Season Summary and Team Background

The Spartans ended a season long journey to capture the Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association State League - Premier Division championship with a 2-0 victory over mk New Berlin United. The championship marks one of the few times that a girls U-18 team from the tri-county (Racine-Kenosha-Walworth counties) area has earned this honor.

The Spartans began their quest in the scorching mid summer heat of Kansas competing at the Kansas City Legends College Showcase Tournament and finished in the cold and mud of late October to finish league play at 4-1-1. Along the way, the Spartans competed in four out-of-state tournaments, the FC Milwaukee Invitational and the Wisconsin State Cup. Their overall record of 10-10-5 included a first place finish at the FC tournament as well as runner up honors at the National Soccer Ranking Gold Cup (held in Naperville, IL). This highly competitive team is the result of a long-standing commitment to skilled and disciplined soccer. The team has been coached by Issy Martinez since 2001 who has developed a challenging training regimen that emphasizes individual ball skills, pattern play and ultimately possession-style soccer.

The team is designed around high school age players that are looking to reap the rewards of hard work and enjoy an environment with other players looking to improve their chances of college level soccer. The 2006 Girls U-18 Spartans White work with ACE-SOCCER.com to provide player profiles, including online video profiles and DVDs.

Last season, Fall 2005, this team convincingly won the State League - First Division, and was promoted to the Wisconsin Premier Division for the Fall 2006 season.

The team continually seeks to challenge itself by entering state and regional competitions that attract high caliber teams. This improves the overall level of team and individual play while providing those players that are interested in college-level soccer with the opportunity to measure their skills against other like-minded players. Also, many of these tournaments are attended by college coaches and scouts.

With this in mind, the Spartans opened their Summer 2006 season with a trip to the Kansas City Legends College Showcase tournament. See related story. During August 2006, the Spartans started with a scrimmage against a Region II team (Mequon U-18), followed by a trip to Saginaw Michigan for the National Soccer Ranking (NSR) Cup 2006 tournament. See related story.

The following weekend saw the Spartans at the FC Milwaukee 2006 Invitational held at Uihlein Soccer Park in Milwaukee WI.

September 2006 began with a trip to Naperville Illinois for the National Soccer Ranking (NSR) Gold Cup. The Spartans advanced to the championship match only to fall to the Mequon SC U-18 Red, 2-1. Wisconsin State Cup group play begins in mid September. Racine will end its fall tournament schedule with a showing at the Best of Midwest Tournament in early October.

In addition to traveling to college showcase and national soccer ranking tournaments, the Spartans are raising money for a soccer trip to Ireland during the summer of 2007. See related links for details.

Reminder

• 2006-11-12: Ireland Trip Fundraiser Party
• 2006-11-19: Team End Of Year Party

Team News

• 2006-10-28: Win Premier League championship.
• 2006-09-04: NSR Gold Cup Runner-up
• 2006-08-20: FC Milwaukee Tourney Champions

Team Contacts

• Head Coach: Issy Martinez
• Phone: [cell] 262-770-8960
• E-Mail: imartinez@ace-soccer.com
• Asst. Coach: Brian Crehan
• Phone: [home] 262-635-0656
• E-Mail: bcrehan@ace-soccer.com
• Manager: Nancy Lenzke
• Phone: [home] 262-886-6294
• Phone: [cell] 262-930-6294
• E-Mail: nlenzke@wi.rr.com

Event Calendar

• 2006-07-01: Legends Tournament [Kansas City]
• 2006-07-09: Fund Raiser - Car Wash.
• 2006-08-05: Scrimmage vs. Mequon U-18
• 2006-08-11: NSR Tournament [Saginaw MI]
• 2006-08-18: FC Milwaukee Tournament [Milwaukee]
• 2006-09-02: NSR Gold Cup [Naperville, IL]
• 2006-09-09: WI State League play begins.
• 2006-09-16: WI State Cup Group Play begins.
• 2006-10-01: Best of Midwest Tournament [Naperville IL]
• 2006-10-28: WI State League play concludes.
• 2006-11-11: Ireland Trip Fundraiser Party
• 2006-11-19: Team End Of Year Party

Practice Schedule

• Week of June 11: [Sun] 06/11; [Tue] 06/13; [Thur] 06/15
• Week of June 18: [Sun] 06/18; [Tue] 06/20; [Thur] 06/22
• Week of June 25: [Sun] 06/25; [Mon] 06/26; [Wed] 06/28
• Week of July 02: [Wed] 07/05; [Fri] 07/07 (Finishing)
• Week of July 09: [Mon] 07/10; [Wed] 07/12
• Week of July 16: [Mon] 07/17 - CXLed; [Wed] 07/19
• Week of July 23: [Mon] 07/24; [Wed] 07/26
• Week of August 06: [Sun] 08/06 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
• Week of August 13: [Mon] 08/14; [Wed] 08/16
• Week of August 20: [Mon] 08/21; [Wed] 08/23
• Week of August 27: [Mon] 08/28; [Wed] 08/30
• Week of Sept. 03: [Wed] 09/06
• Week of Sept. 10: [Mon] 09/11 - CXL; [Wed] 09/13
• Week of Sept. 17: [Mon] 09/18; [Wed] 09/20
• Week of Sept. 24: [Mon] 09/25; [Wed] 09/27
• Week of Oct. 01: [Mon] 10/02; [Wed] 10/04
• Week of Oct. 08: [Mon] 10/09; [Wed] 10/11 - CXL
• Week of Oct. 15: [Mon] 10/16; [Wed] 10/18
• Week of Oct. 22: [Mon] 10/23 - CXL; [Wed] 10/25 - CXL;

All practices held at Gifford School [Franksville] from 5:00 - 6:30; unless otherwise noted.

Team Roster [listed alphabetically]

• Gina Christenbury : #24 : Forward : Kenosha [WI] Tremper H.S. [2007]
• Melissa Christensen : #13 : Midfield/Defender : Kenosha [WI] Tremper H.S. [2008]
• Caroline Crehan : #6 : Defender/Midfield: Racine [WI] Horlick H.S. [2009]
• Kristy Hartnell : #2 : Defender/Midfield/Goalkeeper : Kenosha [WI] Tremper H.S. [2008]
• Abby Husch : #4 : Midfield : Racine [WI] Horlick H.S. [2008]
• Taryn Lenzke : #3 : Defender/Midfield : Racine [WI] Case H.S. [2008]
• Laura Lins : #10 : Midfield : Racine [WI] Horlick H.S. [2008]   CO-CAPTAIN
• Allison Lucareli : #7 : Midfield : Racine [WI] Horlick H.S. [2009]
• Emily Mohr : #8 : Midfield : Kenosha [WI] Tremper H.S. [2009]
• Katie Nehm : #23 : Forward/Midfield : Racine [WI] Case H.S. [2008]   CO-CAPTAIN
• Miranda Outlaw : #5 : Forward/Midfield : Racine [WI] Lutheran H.S. [2008]
• Samantha Schiro : #11 : Forward : Racine [WI] Park H.S. [2007]
• Jenna Schonert : #9 : Midfield : Racine [WI] Horlick H.S. [2007]   CO-CAPTAIN
• Nicole Simon : #15 : Defender : Racine [WI] Case H.S. [2008]
• Cori Skaarnes : #12 : Defender : Racine [WI] Horlick H.S. [2008]
• Nicole Soyka : #17 : Midfield : Racine [WI] Case H.S. [2009]

Season Schedule [Summer 2006 / Fall 2006]

Laura Lins and the Racine Spartans Girls U-18 White battle the Green Bay Metro SC during a rainy October match.