U10 Girls team puts NorCal on Youth Club Soccer Map - From San Mateo Newspaper

   When asked what is special about the Gryphons 98Girls’ soccer program, in particular  his “Red” traveling team, Head Coach Andres Deza will tell you how committed the players are and how hard they work.  “From day one I made it very clear to my players and their families that while the coaching staff wants them to enjoy playing soccer, the players are expected to make a commitment to get better individually and as a team.  We have had a lot of success winning and receiving trophies and medals, but for the coaching staff the true indicator of success is their understanding of the game at this young age, how they have grown together as a team and how they challenge each other at every practice.”

From an outsider’s view, the Gryphons look like the most dominant U10 club soccer team in California. In 2008, notable tournament success includes winning the Celtic Cup (San Bernardino) and Nike Surf Cup (Del Mar), and being the finalist in the Nike Mustang Stampede (Danville) and Blues Cup (San Juan Capistrano).  The Gryphons are the only team in their age group that has played in the final in all four of these prestigious tournaments.  The Gryphons are also the current NorCal State Cup Champions.

The team has been playing up an age group in league and tournament play and done very well.  Last Spring, the team played in the NorCal Premier boys league and were competitive.  “Having the girls compete against the best boys’ teams in the Bay Area was a lot of fun to watch – an amazing experience!”

The good work of the Gryphons 98 Girls program has been noticed and “individual club teams and youth soccer organizations through northern California often make inquiries about what it is that we do differently” comments Team Manager Cisco Villalta.

The Gryphons 98Girls program is a year round program consisting of four teams – Red (travel), White (“B” team) and Blue and Black (developmental teams).  The program has over 50 players in the age group that span different cities throughout the San Francisco Peninsula .  While other local teams struggle to sustain one team, the Gryphons continue to grow in quality youth soccer players.  “The coaching and team staff are excellent, the families are enthusiastic and provide a great deal of support - and I think we have a very special group of players,” said Villalta.  “We try to keep it fun and interesting.  For example, we recently started a Gryphons 98 water polo club team to allow the girls to cross train and give their bodies some needed rest from the pitch.  Before we realized we had more than 20 water polo U10 players ready to go!”

For more info on 98G Gryphons, please visit http://www.gryphons98g.org/