Pleasanton RAGE player gains national exposure

Pleasanton RAGE player gains national exposure

apfotos2017-12-16T18:03:32-08:00December 3rd, 2017|

Ashleigh Garcia

Tracy’s Ashleigh Garcia is on her way to the top levels of girls soccer now that she has competed among the elite athletes in her sport in the western U.S.

Ashleigh, 13, an eighth-grader at Discovery Charter School and a member of the Pleasanton Rage team, participated in this past weekend’s U.S. Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program 2017 Thanksgiving Inter-Regional in Boca Raton, Florida.

She joined a team of 17 girls on the U.S. Youth Soccer Region IV (West) under-14 team, representing 14 western U.S. states, in competition against teams from the Midwest, East and South regions.

The weeklong event started with training Nov. 18 and continued with games throughout the week. Ashleigh was a midfielder on the West team, which went 0-1-2, including a 0-0 tie with the South team, the top team in the tournament, on Thanksgiving Day.

The tournament is a showcase where players can meet college scouts and qualify for further training and development with U.S. Youth Soccer’s top coaches.

While at the event, Ashleigh teamed up with Emma Corcoran, a member of Santa Rosa United soccer club and one of Ashleigh’s West Region teammates, to sell stickers and T-shirts to raise money for people affected by the recent wildfires. The duo raised more than $5,000 for victims of the October wildfires in Sonoma County, including four of Emma’s teammates whose homes burned.

Participating in the Thanksgiving Inter-Regional was Ashleigh’s most prestigious accomplishment yet. Previously, she was among 44 girls in the Cal North Olympic Development Program under-14 player pool and was a standout in the Region IV ODP camp in Colorado in June and July. She was also among 18 all-tournament players in the Region IV Championships in Seattle in January. She was selected for U.S. Youth Soccer player development programs for Cal North Region 8 and Cal South.

Her next step is to participate in the Cal North Player Development Program “id2” training Dec. 7-10 in Casa Grande, Arizona. It will be her chance to qualify for the U.S. National team and will give her more exposure in front of college recruiters.

Contact Sports Editor Bob Brownne at brownne@tracypress.com, or call 209-830-4227.

U-15 USWNT Experience – Maddy Goldberg

U-15 USWNT Experience – Maddy Goldberg

apfotos2017-03-28T18:55:02-07:00March 14th, 2017|

On January 20, 2016 I got an email that said, “Congratulations, you are part of the initial group of players selected to the roster for the upcoming U.S. Soccer U-15 Girls’ National Team training camp in Carson, California.” I was speechless and extremely excited to know that I would be representing our country.

On Saturday, February 11 we arrived into LAX. The nerves started to kick in once we landed and got off the plane. After getting to the hotel and checking in, we had a light training after a long day of traveling.

Walking into our locker room at the Stubhub Center, seeing the U.S. crest on the wall, having your name at the top of your locker, everything prepared and laid out, our jerseys draped over our chair, just topped it off with another level of inspiration. Being selected as one of the 40 best players in the nation, makes you think about all of the sacrifices you have made, and hard work and dedication you have put into be where you are today.

After training we went back to the hotel and had some dinner and a team meeting directly after that with all of our coaches and our physiologist. We were instructed to fill out a “wellness paper” in the morning. The wellness paper had different columns asking about our level of soreness, level of stress, hours we slept, and fatigueness. These papers helped our trainers to communicate with the coaches how we were feeling and if we are well enough to play. Along with filling out the wellness paper, we had to have daily weigh-ins and hydration tests.

Everyday we had two sessions, one in the morning and one in the evening. All five of us goalkeepers would go with our goalkeeper trainer (Nicole Barnhart) before the team would start training. Monday morning was technical testing day. For the goalkeepers they tested mostly on distance and accuracy in the distribution category. Goal Kicks, punts, dropkicks, throws, and all around different types of distribution was judged. Juggling with both feet separately and together were tested as well. Switching between different tests, we had 10-15 balls kicked at us to test our footwork and our skill with our hands. I did pretty well overall in the testing. I placed number one out of the goalkeepers but there is a lot of room for improvement. Our second session that day was very light compared to what we did in the morning.

Friday we were supposed to play two SoCal teams but sadly we had flash flood warnings and 25 mph winds. Our games got moved to Thursday but the SoCal teams could not make it to Stubhub in the limited amount of time. We had an intense morning session on Thursday to prepare us for our scrimmage later on in the day. We ended up splitting the 40 girls into three teams and play 35 minute games against each other.

