Five players named to state ODP pool
(Feb 7, 2010)
Abby Kastroll, Fatima DiModica, Jennifer Carter, and Kiera McMeekan, all members of the U13 Red girls team, and Tatiana Zuloaga, member of the U12 Red girls team, were selected for the '97 Girls Florida State Pool after showing well at the miserably cold and wet ODP Supercenter held January 9-10 in Ft. Myers.
Congratulations, Sharks!
U10 Girls Champs in Winter Tournament
(Jan 18, 2010)
The Sharks U10 Girls Academy entered two teams, one in each of the two U10 girls divisions in the Soccer Skills Unlimited tournament held January 9-10 at North Collier Regional Park. The young Sharks took the championship in one division and were losing finalist in the other.
Very early on a cold and wet Saturday morning Sharks Academy Red got off to a shaky start, falling behind 6-2, but with a gutsy turnaround mid-way through the second half they were unlucky to lose 6-5 to Kendall Hammock Lightning in a very exciting final few minutes. In their second game Sharks Red dominated with very solid defending and fast counter attacks beating Lakeland FC convincingly 6-2. In a must-win situation in their third match Sharks Red played with confidence and composure slowly getting the upper hand in an evenly contested game against Pinecrest Premier White, earning their first timely shut out 1-0 and advancing to the final.
Sharks Academy White won their opening game 3-2 against Pinecrest Premier Blue in a very exciting game that saw Sharks White take an early lead, tied, lead again, tied again and finally netting the winning goal in the last 10 minutes of the match. After dominating 80% of the game against Miami Lakes Sharks White let 2 late goals slip through to tie the game up 4-4 and held on in a frantic final 2 minutes for the draw. Naples White went down 2-1 to South Miami Grey Ghosts on Sunday morning but advanced to the final of their division on goal differential.
In the finals Sharks Red met Miami Premier and played their best game of the tournament with excellent individual performances contributing to a great team effort. Sharks Red defense held firm in the first half, and shot after shot were saved by an excellent Miami keeper. In the second half the game was really in the balance when Premier scored a great goal midway through. Sharks Red stuck to their game plan and passed superbly to create further opportunities, so many shots just dipped over the bar, hit the post or were grabbed out of the air by a strong keeper who should be recognized for having 4 shut outs throughout the tournament. Heads held high, Sharks Red went down 1-0 in a very evenly fought final.
Sharks White took on South Miami Grey Ghosts in a replay of the morning's game and were dominant throughout the first half. Taking the ball to the outside and using their speed were giving Sharks Red the upper hand in the second half, until a superb switch of the field by Mo Parmalee found Pia Saurbier open going down the left, a little cut to the inside and a big outside cut saw the field open up and Pia took a shot from 20 yards, burying the ball in the net to give Sharks White the lead. White did not sit back and continued to take the game to South Miami and finally the whistle blew and a jubilant team saw home the championship.
Academy Director Paul Kindred reports that U10 Girls were technically the best team of the tournament and with 11 separate goal scorers and 6 keepers rotated the future looks very promising. An outstanding Academy performance from all 24 players most notably Pia Saurbier, Paula Gomes, Jill Kinstler, Larissa Silva, Riley Albanos, Lily Green, Seara Grundhoefer, Gabrielle Curran, Lauren McMeekan, Abigail Egan and Brianna Pawlyshyn.
The Sharks U15 girls and U11 White boys were finalists in their respective divisions. The U15s opened the tournament with a 1-1 tie against Lehigh, but then beat ICSA 3-1 and San Carlos Park Scorpions 2-1 to set up a rematch with ICSA in the final. The second time ICSA came out ahead 1-0. The U11 White boys went 2-1 in the round robin phase and dropped a close 2-1 game to Margate Mutiny in the final.
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Two more Sharks selected for ODP
(Jan 8, 2010)
Congratulations to Francesca Fischer and Laura Mastandrea for their selection to the next round of Olympic Development Trials. They will join nine other players from our club in the 1996 and 1997 age groups that were selected at the first trial in October. Go Sharks!!
Francesca Fischer |
Laura Mastandrea |
Shark Alum Honored by NSCAA
(Dec 18, 2009)
Sharks Bring Home Four First Place Trophies
(Dec 2, 2009)
The Club entered seven teams in the 23rd Annual Plantation Thanksgiving Classic soccer tournament November 27-29. Over 270 teams from throughout Florida took part in the traditional holiday weekend event. Four Naples Sharks teams reached the finals and all four came away victorious, giving Naples more champions than any club except the host Plantation Eagles.
The U13 Red girls took first place in the U13 gold (first) division with a 3-2 win over Lehigh Lightning and the U11 Red boys claimed first place in the U11 gold division with a 3-0 shutout of Weston FC Nike. The U15 boys won the U15 blue division 3-2 over Kendall SC Blue and the U11 girls were champions of the U11 blue division after outscoring the Cooper City Cobras 2-1.
Director of Coaching Gavin Spooner is pleased with the club showing in Plantation. "It's good to see teams and coaches that have trained and worked hard since the start of the season experience success in tournaments." All the scores are available here.
