The Beach Pumas, a team of girls representing the Beach United Football Club, capped their summer of Coerver Cup competition with a new title to their resume - state champs.

The Pumas captured the Coerver Cup 5 v 5 U-12 Co-ed state championship on Saturday in Columbia, winning all five of their games and allowing only one goal all day.

After winning their opener 5-2, giving up a meaningless two-point goal, the Pumas rolled the rest of the way en route to the state title. They won their pool games by scores of 1-0, 6-0 and 1-0 before defeating an all-boys team 3-0 in the championship game.

The win capped an incredible season that saw the Pumas peak at the right time. They finished fourth in the Hartsville tournament, took third at an event in Summerville, placed second in Myrtle Beach and won their first event two weeks ago in Sumter before dominating their way to the state title in Columbia.

The Pumas were coached by Chris Newman and included Wendy Arneberg, Sidney Croland, Gabby Giracello, Madilyn Green, Riley Massey, Sadie McMillan, Avery Newman and Cooper Sanders. BUFC members Rebecca Eagerton and Peyton Grainger also played for the team during the season.

Beach United Football Club is a Myrtle Beach-based youth soccer organization offering top-level instruction and competition for ages 5-18.

An all-girls team representing Beach United Football Club captured the championship of the Coerver Cup 5 v 5 tournament's Under-13 Co-ed Division in Sumter on Saturday.

Consisting of players from Beach United's Pride Pumas and Fury, the squad posted a p[erfect 5-0 record on the day and defeated an all-boys team in the championship game.

The team won their pool play matches 4-0, 5-2, 5-2, and 3-0 to earn the top seed. They went on to defeat Metzgers 4-1 in the final.

By capturing the title, the team earns an automatic invitation to compete in next week's state championship in Columbia.

Beach United Football Club is a Myrtle Beach-based youth soccer organization offering instruction and competition for ages 5-18.

The Beach United Football Club's Pumas and Flash competed in the Coerver Cup 5 v 5 tournament at Christian Academy of Myrtle Beach on Saturday.

The Pumas girls teams finished second place in the Under-11 Coed Division, losing 3-0 in the finals to the champion Carcineros, an all-boys team.

The Pumas, made of members of the BUFC Pride/Pumas and Fury, went 1-1-1 in round-robin play to earn a spot in the finals.

The Flash finished fourth place in the same division, playing against all-boys teams and an older girls team.

BUFC is a Myrtle Beach-based youth soccer organization that offers first-class instruction and competition to boys and girls ages 6-17.

The Beach United Football Club Legends swept their way to the Under-11 Boys Grey Division championship of the Seaside Soccer Classic over the weekend in Wilmington, NC.

The Legends gave up one goal in their first game for a 5-1 win and didn't allow another score en route to the championship. They won 8-0, 5-0, and then 7-0 over the CASL Hornets in the final.

The BUFC Storm U-10 Boys won all three pool games in the Silver Division, including a pair of exciting 4-3 finishes on Saturday, before claiming the championship in a commanding 7-2 victory over BSC Liverpool in the final.

Also participating for BUFC were the U-10 Boys Strikers, BUFC Flash U-11 Girls, BUFC Pride/Pumas Girls U-13, and the BUFC Tiempo Under-15 Boys.

Beach United Football Club had several teams make successful showings at the 2015 Publix Academy Cup, Open & Rec tournaments held in Sumter, Greenville and Lexington on May 2-3.

More popularly known as the State Cup, the tourneys featured the top boys and girls teams from South Carolina competing for season-ending honors. Four BUFC squads posted runner-up finishes, including some close calls with state titles.

On the girls side, the BUFC Panthers Under-10 Academy team went undefeated through pool play before falling by one goal in the final, 3-2. The BUFC Pride/Pumas, competing in the U-13 Classic division, suffered a similar fate, with their only loss coming in a 1-0 penalty-kick defeat to champion SC/UMP 01 Crescent. The BUFC Fury also suffered only one loss in the U-13 Girls division in Greenville.

In boys action, the BUFC U-13 Predators took second place in the Classic I division with a 2-1 weekend that ended with a one-goal loss in the final. The BUFC U-10 Strikers were runners-up in the Recreation division.

