WOW!!!!!!!  We are the U19 Girls National Champions!!!!

What an emotional high………….we’ve come so far, worked so hard, trusted and supported each other and bonded as a team with fantastic chemistry.  This is the ultimate reward for the past five years.  Thank you Tim Schulz, and the other great Rush coaches who have worked with us over the years, for believing you could make a soccer team out of us, for teaching us the game the “Rush Way”, and for providing us this opportunity.  It would not have been possible without you.  Thanks to our parents, families and friends for providing unending support, both on and off the field.  We share this National Championship with all of you as well, for your support was instrumental in our achieving this success.

As we say good-bye to some of our teammates for the final time, we know this memory will keep us in each other’s hearts forever.  Hopefully our paths will cross in the future and we can fondly reminisce about the events of this week.  Our friendships will remain strong even though distance may come between us.

CO Rush U19 Girls

Today was a day for rest and rejuvenation prior to the National Championship Match tomorrow.  Since tomorrow probably is the last time our team will play together, it was also a day to reflect on the past……both good times and bad.  We have gone through much together since our U15 season.  Winning 4 straight Colorado State Cups and the “so close but yet so far” experiences of the previous 3 Far West Regional Tournaments, only made winning this year’s Regional Championship feel that much sweeter.  Now tomorrow, we have the opportunity to end our careers as the National Champions.  WOW!

We spent the day resting, went to IMAX to watch “Superman Returns” and then had our last team dinner at a Mexican Restaurant where we celebrated Sonia Allen’s “birthday”.  Tonight we will prepare mentally for tomorrow’s match and you can bet that our team will leave everything on the field tomorrow in quest for our National Championship!!!!!

Everyone back home say a prayer for our success.  We’ll be home soon.

Colorado Rush U19 Nike Girls

The day started off great with a three nothing win against Chantilly from Virginia. After the game our team was craving some Mexican food. Unfortunately we were shot down by the restaurant due to their closing time of 2pm. We decided to then mosey on over to the local pub to eat. It was delicious. Sadly one of our amazing coaches had to leave to fill in for another coach at the Surf Cup (Bushey will be missed when we hold our first place medals up). Over countless debate over whether to have a tiresome pool workout we finally came to the conclusion of just a team stretching party in the hallway, where multiple people walked by staring at our awkward positions. We decided that we had a few flexible teammates and a few very non-flexible teammates (Wei wei and Nikki to be exact). We even got a good sweat out of it. After getting showered and refreshed we made an appearance at the tournament BBQ. Where, by the way, we melted and were confronted by previous competition. Yet it wasn’t all bad, the countless plates of food devoured by the team were delicious and our stroll by the river cooled us off. Overall it was a job well done. Being that I’m one of the only ones without family here like to give a shout out to them and my remarkable boyfriend Jeff! On a last note Ameera would like to give a shout out to her fellow Gators and Andre and Jamie would like to shout out to the rest of her family left back at home. We’re bringing home the gold!!!!

Gianna, Ameera, and Jamie

We would like to apologize to the Sting.  In no way did we mean any disrespect to their team…only trying to be funny for the folks at home.  Our team is very small and we have constantly heard that fact this tournament so just ran with it.  So sorry…………………

Amanda and Jen

Instead of our ten thirty start we started at noon, because of a lightning and rain delay. To our surprise we went home instead of waiting at the field, where we filled our tummies with quizno’s soup and chips. It was a great preparation for the win against the “super-sized” Sting. These girls out weighed us by at least thirty or forty pounds! After our big win we decided to fill our tummies once again, with Maui Wowi slush’s and Outback Steakhouse. We almost lost our appetites due to a disturbing appearance of our head coach who was wearing GIRLS CAPRIS!!!! At dinner we talked about great memories such as the team leaving Meghan in Downtown San Diego and Tim trying to find her under our van! We decided to take a swim with a pool workout led by our star trainer Kristin. After we went for a late night snack, and this is where it ends, because it turns out we are going to eat another meal!

Jen and Amanda

PS – The pictures reflects how we felt against the super-sized Sting.

Splish splash we were taking a bath… at the field. After a night of hard rain the fields were a swamp. Literally, we were catching baby frogs on the sidelines.  Much to our surprise Jetta’s prince charming traveled from a land far, far away called Oregon to surprise her.  After the not so fairytale ending of our game, half of the team needed treatment from our trainer Kristin. Next, the team headed back to the hotel where we indulged in a box lunch.  After lunch most of the girls took naps or watched TV.  Later in the afternoon, we had a nice pool workout.  After the workout the majority of the team walked through the skywalks through the beautiful city of Des Moines to go to a spaghetti feast, while the injured girls were kindly driven to dinner by Nissa.  The dinner was fantastic and generously paid for by the Abdullah’s. Later some of the girls had a sweet tooth and decided to go to TCBY before going to bed.

