Lamorinda Soccer Club players score success on and off the soccer field

As the Fall soccer league season gets underway, the young athletes in the Lamorinda Soccer Club (LMSC) continue the demanding training program started during the summer.  While summer means two hour a day practices, three to four times a week and playing up to five games in weekend tournaments hundreds of miles away, fall training is no less demanding.  LMSC athletes must juggle two hour practices two to three times a week, up to three games on weekends, with studies, homework and extracurricular activities. 

During the summer, this combination of focus, training, repetitive drills, motivation and passion led to a string of successes on the field and lifelong lessons off the field.  At first the successes were modest after many hours of practice – the development of graceful, technical footwork to outmaneuver an opponent; the execution of an one touch pass to a properly positioned teammate to move the ball upfield; the well timed cross to an on-rushing striker to score a goal; the presence of mind during a game to anticipate where the ball will be; the tackle that stripped a ball from an opponent; the tough stop on a wicked goal shot; and so on.  As the training progressed, these modest successes came more frequently and evolved into well executed plays and deliberate, controlled possession soccer.  More importantly, it demonstrated to the players that success on and off the field was determined by how well the team executed and played among itself, rather than who their opponent was. 

By the end of the summer, the hard work invested by the LMSC players and coaches resulted in a string of tournament placings and championships.  Highlights included

• Boys U11 Navy (Lamorinda United 00) – Semi-finalist (Mustang Stampede)
• Boys U12 Navy (Lamorinda United 99) – Champion (Santa Cruz Beach Soccer Championships)
• Boys U13 Navy (Lamorinda United 98) – 2^nd place (Santa Cruz Beach Soccer Championships)
• Boys U16 (Lamorinda United 95) – Champion (Mustang Stampede), 2^nd place (Juventus Tournament of Champions, Ballistic United Summer Classic)
• Girls U11 Navy (Lamorinda United 00) – 2^nd place (Diablo FC Summer Challenge), 3^rd place (Pleasanton Rage Showcase Juniors)
• Girls U11 White (Lamorinda United 01) – 3^rd place (Azuri Summer Classic)
• Girls U12 Navy (Lamorinda United 99) – Champion (North vs South Summer Classic), Semifinalist (Pleasanton Rage Showcase Juniors)
• Girls U13 (Lamorinda United 98) – 3^rd place (Pleasanton Rage Showcase Juniors)
• Girls U14 (Lamorinda United 97) – Champion (US Club Regionals), 2^nd place (Pleasanton Rage Showcase Juniors), Semi-finalist (North vs South Summer Classic)
• Girls U16 (Lamorinda United 95) – Champion (Mustang Stampede, Pleasanton Rage College Showcase),
• Girls U17 (Lamorinda United 94) – Champion (Schwan’s USA Cup, Pleasanton Rage College Showcase), 2^nd place (US Club Regionals), Quarterfinalist (San Diego Surf Cup XXXI)

While tournament placings and championships are the most visible signs of success, real success for the Lamorinda Soccer Club players is not measured by wins and losses.  Instead it is manifested in a number of ways - the leadership lessons learned by the U12 and U13 boys during the Santa Cruz Beach Soccer tournament when they acted as their own coaches, built team spirit, learned to improvise and play creatively, and motivated each other to do their best;  the growth of the U11 girls’ White team who, after spending all summer working on technical soccer skills, demonstrated those skills at “game speed” in the Azuri Summer Classic and the Diablo FC Summer Challenge tournaments;  the teambuilding skills exhibited by the U16 boys team who, despite being formed through a merger of two separate teams in April, quickly bonded and played like a veteran team; the potential and the “can do” attitude demonstrated by the U9 and U10 boys and girls in showcasing their skills in front of family and friends at the Lamorinda Hot August Jamboree tournament; and the enthusiasm displayed by the U8 boys and girls in building the foundational technical and ball control skills as they begin their long journey to become elite soccer athletes. 

“In life as in soccer, championship level success does not come from a few superstars making big plays, but from a team of great players doing little things well over and over again.  All year round, we work on these ‘little’ things – technical skills, teamwork, and character development – year after year.  It is a long-term endeavor that starts when the kids are young and culminates in high school.  The kids leave the program and go out into the world bringing with them a feeling that because of what they have learned and accomplished as soccer players, their dedication and hard work will enable them to ignite a passion and to master whatever they put their mind to, both on and off the field.” says Mohamed “Mo” Mohamed, Technical Director of the Lamorinda Soccer Club.  

By these measures, the players are well on their way to finding success on and off the field.

Want to play for the Lamorinda Soccer Club?

The Lamorinda Soccer Club (LMSC) is a non-profit organization that has been providing quality youth soccer training to the local community since 1976.  It offers both competitive soccer, seasonal clinics, and a Developmental Fall League Program (DPO) open to players of all skill levels starting in Kindergarten. Visit www.lamorindasc.com to learn more and sign up your soccer player today.  Play on United!