Cardiff girls soccer team wins local tournament

A Cardiff girls soccer team of rec players under 10 years old won a La Jolla tournament Dec. 11-12 with a 3-3 victory, prevailing 3-1 in a shootout.

“We were literally just a team for two weeks leading up to the tournament,” said Kyler Wright, who lives in Cardiff, works at a local church and coached his daughter’s rec team.

Players from two teams that were in the Cardiff league came together after their regular season to form an all-star team that competed in the tournament.

Wright said he has no background in soccer but served as the team’s “hype man” and motivator.

The tournament put various teams in different groups, awarding 3 points for wins, 1 point for ties and no points for losses.

The Cardiff team won its first game 6-1, finished its second in a scoreless tie and had to win one more to advance to the championship game, Wright said.

“The girls pulled off this phenomenal win, 2-1, and then we advanced to the championship game, which was super dramatic and really fun to be a part of,” he added.

Following their brief run of success, the players will go their separate ways as they continue their soccer careers or other interests.

“It was just a one-time run for this fourth grade squad,” Wright said. “We were together for two weeks and played through the weekend.”

The games were part of a Class I tournament that was open to USYS, US Club Soccer, USSSA and FIFA affiliated teams, and sanctioned by US Club Soccer, according to the tournament’s official website.

“Those are memories that will stick forever and are huge character-building moments,” Wright said.

For more information about the tournament, visit lajollasoccertournaments.org.