Virginia Beach Sportsplex looks forward to new future

Sandy Everett of the Hampton Roads Sports Examiner writes an excellent article on the Sportsplex and the future:

What used to be called a "money pit" for the taxpayers of Virginia Beach has taken the first steps toward a new future of increased use, increased revenue, and becoming the crown jewel of sporting events held within Virginia Beach's city limits. The Sportsplex was always meant to be the center attraction of the Beach's sporting events. However, lack of focus and neglect by public officials resulted in the facility's poor performance. The parking lots remain partially paved and when one drives up to the Sportsplex, they are left with the feeling that they are entering a sub-par facility.

Jump to the Examiner for the full article.

U12 Festival Videos

The 2009 Rush Festival was a huge success. 28 teams from across Rush Nation attended the 5 day Festival in Olathe, Kansas from July 22-26. The week featured games, training sessions, ice cream socials and of course tons of fun! READ MORE>>>>

Video of days 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 are now posted!

Katisha Brown Named to ECNL All-Tournament Team

Congrats Katisha on being named to the ECNL All-Tournament Team. This team was selected at the Chicago Showcase and is comprised of the top 11 players from the U15, U16, and U17 age groups.

The Chicago ECNL Showcase marked the league's inaugural event and the first of five 2009-10 ECNL regular-season tournaments. Member clubs must select three of the five events to attend in advance of the 2009-10 ECNL National Championship, scheduled for July 15-18, 2010, in Seattle.

"I think this is just what the girls need," said U-15 Colorado Rush head coach Wes Hart. "I worked with the [U.S. Soccer Development Academy] teams as well, and I see them day in and day out getting quality games and no longer playing against the same teams you play in Colorado every season and in every local tournament. Now [with the ECNL] you're playing against the best of the best on a regular basis. The competition itself is pulling more out of our players."

The Logo is Done!

Once the rubber is down, we are ready to go! This photo was taken Saturday afternoon.

VA Rush U12 Girls Conquer the Jefferson Open 3 vs. 3 Tournament

The VA Rush team Mirror Donnas started off the tournament easily defeating the SOCA team "Quad" 8 to 4 with everyone on the Mirror Donnas team scoring at least one goal and with Jessica Cavolt scoring a Hat Trick.

The next game the Mirror Donnas battled the Strikers team "Allie’s Kats" to a 6 to 6 tie with most of the Mirror Donnas team scoring goals and Chandler Monk scoring a Hat Trick.

The final pool play game Saturday was another fierce battle between the Mirror Donnas and the Strikers team "Xtreme" resulting in a 4 to 4 tie. The fierce defensive and offensive play from Taylor Russ and Marie Shoen were key to securing this tie.

In the Quarter Finals, the Mirror Donnas defeated the Striker team "Flash" 4 to 3 in another impressive display of offense and defense by Marie Shoen and Jessica Cavolt.

In the Semi Finals, the Mirror Donnas had a rematch with the SOCA team "Quad" and this time SOCA put up an incredible fight. The game ended in a 5 to 5 tie thus sending the game into overtime where both teams scored 1 goal a piece to end the overtime period 6 to 6. In the game ending penalty kick shoot out, Chandler, Marie, and Taylor made 3 penalty kicks to the 2 made penalty kicks of SOCA in order to send the Mirror Donnas through to the Championship match. Erica Jackson was a goal scoring machine with 5 goals this game.

In the Championship match, the Mirror Donnas played the Striker team "Pink Daisy Frolickers". The regular game time ended in a 3 to 3 tie with Chandler Monk scoring her second Hat Trick of the weekend. In overtime, it was the intense defensive effort of Marie Shoen stopping everything in her part of the field and the two powerful offensive strikes by Taylor Russ and Erica Jackson that pushed the Mirror Donnas to a 5 to 3 victory by the end of the overtime period and making the Mirror Donnas the Tournament Champions of the U13 Girls travel division.

Brittney Kortz to lead ODU into 2009 season

Former Virginia Rush Nike player Brittney Kortz was selected as team captain to lead the ODU Monarchs for the 2009 season. Brittney is a senior at ODU and has been a starting defender since her sophomore year. She will join other former Rush players this season on the Monarch line up including senior Sam Brennan, sophomore Victoria Johnson, and rising freshman, Gabrielle Carragino and Meghan Cozens. ODU will kickoff their season in Raleigh against the Wolfpack of NC State on August 21st before returning to ODU for home games against George Washington and High Point University on August 28 & 30. After the two home games, the Monarchs are off to Phoenix Arizona to face Arizona State on Sept 4 and University of Arizona on Sept 6 before starting CAA conference games. For more information on the Lady Monarchs schedule, visit the team site at http://www.odusports.com/sports/w-soccer/oldd-w-soccer-body.html.

