Academy

Youth Playoffs: Day two notes





After breakfast at the hotel, the U18s piled onto the bus to Pizza Hut Park for their first match of the Showcase. The Revs came back from a two-goal deficit to earn a 3-2 victory against the Clearwater Chargers, which you can read about in the game recap, establishing a solid foundation for the remainder of the event.


The Under-16s took the bus over from the hotel midway through the older squad’s match, and they watched for a brief time before the coaches encouraged them to find shelter from the sun in the players’ lounge. Following the Under-18s’ win, the U16s then had a brief training session of their own.


While the younger group trained, the U18s cooled off and rehydrated in the players’ lounge – a large air-conditioned tent at the complex. In the lounge, the players got into a small foosball tournament. Cam Bielski and Adrian Reifsnyder managed to win three consecutive matches before being upset by a challenging pair.


The two teams reunited on the bus before noon and headed back to the hotel for a session at the pool, lunch and meetings.


Since the U16s do not begin play until tomorrow, the teams had much of the afternoon to themselves. Some players chose to linger at the hotel, while others made their way over to a mall that is within walking distance.


Playing off of the organization’s tradition of Revs Jersey Friday, the players and coaches all donned a soccer jersey off their choice for dinner, which was again enjoyed at the same local restaurant. After a quick stop for cupcakes – the Snickers flavor was a hit, especially – everyone made their way back to the gates of Pizza Hut Park for a team photo.


The teams again split for meetings with their respective coaches, and are now enjoying some more time off before curfew.


Tomorrow, the U18s will play Shattuck-Saint Mary's tomorrow at 10 a.m. ET, in their second game of the Showcase. Following that, the U16s will take on North Carolina Fusion at 12 p.m. ET in their first game of the Playoffs.