Schools
Courtney Brosnan and PDA Slammers Claim National Title
Miller keeper caps off freshman year in style
Things could not have gone much better for Millburn's Courtney Brosnan during her freshman campaign this past school year. Her amazing year was capped this summer when her and the PDA (Player Development Academy) Slammers captured the 15U US Youth Soccer national championship in Arizona earlier this month. They defeated the SAC United team from Maryland, 2-1.
"It was pretty hard, but we were really dedicated to winning it because we really wanted to win the national championship and we felt like we had been robbed in the past," Brosnan said.
Brosnan has been with the same girls, who come from all over the state, since they were a 9U team and said that they had been knocking on the door of the national championship for quite some time. Multiple factors kept the title just out of their reach until now.
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The season began in late spring with league play, which moved to a state tournament, then regional tournament, before finishing off with the national championship. Brosnan was the starting keeper for the Slammers, and allowed just one goal in the national championship tournament (four games), which featured six of the top teams in the country.
"We knew that we were capable of winning it, but it's the fact that we actually did it which makes it so special," Brosnan said.
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Brosnan is coming off of a freshman year in which she was the back-up keeper (but still saw significant playing time) for the Group III champion Miller girls soccer team. She was a member of the conference champion girls basketball and girls golf teams. But Brosnan said that this national championship ranks right at the top of her greatest accomplishments.
"It's definitely the top without a doubt," Brosnan said. "It's pretty close to the Group 3 championship, but I think this one might be a little better."
Entering the upcoming fall season, Brosnan will be the starting keeper for the Millers and is hoping that the girls can continue the latter season success that led Millburn to its first ever Group 3 title last fall.