Rush Home: Photos from August 14

The turf is almost done! Check out the Logo! Once they get the sand and rubber down we will have a new home!

VA Rush U15, U16, U17 Head to Inaugural ECNL Event in Chicago

Best of luck to our U15, U16 and U17 Nike Women as they travel to Chicago to compete in the inaugural Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) event this weekend.

Twenty-four teams from eight clubs will participate in the Chicago ECNL Showcase hosted by Eclipse Select Soccer Club, Aug. 14-16, 2009, at the Libertyville Township Soccer Complex.

The Chicago ECNL Showcase marks the league's inaugural event and is the first of five 2009- 10 ECNL regular-season tournaments. Member clubs must select three of the five events to attend in advance of the 2009-10 ECNL National Championship, scheduled for July 15-18, 2010, in Seattle.

The eight participating clubs in the Chicago ECNL Showcase are: Birmingham United (Ala.), Colorado Rush (Colo.), Eclipse Select SC (Ill.), FC Milwaukee (Wis.), Irvine Strikers (Calif.), SC Del Sol (Ariz.), St. Louis Scott Gallagher (Mo.) and Virginia Rush (Va.). Attending clubs will bring a U-15, U-16 and U-17 team to Chicago, with each squad playing one game on each of the event's three days.

"This inaugural ECNL event will serve as the foundation for what will be a highly-successful, competitive league that follows the appropriate framework for elite girls' player development," said US Club Soccer Executive Director Bill Sage. "Our staff is very much looking forward to contributing to this significant development."

"Everyone is tremendously excited to finally kick-off the ECNL season," said ECNL President Christian Lavers. "Over the past months it has become very clear that the member clubs are committed to making the ECNL a vehicle for positive change in female youth soccer. This weekend will showcase some very talented players, competing in some great games, and we look forward to it."

A complete schedule, as well as additional league information, will soon be available on the new ECNL Web site: http://www.eliteclubsnationalleague.com. Those interested will also be able to follow the action at the Chicago ECNL Showcase with daily updates and highlights at the Chicago ECNL Showcase event page.

Rush Home: Photo from August 12

The Rush Home Project is well underway! This photo was taken early on August 12 and shows that the turf is being installed.

ESPN Rise: Saunders Makes Good on Second Chance

Trey Saunders of the Va Rush U18 US Soccer Developmental team, discusses how one phone call, a second chance and his desire to be the best changed his life, forever. Read the full article on ESPN.

Rush Alumni Conor Casey named to MLS All-Stars Starting XI

MLS All-Star First XI features seven first-time All-Stars
Columbus, Houston, Seattle each land two spots; seven nationalities represented
07/13/2009 1:19 PMMajor League Soccer Communications
Watch: All-Star Firts XI unveiled on ET 2009 MLS All-Star First XI MLS All-Stars to face Everton FC
Columbus' Guillermo Barros Schelotto led all players in combined All-Star voting. (G. Bartram/Getty)


Elias Sports Bureau 'Insider's Edge': July 29
East notes: Full slate
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More Headlines >NEW YORK -- Reigning Volkswagen Most Valuable Player and this season's leading scorer, Columbus Crew midfielder Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Los Angeles Galaxy forward Landon Donovan, a nine-time All-Star, were among those unveiled as the MLS All-Star First XI this afternoon on MLSnet.com's ExtraTime. Seven first time All-Stars are included in the 11-player list and seven different nations are represented within the First XI. The 2009 MLS All-Star Game will be played on Wednesday, July 29 at Rio Tinto Stadium - home of Real Salt Lake - in Sandy, Utah when the MLS All-Stars play Everton FC of the English Premier League. The game will be televised live on ESPN and Galavision at 9:30 p.m. ET.
The First XI - consisting of one goalkeeper, three defenders, five midfielders and two forwards - received the most votes at their respective positions from four groups - fans, players, media, and coaches/general managers. Schelotto led all players in combined voting, followed by Donovan and Conor Casey.

Donovan (LA Galaxy), Dwayne De Rosario (Toronto FC) and Shalrie Joseph (New England Revolution) return as All-Stars, while Schelotto (Columbus Crew) is scheduled to appear in his first All-Star game, after being selected for the inactive roster in 2008. Receiving the honor for the first time are two MLS Newcomers who are members of the expansion Seattle Sounders FC -- goalkeeper Kasey Keller and midfielder Freddie Ljungberg. Houston Dynamo duo Geoff Cameron and Stuart Holden received their first nods as a defender and midfielder respectively, while defenders Wilman Conde (Chicago Fire) and Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew) round out the three-man back line with Cameron. Partnering with Donovan as the second forward is Casey (Colorado Rapids), who ranks third in the Budweiser Golden Boot race with eight goals scored.

