January Newsletter 2025
Welcome to the Kings Hammer Swan City January Newsletter! This edition features, Elite Academy Talent ID, KH Swan City Players Participate in ECNL Showcase, Spring Break Skills School, Center of Excellence, Spring Recreation Registration Open, Meet the Coaches, GK Union Save of the Month, and more! If you have a player, coach, or team to be highlighted in future newsletters, please send photos and stories to acorbett@kingshammer.com. Each newsletter will be posted on our website as well as our social pages.
Elite Academy Talent ID
Our U13 and U14 boys continue to make us proud. Not ONE but SIX players selected to represent the Elite Academy League and Kings Hammer Swan City at the MICFootball Cup April 11-22, 2025 in Barcelona, Spain. The goal of the EA National Talent ID program is to identify top elite talent from within the EA and provide extra opportunities and exposure to compete at a higher level. We are very proud to have these players selected, this is a testament to their hard work, talent, and dedication.
Congratulations to:
- Juan Campos/2011- National I
- Carlos Nathan Gonzalez/2011-National I
- Noah Villarete/2011-National II
- Caidan Callaway/2011-National II
- Alex Paniagua/2012- National I
- Lucas Espinoza/2012-National I
KH Swan City Players Participate in ECNL Showcase
We were very pleased to have Octavio Miguel (B09) and Joel Estrada (B08) join Kings Hammer ECNL teams at the ECNL Showcase at Premier Sports Campus, Lakewood Ranch January 4th-6th. Both players have been standouts on and off the field for their teams and were gifted this opportunity to join Kings Hammer ECNL teams for their hard work. Congratulations to both players.
Spring Break Skills School Registration Open
Registration is open for our Spring Break Skills School that will be held on March 17th-19th! Join us for three days of technical development, available to boys and girls U6-U16.
For more information and to register click here!
Center of Excellence
Center of Excellence now available monthly. Jump in monthly, bi monthly, or for the entire program. Our COE is tailored specifically for our Recreation players aged U6-U12 and is a fantastic opportunity for players to enhance their skills, learn new techniques, and take their game to the next level under the guidance of our experience coaching staff.
We are pleased to make this program available at $15 a session ($60 a month). For more details and to register click here!
Spring Recreation Registration is OPEN
Join us for another exciting season of fun, learning, and community. Whether you are new to the game or looking to continue your soccer journey, our recreation program is the perfect place to play and grow.
For more information and to register click here!
Disney Girls Soccer Showcase
We were excited to see our KHP1 SC G06 and KHP2 SC G06/07 girls take the field January 17th-20th at the Disney Girls Showcase at ESPN Wide World Of Sports.
Both of our teams played very well and competed against teams from Maryland, Georgia, Texas and Florida. Great work ladies!
Brevard Phoenix Cup Finalists
Our KHP1 SC G13 fought hard at the 2025 Brevard Phoenix Cup January 18th-19th in Melbourne, playing up a division (U13) and finishing as finalists!
We’re incredibly proud of their hard work and resilience as they competed against tough competition while playing up on the 11v11 field. Well done ladies—you continue to make Kings Hammer Swan City proud!
The Dimitri Cup
We had two teams head to Lakewood Ranch January 18th-19th to compete in The Dimitri Cup. Our KHJR1 SC G16 came home CHAMPIONS of their division. They went undefeated throughout the tournament and finished with a 4-2 W against Cape Coral Cyclones. The future is bright for these U9 girls. Congratulations!!
Our KHP4 SC B15 known as the “Savages” worked their way through a competitive U10 bracket of the Dimitri Cup making it to the Semi-Finals. They fell short against Florida Premier TRY Elite but we are so proud of their hard work and effort throughout the entire tournament. Good job Savages!
EDP Spring Kickoff
Our KHP1 SC G11 team traveled down to Naples for the EDP Spring Kickoff Tournament and came home CHAMPIONS! They went undefeated and finished the final match with an impressive 4-0 Win vs The DA. Excellent work ladies!