Erika Sutton

From irons and ironing boards to beauty products and curling irons, the preparation for the luncheon was no easy task.  When the clock struck 11 o’clock we met our fellow teammates in the lobby.  Everyone looked flaming hot and the cameras were flashing so brightly we were blinded.  We were told the luncheon was a quick two block walk little did we know that the walk was an adventure in itself.  The girls in heels were slowly fading to the back and beads of sweat were starting to show.  Once we arrived at the luncheon we found our assigned tables and sat down.  Millie had to steal a table setting including the salad and dessert from the referee’s table to accommodate our large party since we were only assigned three tables total for coaches and players. (no one wanted to sit with Bushey)  When the luncheon finally got rolling we were introduced to a bunch of people who seemed to be important to soccer but we were all more interested in eating the chocolate cake and cheesecake that was placed in front of us. Erika downed two slices of chocolate cake before the guy was even done introducing the eight guests.  After the introductions we were served our main course.  The main course consisted of chicken in a sauce, a vegetable stuffed pasta role, one red potato sliced into four pieces, and stringy green beans.  The team was iffy about the food, some liked it others didn’t.  Our keynote speaker gave an interesting speech about ingredients, chefs, and making the winning meal, none of us really followed him but it was an interesting speech.  A speech clearly only deserving of the national championships.  Following the food speech a video was shown of each of the region’s final games.  The music selection was hip and fresh and had many of us dancing and singing along.  When they finally got to region iv the song was disappointing.  But what was even more disappointing was the very little air time our team had on the video.  Only two clips were shown and in one of those clips our team is the one getting juked by a girl on the cal south team. We were sent off on full stomachs and a “Bon Appetite may the best dish win!” (this was part of the key note speaker’s speech)

Couple Shout Outs from the flaming hot girls:

            JJ>shalom
            Tie> nick lachey phone calls
            KKK> halo sucks

Carrie Blankenbuhler, Millie Allen and Corey Thieman

Traveling from Finland was quite an adventure.  My adventure began on the 14^th when I left DIA for Dulles, then to JFK where I was supposed to meet up with the U20 National Team for our trip to Finland-only one problem; our flight to JFK was cancelled.  I was with Tim, Jordan Angeli and two other girls from the team.  So we had to find a way to get to Finland.  Long story short-we flew through Germany, then to Finland, but there was a huge issue with our bags and of course when we got to Helsinki-no bags-no bags for 4 days.  While we were in Finland we stayed at a Sports Institute where we boated, hiked, rock climbed, biked and had a camp fire.  We played the Finish U20’s twice.  The first time we beat them 3-2 and then we played them again and won 7-1.  Finland was incredibly clean and very serene. It was not much of a culture shock because most of the people spoke English very well.

We left Finland on the 23^rd.  We flew into JFK and connected through Chicago.  Not realizing what time it was, Nikki and I almost missed our Chicago flight-food was the number one priority.  We made the flight, but it was delayed for about an hour, causing us to have to run to our flight to Des Moines.  Our flight landed at 8:40 pm and our next flight left at 9:00pm.  When we arrived in Des Moines we had no bags.  So this morning we decided we deserved to sleep in, so we did.  They have free breakfast here, which we took full advantage of.  We did some shopping at Wal-Greens and explored the Downtown area.  Dinner with the team was fun, as always, now off to bed.

Nikki Kyzysic and Sarah Wagenfuhr           

To every beginning there is an end and to every start a finish. Today, my fellow “Rushers,” we find ourselves starting a tournament and ending a journey. Youth soccer had had its up and downs, but making it here to nationals proves that perseverance yields success. I mean you can only lose so many regional tournaments for goodness sakes. Anyways so I am happy to kick this tournament story telling off with a bit of bittersweet irony. It was after all just a month ago when I was leaving ISU thinking I would never be back. Well given the circumstances I am happy to be here and blessed to be accompanied with this team. SO…a recap of today: Eric, Millie, Kerrie, G, Jamie, Amanda, Corry, Jen, Erica, and myself arrived in Omaha after a smooth flight and drove from there to Des Moines. Thankfully our van came equipped with DVD player and Kerri came equipped with DVDS!! The time passed wonderfully to say the least. From there we settled in to the 4 star Marriott (which beats the .01 star of the Shiloh Inn). And in conclusion we had dinner at a delicious Italian restaurant. I wish you all could be here with us but I hope this helps! God Bless

Meghan Smith