CAL SOUTH '93 BOYS, '94 BOYS & '94 GIRLS TO COMPETE IN ARIZONA, MARCH 12-14

PHOENIX, AZ (March 11, 2010) - Cal South will have three highly talented and successful ODP teams competing in the US Youth Soccer National ODP Championships, which begin on Friday at the Reach 11 Soccer Complex in Phoenix, AZ. Preliminary matches take place tomorrow, and then the finals will be held on Sunday, March 14. The US Youth Soccer Region IV ODP Championships also took place at the same complex back in January, where Cal South teams won five out of eight regional championship titles.

The '93 Cal South boys are the reigning national ODP champions and will look to defend their crown to end their ODP careers by becoming the first boys' team to win four regional championships and two national championships in four years.

Steve Hoffman, Cal South's Director of Coaching, has praised the work of the clubs in Cal South in developing so much fresh talent. "We currently have around 250 players in Southern California taking part in US Soccer's Academy programs. That would really hurt the ODP programs of most states, but in Cal South we have some of the best players not just in the US but in the world. We have so much great talent to choose from. Our '93 team that opens up play against Pennsylvania West on Friday will feature ten players that did not play in the 2009 finals with this team. That is really incredible, and points out what great kids we have here in Cali."

The Cal South Boys '94 team responded to a crushing defeat at the hands of Nevada on PKs in the finals in 2009 by cruising through the 2010 Region IV ODP Championships. They open play on Friday against a tough Iowa team. The '94 Cal South boys will take two players from the Cal South '95 team: National Pool center-back Vincent Reyes and forward Justin Dhillon. The team also lost Takura Okada, Sagar Jambusaria, Carlos Grande, Mario Rodriquez, Wade Hamilton and Steve Rodriquez to the US U17 National Team Residency Program.

Hoffman really believes these losses are actually a positive for the Cal South ODP program. "The great thing about losing players to the National Team program or the US Soccer Academy program is it gives more kids an opportunity to represent the best clubs and state association at the next highest level." The '94s lost Head Coach Carlos Juarez when he joined Chivas USA in January one week before the Regionals. Joey Hoffman then took over the team, and with Paul La Bella on hand, they have stayed on track towards possibly winning a national championship title.

The Cal South '94 Girls have also gained a large measure of success by capturing three Region IV ODP titles of their own. They now go into Friday's action looking to claim their first national trophy. The '94 Girls open against a talented North Texas team, and both teams have been mentioned as favorites for the title, so a particularly tough match is expected.

CAL SOUTH TEAM ROSTERS FOR THE 2010 US YOUTH SOCCER NATIONAL ODP CHAMPIONSHIPS

Cal South 1993 Boys
Forwards Oscar Alba (Chelsea SC), Juan Gutierrez (West Coast FC), Alfredo Rodriquez (Aztec Premier FC) Midfielders Ricardo Gutierrez (West Coast FC), Fernando Hernandez Pugh (Eagles SC), Eduardo Oliva (Slammers FC), Steve Palacios (United FC), Lucas Dall'Orso (West Coast FC), Francisco Gamaz (San Diego United FC) Defenders Nicolas Garcia (Eagles SC), Austin Burke (Cypress FC), Ryan Felix (West Coast FC), Blake Steele (Real So Cal), TJ Perez (Nott's Forest), Edgar Rodriguez (Oxnard Pal), Conner Wilkinson (West Coast FC) Goalkeepers Jacob Tenzler (Central Coast Blues), Richard Burns (So Cal Brigade)

Cal South 1994 Boys
Forwards Justin Dhillon (West Coast FC), Jack McBean (Slammers FC), Alejandro Perez (West Coast FC), Emilio Casas (West Coast FC) Midfielders Alberto Diaz (Aztecs Premier FC), Christian Gomez (West Coast FC), Richard Damian (Aztec Premier FC), (LAFC Chelsea) Ivan Hernandez (LAFC Chelsea), Luis Navarro (Central Coast Blues) Defenders Diego Lopez (West Coast FC), Vincent Reyes, Jose Merlo (Albion FC), Jared Hegardt (Nott's Forest FC), Christopher Antunez, (LAFC Chelsea) Matt Tilley (West Coast FC), Angel Velasquez Goalkeepers Ricky Brown (West Coast FC), Colin Webb (Albion FC)

Cal South 1994 Girls
Forwards Aubrey Baker (Slammers FC), Sydney Zuccolotto (So Cal Blues), Kaitlyn Johnson (Arsenal FC), Kodi Lavrusky (Legends FC) Midfielders Rachel Conners (Real So Cal), Magena Crosson (So Cal Blues), Jamie Fink (Real So Cal), Angelisa Cortez (Slammers FC), Makenzy Doniak (Slammers FC), Danielle Weatherholt (So Cal Blues), Samantha Whitman (South Bay Force) Defenders Erica Leal (Surf SC), Regina Mannah (Surf SC), Kelsey Texeira ( So Cal Blues), Alina Cheatham (Legends FC), Maya Theuer (Surf FC) Goalkeepers Sarah Cox (Slammers FC), Cassandra Sternback (Real So Cal)