SAN DIEGO, California - The games meant a little more, and the losses a little less this weekend for Futeca Camp Elite.

For Futeca, it was all about the journey, the experience and the opportunity. And in that regard, it couldn’t lose.

Representative of the Surf College Cup’s international flavor, Futeca is an academy based in Guatemala City. The Central American institution trains and educates kids during the year while bringing a group of footballers to the Surf Cup every November. This week they competed in three games in the U17 Super Division.

It’s an opportunity for the young players to pursue educational opportunities abroad, take part in American culture, and of course, get a taste of U.S. competition.

“The kids get a chance to get U.S. college exposure that they wouldn’t otherwise get,” said Academy principal Ricardo Arenas. “We have sent players to American universities in the past, and first and foremost to give them that opportunity is the first purpose. But it’s also something all the kids love and enjoy as an experience.”
 
This trip, Futeca finished last in its bracket, taking two defeats Friday before earning a draw with the San Diego Surf.

The weekend wasn’t quite as much of an exchange this weekend as Futeca had hoped - they fell 4-1 to West Coast Premier against the likes of Lucas Dall'orso, Juan Gutierrez and Juan Pablo Ocegueda; lost 2-0 to Santa Clara Sporting who was led by David Flores, Sebastian Zuniga, Carlos Gonzalez and Ricardo Robledo and then earned the important 1-1 tie with the Surf.

“They have very good soccer here,” said Futeca midfielder Daniel Rodriguez. “The level of the U.S. is getting bigger all the time and they have been better than us in this tournament. We have had the bad luck of losing but we gave our best and we’re good with (how we played).”

The Academy is trying to organize a second trip to the States in order to give their players more time to benefit from playing abroad. There are clearly big differences from the soccer they face here than what they see in their home country.

“Mostly the speed of play,” Arenas said. “In Central American countries the soccer is a lot slower and the games have lapses and freeze time. Here everything is faster and players are stronger and I think once we get here we have to adjust right away, which is hard.

“We would love to come once a year and maybe play in two or three tournaments but we would have to stay here a month, which would be hard. But the kids basically train all year for these kinds of tournaments. They love it.”

FUTECA CAMP ELITE ROSTER

Goalkeepers: Marco Luna
Defenders: Yohan Mejia, Pablo Ruiz, Pedro Morales, Luis Vega, Jose Castaneda
Midfielders: Jose  Perez, Danny Zaid, Rodrigo Saravia, Alejandro Zelaya, Francisco Motta, Juan Pablo Moklebust,
Forwards: Gerardo Zimeri, Nicolas Ucros, Daniel Rodriguez, Juan Jose Morales, Ricardo Urruela, Javaier Garcia