U11 Red Boys team report
The Naples U11 Red Sharks were in the U11 Boys Gold Division with 7 other teams. Their group consisted of the Plantation Eagles Copa, Boynton Beach Knights, and the Miami Stars. They took the field Friday at 7 to play the toughest team in their group right off the bat. They played one of their best games of the season and came to a dominating 6-1 result after conceding the first goal. The next two games they finished 3-2 against a hard-fighting Boynton team and 5-2 against a talented Miami Stars team. The final was set with the Naples Sharks vs Weston Nike. The Sharks took control of the game early with two goals in the first ten minutes and cruised to a 3-0 victory. It was a great tournament with great competition and a wonderful experience for the boys, coaches, and parents.
U11 Girls team report
The 11 Girls Sharks played great soccer, winning four games to take the championship.
Our first game vs Wellington was a very fast game with Naples winning 5-2. The girls played a good passing game with very good crossing and finishing. Our defense was very tough and kept Wellington to limited attacks. Game 2 was vs Weston with a 3-1 result for Naples. Weston gave us a good game but the passing and possession from the Naples girls was fantastic. Again the defense was outstanding and with Paula in goal we were moving well all over the field. Game 3 was vs Coral Springs with a 2-0 win for Naples. Coral Springs played very good possession soccer giving us a bit of trouble. Naples held strong and kept pressure on them. We put one in in the first half and discussed the second half and what we needed to change. We came out and played faster and a bit more physical and put one more in the back of the net. Once again our defense was tough, tough, tough.
Off to the final game vs Cooper City. The Cobra's played the game as quick and physical as we did. The game was very close and the girls were up to the task. Both sides were playing great soccer. Attacks were back and forth and the game had everyone shouting and clapping, the side line was jumping. Naples kept pressing and scored the first goal, then the second. Cooper City did not back down they played just as hard the second half as they did the first and never let up. They scored late in the second half to put the score to 2-1. The Cobra's kept at us to the last minute but Naples stayed disciplined and focused. The final whistle and the score 2-1 with Naples winning the final!
I want to thank all the girls and an extra thanks to our guests: Paula Gomes from the U10 girls in goal and Daley Cline and McKenzie Pearson from the U12 Red team in midfield.
U15 Boys team report
Although the U15 Boys Naples Sharks regular season ended in mid-October, you wouldn’t be able to tell that this team wasn’t able to practice together since the high school season started. The U15 Boys put in an aggressive team effort to beat Weston FC 1-0 in the first game of the tournament and then never looked back. They beat Boyton Beach Knights 4-0 in their next game. With their 4-1 victory over SAA Real Madrid Bernabeu, they advanced to the finals. What an exciting final game with both teams playing at their best. Our U15 Boys team was relentless. Despite being down a player for over 20 minutes their persistence paid off when Morgan Arnold scored to seal a 3-2 victory over Kendall SC Blue. All team members contributed to this effort throughout the weekend. Congratulations to Morgan Arnold, Jacob Braun, Anthony Dina, Freeman Gerhardt, Danny Hone, PJ Maksimowicz, Max Parker, Kyle Radcliffe, Jack Redshaw, Kevin Rogge, Danny Rojas, Ryan Simpson, Juan Tarborga and guest player Michael Ventura.
U13 Girls Red
U18 Girls in Showcase Tournament
(Nov 23, 2009)
The U18 Sharks travelled to Raleigh, North Carolina to play in the CASL Soccer Series Girls Showcase November 20-22. This is one of the largest showcase tournaments in the country, with 382 teams from U14 through U19. The tournament is a chance for players aspiring to play in college to be seen by over 400 college coaches. Each team plays one game per day for three days, providing opportunity for individual players to showcase their talents for prospective schools.
The Sharks ended up playing against three teams from Virginia. The team's first match was a 0-0 tie with a big and physical Virginia FC Piranha side. In their second match, Meaghan Barry sent a shot from outside the 18 into the near side upper 90 and beat the VLSC Phoenix keeper for the only goal of the game, a 1-0 Naples win. The Phoenix keeper made a point to talk to Meaghan after the game and tell her what a great shot it was--an act of sportsmanship appreciated by Coach Chris Palumbo. In the third game, the Roanoke Star Elite side caught Naples in a quick transition in the fifth minute to score the first and only goal against, and the Sharks, in spite of persistent effort, could not find the equalizer.
The team went 1-1-1 for the tournament, but Coach Palumbo was very pleased with the individual and collective effort of all the team members, giving college coaches something good to look at. The U18 team included high school seniors Gabi Passidomo and Meaghan Barry; juniors Lizzie McNamara, Stephanie Rodriguez, Lauren Wysocki, Cleo Warner, Paige Butterfield, and Daniela Paez; and sophomores Cassie Fernandez, Jessica Frank, Brittany Rodrigues, and Ali Tebo.
Nine players selected in ODP trials
(Nov 2, 2009)
Congratulations to the following players for being selected at the recent Region C ODP trials held in Ft. Myers for players born in 1996 and 1997. These players are eligible to attend theODP Supercenter trials in January for the selection of state pool players.
96
Alexa Cline, U13
Ali Wiley, U14
Daniela Justiniano-Gutierrez, U13
Marissa Fischer, U14
97
Abby Kastroll, U13
Fatima DiModica, U13
Jennifer Carter, U13
Kiera McMeekan, U13
Tatiana Zuloaga, U12
Naples Shark Cameron Heise competes in Milan, Italy
(Oct 25, 2009)
Naples Sharks U10 Boys Academy member Cameron Heise recently returned from Milan, Italy where he trained and participated in a soccer tournament hosted by Italian professional club AC Milan. Prior to the tournament in Milan, Cameron spent two days training with Switzerland’s premier professional soccer club FC Zurich’s U10 select academy team.
