USYS National Champion Award Winners on Scouts Radars

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The US Youth Soccer National Championships were held in Orlando, Florida with teams in the U13 through U19 age groups competing for the national title in each age group. After a long qualifying process, the National Championship was the culmination of a successful season for those lucky teams.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>From the teams that compete at the event, there is a Best XI named for each age group including a Golden Ball and Golden Glove winner. For players in the recruiting process, these awards can be a significant step in earning attention from a program at a higher level. A couple of players from the class of 2024 had stellar showings during the event that should help them get onto the radar of college scouts for the upcoming start to the new club season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_62e2c2a519300","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["52049"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='52049' first='Morgan' last='Kotch'] was the Golden Ball winner in the Girls U16 age group at the 2022 USYS National Championship. The 5-foot-5 forward is a dynamic attacking talent. She is a high work rate player. She will track back defensively and win the ball for her side. On the ball, she is a force that can bully defenders with ease. She showed her quality against  defenders this week as she will punish any space given. She is right-footed with a lethal shot inside 20 yards. She could be a center forward or a winger at the next level.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["52050"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Alex Lehnert and Chicago Inter had a great showing in Orlando. The Illinois squad played some really attractive soccer, which was a favorite for the neutral - and also an encouraging sign for college coaches looking for intelligent players to step into their program immediately. Lehnert is a traditional center forward, and a true goal scorer. She is great at playing with her back to the goal, but also at playing off the shoulders of the defender. She can finish with either foot and has good ball control to give her the chance to pull a quick shot off in tight spaces. She was dominant during the US Youth Soccer National Championships and looks to have a bright future. She won the Golden Ball in the U17 age group for her play with the Chicago Inter 05 squad.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"Kate Hopma","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"100","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Libertyville","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"Libertyville FC 1974 Elite","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Hopma claimed the Golden Gloves in the U16 age group after blocking the final penalty kick to seal the National Championship for her side. Beyond her heroics in the kicks from the spot, the goalkeeper from Illinois showed her quality throughout the event as one of the top prospects from the position in the state from her class. Hopma's save in the PK shootout showed some of her best attributes - she is good at reading the opponent and has the athleticism to react late enough to get a read before committing. During the high school season, she continuously showed great instincts on when to come off her line. She was excellent at shutting downing breakaways with good technique on tackles. She was aggressive off her line on crosses, and not afraid to secure the ball in traffic. She has good technique on distribution and can be a weapon for her long drop kicks. Hopma's highest upside comes from her ability to raise her game in the big moments. She made key saves for her club team during the run in Florida, and it has been a trademark of her game this season. It's an asset any college coach looks for from the goalkeeper, considering how important that position is to the success of a program.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"Zoe Wittkop","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"5'0u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"102","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Le Mars Community","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"Dakota Alliance ","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Wittkop impressed at the USYS National Championship to earn a spot on the Best XI team, the only player from her team to get that honor. The rising-junior had a stellar sophomore season for Le Mars Community (Iowa). She scored 13 of her team's 28 goals during the campaign. She has qualities to suggest she will be one of the top recruits from Iowa from 2024 - and a player that should be on the radar of the Division I programs in the state. She is skillful, quick, and a baller. She is dynamic on the ball with a great first step acceleration to create space. She can finish with either foot, and has excellent ball control with both feet. She plays as either an attacking midfielder or as a forward. Her future is probably as a No. 10 considering her high work rate, but playing as a false No. 9 would also be a good spot for her. She is a big time prospect who burst onto the scene with her performance in Orlando, and one to watch from the class of 2024.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":4,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LetqWP5Z7MM","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LetqWP5Z7MM </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_62e2cb2719304","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Uchan Kohring","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"103","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Rockhurst","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"KC Athletics Galaticos","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Uchan Kohring was the Golden Ball winner for the USYS National Championship U16 age group. Watching him on the field against some of the best teams in the country, he is a player who looks like he is already capable of competing on that next level. He is lightning quick in his actions. He plays as a center forward and has the breakaway pace. He scored quite a few goals through his defensive work, as he punished mistakes and gave defenders a false sense of confidence that he would take a play off. He is a top talent from the class of 2025 in the national landscape.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview"} /-->