Sandpoint players doing well in youth soccer league
SANDPOINT — Eight players from Sandpoint are making a name for themselves in the country’s highest youth soccer league with the Spokane Spiders. The Spiders, which have a semi-pro team competing in the United Soccer League’s Premier Development League, have added two boys’ teams this summer, to compete in the United Soccer League’s Super “Y” League.
The teams have players from Bonners Ferry, Coeur d’Alene, Moscow, Sandpoint and Spokane. The U14 team includes five local players with Tyler Ariss, Kevin Hutchens, Harrison Reasor, Lane Smith and Andre Zarate, while the U13 team includes Raleigh Hanson, Jeffrey Rokstad and Shane Stanley. The U14s are coached by former Sandpoint Soccer Association Director, Ray Smith.
The Spokane Spiders Super “Y” teams compete in the Washington / British Columbia Division, which has six teams from B.C. and three teams from Washington.
? Abbotsford Mariners (Abbotsford, BC)
? Coastal WFC (Richmond, BC)
? Evergreen SC (Snohomish, WA)
? Mountain WFC (Vancouver, BC)
? Spokane Spiders (Spokane, WA)
? Surrey WFC (Surrey, BC)
? Thompson-Okanagan FC (Thompson-Okanagan, BC)
? Washington Crossfire (Redmond, WA)
? West Coast Capitals (Victoria, BC)
There are six levels in American soccer, starting with the Super “Y” League. Each level is designed to train, develop and identify players for the next level of soccer.
? Super “Y” League (U12 - U18 Age)
? Super “20” League (U20 Age)
? Premier Development League (Example - Spokane Spiders)
? United Soccer League - Division II (Example - Richmond Kickers)
? United Soccer League - Division I (Example - Seattle Sounders)
? Major League Soccer (Example - Los Angeles Galaxy)
? U.S. National Team
The future of soccer lives in the USL Super Y-League, a professionalized system that is the first step for developing elite youth soccer players in North America. Affiliated with US Soccer and partnered with US Club Soccer, the league is designed for talented youth players destined for professional or international careers. The league contains the youth academies of USL First Division, USL Second Division, Premier Development League, and Major League Soccer clubs, as well as many of the established premier youth clubs. Through ODP status events such as the North American Finals and National ODP Camps, the nation’s top players are identified for selection to the National Teams.
Competing at a higher level, with and against strong players, along with traveling to distant locations for competition for nine months out of the year has been a goal for these boys, and now they begin their climb to the top levels of soccer in the U.S.
Recently, the eight local players traveled to Surrey, BC and then Victoria, BC for competition. The U13s & U14s traveled together by charter bus last Friday, played the Surrey Whitecaps on Saturday, then took the BC Ferry from Vancouver to Victoria, where they played the West Coast Capitals on Sunday. Both teams held their own against some very strong opponents, with the U13s coming away with one win and a loss, and the U14s coming away with one tie and a loss.
In the U13 games, Shane Stanley anchored a very solid defense as the center back, leading his team to a successful weekend, while Jeffrey Rokstad was a spark plug in the midfield, continually battling down the wing, sending great crosses into the front runners. Raleigh Hanson also played well at both the outside midfield and outside back positions. In the U14 games, Tyler Ariss played tremendously well at the left midfield position, battling and winning balls, while Kevin Hutchens was stellar in the goal. His goalkeeping was noticed by opposing coaches, who gave him votes towards the Super “Y” League’s National ODP Pool. Defender, Harrison Reasor also had a great weekend, shutting down some of the best forwards in the Super “Y” League. Lane Smith scored on a beautiful 35-yard free kick, which hit the side netting, while Andre Zarate received votes from opposing coaches for his work in the defensive midfield position.