Top 10 moments of 2010

Here are our top moments of 2010 – some local, some not so, and in no particular order of preference. If you have anything to add that was memorable for you, please add. A very, merry Christmas to all, and have a kicking new year!

The World Cup

The goal that united a nation: Donovan celebrates after his injury timer winner against Algeria

As to be expected, there were many highlights within a rather large highlight as South Africa hosted a pretty successful World Cup. Spain emerged as winner for the first time in the nation’s history, after beating the Netherlands in the final. The top U.S. moment was Landon Donovan’s dramatic injury time winner against Algeria, which sent Bob Bradley’s men through to the last 16, where they lost to Ghana in overtime. Another star to make the headlines was Paul the oracle octopus, who predicted correctly all of Germany’s seven encounters and the final itself. Alas, Paul departed for the great sea in the sky after he died in October.



Feldhaus save clinches regional for Jeff
Jeffersonville goalkeeper Cauldon Feldhaus dove to his left to stop Cameron Hensley’s shot, giving the Red Devils a 5-3 penalty kick victory over Trinity Lutheran for the team’s third regional championship, and first since 2005. “To be honest, I totally guessed,” said Feldhaus. The Red Devils (18-2) lost to Washington at semi-state.


Final fling for UofL
One of the best moments of 2010 and helping the game locally no end, came towards the year’s conclusion when University of Louisville reached the NCAA Division 1 championship game for the first time in its history. The Cardinals went into the tournament as No. 1 seeds, and beat Charleston, Ohio State and UCLA in front of bumper home crowds before traveling to the Men’s College Cup in Santa Barbara, Calif. Ken Lolla’s boys beat North Carolina to get to the final, where it lost to No. 3 Akron, a program Lolla had been in charge of from 1993-2005.


Cards celebrate Big East tournament win


Two class soccer
The moment that the IHSAA announced in May that high school boys’ and girls soccer would be divided into two classes come the fall of 2011 was the moment that certain smaller schools started dreaming of long post season tournament runs and maybe even a state title. The cut-off point for the revamped tournaments — to be based on school enrollment — will be known in the spring following the next classification realignment.

Providence winner v Floyd Central

Providence's Casey Marlin fires homes against Floyd Central. Photo by Ronda Trimble.

The Pioneers’ overtime clincher against the Highlanders in the sectional semi-final is so far one of the best goals I’ve seen since covering local girls’ high school soccer. It was rather apt that it was superbly finished off by Casey Marlin, who broke all manner of records in her junior year (top all-time Providence scorer at 59; most goals in a season with 29), but it was the searing 60-plus yard run by defender Leah Mattingly, leaving a number of Floyd Central players in her wake, and her delivery to Marlin, that made the goal special. Providence went on to win sectional and bowed out at regional to eventual state finalist Columbus North, coached by Jeffersonville’s Mike Spock.

Christian Academy forces shootout
Beaten 6-0 by the Pioneers during regular season, Christian Academy of Indiana was in no mood for a repeat result. Following a 1-1 tie after overtime, and penalty kicks tied at 3-3 with just one shot remaining for both teams, CAI goalkeeper Tyler Stumler’s effort dramatically hit the crossbar and sped downwards, but was adjudged not to have crossed the line when it bounced off the turf. Ben Orem made no mistake with the last penalty, sending the Pioneers to the championship game, where they lost to Jeffersonville.

U.S. loses World Cup bid
Matching the disappointment of the U.S. losing to Ghana at the World Cup was the awarding of the 2022 tournament by FIFA to Qatar. At one stage considered a strong favorite, the U.S. bid (which included the Colts’ Lucas Oil Stadium as one of the possible venues) lost out to the Persian Gulf nation the size of Connecticut amid allegations of a corrupt selection process driven by oil money. Bah, humbug. Russia won the right to host the 2018 World Cup.


Eh, where?

The winner … oops, no it isn't!
Those who witnessed it, including Providence match report writer Tim Brown, said they had never seen anything like it before. With just 20 seconds left, and the game tied at 3-3, the Pioneers took the lead when Pierce Crawley notched his hat-trick. However, Providence celebrations were short-lived. In fact, they lasted as long as it took Jennings County’s Matt Flora to kick the ball from the restart at the halfway line perfectly into upper left hand corner of the net to tie proceedings at 4-4.

School shocks in Louisville
Soccer powerhouses St. Xavier and Sacred Heart, both winners of boys’ and girls’ Kentucky state titles respectively for the past three years, crashed out of their respective tournaments on the very same night. Minnows Louisville Collegiate tamed the Tigers, while DuPont Manual overcame the Valkyries on penalties in a game played over two evenings. Collegiate would later lose to Central Hardin the quarterfinals, while Manual made it to the final four, where it lost to eventual winner St Henry.


Some magical assistance from Rick 'Dumbledore' Underwood helped the Gryffindores (DuPont Manual) make the final four in Kentucky.


Déjà vu for New Albany
It was a case of déjà vu as New Albany, for the second successive year, beat rival Floyd Central on penalty kicks after a scoreless encounter. The Highlanders had gone through the entire season unbeaten, securing the Hoosier Hills Conference along the way, before the shootout defeat to the Bulldogs.


New Albany celebrates sectional win over Floyd Central


Others highlights worth mentioning include the fifth staging of the New Albany Deanery Soccer League for hundreds of the area’s children; the acceptance of Javanon ‘94 (featuring Southern Indiana’s Jordan Vejar, Matt Kelecy and Nick Blackwell) into the U.S. Youth Soccer National League; and the announcement of a new adult team for Kentuckiana in the shape of River City Rovers, which will play in the United Soccer League’s Premier Development League, seen as a shop window for aspiring pros.

And then on a wider scale, there was Colorado Rapids winning its first MLS Cup over Dallas; Inter Milan being crowned king of Europe and World Club champion, and the interesting acquisition of Liverpool FC by John W. Henry, owner of the Boston Red Sox, following a long and drawn out saga.

There's 'Snow' stopping the Cards; U.S. WC bid frozen out

On Saturday morning, I joked with someone via e-mail that the University of Louisville would beat UCLA in the NCAA quarterfinal matchup by the not very realistic scores of 5-3, 5-4 or 6-5, given both teams’ propensity for flowing, attacking soccer and the expected inclement weather.

If I had have known of anybody offering odds on this game, I would probably be walking around the streets of Southern Indiana right about now with a wheelbarrow stuffed high with notes featuring the faces of various presidents.

Such a thought faded rapidly from the mind to be replaced with joy. The emotion was shared thousands of times over at Cardinal Park by the Louisville fans who braved the elements, even if they couldn’t feel too many of their bodily parts at the end of 90 minutes of play.

The Cards have reached the Men’s College Cup — their Final Four — for the first time in their history, courtesy of a thrilling come-from-behind 5-4 victory, the clincher arriving with just 52 seconds of play remaining from the boot of Aaron Horton.

Despite the snow and freezing temperatures, there was a record 5,467 attendance — plus hundreds of others on the ‘Ville Hill’ and in cars outside the soccer grounds — to see the Cards earn themselves a trip to the warmer climes of Santa Barbara, Calif.

This is a team that had won only one NCAA tournament game before this year. It is a squad that went into the postseason with the burden of No. 1 on its shoulders.

Having fallen 2-0 and 3-1 behind, top-ranked Louisville (19-0-3) showed the sort of refuse-to-lie-down-and-die attitude that accompanies teams who just don’t know how to lose.

Ken Lolla’s charges will now take on No. 4 North Carolina at 8:30 p.m. Friday at Harder Stadium.

Before they depart for the Men’s College Cup, supporters are invited to a send-off for the team at the KFC Yum! Center at 5 p.m. today. The first 500 kids at the event will get a free Louisville soccer T-shirt, while the coaches and players will be available for autographs.

The Tar Heels have won all of their three NCAA tournament games this year on penalty kicks against Georgetown, Michigan State and SMU.

They are no strangers to the Men’s College Cup, most recently falling to Akron on penalties last year and advancing to the final in 2008.

The second semifinal on Friday will feature No. 3 Akron (a team coached by Lolla from 1993-2005) against No. 10 Michigan at 11 p.m. The championship game will take place at 4 p.m. Sunday. All three games will be shown live on ESPNU or ESPN2 and online at ESPN3.com.



