Soccer IndyUcky

Get Passionately Pink at Wick’s

2011-09-07T05:06:00.000-07:00

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.

Grant on the double!

2011-09-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-07T04:28:00.000-07:00

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'.”

Swift resurrection expected for CAI’s girls’ program

2011-08-23T06:28:00.000-07:00

As one of Christian Academy of Indiana’s soccer programs goes from strength to strength, another disbands.
The boys’ varsity team at the New Albany based school is looking forward to an exciting season, one which will culminate in participation in the first ever IHSAA Class A tournament.
However, the three year old girls’ program has been postponed due to lack of participation until next year, athletic director Chris Harper told Kick It.
“This was an unfortunate event as CAI soccer has become a staple in the southern Indiana community,” he said.
Last fall, under the stewardship of JD Dai, the team won its first ever postseason games when beating North Harrison and Charlestown to make it to the semifinals of a competitive nine-team sectional.
The numbers, at a school with an enrollment last year of 169 from 9th to 12th grades, just weren’t there to put a team on the field this fall.
However, the Warriors hope that increasing participation in soccer at middle school level, where its program has 20 plus players, will help to resurrect the girls’ team in the not too distant future.
“Though this year we will not be fielding a team, our girls have begun preparing for the next year,” said Harper.
In fact, soccer is poised for future growth, said the school’s new AD, thanks to the addition this year of a program at elementary level, where there is an enrollment of 300 plus.
“This will help feed up through the varsity levels,” said Harper. “These types of preventive measures help ensure the future success of boys’ and girls’ soccer at CAI.”

Christian Academy of Indiana is eyeing an IHSAA Class A sectional title.

Boys’ head coach Will Lorigan said one of the hard parts about coaching at a private school is the uncertainty of knowing whether or not you can field a team.
“You never know who you'll have from year to year because of transfers, people leaving, and people coming in, he said. “Even now (with the boys), we still don't have a settled number of players because there may be one or two more.”
Meanwhile, Lorigan said the boys’ goal this year is to adjust and develop throughout the following weeks in order to field its strongest team at sectional time.
Standing in the way at the Class A event will be host Providence, Rock Creek, Silver Creek and North Harrison.

“Our number one hurdle, which it has been for the last few years, is getting past Providence,” said Lorigan.
Last year, they came mighty close. After losing 6-0 to the Pioneers in the regular season, they pushed them all the way in the postseason, falling in a penalty shootout in a sectional semifinal encounter.

“While we didn’t win, we took another huge step in the right direction,” said the New Zealander.

“That being said, we can't under-estimate teams like North Harrison, who have a lot of upset potential, and Rock Creek, who can field a very athletic team. Ultimately winning a sectional is still a very difficult task, which is the way it should be.”
This fall, CAI’s strengths will be in defense where brothers Caleb and Josh Moore will pose a problem for the opposition, along with goalkeeper Tyler Stumler.
“Tyler should have a big year for us in goal, while Caleb is a solid presence in our backfield and has been for the last couple of seasons,” said Lorigan.
Midfielder Chris Smith will also be an important cog in the Warrior wheel.
Smith, who scored in a 1-1 tie with Scottsburg in CAI’s season opener on Saturday, was injured for most of last season, but Lorigan said he “will be dominant” in the middle this time round.
CAI’s next game is at home to Austin on Friday (6 p.m.), followed by a trip to Silver Creek next Monday.

Highlanders meet Pioneers in first of rivalry games

2011-08-23T06:23:00.000-07:00

Tonight sees the first of this fall’s varsity local rivalry games when Floyd Central boys’ entertain Providence (7 p.m.).
The Highlanders had a mixed bag of results in the first week of the season, losing heavily to Kentucky No. 1 Ballard (9-1) and East Central (5-0), while beating Forest Park 6-1.

Matt Kelecy leads the Floyd Central attack against Providence this evening (Tuesday)

Providence, meanwhile, has won its first two games over Corydon (3-0) and Seymour (4-3), with Daniel Wilburn pitching in with four goals, including a hat-trick against Corydon.
This will be the only meeting of the sides this year, as they will be in separate classes in the postseason.
Last year’s corresponding fixture saw a 3-0 victory for Floyd Central, with goals coming from Matt Kelecy (2) and Cray Trimble, both now seniors and expected to feature prominently this evening.
Another game of interest tonight is Jeffersonville’s home matchup with Kentucky preseason No. 8 Trinity (7 p.m.). The Red Devils lost its opener 3-1 to North Oldham last Tuesday and will face tougher opposition in the shape of the Shamrocks, who won all three of their games last week.

Pre-season silliness

2011-08-23T05:58:00.000-07:00

Promising UofL sophomore Christine Exeter

Maybe it’s a cultural difference -- me being from planet Europe -- but I can’t seem to get my head around these preseason ‘awards’ they dish out to college players.
Congratulations to University of Louisville’s preseason Big East winners, including preseason co-offensive player of the year, Colin Rolfe; preseason defensive player of the year, Austin Berry; and preseason goalkeeper of the year, Andre Boudreaux.
On the ladies’ side, you have preseason All Big East team selection Christine Exeter, a promising sophomore striker who bagged eight goals last year as a rookie.
Great things are expected of the four above named Cards this fall, and I personally expect them – among others -- to deliver with some top performances, health permitting.
Then again, Germany was expected to win this year’s Women’s World Cup; Mike Tyson was expected to pummel Buster Douglas in 1990; and our cat Bailey expected to get her usual dish of half and half this morning, except I rushed out the door for work in a hurry and it totally slipped my mind.
Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t say no to someone giving me a topper media award today for a cracking hot exclusive that I might happen to write in October based on previous scribbles if it helps boost my profile. There’s that.
However, I just wonder what else can come of doling out such absurd in-advance plaudits, other than to possibly instill complacency or alter the work ethic among the chosen ones. On the flip side, the ignored might just feel they’ve a point to prove.
Can’t we just wait and see how the season transpires. You know, like reward the athletes for what they actually do on the field as opposed to what they might end up doing judged on past performances?
Speaking of which, one game you’d probably be mad to miss this weekend is the nationally No. 1 ranked Louisville men’s season opener against No. 2 rated UCLA at Cardinal Park on Saturday (7 p.m.).
The pair last met in the quarterfinals of last year’s NCAA Division 1 championship, when Ken Lolla’s charges won a thrilling 5-4 encounter in the snow to progress to the College Cup.
There might be some postseason Players of 2011 on show!

A four-midable sister combo!

2011-08-16T04:07:00.000-07:00

It’s not unusual for a high school soccer team to have one, two, or even three sets of siblings, but this fall Floyd Central’s girls’ squad checks in with four couplings -- not to mention a pair of coaches’ daughters.
The sisters include junior Kady O’Farrell and freshman Maggie; junior Cylie Miller and freshman Christin; senior Kaitlin Hein and freshman Olivia; and senior Lauren Haley, along with her younger sibling, freshman Taylor.
And then there’s head coach Lewie Stevens’ daughter, Carly, a freshman, while senior Cassie Holland is the daughter of assistant coach, Tony.

Soccer Sisters: Pictured (from left): Olivia and Kaitlin Hein; Kady and Maggie O'Farrell; Christin and Cylie Miller; Lauren and Taylor Haley; Carly Stevens and Cassie Holland.Photo by Kevin McGloshen/Evening News & Tribune.

“I suppose that it could be a bit unusual having that many sister combos,” Lewie Stevens told Kick It.
“It has not changed the team dynamics so far. I have seen more encouragement than quarreling, although sometimes the older sister is disparaging toward the younger one.”
The only real arguments so far seem to have centered on a particular pair of sweaty socks. Bill Haley, father of Lauren and Taylor, explained.
“Most girls will argue about cute shirts, nice shorts, hair products or make up, but the girls seem to fight over a favorite pair of sweaty socks to wear to practice,” he said.
“Even when they had their two-a-day practices and the socks were drenched, they would argue over whose turn it was to wear them.”
However, Haley added the experience has been great for the two girls and really brought them closer together.
“They never really fought over much growing up, but this summer with them going to practices together they have really bonded,” he said.
Cylie and Christin Miller said that playing together at Floyd Central has definitely been a different experience for both of them – not to mention a load lifted off their folks’ plates.
“We have never played on the same team before, so a positive for our parents is that I can now drive and take Christin along with me - it saves them a few trips,” joked Cylie. “We get along really well most of the time; there are always those occasions of course where we don't. But so far it's been fun trying to compete with each other.”
They also hope to puzzle spectators along the way.
“We both wear the number ‘7’ shirt and plan for most people to get confused at which Miller girl they are cheering for,” said Christin.
Kady and Maggie O’Farrell, meanwhile, played together with Net-Surfers U11s, so they are old hands when it comes to sharing the same field.
“Kady had asked me at that time if she had to treat Maggie like her little sister while playing and I said no, you just need to treat her like a teammate,” said mother Deede. “It worked out really well.”
Although all the freshman sisters will start out on the junior varsity team, Kady is hopeful that she and Maggie will kit out together on varsity before season’s end.
“I think Maggie is a really good defender and hopefully, with a lot of hard work, will move up,” she said. Maggie added that she is “really looking forward” to getting to play with Kady this year.
Amy Hein, mother of Kaitlin and Olivia, said the duo have always been really close growing up.
“Don't get me wrong, they argue just like most siblings, but they are always there for each other and I think they will always have each other’s back - especially in soccer.”
Newcomer Olivia said that Kaitlin really pushes her to do her best.
“I think it puts good pressure on me to live up to her abilities,” she said.
Kaitlin agreed that she is a tough taskmaster.
"Even though I know I can be hard on my sister, it's because I want her to be the best she can be,” she said. “I am really proud of her."
Coach Stevens said that he and his wife had discussed with their daughter Carly for the past few years the subject of playing with Floyd Central.
“She'll have to figure out her role and how it relates to her teammates but she is a smart kid and I think she'll be fine,” he said. “She played for me at Highland Hills but the intensity of high school soccer is quite a bit more ramped up than middle school. We have a great relationship but I do have to try and not to go harder on her than the rest. I'm sure Tony (Holland) and Lynn Kaiser, our other coach, will help me in that regard.”
In fact, Holland can certainly offer some advice, as his daughter Cassie now enters her senior year.
“Tony and Cassie are both very laid back and their relationship as father/daughter and coach/player has been pretty smooth,” said Stevens.

Scrap high school soccer, says club coach

2011-08-13T19:22:00.000-07:00

This week, the founder of powerhouse Louisville youth soccer club United 1996, Muhamed Fazlagic, said that if he had any political power, he would shut down every high school soccer operation there is.
“Clubs are developing players for nine months and then high school soccer destroys everything during the remaining three,” he says. “It can take months for these players to get back to the level they were originally at.”
There is, he believes, a “huge disparity” in the quality of teams. And the coaches of these teams are, in the main, teachers with no real soccer experience.
“They concentrate more on conditioning than on technical development,” says Fazlagic. “And there are too many on rosters, meaning junior varsity and freshman players don’t get sufficient game time experience.”
The physiology is also “all wrong,” he believes, as players sometimes only have as little as 24 to 48 hours to recover between games.
In essence, he says it’s “parents’ fun time,” although he conceded the spirit in high school soccer is an undeniable positive.
So with the high school season kicking off in the next week across southern Indiana, we asked coaches, players and parents what they thought of it all.

A chance to have fans

Ronda Trimble, the mother of Floyd Central boys’ varsity senior Cray (above, No.7), says she agrees with most of what Fazlagic says, save for his view of the coaches and actually scrapping high school soccer.
“I think it is a well deserved break from their norm,” she says. “It is fun time for parents and players, and attaches kids to their school while promoting school spirit. It also gives them a chance to have fans -- only the parents cheer them on during the competitive season.
“I disagree about the coaches in this area. Most are not teachers and do have soccer experience. I think Cray has learned something from every coach he has had, from Dutch Vigar (with SIU, but also a New Albany boys’ coach) to Zach Watson (Floyd Central coach).”
However, a criticism is that they practice every day and can play several games per week.
“I attribute the three losses (in recent sectionals) to New Albany to fatigue,” she says. “We have one of the toughest schedules of any local team. We are still playing games the week before, and of, the sectional. Floyd Central is too worn out and beat up to perform to their ability and fall short.”
Trimble says she also understands Fazlagic’s point about kids going backwards due to the talent and skill level they compete against in high school.
“He is thinking of his team’s competitive advantage, but there is more to life than soccer -- like finding a place you belong in high school, bonding friendships and winning one for school pride.”

The coach and his keeper
This past spring, Charlestown goalkeeper Cody Brinck made it onto Southern Indiana United’s U16 team and really saw the difference in competition that his varsity coach Andrew Smith had been telling him about.
However, Brinck says he would not be playing with the club if it wasn’t for high school soccer, and his coach agrees.
“Cody was a sophomore the first season he played with the high school team,” says Smith. “He was under prepared, lacked confidence, didn't understand the game very well and had a limited skill set. I forced him to play the position as our starting varsity goalkeeper that season and by the end of that year he was doing very well.”
Brinck has been mowing lawns all summer so that he can rack up the cash required to cover the registration fees to play with SIU. But not everyone can cough up the loot for club, and that’s why high school is important, he believes.
“It may not be as rigorous as club soccer, but that is because it introduces the sport to kids who would never have the money to play club,” says the senior. “If we truly want the sport of soccer to be recognized in the US then we need to start treating it like a game anyone can play, not one where you must have the money or the dedication to play on a select club team. It needs to be accessible to America.”
His coach echoes the view.
“By focusing on club soccer only we aren't accessing the best athletes possible,” says Smith. “Instead, we are only accessing the best athletes who can afford to play club soccer, which as anyone in athletics can tell you, is a preposterous notion.
“The reason basketball and football draw the best athletes in this country is precisely because those two sports are accessible to the athletes through playgrounds and public schools. The same thing that makes soccer great in Brazil, is what makes basketball great here -- it's a playground game. The structure of club soccer has destroyed that accessibility.”
Brinck says he believes high school soccer is also very important because of the relationships that are created.
“When you play on a team with a bunch of kids, you develop friendships that easily carry into the classroom and life in general,” he says. “Even if that were the only reason to keep soccer in schools, I would think that it would be enough.”

The “sports junkie” and his daughter

New Albany senior Taylor Briscoe (far right in photo) says her best soccer memories, not to mention the most important lessons learned, have all come from her experiences playing high school soccer.
“I have played club soccer many seasons and have enjoyed it,” she says. “However, I believe high school soccer has offered me more. (It) keeps a player very active while strengthening the player's endurance, as sometimes there are multiple games in the same week, along with daily practices. The teams you play as a high school soccer player are very diverse and all have different skill levels.”
She thinks that high school soccer benefits a player equally, if not more, than competitive club.
“I know that my high school soccer coaches are all very experienced and knowledgeable on the sport,” she says. “And not only do you learn the skills of soccer and work your way to mastering them in the high school setting, but you also make connections with girls at your school and in your local area.”
Her father Doug is a self proclaimed high school sports junkie, attending basketball, soccer, volleyball, softball, baseball and “a little tennis and cross country”.
When he attends a club soccer game, of which he has attended many, he can feel the difference straight away.
“The energy is very low to the point I personally didn't like it,” he says. “You rarely see anyone at a club game other than families of the players. High school soccer and high school sports are much different. They play a very important part in the high school experience. It gets the parents, students and faculty involved and gives the players a sense of team work and school spirit.”
He added that since Julie Deuser and Jason Crane came on board as coaches at New Albany High School four years ago, the soccer program has gone to another level.
“The players, parents, students and faculty have really gotten behind the girls’ and boys’ teams, and without their support the program would be not survive.”
Briscoe says that he, along with other parents, give countless hours to promoting high school soccer and raise a lot of money to help support the teams.
“We also got the girls involved in giving back with our charity fundraiser, Passionately Pink,” he says. “Show me one club team that does as much for kids as high school sports does.”

U.S. coach change ushers in new era

2011-08-01T18:33:00.000-07:00

To say that it’s been an interesting in the world of soccer would be somewhat of an understatement, don’t you think?

Firstly, the MLS All-Stars, comprising the best the American league has to offer, was thumped by Manchester United 4-0 last Wednesday.

The following day, before anyone really had enough time to dissect the performance and question its relevance, came the news that Bob Bradley had been relieved of his duties as the U.S. men’s coach by the United States Soccer Federation.

U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati introduces his man Jurgen at today's press conference

Before the rumor mill regarding his replacement could build any sort of momentum, California based German Jürgen Klinsmann was announced as the new boss on Friday (a day before his 47th birthday), ushering in a new era in U.S. soccer and finally ending a five year chase for his services.

His first game in charge will be in a friendly against Mexico in Philadelphia on August 10.

It is widely believed that his skill set is more suited to working on the international scene, having turned around an ailing German team to lead it to third in the 2006 World Cup, while only lasting a year – a total 43 games -- at club level with Bayern Munich.

And he has ideas not just on coaching a national team and giving it an identity, but on overhauling the U.S. youth system too. He has made it clear in the past, when he was courted for the post in 2006, that he wants control at all levels.

To give you an inkling of what might lie ahead for the game here, pressure was applied to all first and second division teams in the Bundesliga to build academy programs when Klinsmann and his assistant Joachim Löw (now the current coach) took over. This was to ensure talented young players were coming through.

To come up with a playing style, they held workshops with coaches and players. They asked them how they wanted to play, how they wanted to be seen to be playing by the rest of the world, and how they thought the German public wanted to see them playing.

