Touchline - Summer 2022

PENNSYLVANIA’S LEADING YOUTH SOCCER PUBLICATION

SUMMER 2022

PHILADELPHIA

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2026 World Cup

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CREDITS PUBLISHED BY: Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer 4070 Butler Pike, Suite 100 Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462 Phone: 610-238-9966 Fax: 610-238-9933 E-mail: info@EPYSA.org Website: EPYSA.org EXECUTIVE BOARD President - Jeff Sommer First Vice President Lennie Brown Second Vice President Bill Fuller Treasurer- Jim Brown Secretary Melissa Murphy Weber Registrar - Jim Christian State Youth Referee Administrator - Jeff Tener District 1 Commissioner Becky Barlow District 2 Commissioner John DiGiuseppe District 3 Commissioner Bill Ross District 4 Commissioner Eric McKitish (incumbent)

PHILADELPHIA IS A WORLD CUP HOST CITY!

District 5 Commissioner Scott Merritt

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District 6 Commissioner Phil Frederick (incumbent) OFFICE STAFF Chief Executive Officer – Chris Branscome Chief Operating Officer – Kelly Connor Technical Director – Mike Barr Director of Soccer Development & Performance – Gary Stephenson Marketing & Events Manager – Kelsey Tepel

APPROACHING THE 90TH MINUTE: MIKE BARR REFLECTS ON 40 YEARS

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Registration Specialist – Michele Brown

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Coaching Department Administrator – Gabrielle (Bree) Benedict

10 50th Anniversary Team

Grassroots Soccer Manager JT Dorsey Outdoor Cups – David Jones Interns – Catie Branscome, John Weber TOUCHLINE Editor-in-Chief – Chris Branscome Editor – Kelsey Russo Editorial Assistants – Catie Branscome, John Weber

50TH ANNIVERSARY TEAM

Letter From The CEO Player Spotlight

12 National Championship Series Highlights

13 President’s Cup Highlights 14 50th Anniversary Gala Gallery 16 Family Matters: The Barrist Ref Duo

USWNT QUALIFIERS PREVIEW

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18 Making the Game Accessible to Everyone

22 Challenge Cup Champions 24 This or That 25 Design Your Own Team Crest 26 Create Your Summer Soccer Playlist

28 EPYS Calendar

A special thanks to the Philadelphia CVB and J. Ryan for photography Designed and printed by A.E. Engine, Inc. www.ae-engine.com

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Bounce Back

FORWARD & HIGHER

T Chris Branscome

Chief Executive Officer, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

Planning and dreaming needs to be an everyday, year round thing for soccer to grow

“

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Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

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he 21-22 soccer season has come to a close. State Cups, spring leagues and tryouts have concluded. Aside from our many teams still competing in the Presidents Cup and the National Championship Series, summer should be a time for resting and recharging before the next season ramps up again in August. There are many great things to highlight about this most recent season, but the primary thing is that soccer is bouncing back from the darker days of recent years. Together, we are near full strength with nearly 110,000 registered players among our 375 member organizations and affiliates.

Resiliency has always been a key to success in soccer. The ability to get back on your feet as an individual, from a foul or injury takes resilience. Teams being able to come back in the second half to tie or win a game takes resiliency. Clubs being able to bring their kids together after taking last season off takes resiliency. Referee’s rebuilding their community by recruiting and teaching new officials, takes resiliency. All of these things put together keeps our game moving forward regardless of the challenge. There’s always peaks and valleys, but it’s our efforts to make the peaks high and valleys low that keeps the game growing.

We know we can bounce back, now it’s time to bounce forward, and higher. Our next big challenge is the road to 2026. Philadelphia is now officially a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. That event can help us collectively catapult the sport to new heights.

Soccer was still growing back in 1994 and the World Cup then gave us a big boost. This time around, soccer is far more mature, yet we’ve plateaued, even regressed in our growth. Now is the time for us to prepare for new heights. Now is the time to plan for growing the game and adding more kids, more referees and more coaches, Becoming a far more diverse community will help us grow- cultivating opportunities for more women and people of color to coach and officiate; to extend our reach and assistance to all neighborhoods and communities; reduce or eliminate any barrier for any young athlete to play soccer.

Having the World Cup in Philadelphia will give us a tremendous boost for sure, but regardless, having the World Cup in America gives us this generational opportunity. Parents, coaches, administrators, referees, players and fans, take this time to start dreaming and see what soccer can be like for you and others not just in 2026, but 2030.

What ideas do you have? Where would you like to be by then? What can you do to get yourself and the rest of us there? What can we do now to ensure our successors will be successful?

Planning and dreaming needs to be an everyday, year round thing for soccer to grow. With this opportunity, we can’t just live in the present. The summer will go by quickly, and we’ll be opening the 22-23 season before you know it. The same will be true about World Cup 2026. Enjoy this moment, and enjoy the summer, but be ready for great things to come. And don’t forget about the Union’s great, the USWNT World Cup Qualifying in July and World Cup 2022. I’m looking forward to all of it with great enthusiasm and so should you.

