ERIN – The U15 Girls Hillsburgh Erin and District Soccer team flew over 1,000km to the midwestern state of Minnesota and came home champions.
Head coach Rob Caldwell and his team of players travelled to the United States from July 16 to 20 to compete in the “largest youth soccer tournament in North America,” officials stated.
The Target USA Cup hosts over 1,200 teams from around the world, has over 50 fields and welcomes over 20,000 players and fans to one location: Blaine, Minnesota.
“It’s a lot of prep that’s for sure … almost a year,” Caldwell told the Advertiser.
He had been coaching this team since the girls were eight, with four of the players being from the original team.
He expressed his gratitude towards his friend Michael Glogowski for organizing the trip.
Glogowski had knowledge of the cup event as he attended three times before.
The U15 Girls Hillsburgh Erin and District Soccer team won the Target USA Cup, North America’s largest youth soccer tournament. Submitted photo
Caldwell’s oldest daughter played for Glogowski’s team 10 years prior, where they won and became champions as well.
Unfortunately, at that time Caldwell couldn’t attend the tournament.
“One day off 10 years and we won it again,” said Caldwell, still in disbelief.
It wasn’t the easiest journey, he acknowledged.
Caldwell had four players, including his daughter Lindsey, injured.
Lindsey was out for two months with a knee injury, one player was on the verge of needing back surgery, one wasn’t able to make it and another was injured.
“We’re going to this tournament with these four main players out … you can’t do the tournament with two subs, you’ll never survive,” Caldwell added.
He had hoped his players would return in time to play, but worried they wouldn’t be in “game shape.”
With three weeks until the tournament, Caldwell was in need and reached out to the Orangeville Storm U15 girls soccer team to recruit two players.
The Orangeville players joined the team and the injured players returned.
Players and coaches huddled together for a pre-game motivational talk. Submitted photo
All he was missing was a goalkeeper.
The team had lacked a keeper for years with players filling in here and there.
“We finally got one this year,” Caldwell said. “She’s never played in her life, never played until three months ago.”
Caldwell’s worries returned as his new goalkeeper had prior arrangements, forcing him back to square one.
Turns out Glogowski was in a similar position and previously rented a keeper through the tournament.
“I said to the girls ‘okay we can apply for a keeper but whatever we get, we got to support her,’” Caldwell said.
“The keeper worked out, the injured girls came back and so I had like seven subs; it worked out perfect.”
After months of fundraising and a full team, they were ready to play.
Caldwell, assistant coach Mike Phillips, coach Michael Glogowski, manager Letitia McDougall, five chaperones and the players all grabbed their passports and headed south.
The tournament had three age groups each with three categories: bronze, silver and gold.
When a team first applies, officials determine its skill level and categorizes it accordingly.
Caldwell’s team was in the silver category with seven other teams.
Their competitors were from Iceland, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Chicago, Sault Ste. Marie and Wisconsin.
They played one game per day – six in total – with the last day consisting of the semi-finals and final.
The U15 Girls team entered the opening ceremony showing Canadian pride on July 16. Submitted photo
The “Olympic-style” opening ceremony showcases the teams in the tournament and is a “highlight of the event,” officials stated.
“We marched in with all the other teams … it was the real deal,” Caldwell said.
He explained his team members held a big Canada flag and wore flags on their backs, representing their country.
Teams around the world entered the opening ceremonies in uniforms or cultural attire that showcased their countries.
“Meeting all the different teams from all different countries and coming together to play was really cool,” Caldwell’s daughter Lindsey told the Advertiser.
She explained her disbelief when her team made it to the finals.
“There was lots of happiness and lots of adrenaline, we just couldn’t believe it and still it hasn’t sunk in,” Lindsey said while reminiscing about the win.
During the opening ceremony, while teams flooded the field, she went to the Brazil players and traded a Canadian flag for a Brazilian flag.
When asked if she would go again, Lindsey replied, “yes, most definitely.”
Caldwell expressed his gratitude towards the team’s sponsors, including:
- Salon Nine;
- BAKA;
- Hot Tub Movers;
- Solmar Development Corp;
- Torburgh Enterprises;
- Anne Shanahan Team;
- Meldrum Orthodontics;
- Hillsburgh Chiropractic; and
- Rachel Caldwell RMT.