What a joke, there's no way . . . oh, wait, that looks nice: An artist's impression of The Al-Shamal stadium, one of the nine being built from scratch -- and 12 in total -- for the Qatar World Cup in 2022. Its shape was derived from the traditional "dhow", the local fishing boats of the Persian Gulf.

Exemplifying how the game of soccer can provide a roller-coaster ride of emotions was FIFA’s announcement last Thursday that it would be Qatar, not the United States, which will host the 2022 World Cup, while Russia was awarded 2018.

The fallout from the picks of oil rich countries with gargantuan budgets has been as entertaining as the actual decisions themselves.

The English have not been taking it very well (Google “England” and “World Cup 2018” for yourself), while the United States’ bid team was despondent but more gracious.

Both nations had technically superior assessments compared to their respective rivals. But FIFA made it clear that it doesn’t pay much attention to the reports that itself demanded.

Whatever the accusations of bribery, vote trading and backroom politics, the fact is that FIFA has chosen to continue its theme of establishing legacies and breaking new ground.

Russia will become the first Eastern European nation to host the tournament, while choosing Qatar — a nation the size of Connecticut with a population of just more than 1.5 million — means the World Cup will dip its toes in Middle East territory for the first time.

Russia’s selection is not a major surprise. Qatar’s, however, is head-scratching to say the least. Classified by FIFA itself as “high risk,” much has already been made of its searing temperatures in the summer, while it will basically be building infrastructure from scratch to host the biggest sports event on the planet.

All 12 stadiums will be within a 20-mile radius encompassing its capital, Doha. Then after the tournament, they’ll be dismantled and transported off to countries that need them.

So the decisions might be seen by FIFA as very brave and noble, but let me put this to you: Four horses are running in four different races on the same card. Only one has ever run on the course (Brazil), although he hasn’t run for a while (1950) and there are real concerns about whether he’s ready or not to do this again.

One other has run over the distance (South Africa in hosting the Rugby World Cup). The others might be good, because a lot of money has been invested in their breeding (Russia and Qatar), but no one really knows how they’ll take to the course and distance.

Let me ask you — Would you stick your hard-earned loot on all four sluicing home to victory?

One has already made it successfully home, of course, with South Africa hosting a decent World Cup this year. However, experience sadly tells me you’d be foolish to believe all four longshots will romp it. Which is why I can’t help feeling these decisions are going to come back and haunt FIFA somewhere along the line, and judging by the worldwide reaction in recent days, there won’t be too many shedding a whole bunch of tears if that happens.

And me? Well, I’m not expecting any full wheelbarrows in my backyard.

The birth of River City Rovers

EXCLUSIVE

Kentuckiana is about have a new team play in the top U23 men’s soccer league in North America.

The newly formed River City Rovers will join the United Soccer League in the summer of 2011. It will have a 16-game schedule in the Premier Development League – or PDL -- section between the months of May and August.

The team’s home is still to be decided, but the ground will be in Louisville. Among the venues believed to be under consideration are the University of Louisville and St Xavier High School.
A southern Indiana resident is among the 10-strong group of owners.

The PDL is seen as a shop window for Major League Soccer clubs looking to discover and identify aspiring pros.

Many of the players currently playing in the MLS began their careers there, while notable US internationals with PDL experience include Brian Ching, Charlie Davies, Brad Guzan, Jonathan Spector, Clarence Goodson, Herculez Gomez, Robbie Findley, Jay DeMerit and Eric Wynalda.

Muhamed Fazlagic, who founded Louisville youth travel soccer club United 1996 FC, will serve as technical director and head coach, while Thabane Sutu will be the assistant coach.

"I am so excited to be part of creating this opportunity for local players who currently play for top-ranked national colleges,” said Fazlagic. “Now they'll be able to play at the highest level in front of their friends and family. River City Rovers is certainly a new and positive chapter in Louisville’s soccer history."

Peter Laventis, one of the owners and vice-president at United 1996, said the formation of River City Rovers is the natural progression of soccer in the area.

“This team will have the ability to showcase the talents of the best players from all of the clubs, while allowing them to retain their amateur status for NCAA eligibility,” he said. “Rovers’ games will provide local fans with the highest level of soccer experience, short of an MLS game.”
Unofficially, the PDL is considered to be the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid, behind the MLS, the USSF Division 2 and the USL Second Division.

It had 67 teams competing in four conferences -- split into eight regional divisions across the US and Canada -- in 2010. So far, three new franchises have been announced to participate in 2011 season.
Average attendances have risen in recent years to about 550 a game in regular season, and over 1,100 for the play-offs.

Rovers will play in the Great Lakes Division along with the likes of Indiana Invaders from South Bend, Chicago Fire and Cincinnati Kings.

Mary Nieto, marketing director of River City Rovers, said the club welcomes players from all area club and collegiate backgrounds.

“River City Rovers will be representative of the best soccer players the greater Louisville area has to offer,” she said.

“By joining the Premier Development League, our players will be exposed to additional scouts and recruiters who, in turn, report their findings. This provides players additional time on the pitch in front of fans and against collective opponents -- competition that is as close to MLS performance as we can get.”

As for the future, Nieto said the club would be “thrilled” to one day reach MLS qualifications and status.

“Realistically, it takes a lot of investment power to make that happen but we're prepared to put in the time with the River City Rovers,” she said.

“If MLS becomes an achievable goal, we certainly wouldn't say no.”

Cards set for last 16 date with Buckeyes

Another record crowd is expected when the top-ranked and unbeaten University of Louisville (17-0-3) faces No. 16 Ohio State (11-5-3) in the third round of the NCAA Division I men’s soccer tournament at Cardinal Park at 7 p.m. Sunday.

The Cards beat College of Charleston 3-1 on Sunday in front of 5,197 fans, pleasing the vast majority of them with two late goals. The attendance smashed the previous school record of 3,583, set against Indiana University in 2005.

Louisville opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a Nick Deleon effort, but Sean Flatley evened the score just five minutes later for Charleston.

With seven minutes remaining in the game, Deleon put Colin Rolfe through for his seventh goal of the season, and Charlie Campbell wrapped it up with 88:13 on the clock following a fine build-up down the left involving Rolfe and Dylan Mares.

Meanwhile, Ohio State made it through with a 2-1 home victory over Providence, a team beaten by Louisville in the Big East Tournament final on penalty kicks last week.

Louisville met the Buckeyes in a regular-season encounter at Cardinal Park in September, with the game ending scoreless.

It was the only game the Cards failed to win at home, where it is now 9-0-1 for 2010. In fact, the last time they lost at home was to Jacksonville in the NCAA tournament in 2008.

The winner will face the victor of Dartmouth and UCLA in the quarterfinal on the weekend of Dec. 3, a tie that would also be at Cardinal Park should Louisville emerge victorious against OSU.

The College Cup (the Final Four) will be held in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Dec. 10 and 12.

Meanwhile, No. 14 Indiana will play at No. 3 Akron at 4 p.m. Sunday after beating Tulsa 5-1. Goals came from Will Bruin (two), Andy, Adlard, Nikita Kotlov and Harrison Petts.

Javanon '94 off to a National League flyer

Javanon ’94 got off to a flyer in the US Youth Soccer National League at the weekend.
Coach Jason Bell’s charges played four games in Wilson, North Carolina and came through all four of them unbeaten to sit atop the eight team U17 Blue Division.

After opening with a 2-2 draw against WAZA – ranked sixth in the nation -- on Thursday night, Javanon then went on to beat Blast FC of Ohio South (1-0) and fourth ranked Sereno of Arizona (1-0).
It rounded out the trip with a 2-0 victory over RSL Florida, who was last year's national runner-up.The team mates attracted plenty of interest from college and national coaches with their performances.

The second round of games will take place from February 19-21 in Weston, Florida, when Javanon will encounter crunch matchups against joint leaders Tulsa TSC (Oklahoma), Annandale United (Virginia) and PSC Coppa (Pennsylvania).

Should Javanon win its league, it will automatically punch its ticket to the 2011 US Youth Soccer National Championships in Phoenix, Arizona next July.

