Kirk Accepted Into National Soccer System

Joey Kirk, the leading scorer on the Cal State Northridge soccer team last season, has been selected to participate in the national soccer program--the first step toward making the U.S. Olympic team.

Kirk, a junior forward, was among 50 players from the West invited to a tryout camp at Cal State Dominguez Hills in January. Only 30 players are in the program and 18--only three or four forwards--will make the national team that will compete in the Olympic trials in May and the Pan American Games, World University Games and Olympic Festival this summer.

Kirk is the first player from the Valley-area to be accepted into the national program, according to Northridge Coach Marwan Ass’ad.

“This is a high point for me,” Ass’ad said. “To have a player who started at Northridge make the national program is tremendous. It is big for the Northridge program but even bigger for soccer in the Valley.”

Two years ago, the thought of Kirk even playing soccer again was in question. Doctors found a tumor the size of an orange near a bone in his right leg and told him he probably would never play again.

But doctors removed the tumor and filled the area with a mixture that included cement. Told he should not run again for a year, Kirk was playing soccer in three months.

He led the Matadors in scoring last season with 13 goals and 12 assists, prompting Ass’ad to say: “He could make the U.S. Olympic team. If there is ever to be a CSUN player on the Olympic team, he’ll be the one.”

Ass’ad said it three months ago. Now it is much closer to coming true.