Teen makes fourth appearance at national camp

For Jupiter’s Kristina Fisher, it’s becoming an almost routine happening. The14-year-old youth soccer standout recently made her fourth trip to a national team training camp.

This time, she joined theUnited States Under-15 Division girls’ squad on the campus of Southern MethodistUniversity inDallas.

“It was very exciting,” Fisher said. “We played two games, and we trained the rest of the time. I had the opportunity to showthat I am good enough to be there and I appreciate it.”

Fisher was one of two Floridians invited to the camp. She plays locally for theFCFloridaUnder-17 Division girls’ (club) squad in West Palm Beach.

Fisher, whois playing two years up on her club team, generally plays forward and midfield but at the last two national camps has been tried at the right defender position.

“It’s a position I have never played before, so that was an adjustment,” said Fisher, a freshman at Jupiter High School.

Fisher said being around other top players in the country makes her realize she belongs.

“I think I adjusted well (to defense),” said Fisher, who is also a standout track athlete. “I think I showed my versatility by playing in the back with a good attitude. (The coaches) wanted their outside defenders to push forward into the attack, and I am used to going forward.”

Fisher said playing on the Under-17 club team has improved her game because she has to play at a faster pace than her age group.

“It’s my only dream right now,” Fisher said of her aspirations to play for the United States team. “I just have to keep working on my first touch and making decisions faster.”

The Dallas camp featured players who are age-eligible for the 2014 FIFA Under-17 Division Women’sWorld Cup.

Patrick Baker, the new head coach for the women’s team at Florida Atlantic University, will also serve as a coach and trainer for the Team Boca Soccer Club, the competitive travel division of the Soccer Association ofBocaRaton. ??

Baker is the only women’s soccer coach in National Collegiate Athletic Association history to take a team to the Division I, II and III postseason tournaments. He has been a head coach atPennsylvania, Florida State University and Georgia.

He was named the 2003 National Coach of the Year by Soccer America, amassed an 80-46-11 record, and had one team advance to theNCAADivision I FinalFour. His teams had18 wins over ranked opponents, including six victories over top 10 teams.

Baker will coach theTeamBoca Girls Under-15 Division Premier team, among other duties.

Boca United FC is well represented with two teams competing in the Florida Youth Soccer Association’s StateCupFinal Four next weekend in Auburndale.

Boca United’s Under-16 Division boys’ squad will take on the Soccer Association of the Americas (Miami) in its semifinal action, while the organization’s Under-16 Division girls will face the Sunrise Sting in their divisional semifinal.

The Wellington Wave is also represented at states, and its Under-16 Division boys’ team will battle FC America (Orlando) in semifinal play.

The Team Boca White Under-18 Division boys also advanced to the state semifinals in its age categoryandwill goupagainst theWest Florida Flames.

The semifinals are on Saturday with the finals onMay19.

The Jupiter United Under-15 Division girls’ travel soccer team recently won the 2013 Florida Presidents Cup championship in Auburndale.

The Jupiter contingent defeated FC Dallas Emerald Coast, 5-1, in the semifinals and the Central Brevard Cyclones, 2-1, on penalty kicks in the finals to advance to the Region III Presidents Cup on June 6-9 in Decatur, Ala.

Emma Powers came through with the decisive kick in the shootout after Alexa Moberley had scored in regulation for Jupiter. Goalkeeper Hannah Weisse had the decisive save.

Powers, who plays holding midfielder for JupiterUnited, said theteamovercamea roughstart to the beginning of the season.

“We really united and pulled through during the tournament and last game,” Powers said. “We have each other’s backs through the happy times and the stressful times. My teammates and I are so excited to continue our love for soccer in Alabama.”

Moberley, who is Jupiter’s top scorer, is confident that theUnited girls can dowell in Alabama.

“It was a long way to get where we’ve gotten, but all of our hard work has paid off,” she said. “Now we justhave to train our hardest to be successful in Alabama.”

Jupiter will face stiff competition from regional teams representingTexas, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina andTennessee. The winner of the Region III Presidents

PHOTO BY GARY CURRERI Jupiter youth soccer player Kristina Fisher recently made her fourth appearance at a national team training camp. This time, she joined the Under-15 Division girls’ squad for skills development in Dallas.