SF Elite Boys Show Out at the 2022 Donosti Cup

This article was written by PrepSoccer staff writer, Matt Smith. Matt Smith is a special news and communications correspondent with SF Elite Academy and will providing viewers with an inside look into SF Elite and what makes our club so special.

The San Francisco Elite 2007 and 2008 boys teams recently had the experience of a lifetime. Both teams recently traveled across the Atlantic, to picturesque San Sebastian, Spain. Traveling to San Sebastian alone is a special experience, but the two teams also got to play the sport they love, taking part in the Donosti Cup. The tournament had a total of 800 teams from all over the world, across all age levels. For the 2007 and 2008 teams, they played in 60 team tournaments against competition across the globe.

​Both teams fared well, with the 2008 boys reaching the semifinals before losing 1-0, bowing out after a penalty kick accounted for the only goal. The 2007's reached the quarterfinals and it took the match going to PK's to knock them out. The two SF Elite teams faced some good competition, and matched up well with all the teams in the tournament.​ And despite this fact, the matches were probably not even the highlight of the trip.​ Both teams fared well, with the 2008 boys reaching the semifinals before losing 1-0, bowing out after a penalty kick accounted for the only goal. The 2007's reached the quarterfinals and it took the match going to PK's to knock them out.

The two SF Elite teams faced some good competition, and matched up well with all the teams in the tournament. And despite this fact, the matches were probably not even the highlight of the trip. The opening ceremony at Reale Arena, where La Liga's Real Sociedad play their home matches, had 30,000 people in attendance as each team was on the pitch, flying their flag. What was most important was that it was a great way for the two teams to spend time together. The two age groups don't get a lot of time with one another, so this travel allowed them to bond, to learn and to mature with one another as they went through the trials and tribulations of the tournament, and international travel.