CLEARWATER, Florida – The Clearwater Soccer club is proud to announce that eight members of the U-17/18 Boys U.S. Soccer Development Academy team and five members of the U-18 Girls Premier team will move on to play college soccer next season.

In a special ceremony tonight at the Safety Harbor Resort & Spa, the players were honored for their achievements as they prepare for the next chapter of their academic and athletic lives.

“We are extremely proud to have the opportunity to honor these young men and women who have worked so hard to achieve their goal of competing at the next level,” Chargers Director of Coaching Peter Mannino said. “Our club takes great pride in preparing student/athletes for college, and we are happy to see another strong class moving on.”

More than 500 Clearwater Soccer Club alumni have gone on to play college soccer since the club was founded in 1972, including more than 60 the past three years.

 The U-18 Boys U.S. Soccer Development Academy team is coached by Roberto Lopez, Garth Pollonais, Tim Mulqueen and Peter Goulish. The U-18 Girls are coached by Ljubomir Korda and Tom Sommerville.

 

U-17/18 USSDA Boys                       

Player                                                    High School                         College

Jeremiah Barnes                                 Clearwater                            Kenyon College, OH

Mark Biddinger                                    Berkeley Prep                      University of Louisville, KY

Jacob Frahm                                        Land O’ Lakes                      University of North Florida, FL

Danny George                                     Countryside                          Florida Gulf Coast University, FL

Andrew Hitt                                           Countryside                          University of West Florida, FL

Mike Mitchell                                        Braden River                        University of South Florida, FL

Patrick Shelton                                     Wharton                                 High Point University, NC

Rheese Wiltshire                                 Shorecrest Prep                   Elon University, NC

 

U-18 Girls

Player                                                    High School                         College

Laura Cason                                        River Ridge                           Thomas University, GA

Meghan Dodge                                    East Lake                              Mississippi College, MS or Jacksonville State University, AL

Lisa Jadick                                            River Ridge                           Southeastern University, FL

Kaitlin Parker                                        Clw. Central Catholic          Florida Gulf Coast University, FL

Katherine Pedersen                            Clearwater                            United States Air Force Academy, CO

 

Founded in 1972, Clearwater Soccer Club is the oldest competitive soccer club in West Central Florida.  In its history the club has captured a pair of National Championships (1995 & 1997 James P. McGuire Cup, U-19 Boys), more than 100 Florida State Championships and 11 Region III titles.

It is also the only club in Florida to have made 11 National Final Four appearances. The club recently announced a merger with Fusion FC of Tampa, bringing together a pair of clubs established in the 1970s to create a club of 80-90 competitive teams and three recreational programs with more than 2,500 players utilizing 50 soccer fields in three counties.

In addition to the NCAA, former Chargers can currently be found playing in MLS, European professional leagues and for several U.S. National Teams. Charger alums Zac MacMath and Jeff Attinella are the starting goalkeepers for the Philadelphia Union of MLS and Tampa Bay Rowdies of the NASL, respectively.

The Clearwater Soccer Club competitive soccer program focuses on the development of the “total player” – one who possesses not only individual skills and talent, but displays good sportsmanship, team unity and community loyalty.