Josh Henderson

After a lengthy process, La Cañada High has found its new boys’ soccer coach in LAFC Chelsea boys’ U12 coach Barry Ritson. Ritson, who has coached with the Los Angeles Futbol Club for five years now, was hired last month to take over for former coach Jordan Jones, who left for personal reasons. The Newcastle, England, native is currently the LAFC Chelsea 12-and-under boys’ team coach, which has been ranked No. 1 nationally since winning both the Cal and Cerritos memorial cups in late May. In addition, Ritson has been the assistant director of coaching with LAFC Chelsea and has worked in the US Development Academy for years.

Don Sheppard's club soccer team, the Flyers AUSC Cougars, a boys under 12 team, won the Coast League Spring Cup Championship, in the "A" Flight. The score was 1-1 in regulation play but the Cougars prevailed in the penalty kick shootout. The Cougars' goalkeeper, Jose Cano, came up with two big saves during the shootout, but when Lyudvig Berberyan's kick hit the back of the net with the match-winning penalty kick, pandemonium erupted on the field. The Cougars joyfully celebrated the win on their home field, the new LCHS field, knowing they had just beaten one of the very best teams in Southern California, the South Bay Force.

The Los Angeles Futbol Club (LAFC) brought championships back to the community on Nov. 26 after having played in the elite Nike Harvest Cup Tournament in Irvine and the prestigious Nomads Thanksgiving Invitational Soccer Tournament in San Diego. Coach Barry Ritson's LAFC B10 and LAFC B12 owned these divisions of the Nike Harvest Cup by the end of the holiday weekend. The B10 team racked up 10 goals while conceding seven in its pursuit of the championship, winning 2-1 over Tango, 7-4 over Stampede Red and 3-0 over Arsenal.

It was only three years ago that the Los Angeles Futbol Club was created by former La Cañada High soccer coach Don Sheppard. The modest enterprise practiced and played at La Cañada High, recruiting local and distant talent in the Southland, ages 8-18, to form a competitive club. Just this past December, a major dream was realized when the club inked a deal to become partners with Chelsea FC of the English Premier League. “LAFC was created to provide an affordable option for skilled players to play top-tier club soccer,” said Sheppard, who is LAFC president.

After a lengthy process, La Cañada High has found its new boys? soccer coach in LAFC Chelsea boys? U12 coach Barry Ritson. Ritson, who has coached with the Los Angeles Futbol Club for five years now, was hired last month to take over for former coach Jordan Jones, who left for personal reasons. The Newcastle, England, native is currently the LAFC Chelsea 12-and-under boys? team coach, which has been ranked No. 1 nationally since winning both the Cal and Cerritos memorial cups in late May. In addition, Ritson has been the assistant director of coaching with LAFC Chelsea and has worked in the US Development Academy for years.