Next up for the team is the Disney Soccer Showcase in Florida from December 27-30.

Red Devils and Bulldogs meet again

There is no magic formula — just doing the small things right and a dash of good luck.

That’s what New Albany boys’ soccer coach Dutch Vigar puts the team’s postseason success in recent years down to.

The small things and some good fortune are a couple of the reasons why we said goodbye to Hoosier Hills Conference champions Floyd Central, who had gone unbeaten all season until Saturday (and remain unbeaten in the regular season). The Highlanders’ 15-1-2 achievement should not go forgotten.


Brian Fischer: 21 goals this season.

After a repeat of 2009’s IHSAA sectional championship penalty shootout victory over the Highlanders — and its third sectional title in a row — New Albany (6-9-2) will face Jeffersonville (16-2) Wednesday night in the second successive regional semifinal between the teams (Floyd Central, 8 p.m.).

Last year, New Albany won a tight encounter, courtesy of a Kameron Jenkins header, before going on to beat Seymour in the regional final on penalties.

This time, Carson Webb's Jeffersonville will be hoping to avoid a bus crash (no one hurt) before the game and a clean bill of health (three Red Devils missed the game due to sickness) for all its players.

That’s the easy part.

Although the Red Devils had a comfortable 4-0 victory over New Albany in the regular season, they should well know by now how resolute the Bulldog defense is this time of year.

The Red Devils do have, however, a strong attack. Brian Fischer has continued his regular-season form into the state series, already bagging five goals — including a hat trick against Providence in the Jeff Sectional decider on Saturday — to bring his tally this fall to 21.

Then there’s Jordan Vejar, who has 16 goals; Roberto Martinez (12); Gavin Leavell (11) and Vincent Straight (10).

Lucas Rigsby, who scored two goals against New Albany in the regular season, has eight goals and leads the team’s assists column with 19.

If the Bulldog rear guard, which includes goalkeeper C.J. Reynolds, Jordan Blessinger, Nick Blackwell, Luke Lete and Omar Garcia, can hold strong, it will be hoping its midfield and strikeforce can penetrate a Jeffersonville three-man defense.

Jenkins has six goals of his own in the postseason, while teammates Justin Oliver and Sean O’Connor also will be looking to catch the Red Devils on the break.

The winner of Jeffersonville and New Albany will be playing for a third IHSAA regional championship, as both have won it twice. The sectional count now stands at five and six, respectively, as we enter a two-class system next year when both teams are likely to return to facing off against each other before any regional takes place.

For the record, the Bulldogs also won a state championship in 1975, were state finalists in 1978, and won three regional and semistate championships in ’75, ’77 and ’78 before the IHSAA-organized tournament kicked off in 1994.

In the first of Wednesday night’s semifinals (6 p.m.), five-time sectional champs Madison (13-6-2) — 5-1 winners over Southwestern on Saturday — will take on Trinity Lutheran (15-2-1), which beat Seymour 5-2 to claim its first sectional championship.

The winner will get a chance to play for its first regional title in the final game at 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Marlin Shattering Records

(Published Evening News & The Tribune, October 8)

The marlin is an incredibly fast billfish with a spear-like snout. The largest of the species is found in the Atlantic Ocean.

Namesake Casey Marlin also dazzles with her speed and unleashes venomous shots resembling spear-like missiles at opposition goalkeepers. She can be found in the fall on the soccer fields of southern Indiana wreaking havoc amongst hapless defenses.

This week, the 16-year-old striker brought her season tally to 26 and her high school career total to 56, breaking the Providence school record of 50 held jointly by Alix Hughes (2006 graduate) and current Manchester College leading scorer Laura Jenkins (2009).

And she’s still a junior.

“I wanted to break one record at Providence, and this is kind of like a way for me to be remembered after I leave,” says Marlin. “I don't have a number that I'm specifically aiming for by senior year; I just really wanted to beat it this year.”



Casey Marlin (right), with sister Caley. Photo by Kevin McGloshen, Evening News & The Tribune.

In fact, she will get a chance to break a second record on Monday when the Lady Pioneers line out against New Albany in the sectional quarterfinals for the third successive year. Jenkins’ season best of 27 (set in 2008) is looking a little bit shaky right about now, and could be broken post-season by one of her biggest admirers.

“Laura has actually been a huge influence on the way I play,” says Marlin. “I've always looked up to her, so it means so much that I can be recognized with her.”

After starting her playing days with local girls’ club Net-Surfers, which she says “definitely” had an impact on her, Marlin moved onto Javanon.

“My coach, Ntando Tsambo, taught me how to strike the ball with all my strength,” she says, “Every day at practice we would work on foot skills, and that made me a lot better. I learned how to dribble at speed with control, which is very important.”

Marlin is now part of Mockingbird ’94, where team mates include a couple of high school rivals in Floyd Central’s talented junior trio Taylor Patty, Lauren Haley and Rebekah Burgan.

She says that the Lady Highlanders – winners of the sectional championship for the past four years -- are “always very good” about marking her. It goes without saying that if Floyd Central, New Albany or anyone else in the nine team sectional have designs on this year’s title, they may have to come up with a way to stop the diminutive (about 5’ 3” but physically strong) goal getter.

The bad news for the opposition is that Marlin believes she’s learned to cope with the receipt of special attention.

“It is harder when a team man-marks me, but my coach (Dave Smith) has taught me to use my speed to my advantage,” she says. “I do like to think that I fool defenders by my appearance. I look small, but I can be pretty tough.”

Marlin is acutely aware, however, that without her team mates -- who have been dubbed the “Kick Chicks” -- she wouldn’t be breaking any records. On Wednesday, the Lady Pioneers – with a goal from Marlin -- defeated Louisville’s Mercy Academy 3-1 to end its regular season 14-1-1, the best in the school’s history.

“I definitely couldn’t do it without my team,” she says. “They know where and when to pass to me when I make runs. Lauren Holland (junior) especially knows every move I make before I make it. We have great chemistry together on the field - our whole team does.”

Others she is happy to be playing with, as opposed to playing against, are junior Kelsey Rogers and sophomore Leah Mattingly.

“I'm grateful that Kelsey is on my team that's for sure,” she says. “I think she's one of the best defenders in the area. It's very difficult to get past her, and the same with Leah.”

However, the one who makes her play her hardest, she says, is her sister Caley, a senior.

“Caley is an amazing player,” she says. “I am very lucky to be able to play with her. We can be honest with each other and help each other on the field, although we do argue sometimes!”

Providence coach Dave Smith says he expects the college offers to be flooding in for Marlin when she hits the showcase circuit this fall and next spring.

“Casey is a very unselfish player, often man-marked or at the very least given special attention by the defense,” says Smith. “This makes her accomplishments that much more impressive.

“These are legitimate goals scored, and never do we allow her to drop in five to 10 in one match against a lesser opponent.”

Marlin is level headed about a prospective college soccer career.

“I would definitely love to play in college,” she says. “I'm not sure if I would be ready to play at a Division 1 school, but I've got some time to think about it.”

And some time to wreak more havoc on the fields of southern Indiana!

Getting Passionately Pink again

New Albany and Floyd Central girls will be going pink for the second time at Prosser Field this Thursday (7 p.m. approx) in an effort to raise money for breast cancer awareness and research.

On the same day, the grandmother of twins Selena and Stephanie Iglesias -- members of the New Albany girls’ varsity team -- will undergo surgery to have a breast removed due to the disease.

Marcella Clements said she was “amazed” that her doctor chose the date of the game for the surgery.

“I think it is God's way of giving me hope while allowing me to share my story with others, possibly giving them hope as well,” said Clements. “Breast cancer is a disease that affects many people and because of fundraisers like this, doctors have made progress over the years.

“This game and what it stands for allows young people to see how they can help others and I think it is wonderful to see how the school supports giving back to the community.”

It’s a stark reminder, if one is needed, that breast cancer affects almost everyone in one way or another, be it directly, through a family member, or through a friend.

Rhonda Iglesias, Clements’ daughter and the twins’ mother, will represent all those affected by breast cancer from the New Albany team, while Floyd Central will also have its own representative this evening.


Action from last year's inaugural Passionately Pink game, held at Floyd Central.

