Seventh grader invited to compete in national soccer tournament
Nicole Senecal, a seventh-grader at Schuylerville Jr.-Sr. High School, was been invited to participate in the prestigious U.S. Youth Soccer Region I National Championships held recently in Portland, Maine.. Nicole, 12, is a member of the district’s modified soccer team and has been playing the sport since she was six years old. Using the foundation skills she has built during her experiences at Schuylerville, Nicole participated in the national competition as a representative of Capital United, a soccer league based in Albany.

“I think it’s awesome to be able to represent my state and my school at this event,” Nicole comments.

Schuylerville’s Modified Soccer Team competes against schools throughout Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties, while the Capital United team sees play against teams from the Capital Region and beyond (Bethlehem, Schenectady, Niskayuna, Rotterdam, Schoharie, etc.). Nicole participates in the “U12” (under age12) and “U14” (under age 14) divisions. Recently, she competed in the U14 soccer division against the Youth Premier Soccer league at the Golden Goal Tournament Park in Lake George, playing teams as far away as New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Schuylerville Modified Soccer Coach Kim Duncan feels Nicole’s soccer success stems from a number of factors. “She’s very hard-working and she has a great ability to listen to her coaches and incorporate our advice into her skill set,” Duncan says. “Nicole is also very much a team player.”

Nicole is humble about her accomplishments, saying she joined Capital United in order to hone her skills. “I felt I needed more training,” she says. “I think I pass pretty well, but I need to work more on my dribbling.”

Nicole plays a variety of positions, including center defense and left offense. “I like left offense best, though, because I get to see more of the ball,” she comments.

Nicole feels the exposure to world-class soccer play in the national championships gave her additional valuable experiences, above and beyond those she learns from in New York. “This was the opportunity of a lifetime—an experience I’m sure I’ll never forget,” she says.

The U.S. Soccer National Championship Series is the culmination of a year-long series of competitions at state and regional levels. Four regions hold championships in the tournament structure…and it’s a true tournament of champions, as only teams that have won state championships or that are invited can participate. Winners from each region advance to final competitions in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Nicole began playing soccer in indoor and recreational soccer before progressing to her current level of play. She immerses herself in the sport, keeping her television tuned to European soccer, where she learns valuable lessons from the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez of Manchester United. One of her biggest influences is Mia Hamm. In fact, Nicole participated in the Hamm’s Soccer Hall of Fame Induction last year.

Outside of soccer, Nicole has managed to maintain a high honor status in school, compete in the New York State School Music Association and All-County music competitions playing clarinet, referee recreational soccer and actively participate in community service projects.

Nicole is the daughter of proud parents Tadd and Melissa Senecal of Northumberland.