This past weekend, the Placer United ’94 Girls Gold soccer team took second place at the California Youth Soccer Association (CYSA) State Cup held in Elk Grove. The girls played against the Mustang Rampage out of Danville who have won this event six of the last seven years.

Placer took an early lead scoring a goal in the first three minutes of the match but gave up two goals late in the first half, followed by an additional goal late in second half to lose 3-1. During the course of the State Cup, Placer outscored their opponents 24 and only conceded four goals in route to playing for the Northern California state championship in the under 17 age group.

Placer United beat last years semi-finalist and finalist in making their way through round robin play and later the knock out stages to qualify for the finals. By qualifying for the championship game the girls secured a spot in the US Youth Soccer Far West Regional tournament held in Boise, Idaho in June. The Far West Regional tournament consists of the state champions from the fourteen western states plus two wild card teams (Northern California and Colorado ) and two additional first place teams from the Far West Regional League.

The champion of the Far West Regional’s will qualify for National Championship in July. The girls are high school juniors and seniors and are from Roseville (Kelsey DeCarlo, Kellyn Morning, Rachel Dortch, Marissa Griffin), Rocklin (Jessica Santo, Megan Hansen, Emily Huska), Loomis (Rachel Sloss, Lauren Gollnick, Miranda Bailey), Granite Bay (Kayla Karlsson, Erin Pellerin, Maria Dela Cruz, Christy Cooper), Orangevale (Aliska Berry), Folsom (Caitlyn Kretzschmar), Truckee (Mikael Arnstein), and Novato (Shelby Brown).

The Placer United girls had a tremendous year taking first place in the Pleasanton College Showcase, Placer United Cup, President’s Day Tournament (Phoenix , AZ), and Las Vegas College Showcase (Las Vegas , NV) tournaments. The team is currently ranked #2 in Northern California and #35 in the United States by GotSoccer. Many of the girls on the team will continue playing soccer in college on scholarships.

Kevin Unsworth was named Placer United’s Coach of the Year for the 2010/2011 soccer season by Coaching Directors Ron Benjamin and Paul O’Brien.

Since joining the club in 2008, Kevin has worked his way up the coaching ladder and just recently received his USSF National “B” license. He is also on the Cal North ODP coaching staff.

“Kevin is a very hard-working guy and has done an exceptional job with all the teams he has coached over the last four years,” said Girls DOC Ron Benjamin.

“Kevin is a huge asset to the club. He is the type of coach we like at Placer United — a true Club guy who has earned the respect of all our coaches and board members by going the extra yard for his teams and the Club.” said Boys DOC Paul O’Brien.

Congratulations Kevin!

Roseville graduate Melissa Phillips, 23, takes over women’s soccer program at CSU Bakersfield

Read More…

Tyson Rietz, formerly of Placer United Soccer Club, is all conference in volleyball at Emmanual College in Boston. Rietz played U10-U19 with Placer and went on to accept a scholarship his freshman year to UC Irvine as a goalkeeper.

Read More…

California Development Academy’s players represent three out of the twenty-four player roster (or, 13% of the roster). No other Development Academy can boast more than one player, the only Development Academy providing multiple players!

CHICAGO (April 11, 2011) — U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Team head coach Mike Matkovich has named 24 players who will train in Portland, Ore., from April 16-24, on the Nike Campus. The training camp will feature friendlies against the Portland Timbers on April 19, and will finish with a pair of friendlies on Saturday, April 23, against the University of Portland and the University of Washington.

Two players on the roster will come from the professional ranks, with Victor Pineda representing the Chicago Fire and Jon Kempin representing Sporting Kansas City. Both players signed Home Grown player contracts with their respective clubs after spending time in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, while 20 other players are current Academy players representing 17 different clubs. Furman University’s Walker Zimmerman is lone collegian on the roster.

There will be 14 players traveling to Portland who were part of Matkovich’s last training camp in Phoenix in February. The roster is made up entirely of players born in 1993.

U.S. U-18 MNT Roster by Position:

GOALKEEPERS (2): Jeff Gal (Sockers FC; Bartlett, Ill.), Jon Kempin (Sporting Kansas City; Leawood, Kans.)

DEFENDERS (8): Jonathan Campbell (NC Fusion; Greensboro, N.C.), Matt Jeffery (PDA; Freehold, N.J.), Mitchell Lurie (Concorde Fire; Alpharetta, Ga.), Timothy Parker (Albertson SC; Hicksville, N.Y.), Grant Silvester (CDA; Sacramento, Calif.), Scott Thomsen (New York Red Bulls Academy; Brick, N.J.), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders Academy; Seattle, Wash.), Walker Zimmerman (Furman University; Lawrenceville, Ga.)