Visit Central Florida FHSAA State Championships
The 2025 FHSAA Boys’ and Girls’ Soccer State Championships are coming to Lake Myrtle Sports Complex in Auburndale, FL, from February 18th–22nd, 2025!
We wanted to share that our friends at Visit Central Florida are looking for passionate volunteers to help make this event a success. This is a great opportunity to watch some of the best high school soccer in Florida while also making a difference in our soccer community.
If you’re interested in volunteering click here to sign up!
January Meet the Coaches
This month we would like for everyone to get to know Coach Eva Okereke-Enechukwu and Coach Danny Delgado.
Meet Coach Eva
Eva coaches our KHP1 SC G15 team and is originally from Nigeria, where soccer is a national passion, Coach Eva Okereke-Enechukwu brought her deep love for the game to the United States after relocating in 1996. She began playing soccer at the age of 5 and played an instrumental role in establishing the soccer team at her High School (Randallstown HS) in Baltimore, MD. She excelled in both soccer and lacrosse, earning recognition, including Fox 45 Prep Player of the Week and All-Star honors throughout her club, high school, and collegiate years.
As a grassroots licensed soccer coach with over a decade of coaching experience, Eva has demonstrated unwavering dedication to youth soccer development. Before moving to Florida in 2009, she coached both recreational and competitive teams in Maryland, including a significant tenure at the Westside Soccer League. Her coaching journey continued at North Lakeland Youth Soccer, North Lakeland United, and indoor soccer at the YMCA, where she led a variety of age groups, coaching both recreational and competitive teams and honing her coaching skills further. In addition to coaching our U10 girls she is also the Victory Christian Academy middle school girls’ coach.
Her coaching philosophy focuses on the comprehensive development of young athletes, using soccer as a means to instill important life skills and values. She aims to equip her players with the confidence and capability to make sound decisions, preparing them to tackle future challenges both on and off the field.
Coach Eva’s favorite quote is from Pelé: “Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” This quote perfectly embodies Eva’s philosophy and vision for coaching her U10 girls’ team. We feel pretty lucky to have Eva on our coaching team.
Meet Coach Danny
Coach Danny Delgado is our KHP2 SC G06/07, KHP1 SC G06, and USL W Coach. Danny, a Venezuelan native, and a fanatic of the game, has been coaching for over 10 years, joining us at the time as Lakeland FC in 2015.
Danny has worked with a variety of youth ages for club and high-school over the years and currently coaches the Mckeel JV girls’ team as well. He has his USSF C license and is currently working towards his B license.
GK Union Save of the Month
Congratulations to Kings Hammer Murfreesboro’s Ryland Dolan & Kings Hammer Swan City’s Aubrey Francks for being our December winners!
Did you make an incredible save or a game-saving block? We want to see them! Post your best saves in the Kings Hammer GK Union Facebook group. Be sure to share throughout the spring season and YOU could be selected for our Kings Hammer Save of the Month! GK Save of the Month winners will be announced the Friday of the first full week of the following month. Monthly winners will be posted on the Kings Hammer social pages and on the GK Union page.
January Education: Fostering a Love for the Game
As parents and coaches, we all want to provide the best opportunities, support, and chance for success for our children and players. Sometimes though, we may not even be aware of the small ways we may be contributing to them losing their love of the game. Here are six key areas for parents to explore from an article published by the people at I Love to Watch You Play.
- We Turn Every Game into a Judgment
- When every game becomes a performance instead of an experience, kids lose the joy of just playing.
- We Micromanage Their Journey
- Too many kids feel like passengers in their own sports journey—with parents and coaches at the wheel, mapping out their future before they even know what they want.
- We Overcorrect Instead of Letting Them Struggle
- Sports are supposed to teach resilience. But too often, we don’t let them actually struggle.
- We Make Every Decision About the Future
- Every time we shift their focus to what’s next, we pull them away from what’s now.
- We Make the Game Feel Like a Job
- If the game feels like an obligation, joy disappears.
- We Forget That Our Role Is to Be Their Safe Space
- No one in their sports world should love them less when they lose or more when they win.
Click here to read the full I Love to Watch You Play article.
