Meredith Waropay, Contributing Writer
TSC Williamson 2012 Girls Showcase played up a year in the 13U Division this past season and found an incredible amount of success at the higher age group. Despite the challenge of competing against older teams, the team proved to be fierce competitors throughout the year who were more than up to the difficult task at hand.
“What made this team so special was how well they got along on and off the field,” said Stephen Jordan, head coach of TSC Williamson 2012 Girls Showcase. “They work hard every single training session, giving 100% effort and having a positive attitude.”
TSC Williamson 2012 Girls Showcase first won the Tennessee State Soccer Association (TSSA) State Cup at the Division 1 level, which is part of the US Youth Soccer National Championships Presented by New York Life. By winning the TSSA 13U Girls State Cup, the team booked its ticket to the USYS Southern Regional Championships in Tampa and Auburndale, Florida.
TSC Williamson played exceptionally well at the USYS Southern Regional Championships and ultimately earned their place in the final against HTX 12 of South Texas, falling by a slim margin in the regional championship match. The Tennessee side reached the final after blanking Greater Boca SFFA 2011 Girls Elite SUN (FL) in the semifinals, 1-0. Prior to that outing, TSC Williamson claimed a 4-1 victory over MS Rush 11G Premier (MS) in the quarterfinals. They entered the elimination rounds after a runner-up finish in group play, registering six points (2-1 record) on a 7-5 goal differential in their bracket.
“One of my favorite things about coaching this team is they are open to learning, changing roles and being challenged,” Coach Jordan continued. “It has been wonderful to watch them grow and become more confident on the field.”
The decision to have the team play up an age group was ultimately made to help them develop as competitive players. In the 13U age group, TSC Williamson was challenged to play 11v11 instead of 9v9, and playing up also tested the team’s strategic game play and physicality.
“We started the season with goals solely focused on development,” Coach Jordan confirmed. “We did not anticipate challenging to win the Tennessee State League, but the growth throughout the season was incredible. It was not until State Cup that we started talking about ‘how to win’ to keep the season going. The biggest fear of losing for the girls was that the season would end, and that they would not be playing together.”
TSC Williamson 2012 Girls Showcase demonstrated remarkable growth and resilience throughout the past season. Playing up a year in the 13U Division presented significant challenges, but the team’s commitment to development and their ability to adapt to tougher competition was clearly evident. As the 2024-25 season commences, Coach Jordan and TSC Williamson 2012 Girls Showcase now set their sights on new challenges and seeing what additional accomplishments they can reach.