Tucson Soccer Teams Compete in Vegas

The ball is kicked to me. In that moment, I feel and hear nothing as I race toward the goal and shoot. The ball flies straight into the corner of the net. I scored. I couldn’t believe it. The crowd was shouting my name, screaming with joy.

For most 11-year-old girls like myself, scoring a goal at an international tournament is only a dream—but for the girls of FC Youth Tucson, coached by Alejandro Rodriguez, that dream came true at the Las Vegas Mayor’s Cup. This tournament is one of the largest and most competitive youth soccer tournaments in the United States—competitors from 40 states and 30 countries attend annually.

A few days before his team’s departure for Las Vegas, I caught up with Rodriguez on the sideline before a regular practice. Rodriguez is preparing not one, but two teams for this year’s Mayor’s Cup held Feb. 20–22 at fields across the Las Vegas valley. Both comprised of girls competing in the U12 division. Having two teams attend the Mayor’s Cup is an honor for Tucson and demonstrates the talent of the FC Tucson youth program.

Rodriguez is a coach who develops his players not just physically, but mentally. He emphasizes self-motivation and hard work in training as the winning combination for competing against advanced teams. Above all, he expressed that he is simply happy to compete. But it isn’t all business. The Mayor’s Cup offers players plenty of fun activities and for these girls, simply staying together as a team in Las Vegas will be an experience they won’t forget.

I concluded my interview by asking Rodriguez what his goals were for the tournament. “Right now my main focus is for the girls to have a great experience, gain more competition exposure, and make it a great opportunity for them to face teams from other states,” he said. “My most important phrase for these girls is: ‘We never lose, we only learn.’”

I also had the chance to speak with one of the players, Samantha Lugo, a midfielder wearing jersey No. 19. She was genuinely excited about the tournament and I enjoyed talking with her. For Lugo, this will be her first time competing at the Mayor’s Cup, and she approached it with a winning attitude.

“It will be a challenge,” she said, “but we’re going to learn from our challenges.” Lugo was also looking forward to having her mom on the sidelines cheering her on and supporting her. And when asked about any pre-game traditions, she smiled and shared that she prays before every game.

At the tournament, FC Youth Tucson Team 1 had two wins and one loss and Team 2 had two losses and one win in the consolation game.