Most people’s thoughts this Sunday will turn to the 10th anniversary of 09/11, but the players, coaches and parents of New Albany and Floyd Central soccer teams are hoping you can spare a few moments of your time to support their Passionately Pink fundraising drive at Wick’s Pizza from 5-8.30 p.m.
The Bulldog and Highlander girls will be “Kicking it for the Cure” for the third time at Floyd Central on September 15 in an effort to raise cash for breast cancer awareness and research.
Last year, $2,100 was raised and in a bid to outdo themselves, all those involved are continuing to keep the ball rolling in the right direction at the State Street, New Albany venue.
Three local live bands -- Under Construction, Not So Far and Good Evening Miss -- will provide the entertainment ($5 cover charge), while you can chomp through as much pizza as you can handle for another $5. A silent auction will also be held.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Grant on the double!
Borden’s Grant Hollkamp has been named on the Olympic Development Program’s Midwest Region 2 team for the second time.
The diminutive 14-year-old southern Indiana attacking midfielder was among 18 players selected for the ’97 team following his performance at the ODP camp in DeKalb, Illinois recently.
Hollkamp’s age group comprised 400 players from 14 states and those who impressed were invited to participate in the ‘holdover’ pool for an additional period of training.
This was the first year the U14s played together as one, as opposed to being split into older and younger pools. That made the task of selection even harder, but Hollkamp said making the region team was a goal he set himself after last year’s experience.
“I knew the competition was going to be very tough and I put a lot of work in to getting selected,” said the Mockingbird player.
Hollkamp will fly out for training and games at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif. from November 24-28. The team will also travel to an international event next year, possibly in Costa Rica or Spain.
Before that, you should be able to catch the 8th grader in action locally when he togs out for Louisville Collegiate’s junior varsity team at Jeffersonville, ahead of the varsity game, on September 29.
Hollkamp’s coach at Collegiate, Brad Davies, said he feels his small size has actually been a benefit to his player development.
“Most players at his age who are named to the regional and national teams are physically dominant -- they have matured faster physically than their peers,’ said Davies. “As a result, they rely on their size and speed instead of developing the more difficult elements of the game -- the technical and tactical elements.”
Davies added that as a result of his size, Hollkamp has had to dedicate his energies to developing the technical and tactical elements of his game.
“The result is a technically strong and tactically savvy player who is a few steps ahead of the game mentally,” he said. “Grant is always looking for feedback and for opportunities to improve. His growth mindset will be what enables him to realize his dreams of playing soccer in college and as a pro.
“Grant isn't even close to becoming the player he wants to be and can be, but he has the mindset and dedication to get there, which is why he is such a joy to coach and guide as a player and a person.”
Red Devils' co-captains are best mates
It wasn’t a difficult decision for the players of Jeffersonville’s boys’ varsity soccer team when it came to voting for a captain this year.
In fact, they knew without hesitation that they were going to choose not one, but two.
Who better, they thought, to spearhead the regional champion’s quest for more honors this fall than two near lifelong friends in the shape of seniors Cauldon Feldhaus and Acy Huffman?
Red Devils’ coach Carson Webb said that the co-captains, who were both named in The Evening News and Tribune’s 2010 Kick It Team of the Season, are “great players and great leaders” on and off the field.
“Their friendship absolutely affects this team in a positive manner,” he said. “They exemplify a great work ethic and really help groom the newcomers to life and soccer at Jeff High.”
The boys first met in kindergarten at Thomas Jefferson Elementary and quickly became best buddies, attending each other’s birthdays and partaking in regular sleepovers at weekends before moving on to River Valley Middle School.
Outside of school, they played with Clark County Soccer Association and later joined Southern Indiana United. If one went to a soccer camp, the other one followed.
Huffman said that he and Feldhaus had an “immediate bond” the moment they met each other.
“We share the same passion for soccer and have the same competitive edge,” he said. “I would even compare it to a brotherly bond, and it definitely shows on the field.”
Feldhaus played basketball for while, while Huffman swam, but soccer continued to be their number one sporting interest.
“Acy and Cauldon always knew they would play soccer at Jeff High,” said Huffman’s mom Sherry. “They talked about it for years.”