The speed of play throughout camp was very fast! The way that our team kept possession of the ball was phenomenal. One of our coaches, April Kater said, “The way you guys keep possession of the ball, looks like you have been playing together for 20 years, not just one week.” Each session no matter if we were with the team or just the goalkeepers, they were very intense, fast, and also really fun. Something I learned and was exaggerated at camp many times, was that you are going to fail. You are going to fail and without failing you won’t get better. You figure out your mistake and then fix it. “You are going to humiliate yourself, and you are going to have to laugh it off. Failure is on our journey” – Coach Mark Carr (Head coach). I realized throughout camp, it is okay to fail and you can’t control it. No one is perfect. As much as you don’t want to, you have to accept the goals that go in the back of your net. Something I do after I get scored on is think about my mistake and move past it. You can’t keep thinking about that goal the rest of the game because you then will not perform at your best.

I am extremely thankful and blessed for the opportunity given to me because not everyone is lucky enough to get this chance to shine. “This is your time to shine… shine bright like a diamond” -Coach Mark Carr. I have learned so much at this camp and realized that the smallest and tiniest things make a huge difference in your performance in practice and in games. I hope to be back soon to the training camps with the National Team. A group of players will be taken to Germany in November of 2017 to play a international friendly. My most priorital goal is to improve on my play to get better and to be one of the goalkeepers to get my first cap with the U-15 USWNT in Germany!

I am very appreciative to the Pleasanton Rage Organization as well as Cal North ODP for the opportunities and support they have given me. Special thanks to coaches; Ramiro Rodriguez, Kevin Whitehand, Darin Preszler, John Byford, Walter Pratte, Derrek Lesley, and to my personal coach Justin Rothling who has trained me since I was six years old.

RAGE U10 Elite

RAGE U10 Elite

apfotos2016-08-24T18:00:36-07:00August 24th, 2016|

Pleasanton Rage U10 Elite took the gold division championship at the Soccer By The Bay tournament in Burlingame last weekend. Led by head coach Jarreth Chan, Rage Elite found the net early and often on their way to a 4-0 weekend and dominating goal differential of 30-6. The offense was paced by Abby Mai, Rafa Sapiz, Abigail Lopez, Reese Bayne, Aleka Mandava, and Alden Hofstede. Meanwhile, the defense held staunch. Eliana Hockaday, Kayla Villarde, Kayla Rodriguez, Keira Barker and Maylen Montoya limited the opposition’s opportunities over the course of the four games. Chan’s team is gathering momentum for their Fall League, Tournament and State Cup run. Great work girls and good luck this season.

2016 ECNL/id2 National Training Camp Experience

2016 ECNL/id2 National Training Camp Experience

apfotos2017-02-06T23:39:00-08:00August 12th, 2016|

Below is my write-up for the ECNL id2 National Camp on hosted on July 7-10, 2016

DAY 1

This was my first trip flying solo and being alone at a camp/try-out that took place in Portland OR. I was met by a NIKE representative holding an iPad with my name on. It was so cool to see her holding my name! From the airport we headed to the university of Portland where I got my bag for the weekend and campus badge. Once everyone arrived, we were escorted to where our training gear was located and there it was a sign with the words “2016 ECNL id2 NATIONAL TRAINING CAMP” (my jaw dropped seeing all the gear). I saw my locker and there was my name and assigned number was with my new boots and training gear.

Later in the afternoon we were taken to the NIKE World Headquarters were we were given a presentation about each of the NIKE boots given to each of the girls. The presentation was given by a NIKE “EKIN” named Jason. A NIKE “EKIN” is a NIKE marketer who delivers the NIKE message using innovation and grassroots development. He covered the technology that goes into each boot. Some are built for speed, ball control and comfort. I was so impressed by the presentation, It was really cool. I liked NIKE boots prior to the presentation, now I love them.

In the evening we had an hour training session. It consisted of 5v2 keep away, 3v4 dribble across the line and a mini game of 5v5 going to goals with bumpers. I was nerves at first but as the exercises went on I began to feel more comfortable as I focused on the players and my surroundings and constantly being vocal on the field. When I was a bumper, I was directing girls to either have the shot or play it wide or they have me here as an option. These girls are intense, they have great vision which is key and high work ethic.

DAY 2

In the morning we received additional training gear which was a sand color top with white shorts and white socks. Our training was a bigger keep away with 7 attackers and 3 defending. Then we played a game where you had to advance the ball and stay in your channel. When you advance the ball you can add another player to overload your team w. extra players. Lastly we went into a small sided game against the 2001 id2 team. After the morning training session, we received another set of training gear to use for the afternoon matches. We wore a grey top and green socks and bottom.