There’s no better time for soccer than now in the US and Eastern Pennsylvania!

APPROACHING THE

90

TH

MINUTE

Excerpts From Mike Barr’s Reflection’s On Over 40 Years In Youth Soccer

Mike Barr is retiring from his position as Technical Director of Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer at the end of this summer. Mike has become the standard by which many coaches are measured by. From his roots as a young coach in Delaware to winning the US Youth Soccer Dr. Tom Fleck Award for Coaching Excellence, he has been known through the country as an outstanding developer of players and coaches. Mike’s influence on the game in Eastern Pennsylvania is second to none. His positive influence over the thousands of players and coaches he’s worked with will be his legacy for decades to come.

H

aving been mentored himself by some great programs in the country, Philadelphia Textile. I knew of him coaches, Alan Jones, Bud Wooley and the because at Millersville we played Textile each year. Usually, legendary Bob Urban, Mike began his coaching we were soundly beaten but in 1971 we played Textile to a tie career in 1976 by leading the amateur team that 1-1.In that game I played sweeper. One huge highlight to my he was playing on in Delaware. His first job with kids was in playing career.

1977 at William Penn High School in New Castle. In 1979, he was recruited by the Delaware Youth Soccer Association to be their Director of Coaching: Mike pressed forward with his new found passion for I don’t believe I have the knowledge, skills, experience or coaching. He began coaching Swarthmore College and self-confidence to take on the role. In the back of my mind, I became an instructor himself doing F, E and D licenses in was asking myself what does a Director of Coaching do?

Delaware. After becoming the head coach at Strath Haven He mentioned that Delaware Youth Soccer would be High School in 1984, Mike went for his US Soccer A License. willing to pay for my registration His instructors were again, legends of the fee and airlines flight and send me game- former US National team coach to the US Olympic Training Center Bob Gansler, US Olympic coach Lothar In my career as a in Colorado Springs, Colorado, that Osiander and US u20 and pro coach, summer for the National C License. It Bobby Howe. His A license number is coach, I went through was too good an opportunity to pass 183. Numbers issues today are in the a metamorphosis up and I agreed to the offer.

10,000’s! Mike began coaching and from the screaming, Today no coach; not even a former teaching for Eastern Pennsylvania Youth win at all cost coach professional player can go directly to Soccer by to a more thoughtful, a C License. They are required to take this point. three grassroots’ courses, followed When I first became involved with understanding, and by the D License, just to apply for a C education you were provide a syllabus serene coach from License! for each course. I was doing most of the the sideline.

There were some pre-requisites to courses for Eastern Pennsylvania as well take the C License in 1977. When you as the coaching staff that was there in the had your first field session with the US beginning. John Thompson from Central Soccer Instructors, you had to pass a Pennsylvania was the DOC. He was fitness test and be able to juggle the ball 25 times. I practiced responsible for ODP and Education and it was a part time juggling for two months before the C License. position. Joe Amorim was the part time Director of Coaching The information the coaching instructors provided at in late 1980’s and early 90’s. For a period of time after Coach times was overwhelming. I realized how little I knew about Amorim, Randy Garber was named Director of ODP and I became the Coaching Education Director. Tom Durkin was the game. The Fundamental, Match Related and Match hired as a full time DOC in 1994.

Condition methodology was introduced to me during that The Olympic Development Program began in 1977 and course. I would see the curriculum of US Soccer change originally was referred to as State Select. The ages were U13, four times during my career. At that time, Walt Chyzowych U15 and U17 but were only boy’s teams. It was not until 1982 was the Director of Coaching for the United States Soccer that a formalized program for girls was started. Identification Federation and was working with the A candidates. He was of ODP players in the beginning was at one formal try-out or also the head coach of one of the most successful college

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through a league select tournament. From the early 80’s Eastern Pennsylvania required the head coach of an ODP team have an A License. The number of women coaches were minimal due to women’s soccer not being a popular major sport until the middle 80’s.

From 1984 to 1996, the Olympic Development Program had almost every elite player from all of Eastern Pennsylvania. All top players, boys or girls, participated in the Olympic Development Program. On the 2019 Women’s World Cup roster 90% of the US players participated in ODP at some time during their careers. In Eastern Pennsylvania we had over 100 former ODP players go on to US National Teams, the MLS and the WPSL. Mike continued his own educational journey by taking foreign coaching courses. He traveled to Brazil and Scotland and ultimately earned his UEFA B license. Mike began taking a far more active role as an educator, even though he was developing outstanding teams for his school and with ODP. Meeting new coaches and having the opportunity to engage and share ideas about the game, player development, and US Soccer’s Educational Platform has been interesting, sometimes challenging, and extremely worthwhile. I believe these courses provides a solid foundation for them to build on. I try to help the candidates to take a more educational approach to the game and be mindful of engaging each player.

Mike has also cared very much for providing opportunities for all kids and has worked tirelessly to support those causes. Mike, a special education teacher for thirty years, has always been active with TOPSoccer the program for mentally and physically challenged players, as well as the various underserved communities, urban and rural, in our state. Mike has done countless clinics and camps and been a champion for all players.

