 SYL Select Team visited four nations during their tour, staying in Switzerland and taking brief trips to the small neighboring country of Lichtenstein and World Cup host Germany.

The first of four highlight events prior to the tournament mixed in with training sessions was a visit on the first day to the training session of Liverpool, who was spending their pre-season camp in Bad Ragaz. The players were able to meet with the players and coaches, including manager Rafael Benitez. The speed and skill of the English Premiership side was well-noticed by the players and a focal point in training sessions over the next few days as the team began to prepare for the tournament.

After training on the second day, the team traveled to Lichtenstein for a change of scenery and additional training, learning along the way that midfielder Aubrey Perry had been selected to attend an upcoming US U17 National Team Residency Camp. The following day Nick Millington was also invited to the camp.

The fourth day, second in Lichtenstein, included the most notable experience of the trip for the team as they met and interacted with the Peace Team. A mixed squad of nine Israelis and nine Palestinians brought together under the guidance of UN Special Advisor on Sport for Development and Peace Adolf Ogi. The former President of Switzerland had been appointed to the post by friend and confidant Kofi Annan, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, in 2001.   

“My favorite experience so far has been meeting and interacting with the Peace Team,” said Brett Finkelstein near the end of the trip. “When you really get to know them, they are exactly like each and every one of us. This trip is a trip that I will remember the rest of my life.”

USL President Francisco Marcos, native of Portugal, later participated in a press conference at the Swiss Cup regarding the Peace Team, which was playing in the tournament. Marcos was asked to speak about the Select Team’s participation in the event; its ethnic, cultural and economic diversity of the team; and how the US Soccer Foundation played a key role in the inclusion of a number of players on the team.

“It was a remarkable experience to represent USL and the United States at an event with higher purposes beyond the play on the field,” said Marcos. “In a time with such conflict in the Middle East, it was important that we came together to celebrate unity and peace under the auspices of the world’s game with Mr. Ogi and Gal Pereg (Peace Team Manager and Sport Manager for the Simon Peres Center for Peace). I would like to thank Deputy Prime Minister of the Principality of Liechtenstein, Dr. Klaus Tschutscher, for hosting the event, and whose government funded the Peace Team project.”

It was unknown in the days leading up to the tournament if the special Peace Team would be able to attend due to the ongoing conflict. Several Israeli players were from with the areas the current fighting was taking place between Israel and the Islamic militant group Hezbollah that started weeks prior. In addition, some of the Palestinian players had difficulty making it through military controls in order to get to their departing airport located in Israel.

“It was very difficult to get them here, especially in the past few days,” tournament organizer Andrea Fatzer told swissinfo.com. “We only knew that they would be here when they actually touched down in Zurich.”

The original idea of the tournament was to provide youths the experience of playing teams from around the world, but two years ago Ogi asked the organizers to include a side from war-torn Kosovo. Following the success of that initial experiment, Ogi set about organizing the current Israeli-Palestinian team to promote peace in the troubled region.

“Sport is a universal language that helps people understand one another,” Ogi told swissinfo.com. “No other instrument could have persuaded these youngsters to come together than sport.”

“This is just a small symbol, but it sends a strong sign of hope that children from both sides can play together in the same team,” added Pereg. “When they go back to their homes and hear the names Israeli and Palestinian they will realize that they are not enemies, but ordinary people just like themselves.”

Meeting the Peace Team was followed up by a trip back to Switzerland to visit the FIFA Headquarters located in Zurich. The team had the privilege of meeting Urs Linsi, the General Secretary of FIFA, the governing body for international soccer. The team toured the office where some of the biggest decisions in the world of football are made, including the deliberation room where the discipline hearings were held for the infamous Zinedine Zidane headbutt at the World Cup, giving the young men a first-hand brush with why sportsmanship plays such a critical role in the game as promoted through FIFA’s Fair Play program.  

Day seven saw the Select Team leave Switzerland for a trip through Austria to Germany for a friendly against the Bavarian Regional Team, allowing them a greater opportunity to take in the beautiful European scenery as they traveled the smaller roadways that snake through the mountains of the three nations. The team played well in a 1-0 loss to the Bavarian side and had the honor of meeting the Head of the Bavarian Association on the visit to Oberammergau.

Update I    Update II   Update III   Update IV   Update V 

 

 

The Select Team finished their five-game Group Play schedule with an astonishing one goal allowed at the prestigious International Swiss U16 Cup, which is held every two years. An impressive feat for a group of young men that had only come together just days before playing organized youth teams of professional clubs. The one goal allowed in group play was tied with FC Anderlecht, who went a perfect 7-0-0 en route to winning the championship. Brett Finkelstein played in goal for all five matches.

The final day of group play action ultimately decided the placement of the team as they played second-place Borrusia Dortmund to a scoreless draw, an impressive feat considering the German side led the tournament in scoring with 15 goals at that point. The draw was followed by a late, narrow 1-0 loss to Manchester City. The English side won the group with an unbeaten 4-0-1 record while the SYL Select Team finished third in the group behind Borrusia Dortmund.

Giving players who had primarily seen action as reserves throughout the tournament an opportunity to see invaluable time on the pitch, the squad played to a 2-2 draw in the consolation match, falling 4-2 on penalties in the tiebreaker to finish sixth overall at the tournament.

Final Results: Fixtures & Standings

“Switzerland is amazing,” said Conner Miller. “There aren’t any big skyscrapers like Chicago. Everything is older and there are still castles around. The towns are beautiful and seem like old farm towns. The teams in the tournament play so quickly that you can tell they are in the game for a long term and not just here to play a tournament. This is an experience that I would never forget and I am glad to have this opportunity.”

“This trip has taught me so many things,” added Pablo Noriega. “It has been a one of a kind trip. The atmosphere and the people of Switzerland have be really kind. I have never met so many nice people in my life.”

 

In addition to the Select Team of 1991 players, two sides were also sent to Germany in the weeks prior (July 10-25), playing numerous friendlies against youth, semi-professional and regional ODP teams. The 1990 Select Team participated and finished third in the Reichenbach Cup while the 1989/1988 team played in the JFG Sinngrund Cup.

“These three tours to Europe with players from our Super Y-League ODP player identification and development programs, along with those we have had in the past, are an important part of our development philosophy at USL,” said Weibe. “We firmly believe that immersing players in cultural environments that center around the sport are vital in assisting players into developing into athletes that can play abroad at the professional and international levels without the difficulties of culture shock.”

SYL 1990 Select Team Manager Brian Klein noted the difference between the two nations during the team’s tour.

“To be fair it must be pointed out that the German boys are already quasi-professionals. The club makes a large investment in them. For every player here, there are another 100 vying to take his place. They are fully dedicated to playing in the Bundesliga and even at their current level only two or three from their club will make it in a year.”

“They grow up in a soccer world, seeing it regularly on TV and living it. It is more like a high power Division I football environment than what we know as youth soccer in the United States.”

“Today there was a boy from Barcelona who has been offered professional contracts in Spain trying out. He was big, strong and skilled. Despite they decided after just one practice to cut him. They did not feel he was better than what they had and to invest in him rather than a local boy made little sense. I think he would have been a national team player in the US. It is just that tough here.”

Update I   Update II   Update III   Update IV   Update V