SOMERS, N.Y. - The Somers FC soccer program includes 270 players, and its driving force is to give everyone a seat at the table.
“We are trying to create family,” said Head Coach Milan Davidovic.
A likely goal across the country, this club recently showed that size is not nearly as important as closeness.
In the semifinals of the National Academy League, Somers 16U defeated the Solara team from Texas.
“Their club has 12,000 kids,” said Davidovic, and a 1-0 victory sent the girls to the finals.
Unfortunately, during the last four games that took place in Denver on July 23 and 24, Somers fell 1-0 in the finals. Davidovic was beaming nonetheless.
“It’s the biggest success we’ve ever had,” the coach assured.
It was a road that began in November 2024. “Over the year they grew up so much,” he said.
With six girls playing up a year, the youngest team in the league won the Jefferson Cup in March.
“It’s one of the most prestigious tournaments on the East Coast,” said Davidovic.
The girls eventually traveled to North Carolina, where they qualified for the National Academy League. There, they successfully navigated the group stage. Going 2-1, Somers earned six points and moved on to Denver.
With a 0-0 score after regulation in the semifinals, Davidovic began by praising a defense that proudly boasts Ashley Kuchinsky, Aurora Reilly, Kelly Hoffman, Kayden Delamere, Emily Riggio, Ava Kovalyk, and Skyler Selkin.
“They work hard and try to stop every single chance,” he said. “That’s it.”
The resulting shootout began with the goalie. “Molly Driscoll made two big saves in the shootout,” he clarified.
Of course, the offensive efforts came from a unit featuring Natalie D’Ippolito, Sienna Paldin, Aubry Cerone, and Kayleigh Dolan on the attack, with Sofia Rivera, Angie Giron, Olivia Tatela, and Lucy Williams at midfield.
As such, Hoffman, Paldin, Rivera, and Giron all scored—but the resulting 1-0 win was deceiving.
“We had many more chances,” he said. “We just couldn’t capitalize.”
In the finals, the scoreboard remained empty for most of the game. “They scored in the last ten minutes. It was a great shot from 25 yards out,” said Davidovic.
It was a narrow margin, and Davidovic acknowledged the performance of the champions from Wisconsin.
“Overall, they were a little bit better than us,” he admitted.
Still, the trophy was within reach twice. Natalie D’Ippolito and Sienna Paldin both had great chances. “We didn’t score, and we got punished at the end,” Davidovic lamented.
It wasn’t the destination they would have preferred, but no one can take away the journey, according to the coach. “They fight for each other and have become one unit,” he said. “They are all close friends.”
At the center is their coach, and he’s the first to admit the difficulty. “I know it’s not easy working with me,” Davidovic said.
The kids take on the challenge anyway, and the hard work involved coincides with the team’s shared calling. “Let’s make something,” Davidovic revealed as the mantra.
The head coach isn’t forgetting the help he gets at the top and at his side, either. The FC board never stops supporting the club, and the same goes for his fellow coaches. He has Vlada Bestic as the recovery and conditioning coach, girls varsity coach Brian Lanzetta, and goalie coach Alex Dimitrov.
Family is their driving force, too.
“Two of the coaches are godfather to my kids,” he said. “That’s how close we are.”
With togetherness just one step away from glory, Davidovic has made his final declaration.
“This time next year we will be champions,” he concluded.
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