The Premier Development Academy is regarded as the foremost club soccer program in New Jersey.  

A less known fact about it, however, is just how far this prestigious club reaches. More than simply a hallmark of Jersey, PDA has also developed a pipeline to neighboring Pennsylvania where hungry players make the trek in order to play for national championships – which PDA does annually.

Shannon Roche is a product of that Pennsylvania connection. In fact, the U17 Tsunami left back is one of the pioneers.

“I was one of the first players from Pennsylvania to play here,” Roche says proudly. “It’s about an hour drive to practice but it’s well worth the travel. I’ve been here with this club since I was 13 and now it really gives me great pleasure to see a lot of the younger Pennsylvania players being able to experience everything that is great about this club.”

PDA players like Alec Neumann, Callie Duliba and Carly Black are all club implants who cross state lines from Pennsylvania. In a small way, they are benefactors of players like Roche, who have laid the groundwork for a broader regional relationship.

Make no mistake though, there is more than a little in it for PDA as well. Roche has become a tremendous asset to the program and is a major reason the U17 team is positioned to make a run at an ECNL national title.

The PDA Tsunami will take on Ohio Elite next month in Seattle, WA, for the chance to play for the ECNL national championship - in part through Roche’s strong left foot and presence at left back.

Roche is a player with a good combination of physical and technical skills. She understands her position well and loves to join the attack. She has a great left-footed service with accuracy on the long balls and reads the game very well overall.  

Roche recently helped the Tsunami storm into the position of No. 1 seed after an undefeated performance at their home PDA Showcase event in New Jersey.

“It was very important for our team to keep our momentum going,” Roche said. “I have been to nationals three years and in the finals twice only to come up short. It’s very important to me and my team to win a national championship before college.”

Roche’s college of choice is Miami for 2011 where she can’t wait to become one with Miami Beach.

As for now, she’ll continue to help Pennsylvania and New Jersey become one harmonic soccer union.