The game between the two local rivals, entitled Passionately Pink for the Cure, is expected to bring out a big crowd. It will be preceded by a boys’ varsity game between the two schools (5.30 p.m.), and gate proceeds will go towards the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, which said 75 per cent of the money raised for the charity stays in the local area. Donations will also be taken at the venue.

The Bulldogs will be suited up in hot pink t-shirts and white socks, while the Highlanders will be wearing light pink t-shirts and socks. Corporate sponsorship has been secured from local businesses to purchase the jerseys for both teams.

In support of Youth Soccer Month, recreation teams from both Southern Indiana United and Net-Surfers have been invited to parade out with New Albany and Floyd Central ahead of the game.

The boys’ teams, meanwhile, will be wearing pink warm-up shirts for their games, and it is expected that they will become full partners for the third annual game next year. Both teams want to join the cause as the disease affects both women and men.

Last year, about $650 was raised. New Albany coach Julie Deuser said they are expecting to make a lot more money this time round.

In fact, the organizers said they are aiming to exceed $2,000, as a number of other events have already been held, including fundraising car washes at Ideal Fitness and Jacobi's gas station, as well as an all-you-can-eat Krispy Kreme donut breakfast at Mt. Tabor School last Saturday.

“I have a great group of parents who have been working hard at fundraising,” said Deuser. “We have several sponsors and donors this year, which is really great. The girls are excited to play and we hope there is a big crowd to not only support us, but also this worthy cause.”

Deuser got the idea from her own high school team, East Jessamine, which played its cross town rival West Jessamine two years ago in a successful fundraising game entitled Rivals with a Cause. When she spoke with Floyd Central coaches, they were very interested and excited to be involved.

New Albany, with a 4-4 record after losing 2-1 to Seymour last Thursday, has been trying to cope with the loss of Kayton Cole, a two time member of Kick It’s Team of the Season, due to an ACL and MCL tear which will see her sidelined for nine months.

“We are really young and trying to adjust to new positions,” said Deuser. “Losing Kayton has caused us to mix up the lineup and have girls try new positions. With each game we are gaining more and more confidence. I am really proud of how hard the girls are working.”

Goalkeeper Taylor Briscoe has, in particular, stood out and Deuser said she has had “an unbelievable season” so far.

“She has grown so much as a goalie over the last few years,” she said. “She is truly the anchor to our defense.”

Floyd Central has a 6-3-2 record following a 3-3 tie with Seymour on Tuesday. In the past week the Highlanders also lost 2-1 to Providence and drew 1-1 with Columbus East.

Strikers face off in rival clash

Tonight sees one of the highlights of the girls’ regular season when Floyd Central hosts rival Providence (7 p.m.).

Both teams have gotten off to good starts, with the Highlanders standing at 6-2-1, while the Pioneers are 5-1-1.

And both feature standout strikers in the shape of juniors Taylor Patty (Floyd Central, 10 goals) and Casey Marlin (Providence, 12 goals).

So far, Floyd Central has had good 1-0 wins against Mercy Academy (Louisville) and Jasper. Defeats came at the hands of Manual of Louisville (3-1), a team ranked No. 2 in Kentucky at the time, and Evansville North (3-0) at this weekend’s Hoosier Cup in Bloomington, which coach Lewie Stevens described as “a very disappointing showing.”

Taylor Patty: Hoping to add to her 10 goal tally tonight against rival Providence. Photo by Deede O'Farrell.

Patty racked up four of her total at the tournament, with a hat-trick in the 8-0 demolition of Vincennes Lincoln, and another in the Highlanders’ win against Christian Academy of Indiana.

It’s by no means a one-woman show, however. Also expect attackers Lauren Haley and Kady O’Farrell, Cassie Holland in midfield, and seniors Emily Foster and Alysen Shireman to play an important role. Cassie Sakai, meanwhile, is a senior transfer from California and plays in goal and in midfield.

Meanwhile, Providence’s five wins have included victories over Columbus East, Forest Park and Jeffersonville, while it tied with Christian Academy of Louisville. Its lone loss thus far came against Indiana ‘Team to Watch,’ South Dearborn.

The Pioneers will be hoping Marlin – who has fired in three hat-tricks to date -- can add to her impressive tally tonight, and to the goal she scored in last year’s 2-1 regular season triumph over Floyd Central.

Coach Dave Smith is also expecting the likes of Leah Mattingly, Kelsey Rogers, Cristian May-Boquiren, Erin Duncan, Lauren Holland and freshman Kasey Wallace to step up to the plate in the hope of reversing the scoreline when the rivals last met. That was a 2-0 post-season win for Floyd Central, achieved on its way to a fourth consecutive sectional triumph.

Chelsea’s Toppers top Kaitlin’s Aces

Western Kentucky University, featuring Jeffersonville’s Chelsea Grover, proved too strong for Evansville, with New Albany’s Kaitlin Robinett in its lineup, last Friday.

The Hilltoppers (1-2-1) put four past the Purple Aces at Bowling Green, with goals from Mallory Outerbridge (2), Sydney Sisler, and Chrissy Tchoula.


WKU's Chelsea Grover

Robinett was a starter in defense, while Grover, a senior and captain of the team, played 50 minutes.

Evansville, however, bounced back Sunday to record its first victory of the season
(1-3-1), beating Middle Tennessee 2-1.

Both play again on Friday, with WKU at home to Ball State, while Evansville hosts Tennessee-Martin.

Dunk’em at Youth Soccer Day

You’ll be able to dunk a politician, buy some interesting items, and, of course, play the beautiful game at Youth Soccer Day in Community Park, New Albany this Saturday (September 11, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.).

The day long event is one of many activities planned for the eighth annual Youth Soccer Month, which is being organized by local clubs Southern Indiana United and Net-Surfers.

Games take place all day, while you’ll be able to pick up some bargains at the special soccer yard sale, visit informational tables, and avail of freebies and door prizes.

Rumor has it that in addition to local soccer coaches getting dunked by the kids, state representative Ed Clare will also take his turn on the hot (or should that be wet) seat.

“It will be a fun, family day to celebrate youth soccer,” said SIU’s vice-president Debbie Webb.



Along with club president Jim Kotowski, Webb collected the merchandise for the yard sale.

“There will be soccer items for sale at ridiculous prices, and no item will cost more than $5,” she said.

Other events as part of Youth Soccer Month will be tonight’s Floyd Central/Providence and Christian Academy of Indiana/Silver Creek girls’ matchups, two of many high school games this month when you can wear your club jersey and get in free.

SIU will spend an evening with the University of Louisville’s men’s soccer team this Friday, ahead of the Cards’ home game against Fordham (7 p.m.), while Ultimate Soccer Mom (and Dad) Appreciation Day will take place on Wednesday, September 22.

For further information on this month’s events, log on to www.siusoccer.com.


Above: Southern Indiana United president Jim Kotowski and vice president Debbie Webb collect items for the yard sale at Youth Soccer Day, which will be held this Saturday (Sept. 11) at Community Park, New Albany.

Adams amongst global Tigers

They’ve got a prolific striker from England, a strapping defender from Scotland, a dangerous Venezuelan midfielder, and a dependable U.S. goalkeeper.

Also on the roster are players from Colombia, Bosnia, Ghana, Cameroon, South Africa, France, and Argentina.

Oh, and add to the list a team captain from Floyds Knobs, Indiana.

No, it’s not an English Premier League team, but Campbellsville University in central Kentucky.



Alex Adams (second left) is congratulated after scoring for Campbellsville University against Tennessee Wesleyan.

It’s a true united nations at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) school, where Floyd Central graduate Alex Adams and his team mates are aiming to provide the program with its best season ever.

The Tigers are able to field such a mix of internationals thanks to NAIA’s no limit foreign player rule, as well as requirements in relation to age, grades, and past clubs.

Adams said their coach, Adam Preston, has developed relationships with recruiting centers globally.

“These connections allow our coach to see videos of hundreds of players from all over the world and choose which ones we would like to see come to our university,” said Adams.

When Preston became the program’s coach nearly 10 years ago, he had just two months to build a brand new team.

Now, Campbellsville has around 40 players a year, changing from all Americans, to an American/South American split, to a team now that has a good distribution of players from all over the world.

