Soccer Saturday!

The spring 2014 soccer season in Bloomfield was just amazing. Tomorrow is Championship Saturday, the culmination of the in-town season. All are welcome to come down to Foley Field to watch hundreds of Bloomfield kids play their hearts out. It's not the World Cup or anything, but sometimes you wouldn't know it (from the parents)!

The most high-profile achievement, of course, is the boys U16 Bloomfield United team winning the New Jersey cup and being named the No. 1-ranked team in the state of N.J. If you ever get a chance to watch this team play, i highly recommend it -- it is a beautiful thing. Coach John Ricca has created a well-oiled machine, and it really makes you appreciate the game.

Then, my older daughter's U16 team, Bloomfield Fever, coached by Karen Testa, lost only one game this season playing in the top flight of MNJYSA (Mid-New Jersey Youth Soccer Association). Fever tied two games and had only seven goals scored against them in 10 games. They ended the season in second place in their flight. It was so exciting to see these girls' level of play dramatically increase over this season.

Last but not least, is the really super season I had with the in-town team i coached, K-2G Team Spain (that's us in the photo). We were the smallest team in our division (by number of members, not height) -- on a good day, we had nine girls but most game days we were playing with eight or fewer. so no subs for us; my hard-working little team played the whole hour of every game, sometimes having to run off the field during play to slurp down some water before running right back to their spot. We only won one game, but none were blowouts, and in the first round of the playoffs we lost 0-1 in sudden death(!). This was against a team that beat us 1-3 in the regular season and has 13 players (and has now advanced to the championship round)!

What the Bloomfield Soccer Club is doing for this town is immeasurable -- we are becoming one of the great soccer towns in a state known for great soccer towns. It is such a joy and privilege to be part of it, and if you have a chance to join or even just to come down and watch some soccer, please do. you will not be sorry.