Golden Generation of California Talent Representing USA

The U-16 and U-15 Girl's National Team pools have been selected featuring a remarkable 22 players of the 48 total selected coming from California (roughly 46% of both rosters). Starting today 11/14/2024 the girls who were fortunate enough to get the call will be competing in a week long camp in Chula Vista. It is the first training camp for this group of players who will be vying for roster spots in the upcoming U-17 Women's World Cup in Morocco coming in Mid-October 2025. 12 reside in Northern California, 9 from Southern California and Mak Whitham who spent time on both ends of the Golden State before she signed for Gotham FC.   California makes up roughly 11% of our great nations population. In a world where talent wins US National Team scouts have come to the conclusion that California is the best place in the country for developing young female soccer players. It begs the question of why is California so heavily represented in this cycle?   It comes down to a variety of factors with everyone who belong in the California soccer ecosystem deserving credit. Starting at grassroots; players, parents and youth programs are building out advantageous development plans for young prospects that optimize current and future performance. Futsal is becoming much more popular for kids who are 13 and younger. By putting young players in small spaces, with less time on the ball and more opportunities to be on the ball is a huge step in the right direction. I'd argue that a 5v5 setting on a more soccer specific surface and ball would be even better than futsal. As a futsal court and ball don't play the same way and adjusting to the difference takes time.   Individual player development has also taken a huge step forward in the past decade here in California. Young players are now working with their skill trainers just as, if not more often than they are with their club teams. For example, it is my understanding that at Slammer HB Koge they only do team training two times a week. A very different approach then most top performing clubs around the country. They purposely leave the other days to encourage players to do individual training. It is my belief that this theme really took hold during COVID and has continued since. Parents and some clubs have figured out that by focusing on their players individual skill development at particularly at young ages U13 gives kids more touches and attention than they would otherwise get in a team setting. Some players are even electing to not even join a club team to focus more on their individual development. Whether this is right or wrong I think is completely dependent on the player in question and their current circumstances. I do believe that once 11v11 games are getting played being at the best club possible with the best training environment possible is crucial.   California clubs are the best in the country and continue to prove it at the National Level. In Northern California clubs like MVLA ([player_tooltip player_id='111097' first='Chloe' last='Miller'], [player_tooltip player_id='268397' first='Gigi' last='Zuniga'], [player_tooltip player_id='199889' first='Tori' last='Williams'], [player_tooltip player_id='186196' first='Dorothea' last='Perry']), Bay Area Surf ([player_tooltip player_id='199880' first='Layla' last='Tucakovic'], [player_tooltip player_id='199887' first='Cassandra' last='Travers'], Allison Huff), San Juan SC ([player_tooltip player_id='146239' first='Rhea' last='Moore'], [player_tooltip player_id='280193' first='Emma' last='Sullivan']), Mustang ([player_tooltip player_id='199883' first='Mercy' last='Karson'], Sadie Siedel) and Davis Legacy ([player_tooltip player_id='111147' first='Elena' last='Vera']) are leading the way. All of them have their own processes in place and do things differently. I spoke with Albertyn Montoya current Head Coach at Bay FC of the NWSL. Montoya has been one of the pioneers building MVLA into the monster that it is today before he made the jump to the pros. MVLA has an incredible 4 young ladies on both rosters which is the most of any club in the country. He claims that the success of the club is built at grassroots with top coaches at the youngest age groups. They build out plans for every kid to develop optimally. When they transition into older ages 14+, and into an 11v11 environment the young ladies are drilled tactically with a club wide system in place. When you watch MVLA practice you can see why they have so much success. In Southern California, San Diego Surf (Brooke Volpp, [player_tooltip player_id='186193' first='Ella' last='Ahn'], [player_tooltip player_id='280187' first='Kayleigh' last='Cabigon']), Slammers HB Koge ([player_tooltip player_id='147278' first='Karis' last='Buehler']), Legends ([player_tooltip player_id='82522' first='Mia' last='Corona']), Beach FC (Alyssa Shima, [player_tooltip player_id='112148' first='Grace' last='Murray']), Pateadores ([player_tooltip player_id='147282' first='Kendra' last='Hansen']), and FRAM Soccer Club ([player_tooltip player_id='146237' first='Maddie' last='Freeman']). All 6 clubs have representation on these rosters and three of them won ECNL National Championships earlier this year (SD Surf 3, Beach FC 1, Slammers Koge 1). It is very telling that the best competition is on the Gold Coast.   Which brings me to my next point competition is vital. For every 1 player that makes a National Team Roster there are thousands of young players who don't and are aspiring to one day get that call. I am giving those thousands of players around California a voice by saying without you this Golden Generation of players would cease to exist. Your work doesn't go unnoticed. Whether you are teammates, the opposition, or both of one of these young women selected your participation is absolutely vital to their success. By playing against good competition in practice day to day, and games every week or at least bi-monthly forces improvement. If you have played with or against one of these young stars that is a great way to gauge yourself on what you need to do to get to where they are.   To any of you who was one of the 48 chosen congratulations. It is an honor and privilege to be in contention to represent your country. I would advise to not rest on your current achievements, it is a great start in your young careers but that's all it is! It is up to you whether you turn that promising start into something more. To the thousands of you who weren't selected. Although you may be disappointed now there is still so much more soccer left to be played and opportunities to seize. Setbacks are apart of this beautiful game. In the end talent wins and just because you are great at 15 or 16 doesn't necessarily translate to being great at 17, 18 or 19 and beyond. Keep grinding and maybe one day you too will get that call.

The U-16 and U-15 Girl's National Team pools have been selected featuring a remarkable 22 players of the 48 total selected coming from California (roughly 46% of both rosters). Starting today 11/14/2024 the girls who were fortunate enough to get the call will be competing in a week long camp in Chula Vista. It is the first training camp for this group of players who will be vying for roster spots in the upcoming U-17 Women's World Cup in Morocco coming in Mid-October 2025. 12 reside in Northern California, 9 from Southern California and Mak Whitham who spent time on both ends of the Golden State before she signed for Gotham FC.