Two years ago, Campbellsville finished 17-7 and qualified for the NCCAA tournament (the national Christian tournament), finishing fourth.

Last year, the team didn't perform to expectations, losing more games than it won. This year, however, Adams said the team has the talent, depth, experience and attitude to come out and play with anyone.

Key players include keeper James Clements, England’s Jamie Allen, Casey Clarke and Chris Collins-Reed, John Kennedy (Scotland), and Venezuela’s Gustavo Valecillos.

“ The best thing about the players this season is the depth we have in most positions,” said Adams. “We will be able to sub people out, and be much more comfortable with the guys stepping onto the pitch then we have been any other year.”

Opposition will include last year’s NAIA national champions, Lindsey Wilson (also from Kentucky), and one of 2009’s semifinalists, Rio Grande. The University of the Cumberlands is another highly ranked team from its Mid-South Conference, and Campbellsville is hoping to join the trio as a ranked team for the first time in its history.



And the Tigers certainly got off on the right foot on Friday with a comprehensive 4-0 victory against Freed-Hardeman University of Tennessee. Adams led by example in midfield, scoring the first goal on Finley Stadium’s brand new synthetic turf field, which comprises 115 bags of granulized rubber pellets from used tires.

“The new field is great,” said Adams. “I’ve gotten to practice on it multiple times, and have a couple scrimmages to get used to how it plays. It is a full size field, so it’s very big, and it plays very fast.”

Adams was a four years varsity player with Floyd Central, and played his club soccer with Southern Indiana United and Javanon.

He was school captain for two years, leading the team in his junior year, while also making the All-District team.

“The difference between here and high school originally was the size, speed, and age difference for me,” said Adams. “It seemed like everyone was taller, faster and older than I was.”

As a captain he said he has received more respect than ever from the incoming class. “They look up to me, don't question things I say, and look to me for help on and off the field,” he said. “It feels good to know that everyday I can put in some positive influence into all of these guys’ lives.

“The attitude of the team shows me that they are willing to work hard, give it all, and never quit. I am hoping that with this attitude we can achieve greatness this year.”

Above: Alex Adams of Floyds Knobs (hidden) is surrounded by his Campbellsville University team mates following his goal -- the first on the college’s new synthetic surface -- against Freed Hardeman last Friday. Pictured are (from left): Gustavo Valecillos (Venezuela), Pontus Yngve (Sweden), Jamie Allen (England), John Kennedy (Scotland), Chris Collins-Reed (England), Bryan Walton (Kentucky), and Casey Clarke (England). The team comprises players from 11 nationalities.

Sister(s) Act!

It’s a family affair for the girls of New Albany this season, where three sets of sisters hope to lead the Lady Bulldogs to a successful fall.

Not only do they have newcomer twins Stephanie and Selena Iglesias, but they also have the returning Kayton and Kamaren Cole, as well as Lindsay and Miranda Duffy.


Kamaren and Kayton Cole, Selena and Stephanie Iglesias, and Miranda and Lindsay Duffy. Photo by Kevin McGloshen.

The Iglesias girls, who thankfully for all those involved with the team are not identical, have played the game since they were four-years-old.

Their mother, Rhonda, said they live and breathe soccer, and when not playing for their club, Net-Surfers, can be found practicing in the back yard with their dad. Their ultimate dream is to play for the U.S. or Peruvian national teams (their dad is from Peru).

“They love playing together and sometimes have twin telepathy on the field,” she said. “They have really dreamed of playing high school soccer at New Albany for many years. It is especially exciting for them to be on the same team and challenge each other to do their best.

"They have been so welcomed to the team by the coaches and the players especially the upper classman who have done an excellent job making the new players feel welcomed."

Coach Julie Deuser said having sisters is a “really great thing.”

“I like the idea of our team being like a family and having true sisters only helps with this,” she said.

On the Iglesias twins, Deuser said they understand the game and are dangerous with the ball.

“Both girls have excellent footwork and definitely make things happen on the field,” she said. “They will be an important part of our offense.”

Kayton Cole, a senior, and her sister Kam, a junior, play indoors for the school’s basketball team in the spring, are also very gifted outdoors on the soccer field, said Deuser.

“Both girls have outstanding speed and skill,” she said. “Kayton is a strong all around player who can play any position on the field, while Kam is an excellent attacker.

Miranda Duffy, meanwhile, is a freshman, joining sister Lindsay, a junior, and both are solid players, said Deuser.

New Albany, which finished last year with a 12-3-1 record, plays it first game of the regular campaign against Forest Park at Prosser field this evening (6 p.m.)

“I am looking forward to this season,” said Deuser. “We are a young team, but very talented. In the past we have had one or two stand out players who were relied on to do most of the work. This year, I believe every player on the field will play an important role in our success.”

Highlanders’ Hoosier Hills aim

Floyd Central boys might have lost their all time goal scorer Jordan Adams and seven other senior starters, but it is still hopeful of filling the voids this season.

Last year, the Highlanders were just edged out by Seymour and Columbus East for the Hoosier Hills Conference title, and then lost in the sectional final on penalty kicks to rival New Albany to finish the season 11-4-3.

Coach Zach Watson said this year’s squad has the potential to do better.

“This is a very talented group with a lot to prove, and the potential to be one of our best,” he said. “We were one game shy of winning the conference again last year and we are working hard to accomplish our goal of winning it this year.

“We were disappointed with the way we ended the season and are hungry to get the sectional title back to Floyd Central.”

Key returnees include senior Will Spiller, and juniors Matt Kelecy and Cray Trimble, while the team will also benefit from the transfer of senior Tyler Butler from Providence.

The entire coaching staff -- including DJ Barksdale, Ben Smith and Brad Senn -- also returns.

Floyd Central kicks off its season with home games against Forest Park on Thursday (7 p.m.) and East Central on Saturday (12.30 p.m.). Then it’s on the road to rival Providence next Tuesday (August 24, 7 p.m.).

And the Highlanders won’t lack backing for any of their games, believes Watson.

“Our team has great support from our parents, fans, the community, and our school,” he said.



Jacob Holland of Floyd Central and Jeffersonville’s Gavin Leavell battle for possession during the jamboree held at the home of the Highlanders Saturday evening. The event featured the boys’ and girls’ varsity squads from both schools, and from New Albany. Photo by Ronda Trimble.

Jamborees kick off the new season

The high school fall soccer season kicks off this Saturday with the traditional jamborees at Floyd Central and Providence.

And what a memorable season it promises to be. Can Floyd Central girls’ varsity make it five sectional titles in a row before the new two class structure is introduced in 2011?

Can Providence stop the run and regain a crown last won in 2005? Or maybe New Albany will spoil the party for both, and lift its first IHSAA sectional championship?
Floyd Central coach Lewie Stevens believes the Pioneers, coached by Dave Smith, are the team to beat this fall.

“They are skilled at every position and one year stronger and wiser,” he said.

Stevens also believes New Albany, led by Julie Deuser, will be a formidable opponent this year.

“They lost (Kaitlin) Robinett but they are still fast, skilled and very well coached,” he said. “They won’t rely on one player as much and could possibly be more dangerous and well balanced than last year.”

The Highlanders, narrowly beaten in last year’s regional championship encounter by Columbus North, are themselves working very hard in a bid for more honors, revealed Stevens.

“This group is very enjoyable because they have a good work ethic but also enjoy having a good laugh,” he said. “Despite last year’s experience we are still a pretty young team.”

Over on the boys’ side, New Albany comes into the fall as defending regional champion, a title earned after a fantastic post-season under the guidance of coach Ben Vigar.

Returning as the team’s head coach will be his father, Dutch, who has been involved with Bulldogs soccer for the past 21 years.

“It feels great to be coaching again, he said. “I am extremely proud and happy for my son Ben and the success he experienced at the end of last season. I wish he were on the coaching staff this year, but he has decided to take a break since he and his wife Jenna recently had a beautiful daughter named Molly.”

The post-season rivalry between Jeffersonville and Providence will also come to an end after this fall due to the two class system. Both teams are under the stewardship of new coaches in the shape of Carson Webb and Brandon Rogers respectively.

