This year marks U.S. Soccer’s Centennial year and to celebrate the journey U.S. Soccer officials have instituted another national soccer event. On Memorial Day Weekend (May 24-26) U.S. Soccer will hold the Inaugural National Amateur Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina and FC Lehigh Valley United (PA) will compete against the Carolina Dynamo (NC), Croatian Eagles (WI), and Battery Park Gunners (MA) in the quest to raise the newest national championship trophy.
FC Lehigh Valley United Sonic will represent the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) as they were the 2012 National Champions and ranked #1 nationally for all NPSL & PDL teams by U.S. Soccer Report in August of 2012. FCLVU Sonic has emerged as one of the most successful amateur sides in recent history by winning two NPSL National Championships (2008 as the PA Stoners), three NPSL Northeast Conference titles, three trips to the NPSL Championships (2008, 2010, 2012), and will play in their second U.S. Lamar Hunt Open Cup in 2013. FCLVU Sonic is also the top men’s team in a very successful youth club in the Lehigh Valley (Allentown, Bethlehem, & Easton – Pennsylvania) where Greg Ramos, the Director of Soccer Operations, has coached his FCLVU boy’s teams to National Youth Championships.
Sonic head coach Dave Weitzman and General Manager Matt McTish have guided the team since 2009 (2009 competed as PA Stoners) and have posted a 41-4-8 record (35-4-4 as Sonic). In 2012, Sonic went 14-1-1 and only allowed five goals during their championship season – only two of those goals coming in the flow of play. FCLVU Sonic beat the Brooklyn Italians and the New York Red Bulls U-23’s in the Northeast Conference playoffs, 2-0 and 3-2. At the NPSL Championship, Sonic beat the Madison 56ers 2-0 in the semifinals followed by another shutout performance, 1-0, in the Finals versus Chattanooga FC. Goalkeeper Charlie Sales was named NPSL Goalkeeper of the Year. Both Sales and starting centerback Kevin Strunk were named to the U.S. Soccer Report NPSL/PDL Best XI. Sonic has relied heavily on local colleges such as Lehigh University, Muhlenberg College, Lafayette College, East Stroudsburg University, DeSales University, & Moravian College as their pipeline for players such as James Graf, Jordie Ciuffetelli, Ali Famili, Ryan Hess, Cody Antonini, AJ Barnold, Tom Mustac, and Josh Brown. Current and former Sonic players Andy Adlard, Matt Baker, Toric Robinson, Troy Hernandez, and Sam Bishop have had their feet in the professional leagues.
FCLVU Sonic is looking to bring home more hardware to add to their collection as well as representing the Lehigh Valley and the NPSL.
“The players are looking eager to get back on the pitch and are excited to wrap their arms around the challenges of competing not only in the 2013 NPSL season but also in two very distinguished U.S. Soccer National events,” Coach Weitzman added. “It’s a wonderful honor for us, FCLVU Sonic, to represent our league, our club, and our community. We know that U.S. Soccer/USASA and our host (Carolina Dynamo) will put on a memorable inaugural championship in Greensboro, NC and we are thrilled to be an integral part of it.”
