Bloomfield Soccer Club begins journey to the 2017 Nationals; fielding a record 24 teams

BLOOMFIELD, NJ – The Bloomfield Soccer Club’s travel program is fielding a record 24 fall teams, many of them with the dream of heading to the United States Youth Soccer Nationals in the summer of 2017.

“The first of the 2017 national qualifiers starts in mid-September,” said club president Barry Weiner. “Bloomfield knows how to get teams to the nationals. It is very hard work. It is many months of tournaments, but it is a very rewarding work. The first step is win New Jersey. That starts now and goes through November.”

Since 2013, the soccer club has had an incredible run on the national youth soccer stage. It first started with a 2013 National Cup Finalist showing at Aurora, Co. by the U15 Boys Bloomfield United in 2014. The same team followed that up with the 2014 NJ State No. 1 ranking and a Final Four in the 2014 US National Cup in Raleigh, N.C.

In 2015, three Bloomfield teams suffered heartbreaking losses in the New Jersey and Mid-Atlantic regionals. But in 2016, the Bloomfield Cheetah Thunder U14 Boys got Bloomfield back to the Nationals with their finalist showing at the United States Youth Soccer President’s Cup in Tulsa, Ok. this past July.

“We have two-to-three teams with legitimate chances to get to the nationals and teams that may be ‘Cinderellas,’ Weiner said. “Besides being good, you have to be lucky. One bad bounce sends you home. We play very strong teams, many state champions. You get on the field with them and you know you have to be perfect that day. But also, you feel honored that you had the chance to play against such an incredible opponent.”

Many of the Bloomfield travel teams will be kicking off at pre-season friendly tournaments next weekend to get ready for the regular season and state cup competitions. Bloomfield has 14 teams going to Piscataway for the 36th annual fall classic. Bloomfield will also be represented at the Essex Tournament the weekend of Sept 10-11.

“All the credit in the world has to go to the parents, coaches, and of course, the players,” Weiner said. “You need parents like ours who are so positive and show a lot of courage and the commitment necessary to give their children the opportunity to play at a state, regional and national level. They make a lot of sacrifices to get their players to practices, to games that are sometimes hours away, all the way to booking flights for dozens of people to get them to somewhere in the United States.”