Some U8 highlights! U10 to follow...

Sun, rain, snow...

Welcome to the joys of fall soccer! It always amazes me the dedication that parents and players have despite the wicked weather we sometimes encounter!!

Well hopefully you are not measuring your child's season by goals, because there are some wonderful things happening with each and everyone of them. They are all steadily improving and even beyond that, they are all very "coachable" which is where they need to be at right now. I am loving their positive attitudes and their desire to play as much as they can!

We've got 2 games left! We go back to our 9:15 for U8(9) and 10:15 for U10 (11) this week.

Due to weather and daylight, practices are changing once again:

U8: Please come to both games 45 minutes early so that we can do some organized exercises ahead of time that they can apply during the games. At this point we realize that about 1/2 of the players will be moving up next year and we are hoping to prepare them for those changes (at least some!!) The others can benefit as well, they just probably will not catch on as quickly--that is OKAY!!

U10: We will be practicing on Wednesday nights for the next two weeks at 5:30 until 6:30 (or when it gets dark) Our main focus will be scrimmaging with other teams and understanding positions/field coverage. Many of us still need to focus on ball control--remember, it takes ball control to make the true game of soccer happen. We don't want to see the ball being lobbed back and forth without direction or control. It just makes for two very tired out teams.

Any questions, comments, concerns, please let me know!

Have a great week and we'll see you Wednesday or Saturday!

It takes a community...

Special thanks to Wayne Wallace for stepping up and helping me out at practice for the U8/U9 team on Tuesday. I'm sure the kids enjoyed some variety in their coaching!

The players are as ready as they'll ever be for their first games this Saturday. Here are some side-notes:

-U8 team starts at 9:15 am. PLEASE GET THERE AT LEAST 15 MINUTES EARLY TO WARM UP and for me to know who is all there!
***PRIMMER is bringing snack and drink!!

-U10 team starts at 10:15 am. PLEASE GET THERE 30 MINUTES EARLY TO WARM UP AND for us to plan our starting line up.
***BEHM is bringing snack and drink!!

BOTH GAMES ARE AT ROTARY PARK!

Photos will not be this first week. They will be the following week on the 19th. That is a little different from years past.

Please be sure that your player has soccer shoes and not football. How do you tell? The football cleats have a cleat in the center front of the shoe on the very end. Refs will be looking for that before the game. If you are not sure, please bring an extra pair of tennis shoes to the game.

Despite my very busy schedule, I am still having so much fun with your children and hope they are as well! I have two great groups again this year, which makes it that much more enjoyable.

PRACTICES will continue/same times and places next week:
5:30-6:30 U8
6:20-7:20 U10
Rotary Park

Questions? Comments?

Let me know. I'm here for you!

See you Saturday and have a wonderful day!

Practice, practice, practice...makes...

We've been busy practicing on Tuesday nights on both teams. The players are working hard and learning some new skills while practicing what they already knew:

U8: passing the ball, aiming towards an object (OUCH!), dribbling, using different points of the foot to control the ball (top, bottom, sides, etc.)

U10: all of the above as well as throw-ins, heading the ball, controlled passing, and of course both teams have been

scrimmaging!

We have one week of practicing left before games start!!

BOTH TEAMS HAVE SOME CHANGES FOR THE LAST WEEK:

U8: Tuesday from 5:30-6:30 pm

U10: Monday, September 7 from 6:20-7:20 AND Tuesday, September 8 from 6:20-7:20

Both teams will be getting schedules, shirts, and snack schedules next week!!!

NOTE OUR FIRST GAMES ARE ON SEPTEMBER 12TH (SATURDAY) AND PHOTOS WILL BE TAKEN. STAY TUNED FOR TIMES TO ARRIVE ON THAT FIRST SATURDAY!!!

As always, please contact me with any questions or concerns you may have. I am thinking practice attendance was a bit low last night due to the first day of school for many of the players. If there are other concerns than that (not enjoying practice sessions, etc.) please let me know so I can make necessary adjustments. Practices go so much better when we have a full team!

Enjoy your week and we look forward to the season!

What a night!

A quick and meaningful message from a very tired mommy!

Our next practice will be on Tuesday, September 1st, same times:

5:30 for U8

6:20 for U10

Didn't quite get everything done with the U8 group tonight I had planned, but it was fun. A very special thanks to Ingrid Yunck who has stepped in as Co-Coach!

I cannot say enough how wonderful all of your children are! They are all kind, talented players who show respect and are a true delight to work with. I am anticipating a wonderful season!

It's always the coach's child who creates the difficulties, and my own Christian sure was excited from a long day of starting school and running around with Mom!

I hope to see all the players again next week on Tuesday! Please contact me with any questions, concerns, or comments you might have.

Have a great week!

It was a good start!

Last night was the first "official" practice of the year. I had a wonderful time getting to know the players and most parents. There is a questionnaire I handed out last night and I will attempt to attach it here so if you could print it off, fill it out, then get it back to me in two weeks, it would help me to know more about your player and some things to work on with him/her!

I am still attempting to get ahold of players (just a few), so hopefully I will be able to reach them before we leave on Saturday. Of course I'll have my phone with me while we are away!

Just the U10 group (4th & 5th grades) will have practice with Mike on Tuesday at 6:00. I may have told some it would be 6:20 at practice--I WAS WRONG!! It is at 6! I already know some besides us will be out of town, but Mike will have a small group so if you CAN make it, your player will get some good one on one!

Have a great couple weeks and we'll see you on the 25th at Rotary Park. Enjoy what is left of your "summer" days!

Schedules are in and we are off...

I will be making phone calls today to notify parents and players of practice times.

PRACTICES:

The practices will be held at Rotary Park.
Since it can be confusing the first practice, please meet at the pavilion. After that, we can meet on the respective fields.

• The U8 team will meet at 5:30-6:15 pm this Wednesday, August 12th.

• The U10 team will meet at 6:20-7:20 pm this Wednesday, August 12th.

I like to use the first practice to get to know the players and for them to get to know each other. I do have some information and a questionnaire for parents that helps me to better coach them. It is nice if the parents stick around for the first half of the first practice. After that, if you just want to drop off and go, that's fine. I just ask that I have a way to contact you if I need to (cell or home phone number). Feel free to stick around to spectate if you wish.

Please be sure to have players ready to go with the following:

-Tennis shoes or soccer shoes
-Shin guards with socks covering them
-A water bottle
-Sunscreen/bug spray already applied if you choose

We will be learning through playing games (sometimes it's hard to remember that they are learning skills while playing games but it works!). Then using the second half of practice to play a game of soccer.

I will be out of town next week so

• the U10 will have practice on Tuesday, August 18th at 6 pm with Mike.
  

Unless I can find a parent willing to step in, the

• U8 team will take a week off and go back at it the following week.

Tuesday-August 25th- practices change over to Tuesday nights

• 5:30-6:15 for U8 and
  
• 6:20-7:20 for U10 for the rest of the season unless notified.

GAMES:

We typically do not receive game schedules until a week or two prior to when games start. This is tentative, but the first game is set to be September 12th. Pictures will be taken that day-details will follow. I will provide more information about the games in the handout at practice. If you are unable to attend practice, please e-mail me and I will send that information to you.

Looking forward to meeting parents, players, and answering any questions you might have!