I am concerned that the high price to play soccer will continue to have a dramatic impact on the number of players who can afford to play. It will not affect the elite players because once recognized, clubs will routinely cover their costs to play. Meanwhile the average player will never receive those same opportunities to play, be coached by highly qualified coaches, or be seen by college coaches at ID clinics or Showcase Tournaments.

I am proud to say that Eastern Pennsylvania in the past few years has been covering the costs for coaching education and allowing players interested in ODP to play for free or at a lower cost. We are making huge strides to bring soccer to the city and areas within the state in need of assistance on a consistent basis and increasing the diversity of the sport with both players and coaches.

Mike has most certainly evolved over the years. A driven and tireless worker, he made sacrifices with his family in favor of his teams and career. His competitive nature could also get the best of him, but he learned over time what was most important.

In my career as a coach, I went through a metamorphosis from the screaming, win at all cost coach to a more thoughtful, understanding, and serene coach from the sideline. I must admit there are still moments where I become the jumping, excited, vocal, and sometimes irate coach.

Looking back the only issue I have now is how at times I often put my coaching career ahead of my family. I missed major events in their lives and mine. My wife Barbara assumed the burden of dealing with everyday problems with my family and always looked at the game of soccer as just that… a game. A game she wanted to make sure her children were having fun.

Mike’s impact on the game is undeniable. He’s a member of multiple Halls of Fame and was the 2021 recipient of the United Soccer Coaches, Charlotte Moran Youth Long-term Service Award. This past year US Youth Soccer presented Mike with its highest coaching honor, the Dr. Tom fleck Award and in April, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer named its Excellence in Coaching Award after him.

Fame is fleeting and I recognize I may be a forgotten name within the near future, but I can honestly say I worked constantly to be a better coach and an insightful teacher of a sport that will continue to grow and prosper through the years. I attached accountability to training, education, and coaching within the game. Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer has become and will remain a huge part of my life.

Mike Barr has been, and will continue to be, a huge part of Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer.

To read the Mike’s full story, read Approaching The 90th Minute at EPYSA.org

Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

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50TH ANNIVERSARY

TEAMS

As Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer celebrates its 50th year, we’d like to announce our selections for the 50th Anniversary Teams. Twenty five women and twenty five men were selected to this honor. All players selected must have played for an Eastern Pennsylvania Youth soccer registered team from 1972-2022. Additional criteria to be named to this team were US Soccer national team selections (full national team, Olympic team or youth national teams), professional careers, major awards and All-American honors, and college careers. Nominations were gathered from some of the most respected coaches in our state. Many excellent players were nominated for consideration and it was not an easy task.

We’d like to thank the following for their input on this list: Mike Barr, Randy Garber, Betty Ann Kempf, Erica Dambach, Jim Curtin, Terry Underkoffler, Don Brady, Rick Tompkins, Rob Hurley, Dave MacWilliams, Mike Moyer, Greg Ramos, Matt De George, Jon Tannenwald, Chris Branscome, Gary Stephenson, Kelly Connor.

Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

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50TH ANNIVERSARY TEAM

PLAYER HONOREES CHRIS

ALBRIGHT SAL

CARBONE BOBBY

CONVEY

BEN

JULIAN

OLSEN

EPYSA & Region 1 ODP All-American, 11 yrs DC United USMNT ’98-07 – 2006 World Cup

CHRISTIAN

Philadelphia Soccer Club Coppa, EPYSA & Region 1 ODP At 17, youngest player ever signed in MLS USMNT 2000-08, 2006 World Cup

PULISIC RICH

RIECE TIM

JIM

VALENTIN ZAREK

VALENTIN

PA Classics 11 year professional career: Montreal, Portland, Houston USMNT U20 & U23 Puerto Rico National Team2021 World Cup Qualifiers

QUINN

CURTIN

SAHAYDAK

SULLIVAN

DON

TROY

ANDREW

D’AMBRA

SNYDER

WENGER

BRIAN

JIM

JEREMIAH

KELLY

Lake Lehman HS, Luzerne County MetroStars, LA Galaxy and Portland Timbers USMNT U17 and U20 teams

MATT

KNOWLES JEFF

LARENTOWICZ DAN

STAMATIS ZACK

STEFFEN AUSTON

WHITE

FC Delco, EPYSA ODP & Region 1 ODP 10 year professional career in Europe and MLS USMNT National Team

TRUSTY

Nether United SC, EPYSA & Region 1 ODP Philadelphia Union USMNT U19, U20, U23 Signed with Arsenal 2002

LOVITZ JASON

LUZAK DAVE

M AC W ILLIAMS Lighthouse Boys Club 1980 US Olympic team Al-American at Philadelphia Textile 10 years in the NASL and MISL

MATT

NAPOLEON 10

Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

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OOKS | LSEN | AMBER BR O N E B | RNHART A B E L NICO

In 2022, Eastern Pennysvlania Youth Soccer named its 50th Anniversary Soccer Team which featured the best and brightest players to play in the area.

