Jordyn Vales’s (11) eyes darted from player to player, but her focus was on the goal in front of her. Her team trailed 1-0 late in the semi-finals. Vales weaved through her opponents and shot the ball into the net to tie the score, 1-1.
Vales and her club team, City Southern California (City SC), went on to win that game and then took home first place after four days of competing in the annual Surf Cup tournament held by Surf Sports in Del Mar, July 21.
“I received a lot of positive feedback from all my coaches, which was rewarding because it showed that the extra work I put in outside of club practice is paying off,” Vales said. “One of my favorite moments was scoring the semifinals to tie the game 1-1.”
Vales plays for the City SC Girls Academy. The Surf Cup brings over 15,000 young athletes and about 500 teams from around the U.S., ages 14-18. Her current club team is all-season, so Vales has experience competing in tournaments year-round, as well as being a two-sport varsity athlete for soccer and track.
Vales’s soccer journey began at 3 years old when she started playing recreational soccer. As she got older, Vales said she found her passion in the competitiveness of the sport, playing on San Diego Soccer Club (SDSC) team and junior varsity during her freshman year before she was pulled up to varsity for CIFs. Vales said that playing soccer for so long has only made her love the sport even more.
Now, playing on City SC, Vales was gearing up for the tournament to come. The weeks leading up to this competition were filled with daily team practices. Additionally, Vales met with private coaches outside of regular practice times. These coaches were able to identify her small mistakes and focus on the small things to really prepare Vales for the tournament.
During the first three days of the Surf Cup, many unexpected adjustments were made with positioning. Vales normally specializes in winger – an offensive player located on the side of the field – or outside back – a defensive player also located on the side of the field. However, three of Vales’s teammates were either injured or sick and were unable to play. Vales had to sub in for them and play multiple positions that she doesn’t typically play.
Despite playing in positions that weren’t familiar to her, Vales had many strong moments that set her team up for success. Vales was able to confidently drive the ball up the field, changing from a defensive position to an offensive one, during stressful head-to-head circumstances. This put pressure on the opposing team, which allowed her to create several opportunities for scoring inside the box. Vales also connected many passes successfully, helping her team keep the ball and shape strong plays. Vales’s outstanding plays maintained the team harmony and secured her team’s ultimate success.
After tying in the finals 0-0, both teams entered a penalty shootout, which her team won 5-4, to capture the championship.
“Overall, Surf Cup was a great experience for me personally,” Vales said. “[It] provided valuable exposure against some of the top teams in the country.”
