The Ottawa South United name will continue to gain wider recognition across the province, throughout Canada and around the globe as many club players earned exciting opportunities to play on various big stages.
Four members of the ‘98 girls Force Academy squad were selected to the U14 Ontario provincial team – the most players from a single team out of any Ottawa clubs.
Priscilla Domingo, Alexis Martel-Lamothe, Hailey Martin and Anna Munro all traveled to Barcelona in March with Team Ontario to play a series of exhibitions, which has only helped them gear up for a run at the top of the OYSL standings with OSU.
After two consecutive undefeated league seasons against regional opponents, it comes as no surprise that many players from this group have now been chosen as the province’s best.
Two younger OSU stars will also have the chance to win a trip to Europe as they suit up for the Eastern Canadian Danone Nations Cup team.
Over 5,000 players tried out for the 12 coveted spots on the squad. An unprecedented six players from OSU were invited to the final selection phase and two were ultimately selected to represent Eastern Canada – midfielder/striker David Chung (U12B Force Black) and goalkeeper Mollie Eriksson (U12G Force Black).
The Danone Nations Cup is the world’s largest international soccer tournament for U12 players. On July 14, the east meets the west in Toronto to determine which team will represent Canada at the Danone Nations Cup world tournament in Poland this fall.
Three members of the ‘97 boys Force Academy Black squad also experienced a unique opportunity as they participated in the 2012 Nike Manchester United Cup U.S. finals in Portland, Oregon at the end of May.
Through OSU’s affiliation with the Dallas Texans – the #1 youth soccer club in the United States – Sanchit Gupta, Charles Andrascik and Yousef Aldaqqaq dressed for the Texans as guest players for the U15 event.
Despite going undefeated with two wins and four ties, their team did not advance to the finals. The U.S. tournament winner qualified to play in the Manchester United World Cup at Old Trafford where champions from each continent face off.
OSU has sent boys to this event for the past four years and remains committed to offering opportunities of this nature to its athletes.
“We’re very proud of all our players for their achievements and for representing the club with such distinction at these prestigious events,” says OSU club president Bill Michalopulos. “That we’re able to place kids at the highest level is a clear result of our player development program. Our ambition is that our club can hopefully one day develop players for the national program – both the girls and the boys.”
The OSU family would like to wish all our players the best of luck, as well as congratulating the others who have earned similar opportunities at their side.