They tried playing in various positions, but as nature took its course and their talent developed, Huffman went on the back line and began directing the defense as sweeper, while Feldhaus manned the goal.
“I think because they are so like brothers, it fosters the great communication on and off of the field,” said Sherry, who can be found regularly on the sidelines cheering with Cauldon’s mother, Paula. (The parents, incidentally, have also become great friends.)
“They are both very good at leading their team which I'm sure is the reason they were unanimously voted captains by their teammates.”
Feldhaus said their friendship makes it really easy to talk to each other on the field.
“We played on SIU for a number of years, so by the time we went to Jeff High's team, we already knew how each other played, and what each other could and could not do on the field."
The boys are now members of different travel clubs, with Huffman at Columbus Express and Feldhaus at United 1996’s Midwest Regional League team, so the next couple of months could be the last they’ll play together on the pitch, for club or school.
Not that you would immediately be aware that the duo are so close off the field when you see them on it.
“I don't know if people can tell that Cauldon is my best friend from the sidelines while we are on the pitch,” joked Huffman. “We are comfortable enough to be critical of each other and use the other's comments as motivation.
“But I do know one thing: It's really hard to score on us when we are out there together."
Feldhaus agreed.
“We can be forceful with each other giving directions, shouting orders and such, but we realize that we're not angry with each other -- it's for the team," he said.
“It's the kind of friendship like, 'We're in this together -- I’ve got your back and you’ve got mine'.”
In fact, they knew without hesitation that they were going to choose not one, but two.
Who better, they thought, to spearhead the regional champion’s quest for more honors this fall than two near lifelong friends in the shape of seniors Cauldon Feldhaus and Acy Huffman?
Red Devils’ coach Carson Webb said that the co-captains, who were both named in The Evening News and Tribune’s 2010 Kick It Team of the Season, are “great players and great leaders” on and off the field.
“Their friendship absolutely affects this team in a positive manner,” he said. “They exemplify a great work ethic and really help groom the newcomers to life and soccer at Jeff High.”
The boys first met in kindergarten at Thomas Jefferson Elementary and quickly became best buddies, attending each other’s birthdays and partaking in regular sleepovers at weekends before moving on to River Valley Middle School.
Outside of school, they played with Clark County Soccer Association and later joined Southern Indiana United. If one went to a soccer camp, the other one followed.
Huffman said that he and Feldhaus had an “immediate bond” the moment they met each other.
“We share the same passion for soccer and have the same competitive edge,” he said. “I would even compare it to a brotherly bond, and it definitely shows on the field.”
Feldhaus played basketball for while, while Huffman swam, but soccer continued to be their number one sporting interest.
“Acy and Cauldon always knew they would play soccer at Jeff High,” said Huffman’s mom Sherry. “They talked about it for years.”
They tried playing in various positions, but as nature took its course and their talent developed, Huffman went on the back line and began directing the defense as sweeper, while Feldhaus manned the goal.
“I think because they are so like brothers, it fosters the great communication on and off of the field,” said Sherry, who can be found regularly on the sidelines cheering with Cauldon’s mother, Paula. (The parents, incidentally, have also become great friends.)
“They are both very good at leading their team which I'm sure is the reason they were unanimously voted captains by their teammates.”
Feldhaus said their friendship makes it really easy to talk to each other on the field.
“We played on SIU for a number of years, so by the time we went to Jeff High's team, we already knew how each other played, and what each other could and could not do on the field."
The boys are now members of different travel clubs, with Huffman at Columbus Express and Feldhaus at United 1996’s Midwest Regional League team, so the next couple of months could be the last they’ll play together on the pitch, for club or school.
Not that you would immediately be aware that the duo are so close off the field when you see them on it.
“I don't know if people can tell that Cauldon is my best friend from the sidelines while we are on the pitch,” joked Huffman. “We are comfortable enough to be critical of each other and use the other's comments as motivation.
“But I do know one thing: It's really hard to score on us when we are out there together."
Feldhaus agreed.
“We can be forceful with each other giving directions, shouting orders and such, but we realize that we're not angry with each other -- it's for the team," he said.
“It's the kind of friendship like, 'We're in this together -- I’ve got your back and you’ve got mine'.”
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