I attended a NIKE focus group where we got the opportunity to review several new training shoes. The NIKE staff wanted to know what we liked about them and what we didn’t like. They also explained how to properly choose training shoes. Lastly they had us rate a bunch of shoes by indicating which ones I would buy and which ones I would not. It was a cool experience to give input on the shoes that were really cool.

In the second training session for the day I started as the #10. I did really well being the outlet and the distributer. I took the corners for the team and got us a PK by heading the ball down and it hit the defender in the arm in the box. During this training session I saw several college coaches watching the games but I only recognized Louisiana State and Santa Clara.

DAY 3

Day 3 was a training and recovery session. In the training session we worked on a passing exercise where the “outside” back plays the attacking mid and the mid plays it back the back. The back plays the ball to the forward to the attacking mid which then would play a thru ball to either forward or attacking back.

Next we applied the same exercise to a mini half field version and then an 11 v 11. I had a few shots on goal and on one, the goalie had a nice save (I thought it was going in). After the training we had a recovery session. We went into the lounge and rolled out our sore muscles.

Later that evening we attended the Portland thorns vs Seattle reign match. Walking into the stadium and heading to our seats you would see a bunch of people starring at us. Who wouldn’t? A bunch of girls all wearing matching outfits. The game was okay. We left a little after Portland scored. Portland was playing very direct while Seattle had more of a buildup and patience with the ball. It sucked that the national players weren’t there. It would have been a totally different game.

DAY 4

The last day was the best day. I say this because we got a uniform with our assigned number on it and all teams had a different color. I wore blue white blue. We took a bus to the Nike world headquarters and man was I nervous. The greatest athletes in the world (sponsored by NIKE) have walked through those exact doors and now I can say, “I did too”. We pulled up to the tiger woods center and when you walked through the doors, turn the corner and right there in front you see two beautiful soccer fields: Ronaldo 1 and 2.

The whole day was spent at the NIKE world headquarters. We played one full match that day. I received the ball but I received the ball on my left w. 3 defenders in front of me. I knew I couldn’t get a clean shot so I played a great ball through splitting two defenders and bam we scored a goal. The coaches knew I cover ground so they had me cover the left back, holding mid and the direct passing lane to the left forward. I had two nice slide tackle. I almost scored too, but of course with my luck, the ball hits the side posts. My team dominated the match, we won 4-2 with one of the goals being assisted by me.

I thank the Rage staff for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. This was a great experience. I am thankful for the opportunity to play against and amongst some of the most Amazing Young Women in the US. That was the cherry on top.

Vanessa Mejia

Rage 2000 ECNL Team

2016 CIF State Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year – Sophia Brown!

2016 CIF State Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year – Sophia Brown!

apfotos2017-02-06T23:39:01-08:00May 4th, 2016|

Sophia Brown – 2016 CIF State Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year!

The Board of Directors and Staff of Pleasanton RAGE are extremely pleased to feature U18 ECNL Goalkeeper Sophia Brown, the 2016 CIF State Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year!

The award is based on the highest level of academics, success as an athlete (ECNL RAGE soccer, Foothill High School varsity basketball, and varsity lacrosse), community service, and leadership. Sophia has played for RAGE for 13 years and will attend Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo where she will major in Aerospace Engineering and play Division 1 soccer.

This honor is a repeat for the Brown family, as Sophia’s older sister, Phoebe, won the same award 4 years ago and will now graduate from Princeton University.

Congratulations to the Brown family on a remarkable achievement!

http://cifstate.org/parents-students/awards_and_scholarships/2016_sa_winners

U-18 U.S. Women’s National Team Experience – Olivia Sekany

U-18 U.S. Women’s National Team Experience – Olivia Sekany

apfotos2017-02-06T23:39:01-08:00May 2nd, 2016|

Last month I had the incredible experience of training with the U-18 U.S. Women’s National Team at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Carson, California. I had been scouted by the National Team coaches at the ECNL event in San Diego, and received an invitation to attend the training camp two days after we returned from this event. I was extremely excited to receive this opportunity–wearing the U.S. soccer crest and representing our country is a privilege that very few players receive, and I am honored to be one of them.

We arrived in Carson on Saturday, April 16th, and the rigors of camp began almost immediately. We had a training session that evening to get our legs moving after a long day of travel. It was amazing to be playing with 25 of the best players in the nation, and to see their abilities as well as their dedication to the game in action. That night, we were given instructions regarding various forms of health and wellness monitoring that we would need to perform. Every morning we were required to fill out a survey regarding our level of soreness and fatigue, level of stress, our moods, and any injuries we may have had. Additionally, we were required to monitor our resting heart rates, as well as take part in daily weigh-ins and hydration tests. With the high volume and intensity of our training sessions, we had to ensure that we were properly caring for and preparing our bodies.