Cameron was invited to play in the tournament by Eddie Marls, AC Milan Managing Director for North and South America, following an AC Milan summer soccer camp in Key Biscayne, Florida. He spent a week in Europe training with some of the best nine- and ten-year-olds from over thirty countries. Cameron’s team consisted of players from Greece, Colombia, Puerto Rico and one other player from the United States. The team went undefeated in the tournament until they lost in the finals 3-2 to a team from Italy.
While in Milan Cameron had the opportunity to practice with AC Milan Junior Academy trainers and to attend an AC Milan home game at the famous San Siro Stadium. After the game, Marls brought Cameron to meet AC Milan players including Ronaldinho, Andrea Pirlo, Pato, and U.S. national team player Oguchi Onyewu.
Cameron began playing with Naples Youth Soccer Club two years ago as a member of the Naples Shark U8 academy. Cameron will once again get to put on the colors of his favorite professional team as he has been invited to play for the select AC Milan Junior team representing North and South America in the AC Milan Continental Cup July 1-4, 2010 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Cameron Heise in his Naples Sharks training tee shirt with FC Zurich Under 10 team in Switzerland. |
Cameron Heise (far right) with teammates at tournament in Milan, Italy. |
Sharks Shootout Features 75 Teams
(Oct 18, 2009)
The club hosted the Fifth Annual Naples Sharks Shootout Soccer Tournament October 10-11 at North Collier Regional Park. The weather was unseasonably warm, but tournament director Gavin Spooner was very pleased with the weekend's soccer. About 100 volunteers and 70 referees enabled 75 teams and 1000 players from U10 through U17 to compete in 15 divisions. The large number of teams necessitated playing the U10 games on fields set up in the softball outfields to supplement the space available in the soccer complex. About 30 of the participating teams traveled from outside southwest Florida, with one team coming over 200 miles from near Cape Canaveral, the Rockledge Steelers U16 boys.
Naples Sharks teams earned first place trophies in the U11 Boys Gold, U11 Boys Silver, and U12 Girls Gold divisions. Five other Sharks teams placed second in their divisions. Complete results are available here.
U17s Finish in First in League Play
(Oct 17, 2009)
Congratulations to Coach Eric Miles and the U17 girls team for winning the FLUGSA Division 2 league championship on Saturday, October 10th with an impressive 3-1 victory over the Parkland Predators, finishing the early league season with a record of 8-2-0.
The team’s outstanding performance resulted from contributions of the entire roster: Blanca Abney, Angelique Campolo, Jessica Cosgrove, Sara Eklund, Alahna Kindred, Megan McElwain, Hayley Neumann, Katherine Nunner, Rachel Perkins, Lilly Pivar, Rachel Racine, Cheyenne Rogers, Megan Schmelzle, Chloe Smith, and Sarah Vente.
Coach Miles attributed much of the on-field success to the team’s excellent teamwork and tremendous attitude. The team now takes a break for the local high school season and looks forward to competing in the Region Cup Tournament in February.
Naples Sharks Picnic
(Oct 1, 2009)
The annual club picnic was held Saturday, September 26 at Vineyards Community Park. It was a steamy September afternoon, but more than 250 Naples Sharks family members braved the heat and humidity to enjoy conversation and camaraderie, to say nothing of food and soccer-related games and tests of skill.
Steven Rogers, Steve Pawlyshyn, and Yolanda Pawlyshyn toiled over a hot grill to cook burgers and hot dogs to accompany the many side dishes and desserts provided by the club members, potluck-style. Thanks to the Optimist Club of Naples for allowing us to use their concession stand grill.
The U16 boys team, parents and players, provided the volunteers to run the games of skill: timed obstacle course, chipping, juggling, shooting at targets, and radar-measured shot speed. They also kept an eye on the soccer tennis as an ever-changing roster of players took to the "courts." Winners of skill competitions received mini-balls as prizes. The U10 boys and girls academies were responsible for set-up and clean-up, and saw to it that the park was left as clean as we found it.
Janet Datillo took lots of photographs, including those shown here on the website. Club administrator Angelika Dean organized and supervised the highly enjoyable event.
Labor Day tournaments
(Sep 14, 2009)
The club had two teams place as semifinalists and two teams reach the finals in tournaments over the Labor Day weekend. In the SCI Labor Day Cup in Sarasota the U14 girls won their group with wins over FSA Sarria and Braden River Rage. In the semifinals they lost 3-0 to Clearwater Chargers, a state cup finalist last season. The U11 boys, playing up in the U12 division roared through their group matches scoring 12 goals and conceding none. In the final they lost 4-0 to Greater Osceola United/Inter USA.
In the 13th Annual Fusion FC (formerly Black Watch) Puma Labor Day Tournament in Tampa the U15 boys went 2-1 in group play with wins over Leg A-Z and Suncoast Spartans before losing 2-0 to the host Fusion FC in the final. The U17 boys also went 2-1 in group play beating SAB Lightning and Leg A-Z, only to drop a tight 2-1 match to St. Cloud Saints in the semifinal.
Cattanach Freshman Goalscorer
(Sep 14, 2009)
Former Shark Emily Cattanach is off to a great start her freshman year at Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, Georgia. This past weekend Cattanach scored her second goal of the season from her midfield position in the Pirates 3-0 win over Lander University. With two goals and two assists she is tied for third in AASU scoring.
