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When opportunity presents itself, you take advantage.
Such was the case for a Pleasanton Rage youth soccer team when it got the chance to scrimmage Fiji’s Under-20 National Team on Aug. 14.
The Fijian side was in the area continuing their preparation for the upcoming U-20 Women’s World Cup to be held this Saturday through Sept. 22 in Colombia.
The America Fiji Sports Commission hosted the team for its Northern California camp, which included training sessions and friendly matches with the Rage, Sacramento United and Lincoln University in Oakland.
Fiji will open the World Cup against Brazil, then will face Canada and France in group play.
“We were thrilled when the American Fiji Sports Commission reached out offering the opportunity to play a friendly against our Rage 2007 ECNL team,” said Erin Sharpe, Rage director of coaching.
“Not only is this the first World Cup that Fiji will be competing in, but it is the first time their delegation has come to play in the United States — and to be their opening game here was very special,” Sharpe said. “The experience provided a lot for our players, both in terms of opportunities to compete against players of that elite caliber on the field, but also the special cultural exchanges and relationships that developed off of the field.”
It was a dynamic that benefitted both teams.
“The team sang a moving traditional Fijian song in advance of the game and after the game, brought our team in to sing the song together,” Sharpe explained. “Both teams then went out to dinner and were able to spend more time getting to know each other and learning about each other’s cultures. Rest assured we will be watching the U-20 World Cup games and rooting on our new friends!”
Playbook starts next week
Tri-Valley Preps Playbook — the popular look at all East Bay Athletic League action will have its first edition for this season available by email next Tuesday (Sept. 3).
The Playbook is a free e-newsletter that must be subscribed to for delivery to your inbox each Tuesday afternoon!
The Big Picture (an exclusive weekly column by me looking inside EBAL high school sports) is back as the anchor each week. Also included will be the well-read EBAL Power Rankings, starting out EBAL football, girls’ volleyball and flag football power rankings.
The What to Watch segment each will focus on a few big matches/games each week. We will also be bringing back the Fast Five, a segment that allows readers to get to know EBAL athletes a bit better as they answer pop culture questions!
As is the case each year, we are always looking for story ideas for the Playbook. If you know of a great and interesting story, please don’t hesitate to let us know.
The same can be said for Fast Five candidates. If you would like to participate or know an athlete that would like to, please once again, let us know.
The Playbook is, hands down, the best way to stay current with the EBAL athletic season — and once again, it is free. All you need to do is sign up online and you are set to have a front row seat for EBAL action.
To register to the Playbook, please go to www.pleasantonweekly.com/sports and then scroll down a bit to the box to subscribe to the Tri-Valley Preps Playbook. (Or do the same on livermorevine.com or danvillesanramon.com, if those are your primary sites in our network.)
All you must do is enter your email address, and you are good to go!
EBAL football is back!
The two local high schools are in action this week, with both teams on the road.
Amador Valley travels to take on a talented El Cerrito team, with the Dons having lost 14-7 to El Cerrito last year.
Foothill goes on the road to play at Heritage.
Both games are at 7 p.m. Friday (Aug. 30).
Check back in this space in a couple weeks for an expanded column talking about the Dons and the Falcons football squads.
Editor’s note: Dennis Miller is a contributing sports writer for Embarcadero Media Foundation’s East Bay Division. To contact him about his Pleasanton Preps column, email acesmag@aol.com.
