Kathlene Bobbitt was nearly in tears Monday when she called her Ponte Vedra Storm coach to deliver the good news: she’s been added to the U.S. U17 Women’s National team traveling to Argentina next month. 

Bobbitt had been invited to Coral Springs, Florida, this week to play with the U15 U.S. National Team and get one final look from the national staff. They obviously liked what they saw, adding Bobbitt to the team headed for Buenos Aires where the group will play four international matches in preparation for next year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup.

Bobbitt joins teammates Morgan Brian and Kaili Torres on the elite team as Ponte Vedra is the only club to boast three players on the squad – Albertson Fury (Karin Simonian, Cari Roccaro) and Dallas Texans (Clarissa Wedemeyer, Abby Smith) have two apiece.

Her addition comes as no surprise to her coach Luis Torres, who is effusive in his praise of her.

“She is probably the best natural leader I’ve seen in my 21 years of coaching,” Luis Torres said. “She’s a top center back. She organizes well and she’ s great as far as communication. Her reading of the game is as good as it gets.”

Recent collegiate visits to Georgia, Stanford and Duke by Bobbitt validate Torres’ opinion of her abilities.

Of course, Bobbitt’s achievements are simply an extension of the powerhouse program she is a part of. The Ponte Vedra U17s are the defending Region III and Florida State Cup champions along with the US Youth Soccer national finalists from a year ago.

“My whole thing when I took over is I told the parents I’m not focused on winning,” Luis Torres said. “I’m going to develop players and I promise they’ve be better players in the end. And if that happens, winning will be a byproduct of that.”

Fortunately for Torres as well as Ponte Vedra, winning has merged with development.

The team is skilled in every facet. Take Kaili Torres, for instance, who has become a regular national teamer. The quick striker plays with a pace that few can match and is technically peerless with the ball. She is currently being recruited by a who’s who of nationally recognized programs: UCLA, Stanford, Florida State, Virginia, Duke, etc …

Then there is forward Allison Brashear, and U.S. national pool goalkeeper Sarah Voigt, who is sidelined until next spring after breaking her arm recently.

“Our players are all in the same boat. We’re very fortunate to have players that are in and out of national camps and ODP tournaments,” Luis Torres said. “They’re always coming back with insights and pushing the rest of our players. It’s great and the whole team benefits.”

Read more about another standout player called up for the U17 WNT Argentina trip