Congratulations to the following honorees.

MURPHY

AGNEW LAUREN

ALWINE

AMBER

BROOKS

Vincent United, EPYSA & Region 1 ODP UNC Tarheels, Bayern Munich, USWNT 2013 US National Youth teams 2008-2012

NICOLE

BARNHART

Boyertown SC, Souderton SC, FC Delco EPYSA & Region 1 ODP USWNT 2004-13. 07, ’11 World Cups.

Gold Medalist ’08, ’12 Olympics

JODI

CLUGSTON KELLY

ROWLAND CONNOR BECKY

DARCI

EDWARDS

2x HS All-American, Gatorade Player of the Year EPYSA & Region 1 ODP, University of Virginia WUSA- Washington Freedom & Philadelphia Charge USWNT U16, U17

MADDIE

BORSKI

EVANS SINEAD

FARRELLY

AMANDA

LEBO GINA

LEWANDOWSKI KIM

MASLIN KAMMERDEINER Lansdowne Misfits Soccer Club 1985 NCAA Champion, George Mason U. USWNT 88-91, won first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup

KRISTIN

LUCKENBILL MEGHAN

M C C OOL

Penn Fusion EPYSA & Region 1 ODP UVA Captain & All-American USWNT U17, U18 U20

Spirit United, EPYSA & Region 1 ODP 2x All American and Hermann Award finalist 7 professional seasons USWNT U15, U16, U17, U20, U23

MCLERNON

KIM

SHEA

PHOEBE

FRANCIS

MOYER

JEN

EMILY

HOY

OLEKSIUK JAMIE

PAGILARULO

EPYSA & Region 1 ODP, George Mason U 3x All-American, USWNT 1997-2001

CHRISTIE

SHANER ERICA

WALSH PAULA

WILKINS GINA LEWANDOWSKI | CHR IS ALBRIGH T | ZAC K STEF FEN

SYDNEY

ZANDI Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

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NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES STATE CUP CHAMPIONS EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA YOUTH SOCCER TEAMS CROWN STATE CUP CHAMPIONS Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer held its National Championship Series (NCS) State Cup Championships at United Sports Training Center in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, May 21.

Those who claim State Cup champions advance to the US Youth Soccer Eastern Regional Championships held at Barboursville and Charleston, West Virginia, from June 24-30. Qualified regional champions will

then advance to compete in the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series hosted by ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida, from July 19-24.

The event is the first leg of the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series (NCS) and serves as an open competition that draws teams from the highest levels of youth soccer throughout Eastern Pennsylvania.

Here are Some Highlights From the State Cup:

YMS 14U

FC REVOLUTION 16U

PHILADELPHIA SC COPPA 17U

UKRAINIAN NATIONALS 17U

FC DELCO 12U

PENN FUSION 12U

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F

or the third year in a row, the girls 2005 Philadelphia SC Coppa Rage has won the NCS State Cup. They comfortably defeated PA Classics Elite in this year’s finals. They will be the only team representing Philadelphia SC at this year’s US Youth Soccer Eastern Regional Championships, which take place in Barboursville and Charleston, West Virginia, from June 24-30.

In a fantastic accomplishment, North Union United will be sending three teams to the US Youth Soccer Eastern Regional Championships. Their Boys U19, Girls U16, and Girls U13 were victorious in their Presidents Cup matches. All three matches were tightly contested matches. All three teams will be looking to make a run in the upcoming regional championships in West Virginia.

2022 PRESIDENTS CUP FINALS

The 2022 Presidents Cup was a whirlwind of excitement for players, coaches, family, and friends. Despite having a feel-like temperature in the high 90s, athletes were determined to outlast the blistering heat to ensure they did their best to come home as 2022 Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Presidents Cup Champions.

NORTH UNION UNITED 14U

FC MONTCO 16U

WESTERN LEHIGH 19U

WARRINGTON 12U

Here are Some Highlights From the Presidents Cup:

I

n our Presidents Cup U17 Boys matchup, Colonial SC faced off against Hulmeville SC. The game was frantic from the start. Colonial scored two goals quickly after Hulmeville grabbed the first, taking a 2-1 lead. Hulmeville stormed back to score four unanswered and take a 5-2 lead. Colonial fought back and was able to make it 5-4, but in the end, Hulmeville held them off and placed their bid to regionals in West Virginia.

The team with the best storyline and possibly the best match of the day was theU19 Boys Presidents Cup winners North United SC Vipers.

Saturday morning, over half of their team competed in a track and field meet. That track meet seemed to have little effect on the boys who would defeat Montgomery United. In addition to the track meet, the eventual champions played the entire match and overtime without any substitutions. Congrats to the North United Vipers, and good luck at regionals.

Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

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E A S T E R N P E N N S Y LVA N I A YOUTH SOCCE R On April 30, 2022, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer celebrated its 50th anniversary with a star-studded event at Lincoln Financial Field. The sold-out celebration honored the region’s past, present and future and included awards presentations.

