A group of young Folsom soccer players who reached the top of their game on the national stage received some hometown recognition Tuesday night as the Folsom City Council honored the Folsom Lake Surf Soccer Club U15 Boys ECNL Regional League team for capturing its second consecutive national championship.
Players, coaches and families gathered at Folsom City Hall during the Aug. 25 council meeting, where Mayor Justin Raithel presented the team with a resolution of commendation recognizing its championship season, teamwork and representation of the Folsom community.
The recognition followed another remarkable national run for the 17-member team, which traveled to Richmond, Virginia, in July for the ECNL Regional League Finals. Facing competition from across the country, Folsom Lake Surf went through the tournament without allowing a goal, outscoring its opponents by a combined 12-0 before defeating Houstonians FC 1-0 to secure the national championship.
It was the second straight national title for the Folsom Lake Surf squad, an accomplishment Raithel highlighted while reading the city’s formal commendation Tuesday.
“The players came together all year to prepare for play at the highest level, demonstrating teamwork, positive attitudes, excellent work ethic, and enthusiasm for the game and opportunities to perform at the national level,” Raithel said as he read from the resolution.
The city’s commendation notes that the team is made up of 17 boys under the age of 15 who trained throughout the year under Head Coach and Executive Director Fritz Libby, who provided the preparation, training, leadership and encouragement that helped carry the group through the season.
That preparation showed on the national stage. In addition to winning the championship, the team’s 12-0 combined scoring advantage over its opponents meant Folsom Lake Surf completed its run through the finals without surrendering a single goal.
Raithel said the accomplishment extended beyond what the players achieved on the field, recognizing the way the team carried the Folsom name while competing away from home.
“The players, coaches, and families of the Folsom Lake Surf Soccer Club team proudly represented the city of Folsom both on and off the field,” Raithel said.
The mayor then formally congratulated the team on behalf of the council and community.
“On behalf of the Folsom City Council and the whole Folsom community, [I] do hereby congratulate the players, coaches, and families of this team and extend our excitement of this national championship and wish them much continued success,” Raithel said.
A representative of Folsom Lake Surf thanked the council for the recognition and also pointed to the relationship between the soccer organization and the city, particularly when it comes to maintaining and improving the fields local players rely upon.
“On behalf of our club and 64-plus clubs that make up Surf Nation across the country, we really appreciate your support and ongoing efforts to partner with us on things like field and, you know, renovations needed to keep us on the field, keep us going,” the representative told the council.
The commendation described the team as contributing to Folsom’s “vibrant youth sports community” while representing the city through “exceptional teamwork, sportsmanship, and dedication to the game of soccer.” The resolution was formally commended Aug. 25 and signed by Raithel.
The council recognition provided a hometown conclusion to a season that took the Folsom players thousands of miles across the country and ended with them once again standing atop their division nationally — this time returning to Folsom as back-to-back champions.
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