The Under-14 RUSH team, comprised of 19 players with 3 technical staff members returned to their home of Canada and Jamaica on Sunday, March 27th following a little over a week’s stay in Dallas, Texas.
First experience at Dr PEPPER DALLAS CUP 2016:
The memorable exposure to the largest tournament in this hemisphere is never to be taken lightly. Both fairly-new units (Canada + Jamaica) fused in the heat of battle but were undone by our limited preparation, collective lack of high-quality tournament experience, and severe windy and cold climatic conditions that prevailed in an unusual weather pattern.
Nevertheless, the team is eternally grateful they made the quantum leap of faith to learn under the harshest of competitions the best of what the football world demands of our next generation of players on the world stage.
Twelve Canadians and seven Jamaicans, merged on Saturday afternoon for the first time ever to enter the frey in the 37th anniversary of the prestigious Dallas Cup. Coaches, managers, administrators and parents who have never worked together in a football match or tournament, all gave hands, heads and hearts to the cause to create a better football culture for the children from both cities of Toronto and Kingston.
No Fear, cease the Future.
Buoyed with the ambition to shine, our young warriors marched blissfully into competition with a sense of adventure. They earned well-deserved respectability from the opponents, coaches, parents, scouts and onlookers at the matches, and were beaten mostly after conceding 4 of the 5 goals to the strong wind in second half play.
RUSH Academy lost 0-1 to FC Dallas, 0-2 to Chicago Magics and 0-2 to Zone Champions FC Golden State, after a 0-0 halftime score in two of the three games.
Learning the life-lessons, the team regrouped later to exact revenge in our friendly matches. First up was community team FC Premier who was beaten 3-0 by the RUSH team, then the rampage continued on Zone B second-placed Academy team Orlando City Youths Soccer 1-0, and third-placed Zone E Academy SS Maryland Lions 3-0 to end on a high.
Football growth even off the field is evident, as the boys’ discipline, deportment and visits to a Division 1 College, the tournament’s opening ceremony, MLS Stadium of FC Dallas, along with watching international games, shopping, traveling and making new friends are priceless experiences.
LOOK TO THE FUTURE:
Peeping into a crystal ball of things to come, the academy hopes to celebrate soon how it can have lush fields of the quality and quantity seen at Dallas, and that Jamaica and the Caribbean will embrace the immense potential to grow the sport of football in our region.
The quality of our play, techniques, tactics, preparation and continuous exposure to international standards of excellence are a part of our football culture, not just a distant dream.
The next step is in the Cayman Islands Youth Invitational tournament in June 2016, with more Jamaicans involved.
Forever Forward.
Source: RUSH Jamaica official website