(Scroll to the bottom of this article for the day’s match results. Along with these daily observations from the fields, we will publish our traditional match reports from the event this coming Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday)

Day 1 Recap and Scores

ZAREPHATH, NEW JERSEY – A 2^nd day of play at the PDA  Memorial Day Showcase had me out at a number of matches in the u16 age group, as top teams battled in front of a host of college coaches.

One thing that can be easily said about ECNL competition is that it is intense. Players and coaches are getting after it as teams strive to reach the national championshps in late June.

We will have our normal detailed match reports running this Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday when more interested parties can read them. For now I wanted to just give some brief observations from Sunday’s games.

Sorry to start on a negative, but it seems the first two days of the event have been beset by injuries. This is nobody’s fault of course and it may be that it was just happening a lot at games I happened to be within sight of, but I saw a number of serious-looking knee and ankle injuries, and a couple of concussions. There were a number of young ladies newly getting around on crutches and I’ve seen ambulances taking players from the fields at least three times. The girls’ game is getting more competitive all the time. Hopefully everyone in a position of responsibility is keeping up with the trend.

Not to make light of any injury, but I had to pass along this comment. One girl was walking by me and appeared to have a heavy tape job to deal with her nose being splattered across her face (probably from a close-range shot). She also was holding a towel under her nose as it continued to bleed. Two women were walking with her and one, unable to stifle her curiosity, helpfully asked: “Does it hurt?” There was no response.

The PDA Memorial Day Showcase is a great event, with good venues and a very friendly group of volunteers. Nobody epitomizes that more than Patty Seitz, PDA’s director of tournaments. This woman has been serving the game of youth soccer for quite a few years now and is a real MVP when it comes to making this event go well. All together now, three cheers for Patty…

I watched a U16 game today between Stars of Massachusetts and Eclipse Select. It was a good game, but I was sorry to see it played on field turf. I appreciate the value of artificial surface so that teams can get in training and sometimes games when the weather is bad, but if at all possible, soccer should be played on real grass. It’s much better that way, and the grass fields here, both at the PDA main complex and around the corner at Morningside, are quite good anyway. Say yes to grass and no to plastic and rubber.

The word is out that better game coaching includes less screaming out instructions for every kick of the ball, and more careful, pointed comments. An unscientific survey indicates acceptance of that opinion is about 50/50. There is still a good bit of play-by-play yelling from coaches. Not only is it annoying, but it doesn’t help players really develop mentally. Here’s hoping for some extended moments of silence on Memorial Day and beyond.

Advertising opportunities apparently are plentiful in New Jersey. An airplane has been flying over the fields, carrying ad banners. I alternatively thought it was a waste of money and then wished TopDrawerSoccer.com was on one of them as people kept mentioning what was on the ads. Advertising works!

Remember we will have our normal match reports from this event coming on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Sunday Results

U15

McLean Youth Soccer 2, Connecticut FC 1

FC Virginia 0, Carmel United 0

Dallas Texans 1, Albertson Fury 0

FC Stars of Massachusetts 3, Ohio Elite SA 1

Bethesda SC 2, Gwinnett  SA 2

PDA 1, Ohio Premier Eagles 0

Penn Fusion 5, Virginia Rush 0

Freestate SA 3, World Class FC 1

FC Bucks 3, SoccerPlus Connecticut 0

Eagles SC 2, Scorpions SC 0

East Meadow 1, FC Delco 0

 

U16

FC Delco 0, Dallas Texans 0

Mustang SC 3, Colorado Rush 1

East Meadow 1, Irvine Strikers 1

Heat FC 3, De Anza Force 1

Connecticut FC 4, Virginia Rush 1

Concorde Fire 0, Pleasanton Rage 0

SC Del Sol 1, SoccerPlus Connecticut 0

Eclipse Select 3, FC Stars of Massachusetts 1

World Class FC 2, Gwinnett SA 0

Bethesda SC 3, Slammers FC 1

Eagles SC 2, McLean Youth Soccer 1

Scorpions SC 1, Las Vegas Premier 0

Real So Cal 1, Penn Fusion 0

Dallas Sting 0, Ohio Elite SA 0

Carmel United 2, Sereno SC 1

PDA 2, So Cal Blues 1

Ohio Premier Eagles 2, Birmingham United 1

Solar-Chelsea 2, Minnesota Thunder 0

Arsenal FC 2, FC Bucks 1

San Diego Surf 2, Albertson Fury 1

FC Virginia 2, Real Colorado 0

West Coast FC 4, Freestate SA 2

U17

Scorpions SC 5, Mustang SC 1

Real So Cal 1, Ohio Premier Eagles 1

Albertson Fury 2, FC Bucks 2

East Meadow 2, Eagles SC 1

San Diego Surf 2, FC Stars of Massachusetts 1

Freestate SA 4, Arsenal FC 0

World Class FC 4, West Coast FC 0

Penn Fusion 3, SC Del Sol 2

Minnesota Thunder 2, McLean Youth Soccer 2

Colorado Rush 2, FC Delco 1

Heat FC 2, De Anza Force 1

Concorde Fire 0, Dallas Texans 0

Carmel United 3, Gwinnett SA 2

Solar-Chelsea 3, Connecticut FC 0

Eclipse Select 1, PDA 0

Virginia Rush 1, Irvine Strikers 1

Bethesda SC 3, Real Colorado 0

Dallas Sting 1, So Cal Blues 0

Birmingham United 1, Sereno SC 0

SoccerPlus Connecticut 4, Las Vegas Premier 1

Ohio Elite SA 2, Pleasanton Rage 0

 FC Virginia 2, Slammers FC 1