MIDFIELDERS (10): Stefano Bonomo (De Anza Force; Hillsborough, Calif.), Seth Casiple (CDA; Sacramento, Calif.), Daniel Cuevas Granados (CDA; Sacramento, Calif.), Miguel Lopez, Jr. (Classics Elite; Alton, Texas), Victor Pineda (Chicago Fire; Bollingbrook, Ill.), Marcus Salandy-Defour (D.C. United Academy; Kensington, Md.), Christopher Somerville (Baltimore Bays Chelsea; West Chester, Pa.), Gabe Stauber (FC Westchester; Waccabuc, N.Y.), Will Trapp (Crew Soccer Academy; Gahanna, Ohio), Cooper Vandermaas-Peeler (CASL Chelsea SC; Cary, N.C.)

FORWARDS (4): Villyan Bijev (Cal Odyssey; Fresno, Calif.), Isaac Kannah (Minnesota Thunder Academy; Plymouth Minn.), Luis Rendon (FC Richmond Magic; Chesterfield, Va.), Khiry Shelton (Lonestar SC; Leander, Texas)

The Placer United U17 Girls ’94 Gold reached the CYSA State Cup Final and in doing so, will represent CYSA in the USYSA Far West Regional Championship to be held in Boise, Idaho in June 2011.

The U17 Girls ’94 Gold did not get there the easy way, far from it. They played two teams ranked in the top five of Cal North, and the top twenty in the Region. So this is a really big time achievement for the girls, to come out on top against the best teams in the State and advance to the State Cup Final.

The girls beat Santa Clara Sporting (ranked 4th and the 2010 finalists), in the quarter-finals on Saturday 1-0 and then went on to defeat the Santa Rosa Aftershocks (ranked 5th and the 2010 semi-finalists), 2-1 in the semi-finals on Sunday.

Both games were so tight and nerve racking that the Placer United board received an invoice from Cherry Island for the amount of chewed up finger nails that were found on the side of the fields, not to mention the remains of 2 T-Bone steaks close to where Vegan Coach, Ron Benjamin coached.

The Placer United girls play this Sunday at Noon, against the current State Champions Mustang Rampage at Bartholomew Sports Park in Elk Grove.

The Placer United Board require all fans planning to attend to get a manicure and to bring a Caesar Salad for Ron to chew on…

Four of the Placer United girls teams played in elimination games in State Cup action this past weekend at Cherry Island. The Placer United U17 Girls ’94 Gold reached the State Championship game and have also secured a spot in the Far West Regional Championships in Boise, Idaho this June.

The U17 Girls ’94 Gold survived very stiff competition against some of the best teams in the State to advance to the State Cup Final. The girls up-ended Santa Clara Sporting in the quarter-finals on Saturday 1-0 and then went on to defeat the Santa Rosa Aftershocks 2-1 in the semi-finals. The girls will play this Sunday at noon, versus Mustang at Bartholomew Sports Park in Elk Grove. The girls also qualified for the Far West Regional Championships this June in Boise, Idaho. Please come out and support the girls and the Placer United Soccer Club this Sunday.

The U18 Girls ’93 Gold squared off against the MVLA Avalanche on Saturday and lost a heart-breaker 1-0. The clash between these two teams is an old rivalry and the girls came up short in the quarter-finals. Congrats to all of the players and families of the 93’s as they have secured great memories for the Club including the 2008 U.S. Club Soccer National Championship.

The U16 Girls ’95 Gold had a very difficult matchup in their quarter-final. They faced a very talented Lamorinda squad and came up short, losing 1-0. The girls left everything on the field and had a a handful of quality chances to equalize. The girls had a fantastic season highlighted by a semi-final appearance in the Summer Surf Cup in San Diego.

The U14 Girls ’97 Gold made it all the way to the quarter-finals and had a date with the two time State Cup Champion, Mustang. Aside from a 15 minute lapse in the first half, the game was played at a furious pace, going back and forth, with both teams having quality scoring opportunities. The girls were defeated 3-0 but the game was much closer than the score line. This group of girls won the State Cup Championship in 2010.

Congrats to all of the teams on a fantastic run through the State Cup. Special acknowledgment to the U18 ’93 Girls team who have now completed their youth soccer career with Placer United. They will all now go their separate ways to study and play college soccer.

Please join the U17’s on Sunday in Elk Grove for the State Championship game!

Placer United U14-U18 Girls Teams have all participated in State Cup Competition. Here is a breakdown of the Cup games:

U14 Black 97 – The girls made it all the way to the quarter-finals of the Norcal Cup Gold Division. They opened with a 2-1 defeat to Turlock and then went on an excellent run. They defeated Livermore 3-0, drew with Walnut Creek 0-0, defeated Marin FC Red and Bay Oaks 1-0. In the quarter-finals, they were defeated by Milpitas 2-1.

U14 Gold 97 – The girls made it to the Round of 32 with 3 solid victories in the State Cup. They had a 3-1 win over Bay Oaks, 2-0 win over MVLA Blue and a 3-0 win over San Carlos. The girls play this weekend against Diablo FC.

