Jefferson Cup 2013 Girls Weekend – Day 2 recap and photo gallery

By Jimmy LaRoue

While the weather didn’t impact play on day two of the Jefferson Cup 2013 Girls Weekend, it started out cool and damp, then warmed up as the sun provided its ever-so-brief rays of lights before the day ended with a rollicking Richmond rain that sent people scurrying for their cars to grab an early dinner and rest up for what promises to be a scintillating day of action.

But the rays of lights on the field, referring to the players, shone much brighter than the Saturday sun, showcasing an impressive array of skill, grit and determination, and passionate parents more than casually perusing the action as their kids fight for a future place in a college program.

Just check out this clip of Baltimore Bays Chelsea U-17s midfielder Jordan Layfield’s long-range golazo during a 2-2 tie against South Jersey Elite Barons.

But finding the money to pay to play in college is much like it is just to travel and play at the club level – a costly challenge where players deal with highway traffic and drive into a tournament on the day of to save hotel costs, and still, the travel and the expense to do so is just another part of the process to get exposed to college coaches. It also gives new meaning to the term, ‘costly challenge’ when talking about injuries.

Charles Boehm also observed that players and parents should be asking whether the soccer program in which they have interest offer an out-of-state waiver, essentially, as he noted, free money that coaches who have it, love.

There are plenty, too, that caution that players need to find balance between soccer, school and relaxation. It still doesn’t stop people from getting upset about referee calls, as Jennifer Taylor observed, and it also doesn’t stop referees, as Michael Willis observed, from trying to ensure a modicum of decorum from players.

A lot to remember when you’re observing the top-level soccer on display, which will continue for one more day Sunday, as the younger age groups vie for medals and trophies, and the upper age groups angle for top places in their respective brackets.

A parking note for Sunday: plan to arrive at Striker Park as early as possible for games starting before 12:30 p.m., as the church parking lot adjacent to the fields will be in use for Sunday services until that time.