EMFC Chelsea - U14 Girls

Chelsea News

Chelsea is a new team that came together for the first time in June 2009, with a blend of experience, athleticism, and tremendous camaraderie and enthusiasm. The team committed to trying to become as good as it could be, as fast as it could get there, and entered three summer tournaments to prepare. In the Portland Cup, the first full games of soccer the team ever played, we competed valiantly against some tough teams, losing just one game and tied the other three. The following weekend, at the Beaverton Cup, we won our first four matches and lost a PK shoot out in the final. Then, at the Nike Cup, the team won two, tied one, and lost to the eventual winners in the semi-final. Overall, the team finished the pre-season with a record of 10-4-6, after qualifying to play Division 1 for the Fall League.

Chelsea competed well in its first league season, and having to contend with its fair share of injury, flu, and travel. We ended as a finalist, but only played the eventual winner once and tied. So, it was a strong 2nd place finish, and we ended our league season with a record of 8-3-1, for an overall record of 18-7-7; outscoring our opponents 52-17. For a newly formed team, this is an amazing accomplishment and we look forward to building upon this success in the new year.

Obviously, the strength of our team was our defense; and every one of our players (including our goalkeeper) had the opportunity to play as attackers, midfielders, and defenders during the season. This not only taught the players what the requirements were for each of the positions, but it helped the coaches determine how best to structure the team. We spent most of our time working on possession, and developing a system of play that suited our talents. If we have an area that needs most help it is in midfield, where we can improve our ability to win the ball and distribute it effectively. This will be a point of emphasis in the new session in March.