They then announced they wanted to implement a fast-paced, direct style of attacking and proactive soccer, i.e. playing the way they wanted to without being swayed by what opponents might do. A curriculum for German football was also presented to the Bundesliga.

Qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil don’t start for the U.S. until next June, so Klinsmann has some time to reshape the national team and come up with a useful blueprint for youth coaches across the nation.

It will have to address, you’d imagine, how players are discovered and the way they are trained. In fact, it will have to look at whether the right players are being picked in the first place.

The best soccer talent, regardless of class, or race, needs to be developed, rather than the best physical talent. (We’re looking for “futbol” players, not football players.)

And they better sure have work ethic by the bucketload, because Klinsmann’s on record as saying American players don’t push themselves hard enough.

Still, it will be a job and a half when the culture is years behind others in the first place. There might be good athletes, but absent are those who can add magical moments like a mesmerizing Messi, a tricky Ronaldo, or an intelligent Iniesta because it’s simply in their blood.

Anyone who watched the recent U17 World Cup in Mexico could see that the United States displayed too often an immaturity against their opponents. One of those just happened to be a more professional and mentally prepared outfit in Germany, who took apart the Americans in the round of 16.

Coaches here put it down to players in other countries being more survivors, who suffer more earlier in life and as a result mature earlier (south American countries, for example). Or they may be developed at earlier ages (Germany, Spain, Netherlands). Here, a lot pick it up in their teenage years, and they play it for fun.

Right now, the appointment looks like a wise move for United States soccer. Bradley did a good job and should be complimented, winning the 2007 Gold Cup, losing narrowly to Brazil in the 2009 Confederations Cup final after a famous victory against Spain, and getting to the last 16 of the 2010 World Cup (even if it was considered a fantastic opportunity missed to go deeper).

However, his tenure some 12 months into his second four year cycle bared all the hallmarks of a stale stewardship and left many wondering where the game stood stateside following the manner of the Gold Cup defeat to the “Golden Generation” of Mexico (when surrendering a two goal lead), not to mention a sterile group stage defeat to Panama.

Klinsmann has some work to do to get United States soccer moving forward (which starts with selecting the right assistants), but his international pedigree, not to mention his understanding of the American game (having resided here now for 13 years), are positives that should see him go in the right direction.

It is a big gamble by U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati but it signals the intent of the organization to see the men’s team among the world’s elite. An exciting journey begins on all levels.

Venues revealed for two class sectionals

2011-07-26T16:37:00.000-07:00

The sectional venues for this year’s inaugural two class soccer tournaments were revealed by the IHSAA last week.

Schools with an enrollment at 755 or higher will participate in Class 2A, and those below this figure will play in Class 1A.

In total there are 32 sectionals in boys’ and girls’ Class 2A, and 32 also in boys’ Class 1A. Class 1A girls will see 16 different sectionals. All games will be played between October 3-8.

The Class 2A Sectional 30 for boys will take place at Floyd Central, while the 2A girls’ sectional will be hosted by Jeffersonville.

Both sectionals will comprise Floyd Central, Jeffersonville, New Albany, Jasper and Corydon.

New Albany boys’ head coach Dutch Vigar said earlier this year he feels the sectional will be “very competitive and tough.”

“Jasper traditionally has a very strong team,” he said. “We have not played them for one or two years but prior to that, they had a better win-lose record against New Albany than we did against them. I feel Jasper will be considered one of the top teams in the sectional.”

The Class 2A boys’ and girls’ sectional winners will compete in a tough Regional 8, along with the winners from sectionals 29, 31 and 32. Victors could include the likes of powerhouse Evansville Memorial, Washington, Castle and Terre Haute North/South.

There will be two Class 1A boys’ soccer sectionals in the area. Charlestown will host Sectional 59, which consists of Charlestown, Henryville, Salem, Austin and Trinity Lutheran.

Providence will host Class 1A Sectional 60, which comprises Christian Academy of Indiana, North Harrison, Providence, Rock Creek Community Academy and Silver Creek.

Both sectional winners will play in Regional 15, which will take in the winners from the Jac-Cel-Del and Switzerland County tournaments.

The seven team Class A Sectional 45 for girls will take place at Rising Sun. It will feature the hosts, Charlestown, CAI, Providence, Silver Creek, Southwestern and Switzerland County.

The champion will play a one-off game in Regional 15 against the Forest Park sectional winner (tentatively scheduled for Providence).

All regional games will take place between October 12-15. The semi-states will be a two-game format in both classes on October 22, with the state final games taking place at Kuntz Stadium in Indianapolis on October 29.

This is a welcome departure from the much criticized heretofore two-games-in-a-day final four format.

Hopes are high at Providence that its girls will go on a deep run in Class 1A.
Their confidence is well founded. Of the 32 sectional girls’ winners in last season’s IHSAA tournament, only two – Providence and Evansville Mater Dei — will contest in the new Class 1A.

The Pioneers’ boys’ team is also confident of some success, while Christian Academy of Indiana will be hoping to challenge Providence for hardware too, having taken them to a penalty shootout at last year’s Jeffersonville sectional.

Coaches of programs at smaller schools believe the new system will create opportunities for them to advance in postseason, although there will be fewer local rivalry games in the tournament, and more travel because of the distance between schools.

Rovers’ season ends with a tie

2011-07-26T16:02:00.000-07:00

Rver City Rovers' Albert Edward

River City Rovers tied the last game of their inaugural Premier Development League campaign 1-1 against Cincinnati Kings in Northern Kentucky on Saturday.
The match, played under sweltering conditions of high heat and humidity, was tightly contested, but it was Cincinnati who ended the first half in front with a 42nd minute goal.

A physical battle saw New Albany’s Nate Driggers cleated in the face, while Khan Suleiman was sent to the sideline medic for head and leg lacerations.

Another foul in the 55th minute resulted in a penalty kick for Rovers, which Sam Brooks put away to level the score.

Last week, in its final home game of the season, Rovers won a 5-4 thriller against the same opposition at Centurion Soccer Field, with Albert Edward netting four of the goals.

“We’ve played the Kings three times now, and even though we’re more familiar with their plays, it still never gets easier,” said Jeff Joliet, one of the Rovers’ owners.

River City, who play in the nine team PDL Great Lakes Division, finished the season with a 2-8-6 record. The section was won by Michigan Bucks.

A right Nelly!

2011-07-19T05:50:00.000-07:00

Paul the oracle octopus became headline news around the globe when he predicted correctly the results of all of Germany’s 2010 World Cup games, and threw in the correct outcome of the final to boot.

Alas, the iconic salty soothsayer passed away last October at the age of three, leaving the door wide open for other German creatures to try make a name for themselves during the recent Women’s World Cup.

First up was Paula, another octopus, but she didn’t get very far. She chose Canada to beat Germany on the tournament’s first day by taking a treat from a box marked with the maple leafed flag.

The tentacled tipster, whose gender is actually unknown, claims on her Facebook page to be psychic but her sole day of posts has me fearing for her current health.

Not to worry. Enter Nelly the 18 month old elephant. She predicts games by “trunking” the ball into the loser’s net. She did quite a good job too, getting all the German games right, including their loss against Japan.

In fact, she quite likes Japan, it seems, as the predicting pachyderm correctly went for them over the U.S.A. to win Sunday’s final, which they duly did on penalty kicks following an exciting 2-2 tie.

Sundhage has interesting choices to make

2011-07-13T20:22:00.001-07:00

Lauren Cheney: her goal and assist helps U.S.A. reach its third World Cup final

U.S.A. coach Pia Sundhage has a couple of interesting decisions to make ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup final clash against Japan in Frankfurt, Germany on Sunday (2.45pm ET).

Firstly, she has to choose whether to stick with Becky Sauerbrunn, who was impressive at center back in the 3-1 victory against France today, or bring back Rachel Buehler, who had to sit the game out on account of her quarterfinal dismissal.

And secondly, does she name the same four midfielders (Lauren Cheney, Shannon Boxx, Carli Lloyd and Heather O’Reilly) or opt to include both Megan Rapinoe and Cheney in a World Cup starting lineup for the first time against the technically gifted Japanese engine room.

It was obvious to all that France had the upper hand in the second half until Rapinoe ’s introduction on the left flank and Cheney’s switch to the middle swung the pendulum back in favor of the U.S.

Indianapolis born Cheney has been a revelation for the Americans, and all the talk of her surprise inclusion for the first group game against North Korea looks a tad foolish now as she racks up the solid performances like she’s collecting shells on a sandy beach.

Her goal to give the U.S. the lead, and her well placed corner which found Abby Wambach on the far post for the second are two of the main reasons why Pia Sundhage has decisions to make on Sunday, instead of Saturday when the third place play-off takes place.

With Hope -- and spirit -- there's a way

2011-07-13T07:19:00.000-07:00

Abby leaves it late, Donovan style.

It's been dubbed a celebration of the American human spirit.

But really, it was more than that.

The U.S.A. and Brazil Women’s World Cup quarterfinal clash, played out in a sweltering Dresden in Eastern Germany on Sunday, has ensconced itself among the greatest international games of soccer ever played – either by men or women.

Spirit had its part, but so too did controversial decisions, great goals, drama and an ending which had justice and karma written all over it.

I revisited those games people described the “greatest” encounters in recent times. They were all men’s clashes, and they included -- not surprisingly -- Liverpool’s victory over AC Milan in 2005 on penalties after an amazing 3-3 comeback; Manchester United’s unbelievable come from behind 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich in 1999 (when one down going into injury time); and Brazil’s sublime performance in the 1970 World Cup final against Italy.

There were others, of course, and you probably have your own favorite too for varying reasons, but I’m struggling to find one that matches what we saw on Sunday for sheer drama and controversy, where the odds were overcome by a group who refused to give in.

It had the earliest ever own goal; it had a team seemingly hard done by courtesy of a debatable penalty retake and a sending off all in one go; it had a once neutral but incensed German crowd take the side of the U.S, and it had a spirited fight back from a team uniting to overcome adversity, manufacturing the latest ever goal in a World Cup.

And to top it all, the game had a thrilling penalty shootout victory with a goalkeeper called Hope pulling off a match wining save and player named Krieger – German for “Warrior” – ending the battle. It was a sports movie in one game.

And it even has a couple of Hoosiers as part of the plot. There’s Lauren Cheney (Ben Davis HS, 118 goals in four years), who has emerged as one of the players of the tournament, and Lori Lindsey (Pike HS), who played well enough against Colombia to hopefully feature in the final stages.

First there was the early goal. There might have been calls for veteran Shannon Boxx to be dropped for this game after the Sweden loss, but it took her all of 74 seconds to make an impact when her pass from the left saw Brazilian defender Daiane slice into her own goal with Abby Wambach breathing down her neck. It was the quickest own goal in the history of the tournament.

Then, in the 65th minute, disaster struck. Marta hooked the ball over Rachel Buehler, whose seemingly fair challenge was deemed to be illegal. Not only was Brazil awarded the penalty, but Buehler was given her marching orders and the U.S found itself down to 10.

Hope Sole saved from Cristiana, only for the referee to order it to be retaken for what seemed to be a harsh call for encroachment into the penalty area by the U.S.
Marta stepped up for the second spot kick and made no mistake converting to tie the game at 1-1.

Pia Sundhage’s troops might have been a woman down, but it didn’t show too much for the remainder of regulation time as they pushed for a winner.

It didn’t arrive, and then, just two minutes into overtime, five time world player of the year Marta seemingly stuck a dagger into the heart of American hopes with a superb strike, hooking it in off the post. Replays suggest Maurine, who provided the assist with a cross from the left, was offside.

With the U.S. just seconds away from elimination (it had reached at least the semifinal stage of all five previous World Cups), Megan Rapinoe crossed from the left, finding Wambach at the back post and she headed home past an oncoming Andreia. At 122 minutes, it was the latest goal ever scored in a World Cup and it sent the team and its fans into raptures.

However, there were still penalties to be taken. Boxx missed, but Andreia was adjudged to have moved off the line and Boxx made no mistake with the retake. Lloyd and Wambach scored, then Solo saved from Daiane (she of the own goal). Next for the U.S was Rapinoe, then Krieger slotted home to send the U.S. into the semifinals.

The amazing victory came 12 years to the day that the U.S. beat China on penalties to win the 1999 World Cup at The Rose Bowl. But this was “just” a quarterfinal. Nothing has been won. Now it’s on to tomorrow and a tough semifinal clash against France in Moenchengladbach (12 noon ET, ESPN).

And hopefully – now -- there’ll be a sizeable audience to see the U.S against one of the most impressive teams of this tournament. One of the main talking points up to Sunday, other than Germany’s shock defeat to Japan, was the gigantic TV audiences being witnessed in the land of the host nation.

For example, average TV audiences for games in Germany when they’ve not been involved has so far been around six million.

That, however, was five times the audience in the U.S.A. for games concerning the Americans in the group stages. The ESPN rating for the Brazil encounter is 2.3, which equates to 3.89 million viewers and is the highest for a women’s world cup game since ’99, so maybe the nation is waking up.

However, if you want to gauge the real appetite for the tournament, maybe you should also be looking at what’s going on online. Various soccer blogs and sites from both fans and journalists are reporting huge increases in visits during the tournament (Our own Kick It blog reached record levels this past week -- streets ahead of visits for last year’s men’s World Cup.)

There’s a notable shift in how people obtain information or watch games. Nowadays, you can just log onto ESPN3, for example, and pull up a match replay when it suits you. Twitter and other sites, meanwhile, can provide up to the minute info while you’re out and about with your trusty phone.

It’s being described as World Cup 2.0. If the U.S. reach the final, it may not get the famed 40 million viewers of the 1999 victory, but it sure to have a feverish following in other ways.

Stadium roof collapses at FC Twente

2011-07-07T10:29:00.000-07:00

A section of the roof at Dutch Club FC Twente collapsed today, killing one person and injuring 16. Construction workers involved in the redevelopment of De Grolsch Veste stadium, where a 30,000 capacity is planned, were initially trapped beneath the wreckage. See video.

Hoosiers impressing at World Cup

2011-07-05T05:47:00.000-07:00

Hoosiers Lori Lindsey (back row, second left, 16) and Lauren Cheney (back row, far right, 12) are impressing in Germany with the U.S. women's team.

Indianapolis duo Lauren Cheney and Lori Lindsey have certainly played their parts in getting the United States to the quarterfinals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany.

Cheney, now applying her trade with Women’s Professional Soccer outfit Boston Breakers, has been featured in the United States’ first two games in Group C, scoring the opening goal in a 2-0 victory over North Korea last Tuesday.

The former Ben Davis High School product (she scored 118 goals in four years) was a surprise inclusion in midfield ahead of Megan Rapinoe. But her 54th-minute headed goal and overall performance ensured the 23-year-old a starting berth and another full 90 minutes against Colombia.

And joining her in that second game Saturday was Lindsey, who replaced Shannon Boxx to make an impressive World Cup debut at the age of 31.

The Philadelphia Independence midfielder, known to her teammates as “L-Squared,” went to Pike High School and was the all-time leading prep scorer in Indiana high school history when she graduated in 1998. She used to referee Cheney’s indoor soccer games when she was younger.

The United States will take on Sweden in Wolfsburg at 2:45 p.m. Wednesday in a game which will decide who progresses as group winners. A draw would be enough to ensure the top spot for the U.S., but the Swedes are one of two teams (the other being England) to beat Pia Sundhage’s ladies this year.

A favorable result would see the U.S. take on Australia or Norway in the quarterfinals on Sunday. They are currently third favorites to win the tournament, behind hosts and holders Germany and Brazil.

Near regional misses -- success on the horizon?

2011-07-05T05:38:00.000-07:00

Both Kentucky and Indiana will be without representatives at the U.S. Youth Soccer national championships for the second successive year, but a few came close to making the trip to Phoenix.

Mockingbird U18 girls made it to the final decider at the Midwest Region II championships in Appleton, Wis., but lost out to FC Milwaukee, 3-1.

University of Louisville-bound Casey Whitfield — a product of Manual High School — got the lone Mockingbird goal to make her top scorer at the U18 level with seven goals in five games.
It is the first time Mockingbird has had a representative in the regional final and coach Jonathan Velotta said he was “extremely proud” of the team's performance.
“Over the course of five games, we played with a lot of composure, focus, and commitment,” he said.

“Before the season started, our goal was to reach the regional final and to accomplish that goal is truly remarkable. We were obviously disappointed in the result, but FC Milwaukee was a deserving winner. The success of our team over the last three years has set a higher standard for girls’ club soccer, and for our club."

Velotta added that the success of the ‘93 girls at regionals will undoubtedly raise the profile of MVSC both locally and within the region.

“The players on this team have served as great role models of our younger players and have raised the standard for all of our teams. The team has had consistent success against some of the best clubs in the nation for the past few years and helped our club gain more credibility.”

Javanon, meanwhile, had three teams make the semifinal stages, two of which had local representation.

Two-time national finalist Javanon ‘92 boys, featuring Jeffersonville’s Trevor Bruner, lost their last competitive game on penalty kicks to KCFC Force in the U19 age group.

Javanon ’94, with the Southern Indiana trio of Nick Blackwell, Matt Kelecy and Jordan Vejar amongst its ranks, was edged out, 2-1 by Grand Rapids Crew of Michigan, who went on to retain its crown.

The fourth team to get past the bracket stages was Javanon ’97 girls, which lost to Kings Soccer Academy of Ohio South 3-1.