Christian Academy of Indiana, meanwhile, may be without standouts Andrew Rosenberg and Drew Mattingly, but coach Will Lorigan still expects his Warriors to be a handful for the traditional powerhouses once again come post-season.
You will be able to catch a glimpse of the area’s top teams and players at both of Saturday’s jamborees.

First into action will be the participants at Providence, which will include the boys and girls of the hosts, North Harrison, Corydon and Madison.

Action kicks off at 3.30 p.m. and admission is $5 for adults, $2 for students and free for children 10 and under. The alumni game will follow.

The Floyd Central jamboree starts at 6 p.m. and will feature boys’ and girls teams from the hosts, Jeffersonville, and New Albany.

Games are 20 minutes in length with just one half.

Foursome to play in national league

Javanon’s 1994 team, which features southern Indiana foursome Jordan Vejar, Nick Blackwell, Matt Kelecy, and Daniel Wilburn, has just been accepted into the US Youth Soccer National League, which kicks off in November.

The team recently won the Midwest Regional League’s Premier Red Division at U16 level, and will now compete in one of the two U17 eight team leagues.
It is the first time any team from Kentucky has played in the league – which caters for the nation’s top boys’ and girls’ teams in the U15, U16 and U17 age categories -- since its inception in 2007.

Coach Jason Bell said that being accepted into the national league is an exceptional accomplishment for the boys as well as the club, and is a direct result of the hard work and sacrifice by the team.

“As the first team from Kentucky to be accepted into the league, we have a chance to show the nation that our area is producing high-level talent and play,” said Bell. “Playing games against the best teams in the country in their age group will not only be an exciting opportunity, but very important for the college recruitment of these boys.”



He added that Blackwell (New Albany), Vejar (Jeffersonville), Matt Kelecy (Floyd Central), and Daniel Wilburn (Providence) have all played a crucial role in the team's success.

“Nick, Jordan, and Matt anchored a defense that was exceptional all season, while Daniel Wilburn provided much needed energy and enthusiasm to our attack,” said Bell.
Also pivotal to the success of the team, he added, is former coach Derek Willis, who is now the head coach at Georgetown College in Kentucky.

The seven game season will begin with games from November 18-21 in Wilson, North Carolina, with the second round of games taking place from February 19-21 in Florida. The final play date will combine boys and girls in late March with the location and specific dates to be announced.

Above: Jordan Vejar, Nick Blackwell, Daniel Wilburn and Matt Kelecy.

Parental interference cause coach to resign

A few days ago, I was in the middle of penning (or computering) a few words on the new high school fall soccer season and the subject of parents, when -- lo and behold -- news broke about an Indiana varsity boys’ coach abruptly resigning due “parental interference.”

The coach in question, Bashir Birany, led Zionsville to its first ever state title last October. He was quoted in the Indianapolis Star as saying that said interference “had been going on for a while,” had undermined him, and was affecting his ability to do his job.

It was his lone season at the Eagles, where he went 20-3-2 after taking over from Mike Smith in 2009.
One of the biggest problems with parents of high school soccer players is that quite a few of them never played or were immersed in the game as youths and are therefore not that well versed in its laws or tactics.

So, when opinions are expressed in a public or aggressive fashion, they are not helpful to referees, players or coaches.

Partly because of this ignorance – and partly because of glasses of the rose tinted variety -- their views of the talents of little Johnny or Mary can also be a little skewed, causing problems with off the field with coaches.

Some of the parents are even involved in the team set-up in some way, which causes additional conflict when their influence is used in a manipulative way.

Don’t get me wrong: I love the fact that people who never had an interest in the sport suddenly do, even if it is solely because their child has chosen to play the sport. The more the merrier.

And a number of these parents have actually made the effort to educate themselves, and are also of great benefit to their respective teams in terms of the work they put in each year.

There will be a few new head coaches of our area high school soccer teams when the season kicks off next week. They include Brandon Rogers (Providence boys), Carson Webb (Jeffersonville boys) and Jeremy Pickerell (Jeffersonville girls), while Dutch Vigar returns as New Albany boys’ boss.

Hopefully they, and those who return to coach your kids and mentor them over the coming months, will be allowed do their jobs as best they can without too much outside interference.

If you are new, or relatively new, to the game and are willing to learn more about it, one very useful website is Soccer for Parents (www.soccer-for-parents.com), where you can also download an e-book entitled, “Ten Simple Soccer Rules for Baffled Parents.”

Watching as much soccer as possible, either local games or those on TV, is also recommended, as is seeking out a referee soccer course.

As your knowledge increases, so too will your appreciation of the game. You won’t be disappointed and the game on a local level will be that little bit better for it.

National champions crowned

The US Youth Soccer national champions were crowned this week at Overland Park in Kansas.

There was no local representation this year after Javanon ’92, featuring Jeffersonville’s Trevor Bruner, was eliminated by Shattuck St Mary’s of Minnesota in the Region II championship game in Dayton, Ohio in June.

Shattuck finished runner-up after losing the U18 Andy Stone Cup championship decider 1-0 to EastSide United 91 Liverpool of Oregon. It was the state’s first ever national crown.

A total of 12 titles were decided for boys and girls from U14 to U19. The other 11 winners were from California (four), Texas (three), Illinois, Maryland, Georgia and Ohio.

Meanwhile, it was announced that Phoenix, Arizona will host next year’s national championships. The Region II (Midwest) tournament will take place at Fox Cities, Wisconsin.

ODP a lot of fun for Little

Last week, we brought you news of Silver Creek sixth grader Grant Hollkamp’s exploits at the ODP boys’ camp in Kansas.

This week, it’s the turn of New Albany High School junior defender Taylor Little, who was part of the Indiana 1993 team that participated at the Region II camp in DeKalb, Illinois recently.

The team took on Minnesota, Illinois, Ohio South and eventual overall winners Michigan.

Little, who plays her club soccer with Mockingbird, got to play every minute of every game, and said the competition was tough but was a great experience and a lot of fun.


Above: New Albany High School’s Taylor Little (front row, second from right) is pictured with her Indiana OPD 1993 teammates at the Region II camp in DeKalb, Ill. recently.

New stats service for Indiana schools

A new statistics service for Indiana high school sports will begin this year, making information more accessible to coaches, players, fans and the media.

The IHSAA last week endorsed Denver based VarVee as its official statistics gathering partner, beginning with fall sports, including soccer.

Through its website at www.varvee.com, VarVee will provide every member school with instructions on using the website and system, hopefully ensuring a decent participation level, while student-athletes will be able to create their own personal athletic profiles.

You will also be able to sign up for alerts for your favorite team, sport or athlete.

Golden chance for Silver Creek’s Hollkamp

Silver Creek sixth grader Grant Hollkamp has just been named on the Midwest Region 2 1997 (younger) team following an impressive performance at the Olympic Development Program camp in Kansas recently.

The Javanon U13 attaccking midfielder was part of a Kentucky team participating at Overland Park earlier in the month, where some 450 players represented 14 states.

The team lost its first game to Michigan, but finished strongly with wins against South Dakota, Missouri and Ohio.

Players who perform at a high level throughout the week are then asked to holdover for an additional four days of training as part of the regional pool. Hollkamp was one of 24 players selected on this team.

In total, he was in Kansas for 10 days and got to meet and play against some of the Midwest’s best talent, while also benefitting from the expertise of top coaches from Wisconsin, Iowa and Ohio.

The Region 2 squad will play in Orlando at the ODP Thanksgiving interregional event against Region 1 (northeast states), Region 3 (southern states) and Region 4 (western states). The team will also play games next spring in Virginia.

Hollkamp said it was a lot of fun to play against the best players at his age and he made a lot of new friends at an amazing venue.

“The new complex in Overland Park has 12 lighted, turf fields and cost $24 million. It was by far the nicest I have ever played on,” he said.

The players got to watch several World Cup games during the afternoon, and with Barcelona being his favorite club, and Andres Iniesta being his favorite player, it is no surprise to hear he was rooting for Spain to win the tournament after the US departed.

So can he put in an Iniesta type performance and help Region 2 emulate Spanish achievements in November? Hollkamp’s just happy to be there.

“I am really looking forward to playing the other three regional teams in Orlando at Thanksgiving and see how we do,” he said.

