Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Club play credited for better school teams

Club soccer for area girls has taken off. Coaches say the extra playing time and coaching give players a leg up in high school.

By ROD GIPSON
Published December 16, 2005

VALRICO - Bloomingdale can tout soccer players Nancy Davison, Lia Hughes and Christina Coca. Durant can counter with Megan Kemp, Staci Marsh, Gabi Rivera and Lisa Hayman.

East Bay has Julie Rolfe and Nikki Swackhammer. And Newsome's lineup, led by scorers Tara McClusky and Anna Cate, was good enough to reach the Class 4A state semifinals last season.

With rosters stocked with experienced club players and teams routinely advancing into the state playoffs, women's prep soccer is flourishing in the Brandon area.

Recent seasons have seen Bloomingdale, Durant, Riverview, newcomer Newsome, East Bay and Tampa Bay Tech participate in the state playoffs.

Bloomingdale and Durant practically have reservations for girls' postseason soccer, with Bloomingdale claiming a state championship in 2001.

"We have all benefited from the club teams out here," Bloomingdale coach Sue Peet said. "The kids get the good fundamentals there, and it really enhances what we are able to do as high school coaches."

Bloomingdale has had no letup this season, opening the season with a 10-1 mark and an unbeaten record in the brutal Class 5A, District 8.

District mate Newsome has jumped out to a 6-1-2 record after making huge strides last year with its state semifinals run.

Durant is unbeaten as well, and East Bay has just one loss, coming against Durant.

"We can say we've been real fortunate when it comes to club players in our area coming to play at our school," Newsome coach Kathy Dodd said.

The depth of talented players has created good matchups. Newsome has already faced off with Bloomingdale twice this season and played Durant to a 1-1 tie. The Wolves lost to Bloomingdale 2-0 in their first contest but rebounded to hand the Bulls their lone loss of the season 1-0 during the Coca-Cola Classic tournament during Thanksgiving week.

With a third of the season already played and the county programs about to break for the Christmas holidays, Evans said the district stretch in January will go a long way toward determining which local squads will go far in the postseason.

"There's such an influx of talent," said Durant coach Ronald Evans, in his second year at the school but a veteran of the Brandon youth soccer scene. "And that's good. That allows us to have a lot of good talent, and it keeps our expectations high around here."

Expectations stay high at Durant as well. The Cougars played in the region semifinals last season and the state finals in 2004. Evans said this year's group, stocked with players with club soccer experience, makes the difference.

"It all started with Bloomingdale a few years ago," he said. "Now almost all the teams out here have club players. Ten years ago, you were lucky if your team had one or two players with club experience. Now almost all your players do.

"And, believe me, it makes a difference."

[Last modified December 15, 2005, 10:05:12]