Of the 14 Region II champions crowned, eight were from Illinois, two each were from Minnesota and Michigan and one each came from Kansas and Wisconsin.

For “Illinois,” read Chicago, with Eclipse Select (three, all girls), Fire and Magic (two each) and Sockers FC (one) dominating.

So should those involved in the game in Kentucky and Indiana be disappointed about not having a representative or two at the past two national championships, or was success in the past just a case of teams punching above their weight?

There were some interesting comments on the HoosierFutbol.com website forums after the event.

“Straight Up” said that the lower populated areas, including Indiana, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota and Kansas, will generally be less successful than some of the more populated states and cities, such as Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Missouri.

“Indiana’s 91s, 92s, 93s and even the 94s all had way above-average success at regionals,” Straight Up said. “And if you look at the results this past time, there were quite a few teams in favored positions on the last day of pool play, only to fall short. Indiana soccer is alive and well. We are not Illinois and we never will be unless our population density changes with respect to our counterparts.”

“Reality” said other states play a more physical, more intense style of soccer at an earlier age, while another said there are too many clubs, diluting the talent.

Kentucky seems to be in the same boat, but has fared better in recent years, especially in the older boys’ realm, where it has a full pool of the area’s best players to choose from in the U16-U18 levels because of the absence of a development academy.

Many see academies like Indiana United as the way forward for elite player progress. But whatever their advantage, they eliminate the cream from playing for a club in the U.S. Youth Soccer championships.

In Louisville, having more teams play in the Midwest Regional League and top tournaments has helped some squads compete with the best on a year-round basis, preparing them for state, regional and possibly beyond.

Other than the achievement of Mockingbird ’93 girls, going out to a defending regional champion while playing with 10 men and being a goal up (a la Javanon ’94), or missing out on a final berth due to penalty kicks (Javanon ’92) suggests the game in these parts isn’t in too bad a shape.

And then there’s United 1996, which has emerged as the main boys’ force in Kentucky after it took four of the seven state titles between U13 and U19 this year.

None of its teams got out of the bracket stages, and while founder Muhamed Fazlagic told “Kick It” they were “very pleased” with their performance as a whole — given the number of injuries to impact players — they were also slightly disappointed with their U16s, a team of which much was expected.

“I don’t think they reached their performance level at all at the tournament,” he said. “All other teams had a much better tournament in every aspect.”

The future is bright, though, said Fazlagic, as recent local success — especially in the past two years — has attracted a great number of athletes to the club.

“We will not change much in our philosophy, where the main objective is individual player development. But with an improved players’ pool, I think we are much closer to the title at the regional level,” he said. “My personal prognosis is that it will happen in a two-year time frame.”

Which seems to give credence to the dilution suggestion, perhaps. That is, that talent is there, albeit on a smaller scale to the Chicagos of this world. And all that needs to happen with that said talent is if you want to beat the best and bring in the hardware — whether you agree with or not — is to have it deeply concentrated at fewer clubs.

State champs bowl'em over

2011-06-12T11:58:00.001-07:00

The Kentucky State Open Cup finals were played through blistering temperatures into the mid 90s at Bowling Green at the weekend.

The boys’ finals were dominated by Louisville’s United 1996 and Lexington FC, who paired up against each other in no less than four final deciders. United came out on tops three times at U15, U16 and U18 level, while Lexington won the fourth at U14 level.

United’s U13s beat KSA Elite to bring their total tally to four, helping them establish themselves as the dominant boys’ club in Kentucky.

Right: Kentucky State Champs (from left): Jordan Vejar, Nick Blackwell and Matt Kelecy.

Javanon ‘94 boys, who play in the U.S. National Youth Soccer League, prevailed at U17level, overcoming Mockingbird in the final with a first half Lindo Mfeke winner.

Elsewhere, Mockingbird girls won the U16 and U17 titles with victories over KSA Elite and Central Kentucky SC Lightning respectively.

Javanon ’95 girls won the U16 championship after an exciting 5-4 penalty kick victory over Kings Soccer Academy, and the club’s U14 girls made it a double with a 2-0 win over Nelson Elite.

Oldham County’s Thoroughbreds won its sole state championship with its U13 girls, who beat Lexington 4-3.

Last week, U19 teams played for state titles in a round-robin format, including Mockingbird ’92 girls, who overcame Louisville SC and Javanon to win their fifth State Cup, and Javanon ’92 boys, winners of their fifth consecutive title – and seventh overall -- with victories over Bluegrass and United 1996.

Of the 14 boys’ and girls’ state titles that were up for grabs from U13 to U19, four were won by Javanon and United 1996; three by Mockingbird; two by Lexington; and one by Thoroughbreds.

All state winners will now move on to the U.S. Youth Soccer Midwest Region II championships in Appleton, Wisc., which take place from June 25-29.

Presidential date for Strikers

2011-06-02T05:16:00.000-07:00

Southern Indiana’s U14 Strikes will play in the inaugural Presidents Cup finals in Indianapolis this weekend.

The boys will take on Westside United in the semi-final at St Francis on Saturday afternoon (4 p.m.) after winning a bracket containing Zionsville and Westfield.

The second semi-final features Elkhart Flames and Millennium Revolution, and the final will be played on Sunday.

Strikers coach Paul Duckworth said they are hopeful, but understand they are not the favorites. Westside, from Avon, sit atop the Indiana Soccer League Division 1, having so far gone unbeaten, and are ranked 11th in the state by Gotsoccer.com, while Strikers are 44th.

However, SIU has had a good season also, and still leads the ISL Division 2 with a 5-1-2 record.

“We have been playing very well lately, and upsets do happen in cup games,” said Duckworth.

The Indiana Presidents Cup is a middle tier competition between the State and Challenge Cups, and features boys’ and girls’ teams from U11 to U17, with champions from U14-U17 getting the chance to represent Indiana at regional and possibly national level.

“I am proud that we have stepped up a level from the Challenge Cup, and made it to the semi finals,” said Duckworth. “Anything after this is just icing on the cake.”

With the high expected to be around 96 on Saturday, he believes fitness will definitely tell.

“The team has been doing two miles a day training, with several under the 11 minute mark, so hopefully, our fitness and speed will carry through,” he said.

Kentucky State Cup finals this weekend

2011-06-02T04:38:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Kentucky State Open Cup had an inauspicious start when venue changes resulted in the withdrawal of 14 teams.

Originally, the games were to take place in Lexington and Versailles, but the bad weather wreaked havoc with venue plans, resulting in a late change to Owensboro.

Among the clubs to have teams drop out were Kings Soccer Alliance (leading the way with six teams), Bluegrass SC, NKSA, Radcliff, Lexington FC, CSC Chargers, CKSC Lightning and LSA.

However, many Louisville teams advanced to finals weekend, which takes place this Saturday and Sunday at Lovers Lane Soccer Complex in Bowling Green.

In fact, some have already been crowned champions as the U19 State Cup winners were determined Monday.

Mockingbird ’92 girls overcame Louisville SC (10-1) and Javanon (4-0) to win its fifth State Cup.

On the boys’ side, Javanon ’92 won its fifth consecutive title – and seventh overall -- with victories over Bluegrass (2-0) and United 1996 (4-2).

Both teams have booked their places at the Region II championships in Appleton, Wisc., from June 25-29. Expect more from the area to follow at the weekend.

Jaguars on the Prowl!

2011-05-17T04:24:00.000-07:00

The Jaguars are on the prowl this week for some hardware — the Highland Hills Jaguars, that is.

Its boys’ and girls’ varsity soccer programs — comprised of seventh- and eighth-graders — have been in super form during the regular season against Louisville opponents.

This is only their second year playing in the Jefferson County (Ky.) Middle School Soccer League. But it will be the first time the teams take part in the league’s knockout tournament, which runs until next Monday.

And hopes of success are high for Southern Indiana’s only participants, as the talented teams have been blazing a trail these past few weeks.

The Lady Jaguars, coached by Lewie Stevens, have been simply purring, notching up five wins out of five, scoring 36 goals and conceding just one in the process. Leading the way have been the likes of Emma Pappas, Presley Roos, Samantha Garcia and Christin Miller.

The boys’ team, meanwhile, has gone 5-1, with its only defeat against highly regarded Noe Middle School.

This evening, the Jaguars will take on Western Middle School at Thomas Jefferson at 6:45 p.m. in what will be a tough first-round game, as the Louisville opposition has a 6-2 record this year.

“I’m hopeful we will play well, having only lost one game in regular season,” said Highland Hills coach Tim Rice.

He has reason to be optimistic. Of the 17 strong roster, only two aren’t on club teams, while three of them are Olympic Development Program players — Tyler McGeorge, Parker Bussabarger-Davidenkoff and Zach Yagle.

Highland Hills' Logan Howland clears his line.

Rice, who has been involved in coaching for a number of years with Southern Indiana United and now Javanon 98/99 Red, said he approached principal Steve Griffin about starting a soccer program in 2009. Unbeknownst to him, another parent, Scott Menne, also had the same idea, and from there it took off.

As well as the boys’ and girls’ varsity outfits, there is a junior varsity team consisting of sixth-graders who will be ready to move up a notch next year.

Of course, there has been a budget issue to run the three teams. But the club has been blessed by the fundraising efforts of parents, which helps pay for equipment. They see the benefits of having the club.

“If we didn’t have a soccer program, none of these kids would be involved in a school sport,” said Rice. “None of them play baseball and there are few that crossover.”

Highland Hills’ success augurs well for the future of Floyd Central High School. For example, eight of the boys’ players from last year have gone on to play for the Highlanders, while 11 will be moving on to the school this fall.

Girls’ numbers are somewhat similar, said Rice, and coaches believe their participation at the middle school level has prevented losing talent to the likes of volleyball by the time high school comes along.

Although acknowledging that budget constraints are an issue at the moment, Rice hopes other local schools can introduce soccer programs in the near future.

“I would love to see teams started in schools like Scribner, Hazelwood, River Valley and the surrounding areas,” he said. “I’d like to see it happening on this side of the river.”

Partly to see a potential improvement in the quality of the game locally, and partly because of the transformation he observes when his players put on a school jersey.

“They show more pride when they play for their school,” he believes. “They’re getting to play with their friends and you can just see the difference.”

Rovers kick off PDL campaign

2011-05-17T04:22:00.000-07:00

New Premier Development League outfit River City Rovers make their debut against Akron at Centurion Soccer Field, English Station Road at 7 p.m. Thursday.

The PDL, part of the United Soccer Leagues, is seen as a shop window for Major League Soccer clubs looking to discover and identify aspiring professionals.

The Rovers’ squad comprises players from ages 17-30, many of which play with college teams, including New Albany’s Nathan Driggers, now with Bellarmine.

Others include University of Louisville’s Ryan Smith and Buck Tufty, and Jacob Kemper with the University of Kentucky.

Rovers warmed up with a 3-1 friendly victory over Louisville Soccer Alliance’s adult team last week.

The opener with Akron will be followed by another home game against Michigan Bucks at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Game day tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for youths ages 3-14, while children under 2 will be admitted free. Season tickets are also available.

For further information, check out the team’s website at www.roverssoccer.com

A “cloudy” forecast in Qatar

2011-03-30T18:00:00.001-07:00

If you get bored with the game, you can always stare at the clouds.

You could almost mistaken the following for an April Fool’s joke but it is, we are told, not “pie-in-the-sky” by any means.

In fact, it’s a cloud in the sky – an expensive artificial one. It has just been revealed that Qatar is working on “clouds” to block the Middle Eastern sun at the 2022 World Cup.

With June and July temperatures in the Gulf state capable of reaching as much as 120 degrees Fahrenheit, the Qataris have developed a number of innovations to keep players and spectators cool during matches.

One which scientists at Qatar University say they have come up with is a “cloud,” a lightweight carbon structure carrying a giant envelope of material containing helium gas. Four solar powered engines will move the structure via remote control.

Each of the clouds cost $500,000 to produce, although that’s chunk change for a wee nation that owns the third biggest reserves of gas on the planet.

A new idea? Fans of the Simpsons will remember the legendary two-part 1995 episode when nefarious power plant owner C. Montgomery Burns devised a plan to create a giant shield that would block the sun and keep Springfield in perpetual darkness.

With 11 years still to go before they host the big dance, it will be interesting to see what else the innovative and resourceful Qataris can come up with. Would you bet against them, for example, producing 11 artificial “players” good enough to win them the tournament?

Oliver chooses Hoosiers

2011-03-30T17:57:00.000-07:00

Indiana University’s soccer program received good news last week when it was announced that Andrew Oliver, the nation’s second-ranked player in the 2012 recruiting class, has verbally committed to play for the Hoosiers.
Oliver, from Indianapolis, has been compared to Landon Donovan and recently led the United States’ U-17 team to the CONCACAF tournament championship in Jamaica, scoring four goals.

Oliver told TopDrawerSoccer.com that playing collegiately close to home was a big attraction.

“I just thought being close to home was a big plus,” Oliver said. “And Indiana definitely has lots of young talent coming up that’s looking really good for the program. It was the right fit for me.”

However, the 5’ 9” striker, who plays his club soccer with Westside FC, may not even make it to IU if he impresses at the upcoming U17 World Cup in Mexico, which starts in June.

A good performance there could see him end up with an MLS Generation Adidas contract, which encourages early entry into Major League Soccer without college graduation. Notable GA graduates include current internationals Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley.

Sweet 16 for Net-Surfers!

2011-03-24T14:18:00.000-07:00

This year, the 16th for girls’ soccer club Net-Surfers, is expected to be a sweet one.

After years of effort, the southern Indiana outfit hopes to open its soccer park on Highway 111, just past Gap Hollow Road.

Net-Surfers president Kevin Geron revealed they are “very close” to getting the 22 acre complex – formerly a farm site -- open, expecting it to host games in the fall.

The opening is also expected to strengthen the club’s numbers to beyond a level not seen since it was founded in 1995.

“We believe we can have over 200 girls in the program by next spring,” said Geron. “This will be dependent on getting our soccer park open so all age groups can be practicing and playing at the new fields.”

Net-Surfers players celebrate good times ahead

A lot of volunteer hours have been put in by parents, friends and businesses, he said, to get their six small sided fields and one large full sided pitch graded and seeded.

“We have room for three more large fields once we get the funds needed,” said Geron. “We also have installed half of the parking lot, but need to raise more funding to complete the lot before fall.”

The state of the economy has made it very difficult for Net-Surfers to complete what is now a seven year project. However, the club has managed to secure a number of private donations recently which has helped give them a big push forward.

“Sponsorship levels are from $250 on up, but we’ve had a private donor sponsor a small field for $5,000 and five businesses have each donated $1,000, for example,” said Geron. “We offer various donation options to help support the park and will entertain any suggestions or offers to help get it open.”

At the moment, Net-Surfers is about $40,000 shy of having the park up and running this year. To put the finishing touches to it, it requires approximately $100,000. This would allow them to complete the large fields, install the parking lot, purchase goals and equipment, as well as complete a walking path and running trail around the property.

“It will truly be a great asset to the community to have more soccer facilities for all the youth in southern Indiana -- not just our club,” said Geron. “We hope to share this with others for soccer and provide fitness with the walking and running paths.”

He added the opening should help Net-Surfers move the club forward by allowing them host their own home games and possibly an annual tournament.

“Long term we may have leagues for adults, a summer camp, or a 3 versus 3 league,” said Geron. “It really opens up options with the fields dedicated for soccer.”

This spring, Net-Surfers will have 130 girls playing for teams from U7 to U17.
The U7 team is new, and will play friendly matchups with some of the local recreational co-educational teams. All other age groups have just kicked off their Kentucky Select Soccer League campaigns.

“Clark County Soccer Association has been very accommodating to allow us to play our home games at their park,” said Geron. “Both they and Southern Indiana United have been very supportive.”

Another important development for Net-Surfers is this month’s addition of Rahman "Rocky" Batanovic as the club’s goalkeeper coach.

Batanovic, a goalie for the Louisville Lightning’s reserve team this past season, was born in Bosnia in 1987, spent his formative years in Germany and later moved to the Louisville area when he was 12.

He was a member of the Javanon ’87 team which won a national championship in 2006, and he helped start a co-educational soccer program at Fairdale High School.

“I believe that every kid can learn to love soccer as long as they have someone to build confidence in them while they are showing them how to enjoy the game and play the game the right way,” said Batanovic.

Director of coaching Dave Smith said it is great to see talent of this level working with their players.

“This is one of the dreams I've always had: to offer the same -- or better -- training, with the same -- or better -- facilities so that kids no longer feel the need to play for Louisville clubs to fully develop their game,” he said. “This dream is a long time coming, and very good news for our soccer families.”

If anyone is interested in helping the club, they can contact Kevin Geron at 502-648-3153 (email: kgnetsurfers@gmail.com), or park administrator Tony Holland at 812-267-8478 ( email: tonyholland@insightbb.com).

In safe hands!

2011-03-19T10:50:00.000-07:00

They say you need to possess a unique character to be a soccer goalkeeper.

For starters, you must love pressure, enjoy yelling at your team mates and be the owner of a very short memory.

And that comes from one of their own, Nick Karaffa, who has just been taken on by Southern Indiana United as a specialized coach for those between the posts.

“I do personally feel it takes a special person to want to play goal,” Karaffa told Kick It. “There’s a saying that you can’t do anything about the last goal or save, so just focus on the next one. You also have to be able to ‘see’ the game, understand what is going on, who needs to be where, how things are developing and what’s the best way to prevent a goal scoring opportunity.”

