FPYC Wildcats Head to Nationals

The Fairfax Police Youth Club (FPYC) Wildcats soccer team competes in the Presidents Cup National Championship in Sacramento this week.  The 15-U team is comprised of players from , Oakton, Fairfax, Woodson and Flint Hill high schools.

The girl's level of focus and sense of competition is more intense then ever before, according to Coach Bob Waizenegger.  "These girls have always been pretty intense, from an athletic standpoint," said Waizenegger.  "I think just about everybody on the team is a multi-sport athlete," he said.

"When they got to high school, they really got a taste of a bigger stage, so to speak," said Waizenegger.  I think they enjoy getting on that bigger stage, and the camaraderie associated with it.  I think that combination pushed them into this new realm of competitiveness," he said.

Claire Weisskopf, a rising junior at Oakton, said she noticed her team upped its game when the girls simply decided they wanted to make it to the National Championship.

"In our last season, we weren't as intense during our games, but we all realized that we wanted to make it to the national level, so everyone picked it up," Weisskopf said. "We all just worked hard as a team, and in the regional tournament we connected a lot better than we had in past games," she said.

The team held tryouts to beef up its team ahead of the trip to Sacramento, adding four new players to its roster. They also increased practices from two days to four days per week.

With most team members competing as multisport athletes, the girls have built on their strength of natural athleticism, Waizenegger said.  "We might not always be the best soccer team on the field technically speaking, but nobody ever outclasses us athletically," he said.

The Wildcats have been raising money to help offset the costs for players, which amounts to about $1,500 per player. Donations are being accepted at the FPYC Wildcats website.

The Wildcats will play their first game 8 a.m. Thursday against Dallas Texans 97 Girls Red North. The complete schedule is available online.

"They're coming out of their skin," said Waizenegger. "For a lot of them, this is a once in a lifetime thing. This opportunity doesn't present itself to a lot of kids and they want to make the most of it," he said.

Wildcats Roster:

• Jillian Barnard, Woodson (2015)
• Cori Black, Fairfax (2015)
• Mackenzie Burnett, Fairfax (2015)
• Allison Davis, West Springfield (2015)
• Gillian Elliott, Fairfax (2015)
• Olivia Fanet, Woodson (2015)
• Brianna Frontuto, Fairfax (2015)
• Sarah Hanson, Oakton (2015)
• Christina Kim, Woodson (2015)
• Kaitlyn Kim, Flint Hill (2015)
• Shanquelle Marshall, Fairfax (2015)
• Kaitlyn McCurdy, Woodson (2015)
• Lauren Rader, West Springfield (2014)
• Jessica Simmons, West Springfield (2014)
• Natalie Sorto, West Springfield (2015)
• Devon Thomas, Oakton (2015)
• Madeline Waizenegger, Woodson (2015)
• Claire Weisskopf, Oakton (2014)