Congratulations Quick Strike, 3v3 Live National Champions
The Quick Strike 3v3 Soccer Team of Fredericksburg, Virginia, wins National Championship!
2022 has been a tough year for many of us, so when we heard about the Quick Strike soccer team from Fredrickson, Virginia, we knew we wanted to support them. This inspiring team is composed of young men that are not only exceptionally talented athletically but have shown outstanding character on and off the field.
Coach Shawn Lefleur from Lifecycle Construction Services LLC has worked with Play Mart and Nature of Early Play professionally for a number of years as our companies collaborate to renovate Child Development Centers on U.S. Army bases worldwide in contract with the Army’s CYS (Child and Youth Services) department. We are proud of what we have accomplished together. And when Shawn contacted us about the soccer team he was coaching, we knew we wanted to lend our support.
Shawn put this unlikely team together and could not be more proud of the results. Seeing the boys’ potential, Shawn and his wife go above and beyond to invest in the players. They recognize the boys are whole people first and athletes second, so they provide basic everyday needs in addition to transportation that could otherwise act as barriers.
Despite coming from challenging backgrounds, these 6 boys never let it affect their integrity and respect for those around them. These young men are no strangers to hard work, either. They practiced three times a week throughout the summer to medal in five tournaments that eventually qualified them for nationals. Coach Shawn explained that his players come from underprivileged circumstances and would not have otherwise been able to afford to participate in club soccer. The Quick Strike team is as diverse as they come. Countries represented by the players include Venezuela, Tanzania, and Burundi, and two are 3rd generation immigrants from Asia and Europe. Their heritage touches all parts of the globe, being an embodiment of the idyllic “melting pot” we all wish America to be.
Their dedication to the sport shows; not one player misses practice or shows disrespect to the referees or opposing teams. Youth and adult players alike could learn something from the example of sportsmanship set by these young men. The team recognizes the importance of soccer in their lives. One of the players says, “getting the chance to even get to play for the nationals title means a lot to me ‘cause it tells me I can do anything I want if I put the work and effort in.” Another player explains how soccer encourages him academically: “3v3 is a goal I worked towards during the school year, keeping my grades high so I can play.” His teammate summed it up by calling the journey a “gigantic amount of work and effort.” The whole experience has deeply touched their coach. He says, “This team, who has never played together as a team before this past summer, has far and away exceeded all expectations and has worked extremely hard to get where we are.”
Seeing what these amazing kids have accomplished, it is not surprising the Quick Strike team went on to win the national championships over Thanksgiving weekend, 2022. Coach Shawn and all of their supporters, including us at Play Mart, are incredibly proud to be a part of it. While the adults in our nation struggle with race relations, these kids have something to teach us about the beauty of diversity that is possible when we show others the respect everyone deserves. We were honored with the chance to recognize these extraordinary young men and their devoted coach, and we are excited to see what their future holds.
From all of us at Play Mart, congratulations Quick Strike, 3v3 Live National Champions!
Share this:
