The Murrieta 14U Team, representing the American Youth Soccer Organization, will be competing in the National Games next month Irvine. Valley News/Courtesy photo

The American Youth Soccer Organization National Games are returning to the place they began at 35 years ago. This year’s event will be hosted in Irvine in July. One of the local teams scheduled to participate in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is the Murrieta 14U Team.

AYSO National Games is a week-long celebration bringing together AYSO players, volunteers and parents from across the country. The AYSO National Games began in the city of Irvine in 1988. The last national games were held in Oahu, Hawaii, however, the last time the games were held in the state of California was in 2014, in the city of Torrance. It is officially making its comeback, where it all started, in Irvine.

More than 3,800 players, making up 328 teams, will come together to play 1,300 games all in one venue at the Orange County Great Park. Fifteen Murrieta 14U AYSO players have been hand selected to represent Southern California at the AYSO National Games. Coached by Joshua Schwarz and Dean Rush, the team needs the public’s support to meet their goal of raising $7,500 to cover hotel and food costs for a week’s worth of AYSO games, celebrations, and activities. To meet their goal, a GoFundMe page has been created for the team.

The AYSO National Games kick off with opening ceremonies on Monday, July 24.

For more information and to donate, www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-get-to-the-2023-ayso-national-games.

Diane A. Rhodes