Long-time Shark Defender of the Week
(Sep 9, 2009)
Alex McLay was named Gulf South Conference Defender of the Week after posting three shutouts and 10 saves for the University of North Alabama Lions. The former Shark had her best match when it counted the most, stopping six shots against then-No. 22 Lynn (Fla.) as the Lions won, 2-0. The returning First Team All-GSC goalkeeper and 10-year member of Naples Youth Soccer Club has led the Lions to their first-ever national ranking after recording five shutouts in the first five matches of the season.
Nine Coaches Earn USSF D License
(Aug 28, 2009)
Naples Youth Soccer Club had 9 coaches attend and pass the USSF D license course in Ft. Myers earlier this summer. The course is two grueling 3-day weekends of classroom and field sessions. The coaching candidates are on the field for the majority of the course and in the Florida summer heat it is an intense experience. The successful completion of the course by these 9 coaches brings to 19 the total number of coaches in NYSC with a USSF D license or higher.
Gavin Spooner, NYSC Director of Coaching and Operations, says “It is great to see so many of our coaches attending and passing this course and others. We as a club fully embrace the continuing education of our coaches and the short- and long-term benefits that the coaches’ hard work will lead to for our players.”
The new USSF D license coaches are:
- Shawn O’Malley
- Shaun Greening
- Adrian Montanez
- John Dina
- Bryan Rodrigues
- Chris Holzer
- Mike Lucas
- Joe Palumberi
- Paul Kindred
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U10 Girls Host Jamboree
(Aug 16, 2009)
The Naples Sharks U10 girls academy hosted an early season jamboree on Saturday at North Collier Regional Park with teams from Miami Lakes, Cape Coral United, ICSA, and two Sharks squads. After a lot of soccer the hungry players were treated to pizza and a dip in the pool at the water park.
Participants in the August 15 U10 girls jamboree at North Collier Regional Park.
Sharks Win Wake Forest College Showcase Tournament
(July 26, 2009)
The week of July 20, seven Naples Sharks, Patrick Conroy, Graham Wilkinson, Kyle Kubacki, Kyle Murray, Harrison Rick, John Damasco, and Ryan Nick represented the club at the Wake Forest Soccer Academy Showcase Camp in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. This camp is designed for male college prospects and is held on the campus of Wake Forest University, the 2007 NCAA Men's National Champions.
Included at the camp was a 5v5 tournament with over 30 teams of college-bound athletes. In an incredible and almost unbelievable matchup the Naples team advanced to the finals where it would meet a prohibitive favorite, a team that included five athletes from all over the country who are committed to playing at the Division I level. In overtime the Naples Sharks captured a stunning upset, winning the match 3-2 to walk away recognized by their peers as the best in the country on that day.
Pictured above are five of the athletes, John DeMasco, Kyle Murray, Graham Wilkinson. Ryan Nick, and Kyle Kubacki celebrating their championship at the Tri-Delta Sorority House, Wake Forest University.
Indoor Soccer a Summer Hit
(August 5, 2009)
About 60 players have taken advantage of the first indoor soccer sponsored by the club. Looking for a way to avoid the heat, humidity, and lightning, the club made arrangements with St. Ann School to use their gym two nights a week to play futsal, or indoor soccer, during the summer. We actually do not play official futsal, which is played with 4 field players and a keeper, but rather 4v4 or 5v5 without keeper and 4 x 6 ft. goals. The futsal ball is smaller, heavier, and less bouncy than a regular soccer ball. The less lively ball and the fast surface puts a premium on ball control, dribbling, and short passing. Click here to check out this video to see some of the action.
The indoor soccer has been running for 4 weeks on Monday and Wednesday evenings. The early se on both nights is for the U12 and younger players. Late on Monday the high schoolers and some coaches play and late on Wednesday it is the U13-U14 crowd. All sessions are coed and teams are put together differently each session under the direction of Coach Adrian Montanez, a real futsal afficionado.
The indoor sessions are ending next week, but keep a lookout for more being offered in the future.
Sharks March in Naples Fourth of July Parade
(July 5, 2009)
Forty-five Naples Sharks wearing the red club jersey assembled in downtown Naples at 9:15 a.m. on Independence Day to participate in the annual 4th of July parade. By 10.30 a.m. they were parading down the route starting on Broad St. and ending on 5th Ave. S., leading a soccer goal float adorned with blow-up sharks. The massed throngs were tossed candy, inflatable soccer balls, and soccer ball hacky sacks by the players. A good time was had by all.
Kathy and Mike Lucas spearheaded the club's participation in the annual civic event. Special thanks go to Brenda Smith for hosting the float-building party on Friday evening, Mike Lucas for driving the float, Beth DiModica and Gavin Spooner for photographic documentation, and the many players and families who participated.
Team Closes Out Season at Disney WWS
(June 25, 2009)
The U12 Red girls finished up their season by playing in the Disney Six N' Sun small-sided tournament at the Wide World of Sports over Father's Day weekend. The team had to play up in the U14 division because there weren't enough teams for a U12 division. As luck would have it, they ran into two teams they faced last year when playing as a U11 team in the U12 division.
In their opening game on Friday night the team defeated the Central Florida United U13 squad 2-1, turning around the score from last year when CFU won 2-1. On Saturday the Sharks' other two group matches were against much bigger U14 teams. In the first game Naples outscored McCracken County (KY) Paducah Lady Storm 4-0. The second game of the day was against St. Cloud SCS Storm, and Naples dropped the match 2-0, but the six points was sufficient to put Naples in the semifinals on Sunday.
