Small Town Team Needs Your Help
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For most of us, playing for a National Championship in a sport we grew up loving was all but a dream that we have outgrown. For a group of boys in Oakdale that dream is becoming a reality, but they need your help to see it realized. The Oakdale Gunners U16 soccer team,
whose backgrounds are as diverse as California itself, began their season with one goal in mind, to win the Northern California championship known as The Presidents Cup. At the time this seemed to be quite an ambitious goal. After all, this was just a group of 14 and 15 year old boys from a small but proud town in the Central Valley and there were over 400 teams across Northern California competing for this title.
Not caring about the odds, these boys came together to learn all the important lessons organized sports has to offer. They have learned that hard work and perseverance is required for success. They have learned to face adversity and believe in themselves and their teammates, against great competition, playing through injuries and near exhaustion. But perhaps most importantly they have learned that with passion, dedication and a commitment to something bigger than themselves, no obstacle is insurmountable. They are now learning that the opportunities that present themselves as a result of hard work can be larger than they ever imagined.
Their lofty goal was realized in April when the Oakdale Gunners beat a tough San Jose team to win the Northern California Presidents Cup, punching their ticket to be the sole representative of Northern California in the regional showdown in Seattle Washington. In the quest to be Region IV champions they will have to first face the champions from Oregon, Nevada and Southern California. If they win that bracket they will continue to play winners of the other 14 states that make up Region IV for the championship and the opportunity to go to Nationals in July.
With new success come new challenges. The cost to get these 20 boys to Washington for this six day tournament, provide lodging, meals and supervision will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $8k to $10k. Our team is engaging in several fundraisers which will all be posted on the teams Facebook page.
(https://www.facebook.com/ profile.php?id=100008614690986 )
My hope with this campaign is to add to those funds being raised and ensure every one of these boys can make the trip and continue their incredible story.
Any contribution is greatly appreciated. We are part of the Oakdale Youth Soccer League and are a registered non-profit organization. In an effort to reduce travel costs the team will not be staying in expensive hotels. Instead we have opted to camp at a nearby campground and through the support of families will be preparing our own meals during the trip. Please know that your donation directly supports the boys on the team. Our coaches are volunteers and receive no compensation for their efforts.
whose backgrounds are as diverse as California itself, began their season with one goal in mind, to win the Northern California championship known as The Presidents Cup. At the time this seemed to be quite an ambitious goal. After all, this was just a group of 14 and 15 year old boys from a small but proud town in the Central Valley and there were over 400 teams across Northern California competing for this title.
Not caring about the odds, these boys came together to learn all the important lessons organized sports has to offer. They have learned that hard work and perseverance is required for success. They have learned to face adversity and believe in themselves and their teammates, against great competition, playing through injuries and near exhaustion. But perhaps most importantly they have learned that with passion, dedication and a commitment to something bigger than themselves, no obstacle is insurmountable. They are now learning that the opportunities that present themselves as a result of hard work can be larger than they ever imagined.
Their lofty goal was realized in April when the Oakdale Gunners beat a tough San Jose team to win the Northern California Presidents Cup, punching their ticket to be the sole representative of Northern California in the regional showdown in Seattle Washington. In the quest to be Region IV champions they will have to first face the champions from Oregon, Nevada and Southern California. If they win that bracket they will continue to play winners of the other 14 states that make up Region IV for the championship and the opportunity to go to Nationals in July.
With new success come new challenges. The cost to get these 20 boys to Washington for this six day tournament, provide lodging, meals and supervision will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $8k to $10k. Our team is engaging in several fundraisers which will all be posted on the teams Facebook page.
(https://www.facebook.com/ profile.php?id=100008614690986 )
My hope with this campaign is to add to those funds being raised and ensure every one of these boys can make the trip and continue their incredible story.
Any contribution is greatly appreciated. We are part of the Oakdale Youth Soccer League and are a registered non-profit organization. In an effort to reduce travel costs the team will not be staying in expensive hotels. Instead we have opted to camp at a nearby campground and through the support of families will be preparing our own meals during the trip. Please know that your donation directly supports the boys on the team. Our coaches are volunteers and receive no compensation for their efforts.
Organizer
Oakdale Gunners
Organizer
Oakdale, CA