Beach United Football Club Director of Coaching Thuba Nkomazana recently attended the National Soccer Coaches Association of America convention in Philadelphia, joining more than 10,000 soccer coaches from all over the world.

During the five-day event, Nkomazana (pictured left) was able to attend a long list of meetings, lectures, seminars and roundtable discussions about coaching philosophies and club management. Nkomazana also met with some of the biggest names in the sport, such as Dick Bate (pictured right), Rene Meulensteen and many more.  

"I'm always trying to learn from the best and improve how I coach players," Nkomazana said. "I got an opportunity to talk to former Manchester United assistant coach Rene Meulensteen and FiFa advisor to Asia and England Dick Bate. These two coaches are the best at what they do and their work speaks for itself. We do share the same coaching philosophy and it made it so much easier to talk to them."

Among the many areas covered at the convention were coaching education, managing coaches, players and parents, sharing information and ideas with other club directors, and learning new ways to improve the club. Nkomazana called the trip both refreshing and enlightening, and he hopes to implement many of the things he learned at Beach United.

Beach United Football Club is a Myrtle Beach-based youth soccer club that offers instruction and competition for boys and girls ages 7-18.

The Beach United Football Club's Boys Under-17 team, the Mundial, wrapped up a perfect 10-0 record and the regular-season championship of the PMSL II Soccer league on Saturday.

The Mundial used an inspired second half to claim a 4-1 victory over Liverpool FCA, symbolic of the turnaround the team has made in recent years. Tied 1-all at halftime with their undefeated and untied season on the line, coach Jonattan DeLeon lit the fuse.

"It was closer than we wanted early but we had possession, and that was one of my goals with this team: If we control the ball we control the game," said DeLeon. "But you have to be able to finish and that's what I told the guys: We've got to finish and score some goals."

The Mundial scored three unanswered goals in the second half to clinch a perfect season and cap a reversal over fortunes since DeLeon joined the squad in 2012. He served as an assistant under BUFC director of coaching Thuba Nkomazana before taking over the team with assistant Sunnie McGonigal, and the chemistry has sparked a worst-to-first turnaround.

"The first year we only won three games, and last year we finished third," DeLeon recalled. "We just practiced hard and went back to the basics - receiving the ball, playing unselfishly, putting pressure on the opponent. The guys worked really hard and I am proud of them."

DeLeon is also the proud father of 3-year-old Jonah, who many may see running around the practice fields and playing soccer with anyone willing to join him. The elder DeLeon came to the US in hopes of playing college soccer, but student-visa issues and his need to work prevented him from reaching his goal.

Instead, he got married, had Jonah and adopted a dozen more young men on the soccer pitch. The change in game plan appears to be paying off for everyone involved, and for the BUFC extended family. He got to see more than just his own son grow over the past three years.

"Playing soccer never really worked out for me here but I still love being involved with it," said DeLeon, who played briefly for the Rochester (NY) Rhinos and Wilmington (NC) Hammerheads. "My wife tried to get me to coach and I am glad she did. I enjoy it and the kids help me a lot. They say, 'You help me a lot' and it's so rewarding. I say, 'No, you help me.'"

The Myrtle Beach based Mundial team will compete in the South Carolina Youth Soccer State Cup in December.

Directions to Soccer Fields:

Doug Shaw Stadium and Myrtle Beach Rec Ctr soccer fields 3205 Oak Street, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

From 17 bypass south, turn right onto 29th ave north (beside Planet Hollywood) towards the ocean. Go through stoplight at Grissom Parkway. At next stoplight, Oak Street, take a left. You will pass Pepper Geddings Recreation Center on left, take immediate left right after the center. Stadium Field will be first field on the left. Use the large parking lot to the left.

From 17 bypass north, turn left onto 29th Ave north and follow directions above.

YMCA @ 67th Ave. N. 904 65th Ave. N, Myrtle Beach, SC 29572

From highway 17 bypass north, turn left at the stoplight (Farrow Parkway) at the backgate of the former air force base (now called Withers Preserve & Market Commons) following Farrow Parkway.

Market Common 1004 Meyers Ave. Myrtle Beach SC 29577

Coming from the North on Kings Hwy (17 Bus.). Turn right on Farrow Parkway. Follow Farrow Parkway through the stores. After the pond on the left.....