Scan the QR Code below for a full gallery of photos from the 50th Anniversary Gala

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Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

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FAMILY M

Meet David and Hope Barrist, a Father and Daughter Officiating Duo

By Catie Branscome

David Barrist began his referee journey when his daughter advanced to 11v11 soccer. He realized he wanted to give to the game, stay involved, and do more than just yell from the parent’s sideline. For David, referring was a logical next step.

It turns out his daughter, Hope, wasn’t far behind him in starting her own officiating career. About a year after David became certified, he signed Hope up for a course and her journey as a referee began.

She was 13 when she started the course and one of her driving forces was her dad saying, “you can make good money”, so she agreed.

Years later the two continue their refereeing careers knowing they have gained an immense amount of knowledge and experience while staying involved in the game they love.

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MATTERS B

David and Hope Barrist both noted that officiating has been an excellent way to stay involved with the game they love after their playing days ended.

oth Hope and her father’s love for the game goes beyond officiating.

The two are both former players, so one would wonder how their playing experiences carried over to their roles as officials. Hope quickly responded with “Yeah, a lot!” when asked if she found refereeing helpful as a player.

Hope specifically mentioned how she found it especially useful to know the rules of the game as a player.

During Hope’s career as a player, she often played keeper, which allowed her to see the entire field. She also was reliant upon on every player on her side to assist her -- from end line to end line. She emphasized that “knowing how the game works and knowing all the rules, I think, is the most important part as a keeper to guide the other players.” That mindset has carried over to being a good referee.

David became a ref well after his playing career had ended David said he “would have been a better player and coach if I would have been a referee first.”.

David says, “As a referee, you want to be ‘forgotten and not remembered’.”

A forgotten referee doesn’t mean he or she wasn’t influential, or relevant to the game, it just means that as David put it, “the game went off without a hitch”, and as a ref, you did your job.

He acknowledged that undesirable situations and incidents do arise in games and you must deal with them. He said it will lead you to be introspective and to wonder what you could have done better but David believes that’s normal because “you’re human so you think about these situations.”

Hope recalled a lesson from a referee course.

During that course the instructor explained that “you’re going to be wrong sometimes, but you can’t let them know you’re wrong. You stick with your decision.” Just like how Messi will never play a perfect game, a ref will never call a perfect game either.

One thing Hope admires and has learned from her father has been his ability to keep a calm demeanor. When he has to confront someone, Hope described him as using “the most perfect language you’ve ever heard.” Hope feels that hearing and seeing his interactions has made her reflect on what to say in similar situations she encounters.

So what does David admire about Hope?

He proudly answered: “her resilience”. Hope’s playing career was cut short at the age of 19 due to an accident which resulted in a broken leg, fractured sacrum, lacerated kidney, broken pelvis, and concussion. Following her recovery, she wanted nothing more than to get back to normal activities, so she got back to officiating.

David added that “when a playing career has to come to an end, find a way to stay involved in the sport you love.”

At Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer’s 50th Anniversary Gala in April, Hope was the proud recipient of Young Referee of the Year. She earned this award for among other things, her ability to persevere.

“I think it (officiating) has taught me so many different things that you can’t get from any other job,” Hope said. “Becoming a referee can be discouraging but I gathered some advice from two people who love this job.

When asked what Hope and David would say to anyone considering becoming a referee Hope vocalized “that it’s the hardest job I’ve ever had”, but she didn’t stop there because she also added it’s also the most rewarding job.

Hope went on to name a few things the job has taught her such as leadership, the ability to speak up and to defend herself.

David emphasized that age does not matter when it comes to being a referee. Regardless of age, “you have to be able to learn interpersonal skills and use them every second of the way.” He pointed out that if someone is Hope’s age, you should be able to “communicate with your peers on the field and also effectively communicate with adults”. Or, from his perspective “be able to communicate with your peers on the sidelines and effectively communicate with the young players on the field, and if you can accomplish that it’ll be a really rewarding experience.”

While David and Hope see many things from different perspectives, they share a common passion for soccer.

“Our thing is soccer. Plus, it’s additional time we get to spend together,” Hope said.

David enthusiastically answered “absolutely” when asked if he liked working games with his daughter.

Although being a referee is about interpreting and enforcing the rules of the game, it can be much more than that to some people. Soccer creates so many opportunities and memories, just ask the Barrists.

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ADVANCING THE GAME Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer is Helping Make the Game Accessible to Everyone

By Tim Raub

T

hroughout his career, Mike Curry has seen a lot and done a lot.

Both as a player and later as a coach and coaching education guru with the United Soccer Coaches, where he aided in the development of the organization’s original goalkeeper coaching curriculum, Curry has seen the great advancements made not only throughout the county, but in his adopted home within the boundaries of Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer, as well.

And, as a person of color, some of the advancements within the game of which Curry is proudest, have come in the form of the advancements in diversity within the game.

“There is no other sport that I can think of where the game is as diverse as it is with soccer,” Curry says. “It’s a world-wide game, with so many different cultures and ethnicities coming together to play the game. I can’t think of another sport where you have the amount of diversity that you do in soccer.”

