Mockingbird Valley Premier SC Boys U14 & U16 Teams Qualify for Nationals this Summer

Louisville, KY – Two teams from Mockingbird Valley Premier Soccer Club out of Louisville, Ky, have already qualified for the USYS National Tournament this coming summer in Utah. They are the first teams from Kentucky to enter the national competition in five years.

The national qualification process changed recently allowing automatic qualification for champions of National League winter events held in Mesa, AZ. Both the U14 and U16 boys teams went undefeated in each of their three games, with the U14 team competing last November while the U16 team played this past January.

Club Director Corey Johnson said allowing every player to be able to travel was their focus. “It’s a collaborative effort being committed to this; it’s not just the players but the coaches and parents. It’s costly and time consuming. We made sure every kid could go.”

U14 Coach Andrew Oyler, from Louisville, was happy and relieved with the results. “We struggled in the fall, so this was a good way to finish the season,” noting that the team hadn’t played their best during the regular season. He added, “We’ve already put ourselves in a good position, and now we can focus on the spring and Utah.”

For the U16s, Coach Tyler Joy-Brandon said, “It’s kind of weird that it’s in the middle of the season, but it’s interesting and exciting.” Now that the team has already qualified, he wants the team to pretend like it’s a normal season. “The most important is not being satisfied with what we have.”

Training and keeping up the excitement for a tournament months away is now the focus for each team. Coach Oyler said he plans to give his players structured training schedules as well as organize friendlies after the State Cup Tournament as nationals aren’t until mid-July. “We need to make sure we maintain fitness levels.”

Coach Joy-Brandon added, “It’s been tough the last month because of the snow, and we’ve been training indoors.” The former Transylvania University player will also keep a schedule for his team post spring and State Cup play by having the best few weeks of training and focusing on energy leading up to the national stage.

As one of the captains of the U16 team, Dylan Ortiz said, “The mindset going into the rest of the season isn’t going to change. We know there are so many key things to work on and improve on. Continue to work hard, build confidence with the team, and win games to soon reach our high potential in July.”

Both native Kentuckians, Oyler and Joy-Brandon are excited to represent their home state on the national stage. “Showing we can compete on a national level is cool. I don’t think most states think we’ll be as competitive” said Oyler. He explained that with their qualification, they get to play in the top division in the tournament adding that, “it shows we have talented kids here.”

Johnson is proud of both teams, noting that many players have been there their entire youth career. 25 of the 36 players going to nationals have only played for Mockingbird Valley Premier SC. “It’s a testament when kids stay together and that our club develops players. We’ve attracted players because of the coaches and environment.”

Qualifying for the most elite tournament is already an incredible accomplishment for Mockingbird Valley Premier SC, but both teams want to show the nation they can go further. “It’s a great achievement, and I hope we can do more,” said Joy-Brandon. “It would prove a big point, and it would help the state.”

The Boys’ Nationals are held July 13-23, 2026, in Salt Lake City & Provo, UT.