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One indication that a team is close is the players call each other by nicknames. The Savannah United Select 2010 Girls Premier squad has used themes.

The Savannah United Select 2010 Girls Premier squad

One season, it was food nicknames: “Waffles,” “Donut,” “Marshmallow.”

Another season, it was a twist of their real names into boys’ names. Kiley became Kyle, Alyssa was called Alexander. Bella answered to Blake, then Blakey-Poo. 

Silly stuff, but it contributes to team bonding. The select program for girls ages 13 and under recently completed one of the most dominant seasons in Savannah United’s history. 

“I think it’s off the field that makes it so successful,” said midfielder Kiley Singleton, 13, who was nicknamed “Kyle” and “Waffles.” “We’re a really tight group. We’re like a family, so that helps on the field.”

The 2010 team went unbeaten at 9-0-2 (29 points) in the United States Youth Soccer National League’s Piedmont Conference, which includes Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

The Savannah-based team outscored opponents 31-3 for a plus-28 goal differential. The next best was plus-19, and no other team won more than seven matches.

“We had some new people and some people left; it was very big team bonding,” said striker Alyssa Gibson, 13 in August. “It was more of a developing season and I think we developed to our fullest. We came out very strong in our first three games, we dominated. I want to thank our coach (David Shuman). He was a very big reason we got so far. He had a very good idea where he wanted players to be on the field, and we did our job.”

Savananh United 2010 Head Coach David Shuman talking to the team

Gibson (food nickname: “Donut”) said that winning the Piedmont Conference – one of 13 divisions in the USYS National League – sparked the idea that the team could claim the Georgia State Cup in its first year of eligibility of 11-on-11.

“I think it pushed us just a little more,” Gibson said.

“For this year, we had that one goal because we knew we were one of the stronger teams,” Singleton said, “so it was like a little carrot dangling for us to make that.”

Savannah was riding high into the Georgia State Cup, a tournament spread over a few weeks this spring in Atlanta, and won four matches, posting an 8-0 advantage in goals. The final was a 1-0 on May 13, the day before Mother’s Day. 

The team celebrated with pizza at Mellow Mushroom. Players said there are team meals at almost every tournament or overnight stay for a weekend match. 

They also do film study together of their games and upcoming opponents. The girls also regularly get together outside of soccer and school functions for bowling and other activities.

“I think a big part of it is the girls have played together for several years and they’ve kind of grown into playing with each other and helping each other out,” said team manager Tricia Singleton, who is Kiley’s mother.

“The girls have grown as a team and over the past couple seasons coach Shuman has developed the players to get to where they are today. His dedication to the girls and positive influence could be seen on and off the field. He always wanted us to have team dinners or activities and that brought the girls and the families closer together. We are a true soccer family.”

Kiley has been part of Savannah United since around age 4 on a recreational-level team with Gibson, who said she started at age 3 and joined this select team five years ago.

“I do remember just a little, running to the ball, chasing it, not really passing or anything,” Gibson said of her early introduction to the sport.

Winning their first Georgia State Cup not only earned pizza, it also qualified the team for the USYS Southern Regional Championships on June 23-29 in sweltering Baton Rouge, La.

The 2023 Georgia State Cup Girls 13-Under Champions

“They knew what they wanted to do,” Tricia Singleton said. “They wanted to get to regionals. They were determined.”

Savannah lost its opener in group play at the regional.

“The first game we had lost, I think it was just nerves,” Gibson said. “We knew we had to come back very strong the next day in order to keep our stay at the tournament.”

The team responded with consecutive victories before losing to eventual champion Solar of North Texas 3-0 in the quarterfinals.

“We had a good season,” said midfielder Bella Turner, 13. “There have been little ups and downs when losing or when we’re all getting tired, but we kept it together. We all have fun with it.”

Turner, who lives in Richmond Hill and started playing soccer around age 4, joined this team a little over two years ago. She credited Shuman and the players working together, having fun and “connecting very well.”

“We want to have a great season (in 2024), better than this year, even though we won games after games after games,” Turner said. “We want to achieve more and go farther, as far as we can.”

PHOTO CREDIT: Savannah United Team Manager Tricia Singleton

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Optim Orthopedics supports the Savannah United Soccer Organization. The team doctors are Dr. Thomas Alexander  and Amir Shahien. Remember, Optim Orthopedics gets you back into the game!