Sunday morning we had fitness testing. We participated in four different fitness tests: a 20-yard sprint test, the arrowhead agility test, a vertical jump test, and the “Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test,” also known as the beep test. I did particularly well on the vertical jump test, with the third highest score on the team.

We had two training sessions a day–one in the morning and one in the evening. The other three goalkeepers and I began every session working with the goalkeeper coach until we were needed for drills with the rest of the team. The speed of play was very fast, and the sessions were extremely physical and competitive, which was a lot of fun for me. We also had team meetings every night to watch film, listen to scouting reports on our opponents, or talk about our plans for training the next day. The other goalkeepers and I would stay with the goalkeeper coach after the team meetings to watch film from our training sessions and analyze our technique. Some days, we also had extra training sessions while the field players rested.

Over the course of the week, we played 2 games. On Tuesday we played Long Beach State University and tied them 2-2. On Friday, we played the U-17 Women’s National Team, who were also in camp that week in Carson. The U-17 WNT is preparing for the U-17 Women’s World Cup in Jordan this Fall and have been in camp together and playing games fairly regularly, so it was a great opportunity for us to play a very skilled, well organized team. We ended up losing the game 2-1, but it was still a great experience.

I learned a lot when I was at camp, about the game and myself as a player. I am looking forward to hopefully being back in training camp with the National Team this summer. My goal is to travel with the team to Ireland in October to play in some international friendlies and earn my first cap!

Philippines Women’s National Team ID Camp Experience from Isabella Adamos

apfotos2017-02-06T23:39:01-08:00April 27th, 2016|

The invitation to attend the Philippines Women’s National Team ID camp was exciting and an honor. When I found out that the scouting coach came to watch me at one of my games at ECNL Arizona last November, I was very excited for the chance to show my skills and knowledge of the game. The possibility of playing soccer for my native country would be an honor and unforgettable experience.

The first ID camp was in late November and I had no idea how to prepare for it. I asked my coach advice and he gave me simple tasks. He told me to make small personal goals for myself at the camp. For example, try to focus on the basics and simply perfect them. He also said to be myself on the field, to show who I am and how I play. Finally, he advised that I embrace the opportunity and really learn from it. This was the chance of a lifetime and I should try not to stress out or be nervous.

When the first day of the ID camp came, I was pumped and very eager to play. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the other girls who would also be participating. I was a bit intimidated by them at first, but once we started to warm up, I learned that all of them were super friendly and nice. The coaches also had very friendly attitudes and were welcoming to everyone. They immediately began to treat everyone like family and cracked a few jokes here and there. The camp felt a lot like a college ID camp. We were split into three age groups; U14, U16 and U19. I was in the U16 group. We went over technical drills that included dribbling and passing, then we moved on to small 1v1 or 3v3 games. I learned that their style of play was very aggressive and technical. We ended the training sessions with a scrimmage amongst the age groups.

During my three days at the November camp, in addition to field sessions, we also attended classroom sessions where we watched videos of the Senior team in past events. When I was invited to attend the 2nd ID camp in March, I felt so happy and proud to be invited back. The March camp was similar to the November one except that we mostly scrimmaged the two days that I attended. I was placed in the U16 group again but this time, I had the opportunity to scrimmage with the U19 group against the U18 ECNL Strikers FC team. I was so excited because I scored a goal against this team and our group won the scrimmage 5-1. At the end of the camp, I was told that I had made the U16 pool of players!

The most memorable part of my experience at the PWNT camps was listening to the Senior girls’ experiences. Their descriptions of their journey on the national team were very inspiring. They made me believe that I had the ability to make the team, and that I could be great, like they are. They also emphasized the sisterhood that grew within the team. They called each other “sistersfor life.” They were family and they would always be there for each other, on and off the field. I was able to relate to how they felt since my Rage U15 ECNL team is my second family and I wouldn’t be where I am today with soccer without them. My teammates always push me to work harder and support me through everything that happens. The bond between us makes us so much stronger as a team, and it shows on the field.

Isabella Adamos3

My journey with the Philippines Women’s National Team is just beginning. I’m hoping to be called up to play in the 2016 AFC U16 Women’s Championships Qualifiers this August/September. It would be a dream come true and an once in a lifetime experience.

