2021 Year in Review
A year of growth and progress for our club.
Arsenal players in college.
2021 produced one of our most successful recruiting classes in our club's history. Over 25 players are taking the next step in their soccer and academic careers by playing collegiate soccer:
Arsenal team success.
Our player-centered development approach translates to team success:
Girls player development success.
Miley Kariotis (2007 girls): US youth futsal national team player, traveled to Spain in December to represent the USA and play in the world championships.
Olivia Hoffman, Kendall Hoolihan, Margherita Memoli, and Paige Solomon (2007 girls) all qualified for 2021 USYS East Region ODP ID camp in Delaware. Liv and Kendall attended the camp and both were selected to the 2021 USYS ODP East Region Player Pool. Both were named as alternates for the USYS ODP inter-regional event.
Arsenal collaboration with Hotspurs.
Over the past year the collaboration between Arsenal FC and the Pittsburgh Hotspurs has continued to develop and strengthen. The leadership between both clubs continues to work together to enhance programming, share resources, and provide additional pathways for players at our clubs. Some of the highlights of this past year include:
Junior Gunners technical program.
The Arsenal Junior Gunners Technical Program was developed to create an additional training environment with a heightened focus on technical development through repetition and small-sided games. The program also aims to attract new players to Arsenal to grow and strengthen our player pools.
For this year’s Junior Gunners Winter 1 session, we had a record number of registrants, including 70 players that were currently outside of Arsenal. The demand was so high that we had to create a second session.
The Winter 2 session starts in mid-January and we are already receiving a lot of interest. The Junior Gunners Program will continue to be essential to the growth of our club.
Arsenal Tykes.
The Arsenal Tykes is the club’s programming for players ages 3-5 years old, the truest of grassroots programming.
Tykes started in the fall of 2019 with just 6 players. This year’s Winter 1 session had over 20 players registered and over the course of the last 4 sessions (Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter 1), we have had over 40 different players involved.
By introducing age appropriate programming within the structure and philosophy of the Arsenal Way, our staff is confident that we will attract not only more players into our club, but more players who are starting at a higher baseline of overall ability.
Arsenal alum Collin Mocyunas wins college national championship.
Arsenal Alum Collin Mocyunas, a member of the Marshall University Men’s Soccer Team, won the 2020 Division 1 Men’s National Championship (played in the spring of 2021 due to COVID-19). Collin was the starting center back for the Thundering Herd and an integral part of the team’s championship run.
During his 3 years with Arsenal FC, Collin commuted back and forth from his hometown of Morgantown, WV to Arsenal training and games, proving his commitment and dedication to his development. He was a member of the very successful Arsenal 98 boys team that won 3 State Cup Championships and competed at the top leagues and events in the region.
Arsenal players win high school state championships.
Hampton High School boys
- Luke Fiscus (2006 Boys), Hudson Struble (2006 Boys), Gavin Copelin (2007 boys)
Winchester Thurston boys
- Massi Memoli (2004 Boys), Dan Myers (2004 Boys), Luka Koll (2004 Boys), Tomer Tuti (2006 Boys)
Mars High School girls
- Brooke Hamlett (2004 girls), Julia Gagnon (2004 girls) and Madeline Wolf (2004 girls)
Seneca Valley High School boys (runner-up)
- Ethan Myers (04 Boys), Zack Garma (2006 Boys) Leyton Takac (2006 Boys)
We are always accepting new players!
Take the challenge and become an Arsenal player.
Arsenal fundraising generates $9,000 for these programs:
Arsenal Scholarship Fund | Providing opportunities for players who require assistance with tuition to participate in our programs. We currently allocate $12,000 of our operating budget to assist families in need.
Community Outreach Program | Creating programs for Pittsburgh urban communities that help engage underserved children. We use soccer and physical activity as a vehicle to teach life skills, encourage the values of teamwork and promote discipline, confidence and self-esteem.
We raise money with the help of our families through many avenues including these efforts:
Annual Golf Outing | One of our favorite days of the year, the golf outing brings our families together for a day of fun and prizes on the golf course.
Wigle Whiskey Club Night | Partnering with Wigle Whiskey, families are invited to purchase a meal, drinks or merchandise from local distillery Wigle Whiskey, with a portion of proceeds going directly to our club.
Amazon Smile | Shopping on Amazon through AmazonSmile is simple and easy. With no changes to your shopping habits, a portion of the money you spend at Amazon goes directly to our club. Click here to learn more.
Club Shop | Show your Arsenal pride with items from our club shop. From streetwear to fan wear to replica gear, we're always updating the shop with new styles. Click here to learn more.
Local Business Community | Many of our Arsenal families are small business owners who always go the extra mile for our club. Click here to learn more about their businesses.
Preseason Soccer Camp
Our Junior Gunners program focuses on technical repetition in a fun, challenging and high-energy environment. We invite any girls and boys players age U8-U12 to join the Junior Gunners program led by our coaches.
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2007 Girls: 2022 Eastern Regional Finalists
Congratulations to our 2007 Girls! Our 2007 girls capped a…
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[…] do our best to ensure that any player who wants to play collegiately or beyond is placed in the best position to do […]