The semifinal matchup was against the Tropical Soccer U13 team who had beaten the Sharks in last year's Disney Six N' Sun and who placed first in the Flugsa U13 first division this year. The game started well with the Sharks going ahead early, but Tropical Soccer managed to step it up and won 4-1 to send Naples home with the final-four medals for the second year in a row.
Both Daniela Justiniano-Gutierrez, who lead the Naples attack, and Kiera McMeekan, who anchored the defense, got banged up by the much larger opponents. The entire team played well in spite of the marked size advantage of the opposition. The other hard-fighting Sharks were keeper Fatima DiModica, Jessie Andrade, Kayla Dean, Natalie Focht, Alissa Hixon and guest players France Moise and Sophia Moise from the U12 White team and Jennifer Carter who is moving to Naples from Michigan. The team was without the services of Jordin Giles who injured a knee ligament in a scrimmage preparing for the tournament, but she provided moral support throughout the weekend from the bench.
Sharks Named All-State Selections
(June 8, 2009)
Six current or former Naples Sharks were named All-State high school soccer players by the Florida Athletic Coaches Association.
Four girls were selected: Cassie Fernandez (St. John Neumann) and Olivia Lynch (Community School) in Class 2A, and Gabby Lopez (Lely) in Class 4A, and Casey Thames (Barron Collier) in Class 5A.
Two boys were selected for all-state honors: Alex Falk (Community School) made the Class 2A team, and Tom High (Naples) was named to the Class 4A team.
Sharks Coaching High School - Part V
(May 24, 2009)
The last former Shark in the series is Eric Miles, who recently finished his first season as head coach of girl's varsity at Community School of Naples.
Like so many Naples Sharks, Coach Miles began playing soccer with the Optimist Club recreational program. He starting playing club soccer in 1985 on a U14 Sharks team coached by John Freshwater and John Hanson. His U16 though U18 club seasons were under the direction of Menyhart Fogel.
One of Eric's favorite memories from his club soccer days is playing in the Florida State Cup final four his senior year in high school. As so often happens, State Cup conflicted with high school prom. The Barron Collier prom was that Saturday night and the team parents chartered a plane to get the guys from St. Pete back to Naples. The Sunday game was at 9 a.m. and not surprisingly it wasn't a win for Naples.
Eric also recalls training at Lowdermilk Park with Juergen Sommer, a former Shark goalkeeper who won a NCAA DI national championship at Indiana and played professionally in England and with MLS and was a member of the US national team. "We would go to the volleyball courts and work on our shooting, from the grass, while Juergen would work on his goalie skills, in the sand, in preparation for his try-outs in England."
In college Coach Miles played at Barry University before transferring to play at University of West Florida from 1993-1995. He began his highly successful coaching career in the Florida panhandle coaching with Bayside Soccer Club in Gulf Breeze in 1994. In 1999 he started high school coaching as assistant coach on the boys varsity team at Gulf Breeze High School. He took over the girls varsity team at Gulf Breeze in 2002 and proceeded to win five district championships and reach the final four in the state playoffs twice before moving back to Naples in 2007.
In addition to his high school coaching at Community School, Coach Miles is giving back to the club he grew up with by serving as coach of a U10 boys team and the U18 girls team. Six out of seven seniors that Eric coached on the U18 team are going on to play in college.
Five members of the 1991 U18 Naples Sharks.
Left to right: Jason Brown, Andy Adragna, Neil Morgan, Eric Miles, and David Goduti.
Naples Shark Signs with Eckerd College
(May 21, 2009)
Chris Moore, a midfielder on the NYSC U18 team, signed this month to play at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg. Chris started playing competitive soccer with the Naples Sharks as a U13 when his Optimist coach noted his skill level and work ethic and recommended that Chris try out for the Sharks. “After my first couple of sessions with the Sharks I knew this is what I needed to improve my game. We had this drill called 3000 touches and it made me realize how much my game would benefit from this environment.”
With the encouragement and guidance of his coach Mark Wilkinson, Chris as a U16 visualized himself going to college and playing soccer. The determination and commitment that led him to so much success on the field, as his Sharks team won two state championships, guided him through a rough string of injuries his senior year.
Although Chris missed playing much of his senior year due to injury, this did not stop him as he put together game film and contacted college coaches expressing his desire to play at the next level. Armed with a strong spirit, a cast on his foot, and the determination of a tough midfielder, Chris’s efforts were rewarded with a commitment from Eckerd College, where he will major in marine science.
Sharks to Play in College
(May 5, 2009)
Six graduating seniors from the U18 girls team will be playing college soccer this fall: Emily Cattanach will attend Armstrong Atlantic University in Savannah, Georgia. Emily was a standout basketball player at South Ft. Myers High School but will be kicking the ball around in college. Katie Crosby, graduating from North Fort Myers High School, will be joining former Shark teammates Alex McLay and Jamie Takala at the University of North Alabama. Amanda Buxton will be continuing her soccer career at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio after four years at Cypress Lake High School. Jacquie Lista, a Barron Collier Cougar, will be playing for the Warriors at Webber International University in Babson Park, Florida. Justine Long will be playing college ball at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida after completing her scholastic career at Gulf Coast High School. Carly Love, a Ft. Myers High School graduate, will play soccer at Palm Beach Atlantic University.
