CL teen travels abroad to compete in soccer

Kelly Hardwick in Denmark at the Dana Cup where her team won third place and was awarded a trophy and bronze medal. Photo provided by Janine Hardwick

Canyon Lake resident and teen soccer player Kelly Hardwick competed this summer in the Far West Regional Championships and 2018 Eurotour. A member of club soccer, Kelly plays for the Temecula Valley Hawks Soccer Club G03 Academy team.

In May, the Hawks won the Cal South National Cup and advanced to the Far West Regional Championships in Honolulu, Hawaii, in June.

Kelly also had the honor of representing the United States playing for the National Soccer Academy (NSA) on the 2018 Eurotour in July where her team finished in third place out of 58 teams in their age bracket. “The Eurotour was a life-changing,” said Kelly.

Kelly started playing soccer when she was four years old. She joined club soccer at the age of seven, playing right mid-field, left mid-field and forward positions. Dedicated to the sport of soccer, Kelly spends seven days a week playing on her club and high school teams.

A sophomore at Temescal Canyon High School, Kelly was one of two freshmen chosen to play on the varsity team last year. She is a member of the varsity team again this year

In May, the Hawks competed and won the Cal South National Cup and advanced to the Far West Regional Championships in Honolulu, Hawaii. “It was the best feeling ever to win the National Cup,” said Kelly. “It was my greatest soccer accomplishment so far.”  Joined by her parents Janine and Steve, Kelly traveled to Hawaii where her team competed against 16 of the top teams in the Western United States.

The Hawks advanced to first place in pool play but were eliminated in a double overtime game in the quarter finals. While the team did not win the finals, their performance earned them an invitation to participate in the National League Championships.

In November 2017, Kelly traveled to Northern California to tryout for the National Soccer Academy (NSA), an academy that promotes excellence through competition in major events nationally and internationally.

Kelly was chosen to play on one of two girls teams that would that would play for NSA in the 2018 Eurotour. The NSA teams are made up of players from all over the United States, as well as a few international players. Over the next nine months, Kelly raised money to pay for her trip by babysitting and collecting recyclables from friends and neighbors.

Kelly traveled with her mother to Denmark on July 9 for the 2018 Eurotour. The first few days were filled with practices and getting to know her fellow NSA teammates. The girls bonded within days, “The girls were all best of friends and playing as a team,” said Janine.

On July 15, Kelly traveled by Ferry to Gothenburg, Sweden, where her team played in the Gothia Cup, the largest youth soccer tournament in the world. More than 1,730 teams representing 78 nations competed. Kelly’s team finished eighth out of 98 teams in their bracket. “There were 60,000 spectators filling the stadium. It felt like the Olympics with singers, dance performances, fireworks and the Parade of Nations,” said Janine.

Following the Gothia Cup, the team traveled back to Hjorring, Denmark, where they took a day off to enjoy the beaches and sightseeing before competing in the Dana Cup. The Dana Cup hosted 1,100 teams from 45 countries. Kelly’s team compete against teams from Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Taiwan, finishing in third place and earning a bronze medal.

“The style of play is different in Europe and the different coaches and level of play helped me improve my skill and aggressiveness,” said Kelly. “The whole trip was life-changing. “I met and played with people from all over the world that are now my forever friends.”