RICHMOND, VA – (Wednesday, April 10, 2013) – The Richmond Kickers are pleased to announce that Paige Franks has been selected to the initial roster for the upcoming U.S. Soccer U14 Girls National Team Camp in Portland, Oregon, May 12-19. The selection marks the first national team call-up for the Kickers U13 Girls Elite player, who attended the US Youth Soccer ODP Girls National Training Camp in Phoenix over the winter.
“We are thrilled with Paige’s recent invitation into the U14 Girls National Team Camp,” commented Rob Ukrop, Richmond Kickers U13 Girls Elite Head Coach. “Her selection is well-deserved, as Paige has been working hard to polish her game since the fall season. Her darting runs and 1v1 ability causes problems for our opponents, unbalancing defenses while creating scoring chances for her teammates. Her competitive spirit and team-first attitude makes Paige a special player and a joy to coach.”
“We are extremely pleased and honored to find out that Paige Franks has been invited to attend the upcoming U.S. U14 Girls National Team Training Camp,” added Ihor Dotsenko, Richmond Kickers Technical Director. “This is another terrific example of the emphasis and focus that we place on player development for our Girls program. To continue seeing the recognition that our players and our girls program receive at the National level speaks volumes about our player development philosophy and coaching methodology.”
A seventh grader at Byrd Middle School, Franks is the second current Kickers player in the last two months to be selected into the U.S. Women’s National Team program, following in the footsteps of Kickers U17 Girls Elite and U.S. Soccer U20 Women’s National Team player, Katie Cousins. Kickers U17 Girls Elite player, Payton Cook, attended the U14 Girls National Team ID Camp in 2010.
Identified as one of the top players in the U14 age group, Franks will have the opportunity to work with members of the U.S. Soccer coaching staff and compete against other elite players. All training sessions and games will be played on the soccer fields at the University of Portland campus.
