As part of the U.S.F.C. Discovery Network, five players from Crossfire Premier were invited to the U.S.F.C. Discover America™ International Youth Soccer Showcase, June 7-10, 2007, in Irvine, CA.  This event put many of the top youth talent in the nation, face-to-face with coaches, technical directors, and talent scouts from top European clubs, with the ultimate goal of obtaining training opportunities with European Soccer Clubs.

“This showcase was unprecedented in US soccer history.  Never before was such a great opportunity made available to elite youth soccer players,” says U.S.F.C Technical Director, Don Ebert.  “Crossfire Premier is one of a few clubs we felt possessed the talent and ability to produce quality players for such an occasion.  We know that players coming out of this program are ready for higher level football.”

U.S.F.C. invited Kelyn Rowe, Fernando Monge, Alex Klein, Doug Herrick, and Anthony Arena from the Washington club.

Kelyn Rowe (F), a freshman at Federal Way High School in Seattle, Washington, leads his team (and much of his league) with 14 goals and 13 assists.  He was named to the Seattle Times 2007 1st Team All-District team and is one of three freshmen on his team.  After the showcase Rowe realized that, “I need a lot more than just talent to get there [European ranks].”  “It takes good communication and technical ability.”

 

A junior at Eastside Catholic High School in Seattle, Washington, Fernando Monge (MF) is second on his team with 8 goals and leads the team with 11 assists.  He too was named to the 2007 Seattle Times 1st Team All-District team and has made a verbal commitment to UCLA.  After training with top European coaches, Monge said he learned new things that “we don’t learn from our coaches back home.  Like communicating [more] and new tactics and training styles.”

Alex Klein (MF), who has already committed to the University of Michigan, was selected to the 2006 USL Super Y-League National team and the 2006 Seattle Times All-League team.  He currently plays on the six-time state champion U18 Crossfire team.  “This experience is a pretty rare thing for a bunch of kids to come together in front of scouts from Europe and showcase themselves.  They pay a lot more attention to detail and are more focused on it.”

Doug Herrick (G), a Jr. at O’Dea High School was named to the 2007 Seattle Times 1st Team All-District team and said, “This experience was really valuable…the training put on by coaches from TSV 1860 Munich and PSV was possibly the most interesting experience I’ve had as a soccer player.”

And Anthony Arena (D, MF), a sophomore at Inglemoor High School, in Seattle, Washington, was named to the 2007 Seattle Times 1st Team All-District team with a goal and three assists this season.  Arena was also a member of the Super Y-League National team and currently plays on the six-time state champion U18 Crossfire team.  Arena says that, “I learned what it takes to play over in Europe and what kids our age are doing over there [Europe] to prepare to play professionally.” 

Along with stellar players, Crossfire has respected coaching that has produced players who have risen into the National Residency Programs in Florida, the U17 and U20 US National teams, and onto careers in European football.

In 2003, Bernie James became the Technical Director of Crossfire Premier.  Born in England, James is a former Men’s National Team member and 24-year professional footballer, having won five championships with various teams.  He has a USSF “A” Coaching License and has contributed to several instructional and training videos.  Since joining the coaching ranks of Crossfire Premier in 2000, James has coached teams to an incredible 13 State Championships, a Manchester United Premier Cup US Championship and eighth-place at the Manchester United Premier Cup World Finals. 

Since 1997, Crossfire Premier has consistently won state, regional, and national tournaments.  In the 6 years of sending teams to the Regional Championships, Crossfire Premier has won 3 Regional Championships, with 2 advancing to the national tournament.  Crossfire Premier is also regularly included in such prestigious events as the Red Bull NL17 League and Nike Friendlies, and participates in national Olympic Development Program events.

“Crossfire has built a reputation that places it among the absolute top youth soccer organizations in the country,” says current President Brian Klein, “[We are] one of the select few [clubs] that can point to success that is uniform across the board and deep into our program…”

Based in Redmond, Washington, Crossfire Premier Soccer Club is a member of the U.S.F.C. Discovery Club Network; a network of elite club soccer programs throughout the nation that embody the talent and passion needed to create European caliber football players. http://www.crossfiresoccer.org/