Help Manny reach his soccer goal!
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If you've been to the South Mason Soccer Park at all over the past 8 years or so, chances are you've seen 15 year old Manny Nicasio there. It seems like Manny is always there, whether his team is there or not. He has been one of SMYSC's most dedicated players since he started playing soccer. He's trained with his teams, he's trained with teams that weren't his, making those players better in the process, and he has helped at numerous practices for the smaller U8-U10 teams, and done all of it with a consistent smile that lights up the entire park.
This dedication to soccer has started to bear fruit for Manny. This past summer, he went to do some training at Washington Premier Football Club in Puyallup. He was working out with their U15 "A" team, currently the #3 ranked team in Washington State at all levels of competition. His initial contact with them was just to see where he matched up and to train a bit. Within just a couple short months he was offered, and accepted a position on the team and is now a center midfielder on their team. Manny has played for them since then in their league games and is lined up to play in a couple of tournaments and possibly the Far West Regional League after the first of the year.
A lot of the kids that play for Washington Premier, especially their "A" team, end up going on to the Seattle Sounders Academy team or college on substantial scholarships. It is one of the highest ranked and most respected clubs in the state. Games and tournaments they play in are regularly watched by professional and college scouts and their coaches have the highest level of licensing and experience available in the country. For a player to be good enough to play soccer for Washington Premier means they are often good enough to make soccer a profession or at the minimum, earn most or all of a college education from playing the sport.
All of this exposure and coaching comes at a price though. A lot of the kids that play soccer at this level pay around $7000 per year or more for the experience. Knowing the economy here in Shelton, we all know that's just out of reach for a lot of players here. One also has to take into account the 110 mile round trip 3 days a week to train in Puyallup and a lot of games in Seattle, Everett, Lynwood, Bellevue, etc. It's easy to see that, while this experience is invaluable to a soccer player that can play at that level, it is also quite a time and monetary commitment, and that's just the local aspect of things.
Over Thanksgiving weekend, Manny hopefully will accompany his team to a college showcase tournament in Las Vegas, NV. There is another college showcase tournament in Phoenix, AZ in February. This team plays in a few of these college showcase tournaments each year. At these tournaments are professional and Division 1 college scouts looking for the best of the best young players.
Depending on how they finish in the Far West Regional League in January, they will have a Regional Tournament next year and beyond that is possibly Nationals.
Each of these traveling tournaments cost each player hundreds of dollars each for airfare, hotel, food, etc. Again though, the scouts that go to these games can have a huge impact on the future of these players and that makes these tournaments important.
Manny will have 4 more eligible years to play at Washington Premier, assuming he can make the financial commitment. Clearly he has been able to live up to the talent level expected and the time, effort, and dedication he has shown says he's willing to do whatever it takes to make it in that highly competitive environment. To top it all off, Many is handling all of this while holding a 3.7 GPA!
We are of the feeling that the best soccer opportunities should be given to the best players, not just the ones that can afford it and we hope you agree. Unfortunately, all to often that's not how it works. Please consider assisting us in ensuring that Manny Nicasio, one of Shelton's brightest stars, one of SMYSC's most popular soccer players and one of the biggest success stories of SMYSC, has a chance to shine as long as possible on the large stage that has been set for him for the next 4 years.
The goal is bigger than listed and if everyone who reads this just donated $1, Manny would reach his goal in no time.
Thank you in advance for your donation and please feel free to share this story with anyone and everyone!
This dedication to soccer has started to bear fruit for Manny. This past summer, he went to do some training at Washington Premier Football Club in Puyallup. He was working out with their U15 "A" team, currently the #3 ranked team in Washington State at all levels of competition. His initial contact with them was just to see where he matched up and to train a bit. Within just a couple short months he was offered, and accepted a position on the team and is now a center midfielder on their team. Manny has played for them since then in their league games and is lined up to play in a couple of tournaments and possibly the Far West Regional League after the first of the year.
A lot of the kids that play for Washington Premier, especially their "A" team, end up going on to the Seattle Sounders Academy team or college on substantial scholarships. It is one of the highest ranked and most respected clubs in the state. Games and tournaments they play in are regularly watched by professional and college scouts and their coaches have the highest level of licensing and experience available in the country. For a player to be good enough to play soccer for Washington Premier means they are often good enough to make soccer a profession or at the minimum, earn most or all of a college education from playing the sport.
All of this exposure and coaching comes at a price though. A lot of the kids that play soccer at this level pay around $7000 per year or more for the experience. Knowing the economy here in Shelton, we all know that's just out of reach for a lot of players here. One also has to take into account the 110 mile round trip 3 days a week to train in Puyallup and a lot of games in Seattle, Everett, Lynwood, Bellevue, etc. It's easy to see that, while this experience is invaluable to a soccer player that can play at that level, it is also quite a time and monetary commitment, and that's just the local aspect of things.
Over Thanksgiving weekend, Manny hopefully will accompany his team to a college showcase tournament in Las Vegas, NV. There is another college showcase tournament in Phoenix, AZ in February. This team plays in a few of these college showcase tournaments each year. At these tournaments are professional and Division 1 college scouts looking for the best of the best young players.
Depending on how they finish in the Far West Regional League in January, they will have a Regional Tournament next year and beyond that is possibly Nationals.
Each of these traveling tournaments cost each player hundreds of dollars each for airfare, hotel, food, etc. Again though, the scouts that go to these games can have a huge impact on the future of these players and that makes these tournaments important.
Manny will have 4 more eligible years to play at Washington Premier, assuming he can make the financial commitment. Clearly he has been able to live up to the talent level expected and the time, effort, and dedication he has shown says he's willing to do whatever it takes to make it in that highly competitive environment. To top it all off, Many is handling all of this while holding a 3.7 GPA!
We are of the feeling that the best soccer opportunities should be given to the best players, not just the ones that can afford it and we hope you agree. Unfortunately, all to often that's not how it works. Please consider assisting us in ensuring that Manny Nicasio, one of Shelton's brightest stars, one of SMYSC's most popular soccer players and one of the biggest success stories of SMYSC, has a chance to shine as long as possible on the large stage that has been set for him for the next 4 years.
The goal is bigger than listed and if everyone who reads this just donated $1, Manny would reach his goal in no time.
Thank you in advance for your donation and please feel free to share this story with anyone and everyone!
Organizer
John Jones
Organizer
Shelton, WA
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