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OEFC's Pukstas captains U.S. U-15 National team

By Tyler Vaughn, 06/01/18, 12:30PM CDT

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Rokas Pukstas, midfielder for Oklahoma Energy FC Central 04, was recently selected to the U.S. Under-15 Boys’ National Team for their trip to Zagreb, Croatia. Pukstas earned the invite after impressing national team coaches earlier in the year during training camps in Florida and California.

While in Zagreb, the team played four matches, winning two and losing two. The first match was against local Croatian club NK Velika Gorica. The boys did very well and came away 2-1 winners despite their opponents being two years older. They were also able to comfortably beat the U-15 Serbian National Team, 5-0.

The other two matches were against a Bosnia and Herzegovina side that was also two years older than the Americans. At that age, two years can be a big difference, but the boys played well and were beaten by a very physical side, 3-1 and 2-1. In one of the matches, Rokas was picked by Head Coach Clint Peay to captain the team, becoming the first Oklahoman to captain a U.S. national team at any level.

Rokas’s father, Mindaugas Pukstas, also made the trip to see his son play and couldn’t have been more proud saying, “It was an awesome experience to watch him participate in international games and a proud moment for me as a parent. Rokas wasn’t expecting to be picked as captain, but the coach made the decision shortly before the game, and it was a huge honor to see him lead his country.”

U.S. national teams are kept to a very tight schedule, so Mindaugas wasn’t able to see Rokas for more than five or ten minutes at a time, always in passing between matches or training. Even the training sessions were closed to the public and family. Despite not being able to spend quality time with his son, Mindaugas said it was an experience he’ll never forget and always cherish.

This team is in the first of a two-year cycle and will transition into the U-17 Men’s National Team that could compete in the 2021 U-17 World Cup. Keep an eye out for Rokas and the rest of the squad, as they could be the U.S. stars of the future.

Congratulations to Rokas for making Oklahoma soccer history and for helping represent the club, the state and the country on an international level.