LEWISBURG, Pa. — The Wave is the Under 16 girl's team, representing North Union United Soccer Club – and they just returned home to Lewisburg as national champions. After winning their state and regional tournaments, the Wave just won the U.S. Youth Soccer Presidents Cup – the national title, in North Carolina.
"Honestly, it doesn't even really feel real," said NUU U16 Wave's Haley Bull, who scored the lone goal in the championship game. "It feels like a dream, but I knew we had a good group of girls and stuff, but I never thought we'd come this far."
"It's pretty cool," added her teammate and tournament MVP Gigi Duncan. "Ever since we were little, we always kind of had goals for ourselves and I think that was a big one and it was just a great experience for our team."
And the Wave wasn't the only North Union United team at nationals. The Valor, the Under 14 team made it all the way to their national championship game. And the Under 19 boys team made it to the National Premiere League Finals in Colorado.
"It was something that not many people get to say that they can do," NUU U19's Anthony Burns said. "Going to Colorado and having people ask 'What team are you? What state are you even from?' Being able to say that we're from Pennsylvania and we play for North Union United is unreal."
"It just shows the good work that's being done right now at North Union United," North Union United Director of Coaching Jim Findlay added. "To send three teams to nationals for a club our size is really impressive."
North Union United is about to enter their 25th season and all of this success is putting them on the map. A small club here in Central Pennsylvania proving they have some of the top talent in the country.
" Lots of people are going to be looking at this club now and it makes me feel also really good that I could be part of making this club's name known," NUU U14's Lilly Deitterick said.
They're known, as one of the best in the country.