U15 Gold 96 – The girls had an excellent weekend, yet came up a bit short. They opened with a 3-2 win over Castro Valley and then had a 2-0 defeat at the hands of the Livermore Fusion. The draw was such that two of the better teams in the State had to match up in the first round. It was a very tight game with Placer United having many chances to equalize the score. They finished up with a 1-1 draw with Bullard.

U16 Gold 95 – A 2-2 draw with Orchard Valley and a 5-0 win versus Mustang Velocity have put the 95’s into a penalty kick shootout on Sunday with Orchard Valley to see who advances to the Quarter-Finals.

U17 Gold 94 – The U17’s went undefeated in group play. They had a 0-0 draw with Deanza Force, 12-0 win versus E. Fresno and a 8-0 win over Delta. They advanced to the Quarter-finals and face arch rival Santa Clara Sporting.

U18 Gold 93 – The 2008 U.S. Club National Champions won all three of their matches in the first round. They had a 1-0 win over Fremont, 2-0 win over DeAnza and a 5-0 win versus Merced. The girls now see rival, MVLA Avalanche in the Quarter-finals.

Great job to all of the teams in Cup competition!

Loomis, CA — Placer United Soccer Club is pleased to present the coaching staff for boys and girls U15-U18 teams for the upcoming 2011/2012 soccer season. Placer United coaches are selected based on their experience, advanced degrees and their willingness to stay on the cutting edge of instructional techniques to help Placer players reach their full potential.

U15-U18 Boys Coaching Staff

U15 Boys Elite will be coached by Kelsey Chaidez. Kelsey holds a USSF “B” Licence, NSCAA “Advanced National” Diploma, and the NCCAA “National Youth” Diploma. Kelsey is also Placer United’s Technical Director. Kelsey is entering his 4th year as a Placer United coach.

U15 Boys Premier will be coached by Matt Scammacca. Matt holds a USSF “B” License, NSCCA Goalkeeping 1 and 2 Diplomas. Matt is also the Del Oro High School Varsity team coach. Matt is entering his 8th year as a Placer United coach.

U16 Boys Elite will be coached by Danny Cruz. Danny holds a National “D” Licence, and NSCAA “Director of Coaching” Licence. Danny is a former DOC of the San Juan and Elk Grove soccer programs. While at Elk Grove, Danny guided his team to the 2003 USYSA National Finals finishing 2nd. Some of those players are currently involved within the U.S National Team.

U17 Boys Elite will be coached by Jason Gantt. Jason holds a USSF “A” Licence, and NSCAA “National” Diploma. Jason is the head coach of Sierra College Women’s Soccer Team and has been a member of Placer United’s coaching staff since 2000.

U18 Boys Elite will be coached by Danny Cruz. Danny hold a National “D” Licence, and NSCAA “Director of Coaching” Licence. Danny is a former DOC of the San Juan and Elk Grove soccer programs. While at Elk Grove Danny guided his team to the 2003 USYSA National Finals finishing 2nd. Some of those players are currently involved within the U.S National Team

U15-U18 Girls Coaching Staff

U15 Girls Elite will be coached by Ron Benjamin. Ron holds a USSF “A” License and NSCAA “Premier” Diploma. Ron also serves as the Girls Director of Coaching and has been with Placer United for 5 years.

U15 Girls Premier will be coached by Todd Decarlo. Todd holds a USSF “C” License and has coached many successful teams within the soccer club. Todd has been a member of the Placer coaching staff for 8 years.

U16 Girls Elite will be coached by Todd Decarlo. Todd holds a USSF “C” License and has coached many successful teams within the soccer club. Todd has been coaching at Placer United since 2003.

U17 Girls Elite will be coached by Gene Duchateau. Gene holds a USSF “B” License and his success in player development and results speak for themselves. This team will be assisted by Ron Benjamin. Gene is the longest serving coach at Placer, investing 18 years of his life into the program. Gene is extremely proud of the way the club has developed into a power house both on and off the field

U17 Girls Premier will be coached by Crystal Chaidez. Crystal holds a NSCAA “Premier” Diploma and has had great player development success within the soccer club. Crystal also was a member of the Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) combine in 2008. Additionally, she has been a semi-professional soccer player with the Sonoma County Sol. Crystal is entering her 3rd year as a coach at Placer United.

U18 Girls Elite will be coached by Ron Benjamin. Ron holds a USSF “A” License and NSCAA “Premier” Diploma. Ron also serves as the Girls Director of Coaching. Ron is entering his 5th year with the Placer United organization.

Placer United coaches have more U.S. Soccer Federation coaching licenses than any competitive soccer club in the Greater Sacramento region. The unwavering dedication of our coaches is among the reasons why Placer United is nationally recognized as one of the premier youth soccer clubs in the country. We look forward to a strong 2011/2012 season.