Ex-Sharks Win Florida Coed Championship
(May 4, 2009)
The Florida State Soccer Association (adult soccer) 2009 State Cup finals were held last weekend at North Collier Regional Park. The Collier County Blue team won the Coed Cup with a roster that included many former Sharks. The local side defeated Lakeland Realty 4-0 in the final on April 26.
Former Sharks on the state championship team include keeper Matt Toppin, player/manager Andy Adragna, Eric Miles (current U18 girls and U10 boys coach), Dominic Freshwater, Danielle Rust (current U13 girls coach), Edna Snyder, Adrian Montañez, and Dylan Tewis. In addition to ex-players, former Naples Youth Soccer Club coaches Jessica Schmidt and Denise Lee played for the Collier County team.
Albury nominated for Winged Foot Award
(May 1, 2009)
Austin Albury, a member of the U18 boys team, has been named as the Barron Collier High School nominee for the prestigious Winged Foot Scholar-Athlete Award. The winner will be announced at the May 21 banquet.
Austin has been a forward and leading scorer for the Sharks team coached by Mark Wilkinson for a number of years and played for Coach Wilkinson at Barron Collier as well.
This is the third year in a row that a club member has been one of the Winged Foot nominees. In 2008 Steph McNamara and in 2007 Jen Maybin were Winged Foot nominees, both from Gulf Coast High School.
Sharks Coaching High School - Part IV
(Apr 30, 2009)
Ray Morgan, the oldest of four soccer-playing Morgan brothers, played with the Naples Sharks from 1985-1989 under coaches Charles Dailey, Allan Wilson, and Menyhart Fogel. Ray recalls the excitement of competing in club tournaments in Colorado and Minnesota, and he points out that he is still playing today with some of his teammates from over 20 years ago.
In club and high school Ray played offensive mid or forward, but when he went to University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Coach Gansler made him into a marking back. Ray also was invited, along with his brother Gordon, to train and play two games with the Jamaican U23 Olympic team.
Ray has been the girls varsity coach at Barron Collier High School for the past 12 years. In that time his teams have won 10 district titles and reached the regional finals four times. Coach Morgan has been recognized as Naples Daily News coach of the year twice.
Ray coached with Naples Youth Soccer Club for a number of years in the late 1990's. Among the Sharks he coached was Golden Gate High School girls varsity coach Colleen Brown (see Part III).
Undated 1988 Naples Sharks photo with Coach Morgan, fifth from left in back row.
OGGI OGGI OGGI Summer Soccer Camps!
(Apr 28, 2009)
Naples Youth Soccer Club is proud to present the club's summer soccer camps. There will be four camps this summer. Two half-day / full-day camp options are open to all players (from new and recreational
through competitive levels).
These camps will be traditional soccer camps for ages 5 and up, focusing on different aspects of the game with an emphasis on skill development and fun, fun, fun with an endless supply of games that all players will remember long into next season. Additionally two specialized camps focusing on skills development and shooting will be available for competitive and advanced recreational players ages 8 and up.
Click here for more information
U11 Sharks Win Division II Cup
(Mar 31, 2009)
After claiming the Region C Division II championship, the U11 lady Sharks went on to win the FYSA Division II Cup contested by the regional finalists from regions A and C.
The Sharks won their Saturday match against Region A runner-up Kendall Hammocks 1-0. Tatiana Zuloaga netted the game-winner on an assist from Hannah Holzer. Iyana Johnson claimed the shutout in goal.
In the final on Sunday, the Sharks met up once again with their Region C rival Manatee Magic. The Sharks gave up two quick goals in the first three minutes but fought back to win 3-2 thanks to goals by Zuloaga with assists from Holzer and McKenzie Pearson.
U11 Girls Win FYSA Region C Cup
(Mar 15, 2009)
The Naples Sharks U11 girls were crowned Cup champions of the Florida Youth Soccer Association Region C after an exciting final against Manatee Magic, March 15 at the Kelly Road soccer complex in Ft. Myers. The U11 Girls Division 2 Region Cup competition was contested over three weekends and involved 21 teams from Naples to north of Tampa.
In the first round, played February 21-22 at North Collier Regional Park, the team dropped their opening match to Manatee Magic but went on defeat Hudson and Largo United. In the second round, played in Land O' Lakes the following weekend, the Naples squad outscored Bonita Springs and Braden River to qualify for the quarterfinals on March 7 in Largo. A 4-2 win over Strictly Soccer (Tampa) in the quarters sent the Sharks to the final four where they were 2-1 winners over North Ft. Myers. The final set up a rematch with Manatee Magic against whom Naples had started the cup competition. In a hard-fought, back and forth game the Naples team held on for a 3-2 win and the first place trophy.
Over the course of the nine games, Tatiana Zuloaga, Hannah Holzer, Mckenzie Pearson, Kristi Garren,and Ariana Garousi netted goals for the Sharks. Garousi sat out the last games of the competition after a knee injury in the quarterfinal match. The team's stingy defense was anchored by goalkeeper Iyana Johnson and defenders Danielle Rodrigues and Karen Rogge. Addison Bliss, Abby O'Hara, Abby Garner, and Emily White contributed strong midfield play.
Coach Chris Holzer pointed out that after six months of dedicated practice and experience in league play "the team peaked at exactly the right time and each and every player contributed to the successful month of soccer we had."
The U12 Red girls team also had a successful run in the end of year competition, reaching the Region Cup Division 1 final four with a 2-0 win over Island Coast in the quarterfinals. The semifinal against East Lake Arsenal ended up tied 1-1 after Kayla Dean had put the Sharks ahead early in the second half. The game went immediately to penalty kick shootout and Sharks came up short. East Lake went on to win the final in penalty kick shootout as well.
