Bethesda Internationals

8 July '08. When US Soccer instituted the Development Academy concept in the summer of 2007 which was intended to improve the quality of development and play of youth soccer across the country, and ultimately, the quality of play of its US National teams, Potomac SA immediately applied and was granted membership. As it was uncertain as to whether or not all of our strong players (mix of older '91 & younger '92 players and one '93 player) would be able to remain together if tryout on the U16 Academy team, and more importantly, since the club President, Arnold Tarzy, did not offer our outstanding coach, Pete Mehlert, the U16 Academy coaching position (on the basis that he was involved with coaching the rising U14 Real and rising U18 Cougars90), the Internationals players/families voted unanimously to stay intact as a strong, rising U16 club team and continue to play in the premier tournaments across the country with the main focus being exposure to college coaches for recruitment purposes. Potomac SA formed a new U16 Academy team from scratch along with formulation of the U17/U18 Academy team, and PSA did not place any restriction upon the Internationals to continue to play as a nationally top-ranked U16 club team. Both Potomac SA's U16 and U17/U18 Academy teams woefully under performed in the inaugural 2007-2008 seasonal year and no doubt did not meet the lofty expectations of Potomac SA and US Soccer officials. For the upcoming 2008-2009 seasonal year, Potomac SA has now mandated that all players from all PSA club/Academy teams must tryout and be identified for selection onto the U16 & U17/U18 Academy and U16-U18 club teams as appropriate with the caveat that those players on current Potomac SA club teams who do not tryout in essence will be required to affiliate with another team in another club as they will not have been identified at any tryout for placement on any particular Academy or club team(s). Once again, all Internationals players/families voted unanimously to stay intact as a strong, rising U17 club team and continue to play in the top tournaments, etc. Thus, per Arnold Tarzy the Potomac Internationals and players will no longer be affiliated with Potomac SA effective 1 Sep. 2008. Therefore, the Potomac Internationals/players will be seeking affiliation with a new club for the upcoming seasonal year 2008-2009 year and prior to its participation in several upcoming tournaments this November/December.