Spring has brought very good news for the Crusaders Soccer Club. 

Victor Melendez, Director of Coaching announced “our competitive girls’ program has been accepted to the US Youth Soccer National League, Premier 2 Division. This is a big step for our soccer club. It is the result of our growth in the number of teams, the exceptional talent of our players and coaches, and our commitment to supporting youth development through soccer for more than 50 years. I am very proud of Justin Robinett, Director of our Women’s Program for all the work he did to secure our participation in the Youth Soccer National League program.” 

Last year our competitive boys’ program began participating in the National Elite Academy 2 program (EA2).  

On April 5-6, Crusaders Soccer hosted their final weekend of EA2 home games on the turf fields at Pershing Middle School, and played games against the local Albion Soccer Club and the Sand and Surf Soccer Club from Manhattan Beach. Our 2012 team emerged victorious in both of their games, while our 2010 team finished with two ties. Our 2012 team is currently ranked in the top two of their brackets, securing a spot in the regional playoffs if season were to end today.  

At the same time, our Girls 2010 team has reached the semifinal in the State Cup competition. 

Tryouts for Crusaders competitive teams for boys and girls born between 2007 and 2010 will be held April 21-26. Check our website at crusaderssoccer.org for the times, tryout locations and to register. 

Crusaders Soccer also conducted their annual spring break camps for competitive and recreational level players April 1-3 at Pershing Middle School. 

On May 17-18, Crusaders Soccer Club will have their annual 3 V 3 Festival. 

Teams from throughout Southern California are invited to participate. This year there is a competitive as well as a recreational division. We want to thank VIVE Create Future for sponsoring our 3 V 3 Festival. VIVE produces the Crusaders recreational unforms and practice t-shirts for our competitive and recreational players. 

For more information and to register a 3 V 3 team, go to crusaderssoccer.org. 

Our recreational division has three more Sunday games to play in their 8-game spring season which ends on Sunday, May 4. Modesto Guariniello, our Director of Coaching for our recreational division has more than 600 players and 54 teams. 

“We are having a great season,” Guariniello said. “On Sundays we have games throughout the day on eight different fields in Allied Gardens, Del Cerro, and San Carlos. All this is possible because I have a great group of volunteer coaches and division coordinators. It truly takes a village to bring all this together. Take a Sunday drive and stop by and watch a game on a Sunday.”

CAPTION: Six Crusaders Soccer players under the direction of their coaches earned “Most Valuable” or “Most Improved” for attending the annual spring break camp held on the turf fields at Pershing Middle School on April 1-3. (Courtesy photo)