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Former Beachside player and Wake Forest senior  Marcus Tracy won the prestigious Herman Trophy on Friday night.  The Herman award is the equivalent to the Heisman award in football which honors college soccer’s best player.

Along the way he made history by becoming the first Wake Forest player to win the award in its 41-year history. The Hermann Trophy, which is voted on by college coaches, is considered the biggest individual award in Division I soccer.

The WFU Deacons lost to North Carolina 1-0 in the semifinals of the College Cup as they were denied a shot of repeating as national champions.

Tracy’s teammate, Sam Cronin, a former star at Mount Tabor, and Akron’s Steve Zakuani were also finalists. Tracy and Zakuani were at the ceremony on Friday night at the Missouri Athletic Downtown Club in St. Louis. Cronin wasn’t there because he was at the MLS Combine in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The MLS Draft will be held on Thursday.

No Wake Forest player had ever been among the finalists, so to have two is something WFU Coach Jay Vidovich was proud of.

“These two guys are at different stages in their careers,” Vidovich said. “Marcus has signed to play in Denmark and Sam is preparing for the MLS Draft at the combine. Tracy, 22, is expected to fly to Denmark this weekend and sign a contract, according to Vidovich. Tracy was expected to be one of the top picks in next week’s MLS Draft, but will now take his game to Europe.

Tracy played in 77 games for the Deacons and along with Cronin were a part of three straight teams that played in the College Cup. Tracy scored 30 goals in his career with a career-best 13 this past season. He also added 23 career assists (10 this season) and had seven game-winning goals as he turned into one of the premier strikers in college soccer.

In 2007 Tracy was the Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the College Cup in Cary as the Deacons won the school’s first national championship in soccer. In that College Cup he scored both goals in a 2-0 win in the semifinals over Virginia Tech and also scored the tying goal in a 2-1 win over Ohio State in the title game.

With a previous call up to the US under 14 National Camp and an impressive showing at last month’s Thanksgiving inter-regionals, Beachside U-13 goalkeeper Scott Levene was just named to the roster for the U.S. under 14 National Team heading to Guadelajara, Mexico this coming Jan 18-25th.

Scott, who started playing as a ‘keeper in rec. soccer when he was 6, found out that he had made the national team for the trip to Mexico when he was in school eating lunch. His mother Jane texted him to say “You have been selected to a National Team roster spot.” At that moment, Scott says “I shouted out, ‘I made the National Team!’ I was so happy that all I wanted to do was go home and read the e-mail.”

Scott likes playing keeper because he gets to see the whole field and all the action. “My goal is to stop others from scoring and the better I communicate with my defenders, the more likely we are able to shut down the other team’s offense” he says. Also, he adds: “it feels like you are flying when you dive.”

Playing at the state, regional, and national levels has given him the opportunity to play with the best players of his age group in the country. “Playing at this level has helped make me a better player. I have learned how hard I need to work if I want to play at the top level and hopefully some day at a Division 1 college and maybe some day as a pro.”

“On my Beachside team I am surrounded by great and supporting teammates” Scott continued.

“Unlike many other clubs, Beachside players are committed and come in knowing the game. My coach, Allan Zuniga, is a great coach. He has helped me a lot on what I should work on and how to improve my play. Also the help I have received from Pete Doneit since joining Beachside has been awesome. He has done some individual sessions with me to help me improve – two of these were just before I went to national ODP camp.”

“Thank you to Beachside for all your support for Scott and the training you have given him” said his parents Jane and Phil Levene

Mickey Kydes, Beachside Founder & Coaching Director a was inducted in to the Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame on Saturday, January 26, 2008 in Farmington, CT.

Mickey was honored for all his accomplishments as a player and coach.

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For his winning goal U.S.A. vs. Mexico in Gold Cup Final

Marcus Tracy scores 3 goals and one assist in semis and final game and is named the Tournament’s Most Outstanding Offensive Player.

Congratulations and Thank You to U16 Beachside player Ian Halter, who organized and set up this fundraiser event for the club.

Thanks to all the U12 – U14 Boys and Girls players, parents and coaches who participated in Light the Night Walk on October 4, 2007. It was a great success with over 100 Beachside participants.