Karaffa, a four year starter with both New Albany High School and Transylvania University, said he began playing in goals as a youngster because no one else wanted to do it.

“It’s funny, you can ask a group of kids if anyone wants to hop in goal and the majority will give you a look of disinterest,” he said. “But there are always a few that want to try it and those are the ones I like working with.”

SIU recognized a need to concentrate more on improving its goalkeepers, so he was approached last summer by director of coaching Dutch Vigar and vice president select soccer, Debbie Webb.

“I had moved home to study for the bar exam and hadn't given coaching much thought at the time,” he said. “After talking with them, I thought it sounded like a good way to help some local kids learn about the most important position on the field. I think through their experience, they knew that unless a goalkeeper is getting special work, a normal practice won’t be as beneficial for them as it is the field players.”

The 1983 Indiana ODP team member said you can equate a goalkeeper to a pitcher in baseball.

“Taking infield practice won’t do them much good, so they have special coaches that can design training for them to work on position specific drills,” he said. “That's what SIU realized and brought me in to help with that specialized training.”

Karaffa starts with the basics, like catching and positioning. When a decent foundation is in place, he tries to build the more challenging aspects like diving, handling crosses and organizing the defense.

“We use a lot of repetition in drills for muscle memory purposes,” he said. “It prevents injury and makes the kids get comfortable with what they’re doing so when they need to react in a game, they won’t have to think and instead react naturally with the proper form.”

So if you see some increasingly good saves on the fields of southern Indiana this spring, mixed with the odd constructive yell or two, don’t be too surprised.

Warm neck snoods get the cold shoulder -- and watch out for vanishing spray

2011-03-19T10:38:00.000-07:00

Speaking of referees and the Laws of the Game, players like Carlos Tevez and Samir Nasri are going to have to find another way to keep their necks warm following a decision to ban snoods from July 1.

A growing number of players have been sporting the latest fashion accessory but the International Football Association Board believes they pose a safety risk if they are grabbed when are running at speed.

Carlos Tevez wll have to find another way to keep his neck snug

The thick neck-warmers became increasingly popular during Britain’s cold winter but had already been outlawed by Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
IFAB has also sanctioned the continuation of an experiment using “vanishing spray” in South America.

The spray is used to mark out the 10 yards the defensive wall should be from the ball at free kicks. The referee paces out the distance and marks a white line with the spray, which the wall can’t step over. The line then disappears within a minute.
It was invented sports journalist Pablo Silva, who felt hard done by when a referee allowed encroachment on a free kick he was taking at the end of an amateur game in Argentina.

FIFA has also decided to introduce five match officials for each game at the Euro 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine next year. The two extra officials will be behind the goal-line but on the side of the goal next to the assistant referee.

There will also be another year of testing to find a successful goal-line technology system, despite 10 such systems failing tests recently.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter admitted that England’s disallowed goal, struck by Frank Lampard, in last year's World Cup against Germany was "an immense error" and said he would welcome the use of goal-line technology at the 2014 tournament in Brazil if a suitable system can be found.

Presidential trip for local teams!

2011-03-19T10:17:00.000-07:00

With the spring soccer select season about to kick off, we take a look a new state competition which will feature two local teams in its inaugural year.

In recent years, the Indiana State Cup has been the premier tournament for select soccer clubs, while the Challenge Cup has catered for second tier squads.

Now comes the addition of the Indiana Presidents Cup, a middle tier competition between the State and Challenge Cups, which is expected to result in better parity at all three levels of play.

The tournament will feature boys’ and girls’ teams from U11 to U17, with champions from U14-U17 getting the chance to represent Indiana at regional and possibly national level.

Two of the area’s squads – Southern Indiana United’s U14 Strikers and U16 Net-Surfers – will take a trip to the inaugural Indiana Presidents Cup competition, with the preliminary round taking place in Evansville and Fort Wayne from May 13-15. The finals weekend will be held from June 3-5.

Strikers prepared

SIU Strikers have been invited to play in the competition thanks to their success last year when they made it to the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup.

“We were originally going to do the Challenge Cup again with hopes of winning, but once we got the invite, it was hard to say no,” said Strikers’ coach Paul Duckworth. “IYSA decided to cut the State Cup participants a little, and didn't want to overwhelm the Challenge Cup, so they created a second tier tournament, the Presidents Cup.”

There are 10 teams divided into four brackets, and Strikers find themselves in a grouping with Zionsville and Westfield Select.

“It is more of a sterner test for us than the Challenge Cup for sure, but not the stretch that it would have been participating in the State Cup,” said Duckworth.

He added that the team has been very active over the winter months, training twice a week, with one session working on speed and agility, and the other on technical skills.

“On the weekends, we participated in the Louisville Futsal League, and won both the league and the tournament for our age division,” said Duckworth. “The fast pace and quick feet needed to play futsal should serve us well this spring.”

Strikers are hoping to win their ISL division and gain promotion, while it has just kicked off its campaign in the Kentucky Select Soccer League (Div 1).

“We are looking forward to taking the next step up,” said Duckworth. “The Presidents Cup at the end of the season will be a healthy test of how far we have progressed this last year.”

Net-Surfers U16s

Net-Surfers’ U16 team, meanwhile, achieved some success last year, including the capturing of the Queen City Tournament in Cincinnati.

In the Presidents Cup, it has been drawn in a group with Fort Wayne, Jr. Irish and Indiana Invaders Blue.

The girls will this year be coached by Lindsey Wilkerson and will play in the Kentucky Select Soccer League Gold Division.

“This team has lots of potential with good talent,” says assistant coach Walter Iglesias. “Most of the girls have played together for years and know each other well. This should make for a good opportunity to do well in the Presidents Cup. There will be lots of good competition and I believe in the spirit of these girls determination to win.”

The Presidents Cup winners will represent Indiana at the Region II Midwest championships, and this year it is being held in South Bend, Indiana in June, while the national championships will take place in Des Moines, Iowa in July.

This is the fourth year of the US Youth Soccer Presidents Cup competition on a national level, but Indiana Soccer previously selected ISL Premier Division leaders who hadn’t advanced to the Indiana State Cup finals.

Indiana Soccer’s Director of Competition, Angel Hall, said she expects that by adding the Presidents Cup format, the Challenge Cup event –- which will feature some of the area’s teams -- will become more attractive. It is open to travel and recreational plus teams, but Midwest Regional League and ISL Premier teams are not eligible for it.

“The previous State and Challenge Cup results reflect that over 21 per cent of the preliminary round games are played to a goal differential of five or more,” she said.

The introduction of the Presidents Cup will also necessitate changes to the current State Cup format, which will be limited to 12 teams instead of the previous 16 team per age division format. The Challenge Cup will not have a limit to the number of teams accepted.

U.S. Youth Soccer workshop comes to town

2011-02-23T05:24:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered what it requires to manage a superstar like Cristiano Ronaldo or prepare a goalkeeper such as Eduardo for the World Cup?

You’ll be able to find out when the annual US Youth Soccer adidas Workshop takes place in Louisville this week from February 24-26.

The three day event at the Kentucky International Convention Center is expected to attract over 2,000 soccer coaches, administrators, referees and enthusiasts.

The largest event of its kind for youth sports in the United States, it will feature education sessions for those involved in the game, field demonstrations and an exhibit hall. A highlight of the weekend will be the US Youth Soccer Awards Gala, which will showcase successes of the past year and over a lifetime.

Dan Gaspar (left) will talk about Ronaldo (right) and Portugal's 2010 World Cup journey at the US Youth Soccer Workshop in Louisville this week.

One of the more interesting workshop sessions will feature Portugal’s national team goalkeeper coach Dan Gaspar, who will speak on Friday (3 p.m.) about what impacted the country’s performance in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He will discuss how they prepared for opponents, including eventual winners Spain, who knocked them out in the round of 16.

Meanwhile, two local players -- Jeffersonville’s Brian Fischer and Skyler Davis -- will be involved in a 9v9 demonstration on the principles of attacking soccer.

Both play for Mockingbird ’95 and were recently invited to the Kentucky State ODP team pool. They have been asked to participate in the demonstration, which takes place at the Fourth Street venue on Saturday (3 p.m.), as part of the pool.

The latest soccer equipment, technology, apparel and fundraising ideas will be on display at the exhibit hall, which will be open on Thursday (6-8 p.m.), Friday (9-5 p.m.) and Saturday (9- 4 p.m.).

The Kick Zone, meanwhile, will provide an area for kids of all ages and will feature interactive soccer activities and games on Saturday. The Kick Zone and exhibit hall are free and open to the public.

Tim Turney, president of Kentucky Youth Soccer, said the state is thrilled to be hosting the entire youth soccer community from all over the country.

"We will showcase Louisville's southern hospitality while providing an excellent venue to network and learn from some of the best presenters this country has to offer,” he said.

In addition to learning from leading clinicians in the areas of coaching and player development, the event will include topics from the challenges and realities of international travel, risk management and organizing and financing field development.

Registrants will also hear the latest in marketing techniques and tactics, sports medicine topics, referee technology and additional areas of interest regarding recreational, elite and disabled players.

Online registration for the workshops is now closed but you can register onsite, while day passes are also available. For further information, check out: usyouthsoccer.org/workshop.

Indiana high school records sought

2011-02-23T05:22:00.000-08:00

An official record book for Indiana high school soccer is currently being compiled and your help is sought.

Todd Murphy, the owner of the HoosierFutbol.com website, has been tasked by the Indiana Soccer Coaches’ Association to collect the data.

“I am already having some luck in getting quite a few records,” he said. “There will be a top 25 list for each category and in some cases we will have more than a top 25 based on number of submissions.

“The records we collect will be posted on our site, the Indiana Soccer Coaches’ Association website and will be sent to the NSCAA to be included in the national database.”

Murphy is looking for team, coaching and individual player records from over the years, including record victories, goals, shutouts, assists and championships won.

If you can help, contact Murphy at webmaster@hoosierfutbol.com. You can also find more information on the categories on which information is sought by checking out the HoosierFutbol.com website.

Almost a fairytale ending at Disney

2011-01-05T06:27:00.000-08:00

Disney Showcase runner-up Javanon '94

There wasn’t a whole lot of festive relaxation for a many of the area’s players who traveled to Orlando, Fla. for the prestigious Chelsea FC sponsored Disney Soccer Showcase.

And they put up some fine performances too, with a number just missing out on fairytale endings.

The Showcase for boys’ and girls’ teams ranging from U15 to U19 is now considered one of the biggest stages for youth soccer in the U.S. and attracts numerous college coaches, including representatives from Louisville, Indiana, UK, Notre Dame, Evansville, Butler and NCAA Division II champs, Northern Kentucky.

The four days of boys’ competition from December 27-30 featured games between region ODP teams, top academy clubs (including Chelsea) and the best travel soccer outfits in the nation and Canada – that’s 294 teams in total.

Among those to shine was Javanon ’94, featuring Jordan Vejar (Jeffersonville), Matt Kelecy (Floyd Central) and Nick Blackwell (New Albany). The team earned a runner-up in the top U17 Showcase Division.

In its first game, it defeated New Mexico Rush Nike Argonauts 4-1 (ranked 9th nationally by gotsoccer.com), then tied last year’s national runner-up RSL Florida 0-0, before beating Carolina Elite SA ’93 4-1 to clinch the bracket and earn a spot in the
championship decider against Florida Rush Nike.

Despite the absence of valuable players such as star striker John Manga and Lindo Mfeka, the team put in a creditable performance, only to lose 5-4 on penalty kicks after a 1-1 tie in regulation.

The team is next scheduled to attend the FC Alliance Tournament in Knoxville, Tennessee later this month.

Meanwhile, in the Predator Division, United 1996 -- featuring Providence’s Brett Bass and Gabe Stewart from the Henryville area -- also made the championship game but lost 3-2 to HYS Verndon of Virginia, ranked 26th in the nation.

In its group games, United beat CAP FC United of Canada 1-0 and lost to Massapequa SC Rough Riders of New York 2-0, before bouncing back to win the bracket with a 1-0 victory over Texans of Houston.

Elsewhere, Javanon U16 Black reached the final of the Copa Division, where it lost 2-1 to Pachuca Dragons of Maryland. On its way there, it beat NE Aztecs (MA) 1-0 and tied with CD Independiente of Texas to make the decider.

This past weekend, the girls took center stage with 268 teams from the United States and Canada competing.

Javanon ’95, featuring Providence’s Leah Mattingly and Floyd Central’s Kady O’Farrell, were in action in the U16 Predator Division. The girls narrowly lost its first game 1-0 against Carmel United of Indiana, but bounced back to beat SJ Elite Barons Force of New Jersey 2-0, before finishing the tournament out with a scoreless tie against bracket winner Eclipse of Texas.

In the girls’ U17 Copa Division, Mockingbird Valley ’94 -- featuring Floyd Central’s Taylor Patty, Lauren Haley and Rebekah Burgan, as well as Providence’s record goalscorer Casey Marlin – tied with Canada’s Newmarket United (2-2) and Patriots of New York (1-1), while losing to Lakeland FC of Florida.

Next up for the four girls are spring tournaments at Ohio Elite (February 25-27) and Richmond, Va. (Jefferson Cup, March 18-20).

Sign on for recreational soccer

2011-01-05T06:26:00.000-08:00

The bells may have only just chimed to welcome 2011 but registrations are already being accepted for spring recreational soccer at Southern Indiana United.

The program for children ages 4-17 provides the opportunity for all children of any skill level to learn and play soccer. The focus is on fun as players learn about good sportsmanship and teamwork, while also getting some great exercise.

All team members play at least half of every game and there are no cuts or tryouts. Each child receives a uniform, but players are expected to turn up with their own shin guards, a ball and a water bottle.

You have until February 11 to register, and can do so at www.siusoccer.com.

Want to be a Rover?

2011-01-05T06:25:00.000-08:00

River City Rovers, the newly formed United Soccer League team for Kentuckiana, will be holding an open combine next week for interested players.

Rovers, who will play in the USL’s Premier Development League, will be made up of approximately 26 male players, ages 17-30, and will showcase the best and brightest local talent.

It also provides elite college players the opportunity to taste a higher level of competition while maintaining their NCAA eligibility.

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 Charlie Davies, Brad Guzan, Jonathan Spector, Clarence Goodson and Jay DeMerit.

The open combine will be held from January 7-9 and the registration fee is $95.

The weekend will include testing at Velocity, 11470 Bluegrass Parkway on Friday, January 7 (10 a.m.), and continues with sessions at Oldham County YMCA Indoor Sports Arena in Buckner on January 8 and 9 (starting at 2 p.m.).

All players should bring indoor and outdoor shoes. Two combine t-shirts will also be distributed the day of the tryouts.

Players can complete an online application at www.roverssoccer.com. The website is under construction, but registering online is active through January 5.

Muhamed Fazlagic, who will serve as head coach and technical director, said he is excited to be part of creating this opportunity for local players.

“Now they'll be able to play at the highest level in front of their friends and family,” said the founder of United 1996. “River City Rovers is certainly a new and positive chapter in Louisville’s soccer history."

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.

The season comprises 16 regular season matches for each team -- eight home and eight away -- and runs from May to August.

Dale Helfrich, general manager of Oldham Thoroughbreds Soccer Club, has just appointed as operations manager of River City Rovers. For further information, you can contact him at 502-445-3482.

Lolla named Coach of the Year

2011-01-05T06:23:00.000-08:00

Soccer America magazine has named University of Louisville’s Ken Lolla the Men’s Coach of the Year.

Lolla, who led Louisville to the Men's College Cup for the first time, also won the award in 2005, his last season at Akron before leaving for the Cardinals.

Louisville's 1-0 loss to Akron in the championship decider was its only defeat of the 2010 season, following a remarkable NCAA tournament run.

Despite freezing temperatures and snow, 5,467 fans packed Cardinal Park for the quarterfinal match against UCLA, a 5-4 victory for Louisville that will go down as one of the epic matches in the history of the NCAA tournament.

Such was the madness that police had to shoo cars along as drivers stopped to get a peak of the action.

Lolla has taken Louisville (20-1-3), a program with no previous winning tradition, and made it into a national contender, said Soccer America.

Others to have won the award in past years include Indiana’s Jerry Yeagley (2003), and Jim DeRose of the 2007 Bradley team that included Floyd Knobs’ defender Brad Snook.

Meanwhile, Cards’ junior forward Colin Rolfe was named on the magazine’s MVP first team, along with Indiana’s Will Bruin. Louisville defender Austin Berry was named on the second team. The awards honor the players who have the biggest impact on their team’s success, regardless of position.

Top 10 moments of 2010

2010-12-23T18:34:00.000-08:00

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

2010-12-07T06:06:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-23T06:07:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-23T06:04:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-23T06:03:00.000-08:00

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

2010-10-12T19:13:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-12T18:27:00.000-07:00

(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

2010-09-15T05:43:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-07T03:54:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-07T03:48:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-07T03:43:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-02T04:53:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-08-17T06:11:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-17T04:08:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-13T05:37:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-13T05:33:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-04T06:31:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-04T06:30:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-04T06:27:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-04T05:55:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-28T06:26:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-28T06:23:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-07-23T05:51:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-07-21T18:37:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-20T06:25:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-13T05:23:00.000-07:00

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?

2010-07-06T06:12:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-06T06:06:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-29T06:23:00.000-07:00

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.

