​The Little Team that Could

Contributed by Michelle Grella

U15 Boys Soccer Team in Naugatuck, a local rec team, recently won the United States Youth Soccer Regionals (USYS) of the President’s Cup. Michelle Grella is the manager for the soccer team.

The local rec team went up against elite academy and premier teams to go undefeated throughout the entire tournament.

Grella shared some details about the boys on the team.

"Most of them have been playing together since they were 4 years old. They were not star players at the beginning, but they worked at every practice and got a little better each time. "

"Then a few years ago a team of coaches came into their lives and made these boys a family and then an undefeatable team."

The team members practiced every day on and off the field.

The manager went on to explain that "they practiced in the pouring rain, in the cold and in the heat and not one of them complained. They gave up homecoming dances, socials, and late nights to be ready for games. They worked and worked and came together to start winning."

In 2022, this team won the Connecticut State Cup, which qualified them for the 2023 Regionals in Pennsylvania.

"They were the only local town rec team there and no one thought they would be any competition until they saw us play. Before you know it we were undefeated and had earned our way to the semifinals. The game went into overtime and then into penalty kicks. It was an amazing victory for our little team that could," Grella said.

This year, on Tuesday, June 6, the boys played in the biggest game of their lives.

"They knew they wanted it and came out swinging. A goal within the first 2 minutes by the team gave them the boost they needed to take the game in a 4-0 win," their manager explained.

The boys made Naugatuck history as the first team to win the regionals and be headed to the finals.

Grella added that "the extra special part of this story is how the boys came together as a family for one of their teammates. When at the end of the first game the keeper got hit so hard it caused a concussion and he had to sit out the rest of the tournament the boys rallied around him and made sure he felt part of every game and celebration."

The team went so far as to have practice shirts made within one day with the player’s name on it so that he knew they were going to win this for him. "That’s the kind of team and kind of boys that we should all be proud of."

Now the adults who work with the team want to get the boys to Kansas for the Presidential Cup.

"This involves a great deal of money as you can imagine and we only have 15 days in which to raise it. We are looking for any help or sponsorships that we can get. We also want to get our story out there to inspire other teams and players to know that you don’t have to come from fancy clubs to make a big impact," the manager explained.

Grella, the Naugatuck Nitros U15b team manager, may be reached at 203-592-3323 or Cmgrella1995@gmail.com