FGCU Women's Team Runs Clinic
(Mar 10, 2009)
On Tuesday, March 10 the Florida Gulf Coast University women's soccer team provided a 1.5 hour clinic for U10 through U14 Naples Sharks and Naples Extreme players at Veterans Memorial Elementary School. The youngsters had a good time being run through the paces by the older and more accomplished players.
The FGCU women will be hosting Duke University in a spring matchup on March 28. Check the FGCU website for more information.
Southwest Florida 2009 Winter Tournament Results
(Feb 26, 2009)
The Southwest Florida league end-of-season winter tournament was held at the Trafalgar fields in Cape Coral the weekend of February 7-8. The U10 boys Sharks team and the U10 boys Extreme both finished 3-0 in jamboree play. The U14 White boys were champions of the U14 Gold division and the U11 girls, U11 boys, and U12 White boys all placed second.
The U14 boys started out slowly, dropping two games on Saturday, 3-0 to Immokalee and 2-1 to Bonita. On Sunday they turned things around to shut out Lehigh 3-0 and San Carlos 1-0. This set up a rematch with Immokalee in the final, and this time the Naples squad prevailed with a 1-0 win to take first place.
Former Sharks Coaching High School - Part III
(Feb 9, 2009)
Colleen Brown just finished her first season as head coach of the Golden Gate High School girls varsity after serving three years as assistant coach. Coach Brown teaches special education math and science at Golden Gate.
Colleen was a member of the club from U11 through U18, 1993-2001. She played under coaches Michelle Arnold, Peter Miles, Ray Morgan, and Chris Palumbo. She currently serves as assistant coach with Chris Palumbo on the Shark's U16 girls team.
Colleen recalls some of the special memories she has of club soccer: "All of the tournaments and awful hotels that we stayed in; playing in pouring rain and Amy Tewis falling on her face; Jen Bolte having to play goalie...."
After her club career with Naples Sharks, Ms. Brown played college soccer at Lenoir-Rhyne College in Hickory, North Carolina and Webber International University in Babson Park, Florida.
The 1998 Naples Sharks U16(?) team with Coach Ray Morgan. Colleen Brown (#2) in back row on left.
Naples Sharks 2000-01 U18 team with coach Chris Palumbo. Colleen Brown in back row on left. Maria (Conigliaro) Shaffer, third from left in back, and Jenifer (Price) Brown, seventh from left in back row, played college soccer at Webber International University with Colleen.
Former Sharks Coaching High School - Part II
(Feb 3, 2009)
Our second featured Shark graduate to coach local high school soccer is Dwight Morgan, head coach of the boys varsity team at Golden Gate High School. Dwight is the youngest of four Morgan brothers to play club soccer with Naples Youth Soccer Club. Oldest brother Ray will be featured in a later installment, but brothers Gordon and Neil also played club ball and went on to play in college.
Dwight played with the Sharks from 1986 (U12) through 1993 (U18) under coaches Menyhart Fogel, Rich Locker, and Peter Miles (father of Eric Miles, current U18 girls coach). The most memorable events of his club career were playing in the Pike's Peak Invitational in Colorado as a U12 player and competing in the Schwann's USA Cup in Minnesota at U14 and U16.
Coach Morgan played college ball at the University of South Carolina at Spartanburg and University of Central Florida. He has been in charge of the Golden Gate High School program for 5 years, since the opening of the school, and his teams have won 3 district titles and a regional championship in 2008.
Golden Gate High School coach Dwight Morgan playing in Naples red and white in the 1992 Schwann's USA Cup in Minnesota.
Former Sharks Coaching High School
(Jan 29, 2009)
Five area high school varsity soccer programs are coached by former players of Naples Youth Soccer Club: Ray Morgan - Barron Collier High School girls, Dwight Morgan - Golden Gate High School boys, Eric Miles - Community School of Naples girls, Colleen Brown - Golden Gate High School girls, and Mariafrancesca Wilson - Seacrest Country Day School girls. We will post a series of brief profiles of the coaches over the next few weeks.
Mariafrancesca (Zampogna) Wilson is the most recent alumnus of the Sharks to be head coach of a local high school team. She started the brand new girls varsity program at Seacrest last year and coached them in their first official interscholastic season this winter, playing in Class 2A District 12 against the likes of Community School and St. John Neumann. Mrs. Wilson teaches Italian and Spanish at Seacrest.
Maria is the youngest of five Zampogna siblings who played for Naples Youth Soccer Club: Carlo, Annamaria, Gianpietro, and Francesco all preceded her. Carlo went on to play soccer at Creighton University and Francesco was a placekicker on the University of Miami football team.
Maria played with the club from 1995-2002. She says "Some of my favorite memories of club soccer include long caravan road trips taken all over Florida, playing soccer all day (two, sometimes three, games a day), being with girls who enjoyed the game as much as I did, and supportive parents who watched every minute of every game and who never minded their cars smelling like a dirty soccer bag."
U12 girls, 1995-96 season at Plantation Thanksgiving tournament, Pine Island fields. Future Coach Wilson in back row next to tent pole and in front of Coach Steve Airey. She is the only player not looking at camera for some reason.
A cold game at Pelican fields in Cape Coral, U12 girls, 1996-97 season. Mariafrancesca in center, front row. Coach Jim Snyder.
