02B Premier - Team Spotlight - Folsom Lake Surf

Taking a Look Back at the Rise to National Prominence for the Folsom Lake Earthquakes 02 Boys National Premier

By Robert LaPord

In 2015, Ethos Soccer Club and Folsom Lake Soccer partnered with the San Jose Earthquakes to develop a local Earthquakes RDS program. In the infancy of the partnership, there were several age groups involved with the RDS program. The Program and Coach Danny Cruz had attracted and gathered talented players locally and from around the NorCal region. The 02 Boys RDS team quickly emerged as a team to be reckoned with and became the only group of the RDS program to form a year-round competitive team. Coach Cruz realized he had a special group as his team began enjoying immediate success, winning multiple tournaments and league championships.

Due in part to the success of Coach Cruz and his O2 Boys Earthquakes RDS Team, the partnership between Ethos Soccer Club, Folsom Soccer Club and the San Jose Earthquakes continued to develop. In 2017 the two clubs merged, solidifying the relationship with the Quakes and began competing under the newly formed banner of the Folsom Lake Earthquakes. The Folsom Lake Earthquake’s Club began enjoying success at all levels while the 02 Boys continued there assent to national prominence. As they began qualifying for national tournaments and leagues they became known as the Folsom Lake Earthquakes National Premier 02 Boys team.

Over the next two years, the 02 Boys steadily rose up the ladder in NorCal and National Rankings. Coach Cruz and his dedicated team trained more, played more and worked harder than any team in the club. They bonded into a tight group attending pre-season training camps which helped them develop a robust team chemistry. Along the way, the 02 boys gave back to the community providing training clinics for the younger generation of players and volunteering at several local non-profit charity events. The boys qualified for and played in the Western Regionals for 3 years while also qualifying to play in the National League for 3 seasons. They traveled to North Carolina twice, Hawaii, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Nevada on several occasions, and throughout Northern and Southern California, proudly donning the Folsom Lake Earthquakes’ badge and colors.

The team’s biggest win came in late 2017 when the boys traveled to San Diego to play in their first Surf Cup together. The boys were seeded in the highest division of play and battled some of the most talented teams they had ever faced in the early rounds. The Quakes emerged on top of their bracket and earned a spot in the final match-up against a firmly established FC Dallas side. Although the team had enjoyed great success in lower ranking tournament play, this was by far their biggest challenge. Danny took his team on the pitch against FC Dallas as clear underdogs. As play began, FC Dallas attempted to control the game by dominating possession of the ball in a very controlled style of play. The Quakes hadn’t seen this style but quickly adjusted and relentlessly applied aggressive defensive pressure. The Quakes assertive play broke FC Dallas’ playing style down and Dallas was not able to possess the ball as they had planned. The Quakes jumped on the offensive attack and took them completely out of their game. The Quakes went on to win the Surf Cup Championship in a dominant fashion 4-1. After competing at Surf Cup for over 20 years with different clubs and teams, this was Coach Cruz’s first and very satisfying Surf Cup Championship. The Quakes went on to win at Surf Cup one more time in 2018 during a College Showcase format.

With several more league and tournament championships under their belt, hard work, and unprecedented team chemistry, the 02 Boys National Premier team achieved the ranking of #1 In the Nation by Got Soccer in 2018. During one stretch in 2018 and 2019 the team played over 50 straight games and 10 months without a loss. The 02 Boys team became the most successful and recognized team in our Club history paving the way for the Club’s bright future. The following is a list of accomplishments achieved by this remarkable group of young men: