AURORA, COLORADO- Monday, as the NJ Rush 02 girls team lined up in the final of the National Premier League Championship game, a whole season of hard work was on the line. Fortunately for the girls, they played the game of their lives, and they flew home with a little extra baggage for their troubles. NJ Rush 02 dominated...
AURORA, COLORADO- Monday, as the NJ Rush 02 girls team lined up in the final of the National Premier League Championship game, a whole season of hard work was on the line.
Fortunately for the girls, they played the game of their lives, and they flew home with a little extra baggage for their troubles.
NJ Rush 02 dominated NY Soccer Club 8-0 in the national final, to win the club's first national championship in its 20-plus year existence. The team, which was made up of the two NJ Rush teams at that age level (NJ Rush Central and NJ Rush South U-13), combined girls from both teams to make the foray into the NPL League this spring.
"We have two teams at this level, but only one NPL license," Beth Hart, an executive board member and the club Secretary for the NJ Rush/Hamilton Wildcats, said. "So we joined the two teams together. We had nine girls from NJ Rush Central (based in Hamilton) and nine from NJ Rush South (based in Gloucester) to play in the league."
Chris Pettit, who joined coaching forces with Bill Schute on the touchline, had the task of meshing the two teams together.
"It is a phenomenal achievement for the girls, and also for the club," Pettit said. There is a lot of work that has gone into this club over the last 20 years, so to be able to do this is amazing."
"It was certainly a challenge at the beginning to put the two teams together," Pettit said. "But myself and Bill put a plan together."
"But the credit goes to the girls," Pettit said. "Also to the parents. There was some doubt at the beginning as to whether this could work or not, but the girls bought into the philosophy and the style of play. It worked seamlessly, and could not have gone any better."
After the two grueling games to get to the final, the NJ Rush 02 girls played the game of their lives Monday in the final. It was very evident early on in the contest that they team from New Jersey would be flying back with the silverware.
"We had a tough game against Arizona in pool play," Pettit said. "We scored late on to make it 2-0, and put the match away and make the semifinals. It was another tough game against Massachusetts, a 1-0 win to make the final."
"In the final, every single player was up for it," Pettit said. "It was very much evident in the first five minutes that we would win the game. Each girl on the roster played well. They got the call to go in, and were ready. It was a clinic."
""It was just one of those moments as a coach the you just sit back, watch, and enjoy," Pettit said. "We scored goals at key moments in the game: early on, right before the halftime whistle, right after the half. It was a real testament to how much the girls put into it."
One of the most prestigious championships in the country, the NPL Finals features the champions of National Premier Leagues across the United States. Teams play several group games before advancing to knock-out rounds to determine the NPL national champion in every age group.
The team competed in the NPL this spring and advanced to the national competition when they won the regional final in June.