U15 Boys and U11 Girls Kelme Classic Champs
(Jan 19, 2009)
The U15 boys and U11 girls teams took home first place trophies after this past weekend's Kelme Classic tournament. The U15 boys dropped their opening match on a late goal to Miami Lakes, 1-0, but that proved to be the last goal they conceded in the tournament. The team proceeded to shut out Team Boca, 1-0, and Charlotte United, 4-0, to set up a rematch with Miami Lakes in the final.
The Sharks went up a goal late in the first half on a strike by Robbie Madonna. In the second half narrow misses by LaMorris Cook, Nolan O’Malley, Jose Ramirez and Ryan Nick put continued pressure on the Miami side. A couple of heroic saves by keeper Alex Bernard protected the lead, and, ultimately, an insurance goal by Ryan Nick clinched the first place finish.
Coach Dave Cattermole praised the spirit and solid, determined play from the whole team. Over the four games the defense conceded only a single goal and the seven goals scored were contributed by six players.
The U11 girls went 4-0 for the weekend, with bracket wins over San Carlos Scorpions (3-2) and North Ft. Myers Knights (3-1). The young lady Sharks then turned in a convincing 4-0 semifinal win over North Ft. Myers to set up a meeting with a fast and physical West Pines United Black in the final. The Sharks scored three goals before conceding one in the last five minutes to win the game, 3-1, and the first place trophy.
The Naples offense was led by Tatiana Zuloaga who scored 11 goals; other goal scorers were Ariana Garousi and Hannah Holzer. Solid goalkeeping, including a blocked penalty kick, from Iyana Johnson lead the defense. According to Coach Chris Holzer "the speed and effort put forth this weekend was the best of the season."
The U13 boys also had a good tournament, going 2-1 in bracket play to reach the final where they lost to the Suncoast Spartans.
Winter Update
(Jan 14, 2009)
1. Winter Soccer Camps. Once again the Naples “Oggi Oggi Oggi” Soccer camps were a huge success over the Christmas break. The camps had over 50 participants enjoying skills, games, fun and friendships. The full-day campers also enjoyed playing Futsal, the indoor game of soccer played with a weighted ball, in the air-conditioned gym as a nice afternoon break from our warm winter weather.
2. Coach-Free Games and Street Soccer. There were also multiple opportunities for Naples Sharks to play the game of soccer in a fun, non-pressurized environment. Jim Snyder and Paul Nick scheduled and ran 6 street soccer sessions during the break. These sessions used the Naples CFG (Coach-Free Games) concept. It allows players to play in a safe environment, but one where they make the decisions. There is no adult intervention or coaching or refereeing in these games, and the environment tries to replicate the street soccer games that are played by millions of children throughout the world. Over 100 players ages 6 through 15 attended these events.
3. Inaugural Boxing Day Game. The Christmas break wasn’t just a chance for the kids to play, but the adults also. Boxing Day is the day following Christmas and is celebrated in Canada and England as well as many other nations. It was also the day to launch the 1st Annual Kids vs Adults game. Coaches, administrators, board members, team managers, referees, and county staff participated in a game against their children. After an hour or so of huffing and puffing around the Veterans Park field the 30+ participants retired to a local restaurant and were rewarded with wings and drinks for their hard work. It was a nice family event and a shining example of how much of a community Naples Youth Soccer Club is.
4. Naples Extreme Academy. The Extreme Academy program for Optimist recreational players who are looking to extend their season got organized in December. The program began age group training once a week in January and will play in 2 or 3 events through the end of February. The main goal of the program is to provide additional training and playing opportunities and to expose players to playing against teams from outside Naples. This year's events include the DC Cup in Ft. Myers and the SWFL Tournament in Cape Coral. Extreme players will also get to practice and scrimmage with current Sharks Academy players.
Now the break is over and players and coaches are back on the fields. A busy January, February, and March are ahead as league play ends; tournaments, region cup, and state cup begin; and our high school-aged teams return to club soccer. I look forward to seeing you on the fields.
Gavin Spooner, DOC
Four players selected for ODP
(Jan 5, 2009)
Four players from the Naples Sharks have been selected by the Florida Youth
Soccer Association to participate in the '95-'96 Olympic Development
Program (ODP).
Francesca Fischer, Marissa Fischer and Marissa Stovring from the U13 girls, and Alexa Cline from the U12 Red girls team, will be able to train and play against the best players in their age group at the
upcoming ODP Supercenter on January 10-11, 2009.
The main goal of the ODP program is to identify and develop the nation's
top youth soccer players in preparation for the U.S. Olympic and Youth National
Teams. A description of the Florida ODP program is available here.
U18s Orange Classic Finalists
(Jan 2, 2009)
The U18 Lady Sharks played a lot of soccer over the holiday break at the Orange Classic International Girls Soccer Tournament, December 27-30, showcasing their talent for numerous college coaches. Due to some teams dropping out at the last minute, they opened the tournament with an exhibition game against an out-of state team from the top division on Saturday. The Sharks then went on to win their two bracket games, a quarterfinal, and a semifinal to earn a spot in the final of the 18-team U19 White Division. After five games in four days, a depleted squad dropped the final 2-0 to Jupiter Sting.
Also representing the Club in the Orange Classic, the U16 Sharks went 1-2 in the U16 Green Division, beating a team from Texas and dropping games to teams from New Jersey and Ohio. The U13 Sharks went 1-1-1 in a very even Green Division and missed reaching the semifinal on goal differential.
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