Gulf Coast Family

Sponsored by Joto's Pizza

1st Row: Ethan Roberts 2nd Row: Conner Demuth, Sean McCarthy, Troy Romano 3rd Row: Tyler Beaver, CJ Williamson, Coach Geoff McCarthy, Asher Demuth, Patrick Brower, Quintin Tolliver, Matt Lovec, Austin Gray, Spencer Whitten, Carter Castonguay, Coach Bob Romano

Congratulations to the Hammers U14 Boys soccer team on being selected as the Joto’s April Top Team of the Month. The Hammers are part of the Seminole Youth Athletic Association and they finished their 2010-2011 season with a record of 18 wins and 0 losses, including the Gulfcoast Youth Soccer Association Cup Tournament Championship. For the Hammers, accomplishing an undefeated season was an amazing feat, especially since the Hammers are not a club competitive team with selected players. They are just a group of boys from local families who have the desire to play soccer.

“The Hammers U14 Boys is a team any coach would be proud of,” Coach Geoff McCarthy told us. “The whole team worked very hard, in every practice and every game. With all the teams we played this year, the one thing that stands out most is that they NEVER played mean or nasty. They kept their cool in every situation and played a clean game.”

Front: Sean McCarthy
Back: Ethan Roberts

“Coach McCarthy and Coach Romano earned the respect of their players and brought out the best in all of us,” team member Conner Schiebinger-DeMuth told us. “Their experience in the game, their enjoyment of the sport and most of all their love and respect for all of us, make both Coach McCarthy and Coach Romano excellent coaches.”

Although Coach McCarthy has called America home for the past 27 years, he is originally from England, where he played rugby, cricket, and soccer. As Hammers team member Ethan Roberts put it, “We are going to really miss Coach McCarthy and especially his English accent. . . . ‘What the dickens?’” Coach Geoff McCarthy has coached youth soccer at Madeira Beach, at Shooting Stars and now at SYAA.

In contrast to Coach McCarthy, Coach Bob Romano grew up right here in Pinellas County and played soccer for Seminole High School. “It’s been an honor and a privilege to be part of this team,” Coach Romano told us. “A group of individuals, with different and unique talents, that came together as a whole. I really enjoyed watching our kids grow and succeed this year. Each one of our team members should be proud of this accomplishment.”

Matthew Lovec, Spencer Whitten, Troy Romano, Asher DeMuth

At SYAA all the coaches are volunteers. They give their time and heart to their teams, and they will be the first to tell you that at SYAA it’s “all about the kids.” At the GYSA CUP Final, the Hammers had over 100 fans cheering them on to their win. “It was great to see all the support the team received from all the families of SYAA!” one of the parents told us. “It is something the boys will never forget.”

In closing, to quote Sherri McCarthy, SYAA Soccer Board President, “The Hammers U14 boys team shows the enthusiasm, fair play, hard work, and proud parents that the Seminole Youth Athletic Association is known for.” And that is why the Hammers have been chosen to be the Joto’s “Top Team” for April.

Sean McCarthy and his Dad, Coach Geoff McCarthy

To find out more about the Seminole Youth Athletic Association, visit their website at www.syaasports.com or check out one of their three facebook pages.

Sean McCarthy: “To finally win it all and be able to share it with my dad, made it all the more exciting!”

Isaac Rosenbluth: “This was my first season playing soccer, I had a lot of fun and I plan on coming on back to play next year.”

Austin Gray: “It’s been an amazing journey! Thanks to all my incredible teammates and coaches for a year I’ll never forget! Go Hammers!”

The Hammers celebrate another victory!

Every month Gulf Coast Family and Joto’s Pizza will select a Top Team of the Month from Pinellas County to be honored in the paper and on our website. The team will also receive special recognition from Joto’s Pizza and will receive a Joto’s pizza party. The categories for nomination are wide and varied. A team might have excelled in competition at any level in junior, youth or senior competition, or perhaps have a unique story to tell that is worthy of recognition. The winning team might not be the one that wins a tournament or a championship. It might be a team that has overcome adversity or demonstrated character and values beyond the winning and losing of a ballgame.

If you wish to nominate a “Top Team of the Month” please send an email to topteam@gulfcoastfamily.org or simply drop off your nomination at your local Joto’s Pizzeria.