Curry believes that Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer has made great strides over the years to make the game more inclusive

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for everyone, whether it be on a racial or ethnic, economic or genderbased level.

He points to the scholarships that are now available to coaches to aid in their development, as well as the public outreach Eastern Pennsylvania has spearheaded in an effort to bring the game to as many youth as possible throughout the region as just a few of the many advancements made in an effort to make the youth game in Eastern Pennsylvania as accessible and successful to anyone wishing to be a part of the game. “[EPYSA] is helping create safer places for kids to play the game. Not all areas have the great grass or turf fields that other areas do. The state association has done a great job in assisting communities create soccer fields for kids to play through the preservation of green space,” Curry says.

Kendall Walkes agrees.

A longtime member of Eastern Pennsylvania’s ODP Staff and former Technical Director for his home country of Trinidad and Tobago, Walkes has been a staple of youth soccer in the region for the better part of the last four decades, has seen the local game grow tremendously from an ethnic diversity standpoint.

As a coach within Eastern Pennsylvania ODP, Walkes says that early strides made by the ODP program, its coaches and its directors to discover and develop black and Latino players who may not have been provided with the opportunity to play ODP otherwise based on financial or ethnic barriers allowed many minority players to grow into some of the best players in the region.

“The African-American players from areas like Philadelphia, many times, came from an environment that was completely different from the suburban

Mike Curry (above) believes that Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer has made great strides over the years to make the game more inclusive for everyone, whether it be on a racial or ethnic, economic or gender-based level.

Kendall Walkes (left) has been a staple in youth soccer for 4 decades

kids. In many instances, just getting them to practice was a challenge, so we used to work out carpools to get the players there,” Walkes said.

“But ODP and EPYSA have always understood these challenges, and have made the effort to make sure that the players from those areas were not overlook due to the challenges they faced.

There was and still is just less at the disposal of the minority and African-American kids from those areas, and we are providing them with opportunities that can allow them to grow and develop.”

Curry says that it’s not just the building of fields and opening doors to the ODP program that Eastern Pennsylvania has done so well either. The organization has taken a large role in assisting in the merger of smaller clubs in an effort to provide more opportunities and stronger funding to youth clubs so that more and more children of different ethnic and economic backgrounds can enjoy and experience the game of soccer.

Curry, who is also a member of the Philadelphia Union Foundation, has also been instrumental in bringing soccer to the City of Chester, and helping the community to establish safer parks and opportunities for the youth of Chester, all areas that have been part of the Union’s goals of improving the community in which it resides.

To him, bringing his love of the game to the youth of Chester and providing opportunities to those children not only helps the community grow, but also aids in helping these children to be prepared for the world in many other ways that participating in a positive team and learning environment provides.

Curry says that just providing some of the historically underserved areas of Eastern Pennsylvania with the opportunity to be able to play the game goes much deeper that the visual advancements. It’s a fantastic educational tool for the youth in that it helps children, especially in these underserved areas with an opportunity to learn how to succeed from failure, something that he believes has been disappearing from youth sports more and more in recent years.

Walkes, who also works with the Union youth programs, says that the success of the outreach from the Union and Eastern Pennsylvania into Chester and other underserved urban communities, including Reading and Harrisburg, has brought amazing results.

“When you go into those communities, the enthusiasm you see is just off the charts. It’s unbelievable,” Walkes says. “The parents are just so grateful and willing to bring the kids out to play. Now, they can’t travel [to games and tournaments] like many of the suburban kids can, but if you go into their community, they come out in droves to support.

“Again though, just the willingness to participate is just off the charts in those areas.”

Walkes believes that the kids from those

communities are “overly more respectful” because they have an appreciation of the opportunity they are now provided. He said that although there are still challenges in many communities, mostly in the form of language barriers in the Latino communities, the progress that is being made and the opportunities being provided are allowing African-American and other minority players to are helping Eastern Pennsylvania to “climb over a socialization hurdle” that used to be considered tough to reach.

However, Curry doesn’t consider that his work or the work of numerous others within the Eastern Pennsylvania community is done yet.

Just as the game of soccer is ever-evolving, so too is the need to continue to adapt and advance the game from a diversity standpoint. And that does not necessarily stop from an ethnic diversity standpoint.

Much more is being done and needs to continue to be done within the LGBTQ+ community and from a gender diversity standpoint, and Curry believes that the state association has and continues to be a greater facilitator for these advancements.

“We are seeing more women coaches than ever before, and our women’s game is among the best soccer in the world,” Curry says, also pointing out that inclusion within the LGBTQ+ community has led to create safer places for all players to feel welcome and part of the team.

“Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer is an organization that other state organizations come to for advice on how to incorporate some of its advancements into their organizations. They have carved out a niche to serve, and they have embraced this opportunity and duty. That is what I am most proud to have been a part of over the years.

“I want nothing more than for Eastern Pennsylvania to continue to be the model that [other state organizations] look to emulate in the future. That is the true measure of success for any organization, when others look to you to see how you do it, and want to be just like you.”

Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

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PHILADELPHIA IS A FOR THE 2026 FIFA

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Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

epysa.org

HOST CITY WORLD CUP! housands of supporters jammed into Love Park in Philadelphia on June 16 to hear FIFA President Gianni Infantine say the words we’ve been waiting to hear for over four years. A candidate city no more, the FIFA World Cup will be coming to Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania in 2026.

This has been a five year journey that started with Philadelphia joining 32 other cities to be selected as part of the 2026 United Bid between the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Philadelphia made the final cut when the United Bid was presented for a vote at the 2018 FIFA Congress in Moscow. The United bid beat out the other candidate, Morocco, by a vote of 134-65.

Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer was a founding partner of the bid, along with the City of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, The Philadelphia Union and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Scan the QR Code below for a full gallery of photos from the World Cup rally

This group represented Philadelphia’s bid at the initial planning meetings in Houston in November 2018 as Philadelphia was selected as one of 17 finalists for 10 host city spots for 2026.

In the summer of 2019, David L. Cohen Executive Vice President of Comcast was named by Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney as chair of the Philadelphia bid. A major press conference was held at Lincoln Financial Field. Mr. Cohen immediately go to work and

by January 2020 a new logo and theme were developed for the bid. Additional consultants were added to the committee to solidify efforts to secure our place in the final selection. Mr. Cohen appeared at the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Annual General Meeting in February 2020 to update the soccer community on the bids efforts and plans for upcoming year. Cohen announced Eastern Pennsylvania CEO, Chris Branscome, already part of the bid’s planning since 2017, would officially serve on the Executive Leadership Committee.

FIFA originally anticipated site visits and announcing the final 10 host cities in 2020, but the pandemic pushed back the decision on multiple occasions. In late summer 2021, FIFA announced the site visit schedule and would come to Philadelphia on September 21. Simultaneously, Chair David Cohen was nominated by President Biden to be the United States Ambassador to Canada. Dan Hillferty, former CEO of Independence Blue Cross, had been named Cohen’s successor and ultimately led the site visit. The visit was hailed as a great success. Since then, Hilferty has successfully steered the bid from being seen as “on the bubble” to a leading contender by many media outlets, to being one of 11 U.S. cities selected to host the games.

“This is a great moment for soccer in Eastern Pennsylvania,“ Branscome stated.

“This is a generational opportunity to highlight our sport and grow the game at all levels. Being a host city shines a spotlight on what we have already done as well as what we pledged to do. Now we need to live up to, and really exceed that pledge. For our community, the legacy of the games may be the most important.”

Many people throughout the Philadelphia business community and hospitality industry have done their part to support the bid. The Eastern Pennsylvania soccer community, youth and adults, have been the backbone of the bid. The June 16 announcement is a credit to everyone who has supported the soccer and the City over the years.

Congratulations to all!

Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

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2022 CHALLENGE CUP CHAMPIONS AGE 9U Girls A

Penn Fusion Academy Elite 2012

9U Boys A

PA Rush 2013 Boys

9U Boys B

Philadelphia SC Madrid

9U Girls B

Huntingdon Valley AA Freedom

10U Girls A

Upper Dublin SC Diamonds Black

10U Boys A

FC Delco Conshy

10U Girls B

Langhorne Neshaminy United SC Strikers

10U Boys B

Lower Merion SC Victory

11U Boys A

Lower Merion SC Irmaos Navy

11U Girls A

Penn Fusion Soccer Academy Elite

11U Boys B

North Union United SC NUU Cannons

11U Girls B

South Parkland Youth Fury

12U Boys

FC Delco Black Conshy

12U Girls

Enco United Soccer Club Enco Girls Red

13U Boys

Palumbo SC Boys Blue

13U Girls

Western Lehigh United SC WLUSC

14U Boys

Keystone FC Elite 08B

14U Girls

Colonial SC Comets Red

15U Boys

Vereingung Erzgebirge SC Timbers

15U Girls

Warminster SC Strikers

16U Boys

St. Thomas More SC STM Sixers

16U Girls

Horsham Soccer Hurricane

17U Boys

Lancaster Elite Strikers

17U Girls

Western Lehigh United SC Girls

18/19U Boys

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Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

epysa.org

CHAMPIONS

Langhorne Neshaminy Soccer - 2004 Wolverines

18U Girls

Keystone FC Elite 04

19U Girls

Hunter SC Hurricanes

Develop your game this summer with Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer!

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THIS OR

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2016 Home Kit 2010 Away Kit

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Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

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Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

epysa.org

What to Watch

2023 FIFA WORLD CUP

T

he United States women’s national team will soon be heading to host nation Mexico to compete for a spot in the 2023 FIFA World Cup. After a couple of state side warmup friendlies with Columbia, the Americans will face off in the 2022 CONCACAF Women’s Championship tournament in Group A play against Haiti (July 4), Jamaica (July 7), and Mexico (July 11). In 52 all-time matches against these three group opponents, the United States has only lost once and tied once (both coming against Mexico).