The First XI is reflective of Major League Soccer's diverse player pool, as seven nations are represented and the age range from 23 years to 39 years. Holden, 23, is the youngest member of the First XI, 16 years younger than the First XI's most senior member, 39-year-old Keller. Five members of the First XI have played for the U.S. Men's National Team, while four others have represented their countries at the senior level -- Schelotto (Argentina), Ljungberg (Sweden), Joseph (Grenada) and De Rosario (Canada).

On Monday, July 20, Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear and his staff's selections will be announced. Two Commissioner's selections will complete the 18-man game-day roster. Kinnear earned the honor of coaching the MLS side by leading his team to the highest points per game average in the League through games on June 28.

The First XI is not necessarily the starting lineup. Kinnear will select the starters based on player availability and tactical considerations. If First XI selections are unavailable due to injury, international duty or other commitments, Kinnear will select alternates for the game day roster, but all First XI players are All-Stars. The inactive, or alternate All-Star roster, will be announced at a later date.

Rush Announces New Rush Home

Hometown Sports Management and Virginia Rush Soccer announced a partnership today that includes converting the all-grass Sportsplex stadium field to quality synthetic turf developed and installed by Sportexe. Hometown Sports Management assumed management of the Virginia Beach Sportsplex in cooperation with the city of Virginia Beach earlier this year.

Rush Soccer will call the new Sportsplex home and become partners in the development of the Sportsplex as the center of athletics in Virginia Beach and beyond. The Rush is a regional entity that formed when three local clubs merged with Virginia Beach Soccer Club. There are 24 Rush Soccer clubs in the US.

The Virginia Rush is the only soccer club in southeastern Virginia to have developmental, advanced, competitive, and adult and many other programs under one club. The club is the only club in southeastern Virginia to be a member of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy and Elite Club National League, the top two national-level leagues in the country. The club currently has 4,000 players participating in various programs.

'This is the foundation for the Rush Home, an abitious project we have been working on since our inception,' said David Dengerink, President and Technical Director of Virginia Rush. 'After pursuing every opportunity, we are very pleased to partner with Hometown Sports Management in developing the Sportsplex into a first-class youth sports facility. The size and quality of the surface enables the club to improve the training environment and believe this will be a great step for soccer and sports in this community.'

Virginia Rush was able to enter into the agreement with the support of TowneBank and ten individuals who stepped forward to lend their financial support to augment the Rush Home Fee the club has collected over the years. This support, combined with the Rush Home Fee and the relocation of the Rush office space to the Sporsplex this summer will allow Rush to provide more service without increasing fees.

In addition to Bishop Catholic High School, the Sportsplex turf will provide Rush members use of the only two synthetic surfaces in the city. 'This addition triples our available training space. We saw great improvement in our training environment when we moved to Catholic High School and expect even more improvement this fall,' said Jay Hoffman, Academy Director of Coaching for the Virginia Rush.

'The Sportsplex is already a multi-sport facility, which we look forward to continuing, providing an athletic outlet for the youth of the city. We are interested in meeting with any athletic club in the city that is in need of field space or facility use.' said Dengerink. 'The potential to add more fields in the near future means we will have the space to continue our growth while providing first class training. The Rush would like to issue an open invitation to any organization interested in joining us in building one of the top youth athletic facilities in the country.'

Sportexe turf is the underfoot of prestigious teams like the New Orleans Saints, the Baltimore Ravens, University of California, Berkeley, University of Southern Mississippi, University of Alabama, St. Mary's University and many other teams and sports facilities around the globe. Over the past 20 years, Sportexe has earned an unsurpassed reputation for producing and servicing high-performance synthetic turf systems for every level of competition.

Established in 1989, Sportexe is the oldest synthetic turf company in the United States. Sportexe manufactures its own synthetic turf products, and they are installed by trained and certified Sportexe installation teams. Sportexe has installed approximately 400 full-sized athletic fields in North America. The University of Arkansas, M&T Stadium, home of the Baltimore Ravens and the Superdome in New Orleans have a Sportexe field. Currently, the San Francisco 49ers, the New York Jets (indoor and outdoor) and the Buffalo Bills use Sportexe in their practice facilities.

The Sportplex turf will be PowerBlade HP 2.0SR and is designed specifically for faster gameplay and has passed the testing requirements to qualify as a FIFA 1-Star surface. It contains a specially engineered sand/rubber ratio, which makes for a denser surface, enhancing speed and ensuring consistent ball roll. Monofilament lasts longer and plays more like natural grass. Extremely soft, yet durable with no post-fibrillation (fiber breakdown). It has a two-tone fiber which provides a more natural-looking field.