Young soccer players compete for regional titles at Northeast Presidents Cup
Hundreds of young soccer players from across New England wrapped up four days of competition Sunday at the Northeast Presidents Cup in Simsbury.
Hosted at Westminster School, the regional tournament brought together teams competing for a chance to advance to the US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup in Wichita, Kansas, later this summer.
Joshua Krusewski, executive director with the Connecticut Junior Soccer Association, said the excitement surrounding the FIFA World Cup helped add to the atmosphere.
“These kids came here, obviously we have the World Cup going on,” Krusewski said. “These games are their World Cup. Not many of these kids are going to go on to get to a World Cup, so this is that opportunity for them.”
But as the final matches concluded Sunday, Krusewski said the tournament was about more than wins and losses.
“The referee is not always going to make the right call. The coach isn’t always going to make the right decision,” Krusewski said. “And unfortunately, sometimes you’re on the bad side of that. And sometimes you’re on the good side of that. And I think if sports can drive that and teach that to our young men and young women, I think it’s done its job.”
Several Connecticut teams came close to claiming regional championships.
A 12U girls team from Cromwell advanced to a final before falling in penalty kicks.
The Simsbury Inferno girls team also lost its final match of the tournament lost 2-0. Despite the defeat, coach Gerald Garlick, a member of the Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame, said he was proud of his players.
“All of them. Just the effort,” Garlick said when asked what he was most proud of. “I told them all I wanted to do is come, compete for 3 or 4 days, and they did it. And I’m proud of them. Couldn’t be happier.”
The tournament also served as a development opportunity for young referees, who organizers said were looking to move up the ladder and officiate bigger matches in the future.
Win or lose, organizers said the weekend was about growth, competition, and giving young athletes an opportunity to compete on one of the biggest stages many of them will ever experience.
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