Saturday, January 26 COCOA, FL – The third day of United Soccer Leagues Super Y-League ODP National Camps for their ‘89/’90 and ’91 girls consisted of four, 35-minute matches, played out at the Cocoa Expo Center in Eastern Florida. During the morning session, which began at 9AM, coaches whittled down their initial “to watch” lists that were compiled after Friday’s matches.
When the 150+ girls broke for lunch, the coaches augmented the lists based on this morning’s performances. The lists, one for each age group, will be broken down again this evening following the afternoon matches. Those matches begin at 5PM.
Also, one of the two Select Team Matches for the ’91 girls division will be played this evening. The second ‘91 Select Team Match and the ‘89/’90 Select Team Match will be played tomorrow at 10:30 AM.
“The level of play at this camp is excellent,” said the Head Coach of the W-League Boston Renegades, Darren Gallagher. “I have always been impressed by the level of play in these age groups. From a coach’s perspective, it is great to be able to see top players from all over the country.”
Gallagher is entering his first full season as head coach of the Renegades after assuming the position midway through the 2007 season.
“We started the season 0-6,” said Gallagher of the 2007 campaign. “We just had no chemistry. After we made the coachiing change, we tried to instill more passion and desire in the girls. They responded well and we insisted on maintaining a certain level of play. Towards the end of the season the girls felt a bit of passion about being a Boston Renegade.”
The Renegades won all four of their July matches heading into their finale against the Washington Freedom on Saturday, July 21 – a game where three points would have qualified Boston for the playoffs.
“That match ended 4-2, but it was a great turn-around for us,” said Gallagher. “To still be in the fight on the last game of the season was a real accomplishment considering the size of the hole we started in and the level of play in the W-League’s Northeast Division.”
The W-League’s Northeast Division includes the Renegades, Western Mass Pioneers, New York Magic, Long Island Rough Riders, New Jersey Wildcats, Northern Virginia Majestics, Jersey Sky Blue and the 2007 W-League Champion, Washington Freedom.
“We have a lot of new faces coming in for the 2008 season,” said Gallagher. “We are very excited about the team we have. I expect this to be a team that can win the W-League.”