Close Encounter of the Ghanaian Kind

2010-06-25T06:09:00.000-07:00

Landon Donovan did more than score a goal which sent the USA through to the last 16 of the 2010 World Cup.
Not only was it huge in terms of what it could do for the game here (the chapter’s not closed on that one), but it also effectively signed England’s death warrant in this particular tournament.
As much as the British media and players tried to hide their disappointment in failing to qualify as Group C winners – and thus earn Capello’s boys an arguably easier path towards the final -- the fact is they now have to beat a young and improving German team, and then possibly knock out Maradona’s Argentina. Get past those two hurdles and Spain could await in the semifinals.
Looking forward to Saturday, the oddsmakers have the Unites States as very slight favorites to beat Ghana for a place in the quarterfinals. While many will cite Ghana’s 3-2 victory against the USA at the 2006 World Cup, there are a couple of differences which swing the advantage in America’s favor.
Firstly, the US squad is stronger, led by a better coach. Secondly, Ghana, while dangerous, does not seem to have made much progress in that time, mirroring the notable stunted development in other African nations at this World Cup. Michael Essein’s absence will be especially felt in this game.
In saying that, I still expect a very close encounter: the African factor should not be underestimated. Remember, at least three games on average in the knockout stages go to penalty kicks. Just saying so you’re prepared!

Midwest schedule now online

2010-06-25T05:41:00.000-07:00

The schedule for the US Youth Soccer Midwest Region II Championships in Dayton, Ohio (June 26-30) is now online. To keep abreast of how Louisville teams and southern Indiana players are doing, check out http://tournaments.usyouthsoccer.org/events/2010-US-Youth-Soccer-Region-II-Championships/

Koman and the soccer gods

2010-06-22T06:07:00.000-07:00

Just when we were waxing lyrical about the high standard of refereeing at the World Cup, along come two poor performances back to back, like when you’re waiting for a bus.

First on Friday was Spanish ref Alberto Undiano, who controversially ejected Miroslav Klose for a seemingly innocuous challenge and handed out 10 cards in Germany’s 1-0 loss to Serbia.

And then comes Koman Coulibaly.

While perplexed U.S. fans were still wearing out the rewind button Friday afternoon to see exactly why the Mali official chalked off Maurice Edu’s effort against Slovenia, passionless England was creating its own headlines with an abysmal 0-0 tie against a gritty Algeria.

The latter performance was enough for the Three Lions’ disgruntled players to hold a clear-the-air crisis meeting with management Sunday following huge criticism from fans and the media.

So, considering, a 2-2 deadlock after a 2-0 half-time deficit doesn’t look too bad now for Bob Bradley’s boys, and victory against the Algerians tomorrow morning (10 a.m.) will see the U.S. through to the last 16.

Easier said than done, however. Bradley has a lot think about, none more so than shoring up a less than adequate defense. You can only come back from behind so many times, and chasing the game against a well organized Algeria is not recommended.

Will he consider dropping Onyewu, who was shaky ( played Zlatan Ljubijankic onside for Slovenia’s second goal) and still has question marks over his fitness? It’s probably too late for a reshuffle, which would probably involve moving Bocanegra to partner DeMerit in central defense.

There was also the huge gaping hole in front of the back four which resulted in an unchallenged Birsa scoring their opener.

Maurice Edu, who had a good second half, is likely start and hopefully plug some gaps, while Dempsey may be deployed up front to partner Altidore for the suspended Robbie Findley.

On the plus side, the teamwork and tenacity shown in the second half was very encouraging, and the U.S. goes into the game in good mental shape, despite the disallowed effort.

Speaking of which, the “goal that wasn’t” seems to have sparked a lot of interest nationally, so maybe the controversy isn’t so bad overall -- perhaps helping the sport in terms of awareness -- if no real harm is done (like getting eliminated) in the process.

The French squad: Well, what's left of it.

Whatever the interest, the incident was quickly replaced as global headline news this weekend by the French camp shambles. Nicolas Anelka’s early departure due to his refusal to apologize to coach Raymond Domenech for using naughty words during the half-time break against Mexico is eerily similar to Roy Keane’s exit from the Irish team in Saipan back in 2002.

That particular incident spawned several books and a musical comedy. A show on this would surely be funnier. Domenech did, after all, contemplate wearing a Mickey Mouse tie to the interview for the French coaching post six years ago, and has admitted his team selections are influenced by astrology.

The opening scene could be the Henry ‘Hand of Gaul’ goal in the World Cup play-off game against Ireland last November. Then, of course, the ensuing outrage. Cut to South Africa and a tie against Uruguay; then disaster against the Mexicans. Nicolas is sent home after his outburst, which was leaked to the press; Les Bleus refuse to train in protest; the fitness coach goes nuts; players get on the bus; team director resigns in disgust.

With the squad in total turmoil, it goes into today’s third, and last, group game against South Africa seeking a minor miracle to progress. The finale, perhaps?
Sochaux coach Francis Gillot, who branded the players’ attitude as both “pathetic and disgraceful,” said, “France is the laughing stock of the world. Today I am thinking of the Irish – they should have been there in our place.”
Maybe the soccer gods felt that way too.

Players hopeful of big Midwest showing

2010-06-22T06:02:00.000-07:00

There will be a number of the area’s players in action at the US Youth Soccer Midwest Region II Championships in Dayton, Ohio at the weekend.

The tournament will see the top 212 boys’ and girls’ teams from 14 state associations in the U13 through to U19 age groups battle it out at Ankeney Park, Beavercreek.

The round robin games will be played from June 26-28, with the semi-finals being played on June 29, and the championship games taking place on June 30.

Southern Indiana pair Kady O’Farrell (Floyd Central) and Leah Mattingly (Providence) said they are hopeful of a good showing with their Javanon ’95 team.

The girls beat Commonwealth SC of Lexington 3-0 in the Kentucky State Open Cup championship decider, to add to its two titles won in 2007 and 2008.

Mattingly has played with Javanon for seven years and is one of two original members from the U9 team.

"This year is a very good opportunity for our team,” she said. “If we play well, we should have a chance to advance and make a good showing in the (later stages of) tournament."

O’Farrell has been with the team since last year, although she has been with the club for five years.

"There are going to be some tough, competitive teams that we are going to be playing against, but I am ready to kick some butt," she said. “Our team has really improved from last year, with new players and a new coach coming to the team.”

Meanwhile, Daniel Wilburn (Providence), Matt Kelecy (Floyd Central), Nick Blackwell (New Albany) and Jordan Vejar (Jeffersonville) are part of Javanon’s U16 team, which fancies itself to go well.

The team not only won the Kentucky State Open Cup, but also the Midwest Regional League Premier Division (Red), and hopes it can emulate the achievements of the club’s ’92 and ’91 teams, which both won regional titles last year and progressed to the national championship.

Javanon beat United 1996 -- a team featuring two more locals in the shape of Providence’s Brett Bass and Henryville’s Gabe Stewart -- by a 2-0 scoreline in the final, but the pair will also travel to the tournament as United earned a wildcard spot.

Javanon ’92, which has Trevor Bruner from Jeffersonville in its ranks, will be aiming for its third consecutive regional crown. It won its fourth consecutive state title – and sixth overall -- with a 1-0 final victory against Mockingbird.

State associations represented at the tournament are Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio North, Ohio South, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Regional winners of the Under-14 through Under-19 brackets earn a berth to the 2010 US Youth Soccer National Championships in Overland Park, Kansas from July 20-25.

Above: Southern Indiana duo Kady O’Farrell and Leah Mattingly pictured with their medals after winning the U15 Kentucky State Open Cup title with Javanon ’95. The girls play at the US Youth Soccer Region II Championships at Dayton, Ohio, this weekend.

Goalies, refs, balls and vuvuzelas

2010-06-15T06:05:00.000-07:00

There’s no doubting what the big stories of the opening weekend of the World Cup were -- goalkeeping, outstanding refereeing, the ball and vuvuzelas.

The Jabulani ball, we all knew, was going to be in the spotlight, and it did do some rather strange dippy-do stuff at times, but nothing too outrageous when you factor in the altitude some of the games are being played at.

The U.S. got the draw it knew it was well capable of achieving against hot group favorites England, albeit due to a howler by keeper Robert Green. Poor Bob was, of course, savaged by the English media (“The Hand of Clod” etc), although he did have a decent second half, and he reacted admirably in the way he faced the music after the game. Nor did he blame the ball.

Now the focus turns very much to Friday morning’s crunch clash against Slovenia, which secured three points against Algeria thanks in the main to another goalkeeping error, arguably worse than Green’s blooper.

This time, Bob Bradley’s men will go in as the favored team, and will have to play a more attacking game. That will probably also require a change or two in personnel (Jose Torres/Edu for Clark and Buddle for Findley in from start maybe?).
While a tie wouldn’t be the end of the world, defeat would be, so patience and caution will be the order of the day.

The one certainty about Friday’s game is that you’ll be deafened, once again, by vuvuzelas, those noisy ear splitting plastic horns which sound akin to an enormous swarm of bees.

This World Cup is set to become the most cacophonous in history thanks to one note instrument, but if you watched last year’s Confederations Cup, you can’t say you didn’t receive timely warning to get yourself a pair of earplugs (There’s always the mute button too.)

Not surprisingly, there have been calls by various football associations, players and broadcasting companies to have them banned.

As long as they are not used as weapons, or blown during national anthems, world governing body FIFA said it’s happy to have them at the World Cup. However, they did plead with fans to maybe try singing.

Refereeing was top notch, and close decisions were called right time after time. The one most in the news was Mexico’s first half effort which was disallowed against South Africa.

ESPN commentator (Efan Ekoku, former pro player) was lambasted after the game for his take on it (“What an awful decision”) and his seeming ignorance of the offside rule (two opposing players behind the ball, usually including the goalie - - the goalie was not behind the ball, which is rare).

However, the crime was not that the former Nigerian international got it wrong initially, but that neither he nor his experienced co-commentator, Martin Tyler, made any attempt to correct it thereafter despite the luxury of replays, thus missing a great opportunity to explain the law to those who maybe aren’t too au fait with the game.

The station’s decision to use a whole pile of British-based pundits for their “experience” was, right then, looking a tad foolish.

Maybe those vuvuzelas aren’t such a bad idea after all!

The Lego World Cup!

2010-06-15T06:02:00.000-07:00

Check out this Lego recreation of the England-U.S.A. World Cup clash. http://deadspin.com/5563011/usa+england-tie-given-the-lego-treatment

'Surfing' towards a new park

2010-06-15T05:34:00.000-07:00

It’s been many years in the making but Net-Surfers’ will soon have a place to call home.

The girls’ club and its members have been working tirelessly towards having its New Albany soccer complex beside Highway 111 (just past Gap Hollow Road) ready to stage games in late August/early September.

When completed, the 22 acre former farm site will have been transformed into four full-sided and five small-sided soccer fields.

Tony Holland, who has been spearheading the plan, said everyone at the club is excited about the new development.

“This has been a six year project that is finally approaching its destination which is to give our girls and club a place to call home,” said Holland. “We hope to have all of our age groups out there by spring 2011.”

All six acres of field space was recently planted with nearly 3,000 pounds of grass seed of a custom blended sports turf mixture.

“The grass has come in thick and tall and we are blessed to have had consistent rain,” said Holland.
Net-Surfers is hoping for sponsors for each of its playing fields, and it obtained its first small sided field sponsor this spring from Bob Hildreth, a grandfather of U9 girls’ player Kami Geron. He made the contribution in memory of his wife Janet (Kami’s Nani) and the field in question will be called Nani’s Field.

More sponsors are needed for the remaining small and full sided fields. In return for financial sponsorship, the club will place a sign at the field which will remain there for lifetime.

If anyone is interested in helping the club, they can contact Tony Holland at 812-267-8478 or email to: Webmaster@net-surfers.net.

Strikers downed

2010-06-15T05:33:00.000-07:00

Southern Indiana United’s U13 Strikers lost its Indiana Soccer Challenge Cup semi-final game at Lawrence Soccer Complex in Indianapolis at the weekend.

Elkhart County United proved too good for Paul Duckworth’s charges (a team we featured last week), running out 4-0 winners. ECU went onto lose the final decider against Pike Indy Burn.

Overall, Strikers have played 20 games this year, with an overall record of 9-4-7.

Kentucky State Cup success for locals

2010-06-08T06:22:00.000-07:00

There was plenty of success for local players at the Kentucky State Open Cup finals in Bowling Green this weekend.

It’s been a great season for Daniel Wilburn (Providence), Matt Kelecy (Floyd Central), Nick Blackwell (New Albany) and Jordan Vejar (Jeffersonville), who are part of Javanon’s U16 Black team.

They have already qualified for the US Youth Soccer Region II tournament (Dayton, Ohio, June 26-30), courtesy of winning the Midwest Regional League Premier Division (Red).

And at the weekend, the boys added to the team’s hardware collection by winning the Kentucky state crown by beating United 1996 -- a team featuring two more locals in the shape of Providence’s Brett Bass and Henryville’s Gabe Stewart (St Xavier) -- by a 2-0 scoreline in the final.

It wasn’t all bad for United, however, as its performance in getting to the final means it will also travel to the regional tournament as a wildcard.

Javanon ’92, with Trevor Bruner from Jeffersonville on the team, won its fourth consecutive title – and sixth overall -- with a 1-0 final victory against Mockingbird. It will now be aiming for its third consecutive regional crown.

Over on the girls’ side, Kady O’Farrell (Floyd Central) and Leah Mattingly (Providence) were winners with their Javanon ‘95 Black team. The girls beat Owensboro United 7-1 in the semi-final on Saturday, before overcoming Commonwealth SC of Lexington 3-0 in the decider.

Kady O’Farrell and Leah Mattingly

“Our team has really improved from last year, with new players and a new coach coming to the team,” said O’Farrell. “Hopefully, we will do well at regionals because that's what we've been working so hard for all season.”

Elsewhere, Javanon’s ’92 girls’ team, featuring New Albany’s Kelsey Graeter, lost to Owensboro in the U18 final. Graeter beat her high school teammate Kaitlin Robinett, part of four-time state champion Mockingbird, in the semi-final 1-0 on Saturday.

Javanon ’97, featuring Grant Holkamp (Silver Creek), Tyler McGeorge (Highland Hills) and Andrew Kennedy (Lanesville), beat Thoroughbreds 3-1 in the semi-final before narrowly losing 4-3 in overtime to Lexington FC in the final.

Javanon ’95 Black, featuring Providence’s Pierce Crawley, lost 1-0 to Lexington in the semi-final.

Of the 13 boys’ and girls’ state titles up for grabs from U13 to U19, four were won by Javanon; three by United 1996; two by Mockingbird and Lexington; and one each by Owensboro and Central Kentucky SC.

Left: New Albany’s Kelsey Graeter (center) in action for Javanon ’92 against Mockingbird during the Kentucky State Open Cup semi-final at the weekend. Meeting the ball in the air is teammate Kate Brown.

Strikers ready for the Challenge

2010-06-08T06:18:00.000-07:00

Southern Indiana United’s U13 Striker coach Paul Duckworth believes his team can go all the way at the Indiana Soccer Challenge Cup finals at Lawrence Soccer Complex in Indianapolis this weekend.

Strikers will play Elkhart County United in the semi-final on Saturday (7 p.m.), and the winner play the victor of the Indiana Invaders/Pike Indy Burn game on Sunday afternoon (1 p.m.).

“We are hopeful for victory, but glad to be part of the experience,” said Duckworth.

Southern Indiana United has a good recent record in the Challenge Cup as a club. In 2007, its U14 Rampage (now U17s) won the tournament, and the following year, its U14 Mavericks (now U16s) made the final.

Strikers hope to follow in both teams’ footsteps by making it to the championship decider. To get to the last four stage, the team beat Westfield Select (2-0) and tied with Tippecanoe (0-0) before clinching its finals spot on goal difference with a 4-0 win over NWI United FC.

“Last year we missed out on advancing by a one goal difference,” said Duckworth. “This year, we advanced by that. The lads are working hard fine tuning their skills, as well as practicing their penalty kicks, just in case it's a tie.”

Duckworth said it’s been a tough season for the boys following expansion from a roster of 14 playing 8 versus 8 to a roster of 18, playing 11 versus 11, with five of last season's players leaving.

“Several of the new players had not played select and had to work hard to get up to the speed of it,” he said. “Fortunately, we had seven players participate in the ODP, with four being selected to the state teams that helped out with the new lads.”

He said occasional lapses in the Kentucky Select Soccer League resulted in losses and a fourth place in both the fall and the spring seasons, but both times we were only two points behind the winner.

“The disappointment in the league, however, has been more than made up for by winning the Winchester Classic tournament in the fall, and now advancing in the Challenge Cup.”

Overall, Strikers have played 19 games this year and have lost just three times (9-3-7).

Saturday will be an eventful one for coach Duckworth , whose team will be playing the same day that his homeland, England, takes on USA in the World Cup in South Africa.

“We will travel up early to watch England hopefully beat the U.S., as Indiana Youth Soccer is having a big party at the fields Saturday,” he said. “I will be wearing my old England Rooney shirt.”

More than 295 teams ranging in age from U11 to U17 have participated in this year’s Challenge Cup tournament, which is open to travel and recreational plus teams from Indiana.

Above: U13 Strikers pictured preparing for the Indiana State Challenge Cup this weekend.

Net-Surfer girls are Queens!

