U13 Boys “Best of the Best”
Celebrating its 35th year, Surf Cup is a nationally recognized premier youth soccer tournament, rated among the top two in the United States. This year’s tournament featured more than 690 boys and girls teams in the Under-10 to Under-14 age groups. Players and families visited from 28 states and four countries (United States, Canada, Mexico and Guam).
Soccer News: Winning this year’s Surf Cup U13 Boys Surf Super Cup Flight, the Fullerton Rangers B02W won the right to be called the “Best of the Best” in the nation.
The boys started off the tournament with a 4-2 win against Seattle United B02 COPA (WA), followed by a 1-1 tie with Pateadores PDA (CAS) and secured their spot to the quarter finals with a 1-2 win against Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles De Caliente Fuerzas Basicas (MEX).
The boys faced Albion SC White Garton (CAS) in the quarter finals and were victorious with a 0-3 win.
Moving on to the semi finals, the boys faced FC Dallas El Paso 03 Select (TXS) and came out on top with a 1-2 win sending them to the finals.
This was it. The Fullerton Rangers U13 B02 White were in the finals against FC Golden State PDA03 (CAS). The boys had not had a loss in the tournament thus far and were looking to keep it that way. The boys pulled through with a 3-1 win and were crowned the 2015 Surf Cup Champions.
Head Coach: Jimmy Obleda, Manager: David Lutfi
Roster: 1-Elijah Richardson, 2-Connor Place, 6-Jose Luis Alvarado, 7-Kan Hanada, 8-Jackson Hartman, 9-Andrew Resendiz, 10-Aaron Zarate, 11-Owen Vasta, 12-Phillip Kostenko, 14-Yahir Garcia, 17-David Ruvalcaba, 18-Joseph Lutfi, 19-Nicholas Melgar, 21-Isaiah Sanchez, 23-Jared Vera.
SoccerToday spoke with Fullerton Rangers Head Coach Obleda, about their amazing accomplishment:
Diane Scavuzzo: How tough was the competition?
Jimmy Obleda: The competition was especially tough! Participation in Surf Cup provided the opportunity for our team to play against some of the top teams in the country. In the 20-team Super Cup division, there were four state champions (CO, IL, UT, WA) and eight teams ranked 1st or 2nd in their state, including a USYS Regional champion, finalist, and semifinalist. It was a great experience and the first time that we’ve had the opportunity to play so many quality teams at one event.
Diane Scavuzzo: How did your team prepare for Surf Cup?
Jimmy Obleda: The team initially took some time off to recover from playing in the USYS Far West (Region IV) Regional championships during the last week of June. They resumed training a week later and prepared for Surf Cup by training four times a week, participating in core and agility training, and playing scrimmages on weekends.
Diane Scavuzzo: Please recap the action of the final match.
Jimmy Obleda: The history of Surf Cup finals have often been described as battles of attrition and contests to determine which team wants it more. Our final match was no different. We played a hard-fought battle against a very talented and experienced opponent and were fortunate to score on a set play early in the first half. We then used this momentum to tally two more goals before halftime to jump out to a 3-0 lead. I think that our defensive pressure created excellent goal-scoring opportunities, which we were fortunate to convert. The second half involved back-and-forth play between the teams, followed by a late surge by our opponent leading to a late goal. The final score was 3-1.
Diane Scavuzzo: How long has your team been together?
Jimmy Obleda: I have been the head coach since U11. The team is comprised of a great group of boys who, for the most part, have played with each other since U9 (4-5 years). This stability and commitment to the team has allowed the players to develop great chemistry and communication. We also have a great team spirit. On and off the field, the boys care about each other and are true Rangers at heart.
Diane Scavuzzo: Describe your preferred style of play, how close did the players achieve this?
Jimmy Obleda: Our preferred style of play is defined by a strong defensive backfield, with fullbacks who can push the ball forward, coupled with a solid midfield that can press the opposition, win possession, and creatively distribute to our attacking players. Keeping the pressure on our opponents is especially important. The key to achieving this style of play is by constantly striving to shape the boys into better soccer players, in all aspects of their game – technically, strategically, physically and mentally. We still have a long way to go, but at Surf Cup, I’m proud to say that the boys did an excellent job of playing cohesively as a team and demonstrating this style of play.
Diane Scavuzzo: What is your style of coaching?
Jimmy Obleda: I’m a big believer in hard work, commitment, and sacrifice and am focused on on trying to instill these values in my players. It’s not enough to only train with the team. I am constantly asking each player if they are training on their own and I often challenge them to identify what they are willing to sacrifice to become the best that they can be. As a coach, I also believe it’s my job to motivate each player so that they can attain their potential. Creating a team dynamic where players want to excel and realize their potential allows the sum of the parts to be greater than the whole. With 12-13 year old boys, it is especially important to reiterate this message on a daily basis – during training, in games, and off the field.
Diane Scavuzzo: What other tournaments has the team won?
Jimmy Obleda: The team’s Surf Cup championship was their 4th tournament win in a row, They also won the Fullerton Rangers Classic, Las Vegas Premier Invitational, and Manchester City FC Americas Cup tournaments.
Diane Scavuzzo: What is next for the team?
Jimmy Obleda: We will begin California Regional League (Cal South) play and look forward to competing against the best B13 teams in Southern California. Coast Soccer League games will start in September and then we would love the opportunity to participate in a few out-of-state tournaments, including, Dallas Cup in March 2016.
