OXFORD, ENGLAND - Seacoast United’s U16 Boys Academy Team, members of the US Soccer Development Academy Program, played two matches on Tuesday, June 15th vs. Oxford United’s U17’s and U18’s.

The first match went to the Oxford United 17’s, with the U’s winning 3-1.  The Seacoast goal was scored by midfielder Noah Arling (Windham/Bishop Guertin HS).

Seacoast United rebounded in the 2nd match, coming away with a 3-0 victory over the Oxford 18’s.  Goals were scored by midfielder Fazal Nabi (Portland, ME), and 2 by fullback Sam White (Falmouth, ME).

Read the writeup from the Oxford Mail online here.

HAMPTON, NH - On Monday, June 14, Seacoast United’s U16 Boys Academy Team, members of the US Soccer Development Academy Program, will depart for England to participate in the Four Nations “Clubs for Young People” Tournament being held in Durham, England, just a few miles south of Newcastle Upon Tyne.

Prior to the event, the 22 man squad will spend two nights with Oxford United Football Club, a professional English Club that SUSC formed a partnership with in 2009.  The newly promoted Club just recently enjoyed a famous outing at Wembley Stadium, England’s national stadium, where they beat York City 3-1 in a play-off game in front of over 50,000 fans to advance to Division 2.  Seacoast United’s squad will take on both Oxford United’s rising U17 and U18 Academy squads for next season in front of professional coaches associated with the Club.  For the future, both SUSC and OUFC are planning coaching exchanges, team trips to the UK including educational opportunities within the Oxford University system and Oxford’s first team coming to the seacoast region of NH for pre-season next summer.

Following the Oxford stay, the team will travel north to Newcastle Upon Tyne where they will stay with host families associated with Montagu Boys Club for the duration of the tournament.  “I have a great sense of pride that our lads will be staying with Monty families as it’s my old boys club and I was given the same opportunity back in 1979 when my Montagu U14 team visited Atlanta, Georgia and stayed with American families,” said Paul Willis, co-founder and Executive Director of Seacoast United.  “The fact they will be staying with English families during the World Cup should be a fantastic experience for the lads”.  Montagu and the England Boys Club teams have been hosted by Seacoast United families in the past and this year is no different as the Monty U16’s will be staying with SUSC in early August.

The Four Nations “Clubs for Young People” Tournament kicks off on Friday evening, June 18, less than a week after the World Cup game between England and the USA.  According to script, the host nation will play the Seacoast United team to start the four day event.  The England, Scotland and Wales sides are made up of select players from across their respective countries.  Seacoast United was kindly recognized for their past support of “Clubs for Young People” and was officially invited to represent the USA this past winter.  “It is a great honor for the Club and the lads to be a part of such an event” claimed John Price, SUSC Boys Director of Coaching.  “The squad has enjoyed some fantastic opportunities already this season playing in the US Soccer Development Program which has put us up against a number of MLS sides such as New York Red Bull, DC United, Colorado Rapids and other top US Clubs.  I believe the experience and the level of play the team is accustomed to playing will serve us very well during the trip and the players and coaching staff are all up for it”.

While the team will wear the traditional carolina and navy blue colors of Seacoast United for the Oxford games, the Club is proud to announce that they will wear the national team colors of the USA for all of the international games.  At the conclusion of the event, all participants from the four countries will be awarded medals and each player will be presented with a commemorative cap from their respective country.   Before heading back home on June 22nd, the Seacoast boys will play a friendly with Montagu Boys Club followed by a reception with all of the host families to wrap up what should be a memorable experience.