The biggest tournament threat will come in the knockout stage, when the Americans likely will face Canada at some point. The Canadians are the last CONCACAF team to beat the Americans (1-0 on Aug. 2, 2021) and are ranked No. 6 in the world in the most recent FIFA World Rankings. The USA is currently ranked No. 1 in the world.

The tournament semifinals will be on July 14, and the final and third-place matches will be played July 18. All four semifinalists out of Group A and Group B automatically qualify for the 2023 World Cup in Australia/New Zealand.

United States

CURRENT FIFA WORLD RANK: No. 1 COUNTRY CODE: USA CONCACAF W QUALIFYING: Advanced to Championship round automatically after winning the last Concacaf title.

WOMEN’S WORLD CUP APPEARANCES: 8 (1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023) OLYMPIC APPEARANCES: 7 (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020) OVERALL RECORD VS. CONCACAF: 131-5-8 (W-L-D) LAST MATCH FOR USA: April 12 friendly win (9-0) vs.

Uzbekistan PLAYER TO WATCH: Alex Morgan has been active with the senior women’s national team since 2010, making 190 all-time appearances for the USWNT. She currently ranks fifth all-time in the USWNT scoring list with 115 goals, ranking behind legends like Abby Wambach (194) and Mia Hamm (158).

HAITI

CURRENT FIFA WORLD RANK: No. 61 COUNTRY CODE: HTI CONCACAF W QUALIFYING: Advanced to Championship round by winning Group E during qualifying WOMEN’S WORLD CUP APPEARANCES: None OLYMPIC APPEARANCES: None OVERALL RECORD VS. USA: 0-7-0 (W-L-D) LAST MEETING VS. USA: Jan. 28, 2020 (4-0 win for the USA in Houston in Olympic Qualifying) PLAYER TO WATCH: If you’re looking for a goal-scoring threat, look no further than Batcheba Louis, the 24-year-old striker from Haiti. She has tallied 21 times for her country in just 13 appearances, albeit against mostly small Caribbean Island nations. She also has scored 21 goals in 32 appearances for the French club Issy, which plays in Division 1 Féminine -- the top club in the country.

JAMAICA CURRENT FIFA WORLD RANK: No. 51 COUNTRY CODE: JAM CONCACAF W QUALIFYING: Advanced to Championship round by winning Group C during qualifying WOMEN’S WORLD CUP APPEARANCES: 1 (2019) OLYMPIC APPEARANCES: None OVERALL RECORD VS. USA: 0-4-0 (W-L-D) LAST MEETING VS. USA: June 13, 2021 (4-0 win for the USA in Austin, Texas in 2021 Summer Series) PLAYER TO WATCH: Khadija Shaw is only 25 years old, but the Jamaican captain has scored 56 career goals for Jamaica in just 38 CAPs. The striker plays her club soccer with Manchester City, which like the men’s team plays its soccer in the top division in England -- the FA Women’s Super League. She is a lethal threat up top who has scored on countries like Scotland and Chile.

MEXICO CURRENT FIFA WORLD RANK: No. 27 COUNTRY CODE: MEX CONCACAF W QUALIFYING: Advanced to Championship round by winning Group A during qualifying WOMEN’S WORLD CUP APPEARANCES: 3 (1999, 2011, 2015) OLYMPIC APPEARANCES: 1 (2004) OVERALL RECORD VS. USA: 1-39-1 (W-L-D) LAST MEETING VS. USA: July 5, 2021 (4-0 win for the USA in East Hartford, Conn. in Pre-Olympic Send-Off Series) PLAYER TO WATCH: Team captain Kenti Robles has 82 CAPS with the senior women’s team, and is a tested veteran on the back line. She plies her foot working trade with Real Madrid’s women’s team in Spain.

Also, midfielder Stephany Mayor is the third-best all-time leading scorer in Mexican women’s soccer history.

Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

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QUARTERLY CALENDAR ODP TRYOUTS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER July 10-14 July 7-10 July 17-21 July 19-24

Resident camp Presidents Cup National Championship Resident Camp NCS National Championship

COACHING EDUCATION 4v4 Grass Roots License in Person 7v7 Grass Roots License in Person 7v7 Grass Roots License in Person 7v7 Grass Roots License in Person 9v9 Grass Roots License in Person

King of Prussia Bethlehem King of Prussia Stewartstown Stewartstown

WORLD

CUP Ready!

Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

King of Prussia Scranton Area Scranton Bethlehem King of Prussia Stewartstown

AUGUST

JULY

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9v9 Grass Roots License in Person 9vs9 Grass Roots License in Person 11v11 Grass Roots license in person 11v11 Grass Roots License in Person 11v11 Grass Roots License in Person 11v11 Grass Roots License in Person

epysa.org

11v11Grass Roots License in Person 11v11Grass Roots License in Person National D License National D License

Riverfront Susquehanna Harrisburg Chambersburg

Check EPYSA.org for more courses added or email gstephenson@epysa.org