ECNL Stats

ECNL Stats

apfotos2016-02-12T09:25:55-08:00February 12th, 2016|

The class of 2016 is comprised of Amazing Young Women who will be playing at multiple collegiate soccer levels:

ECNL Class of 2016: 1,310
College Bound ECNL: 1,217 (93%)
Total Players Playing Collegiate Soccer: 1,209 (92%)
Division I: 955
Division II, III, NAIA: 264
Undecided: 91

U11 Grey State Champs

U11 Grey State Champs

apfotos2017-02-06T23:39:01-08:00December 7th, 2015|

Rage U11 Grey champions of state cup this morning! 3-0 win against santa rosa lightening.

Pleasanton RAGE U11 Grey

U9 Rage Orange Wins State Cup Championship

U9 Rage Orange Wins State Cup Championship

apfotos2017-02-06T23:39:02-08:00November 16th, 2015|

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Pleasanton Rage u9 Orange girls soccer team hoisted the State Cup championship trophy this weekend. The Orange finished #1 atop a field of 72 teams. The girls, led by coach Axel Thibodeau, beat Davis Legacy Red in the Semifinal by a score of 3-0 earning a chance to meet their nemesis, Mustang Xplosion, in the Final. The girls executed beautifully finding the net in the first ten minutes on a beautiful cross and then again midway through the second half on a rocket from outside the penalty box. The defense held staunch and the Orange prevailed 2–0.

This was quite a year for coach Thibodeau’s side – having won Rage Showcase, the BooFest, and now State Cup. A fantastic group of girls, includes Abby Mai, Aishwarya Anburaja, Alden Hofstede, Aleka Mandava, Ava Haviley, Eva Torrico, Gianna Guerrero, Gianna Owens, Presley Cash, Reese Gotchall, and Riley Horn. Congratulations girls!

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U9 Orange Wins at the Boo Fest

U9 Orange Wins at the Boo Fest

apfotos2017-02-06T23:39:02-08:00October 27th, 2015|

Pleasanton Rage U9 Orange won the Gold division in the prestigious Boo Fest in Sacramento, the largest Halloween tournament in Northern California. Following a very strong performance in the opening round, Rage led by head coach Axel Thibodeau, drew Modesto Ajax in the tournament final. The team passed the ball incredibly well and quickly found Gianna Owens up top for a quick 1-0 lead. Rage continued to dominate possession and eventually Gianna Guerrero found net again early in the second half, putting Rage up 2-0. They would go on to win the game 2-1 on strong goalkeeping from Reese Gotchall and Eva Torrico; relentless defending and midfield play from Presley Cash, Ava Haviley, Abby Mai, and Alden Hofstede; and further offensive firepower from Riley Horn, Aleka Mandava and Aishwarya Anburaja. This is Rage’s second high profile tournament win and readies the Orange for the upcoming Norcal State Cup.

RAGE U12 Orange

RAGE U12 Orange

apfotos2017-02-06T23:39:03-08:00August 18th, 2015|

WORKING HARD, BEING HUNGRY, STAYING HUMBLE… Congratulations to the RAGE U12 Orange team as they battled to the last kick to win the consolation match against Novato United at the Soccer by the Bay Tournament. Coach NIna Cefalo showed a strong offensive front with Tiana Cello, Ashleigh Garcia, Olivia Martin, Alexa Ruiz, Riann Sarno, and Carolijn Steele. The opponents faced the pressure from the defensive force of Erica Haley, Analise Hernandez, Sierra O’Donnell, Kathryn Pearson, Lauren Reeves, and Ava Ricker. After regulation time and two periods of overtime had expired, the contest was tied 4-4. The game was decided by penalty kicks. The team united behind the feet of Kenna Asmussen, Kayla Cameron, Jasmine Cochiaosue, Shay McIntyre, Kayla Robertson and the hands of goalie Sadie Brown. RAGE lead 4-3 as goalie Sadie Brown clinched the win by blocking the last kick. The success of the RAGE team stems from their consistent hard work, defining themselves with their continuous improvement and growth. Congratulations again, RAGE U12 Orange!!!

TOP L to R: Alexa Ruiz, Sierra O’Donnell, Shay McIntyre, Kayla Cameron, Ava Ricker, Coach Nina Cefalo, Analise Hernandez, Sadie Brown, Olivia Martin, Lauren Reeves, Kenna Asmussen
BOTTOM L to R: Kathryn Pearson, Jasmine Cochiaosue, Ashleigh Garcia, Tiana Cello, Kayla Robertson, Erica Haley, Riann Sarno, Carolijn Steele

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