Happenings Down The Hill: 05/24 Local Soccer Team Competes In Regional Championship

Paula Zakrzewski Shepard, Image Ink PR on behalf of Columbia Windham Soccer AllianceColumbia First Team in Columbia Windham Soccer Alliance History to Achieve State Championship Status  State Champion U12 Girls Soccer Team Vies For U.S. Regional Championship 

  The CWSA Lightning Strikers U12 girls travel soccer team has started training for their upcoming bid to win the National U.S. Youth Soccer Championship. In May, this team of fourteen 10- and 11-year-olds will travel from Columbia, to Slippery Rock, Penn., to compete in the US Youth Soccer Eastern Regional Championship Tournament, May 26 through 28. If they win the regionals, then it's off to the national President's Cup game in Greenville, SC, July 10 through 13. The Lightning Strikers are the only U12 girls team from the state to make the tournament.

On Nov. 2 of last year, the Lightning Strikers became the first Columbia Windham Soccer Alliance team in history to achieve state championship status by winning the Connecticut Cup. But these girls from two sleepy little eastern Connecticut towns dream big, and their next dream is to become national champions. To achieve their goal, they are practicing hard and trying to raise serious money to pay for their travel by holding a series of bake sales, car washes, tag sales and other events.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    The team practiced indoors throughout the winter, playing up in age and division to improve their skills and performance. They started their biweekly outdoor practices on April 23. These practices will be held on Wednesday and Friday evenings from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Columbia's Recreation Park, located on Hennequin Road. The Lightning Strikers are also scheduled to play a preparatory scrimmage on Friday, May 2, in Farmington against another of the state's U12 girls teams.

Fundraising is actively underway. The Lightning Strikers hope to raise $5000 to help pay for travel and meals while the girls are on the road. To date, the team has raised $1700 in the Columbia and Windham communities through bake sales, soliciting private donations from individuals, and online outreach at http://www.gofundme.com/61885c.

"This group of girls has been working hard at practice and in the community to achieve the goals they have collectively set," explains head coach Julie Hughes. "They realize that their efforts on the field will hone their soccer skills to help them win, and their work in the community will raise the money they need to get to the tournament."

"The support from our community, our towns and many local businesses has been just amazing," continued assistant coach Jill Skowrenski. "Individuals and families have contributed financially and many local business are supporting us by letting us use their locations for our fundraisers. I'm not sure we could all get to the tournament without their help."

To support the CWSA U12 girls in their fundraising efforts, visit http://www.gofundme.com/61885c. All money raised will go toward travel expenses and meals for the team.

This information is posted by Peter Leeds, past president of CWSA and currently the club's referee assignor.  Peter can be found on Facebook at Not Just The Sports Guy.