CC United Soccer Club Testimonial Coach Sophia Boockmeier

SUMMARY: Sophia Boockmeier, a coach at CC United Soccer Club, shares her positive experiences with the club. She joined in 2021, drawn by the welcoming atmosphere and the coaches' and players' genuine care for her development, which helped her achieve her dream of playing college soccer. CC United prioritizes player development through an "open door training policy" allowing players to train with multiple teams for maximum ball touches, and also focuses on developing the "whole person" by instilling integrity and confidence. She highly recommends CC United to any family or player seeking a great soccer experience in Minnesota.

CC United Soccer Club Testimonial Featuring Coach Sophia Boockmeier

Read more about a member's experience at CC United Soccer Club, a soccer club in Minnesota.

How long have you been a part of CC United Soccer Club? What attracted you to the club?

I've been a part of CC United Soccer cCub since 2021. So this coming season, I'll be coming up on about five years with the organization. I was attracted to CC United the summer before my junior year of high school because I had a dream of playing college soccer. And where I was currently playing soccer was just not the best fit for me to accomplish that dream. So I did some looking, tried out for multiple clubs in the state of Minnesota, and ultimately landed at CC United because of the feeling I got when I walked on the field for tryouts. All the coaches were so excited to meet me. I could tell they truly cared about me, and not just me as a player, but also as a person, which is so important. The other players who were at the tryouts were just so welcoming, and you could tell that they truly wanted the best for me as a player and were excited to welcome me to the program.

What has been your favorite experience at CC United Soccer Club?

My favorite experience with CC United Soccer Club so far would have to be a league game in my final competitive season with the club. At the time, I was coaching a U12 girls team, and they all showed up to the game. They were cheering super loud and had some really fun signs. And the cool thing about this experience for me was seeing how much the younger players within the program look up to the older players because of the example they're setting. And I think this is just so important because younger kids look up to the older kids and that's then how they act. So when kids have a positive example to follow, that's just super amazing to see.

Another fun thing about this experience was when the final whistle blew, and I shook hands with the other team, finished up the team chat, the girls came running onto the field, and gave me a huge hug and wanted to celebrate the win with me. And I think this just showed the impact that I can have on young players, not necessarily always making them the top player on the field, but helping them to have a positive experience, love the game, and love the experience that comes with the game of soccer.

What kind of impact can the club have on a player’s development?

Player development is the center of all that we do here at CC United. And with every single player, we strive to make an impact on their development. Above all, we strive to make an impact on their game of soccer. So we wanna give players every opportunity possible to train. A unique way in which CC United goes about this is through our open-door training policy. This policy enables players to train with multiple teams throughout the whole entire season, even if that's not the team they're rostered on. So if a player is striving to make a higher team throughout the season, as long as they're able to hang in there, they're allowed to come to practices, which gives them the best opportunity at reaching their goals. Additionally, girls can train with boys, boys can train with girls, and younger teens can train with older teens, and this is another great way for players to just continue to get more touches on the ball, as well as expose areas of strength and areas of weakness.

As we seek to develop the player, the more touches on the ball, the better. And so through the open door training policy, we have found a great balance in helping players reach their goals, but also just continue to get more touches on the ball. Another aspect of development that we focus on here at CC United is the whole person. So on the field, we're seeking players to develop integrity and confidence, and hopefully these things will then translate off the field and better serve them in the classroom and then ultimately in college and in the workforce, and beyond.

What do you like about the facilities used by CC United Soccer Club?

At CC United Soccer Club, we pride ourselves in having safe and open fields and facilities. Safety must be present in order for players to focus on the game in front of them. One thing I really appreciate about CC United is the fact that I have always walked onto fields and facilities feeling safe. So I've never once had a second guess about maybe what's happening around me, and this is huge as we seek for players to get every minute of development that they can without focusing on what's happening outside.

Additionally, the openness helps to contribute to the sense of community, which we pride ourselves in at CC United. All the fields are closely connected, enabling players to go to different fields and support other teams, but also enabling us to look across the field and just see the fantastic community that we have built as a program.

Would you recommend CC United Soccer Club to a friend or colleague? Why?

I can confidently say that I would recommend CC United Soccer Club to any parent, family, or player looking for a fantastic soccer experience in Minnesota. As a player, CC United has been transformative for me. Prior to coming to CC United, I had the dream of playing in college, but I was nowhere where I needed to be in order to accomplish that dream. After coming to CC United, I was pushed by coaches who believed in me and gave me the confidence that I could achieve my goal of collegiate soccer. Little did I know that less than a year after joining the organization, I would be committing to play college soccer at my dream school. Without the support of the coaches, I would have never reached my goal of college soccer, and I am confident that no matter what your players' goals may be, CC United Soccer Club is here and willing to help your player achieve that goal and have a fantastic experience along the way.

As a coach, I also cannot recommend CC United enough. CC United coaches truly care about the whole player. Whether a player is struggling at home or in school. As coaches, we strive to make a difference in their lives and help the field be a place where they can go and enjoy themselves and develop into fantastic soccer players, but also enjoy the experience that comes with it. Soccer is a game that's meant to be fun and a game that is meant to have a positive impact on players' lives, and I can say without a doubt that the coaches at CC United do everything in their power to foster that experience. Please take a chance and come look at CC United Soccer Club. We would be more than excited to welcome your player and answer any questions that you may have.

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