2010-06-08T06:16:00.000-07:00

Cincinnati was a happy hunting ground for the U15 Net-Surfers team, which won the Queen City Tournament last week.

The girls, coached by Russ Corby and Lindsey Wilkerson, played five games and went the entire weekend undefeated in the U15/U16 category.

It beat Fairfield Optimist SC (4-0), Tri-State FA Holt (5-0) and Kings Soccer Academy (4-1) in the group stages. It then won against Tri-State FA Riot (5-0) in the semi-final, before beating Cincinnati West Demons in the final (3-2).

The girls also participated in the Coca Cola Classic tournament at Centergrove this past weekend. Although not adding to its hardware, it did go undefeated once again, tying all its games against Lady Red Devils (1-1), SCSA Lady Fury (3-3) and Indianapolis Premier (1-1).

Net-Surfers U15s (front row, from left) – Selena Iglesias, Tanner Marcum, Phoebe Bauer, Katelin Salomon, Katie Barron, Haley Corby, Lauren Wyatt. Back row: Stephanie Iglesias, Coach Russ Corby, Taylor Davis, Kaelin Blessinger, Christine Clark, Rachel Wimsatt, Mary Clay, Erin Duncan, Anna Boone, coach Lindsey Wilkerson. Not pictured (Maryashly Betz)

State Cup titles claimed

2010-06-07T06:16:00.000-07:00

The Kentucky State Open Cup concluded yesterday, and of the 13 boys’ and girls’ state titles up for grabs from U13 to U19, four were won by Javanon; three by United 1996; two by Mockingbird and Lexington; and one each by Owensboro and Central Kentucky SC.

For further info, check out http://www.kysoccer.net. More on that, with photos, tomorrow.

World Cup Countdown – US team is taking shape

2010-06-01T05:12:00.000-07:00

The US started the week by losing 4-2 to the Czech Republic. Then, the following day, Bob Bradley had the unenviable task of shaving the squad from 30 players down to a final 23 before it was introduced on national television, the first time for this to ever happen.

On Thursday, the team met Presidents Obama and Clinton, beat Turkey Saturday, and then headed off to South Africa Sunday.

Phew.

Oh, and during it somewhere Argentina coach Diego Maradona promised on a radio show that he would run naked through the center of Buenos Aires if the Gauchos win the World Cup.

Jose Torres: impressive performance

But now the big question after this eventful week is: Who will start for the USA against England on June 12?

Everyone including the pet pooch will have their opinion, but only one really counts and Bradley is sure to have a better idea today than he did seven days ago after a morale boosting 2-1 victory against Turkey in front of over 55,000 in Philadelphia.

It was not a good first half, in which the Turks took a 1-0 lead and exposed US defensive frailties time and again with quick counter attacking. We also saw Clint Dempsey tried up front with Jozy Altidore, an experiment which worked okay and might be called upon over the next few weeks.

But the second half was very promising, and that was thanks largely to the four substitutes brought on at half-time, all of which merit selection following impressive performances.

Robbie Findlay thrust himself into contention to partner Jozy Altidore in attack. He was involved in the build up to Altidore’s goal, and displayed his blistering speed, which will undoubtedly come in handy at various stages.

For a spot on the team, he will be challenging the currently prolific, but inexperienced, scoring duo of Edson Buddle and Herculez Gomez. Both were somewhat surprising but creative inclusions in the squad ahead of the experienced Brian Ching and Eddie Johnson.

Steve Cherundolo also put himself ahead of Jonathan Spector in the pecking order for the right back position with his second half performance, with captain Carlos Bocanegra looking set to play at left-back.

Onyewu will likely partner Jay DeMerit in central defense following 45 minutes which were a lot more encouraging than the 65 he put in against the Czech Republic last week.

His fitness as he recovers from a knee injury seems to be the only real question mark hanging over how the back four – in front of keeper Tim Howard -- will line up.

But the star of the show was Jose Torres, who surely played himself into starting 11 contention alongside Michael Bradley in the center of midfield. The 22-year-old showed his ability to create space, slow the game down, and pass/move are as good as those he will compete with for minutes, namely Maurice Edu and Ricardo Clark.

The 5’7” player has the potential to explode on the world stage and what better time to do it than against England.

Dempsey, it seems, would be better deployed in an attacking midfield position on the left (where he was playing when he scored), and with Landon Donovan on the right (where he played with Everton), the US’s midfield is its strength.

Using a 4-5-1 formation -- rather than the usual 4-4-2 -- against England, with the inclusion of the crafty Stuart Holden or Maurice Edu, is an option I hope Bradley might be thinking about right now, giving the lack of experienced US firepower up front.

We are likely to get a better idea of what he plans to do when the US plays its final exhibition game before the World Cup, against Australia in Roodepoort, Johannesburg on Saturday (ESPN2, 8.30 a.m.). Then it’s down to the real business.

Silver Surfers!

2010-06-01T04:56:00.000-07:00

What better way to celebrate a fantastic season than with a belly slide on a muddy field.

Net-Surfers’ U11 girls recently glided to the Kentucky State Soccer League Silver Division title with an impressive 10-1-1 record. The southern Indiana outfit clinched the league with three wins in one weekend against Jessamine Storm, Commonwealth SC and Derby City United.

“After winning our third match of the weekend, we finished off the season with a belly slide on a soggy field to show the parents how much we appreciate them for standing in the rain whenever we played,” said head coach Jason Crane.

He believes that beating the Thoroughbreds from Oldham County, who were considered their biggest competition, at the start of the campaign gave the team the momentum and confidence it needed to have a fine season.

“I found that as we played girls who were slow to start last season were now playing with some fire,” he said. “We started with five wins and a draw, and girls like Emma, Erin, Sami and Carmen really stepped up and played well the entire year. I could not have had a better group of girls.”

Net-Surfers also put in strong performances at a couple of tournaments during the spring, making the final at the Derby Cup in Louisville and the Strawberry Festival Tournament in Troy, Ohio, which was their final action of the season.

“In the Troy Strawberry Festival, we got off to a great start beating the hosts 3-0,” said Crane. “Our leading scorer, Olivia, netted two against a team who suffered their first loss in over a year.”

Others to impress during these tournaments were goalkeeper Christine, goal ace Sarah and solid defenders Lindsey, Katelyn and Kallie.

Crane, who is also an assistant coach with New Albany HS girls’ varsity team, said every one of the girls has the ability to be successful in the future.

“They must continue to play hard and never let another team out work them on the field,” he said.

Above: Net-Surfers U11s, who won the KSSL Silver Division title this year with a 10-1-1 record.

Gaetjens remembered

2010-05-30T13:45:00.000-07:00

Joe Gaetjens, a Haitian immigrant, scored the greatest goal in American soccer history when firing home the winner against England at the 1950 World Cup in Brazil. He should have been a hero. Instead, he was abducted and died in a Haitian prison. Watch ESPN’s Outside The Line piece on Gaetjens and the goal http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5231841

Team mates will be rivals at State Cup

2010-05-26T04:44:00.000-07:00

They might be high school team mates but this weekend they’ll battle as club rivals when the Kentucky State Open Cup kicks off.

Lindsay Hack and Kaitlin Robinett were co-captains of New Albany High School this past fall, but central defender Hack, of Louisville Soccer Club, will be hoping to blank out striker Robinett, of four time state champion Mockingbird, when they clash in the U18 group stages at Masterson Station Park in Lexington on Saturday (6 p.m.)

Also adding to the intrigue are Providence’s Alyssa Hendershot and Miriam Snyder, members of LSC, along with Hack.

“I hope Kaitlin is ready for a competitive game,” said Hack. “We have been working very hard to prepare for the upcoming tournament and I am looking forward to playing against her in the first game of the State Cup.”

Robinett, scorer of 77 goals during her high school career, described Hack as a good player and hopes this will be the first of many games they play against each other. She is headed University of Evansville, while Hack is bound for University of Southern Indiana, and both usually play each other either in the fall preseason or in the spring.

“Our team is working hard to earn its fifth straight Kentucky State Cup Championship,” said Robinett, who has been picked to play in the Indiana Senior All Stars North versus South game on June 19. “We know that all of the other teams are working hard to beat us so we have to work even harder to stay on top. One of the ways we do that is by playing against some of the toughest teams in the country.”

LSC coach Nikki Schulze said all three of the southern Indiana girls have played a big part in the team’s improvement this season.

“Lindsay, Alyssa and Miriam have brought a strong defensive presence to the team,” she said. “Alyssa has stepped up in the keeper position and really made some key saves throughout the season, while Lindsay and Miriam are strong defenders that make excellent runs into the offense.”

Schulze said the team is “very unique” because it is the first year playing at the club for over half of them.

“Seven girls are returning players and the other 12 players came from four different club teams,” she said. “It has been a great experience watching these girls come together as a team and have an excellent season. The team has continued to improve each game and it is going to be exciting to watch them in State Cup.”

LSC also plays West Kentucky and Kentucky Rush this weekend, while Mockingbird will take on Kentucky Rush and Owensboro United. With three brackets and four progressing to semi-finals, there is the possibility that they could both qualify and face each other again in the final stages.

There will be a number of other players from the area in action during The Kentucky State Open Cup preliminary rounds, which take place in Lexington and Versailles from May 28-31.

The finals weekend will take place at Lover’s Lane Soccer Complex in Bowling Green on June 5 and 6.

Above: Louisville Soccer Club’s Miriam Snyder and Alyssa Hendershot (both Providence), and Lindsay Hack (New Albany), looking forward to the Kentucky State Open Cup this weekend. The team’s first game is against four time champion Mockingbird, which features amongst its ranks New Albany’s Kaitlin Robinett.

Jeffersonville girls - - “we deserve better”

2010-05-26T04:38:00.000-07:00

Jeffersonville High School girls’ soccer program is hoping the appointment of a head coach last night will turn its fortunes around.

There has been a lot of discontent amongst players and parents in recent months, following the departure of coach Michael Dennis last November.

Since then, many have expressed fear that the program could even collapse as the fall season grows ever nearer.

Players and parents have said they believe more attention has been focused on filling the coaching positions of the football team and the boys’ soccer program.

A recommendation for a new coach was made to the Greater Clark County school board last evening (May 25).

Jeremy Pickerell was approved for the girls’ varsity team, and Carson Webb, coach of Frankfort HS girls last year, was approved for the boys.

Jeffersonville girls' varity soccer team 2009

Jeffersonville athletic director Jeff Griffith said the girls’ position had been offered to someone (a Louisville girls’ varsity coach) in February, but he backed out. A boys’ coach had also been chosen, and he too decided not to take up the post.

Rachelle Thomas, one of the Lady Red Devils’ three captains on the varsity squad last fall, described the delay in filling the position as “degrading and sad.”

The junior said that despite the program’s lack of success, there are a lot of talented girls on the team who are part of many travel soccer squads.

“Because we don't win people at our school treat the Jeff high girls’ soccer program as a joke and the humiliation has grown now that we haven’t had a coach for months,” said Thomas.

“In my honest opinion, it’s not the players’ fault that we have been so unsuccessful, and I feel the school board is questioning our ability.

“The school isn't concerned with the fact that we do not have a coach and frankly it seems like they could care less if we existed.

“When (we lost) our former coach (Michael Dennis), I was on edge because I was uncertain where our program would go.

“I honestly feel that with a great coach, our girls’ soccer program can achieve great heights and become a great team if the school provides us the opportunity and puts faith in our ability. All they need to do is invest in the program by providing a good coach.”

Becky Kiger, secretary on the Lady Devils’ soccer board – and mother of team member Cadie -- believes the girls deserve more respect.

“Maybe there is an underlying lesson that when it comes to sports and Jeff High, females are just second class citizens,” said Kiger.

“I have been in contact (with the school) multiple times this year to find out what is going on with the coaching position. I have been told that there were positive prospects and there would be a decision in a few days.

“Our girls deserve to be treated better than this.”

World Cup Countdown – stars you won’t see

2010-05-26T04:31:00.000-07:00

Following Inter Milan’s 2-0 victory over Bayern Munich in Saturday’s European Champions’ League final, focus now firmly turns to the World Cup, which starts in 16 days.

We already know a few who won’t be traveling with their respective nations. USA’s Charlie Davies failed in his race to be fit, as we know, but also out through injury, at the time of writing, are Germany’s Michael Ballack and France’s Lassana Diarra.

And for other stars from fancied nations, there will be no World Cup after they were left out of their countries’ preliminary squads.

Ronaldinho, the two-time FIFA World Player of the Year, has been omitted from Dunga's Brazilian squad, while Adriano has been left out due to doubts caused by recent off-the-field problems that caused him to miss several training sessions with Flamengo.

Holland has left out Ruud Van Nistelrooy, former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker, whose long-term absence from the squad ended his chances, while veteran midfielder Clarence Seedorf of AC Milan was also excluded.

Probably one of France’s best players, Karim Benzema, has been left out of Raymond Domenech’s 24 man squad because of his unimpressive season with Real Madrid and not because of his alleged involvement in a prostitution scandal, said the coach. Also out of the squad is Arsenal’s Samir Nasri, who could have been a useful addition with his pace and vision, and Manchester City’s Patrick Vieira, who was named to the 2006 World Cup All-Star team.

Italy’s Marcello Lippi also chipped in with a surprise, leaving out Luca Toni, the Azzurri’s main striker in 2006 and at the 2008 European Championships.

Javier Zanetti: omitted by Maradona

And we couldn’t do a piece on omissions without mentioning our friend Diego Maradona, who excluded Esteban Cambiasso, Javier Zanetti, Juan Roman Riquelme and Fernando Gago from the Argentinean squad.

You may have seen Cambiasso and Zanetti put in solid displays in the aforementioned Champions’ League final for Inter Milan at the weekend, but Maradona has chosen to leave both out. Cambiasso has not been included in the national team since Maradona took over in November 2008, while Zanetti has not even been on the roster since being dropped as Argentina’s captain.

Gago, meanwhile, is a Real Madrid regular, and creative midfielder Riquelme has been in a rift with Maradona for a time.

And with the final 23 man rosters due into FIFA headquarters for all 32 nations by June 1, expect to see some more well know names added to the list of absentees.

Strikers set for Challenge Cup finals

2010-05-26T04:30:00.000-07:00

Seven teams from Southern Indiana United and Net-Surfers competed in the Indiana Soccer Challenge Cup preliminary rounds at the weekend and it turned out to be a good one for SIU’s U13 Strikers.

More than 295 teams ranging in age from U11 to U17 played at four host sites across the state. The is event open to travel and recreational plus teams from Indiana.

U13 Strikers qualified on goal difference for the finals weekend, which will take place in Lawrence, Indiana on June 12 and 13.

Coached by Paul Duckworth, the boys beat Westfield Select (2-0) and tied with Tippecanoe (0-0) before clinching its finals spot with a 4-0 win over NWI United FC.

Tippecanoe also finished with a similar goal difference, but Strikers advanced because only a maximum of four goals per game are counted. (Tippecanoe won its last game by five.)

Also participating in the Challenge Cup were SIU’s U11 Thunder, U12 Strom and U15 Renegade, while Net-Surfers was represented by its U13, U14 and U16 teams.

The U16s tied Carmel United 0-0 and beat Fort Wayne SC Lady Futballers 2-0, but goal difference prevented the girls from progressing.

A fiery World Cup song

2010-05-23T13:41:00.000-07:00

Following our piece on World Cup songs, we received a note from George and the Dragons, looking for a plug for their tune, `Green Fields of England`, which is getting played at various English football stadiums. Well, we admire your bravery George, so here's the link: www.green-fields-of-england.com

World Cup countdown -- Fight for final spots begins

2010-05-19T06:03:00.000-07:00

The battle to be part of the United States’ World Cup final roster heading to South Africa began in earnest yesterday as the preliminary 30 man squad gathered in Princeton, New Jersey.

It makes for an interesting two weeks, with seven players having to be cut when the final 23 names are handed in to FIFA by the June 1 deadline, and certain starting spots are still very much up for grabs.

Other than Tim Howard playing in goal, Michael Bradley taking his place in central midfield, and Jozy Altidore up front, it’s still unclear how exactly the U.S will line up for its opening encounter against England on June 12.

Of course, Landon Donovan, Carlos Bocanegra and Clint Dempsey can be added to the definite starters list, although where they will play is anyone’s guess.

So as we speak, there is plenty for coach Bob Bradley and his staff to ponder over, and still time for players to make a final impression.

Gaining a lot of media attention is the battle for forward positions.

Charlie Davies unfortunately lost his race against time to be part of the set-up, following his multiple injuries suffered in a car accident last October. Bradley may opt to partner Altidore with Dempsey, but others are throwing their hats into the ring just at the right time.

Hercules Gomez: camp inclusion

On fire for their respective clubs are Edson Buddle (LA Galaxy) and Herculez Gomez (Mexican side Puebla). Buddle’s recent prowess at Galaxy, where he is teaming up well with Donovan, works in his favor.

Others forward at the camp include Brian Ching, Eddie Johnson and Robbie Findlay.

Ching would probably be considered likely to earn a spot, but hamstring and calf injuries have cast a cloud over his participation, while hamstring trouble could also scupper the chances of Johnson, who may miss some of the camp.

Real Salt Lake’s Robbie Findley is considered a longshot, but impressive displays at camp, helped by his speed, could see him as a surprise selection.

Only two to three of these five will make the final roster, and if Bradley is inclined to use Dempsey in attack with Altidore, then it could be just two, leaving an extra spot available in midfield.