ODP is a national program which identifies and develops youth players to represent their state, region and, ultimately, country. ODP teams are formed with each of the 55 US Youth Soccer state associations and four regions.

Devils’ top Bulldogs in scorching scrimmage

Devils’ top Bulldogs in scorching scrimmage

One of the first scrimmages ahead of the high school soccer season was held on Saturday in sweltering heat as Jeffersonville’s boys’ team entertained New Albany.

It was a pretty low key affair, but it gave the coaches an opportunity to play through their entire varsity and junior varsity rosters before heading into a week of conditioning.

The Red Devils have a new coach in the shape of Carson Webb (formerly Frankfort HS girls’ coach), who has replaced Ryan Bixler at the helm.

His assistant, Shawn Smith, who is now in his fourth year at Jeffersonville, said it’s too early gauge freshman participation, but isn’t aware of any of them playing select soccer for a local club, which is a first for him since being at the school.

“It's not an issue so much,” he said. “It just means that we'll probably not have any freshman coming into the varsity squad right away.”

Dutch Vigar returns as New Albany’s head coach after a one year stint as interim athletic director at the school.

He replaces his son, Ben, who had a rather successful short spell in charge, with the Bulldogs winning the 2009 regional championship.

Vigar said they expect to have about 10 freshmen playing amongst the varsity and junior varsity squads this year.

For the record, Jeffersonville won the game with a lone goal by Lucas Rigsby.

France wins the World Cup!

This interview with Red Bull's recent signing Thierry Henry on New York's Fox 5 has got to be a candidate for one of the worst ever shown on TV?

Fair play to Henry, who scored in his debut for the MLS club last night in its 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. He remained calm and resisted any temptation to get stuck into the dunderhead duo, Rosanna Scotto and Greg Kelly, for their incompetence and lack of research.

My favorite line: Scotto,“So you just won the World Cup?”

If your the type that likes watching train wrecks and the such, check it out at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tULSYW5NbnU


Henry (right) salutes a job well done by Fox 5's Scotto and Kelly. Or maybe not.

Junkies are three-mendous!

Three was the magic number for Southern Indiana girls Jordan Reger and Maggie O’Farrell at the weekend after they reached the championship game at the Crew 3v3 Live tournament in Columbus, Ohio.

The girls, from Sellersburg and Georgetown respectively, were joined by Louisville’s Audrey Vand Der Elst and Fatima Maxwell as part of the Futbol Junkies team.
Coached by Jordan’s dad, Greg, they made the U12 final after playing a grueling five games on Saturday.

The Junkies narrowly missed out on the title after losing on penalty kicks in the decider, which took place in Columbus Crew’s stadium on Sunday. However, their performance still earned them a place in the national tournament, which takes place at King's Island on August 7 & 8.

The tournament was held in conjunction with Crew and all players got free tickets to watch the team’s 2-0 victory against New York Red Bulls on Saturday night.

The Bulls’ new signing from Barcelona, Frenchman Thierry Henry, attended the game.


Above: The Futbol Junkies, from left: Audrey Van Der Elst, Maggie O'Farrell, Fatima Maxwell, Jordan Reger and coach Greg Reger.

New balls, please

The Indiana High School Athletic Association has announced that it is to use a new ball for the 2010 state tournament.

With memories of the Adidas Jabulani’s unpredictability still fresh in our minds after South Africa, one can only wonder how the Wilson Ultimo Premium NCAA match soccer ball will perform. Or, rather, how players will deal with it.

The 32-panel, hand-sewn construction is “layered with elastic spandex and soft foam for power and control,” which is expected to enhance performance and consistency. It is approved for collegiate and National Federation of State High School associations.

Top Ten moments of South Africa

What effect the 2010 World Cup will have on local and American soccer, if any, still remains to be seen.

What is known is that more than 19 million people watched the United States versus Ghana round of 16 game on television, making it the most-watched soccer matchup in U.S. history at that point, according to the Nielsen Company.

That beats any game in the American hosted 1994 World Cup, including the U.S’s last 16 clash against Brazil, and the Italy-Brazil final which had over 18.1 million viewers.

In fact, viewing of this World Cup was up a whopping 36 per cent on 2006 up to the semifinal stage.

It is obvious that the sport is growing here, and Nielson’s vice president, Stephen Master, said the rise of social networking and virtually unlimited access to soccer is helping it thrive.

There are many other reasons, of course, but whether it can grow to a point where the United States can compete on the world stage against the superpowers in years to come remains to be seen.

And so to the top 10 moments of the 2010 World Cup. No, Paul the most famous Octopus on the planet is not included for his amazing prediction skills (he got all Germany’s seven games and the final spot on), but he probably knew that already.



1 Andres Iniesta’s tournament winner
Iniesta’s extra-time winner for Spain against the Netherlands in a somewhat disappointing World Cup final was rather apt, as he was also the game’s best player (but not the player of the tournament: that went to Diego Forlan). While the moment will be replayed for years to come, the fact that the Netherlands should have had a corner only seconds earlier but for a kick out to be given by referee Howard Webb will probably be quickly forgotten by all but the Dutch.

2 Ghana’s penalty pain
With the Uruguay-Ghana quarterfinal heading into penalty kicks, Luis Suarez intentionally handled the ball on the line, preventing a game winner by Dominic Adiyiah. Suarez was rightly sent off, and Ghana awarded the penalty, but Asamoah Gyan’s spot kick thundered off the crossbar. Uruguay went on to win the penalty shoot-out, and knock out the last remaining African nation. For drama, it couldn’t be beaten.


It's a goal! Eh, no it isn't.
3 Germany v England: The goal that wasn’t
It may be the moment that finally forces FIFA to introduce goal-line technology to soccer. The ball landed a good two feet behind Germany’s goal line after England’s Frank Lampard’s strike hit the crossbar and bounced behind goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. Neither referee Jorge Larrionda nor assistant Mauricio Espinosa saw the ball cross the line, denying England the chance to make it 2-2, and thus change the dynamics of the game (although Capello’s charges still wouldn’t have won). FIFA has since said it is to reconsider the idea of using technology to ensure such controversial incidents are consigned to the garbage bin.

4 USA comeback versus Slovenia (and that disallowed goal)
Finding themselves 2-0 down at half-time to Slovenia in a first round matchup, the U.S. rallied in the second 45 minutes to tie the game 2-2 thanks to efforts from Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley. However, the matchup will be most remembered for the goal that wasn’t given, when Malian referee Koman Coulibay chalked off Maurice Edu’s volley into the net from a free kick. The official FIFA play-by-play gave the foul to Edu. Unfortunately, no moves -- other than talk about extra assistants behind each goal line -- seem to be afoot to help right such wrong decisions.


Hey Landon, you took your time!

5 Landon Donovan’s last-gasp winner
Landon Donovan justified his “greatest American player of all time” tag by slotting home the last-gasp winner against Algeria. The goal not only ensured that the U.S. progressed from Group C, but topped it too. For the sake of a nation’s health, please don’t leave it that late again!

6 The Hand of Clod
Yet another moment involving the U.S. England goalkeeper Robert Green’s calamitous error from Clint Dempsey’s strike in the Group C opener - -resulting in a 1-1 tie -- gave Bob Bradley’s troops the confidence booster it needed to move forward.


Une Catastrophe

7 French Farce
Why France announced before the World Cup that a new coach, Laurent Blanc, was to take over the reins after the tournament is a move that still beggars belief.
Not because there’s anything wrong with Blanc, but because such decisions can only lead to a troubled dressing room. And coach Raymond Domenech already had poor relations with certain members of the squad.

The ‘Hand of Gaul’ incident, when Thierry Henry handled the ball twice in a scoring sequence against Ireland in the play-offs, sent France to South Africa and karma paid them back by the bucketload.

A tie against Uruguay doesn’t actually look so bad now given the great run ‘La Celeste’ had itself, but the wheels were falling off the cart and would part spectacularly for all the world to see in what can only be described as a shameful and farcical moment in French soccer history.

Midway through a comprehensive 2-0 defeat at the hands of Mexico, striker Nicolas Anelka allegedly insulted the coach, which led to his being sent home. The players then decided to protest by refusing to train. And while they turned up for their final match, against hosts South Africa, another defeat sent them straight home, where President Nicolas Sarkozy was convening a high-level meeting to figure out what went wrong. Duh!

