After an intensive two-month training regimen, the AKFC 98 United boys are taking their game on the road, having been accepted into the Premier-ranked Las Vegas Mayor’s cup International Tournament. Their training has consisted of a combination of Coerver individual-technique training and small-group and team tactics. To help prepare, the boys have also played six friendly matches against top Alaska competition, including three state champion sides.
Upon arrival in Las Vegas, the AKFC 98 United side is scheduled to play two additional friendlies, both against local Nevada competition, before the tournament kicks off. First up is the Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club 98 Gold boys, under the lights at 7pm. Once the tournament kicks off, AKFC has been drawn to open with the Las Vegas Premier Soccer 98 boys and will follow with another group-stage game against the Tempe Pros Elite 98 (AZ) boys on the same day.
Comprised of the core of the Matanuska Soccer Club side that reached the finals in the U11 premier division of the Nike Crossfire Challenge in July, and who won the U12 boys division of the Zane Cup two weeks later, AKFC 98 United also features three players from Cook Inlet Soccer Club (Velocity 98 Blue) and two from Full Force Soccer Club (FFSC 97B). The squad began their training with a week’s mini-camp under the tutelage of TR Stoneback, Director of Coerver® Coaching NW, before transitioning to regular sessions with team coaches Troy Letherman (MSC) and Jack Hepler (CISC). The curriculum continued to stress individual player development, utilizing the Coerver® method, while slowly building towards more integration of small-group attacking and defending tactics, culminating with the friendly matches, where the boys gained their first experiences in full-sided (11v11) play.
Two classroom sessions, a written test, and another round of training with TR Stoneback rounded out the final preparations. The tournament kicks off on Saturday, October 25, and updated scores and standings can be found here: www.lvmayorscup.com.
