“Why we train hard” Solar’s key to success

There is one team that you do not want to face in the ECNL, Solar SC. The club from Texas has the reputation of being the powerhouse program in girls elite club soccer. Solar SC’s teams from U13 through U19 sit in either first or second place in the Texas conference in every age group with only two of those six teams suffering a loss this season in ECNL play. The club, established in 1976, is not new to success. Solar had numerous successful teams over the years and has a long list of alumni from the college and professional game. Recent alums Lexi Missimo and Trinity Byars were part of the U.S. U20 Women’s National Team that won the 2022 Concacaf U20 Women’s Championship. Missimo was named to the Best XI for the event. The club has never rested on the laurels though. Last season, Solar sent four teams to the ECNL National Finals in the five age groups that take part in that event. Solar SC’s U14/2007 age group was the only one to bring home the trophy though. This season, the club has eyes on bringing home a few more trophies to add to the already impressive trophy cabinet on display at the club. “That is one of the biggest motivations, getting so close last year,” Sal Adames, Solar ECNL coach of the 06 and 08 age groups, told PrepSoccer in an interview last week. “The 06s lost in a penalty kick shootout to San Diego Surf in the semifinals last year. That was rough. Since day one, it has been understood to get back there and finish what we had. We all know it. It doesn’t need to be discussed. We are laser-focused on getting back to finish the job.” Adames coaches the club’s 2008 and 2006 age group in the ECNL. His two teams combined have a 46-1 record in the ECNL through this stage of the season. Both are in first place in the ECNL National Champions League standings. “For the 08s, it’s a little different,” Adames said. “I took them over last year in February. They weren’t doing as well. In the spring season, we just went on a great run. We jumped into the playoff spot in one of the last two games. We rode the momentum through the playoffs. We did great going that far the first year. Theirs was more of a surprise. We’ve got that taste. Now, we want to go all the way and finish it off.” The depth of the club from the oldest teams to the youngest brings out a competitive nature within the program. “It’s a good competitiveness,” Adames said about keeping track of the other teams at the club and their successes. “We love it as coaches. To go back a couple of years, the 04s set the standard - that team with Byars and Missimo. I would tell my teams that is what we want to try to get to.” “It’s competitive within our own club,” Adames said. “I tell a lot of coaches in Dallas, that I’m not only in competition with you guys, I’m in competition within my own club. I have to reach this standard or it’s not good for me.” The older group for Adames includes some of the best players in the country in the 2024 and 2025 graduating classes. College coaches line the sidelines whenever his team takes the field at a showcase event. [caption id="attachment_40775" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/03/LolaFoley-scaled-crop-2551x1675-1647550668.jpg"><img class="wp-image-40775 size-medium" src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/03/LolaFoley-scaled-crop-2551x1675-1647550668-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Solar SC 06 captain [player_tooltip player_id="26999" first="Lola" last="Foley"][/caption] “Toward the end of the year, I noticed a couple of good college coaches there,” Adames said when asked about the crowded sidelines at his games. “It was this year that I was shocked to see that many there. This last showcase was fantastic. It was amazing to see that many.” For the players, the pressure of playing in front of college coaches can be challenging for some coaches to navigate, but Adames has made his approach pretty clear. “They’re very aware,” Adames said when asked how the players handle the coaches on the sidelines. “They get excited. They get pumped up for the game. My words are always ‘let’s go enjoy it. Play they way you always play and the coaches will like it.” College coaches are not the only ways who eagerly line up to see Solar play. The youth national team has tapped into that pipeline for nearly every age group. The most recent U.S. U15 Girls National Team camp roster includes seven players from Solar SC, by far the most from one club on that roster - the next closest is three players from one club. In fact, there are more players on the roster from Solar than all of the state of California combined (seven vs six). “It’s still excites me when I see the National Team scouts come to the game,” Adames said. “Getting to know them as a coach is also good for me. It shows the girls, if you’re with Solar, you’re held to a certain standard. This is why you work so hard in training every day.” Training is typically what sets teams and clubs apart from each other. Adames training reflects a lot of what you see on the field, as the coach approaches training with the intention that it has a purpose once the whistle blows in the game. “I’d say it’s definitely technical-based,” Adames said about his training philosophy. “I’ve always been that type of coach. The technical level of the player is very important to me. Ninety-nine percent is game-like, game situations. One of the things that I tell my kids is that everything we do at practice has a purpose, it relates to the game. I’m big believer in possession-based playing style with a purpose, attack-minded soccer. We like to go forward, and score goals.” Scoring goals suits his teams well. The 06 group has scored 59 goals in 16 conference games. The 08 group scored 74 goals in 16 games as well. With lopsided shorelines somewhat frequently, I asked Adames about his philosophy in regards to playing up an age group. Last season, the 06 team had a taste of the step up in competition when the group was invited to participate in Dallas Cup in the 05 age group. Solar 06s ended up winning the Dallas Cup in the 05 age group. [caption id="attachment_40776" align="alignright" width="300"]<img class="wp-image-40776 size-medium" src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/03/FNxmEl1XoAMDB22-300x169.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="169" /> Photo: <a href="https://x.com/dallascup" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dallas Cup</a>[/caption] “Dallas Cup didn’t have our age group,” Adames said. “They asked if we wanted to play in it. We did great against some top 05 teams in the area. I wasn’t expecting it.” The coach said that normally, his focus is more on the start of the season for when his teams will play up an age group for a challenge. “I try to do that when the time is right,” Adames said. “We do it at the beginning of the year to push them a little bit more. I try to do that as much as possible. Sometimes in the league, the games aren’t as hard. I try to push them more.” The 08 team will get the experience this year as they are scheduled to play in the U15 bracket of Dallas Cup. Don’t expect them to sneak up on anyone this year. Dallas Cup kicks off on April 9. Club Profile Solar SC (Dallas, Texas) Girls League: ECNL, ECRL, FDL Players to Know [player_tooltip player_id="26668" first="Emeri" last="Adames"], Solar SC 06/U16, 2024: Adames is the coach’s daughter. She is also a member of the U.S. Youth National Team in the 06 age group. The talented midfielder is a highly regarded recruit from Texas and one that many college coaches are eager to try to land as a building block for the 2024 class. Her dad has enjoyed the experience of coaching her at the club level. “For the most part, it’s been a fantastic experience,” Sal Adames said. “I learned a lot from coaching my son. We had a lot of success, but learning from my mistakes with that experience. It’s good. You have to find a balance of when to be a dad and when to be a coach. When we are at the games or practice, it’s coach and that’s it. When the game is over, it’s over. She’s still my daughter. It’s been a really positive experience.” [player_tooltip player_id="26584" first="Cameron" last="Roller"], Solar SC 03/04, 2023 - Roller is another Solar player with youth national team pedigree. She is one of the center backs for the U.S. U17 women’s national team. She is also one of the top recruits from the 2023 class. The Solar U19 team is undefeated on the season, but might be shorthanded moving forward with [player_tooltip player_id="26810" first="Jaedyn" last="Shaw"] pursuing the professional level with the Washington Spirit. [player_tooltip player_id="27140" first="Olivia" last="Geller"], Solar SC 07, 2025 - The goalkeeper for the 07 team might not get much work in terms of in-game shot stopping with how dominant the Solar team is in league play, but she is clutch when called upon. She is an athletic keeper who is great off her line and good with her feet. She’s a top player at her position in the 2025 class.