Santa Cruz Beach Soccer

 

Source: TheBaySoccer.com 

BEACH SOCCER IN SANTA CRUZ

August 28, 2008

Santa Cruz, California - The Santa Cruz Beach Soccer Club will play a Beach Soccer Exhibition Match against the San Francisco Seals (PDL) on Saturday, August 30 at 11am at the Main Beach in Santa Cruz.

Founded by Yuri Morales (Beach Soccer US National Team and former California Victory forward), Santa Cruz Beach Soccer Club is a newly-formed Soccer Club dedicated to Beach Soccer.

Santa Cruz Beach Soccer Club (SC BSC) is a Santa Cruz based business that organizes Beach Soccer programs including competitive and recreation opportunities. The mission of SC BSC is to provide an organized structure of Beach Soccer programs and to promote the game of Beach Soccer at the local level. SC BSC offers elite Beach Soccer players access to professional training and competition and is currently developing youth and recreational Beach Soccer programs. SC BSC is offering pick up Beach Soccer "Play Days" in the summer of 2008.

The SC BSC's roster against the Seals, includes 4 players from the US Beach Soccer National Team (Jevin Albuquerque, Brendon Taguinod, Austin Roman and Yuri Morales)

Yuri Morales (11) and Jevin Albuquerque (8) with the
US Beach Soccer National team / Photo: David Diaz

 

The US played in the 2006 and 2007 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup after winning consecutive North and Central American Championships (CONCACAF).

 

"We are thrilled to host the Seals and we look forward to the challenge." said Santa Cruz BSC Founder and player Yuri Morales, "Playing with and against the best local talent will help raise the level of competition in American Beach Soccer and will attract more interest to the sport."

The San Francisco Seals' roster includes Peter Lovell and Shea Whelan. Lovell was the Seals top scorer in the 2008 PDL season with 6 goals in just 7 games. Shea Whelan played in 10 matches for the Seals in 2008.

Beach Soccer is a deviation of the sport of soccer and has been played informally on the beach for decades. Beach Soccer emphasizes skill, agility and goals. The game is high-paced and features acrobatic moves. In 1992 the founders of Beach Soccer Worldwide, a company set to develop Beach Soccer, envisioned the Laws of the Game. Federal International Football Association (FIFA) saw the potential in Beach Soccer and adopted the game in to their organizational structure. In 2005 the first FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Beach Soccer is one of the fastest growing professional sports in the world.

 

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Source: American Beach Soccer

 

US BEACH SOCCER NATIONAL TEAM PLAYER MAKES MOVES

August 13, 2008

Santa Cruz, California - Yuri Morales, current US National team beach soccer player begins to hold weekly Beach Soccer trainings on the Main Beach in Santa Cruz, CA in response to the CONCACAF Beach Soccer World Cup Qualifier that took place in mid April.

Earlier this year, April 17 -19th, the US team was unlucky not to qualify for the 2008 Beach Soccer World Cup that was held in Marseilles, France. The US team was knocked out by Mexico and El Salvador. This was the first year the US failed to qualify.

When asking Yuri Morales what is inspiring you to organize these beach soccer play days, his response was, "My inspiration is the quest for the US Beach Soccer National Team to qualify for the 2009 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Dubai."

American Beach Soccer (ABS) - "Where and what time do these "Beach Soccer play days" happen?"
Yuri - "Main Beach in Santa Cruz in front of the Cocoanut Grove at the Beach Boardwalk. Saturdays at 11am"

ABS - "Who is invited to these play days? Can anyone come? Coed? Age?"
Yuri - "At the moment the Beach Soccer trainings are open to everyone. Beach Soccer is a developing sport and the goal is to find the best players around. Once there are enough players interested in Beach Soccer we will split up the group. Expert players can participate in elite level training sessions and intermediate and beginner players can play recreational games."

ABS - "Do you have a goal with what you want to do with these play days?"
Yuri - "My personal goal is to improve as a Beach Soccer player. Another goal is to do what I can to help promote the game of Beach Soccer in the US.

ABS - "Do you think your grass roots efforts are going to pay off?"
Yuri - "Yes. There is no doubt in my mind that the game of Beach Soccer has the potential to gain momentum and explode in popularity. The first step is to get more people playing the game and talking about it."

ABS - "How did you become interested in Beach Soccer?"
Yuri - "I was first invited to play Beach Soccer by my friend and Beach Soccer mentor, Ronnie Silva."