Expanding its boundaries: Jersey Shore Boca accepts invitation to join elite Super Y-League
March 3, 2001
Expanding its boundaries: Jersey Shore Boca accepts invitation to join elite Super Y-League
Published in the Community section of the Asbury Park Press 3/03/01
From the beginning more than 20 years ago, the Jersey Shore Boca soccer club has been striving to be the best it could be.
Founded in 1978, Boca is one of the oldest and most respected soccer clubs in New Jersey. The club is based Toms River and programs include youth level teams from U12 to U19, a men’s U23 team and a men’s semi-pro team.
This week Boca said the club has accepted an invitation to participate in the United Soccer Leagues “Super Y-League” for the 2001 season.
A direct affiliate of the United States Soccer Federation, the Super Y-League is a professionalized system that is the first building block for developing the highest level youth soccer players in North America. The league is specifically designed to provide for the needs of elite youth players by organizing week in and week out intense competition in a professional environment at a regional level within a national league format.
The league will attract the top 1 percent of youth soccer players who aspire to play in college, the A-League, Major League Soccer, for National Teams or play abroad. The Super Y-League is the only national youth soccer league in the United States and Canada.
“This is a great opportunity for our local shore players to be recognized by professional, collegiate & national coaches who would not ordinarily get to see these players,” said Walt Pericciuoli the director of coaching for Boca. “‘The National Olympic Development Program (ODP) has its place, but I’m convinced that it is not the best way to select players, or to develop them. With the Super Y-League, players will be competing on a regular basis at a very high level.
“By natural process, the best players will rise to this level, and coaches, pro and college, will see these players playing their natural positions with their teams trying to win week to week,” he said.
Jersey Shore Boca is currently conducting open tryouts and evaluations for any U14 to U18 player who desires to participate with one of the Boca Super Y League teams for this season. No restrictions apply.
For more information about the tryouts and evaluations, telephone Pericciuoli at (732) 269-0838 or e-mail him at Wpericci@aol.com.
“Our club was founded in 1978 with a mission to provide the highest level of training and competition available to help Shore area soccer players develop and continue their playing careers beyond high school,” said Walt Konopka, the Boca treasurer. “We have accomplished that for the past 20 years. Just take a look at some of our alumni who have gone through our program. Participation in the Super Y-League will be a continuance of our mission.”
“In the Super Y-League, youth soccer clubs will have a direct link to the professional leagues and the USSF. The Super Y-League has mandated that within two years, all the coaches assigned to a Y-League team must be USSF ‘A’ licensed or equivalent (the highest soccer coaching level in the United States). That alone will guarantee more players being developed by qualified coaches than ever before.” said Pericciuoli.
The cost for playing on one of the teams will be $200 annually.
Joe Adelizzi is an Asbury Park Press staff writer.
Published on March 3, 2001
news