Ten years ago today,
Jefferson Roblee
led the KC Pace U17 boys to a Missouri State Cup championship -- becoming the state's first representative from outside St. Louis to advance to regionals in the history of the competition. Now the head men's and women's soccer coach at William Jewell College, Roblee reflects back on the milestone in the guest post below as
Sporting Kansas City prepares to face St. Louis FC
in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tonight at Sporting Park.
J.D. Warman jumps on the back of Brant Bishop with Brian Wurst (#11)
also celebrating the KC Pace's first goal in a 3-1 victory in the Missouri
State Cup U-17 Championship on June 16, 2005 (photo by Dan Peak)
The KC Pace had to win six games in six days to take the title 3-1 over Lou Fusz-Popovic. Park Hill South's Brant Bishop, who later went on to play at Stanford University, scored all three goals in the victory. Prior to that victory, every Missouri State Cup championship -- every year, every age -- had been won by a team from St. Louis.
The win is considered to be one of the defining moments signaling the shift of the "Soccer Capital of America" title from St. Louis to KC.
St. Louis was and still is a soccer hot-bed. At that point in time, 2005, before MLS teams sponsored youth academies, all youth teams competed for one national title. Club teams from the state of Missouri (St. Louis) had won more youth national championships than any other state, and the defending U17 and U18 boys national champion club teams were both from St. Louis.
St. Louis soccer had produced numerous All Americans, Olympians and World Cup players. St. Louis's soccer reputation had such a national soccer footprint that many KC area youth teams wouldn't event register for Missouri State Cup because winning was thought of as Mission Impossible. When the KC Pace won the Missouri State Cup Championship, a competition that pits one city's best versus another city's best, it shook the St. Louis soccer community and sent a warning around the nation. KC soccer is not only growing...it's thriving.
The KC Pace were coached by three Kansas City natives who are now college coaches: Jefferson Roblee (Head Coach of men's and women's soccer at William Jewell College), Lincoln Roblee (Head Coach of women's soccer at Benedictine College) and Burke Slusher (assistant men's coach at KCKCC). The three (of us) grew up playing competitive club soccer while watching the KC Comets professional indoor team play in front of sold out crowds at Kemper Arena in the early and mid 80's.
Back then serious youth players had to go to St. Louis to play in big tournaments, participate in the Olympic Development Program or watch a National Team game in person. Now St. Louis youth players and soccer fans are traveling to Kansas City. The shift has been the result of a progressive soccer community boosted by an abundance of quality professional soccer.
"The Comets, Wizards, Sporting Kansas City and now the FC Kansas City women's team have been great for youth players in the area to watch professional soccer up close. Watching the professional game is exciting and educational for players looking to improve," says Lincoln Roblee.
On June 16, 2006, exactly one year after making history, the KC Pace repeated as Missouri State Cup champions, winning the U18 boys division. However, on that June 16th, the KC Pace weren't the only KC team to take home the elusive Missouri State Cup title. The U13 Rockets boys team and the U13 KC Scream girls team also were crowned champions. The Western side of Missouri's soccer scene wasn't backing down and soccer around KC's metro has continued to grow.
This year, on June 16, a USL team from St. Louis will travel as the underdog to play at Major League Soccer's Sporting Kansas City in Cup competition, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Players, coaches and parents from the KC Pace team are planning a reunion at the game at Sporting Park to not only celebrate the 10-year anniversary of their historic victory but also for another reason.
"We'll all be cheering for another Kansas City soccer win," said Slusher.
