TopDrawerSoccer.com just published their Top-100 recruits for 2011, and the MVLA Avalanche Team had three players named: Abby Dahlkemper, Kelsey Foo and Sandra Ley.

MVLA Avalanche players Sandra Ley and Kelsey Foo were selected to travel with the '93 Region IV ODP Team and train/compete at the Regional ODP Camp in Coral Springs, Florida from November 20th-26th. The Region IV Team is coached by Jerry Smith/head coach, and assistant coaches Lauren Hanson and David Simone. The "MVLA Twins" get to spend Thanksgiving traveling from the Florida Camp directly to San Diego to compete at the College Surf Cup.

MVLA "Twins" Sandra Ley and Kelsey Foo were named to the '93 Region IV ODP Team yesterday after a week long tryout at the Regional ODP Camp held at the University of Idaho. Ley and Foo attended the camp with Avalanche teammates Geena Graumann and Kelly Jarvis, who were also chosen to attend from the talented '93 Cal-North State ODP Team. A full report of the week's training and tryout was posted online. Congratulations to ALL the girls!

The MVLA Avalanche Team are about to head into a buzz-saw of soccer competition as they compete at the Pleasanton Rage Showcase and Surf Cup Tournaments.

The Avalanche Team drew four SoCal Teams in their Pleasanton Rage Showcase Super 1 Group bracket (view schedule). MVLA plays Arsenal FC on 7/25 at 8am on Sportspark Field #10, then West Coast FC on 7/25 at 2:40pm on Field #11, then Real SoCal on 7/26 at 8am on Field #10, and Notts Forest FC at 2:40pm on Field #11. Driving directions to the field can be found on our team calendar.

The following weekend, the team will make their fifth appearance at the Surf Cup Tournament. MVLA plays Real SoCal White on 8/1 at 12:20pm on Field #16, then Albertson SC Fury at 5:40pm on Field #16. Their 3rd bracket game is 8/2 against Eagles Premier at 12pm on Field #15. A complete schedule is posted online.

After the team competes at these two college showcase tournaments, they will play in the 2009 Fall FarWest Regional and GSSL leagues during the Fall.

Katie Crum, Amanda NeSmith, Stephanie Busch and Crystal Shaffie attended the last FC Gold Pride home game and volunteered to serve as "Mentor Coaches" for the FC Gold Pride Charities organization - led by Mary Crum, Executive Director. The Gold Pride Charities (GPC) is a non-profit organization committed to mentoring young girls to become confident young women through participation in soccer-related events. By providing girls the opportunity to develop relationships with high school, college and professional female athletes, GPC provides girls from low- income neighborhoods an opportunity to connect with role models who can demonstrate to them what they can achieve through teamwork, practice, dedication and an eye towards a goal – on the field or in life. Please visit their website at www.thegoldpridecharities.org or check-out their Facebook page.

The MVLA Avalanche Team will restart practices in late June and prepare for a busy summer of soccer tournaments and college soccer camps. The team played soccer non-stop the past two years after they won back-to-back State Cup titles, competed in the FarWest Regional Tournament, into summer soccer tournaments and Fall League. The Avalanche are on a soccer sabbatical during the month of May-mid-June, and limited efforts to cross-training workouts. Last weekend they were treated to watch a FC Gold Pride game against LA SOL, and got to take a photo with the Samba Queens of the WPS: Marta, Adriane, Erika, and Formiga.

A handfull of players have been busy with ODP commitments; Kelly Jarvis, Erin Robinson, Geena Graumann, Sandra Ley and Kelsey Foo have been training with the '93 Cal-North State ODP Team and working towards selection to the Region IV ODP Camp, while Abby Dahlkemper prepares for some U17 National Team trips. Crystal Shaffie will join her '92 Regional ODP Team for camp in June.

MVLA will start training in late June, then go straight into a very busy and intense Summer-Fall Season at the Pleasanton Rage Showcase and Surf Cup, then Fall League competition.

The MVLA Avalanche Team completed the 2009 Cal-North State Cup Tournament as Finalists with a tough 0-1 loss to the DeAnza Force Team in the Championship match. DeAnza got the only goal of the game in the first five minutes when Force forward Alesha Blair and MVLA defender Sandra Ley both tumbled in the Avalanche goal box while Blair was racing to goal. It looked like both girls were running should-to-shoulder when they both fell, but the referee determined it was penalty and gave the Force a penalty kick. DeAnza seemed to have the upper hand during the first half of the game and were first to the ball and passed very well. After halftime, Avalanche turned the tide and held more posession of the ball and repeatedly attacked the Force defense; even earning four consecutive corner kicks againt the Force, but DeAnza held-on for their first State Cup victory. Both teams played a very fast, physical and clean style of soccer and demonstrated why both teams can go down to SoCal and beat the best in the country.

Congratulations to the Avalanche players and coaches for earning four consecutive trips to the State Cup Finals since 2006, and earning two State Cup Championships and two 2nd Place Finalist results. The team had to compete in a very tough 2009 State Cup tournament while carrying 3-4 injured players every game. MVLA showed a lot of character, and while they struggled with injuries and fell behind in the last three games leading to the Finals, they managed to come from behind each time and win those games to earn a fourth trip to the Championship.

Most of the team will now get a short rest during the month of May for the first time in two years before heading into a summer of college showcase tournaments. Five players have to report to Cal-North State ODP duty and one is busy with the U17 US National Team.

The Avalanche Team was accepted into the Surf Cup and Pleasanton Rage Showcase Tournament last month, so they will turn their focus to preparing for those competitions.