The year is nearly over, and it is time to look back on the past 12 months on the site. Below is a brief look at some of the articles from the previous year that stood out from the pack.

Club soccer:

Interview with ECNL commissioner Sarah Kate Noftsinger. The boss of the elite girl’s club soccer league talks about everything under the sun in a three-part series. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Curious about the youth academy at your MLS club? We looked at every youth team and talked about the top prospects at every franchise.

US Club Soccer followed the Development Academy’s lead with the establishment of its National Premier Leagues. The expansive model is making headway in every corner of the country, and USCS is excited about the direction the program has taken. 

Youth National Team:

Hugo Perez is an artist as a coach and his work with the 1999 age group has been a treat to watch. From the best game I’ve seen in the past 12 months, the U14 Boys National Team loses 5-4 to Cal South ODP.

While the 1999 boys age group is shaping up to be a really good one, the girls one is looking equal to the task. April Kater, the U14 Girls National Team, chatted with TopDrawerSoccer.com about the special players and what the coaching staff is looking for with that age group.

In December, the U.S. U17 team battered Brazil 4-1 to win its second Nike International Friendlies title in three years. It was a crazy night, with Haji Wright capturing the event’s Golden Boot and Brazil quitting on the match with five minutes left to play.

High school soccer

The Maria Carrillo girls team pieced together an unbeaten 2013 fall season to capture the NSCAA year-end No. 1 ranking for a second straight year. In October, TopDrawerSoccer.com profiled the NorCal dynasty and how it’s established its dominance over the past few years. 

King Chavez High School in San Diego, Calif. was birthed into one of the roughest neighborhoods in the city. In the midst of a history of gang violence and a lack of education, a coach and a high school soccer team dared to stand for something bigger. 

St. Benedict’s in Newark, N.J. is a boys high school soccer universe unto itself. From Tab Ramos to Claudio Reyna to the stars of tomorrow, the program continues to churn out top-level talent. Though the program’s near-record streak of 71 consecutive wins was snapped this season, it showed its mettle by capturing a 25th straight state title.

Cristian Roldan went from a star in television commericals to a star on the soccer field over the past decade. His fame finally arrived at TDS in May when he was awarded the Gatorade National Player of the Year. The technically gifted midfielder entered the 2013 season with high hopes for the Washington(m) program. Following a Pac-12 title and a Pac-12 Freshman of the Year award, Roldan is on his way to reaching some of those milestones. 

Morgan Andrews became the second soccer player to win the Gatorade Athlete of the Year award - following in the footsteps of Morgan Brian who won it in 2011. Andrews, recently, was named to the U20 Women's National Team for the CONCACAF Championship in the Cayman Islands. 

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