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(Enlarge) Loch Raven High’s Danielle Delisle, left, and Sarah Krejcik will be represent the Baltimore Shakedowns when they travel to Sweden next week to participate in the Gothic Cup, which will feature an Olympic-style opening ceremony in front of an expected 50,000 fans. (Photo by Brendan Cavanaugh)

The Baltimore Shakedowns Under-16 soccer team members possess many outstanding qualities, in that they're dedicated, fast and personable.

In addition, the team's chemistry is exceptional.

Lately, though, Shakedowns' coach Jerry Krejcik has been experiencing problems keeping his players focused.

Who can blame them?

After all, the Shakedowns already have earned a berth in Sweden's Gothic Cup, which runs July 13-19.

"Every moment they are off the field, they are talking about going to Sweden," Krejcik said. "It's all they can talk about."

The team qualified for the trip abroad by virtue of capturing Philadelphia's Epic Tournament.

Swedish corporation SKF International, the tournament sponsor, will pay the $60,000 expenses for the Shakedowns' 20 coaches and players, according to Krejcik.

Six other teams from the United States will compete in the Gothic Cup, but the Shakedowns are the only American squad SKF International is funding.

The Shakedowns' roster includes top-caliber players such as Krejcik's daughter, Sarah (Loch Raven High), Danielle Delisle (Loch Raven), Jasmine Jordan (Eastern Tech), Karley Knudsen (Eastern Tech), Ali Terry (Perry Hall), Gabrielle Herman (Notre Dame Prep), Jessica Kim (Dulaney) and Paige Thomas (Friends).

"As far as the SKF is concerned, we are the U.S. champ on the girls side because we won the tournament," Krejcik said, noting that his team will play in the U-17 division. "To go to an international tournament is rare. It's a trip of a lifetime."

The Gothic Cup features an Olympics-style ceremony. In 2007, the tournament attracted 1,551 teams, with more than 30,000 players from 59 countries.

"We will be in front of 50,000 fans," Jerry Krejcik said. "It's the largest youth tournament in the world."

The Shakedowns will play two teams from Sweden and possibly squads from a pool that includes Scotland, France, Norway, Italy, Brazil, England, Germany, Scotland and Africa.

"I can remember when (Jerry Krejcik) first told us about the tournament, and we were like, 'We are never going to get there,' " Terry said. "Now, we are like, 'It's unreal.' When we won (in Philadelphia), everybody looked at each other and said, 'Did this really happen?' A few of the girls were crying."

Kim added: "The team has worked so hard to get this opportunity. We put so much heart into our games."

To advance to the Gothic Cup, the Shakedowns blanked the Yardly Makefield Comets, of eastern Pennsylvania, 1-0, as Jill Dozier scored on a feed from Mandy Marston.

It's the fifth tournament the Shakedowns have won since October. Shortly after returning from Sweden, Krejcik's squad will gear up for the U.S. Club Soccer College Showcase, in Virginia Beach, at the end of July.

Over the past nine months, the Shakedowns boast a 27-4-2 record in tournament play.

Terry points out a major reason why the team's success story has so many chapters.

"A lot of us have been together for seven years now," Terry said. "We are all best friends and really, really close. When we play, it doesn't require effort. We just kind of do it."

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