Speaking of the middle, Michael Bradley should be joined by Maurice Edu, who’s played well at Glasgow Rangers this season, or Houston Dynamo’s Ricardo Clark. With Donovan expected to play on the left wing barring a reshuffle, the door could open for Stuart Holden on the right if Dempsey is deployed in attack.

In defense, Bocanegra could partner Jay DeMerit in the center, or he could be moved to the problem left-back position to allow Onyewu partner DeMerit. Others that could play on the left are Heath Pearce, Jonathan Bornstein and West Ham’s Jonathan Spector, while Spector could also play at right back, a position Steve Cherundolo will also have his eye on.

More will be known after USA plays its two friendlies against Czech Republic in Connecticut next Tuesday (May 25) and Turkey in Philadelphia on May 29. The selected squad will then play a warm up against Australia in South Africa on June 5.

Preliminary Squad: Goalkeepers -- Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Marcus Hahnemann (Wolves). Defenders -- Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover), Jay DeMerit (Watford), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan), Heath Pearce (FC Dallas), Jonathan Spector (West Ham). Midfielders -- DaMarcus Beasley (Rangers), Alejandro Bedoya (Orebro), Michael Bradley (Borussia Monchengladbach), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Benny Feilhaber (Aarhus), Stuart Holden (Bolton), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew), Jose Torres (Pachuca). Forwards -- Jozy Altidore (Villarreal), Edson Buddle (Los Angeles Galaxy), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake), Herculez Gomez (Puebla), Eddie Johnson (Aris Thessaloniki).

SIU win State Cup games

2010-05-19T06:02:00.001-07:00

There was improvement this year for Southern Indiana United’s U16 Mavericks and U17 Rampage at the 2010 Indiana State Cup preliminary round stage, held in Fort Wayne, Westfield and Evansville at the weekend.

Last year, both teams found the going tough, neither registering a win. However, this time round, both were more competitive, each securing a victory.

Rampage, Indiana Challenge Cup winners in 2007, beat Indianapolis Premier 2-0 in its final game at Westfield.

In their other games, Rampage lost narrowly to Evansville ESC in its first game last Friday in Evansville, but found group winners Westside United too good on Saturday in Westfield (5-0).

Mavericks, meanwhile, Challenge Cup finalists in 2008, beat Zionsville Eagles 3-0 in Fort Wayne. It lost a tight game to Carmel United 3-2 and went down to group winners Millennium SA Armory (8-0).

The finals weekend will be held in Lawrence on June 12-13, with the winners representing Indiana at the US Youth Soccer Midwest Region II Championships in Beaver Creek, Ohio from June 25-30. This year’s national finals will be held at Overland Park, Kansas from July 20-25.

Meanwhile, the Indiana State Challenge Cup, featuring many of the area’s teams, takes place this weekend. More on that next week.

SuperClubs success for United

2010-05-19T06:01:00.000-07:00

Providence’s Brett Bass and Henryville Gabe Stewart were part of United ‘94 Internationals’ success at the SuperClubs U17 boys’ tournament in Memphis, Tenn. last week.

Playing an age group higher than usual, the team beat New Orleans SA NOSA ‘93 (3-1), JPFC Cougars of Kentucky (3-1), and MS/JFC 93 Red of Mississippi (1-0).

In the final, it overcame NOSA ’93-’94, with yet another 3-1 victory.

Academies helping to increase ODP selections

2010-05-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

A number of the area’s players have been selected on this year’s Indiana Olympic Development Program teams.

The full list has now been revealed and there is representation from both Southern Indiana United and Net-Surfers, as well as local players with Louisville teams.

From SIU, Zach Yagle has been selected on the U13 younger boys’ team, while Logan Rauck, Alex Duckworth and Matthew Jerrell are alternates on the U13 older boys’ team. Chase Gosman, meanwhile, is an alternate on the U14 older boys’ team.

Jordan Vejar, formerly of SIU (now Javanon) is on the U16 team, while Vincent Straight and Cray Trimble are alternates.

Net-Surfers has also had a number of players chosen in various age groups.

Alyssa Jones made the U13 younger team, while Jordan Reger is an alternate on the U13 older team.

At U12 level, Amy Leffler, Brittany Albert and Vonda Smith, who played at Net-Surfers last fall, will join the developmental campers in the summer.

Twin sisters Selena and Stephanie Iglesias have been selected as alternates for the U15s, while New Albany’s Taylor Little, who plays with Mockingbird, is an alternate with the U17 girls.

The players will represent Indiana and compete at regional ODP camp against teams from 12 other states in the region.

Net-Surfers U10 coach Jiandong Dai, who will be involved as an assistant coach for the Indiana ODP ‘97 girls, said playing at the state’s highest level will give its players significant experience.

“As far as I know, this is the first time Net-Surfers has had so many players picked for state ODP teams,” he said. “It tells us that we have many talented soccer players in Southern Indiana.”

Dai, who was part of China’s U20 national men’s team coaching staff at one time, said he believes the club has gained a lot of benefit from its academy soccer program. SIU also has such a program, and players who have benefited from the academies are now starting to hit the younger ODP teams.

“Right now, our U9 and U10 teams have around 50 kids,” he said. “There are so many talented players in these groups that could become decent soccer players in the future, and we plan to extend our academy to U12s.

“It gives our talented kids more free space for them play creatively without too much pressure. I believe it will have a huge impact on this area in the future.”

World Cup countdown – songs trying to hit the right notes

2010-05-19T05:58:00.000-07:00

There have been some pretty cringeworthy World Cup songs down the years, so there have.

How about this, for example: “Let the rhythm of the ball, take us to the final goal … USA!” Yuck. That, by the way, was a USA 2006 World Cup song for Germany. Probably explains why the tournament was such a disappointment for Bruce Arena’s boys.

The tradition of an official song dates back to the 1966 World Cup in England with a song for ‘World Cup Willie,’ the friendly lion mascot who we featured a couple of weeks back.

Those of note through the years include New Order and ‘World in Motion,’ in 1990, and The Lightning Seeds’ ‘Three Lions’ with Baddeil and Skinner in 1998, both considered high up the list of best World Cup songs of all time.

When Ireland qualified for its first ever World Cup 20 years ago, the music chart of said country was literally infested with theme songs for Italia ’90. The hysteria that hit the nation was responsible for some downright dreadful ditties.

Among them was the humorous ‘Give it a Lash Jack,’ which practically became the soundtrack of the summer. Liam Harrison and The Goal Celebrities suggested that if coach Jack Charlton and the Irish squad returned victorious from Italy, they should all be stuffed and mounted by a taxidermist for show. Luckily for the players, they departed the tournament in the quarter-finals.

However, that wasn’t half as embarrassing as the ‘Far Away in America,’ featuring kings of camp, the Village People, and the German national team in 1994. ‘YMCA’ it wasn’t.

If you’re the type who can’t get enough of World Cup songs to get you in the mood, there is now a website called WorldCupSong.com, where anyone who has a song about the 2010 tournament can enter their tune for free.

At the time of writing, there were 219 songs, and the most listened to by the time of the final will win a $1,480 prize.

In the lead at the moment is Gerry Asmus’s ‘It’s Our Game’ for England, while the highest American song is the 58th ranked ‘The Surface’ by Cooper.

While not the worst (it is fairly catchy), I just can’t picture U.S. fans singing, in the stadiums of South Africa, the lines, “We have barely reached the surface/We have so much to learn ...Someday this page will turn.”

Two class soccer -- step in the right direction?

2010-05-19T05:55:00.000-07:00

Two class soccer -- step in the right direction?

The IHSAA’s announcement that high school boys’ and girls soccer is to be divided into two classes in the fall of 2011 appears to be a step in the right direction.

However, many in the game will reserve judgment until further plans for the revamped tournaments – to be based on school enrollment -- are announced next spring, following the next classification realignment. The cutoff point will be of paramount importance.

At present, there are 282 boys’ and 251 girls’ programs playing in Indiana, with more expected to join the fold over the next few years.

As stated before in this column – when advocating a flexible divisional set-up based on team strength as opposed to a two-class system – Kick It for one doesn’t get too much of a thrill seeing certain schools getting trounced in sectional championship games.

Nor, it seems, does the Indiana Soccer Coaches’ Association, which proposed the switch after conducting surveys of its members in recent years.

While maybe not all the trouncings will disappear, we should at least see more newly crowned state champions. Of the IHSAA 16 state soccer tournaments to date, there have been nine different boys’ victors and six different girls’ winners. Only 11 schools in the whole of Indiana have actually won these titles.

With the exception of Evansville Memorial (enrollment 791) and Castle (enrollment 1,853), you won’t find too many of them from down south.

Of these, six are public and five are private, with enrollments ranging from 780 students to over 4,000. They’ve either been large public schools or relatively small private establishments.

Where the cutoff for two class soccer will be exactly is unclear, but there has been talk in the past week that it will around the 750 mark.

If this is indeed the case, then you’re looking at a new second-tier championship featuring teams that have never won state. If it’s slightly higher, then you could have a situation where the likes of Evansville Memorial could dominate the lower class level to the point that it could border on the farcical.

The general consensus seems to be that Providence, enrollment of 451, will benefit most locally. Regular further runs past regional into semi-state and state look a possibility for both boys and girls.

Dave Smith, head coach of the Lady Pioneers – four-time sectional winners under the current one class system -- said it will certainly help smaller sized schools which would never achieve state success under the current format.

“Consider the case of the Austin girls' basketball team this winter, winning the state championship,” he said. “Is it realistic to think that they would have had a legitimate chance of defeating the 4A schools from this area, and from Indianapolis?

“I doubt the people of Austin would recommend going back to an open-class system for the postseason, as this was an experience made possible solely through the multi-class system.”

He added it will be interesting to see where the split occurs among teams, and believes there will be more changes down the line.

“As more schools add soccer, I believe we will see more than two classes adopted for the tournament,” said Smith. “If it works for football, baseball, volleyball and basketball, why wouldn't IHSAA do the same thing for soccer?”

Smith added the Pioneers still have every intention of continuing their local rivalry games, regardless of the enrollment numbers of their opponents.

“These are the highlights of the season for the fans and players alike, and make for friendly, high level competition,” he said.

The question is, however, will the bigger schools want to continue these rival games? It’s hard to see the likes of Floyd Central, New Albany and Jeffersonville omitting such a game with Providence from their schedules, but it could affect the progress of, say, Christian Academy of Indiana’s boys’ team, for example.

CAI has only recently been added to the schedules of Providence and Jeffersonville because of its improving team and the fact it plays in the same sectional. Coach Will Lorigan said he believes it might now be harder to "entice" teams like Jeff, New Albany and Floyd Central to play them since there is no benefit for them to want to.

“At the moment, Jeff plays us because we are in the same sectional, so it helps them -- and us -- to see a team's potential during the season,” said Lorigan. “When bigger schools don't need to play us, why would they? They have the history and connections to play other big -- but not necessarily better -- schools, so we end up playing smaller schools which don't force us to develop and play good soccer.”

Lorigan added that the part that really hurts CAI is that Providence will be in its sectional but has the connections and history to play bigger schools, get better and develop.

“It's not that we can't or won't develop a good program, it will just be harder and may take longer.”

Whatever about regular season, some of the area’s competitive local rivalry games will disappear post-season. I will let you decide amongst yourselves whether, for example, you feel the disappearance of Jeffersonville-Providence boys’ sectional finals are to be mourned following last year’s controversial encounter.

The move will, on the other hand, result in some interesting sectional matchups at both class levels, with teams from further afield being added to what will become a fresh – and hopefully competitive -- mix.

Enrollment numbers of local schools with soccer programs involved in area sectionals (source IHSAA)

New Albany 2,119
Jeffersonville 2,108
Floyd Central 1,657
Corydon Central 778
North Harrison 697
Charlestown 692
Silver Creek 680
Providence 451
Christian Academy of Indiana 174

World Cup countdown – prolific Buddle worthy of selection?

2010-05-09T19:56:00.000-07:00

With huge questions marks hanging over the final composition of USA’s strikeforce in South Africa, one player has been simply on fire in the MLS.

Edson Buddle, who will be 29 on May 21, has catapulted himself into contention for selection with his scintillating performances for LA Galaxy.

Buddle scored twice in a 3-1 victory over Philadelphia Union at the weekend. He has now bagged nine of Galaxy’s 10 goals this season, as the franchise claimed its fifth win in six MLS matches.

Buddle’s career can best be described as somewhat checkered. It has included a number of off-field issues, injuries and patchy form. To date, he has just one full international cap to his name -- earned in a friendly against Venezuela in 2003 -- so inexperience is definitely against him.

However, his game intelligence and work ethic have improved since then, along with his nose for goal.

Most teams will bring four strikers to the World Cup. As it stands, only Jozy Altidore -- and maybe Brian Ching -- can consider themselves likely to be named forwards in the USA squad by Bob Bradley.

It is highly unlikely that regular Charlie Davies will now make it, following his injury in a car crash that killed a passenger last October.

His progress from a broken leg, a dislocated elbow, a broken nose, multiple facial fractures and a ruptured bladder has been remarkable, but it was recently announced that he will not line out for his French club Sochaux before the end of the season, as had been anticipated.

So who else is in contention? You’ve got Herculez Gomez, in form with Puebla in Mexico, and also deserving of consideration; the home based Robbie Findlay (Real Salt Lake) and Conor Casey (Colorado); Kenny Cooper (Plymouth, England); and Eddie Johnson (Aris, Greece).

There is also the possibility that Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey could slot in up front if required, so Bradley could go with just three strikers and add another creative midfielder to the squad such as Alejandro Bedoya.

Buddle would probably best fit as a replacement for Altidore, rather than a partner, due to his style, but is definitely a tempting proposition as it stands.

The US training camp opens on May 15 and Bradley is expected to include around 26 to 28 players. It will convene at a destination expected to be on the east coast.

US. Soccer is expected to announce its list of camp invitees in the next couple of days, while FIFA will release each of the 32 participating teams’ preliminary selections of 30 players on May 11.

USA will then play two friendlies against the Czech Republic in Connecticut on May 25 and against Turkey in Philadelphia on May 29. The team will leave for South Africa the following day.

Whether Buddle’s on the plane remains to be seen, but he should at least be given an opportunity – along with Gomez -- to prove his worth during the two friendlies.

It may not be a European league that he’s lighting up, but having a red hot and in-form goal poacher in your squad who is scoring with more regularity right now than Calvin Borel wins Kentucky Derbies may not be such a bad idea.

Fab foursome aiming for Midwest glory

2010-05-09T19:53:00.000-07:00

Four southern Indiana players can help punch their team’s ticket to the US Youth Soccer Midwest Region tournament in Ohio without having to win State.

Nick Blackwell, Matt Kelecy, Daniel Wilburn and Jordan Vejar have been in great form with Javanon ’94 in the prestigious Midwest Regional League.

All four see plenty of playing time with three of them typically starting on defense (Blackwell, Kelecy, and Vejar), while Wilburn is usually deployed as an outside midfielder/forward.

Blackwell, who won a regional championship with New Albany High School in the fall, has taken over as the team’s central defender.

Vejar, who plays at Jeffersonville HS, and Kelecy, at Floyd Central, are two of the area’s top high school scorers are finding their niche on this team on defense as outside fullbacks.

Wilburn, of Providence, is somewhat of a utility player, able to fill many roles depending on what the game conditions necessitate. Usually, he’s used at either midfield or forward, where the team can utilize his speed and aggressiveness to generate offense.

With all four going to different schools, you’d expect some rivalry between the players, but we are told they are good buddies on and off the field, trusting each other in practices and games.

The MRL provides the highest standard of competitive play for youth teams in the Midwest region in five age groups from U14 to U18.

Javanon ’94 has played six of its scheduled seven games – winning four against Michigan Jaguars (3-2), Michigan Vardar (3-0), Galaxy 93/94 Blue of Illinois (3-0) and Minnesota Thunder (2-1).

Its losses have come against Chicago Fire Juniors Development Academy (1-0) and Lou Fusz Gold of Missouri in Evansville on Sunday (2-1).

However, victory against Blast FC of Ohio in Cincinnati on May 22 would see them clinch the U16 Premier Division Red title.

That would give Javanon an automatic berth to the Midwest (Region II) Championships from June 26-30, where they would join champions from 14 state associations, including Indiana and Kentucky.

If the boys miss out on the Midwest title, coach Derek Willis’s charges still fancy their chances of winning the Kentucky State Open Cup.

Preliminary rounds of the competition, which features a number of other local players, begins in Lexington on May 28, with the finals being held in Bowling Green on June 5 and 6.

Above: Jordan Vejar, Nick Blackwell, Daniel Wilburn and Matt Kelecy are blazing a trail with their Javanon ’94 team mates in the Midwest Regional League.

Two class soccer for Indiana

2010-05-03T18:39:00.000-07:00

The Indiana High School Athletic Association today gave the green light to reformat the boys’ and girls’ soccer state tournaments into two classes — based on school enrollment – beginning in the fall of 2011.

Both sports have been of a single class structure since the IHSAA began sponsoring the sport in 1994.

Plans for the new tournaments will be announced in the spring of next year following the next classification realignment.

http://www.ihsaa.org/dnn/Media/MediaReleases/IHSAANewsRelease5310/tabid/826/Default.aspx

World Cup Countdown – a spot of bother over leopard Zakumi

2010-05-02T13:45:00.000-07:00

They almost become as famous as the players who light up the World Cup, and sometimes they can be as controversial as decisions made during the tournament.

