By SPENCER BATES
BRADFORD, PA — The ninth annual NY/PA Corporate Cup Soccer Showcase is set to take center stage on July 27, bringing together the best local talent on both sides of the border for the chance to claim glory in the name of their state.
Last year, both the Pennsylvania girls and boys Gold teams claimed victory over their New York counterparts, granted by narrow margins. The PA girls won 4-3, while the PA boys claimed victory after a 2-2 tie was settled by the first-ever penalty shootout the Corporate Cup had seen in its eight years of existence.
This year, the New York teams will be looking to avenge those losses. Luckily, according to the Empire State’s girls Gold team coach Derek Houser and boys Gold team coach Jason Deering — both hailing from Southwestern — they have the quality roster to do just that.
“I have players that can play multiple positions all over the field,” Deering said. “Kids like Ryan Ohl (Southwestern), who can play striker, winger, center-attacking mid, center back and left back. Then I have kids like Cooper Freeman (Randolph) that get the ball on their feet and everyone’s in fear. I can put someone like Luke Griffin from Allegany-Limestone in a couple different positions depending on personnel on the other team. I love that. My favorite things to have within a soccer team are Swiss Army knives that can play any kind of position and depth. … I have those pieces on this team, and it’s fun.”
Houser echoed that sentiment.
“We got 22 girls … and they’re all so close in ability,” Houser said. “It’s just fun and exciting. Everyone brings a little something different. (We’ve) got a lot of really high-quality players, girls who have played together through travel, girls who play together on their high school teams. So, I think we’re fortunate to have a little bit of familiarity with the groups that we’re rolling with. They’re going to play at a high intensity, high pace and it should be a lot of fun. Everyone that comes out should be in for a real treat.”
Unlike other all-star-type events, roster spots were not guaranteed to anyone based on their previous high school season or grade level. The players that will take to the field at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford’s Kessell Athletic Complex were required to try out for the game, with the players making the cut split between the Gold and Silver teams.
A process that Deering described as a true spectacle to behold.
“It’s a blessing to be able to see these kids come together, play amazing soccer, have amazing talent and make it an amazing environment,” Deering said. “Just talking to these kids and hearing what they’re about, it’s an amazing thing.”
According to Houser, the try out process makes the event that much more competitive. In comparison to just being handed a spot on the team, he noted that the tryouts give the players the chance to show where they deserve to be playing.
“You have to have that drive to go and take that chance to try out,” Houser said. “I think there were 60 girls signed up, somewhere around there, and you have to be in the best 22 to be on that Gold team. I mean, there’s some really amazing players on that Silver team. So, you get that ability to sort of stand up and stand out.”
Victory will, of course, be on the minds of the New York coaches and players alike. But both Houser and Deering understand that, above all, this event is about acknowledging the effort put in by the players over the past year and giving them the platform to put their talent on full display.
“I really hope they do realize that this is like a reward for all their hard work that they put in,” Deering said. “It’s meaningful in that aspect, to be selected and to get to play with another like-soul, someone that’s also gone out and put in all that work and all that sweat into becoming good at the game. I just hope that they realize that it’s a reward for all that hard work and all that determination and ambition.”
As for the coaches, the moment is not lost on them either. Both Deering and Houser acknowledged having a great deal of gratitude that they were the ones selected to lead the New York squads out onto the field.
“It’s a really great opportunity and an honor for me,” Houser said. “I got to be one of the assistants last year, I worked with a lot of great coaches, and this year we have a lot of great coaches as well. So, yeah, it means a lot to be able to represent New York and get these girls some of the acknowledgement and recognition they deserve for their hard work.”
Deering agreed.
“It’s a great honor to coach great kids that have put a ton of work into their craft,” Deering said. “To be the person that is given that leadership position, to walk them out onto the field and get them to play together is a fantastic thing.”
The event will begin at 12 p.m. with the boys Silver game. The girls Silver game will follow at 2:30 p.m. The boys Gold match has a kickoff time of 5 p.m. and the girls Gold game will round out the day’s festivities at 7:30 p.m.
Also set to be featured at the event are seven food trucks, raffles, 50/50s, halftime entertainment and a pregame ceremony 30 minutes prior to each match start time. See below for links to the roster breakdowns for each New York team set to take the field in the ninth annual Corporate Cup Soccer Showcase.
