July 28, 2011 -  Now in its 31st year, the San Diego Surf Cup continues to be the summer showcase for youth soccer’s best of the best. Surf Cup draws the attentions of thousands of spectators and over 300 college coaches and scouts every year. Cosmos Academy West sent four teams to the finals in San Diego, all of which performed incredibly well. 

Here is a recap from SoccerNation.com:

With four teams in finals at Surf Cup, SN asked what makes Cosmos Academy such a strong club? Daras says, “We train three nights a week. We have very supportive staff and coaches, and the boys are very dedicated. We train in the Pomona area in San Bernardino County, and we have boys coming as far as Burbank/Sherman Oaks in LA, as far as Lake Elsinore to the southeast, and as high as Highland in the desert. So we have a lot of dedication. They come, they train, they focus, and we have great coaching.”

Although Cosmos BU11 lost 3-2 to FC Barcelona Academy in the Final, Cosmos BU10 won Surf Cup XXXI beating LA Samba 5-4 while playing the majority of the match with only six players on the field after an early Red Card sent a player off in the first half. Cosmos Academy West BU10 coach Tony deVocht says "This is probably the most proud I have been of the team. The boys came through. Everyone pitched in and the team deserved to win this game. To play with seven men on a field like this is very difficult."

Asked if the team practices PKs, Coach deVocht says "We didn't want the Surf Cup final to go to PKs. I am very proud of the boys. We practice a lot of shooting but we really do not practice PKs that often. The boys did it. It is a great accomplishment to win Surf Cup. It was also great to have played San Diego Surf Soccer team's B10 State Cup Champions in the Semi Finals. Their team played great, especially in the first half where they controlled the ball. That game could have gone either way."

“We love being out here at Surf Cup. We love being in a tournament with the best teams from around the nation. It’s great competition, every game you’ve got to fight a battle to advance," says Cosmos Academy West BU13 coach Jose Batella

Batella says “We came here with a team which had a core of soccer players from a different club and mixed in a lot of boys. I think parents around the LA area saw the opportunity of joining the Cosmos at Surf Cup and jumped on it. We’ve been lucky to get a lot of talent. “

“The Cosmos U12 team has a core that’s been together two or three years and ended up going to Cal South's State Cup and lost in the final, but I really believe they deserved to win. They’re doing very well, are a very good group of boys.”

Al Perez BU12 Cosmos team manager says, “The team actually was put together when the New York Cosmos decided to have an academy out in California. We were formerly Legends FC. It’s absolutely wonderful being sponsored by The New York Cosmos. The program is top notch, with an emphasis on training. Less games, more training is the philosophy, which is what we believe American youth soccer needs today.”

"We made it just out of pool play last year, newly formed, and we are doing much better this year with a year of experience under our belt. As a whole, the environment here at Surf Cup has been wonderful. It’s put together very well. The environment is perfect and the families are all having a great time.” 

Read more on the final results from the Surf Cup here at Soccer Nation.