We’re talking about the mascots, and there have been some pretty interesting – and odd -- ones through the years.

The first was the quintessentially English lion (with the quintessentially Scottish moniker), World Cup Willie, in 1966.

Willie was considered a commercial masterstroke, who sent a feelgood factor through the team. If he could have talked, he might have even claimed it was he who helped England win the Jules Rimet trophy, as it was then.

Others include Mexican sombrero wearing boy, Juanito (1970); Naranjito, the Spanish orange (1982); German lion Goleo and his sidekick talking ball, Pille (2006); and, of course, Striker, the American pup of 1994.

Goleo was criticized because most people couldn’t see what a lion had to do with Germany, while Japan and South Korea fought over, amongst other issues, what to name its trio of representatives. The Koreans thought the names – Ato, Kaz and Nik -- were too Japanese.

And now we have South Africa’s Zakumi.

Zakumi is a leopard, a common animal found in South Africa, with green hair and wearing the green and gold colors representing those of the host nation.

His name comes from "ZA", (which stands for South Africa), and "kumi", a word that means "10" in various African languages. We are told by FIFA he is a “mascot with attitude,” and is jolly, self-confident, adventurous, spontaneous and very shrewd. Others have called him “creepy.”

I didn’t know this previously, but Zakumi is 15-years-old and his birthday falls on June 16. It coincides with Youth Day in South Africa and also with the game between the host nation and Uruguay.

Here’s the controversy: Zakumi figurines were being made in China by Shanghai Fashion Plastic Products as part of a contract in excess of $112 million.

South Africans were not best pleased on hearing this, as they believe the merchandise should be sourced locally so as to give a boost to the flailing manufacturing sector. There was also a bit of politicking going on too, as the contract was awarded to a company owned by an ANC representative member in the South African parliament.

Allegation of sweatshop conditions at the Chinese factory led to an audit, which revealed a number of non-compliance issues.

As a result, FIFA suspended the contract last month due to the abuses.
So all’s good again, except for the fact that there’s still those who think the jolly chap looks a bit creepy. You can decide for yourself come June 11.

Net-Surfers gallop to Derby Cup success!

2010-05-02T13:44:00.000-07:00

Let’s hope the weather at Churchill Downs is better this Saturday than it was for those who played at the sixth annual Derby Cup tournament at the weekend.

The rains and tornado alerts may have slowed down the competition’s gallop, but they didn’t stop the Thoroughbreds SC/Oldham County YSA hosted event reaching the finishing line.

All Saturday afternoon games were halted during play and forced to be concluded early, while the later evening matchups were decided from the mark in shootout format.

Over 180 teams from the Midwest region competed in the select soccer tournament, and among them was a large representation from southern Indiana’s Net-Surfers, which had six teams participating over the three days.

And the weather certainly didn’t stop Net-Surfers U12s, who won the White Division by beating the aptly named Cincinnati Thunder 1-0 in the final.

To make it there, the southern Indiana girls beat ESC United 5-2, tied 0-0 with Thoroughbreds, thumped AC United 7-0, and then took care of KASC United 4-2 in the final.

Net Surfers' U11s also made it to the final, losing out to Thoroughbreds in the decider (5-0). Before that, it had lost narrowly to the same opposition in group play (4-3), but trounced SKY SC of Bowling Green 10-0 on Saturday, and beat AC United 5-1 on Sunday. It then beat SWISA Inferno 3-1 for a place in the final.

Net-Surfers had a large representation at the Derby Cup, with other participating teams including U9 Purple and White, U10s, and U14s.

Net Surfers U14 girls beat Louisville Soccer Club Arsenal 1-0 on Friday, lost to SKY SC 2-1 on Saturday, and finished off with a 0-0 tie against the Footie Chick from Taylorsville.

U9 Purple had a nice 5-2 win against LFC on Sunday, while White beat SWISA 5-4, and the U10s tied Nelson County Elite.

Meanwhile, the second week of the Mockingbird Valley organized Louisville Cup saw U10-U18 boys in action, including four teams from Southern Indiana United.

Like the Derby Cup, this competition held at Bullitt and Oxmoor fields was also hit with stoppages thanks to the elements.

And speaking of the weather, one of those taking part was SIU U12 Storm.
Storm has had a good start to its season, as it is 2-0-2 in Kentucky Select Soccer League play and the only unbeaten team in its division.

Tim Rice’s charges got off to a thunderous start at the Louisville Cup, beating CUSC Premier Inferno 4-1, and then tied a shortened game with FSC White 1-1. It narrowly missed the chance to play in the championship game when going down by a lone goal to LSA Central.

U15 Renegade didn’t get off to a great start against Frankfort Fury (4-0), but it bounced back in style to thump Warriors ’94 Black by a 5-0 scoreline. It finished out Sunday with a 1-0 loss to LSA ’95, the eventual winners.

Others SIU teams in action included U10 Revolution, who found Nelson Titans, Carmel United Bradley and Mockingbird Green too good, and U11 Blast, who battled well against LSA East, Mockingbird Gold and Dynamo ’99 Red.

World Cup Countdown – pensioner dies in ticket crush

2010-04-25T11:51:00.000-07:00

You have to hand it to FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, for its sheer unashamed brazenness when it comes to selective reporting.

Its website is not a source you would want to heavily rely on, judging from some of its recent covering of events. One that springs to mind was its report of the Republic of Ireland v France World Cup play-off game last November, which featured one of the most controversial moments in international soccer, i.e., the Thierry Henry handball.

The FIFA site stated, “France skipper Thierry Henry won the match for the hosts when his angled pass amid a goalmouth scramble was met by the head of William Gallas.”

Speaking of mad scrambles, those FIFA chaps seemed to miss something again this past week when it ran its “All smiles as fans book seats” story about the remaining half a million World Cup tickets going on sale to the public in South Africa last Thursday morning.

All smiles? Not quite. A 64-year-old pensioner died while queuing in central Cape Town, number 565 in the line, while there were riots at other selling points.
The Cape Town queue, like others around the country, began to build up last Wednesday afternoon, with people skipping work to get their hands on the prized tickets for the 64 World Cup matches.

Around 120,000 of the tickets were available to South Africans for as little as $19, the lowest price at a World Cup for many years.

To add to the frenzy, FIFA announced that 300 late tickets would be released for the final -- a game it previously said had been sold out -- for $142.

In the capital Pretoria, police used pepper spray on people fighting in the doorway of a FIFA outlet, while fights were also broken up in Johannesburg.

Television pictures showed desperate fans - and ticket touts - scuffling over the discounted seats, having queued all night with no food or water.

Tempers flared as the computer system serving 11 outlets in the nine host cities crashed minutes after opening.

The discount followed dire sales in South Africa, where football is largely followed by those with limited access to the internet or credit cards. The complex system used by FIFA on its website was alien to most locals, who are accustomed to paying cash for their tickets on match days.

Officials acknowledged mistakes had been made and launched a new system of sales through ticketing offices and supermarkets, hoping to sell out the tournament as they are keen to make sure no empty seats remain when games are beamed to living rooms and bars across the globe this summer.

Over 2.3m of the 2.7m tickets have now been sold for the tournament, which kicks off on June 11. Of the tournament's 64 matches, 29 have sold out, including the opening and final matches, and both semi-finals.

Louisville Cups see plenty of local input

2010-04-22T05:49:00.000-07:00

There was plenty of local participation at the Louisville and Javanon Cup tournaments at the weekend.

The Louisville Cup, organized by Mockingbird Valley SC, saw girls’ teams from U10 to U18 from far and wide take to the fields at Bullitt and Oxmoor.

Emily Lewis (right) of Net-Surfers U13s in action against Shooting Stars of Evansville at the Louisville Cup last weekend.

Net-Surfers U13s, coached by Marlon Jones, lost 5-2 to a strong Carmel United team, but bounced back to beat Derby City Rossoneri 2-1. It finished up its tournament with a 5-0 loss to eventual overall winners, Shooting Stars from Evansville.

Jordan Reger scored two goals and had one assist, Madi Burns also scored twice, while Emily Lewis contributed an assist.

“Our girls have been hit with several injuries this season including two broken bones -- one is our keeper -- but these girls are keeping their chins up,” said manager Lisa Reger.

The team is looking forward to the Indiana Challenge Cup in Evansville, which starts May 21.

Meanwhile, Net-Surfers U16s lost 2-0 to NKSA Thunder (overall winners), but bounced back to beat Southeast Cincinnati SA Fusion 1-0 in the Saturday afternoon game. It rounded out its tournament against Dubois Spencer United, losing 2-0.

Louisville Soccer Alliance’s U18s has a strong local influence this year as it includes University of Southern Indiana bound Lindsay Hack, Providence goalie Alyssa Hendershot and Miriam Snyder, also a Pioneer.

Unfortunately, Hack was unavailable due to an ankle injury, but Hendershot and Snyder helped LSA win its first game against SCSA Factor 1-0.

The afternoon matchup saw the girls go down 3-1 to Kentucky Rush, and they tied their final group game with Lady Titans 2-2 on Sunday. The section was won by Central Kentucky SC Lightning.

Hendershot, who has an interest in going to Hanover College, has shown great improvement, say coaches, and distinguished herself at the weekend.

Miriam Snyder returns to Providence this fall for her senior year and is gaining great experience while showing a fantastic attitude.

This weekend is the turn of the boys, and Southern Indiana United will have three teams in action.

Renegade play in the U15 Black Division against Frankfort Fury, Warriors ’94 Black, and LSA ’95.

Revolution play in the U10 Black Division against Nelson Titans, Carmel United Bradley and Mockingbird Green.

SIU Blast plays in the U11 Black Division against LSA East, Mockingbird Gold and Dynamo ’99 Red.

Blast was in action at the Javanon Cup, which featured boys’ and girls’ teams from U10 to U15, at Louisville Soccer Park and Thurman-Hutchins Park last weekend. It lost narrowly to Javanon Black 1-0, before finding TUSC Red too good (7-0).

Meanwhile, Javanon ’95, featuring Providence defender Pierce Crawley, had a successful weekend in the prestigious Midwest Regional League with a 5-0 win against Ohio Galaxies Elite (OS) and a defeat of Crew Juniors Gold (OS) 3-1 at Eastern High School.

They will play games in Dublin, Ohio and Toledo before trying to regain the Kentucky State crown it won in 2008.

Jordan Reger of Net-Surfers U13s in action against Derby City Rossoneri at the Louisville Cup last weekend. Reger scored twice at the tournament. Photos cortesy of Lisa Reger.

World Cup Countdown – death threats taken seriously

2010-04-15T05:01:00.000-07:00

Death threats ahead of major sporting tournaments are nothing new, and last week saw two targeting the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

One in particular will be of concern to anyone from the US planning to travel to Rustenberg for the country’s opening game against England on June 12.

Algerian-based al-Qaeda group, Islamic Maghreb, said that it aims to target the game, using a form of undetectable explosive that will evade security checkpoints. It said that France, Germany and Italy were also on its list of targets.

"All those countries are part of the Zionist-Crusader campaign against Islam," it said in a statement published in a recent online issue of the jihadist 'Mushtaqun Lel Jannah'.

"How amazing could the match between the United States and England be if, during a live broadcast with a stadium packed with spectators, the sound of an explosion rumbles through the stands, the whole stadium is turned upside down and the numbers of dead bodies are in their dozens and hundreds, God willing."

The 42,000 seater Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace in Rustenberg, which will be the venue for England v USA World Cup clash on June 12.

The threat follows hot on the heels of that issued by white supremacist group, the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB), after its leader Eugène Terre'Blanche was killed on his farm following an alleged wage dispute with two employees.

Terre'Blanche had been a constant critic of the new South Africa, and the AWB immediately associated his death with the tournament.

Senior member Andre Visagie warned participating nations that they will be sending their soccer teams to a land of murder.

“Don't do that if you don't have sufficient protection for them." he said.
ESPN reported that the organization said it would be looking at ways to take "revenge" for their leader's death, which they see as a “declaration of war.”
Sensing a backlash, another member, Pieter Steyn, backtracked. "Our membership is very, very shocked, angry and horrified. [The AWB] is not going to engage in any form of violent retaliation."

FIFA said it is taking all threats seriously, and is working with authorities across the world to ensure an incident-free World Cup.

San Diego socks it to Lightning

2010-04-15T04:58:00.000-07:00

It was Louisville that was hit by lightning when San Diego Sockers showed its class in the US Open Arena Soccer Championship at Mockingbird Valley on Saturday night.

The Sockers added the knockout cup competition to its Professional Arena Soccer League North American Championship crown by beating the Lightning 11-7 at Mockingbird Valley amid a good atmosphere and plenty of dance music.

San Diego was aided in no small part by a thunderous three goal burst in the first 1:33 of the game, from which Louisville could not recover.

In fact, the Sockers entertained the 800 plus crowd by scoring five goals in the first quarter of play, with each being netted by a different player.

Down 7-2 at the break, Lightning closed the gap to 7-4 in the third quarter with a pair of quick goals, but Sockers used its experience and athleticism to keep them at bay.

“They were a savvy, experienced, veteran squad, and they certainly showed it,” said Lightning coach Scott Budnick, who won the league’s Coach of the Year honors after leading the expansion team to second place in the Eastern Conference of the PASL in its inaugural year, and to an 11-6 record overall.

On its way to the final, the Lightning beat West Virginia Quantum Force, Ohio Vortex, Detroit Waza, and Cincinnati.

The team is made up of mostly local products, with 19 of its 22 players under contract having graduated from Kentucky high schools or colleges.

Indoor games are six versus six, comprising of four 15-minute quarters, and Lightning has had average home attendances of 900 per game.

Leading goal scorer Safet Kovacevic garnered First Team All-PASL league honors, defender John Kincheloe earned Second Team, and goalkeeper Frank Peabody and defender Adam Boyer were named to the Honorable Mention Team.

The expansion is co-owned by Jeffersonville architect Wayne Estopinal (who is also chairman), and Ted Nichols. The nickname of Lightning was selected to acknowledge the city’s original professional franchise, the Louisville Thunder, which played from 1984 to 1987 and won the 1986-87 American Indoor Soccer Association championship.

Above: Louisville Lightning's Nick Judah (12) and John Kincheloe (9) in action at Mockingbird Valley

It’s five and alive for Deanery League!

2010-04-15T04:54:00.000-07:00

There are no win-loss standings, no league champions, no awards, and no play-offs.

But that doesn’t bother the hundreds of Floyd and Clark county children who will take to the fields this week as the New Albany Deanery Soccer League kicks off for the fifth time.

Organizers have said that because of the league, student participation among 3rd to 8th graders in extra-curricular activities has almost doubled in recent years.

The children will participate on a record 27 teams in games at two locations until the end of May.

Among the schools involved in the fun are Our Lady of Perpetual Help; Holy Family; Sacred Heart; St. Mary of the Knobs; St. Paul's; St. Anthony's; Providence Junior High; St Mary’s New Albany; and St Mary’s Navilleton.

First into action were the 7th and 8th grade teams on Wednesday, playing at Providence. It will be the turn of the 5th and 6th graders, who will play at OLPH (Scheller Lane) this Friday, April 16, while 3rd and 4th grade teams will play at Providence, starting on Monday April 19.

New Albany Deanery athletics co-ordinator Erik Furnish said the league is coeducational, mercy rules are strongly enforced, and there is no A or B leagues, with club players side by side with recreational players.

“I think what sets this apart is that it is considered a ministry of the church and includes kids who attend Catholic schools and public schools which are registered members of a local Catholic church,” said Furnish.

It was a conversation in October of 2005 that kick-started the league for a sport which is now the most popular in a number of the area's grade schools.

Steve Parker, Greg Reger, Mike Bittenbender and Bart Makowski had children who had all played on the same team at YMCA for three years. They thought it would be a good idea to form an official team at their children's school, Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

Sensing more of an interest in the area for the sport than he had originally envisaged, Parker decided to contact Ray Lucas, the director of youth ministries for New Albany.

Lucas explained staff was limited but they would support a league if Parker could find the people to put it together.

Above: Alex Rich (left) and Andrew Bittenbender of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in action during last year’s New Albany Deanery Soccer League game against Holy Family. The league kicks off for its fifth year this week.

Lightning hopes to strike gold

2010-04-10T13:14:00.000-07:00

In just its first season, indoor soccer program Louisville Lightning has reached the US Open Cup Final, where it will play the PASL champion and juggernaut San Diego Sockers tonight (Saturday, April 11) at Mockingbird Valley (7.30 p.m.)

The single-elimination, bracket style competition began last December with over 40 teams and is now down to the final two survivors.

On its way to the final, the Lightning has beaten West Virginia Quantum Force, Ohio Vortex, Detroit Waza, and Cincinnati. San Diego’s draw included a bye and three wins over top PASL-Premier (amateur) teams, the San Diego Fusion, Estadio Azteca All-Stars, and Vitesse Dallas.

Lightning Head Coach Scott Budnick won the league’s Coach of the Year honors after leading the expansion team to an 11-5 record despite having just one player (GM David Horne) on his roster with prior professional indoor experience.

“( San Diego Sockers) are a storied organization and have several championship banners to their name,” said Budnick. “To get a result against them for our fans would be quite an accomplishment.”

To purchase tickets, which are $10 or $35 for a family of four, check out the Lightning Web site (www.louisvillelightning.com), or call 502-727-9070.