Surf Cup XXXI begins in a little over a week, and like past tournaments, the 2011 Surf Cup soccer games will serve as a launching pad for the careers of many youth soccer players. Our motto is the “Best of the Best,” and this means that players who compete in Surf Cup go on to make a major splash in the soccer world.

San Diego Surf Cup Tournament Director Mike Connerley swells with pride when talking about past Surf Cup players saying, “We have had 75 to 100 soccer players who played in Surf Cup that have went on to play professionally. On the current U.S. Women’s National Team: Rachel Buehler, Shannon Boxx, Alex Morgan, Heather O’Reilly, Megan Rapinoe, Amy Rodriguez, and Hope Solo all played Surf Cup. On the U.S. Men’s National Team Carlos Bocanegra, Jonathan Bornstein, Michael Bradley, Steve Cherundolo, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, Maurice Edu, Benny Feilhaber, Robbie Findley, Herculez Gomez, Sacha Kljestan, Nick Rimando, and Marvell Wynne, played here too!”

Photo Credit: Ken Nakano

Back in 1988, Connerley established Surf Cup’s slogan—“We never do anything unless it can be done first class, no matter what the cost”—and it has paid off. The San Diego Surf Cup is now in its 31^st year, and Surf Cup XXXI is poised to be one of the best tournaments yet. During the final weekends of July, youth soccer teams will descend upon the San Diego Polo Club in Del Mar, and some of those players will go on to become the next Landon Donovan or Rachel Buehler.