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DME Academy Soccer Brings Home The Hardware In First-Ever Tournament Appearance 

DME Academy kicked off its competitive soccer program in fashion over the weekend. Three teams (2010 boys, 2010 girls & 2012 girls) competed in various Memorial Day Tournaments & Showcases throughout Florida.

Young athletes represented DME with pride, showing class, poise, and effort under extreme heat and humidity. For weeks, these 9-12-year-old athletes trained hard and prepared to play up a level in the events. The 2012 girls moved up to 9×9 and were playing girls two years older, in some cases. The 2010s moved to 11v11 and did the same.

“It’s always nice to win hardware but development is the real prize. The kids will get so much more from this experience and benefit in the long run”, says Scott Morgenroth, coach and former IMG Academy Staffer. 

The 2012 girls competed in the first-ever game for DME Soccer, winning 2-1 over a 2011 Chargers Soccer Club team that went on to win the division. This win marks the first in DME history and to beat an older and very physical group of young ladies with great passing and team play speaks volumes.

“We wanted to be the first team to get a win at DME and beating older girls is always fun.,” said Cecilia Antista, Co-Captain of the 2012 team.

The 2010 girls faced international competition and held their own throughout their tourney run, with many opposing teams complementing their passing and teamwork, unfortunately, they didn’t advance out of group play. 

The 2010 boys on the other hand were top class all weekend long, going undefeated in group play. With their backs up against the wall, losing one player to illness and another to injury, the bench was light all weekend. With temperatures in the high 90 and on a larger field, they gutted out three impressive results in the older age division, 2-0-1. The finals would be a rematch with a 2009 Treasure Coast team, whom they previously tied, and it wasn’t a game at all. DME jumped out to a 3-0 halftime lead on the back of Forward Samuel Colina. With a strong defense, skilled midfield, and speed up front, this group got the lead early and held it until the final whistle – bringing home the first tournament trophy for DME Academy. 

“It’s all about experiences here at DME. I was checking in with our staff all weekend long and was very proud to see the positive results trickling in. We’re just getting started, but with top coaches and dedicated athletes, we’ll be a force within the next few years.”, says Dan Pannagio, CEO & Founder of DME Academy. 

Next up, the kids will get right back to work. Preparation starts for their next tournament experience this summer, which will see the 2012 girls head to Maine on Fathers’ Day Weekend. With training happening locally in Sarasota via our Florida Southwest Program and elite camp experiences on our main campus in Daytona, the soccer program at DME is off to the races. 

Join our soccer family, improve your game and see why DME is an academy on the rise. 

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