Coast Spring Classic A Huge Success
Date: Monday April 19, 2021
The first weekend of the Coast Spring Classic was played under “Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce brochure weather conditions” at Grande Park, Doug Shaw, Ashley Booth and the North Myrtle Beach Sports Park. One hundred and forty teams ages twelve through nineteen from South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Maryland competed this past weekend with two hundred more teams ages eight through twelve arriving next weekend. “The Coast Spring Classic is celebrating our 13th year and the event is a perfect example of what is possible when local government and a youth soccer club work together. We receive ATAX funding from Horry County, the City of North Myrtle Beach and the City of Myrtle Beach to help us promote the event. We in turn rent their facilities to run the tournament that will pump an estimated 4.5 million dollars into our local economy. After losing our event to COVID last year we are excited to be back on track. Everyone at Coast FA takes great pride in hosting a tournament that helps our community and also provides funding for local kids in need to be a part of Coast FA. The Spring Classic is the largest youth soccer tournament held in South Carolina and one of the largest in the southeast “ said Coast Director Heyward Gulledge.
Three Coast FA teams won championships and one finished as finalist on the first weekend of the Coast Spring Classic. Players enjoyed pristine playing conditions and competed against clubs that they normally do not have an opportunity to play during their regular league season.
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The Coast 07 Black (Click for Image) coached by Aleksander Ljubicic ended U14 boys pool play 2-0-1 and defeated Fort Mill United in the championship 2-1 on Doug Shaw Stadium. “Winning our home tournament is another step for our team. It is a small step but one that we will never forget. The principle is to compete against yourself. It is about self improvement, about being better than you were the day before. This is how we build our character step by step as a team “ said Coach Ljubicic.
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Coach Mario Benjamin’s Coast 08 Girls (Click for Image) had to fight their way through pool play to reach the finals. The girls won two one goal results and lost a one goal result in U13 pool play before beating a gritty PISA Hurricane team 3-0 in the championship. “ I am super proud of the way the girls were able to grind their way through Saturday’s qualifying matches to reach the finals. The sky is the limit for this group “ said Coach Benjamin. |
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Coach Manny Ardelian made the most of his final weekend coaching the Coast 03 Red (Click for Image) team as he led them to a championship at U19. The boys put together four consecutive results to claim top honors. “ This weekend really showed the bond that these boys share with one another. On Friday night they competed against one another in their high school matches and then came together over the weekend as their Coast team to go undefeated in our tournament. I am so proud of these boys” said Coach Ardeljan. |
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The Coast 07 Red (Click for Image) team posted three wins in pool play but came up just short in the U14 championship versus SC Surf to finish as finalist for the tournament. |
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