Disney's Soccer Showcase 2009 All-Star Team: (front, left to right) Ryan Brown, James Williams, Jon Guzman; (back l-r) Chelsea Academy coach Kevin Campillo, Taylor Hafling, Glen Long, Anton Sealey, Brandon Moore, Malcom Miller, German Mendoza, Chelsea recruiter Darren Grace. (Not pictured: Layth Masri, Joe Garcia, Kyle Gusftason, Gino Depaoli, Steven Newman, Justin Rosner, Nicholas Spann, Paul Torres, Coner Doyle.) Photo by Garth Vaughn/Walt Disney World
It was a huge weekend of soccer around the Triangle, with outstanding teams from more than 30 states.
One team went undefeated over its four games in the 24-team US Youth Soccer National League, which is conducting its opening weekend of play in North Carolina in conjunction with the NCAA Women’s College Cup soccer championship weekend and two other national youth soccer events.
The CASL visitRaleigh.com National Soccer Series Girls Showcase Presented by Chelsea Football Club weekend includes also included the 325-team CASL visitRaleigh.com Girls Showcase and the 72-team Red Bull National League competition. The three youth soccer events - bringing more than 400 teams - form what is believed to be the biggest youth recreational sports event ever held in the Triangle. (If you know of a larger Triangle event, please let us know.) Hundreds of those players were in the stands Sunday afternoon at WakeMed Soccer Park to watch North Carolina defeat Notre Dame 2-1 to win the NCAA championship.
If you haven't been able to come up with a ticket to the sold-out NCAA Women's College Cup semifinals on Friday at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, you still can see plenty of soccer in the Triangle as three other national tournaments are conducted around the Triangle. The US Youth Soccer National League opened its season Thursday with showcase matches at the WRAL Soccer Center in North Raleigh and at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary. (RESULTS AND SCHEDULE BELOW.)
On Friday through Sunday, the rest of the 421 youth soccer teams from 38 states, including Alaska, and from Canada will be competing in the other segments of the CASL visitRaleigh.com National Soccer Series Girls Showcase Presented by Chelsea Football Club. The National Soccer Series Girls Showcase weekend includes the 325-team CASL visitRaleigh.com Girls Showcase, the 72-team Red Bull National League competition and the 24-team US Youth Soccer National League competition. Approximately 600 college coaches are expected to be in town to scout the many outstanding players.
What is believed to be largest youth sporting event ever to be conducted in the Triangle takes place Friday through Sunday when 421 youth soccer teams from 38 states, including Alaska, and from Canada compete in the CASL visitRaleigh.com National Soccer Series Girls Showcase Presented by Chelsea Football Club.
If you know of a larger recreational sports event — youth or adult — held in the Triangle, let us know at play@newsobserver.com.
The teams consist of 7,157 athletes ages 14-19, and over the three days they will play 996 games on 51 fields at 12 venues, primarily at the WRAL Soccer Center in North Raleigh, according to the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau.
