Just For Kicks
IT took five matches in three days for the Leahi Soccer Club under-19 girls' team to make history at the 1999 San Diego Surf Cup, Aug. 7-9. Leahi’s
reputation spreadsLeahi accomplished something no other team could claim in the event's 19-year history. They defended its title, winning the under 19 Gold Division.
In 1998, Leahi defeated the Firebirds of Salt Lake City, 2-0, for the title. This year, it beat Emerald City (Wash.) by the same score.
The players on this year's team are Robyn deHay, Katie Mau, Morgan Kaya, Shanelle Piano, Erin Sayegusa, Jamie Shoma, Ka'ula Rowe, Mia Moe, Sarah Rothbaum, Leisha Makinano, Jennifer deHay, Chelsea Montero, Noelle Takemoto, Shari Nishikawa, Jodie Tanga, Angela Ichinose, Blaise Trigg-Smith and Kristin Masunaga.
Volunteer coaches Kari Morioka and Wendy Thompson have worked with the team's core group for three years. Ten return in 2000, the possible foundation for a three-peat try.
FOR the record, with Leahi's goal scorers in parentheses, the pool play results were 2-0 over FC Elite of Woodinville, Wash. (Moe, 2); 3-1 over host Surf Blue of San Diego (Piano, Rothbaum, Trigg-Smith), and 0-0 vs. St. Croix Sadhaka, St. Croix, Minn.
"The last two goals against Surf Blue were textbook. The Pepperdine women's coach (Tim Ward) said you couldn't draw it any better," Morioka said.
"That also was the game we caught Anson Dorrance's interest. He followed us everywhere after that," said Thompson.
Dorrance is the head coach at North Carolina, 14-time NCAA women's champion.
Leahi beat Charles River United, Brookline, Mass., 2-0 (Robyn deHay, Rothbaum) in the semifinal. Moe and Montero scored goals against Emerald City.
Thompson and Morioka give credit to Dang Pibulvech, an assistant with Dorrance on the 1991 U.S National Women's World Cup champions.
"We grew a lot this year as coaches. We used Dang as a sponge, especially in learning what the kids would go through in college," Thompson said.
SIX of the Leahi players, Mau (UC San Diego), Moe and Ichinose (Loyola Marymount), Tanga (San Francisco), Trigg-Smith (Dartmouth) and Masunaga (Colorado College) begin their collegiate careers this fall.
It costs each player between $800 and $1,000 for the five-day trip. But, there are rewards beyond repeating as champions. The biggest is being seen by the more than 250 college coaches attending.
"Our girls have received calls from Louisiana, Texas-El Paso and Clive Charles of nationally ranked Portland. I think it's nice that down in Louisiana and down in Texas they know Hawaii girls can play soccer," said Morioka. "Shari Ishikawa has received telephone calls from 24 college coaches."
The Leahi coaches have all players write a letter to the coach at every college they are interested in attending. They know college coaches respond by making the effort to watch Leahi's matches.
Each upper level team in the Surf Cup must provide a profile on each player. The information on academics, athletic history and personal information is a must for recruiters.
The players won't forget one moment with about 10 minutes left in the championship game.
"Dorrance walked over with his hand outstretched and said 'I really enjoyed watching your team play. You've done a great job with these girls,' " Morioka said.
"The kids just stood there with the mouths open. It was the perfect highlight for these girls who had been in training since November," said Thompson.