National Soccer Academy

HIGHLIGHTS:

• NSA82-Tigers(1982 boys) was crowned champions at the Dalecarlia Cup (265 teams).
• The NSA81-Grizzlies won second place at the Dalecarlia Cup. (heart-breaking lost on penalty shootout)
• At the Dana Cup (the second largest tournament in the world with 750 teams), five teams won their qualifying group.
• The NSA81-Dragons and the NSA82-America both went on to win third places at the Dana Cup.
• In 3 weeks, we played a total of 111 games, 64 wins, 18 ties & 29 losses, 287 goals for, 147 goals against. Five tie games were decided by Penalty Shootouts, we won 2.

Planning for NSA EUROTOUR 1994 tour began upon our return from the NSA EUROTOUR 1993. Several tryouts were held beginning November 1993. Over 250 players attended tryouts. NSA selected 68 boys born between 1979 to 1984 to join the tour. Training began in February with the NSA Soccer Festival and spanned over S months until we left for the tour. We had Sunday training sessions, weekend sleep Dyers, scrimmage games and other fun events to ensure the players become a cohesive group. Before we boarded the plane, we were all part of the National Soccer Academy in body and spirit. This early planning and training went a long way towards achieving our goals in Scandinavia. We traveled with 112 people including 68 players, 7 coaches, 4 administrators and 33 supporters.

Patrick USA was a partial sponsor of NSA. It was quite a sight to see all the players, coaches and supporters all dressed in their red-white-blue PATRICK outfit at the airport. After the team picture and the “OLE,OLE… NSA…USA’ song, we were off.

We began the tour playing in the Helsinki Cup in Finland. This tournament had 711 teams from 24 countries participating with a total of 2007 games played. NSA entered six 11 men teams. The NSA80 Force was in a group of 81 teams. The NSA81-Grizzlies and NSA81 Dragons were among 77 teams. The NSA82.Sambas and NSA82-America were among 102 teams and the NSA83 Sting were among 87 teams. For most of our players, this was their first international tournament, played in a foreign country. In the 33 games played, NSA had 13 wins, 3 ties, 13 loss, 39 goals for, 49 goals against. The NSA82-America lost to Jockey club from San Paulo, Brazil in the Quarter finals (we played the Jockey Club again in Dana cup, see results later).

After a day of sight seeing and resting in Helsinki, we boarded an overnight cruise to Stockholm. It was very pleasant waking up to the peaceful surroundings as the ship sailed between the islands near Stockholm. Borlange, the home of the Dalecarlia Cup was three hours away. This cup awards the Dala horses - a traditional gift for the region, as trophies. Remembering the results in 1993 where 3 teams were in the semi-finals, we were determined ride some horses back to Californa.

We entered eight teams, three 11 men and five 7 men teams. All games except the finals were played in the sports ground with 13 fields. The results were overwhelming. Seven teams qualified for the A-group; five by winning the group and two came in second. The NSA80 Force came in third in the B-group. Unfortunately, the NSA81-Grizzlies had to play the NSA 81-Dragons in the quarter finals. The NSA81 Grizzlies went on to win 2nd place after a heart breaking loss in penalty shoot out. The NSA82-tigers were crowned champions while the NSA82-Sambas came in third place after being the semi-final game but lost by one corner kick The NSA-82 America won the B group final. The NSA83 Stings lost in the quarter final match to a powerful Atheltico Paulistinha from Brazil. By this week, the NSA warm up ritual has solidify amongst the players and every one knows when an NSA team is about to begin a match. It was very satisfying to see the improvement in our players both as individuals and team players. NSA, especially coach Jaime Maldonado and Frederick Hsu (who traveled with the 1993 tour), fulfilled a dream by assisting the players in winning the Dalecarlia horses.

The net results for this tournament was 43 games, 22 wins, titles, 9 losses, 118 goals for, 41 goals against. We dominated the 1982 group by winning both the A and B group and third place in the A group. It would have been as ‘ALL NSA FINAL” had it not been a confusing loss by one corner kick by the NSA82-SAMBA leans in the semifinals. The NSA81 -Grizzlies won second place (loss on Penalty shootout).The NSA80-Force won third place in the B Group.

The third week was spent in Hjorring, Denmark. At the Dana Cup (the second largest youth tournament in the world with 750 teams from 42 countries), 5 teams won their preliminary group, 2 came in second to be placed in the ‘A’ group. The NSA80-Force (vs. Duran Niederan, a team from Africa) and the NSAS3-Hornets (vs. Peru) went the quarter finals that ended in heart breaking losses by penalty shootouts. The NSA82-America played with a lot a heart to reach the semifinals but fell to the mighty Brazilian club Jockey from Sao Paulo again. (As aside note, Jockey club travels 2 months every year and play in eight top level European youth tournaments to develop their players.)

It was very exciting for our players to experience this high level of competition. The NSA82-America won third place. The NSA81-Dragons beat Spain in the quarter finals on what was probably the most emotional moment on the tour when the Dragons scored the 5th goal in the penalty shootout to win the game 5-4. During the shootout, in front of over 700 people crowded around the penalty area, the NSA players held hands, kneeled, said prayers together and cheered each other on. It was 3-3 and Spain team’s turn at the spot. Their player missed. Their whole team reacted by rushing to the referee and was ready to do him bodily harm! Fortunately, there were enough people around to protect the referee. Finally, several of their adults were ejected. The atmosphere was super charged with emotions and chaos. NSA gained several hundred instant fans chanting “NSA-USA’. Tim McKinney’s shot bounced off the goal keepers hands and scored. Their player scored to tie the goals at 4-4. When Frederick Serra-Hsu stepped up, took a deep breath, smiled and placed the ball in the corner, the whole NSA group and their hundreds of newly gained fans celebrated. The players piled on each other and in general “went crazy!”. What was most impressive was the bonding and the way the NSA players handled the pressure, the chaos and the excitement. The NSA81-dragons won third place.

In the 37 games played, we had 22 wins, 6 ties, 9 losses, 110 goals for, 60 goals against. We had five fist places in the preliminary round and ended with two Dana Cups (third places). This is probably one of the best results achieved by any U.S. boys soccer clubs playing in the Dana Cup.

On Saturday, all the players and parents spent the day at a beach at Lanstrup in Denmark. It was quite a sight watching our ‘tough’ NSA players transform back to a group of young kids building sand castles!

The NSA EUROTOUR 1994 was very successful. This tour demonstrated beyond any doubts that well trained players from California can compete with the best youth soccer clubs in the world.

The NSA Players were exposed to high caliber international competition. They made friends from many different countries; shared unforgettable moments with players from around California and hopefully added some quality to their character through soccer. The behavior exhibited by our NSA players on and off the field has earned due respect from youth soccer clubs around the world.

Judging from the feedback, a high percentage of the ‘94 tour players are ready to join the 1995 tour.