Jul 22, 2017 3 min read

The challenge Beadling Soccer Club 2003 Boys’ head coach Rob Fabian made to his team in April was to win 11 straight games.

Beadling, a longtime soccer power that features players from different age groups across Western Pennsylvania, has two teams that could make history this week.

The 18-and-under girls and 14-and-under boys’ – Fabian’s team consisting of several local players – are hoping to potentially bring home Beadling’s first title at the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships being held July 24-30 at the Toyota Soccer Center in Frisco, Texas.

“We set that goal in April,” Fabian said. “We already won two games in the local state cup and the five regional games. We have three games this week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The 11th and final game of that challenge is Saturday night. It would make us national champions.”

In the Regional 1 Championship earlier this month, which consisted of East Coast teams from Maine to as far south as Virginia, Beadling won all of three of its round-robin games by a score of 4-0. Beadling followed that early success with a double-overtime thriller and a 3-2 win in the championship game to become the club’s youngest team to make it to nationals.

“It’s basically been a two-year process of putting this team together,” Fabian said. “Some of these players have been with me from the start, since the 9-and-under team.”

Beadling’s 14-and-under roster is comprised of two players from Canon-McMillan, Joey Fonagy and Owen Maher, two from South Fayette, Chad Eldridge and Ethan Sanders, Austin Marmol of Peters Township, Colby Thomas of Trinity and Mason Fabian, who lives in Donora, but attends Greensburg Central Catholic. Those area players, along with the rest of their teammates, have accepted the challenge from their coach.

“Over the last year, you could see the competitive nature that this group. It’s unparalleled. They push each other at practice, almost like they’re using that fuel to make each other better. Our mentality every practice is that we’re training against the best. They have been extremely committed.”

The U14 tournament has a four-team, round-robin format with a final between the top two squads.

A national championship for either team would be the first of its kind for Pennsylvania since 1947, when the Heidelberg Juniors clinched a nationwide 19U tournament title.

“We have four more to go, but it’s just been fun to see them set goals and do everything they can to reach those goals,” Fabian said. “We’re looking to bring home that trophy.”

Bentworth High School girl’s soccer coach Tyler Hamstra was named 2017 PAWEST Soccer Coach of the Year for the girl’s recreational category.

In 2017, Hamstra was also head coach of Bentworth Area Youth Soccer Association U17 and U15 girl’s teams. He also serves as the director of coaching and player development for the organization, which is a member of Washington County Youth Soccer Association Club.

“I found out officially Tuesday,” Hamstra said. “It’s a pleasant surprise. It feels good because there are a lot of coaches out there.”