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Players from five area schools come together to form a solid contender for weekend tourney. Date published: 9/2/2005
By KURT NICOLL Putting past differences aside, the FASA Impact U18 girls soccer team will strive to put its best foot forward during this weekend's fourth annual Fredericksburg Cup tournament. Ninety teams are slated to compete in the two-day event with games being played at 12 fields located at six different sites. Seven-on-seven contests are set for U9-11 teams, eight-on-eight for U11 and 12 teams, and 11 per side for U13-18. Participation in the event has soared since attracting a dozen squads for the inaugural event. "Even though there are tons of Labor Day tournaments, Fredericksburg is a great drawing card," said Pete Cinalli, the director of coaches for the sponsoring Fredericksburg Hotspurs program. "There is so much to do here and a lot of attractions and places to go." Approximately 10 out-of-town teams were turned away when they attempted to register late. Worries about the scheduling burden on game officials was a major factor in the final decision, according to Cinalli. The Impact team is a virtual Who's Who list of top soccer players from five area high schools as well as one player from Richmond. The Impact won a Richmond Metro Soccer League crown in its first year of play last fall and is coming off a first-place finish at the Sun Cup tournament in Virginia Beach. "We played really well, considering how hot it was," center fielder Mallory Knecht of Courtland said concerning the squad's 3-1 performance at the Sun Cup competition. "We mesh pretty well, and we've added a few new players." The Impact dropped its opener, but came back to win the next three, avenging its earlier loss with a 3-0 blanking of the team from Raleigh, N.C., in the finals. The smoothness and coordination between the players is somewhat surprising, considering how little time they get to work with one another. Knecht, a member of the Courtland volleyball team, is one of a number of players limited to attending weekend sessions that focus on tactics. Midweek practices concentrate on technical skills and involve the portion of the squad not competing in a fall high school sport. Despite their divided school loyalties and varying commitments, the Impact players seem to welcome the task of playing together with one-team opponents, some of whom they played with in youth soccer leagues. "It was cool how we all came together and became like a big family," said Rebecca Ullrich, an outside midfielder from Massaponax. "We didn't know what to expect our first year together. To win the championship was nice way to end it." Soccer fields being used tomorrow and Sunday include Hotspur Park (located behind Shannon Airport off Route 2), Mary Lee Carter and Cosner parks, Thornburg and Chancellor middle schools, and Legion Stadium and Track. Besides the camaraderie and the traditional post-game exchange of team patches by opposing players, champions of each age division receive a copy of the acclaimed soccer book "Vision of a Champion" written by Anson Dorrance. To reach KURT NICOLL:
1. Be respectful. No personal attacks.
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