Nicole Yost, at right in a game last season for the San Benito Lady 'Balers, was recently selected for the Olympic Development Program's District II team. The San Benito High School sophomore is one of three females from the San Benito Youth Soccer League to qualify this far in the ODP, joining Alexandria Reckas and Tori Perez.
Less than two months after 12-year-old Alexandria Reckas was named to the 20-member District II team of the Olympic Development Program, becoming the first female from the San Benito Youth Soccer League to do so, two more players from the SBYSL were named to the elite ODP soccer squad.
Tori Perez and Nicole Yost, both members of the U16 Hollister CyberRays Class I team, were chosen among hundreds of the area's top soccer players to play on their respective District II clubs recently.
Surviving a mid-September cut, the two soccer standouts are currently involved in a pair of "play-dates," where the District II teams battle other districts from Northern California in order to decide an exclusive ODP state team.
Perez, 13, and Yost, 15, already have one district play-date done. The next and final play-date will be on Oct. 12.
"It's really difficult because they're all pretty much at the same level," said Carlos Moreno, president of the SBYSL and coach of the 16U CyberRays. "They're all great athletes."
ODP develops soccer talent by identifying the top players on a state level through a series of tryouts where players are selected based on technique, tactics, ability and attitude. Players are recognized on a yearly basis, and are continually groomed for the improved success of the U.S. National Team.
For Perez, an eighth-grader at Rancho San Justo, her first ODP tryout was way back in February with more than 100 other footballers.
And yes, there was plenty of pressure.
"I didn't think I was going to make it because there was a lot of good girls playing there," said Perez, a left forward. "But I feel really good. I didn't think I'd make it this far."
Perez made two different cuts to make it to the top-20, and although she didn't pocket any goals at the first district play-date, she says she set up her teammates for a few assists.
"I don't really focus on winning," said Perez of the play-date. "I'm just out there to have fun and do my best."
With three local players already chosen this year for the D-II team, Moreno expects more players to make it in the years to come, as more and more players begin to not only play year-round, but also at a higher level.
"Playing at a higher level has helped players develop," Moreno said. "At least in our small community, we focus on the technical skills and I think that's what makes them stand out from the rest. We focus more on the technical aspect than just winning. The emphasis is on developing players."
Yost, a sophomore at San Benito High School and a member of the Lady 'Balers varsity team, said there was close to 150 players at her tryout back in May.
After making the first cut of 30 players, the sweeper practiced for two to three months at De Anza College in Cupertino before qualifying for the District II team.
"At first, I was thinking, 'It's all these girls and all this talent. How is [the coach] gonna pick 20 players?'" she said. "But I didn't believe it. I started crying. It was pretty emotional."
Yost said she managed to stand out from the talented pack because of her speed. However, she was forced to sit out the first play-date due to torn ligaments in her right ankle - her kicking foot - but is expected to be cleared today.
With approximately 200 other players at a single play-date, Yost, Perez and Reckas will look to stand out once again in their respective age groups in order to make the ultra elite 20-member state team.
Yost will have a few weeks before Oct. 12 when the second play-date is held, a few weeks before evaluators for the ODP state team begin to critique her every move on the pitch.
"It's kind of scary, to tell you the truth, even though I haven't been critiqued yet," Yost said. "It's pretty intense, but all you can do is try your best. That's what got you that far."
Andrew Matheson Andrew Matheson is a sports writer for South Valley Newspapers. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 334 or at amatheson@svnewspapers.com.
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Best in the bus business, again
