Youth Soccer News: Albion heads to Hollywood for appearances on Fox Soccer Channel

Set your DVRs to record Fox Soccer Channel on Sunday morning at 10am Pacific.  Noah Gins, Technical Director of Albion SC, will be appearing on "Super Sunday Plus" to talk about Albion's recent trip to Tottenham as well as the club's remarkable accomplishments over the last year.

I caught Gins in between training sessions and media appearances to get more insight for Southern California soccer families and readers of SoccerNation.

SN: I'd like to ask about the National League, your U16 team's trip to Tottenham, and Albion's recent explosion onto the national soccer team.

Noah Gins: “Sure. We have been part of the US National League for the last 2 years now, which has really pushed our program and our boys onto the national scene. We have al

Albion's Technical Director Noah Gins

so won the U.S. National League the last 2 years, which has put us into the USYSA National Championships. For us, this is the most exciting venue to play games. Each game represents your chance to play for the National Title and for us that is our goal.  For "National League," U.S. Youth Soccer picks the best teams in each age group, so each National League game is an extreme competition. We have really thrived playing in this league and tend to play our best soccer when the stakes are the highest.  During this last National League, we scored 19 goals and gave up 2 playing the best teams in America.  Our Tottenham trip was positioned right in between the National League weekends.  After the first round of National League in November, we turned around and flew to England to train and play against Tottenham all sponsored by Puma.”

SN:  Can you describe "National League" a bit?  Many families are familiar with leagues like Presidio, CSL, the new Southern California Devlopment Soccer League (SCDSL), and the U.S. Development Academy Leagues, but "National League" seems a bit different. 

Noah Gins: “No problem.  National League is considered the best 16 teams in the country.  U15-U17, boys and girls, are selected to play in the National League based on results in Regional and National Championships.  The league is played over 2 weekends: North Carolina in December and Las Vegas in March. The winner of the league goes to the National Championship.”

SN:  You just qualified for the National Soccer Championships.  What teams will you be playing in the National Championships later this year?

Noah Gins: “We won the entire U.S. National League which means we will meet the winners of each region to play for the National Championship in July in Arizona.”

“Everyone knows "State Cup" and what that means.  Other regions in the country, like CalSouth here in Southern California, have been competing in their own State Cups over the last few months.  Winners of State Cup go to Regionals, and winners of Regionals go to the National Championship. The U.S. Youth Soccer National League allows a team to go to the end result.  That means for us, we have just basically won both State Cup and Regionals by winning the National League.  We are in the National finals where the rest of the country is trying to get through State Cups and Regionals.”

SN: Last year's OT loss was a tough one. Has that motivated the players to get back to the soccer championship game?

Noah Gins: “Our purpose is even stronger and the fight to win this year was shown through the National League. This team is destined to win the National Championship!”

SN: Do you think the Tottenham trip gives your team an edge going into the NL championships this year?

Noah Gins: “I believe we have an edge in every game we play, not just due to Tottenham, but due to the way we train day in and day out. We train 2 hours, 3 times per week, and we focus on being top notch in training. When you can do this, games become easy and you begin to have an edge over your competition. I think the Tottenham trip served a great purpose for these kids to compare themselves to the kids in the professional English system and see how they sized up. They performed extremely well and were able to beat their 

Academy Team 2-0, which establishes another layer of confidence in these players.”

SN: What changes/improvements have you seen in the team since you returned from Tottenham?

Noah Gins: “Just an overall level of confidence and seriousness towards the goals they have for their soccer careers.”

SN: What do the next few months look like for your soccer team and the club?

Noah Gins: “As a club, we are gearing up for National State Cup and summer competitions. The club momentum is really been compounded with all of the press and exposure that Puma has brought us as well as the success of the club on so many different levels.”

SN: Any big events coming up for Albion SC?

Noah Gins: “Albion Cup National Showcase July 16-18.  This event continues to attract the best teams in the country and brings in over 100 college coaches. This year should be an exciting one with the BU16 winner having the chance to win a trip to either Portugal or England.”

Great Video of trip on RELATED ARTICLES:  ALBION SC travels to England