TRINITY, Fla. — Florida Premier Soccer Club has produced top talent through the years. Their U-13 Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) girls’ team certainly knows what it takes to win.
What You Need To Know
- The Florida Premier Soccer Clubs U-13 ECNL team is ranked 4th in the nation.
- They competed among the top teams after qualifying for playoffs, advancing to the Sweet 16
Come rain or shine, the Florida Premier Soccer Club is here on the pitch.
Ava Ortiz says this group sacrifices countless hours.
“It’s soccer, soccer, soccer, it’s very competitive. We travel all around the country to play the best of the best,” Ortiz said.
It is a group so dedicated that its head coach Leo Martini has to make sure they have balance.
“We understand when they need some time for themselves, and trying to make sure we create some type of balance,” Martini said.
Makenna Lawler said they train for one another.
“Your teammates push you to show up and put in the work, not only for yourself, but for them,” Lawler said.
The team competed last month among the best in the nation. They advanced to the National Playoffs in San Diego, Calif.
“It shows me that all of my dedication and hard work has paid off to be here because we make a lot of sacrifices to be here,” Lawler said.
Ortiz says it’s a dream come true.
“Very grateful to have this opportunity, I think a lot of these girls are too, just being able to go to California to play is like a dream come true because I loved playing. It’s my whole life and a lot of these girls it’s the same thing for them,” Ortiz said.
The team is ranked fourth in the nation among more than 3,700 girls’ teams in their age group. They’re number one in the state, region, and southeast.
But this club is about much more than rankings, and winning games. It’s creating a pipeline of talent.
“Success in the player development, which is obviously what we’re looking for the most,” Martini said. “We’ve been in contact with the U.S. soccer federation. We know that they’re interested in some of our players, which is a great thing.”
While they hope to win it all, they’ve already won in many other ways, creating a sisterhood and an experience of a lifetime.
“To be able to go to California to play, to represent this team, this family, it means everything to me,” Ortiz said. “It’s not even like we’re friends, we’re family at this point, it’s amazing and I really love my team.”
