ZARAPHETH, NEW JERSEY – The opening day of the PDA Memorial Day Showcase and the Red Bull/ECNL National Finals brought with it a spirit of optimism and a generally pleasant experience here Saturday.

Starting with the weather, which combined warm temperatures with a refreshing breeze, just about the whole situation was optimal.

The PDA facility was immaculately groomed, with not a long blade of grass to be found. The routing, refreshment areas and parking was well-handled and without sounding corny, everyone seemed to be smiling.

Most of the buzz on the day seemed to be about the beginning of ECNL, with 40 clubs beginning play in the fall, but in truth, this event is more about the beginning of the new league than the end of Red Bull, which pulled its sponsorship early this season.

Coaching directors like Mike O’Neill of PDA, Jason Dewhurst of Stars of Massachusetts and Doug Bracket of Ohio Elite were all bullish on the new league. Dewhurst pointed to his U15 team’s 2-2 draw with Dallas-side Solar SC as an example of what the league should give more of.

“This is what we’re looking for, for our teams to have more matches like that where it’s back and forth and it’s tough and you have to think and perform to get a result,” Dewhurst said. “We definitely need more of this to make better players.”

A host of college coaches were on hand including those from powerhouse programs such as Texas, Florida State, North Carolina, Texas A&M, Duke and Tennessee

Other notables experiences on the day:

• Colorado Storm Copa’s U17 team looked good on the day in a 2-1 win over Connecticut FC. The nicest goal was a clever through pass by Camille Solarte for Kailey Osbaugh, who was put through alone on goal and finished 1v1. Attacking midfield player Kristen Hamilton, a Colorado recruit, was especially impressive with her ability to drop back and win the ball yet get involved in combination play in the attack.

• Solar U15 player Taylor Smith is as dynamic an attacking player as you’ll find in the country. Coaches were all around the field she was playing on and she scored two highlight-reel goals in her team’s 2-2 draw with Stars of Massachusetts.

• Carmel United U15 goalkeeper Samantha Tiongson made one of the saves of the day with a wicked point blank stoning of Wall SC attacker Shayna Blackwood.

• PDA U17 midfielder Mary Gibson Wagner appears to be in top form, judging by her distribution and attacking ideas during her team’s 4-0 win over Mustang SC in the Red Bull Championship Bracket.

• Some parents still like to yell their child’s names loudly when they are around college coaches and they see them do something that seems to them like it’s good. To be honest, this may have more effect than it should, because sitting and watching 10 hours of soccer in a day, even when it is your job, is a test of even the most patient of coaching types when it comes to attention span.

• Wall SC coach Dan Manson playfully asked a Connecticut FC parent to kick a stray ball back to him, imploring her to “show me some footskills!” Instead she picked the ball up promoting him to say “Oh, you’re a goalie” to which she responded “I’m a goalie’s mom” before misfiring her toss onto this reporter’s head.

• The only thing being talked about more than ECNL was the shot LeBron James hit Friday night that beat the Orlando Magic.
  
  
• FACT: There are no straight roads in New Jersey.
  

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