8 Italy exit
When Italy was defeated by North Korea in 1966, the team was pelted with tomatoes on its return home. This time round, it was the Kiwis who contributed to the Azzurri’s woes, as the New Zealanders held the reigning champion to a 1-1 tie. It then lost to Slovakia 3-2, ensuring an early flight home. Coupled with France's “au revoir,” it meant that for the first time ever, neither of the previous tournament's finalists got into the last 16 at the subsequent World Cup.


It's going in, it's going in ...

9 Jabulani ball
Okay, moments rather than ‘moment,’ but how can you leave it out? Translated from Zulu to English, Jabulani means “bring happiness to everybody,” but it didn’t exactly provide too much joy to goalkeepers, who described it as a “supermarket” and “supernatural” ball, while there were145 total goals (2.26 per game), despite a lot more shots than previous tournaments.

C'mon, louder!
10 Vuvuzelas
A rather long moment, spanning the entire tournament, the vuvuzela made this World Cup the most cacophonous in history. There were calls by various football associations, players and broadcasting companies to have the noisy ear splitting plastic horns, a sound akin to an enormous swarm of bees, banned but FIFA said it was happy to have them at the tournament as long as they were not used as weapons, or blown during national anthems.

Ball to blame for fewer goals?

Is that Jabulani heading for the net or sailing wide again?

It is interesting to note that the downward trend of balls hitting the back of the net in the last four World Cup tournaments has continued.

In 1994, there were 2.7 goals per game, 2.6 in 1998, 2.5 in 2002 and 2.3 in 2006. At the moment with four games left, it stands at 133 goals, which is an average of 2.2 goals a game.

It seems that the so-called lesser teams have gotten stronger, and defenses have overall gotten better over the years.

There was a consensus that the new Jabulani ball from Adidias might help reverse the trend, making it more difficult for goalies to deal with. However, it might actually have had the opposite effect, with some plain awful shooting from long — and not so long — distances.

I was curious to find out if this was indeed the case, and dug up some eye opening statistics.

According to FIFA, there have been 1,704 shots at this tournament so far, and 638 have been on target (37.4 percent).

In 2006, there were fewer shots at 1,534, but 734 of those were on target. That’s 47 percent, meaning there has been a significant 10 percent decline in accurate shooting, when you consider accuracy was 49.2 percent in 2002 (total shots 1,445; on target 615).

So either the Jabulani and the climate is to blame, defenses are providing less open opportunities for attackers, or those shooting the ball are becoming increasingly rubbish.

I’ll let you decide.

Refs' national dream

It was not just the players who were aiming for glory when the U.S. Youth Soccer Midwest Region II Championships took place last week in Dayton, Ohio.

The best boys’ and girls’ teams from 13 states battled it out at Ankeney Park and Beavercreek in a bid to move on to the national championships in Overland Park, Kan., on July 20.

However, they were not the only ones.

There were more than 200 referees from all over Region II hoping to go all the way, too. They included two Southern Indiana officials, who were part of a Kentucky delegation.



Bob Snook of Floyds Knobs was head of the delegation, while New Albany’s Heinz Pedolzky traveled as an assessor and referee.

“Going into regionals, all referees aspire to — and expect to — work final matches and go to nationals,” said Snook. “There were roughly 212 referees at this tourney with 24 working the finals. You do the math, but someone is going to be disappointed.”

Kentucky has a strong history of sending referees — sometimes up to six of Region II’s possible 12 — to the national championships.

This year they’re hoping for more of the same, boosted by the fact that 12 referees worked the semifinal stages in Dayton and five worked championship matches.

As a group, referees and assessors have long days.

For example, take Day 1 of the five-day long tournament, which started just after 5 a.m. with games starting at 8 a.m.

“After games and dinner, we have a series of meetings to go over the day’s ups and downs and what to correct or expect for Day 2, along with assignments for the following day,” said Snook. “It all ends up after midnight.”

As the competition progresses and stakes for teams are raised, so too is the pressure, responsibilities and expectations of referees. Day 3 is generally when most of the problems occur, as places in the semifinals are determined.

In contrast, Snook said the semifinal matches are “a breath of air,” with the levels of play generally pretty good.

“There are not as many problems, but expectations are pretty keen,” he said.

Fatigue plays a big part in the semifinals and the championship encounters, with teams playing their fourth and fifth games in as many days.

However, from a referee’s standpoint, the pressures are greater on them than on any of the teams.

“Every game is assessed,” revealed Snook. “Kentucky sent three assessors and one mentor, who works with the various referees, giving them specific breakdown and instructions.”

Assessors will work two to three games a day. After watching each game, they will hold a debriefing assessment meeting with the set of officials working that particular matchup and go over their performance, offering suggestions for corrections and improvements.

“At the end of the day, we have to execute written reports for each match and each official — that’s 12 individual reports,” said Snook. “These are used to help judge the officials and help determine who is selected to work semifinal and championship matches.

“From a head of delegation perspective, it is a very rewarding position. Since we had so many new/young referees, we worked to coach and direct these young guys and girls on what they need to improve on. They also learn the politics — what it takes to put themselves into position to be selected for nationals.

“Overall, it is a very rigorous procedure, requiring commitment, hard work and sacrifice. It is earned and deserved based on performance. Sometimes teams can get lucky and win a game. Working region final matches and going to nationals is an earned award.”

As well as assessing, Snook and Pedolzky worked a semifinal and a championship match last week, which means they were judged for their performance and awarded to work the games.

However, for Snook, the true joy of assessing and being part of the competition comes in the relationship building.

“It’s like guiding your own kids, seeing them mature and performing to earn an achievement,” he said. “It’s almost like a fraternity or sorority initiation. Your group goes through a lot of pain, tears and accomplishments together, and those relationships are special and last your lifetime.”

Pictured above: The Kentucky delegation of referees and assessors at the US Youth Soccer Midwest Region II Championships last week.

Real prospect of deep run shot down

In the end, it can only be described as a disappointment.

Yes, the United States had done what had been expected of it at the 2010 World Cup: Get out of the group stages and into the last 16.

And the games produced some memorable moments too, such as the rousing comeback against Slovenia; Maurice Edu’s controversial disallowed goal in the same game; Landon Donovan’s last gasp winner against Algeria; and Robert Green’s gift to the Americans in the England opener.

Public interest in the Bob Bradley’s boys rose and the nation’s imagination was captured for a brief time.

However, every U.S. fan knows a golden opportunity to progress deep into the tournament went sadly a begging.

Having earned themselves top spot in Group C with five points and more goals scored than England, the promising path that opened up for the U.S. as a result was closed off just as quick due to imperfect defending and a couple of questionable selections (Clark/Findley) by Bradley against Ghana.

In the end, it seems there was simply too many negatives preventing the team from exploiting a favorable bracket.

The squad depth wasn’t there, while the team showed how desperate it is for a top notch striker. Not one of the five goals was scored by a forward.

Defense was also a major concern, with no real strength in cover, while the fact that Michael Bradley had four different partners in the middle tells its own story.
And, as we said last week, there are only so many times you can stage a comeback, no matter how great your determination. Slow starts and the concession of early goals became too much of a habit, and this needs to be seriously addressed going forward.

But will it be tackled by Bradley or a new coach? Although he has done well in the main, producing a spirited team greater than the sum of its parts, it remains to be seen if U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati offers a contract extension to Bradley, or allows his current deal to run out in December.

Whoever it is will benefit from talent coming up through the ranks (such as Andy Najar of DC United, and L.A. Galaxy’s Omar Gonzalez to name just two), while quite a few of the current team is young enough to be involved in Brazil in 2014.

These include Maurice Edu, Benny Feilhaber, Robbie Findley, Stuart Holden, Jose Torres, Jozy Altidore, Jonathan Bornstein, Michael Bradley, Brad Guzan and Jonathan Spector, who will all still be under 30.

Some fringe players who didn’t make this squad, like Sacha Kljesten, Robbie Rodgers and Chad Marshall, should also be vying for places.

And there will be one or two we haven’t even heard of yet. So here’s to 2014 – the journey starts now.