Charlestown High School is looking to introduce a new soccer program for girls in the fall.
There are believed to be 25 girls, grades 9-11, interested in playing on the team. Some of them were part of the Pirates' co-ed squad last year.
The school's athletic director, David Null, has just been given the green light to advertise for a head coach and an assistant coach.
If you are interested in starting the girls' soccer program, you can send a letter of application to: David Null, Athletic Director, Charlestown High School, #1 Pirate Place, Indiana 47111.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Play With Courage
(Published in Vype Magazine)
A Jeffersonville High School student has just returned from the Final Four -- in soccer, that is!
Red Devil Vincent Straight was a member of the Indiana team that made it to the Olympic Development Program National Championships in Frisco, Texas.
Straight, who also plays select soccer with Southern Indiana United's U15 Mavericks, was part of a '93 team which reached the final four thanks to its triumph at the Midwest regional last year.
Their reward was a place at the national championships, joining Oklahoma, Virginia and California South.
"I had a lot of fun," says Straight. "It was a very good experience for me. I never thought I would actually be competing in nationals on a state team."
Although they lost their semi-final game to Oklahoma 4-0, the Hoosiers bounced back in the consolation game to beat Virginia 2-1. In the final, California South beat Oklahoma 4-3 in overtime.
"We came into nationals losing three of our main players, including our goalie," says Straight, an attacking midfielder. "We performed well, but not together as a team in the first game. In the second game we got it together and we moved the ball around."
Straight says the competition at ODP Nationals is "a lot different" than what he's used to at Jeffersonville High School, where he was named Newcomer of the Year as a freshman in the fall, or with his SIU Mavericks team.
"Touches are better, as is vision of the field, passing, speed, strength and shooting," he says. "Everything is a lot cleaner."
His coach at Mavericks, Mike Vejar, says he is very proud of Straight, whom he has mentored for seven years.
"It is a very talented group and for Vincent to have made it was a huge accomplishment for this young man."
Straight's dad, Scott, says the achievement is even more noteworthy for the fact that, other than one player from Evansville, all squad members are from Bloomington and north of the state.
"Just like in other high school sports in Indiana, it is very hard for boys close to Louisville and so far away from Indy to get recognized at state level," he says.
The US Youth Soccer ODP was formed in 1977 to identify a pool of players in each age group from which a national team is selected for international competition. Each state association holds ODP tryouts on an annual basis.
So did Straight take away any valuable lessons from his ODP experience?
"I was told a lot of things by my coaches and the people there that I will remember and use every time I step on the field," he says. "They told us to always have courage, always take risks, and to always give 100 percent in everything you do."
Above: Jeffersonville’s Vincent Straight (right) in action for Indiana against Virginia at the ODP national championships. Photo by Bill Vieth
New soccer program set for IUS
A new club soccer program is set to start at Indiana University Southeast in the fall.
The club will be funded through sponsorships and fundraising activities, but will not be financially subsidized by the university.
One of those behind the formation of the team is Scott Klink, former president of select soccer club Southern Indiana United. He said it is hoped the program will participate in one of the local area soccer leagues, most likely the Greater Louisville Soccer League or the Louisville Soccer Amateur League.
"Both of these organizations play their games in Louisville – either at the Louisville Soccer Park or Eva Bandman Park (both on River Rd. in Louisville)," said Klink. "Our long-term goal would be to participate in the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association league, where many of the areas college club sports participate."
Klink said the university is willing to support the club by providing on-campus resources for practice and possibly home games, although they would be more likely look to some of the local area schools for home game fields.
If anyone who carries at least six credit hours per semester at IUS and maintains at least a 2.0 GPA is interested in playing soccer in the fall, and has competitive or recreational playing experience, they can contact Scott Klink at 812-949-7424, or email: sklink@insightbb.com.
The club will be funded through sponsorships and fundraising activities, but will not be financially subsidized by the university.
One of those behind the formation of the team is Scott Klink, former president of select soccer club Southern Indiana United. He said it is hoped the program will participate in one of the local area soccer leagues, most likely the Greater Louisville Soccer League or the Louisville Soccer Amateur League.
"Both of these organizations play their games in Louisville – either at the Louisville Soccer Park or Eva Bandman Park (both on River Rd. in Louisville)," said Klink. "Our long-term goal would be to participate in the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association league, where many of the areas college club sports participate."
Klink said the university is willing to support the club by providing on-campus resources for practice and possibly home games, although they would be more likely look to some of the local area schools for home game fields.
If anyone who carries at least six credit hours per semester at IUS and maintains at least a 2.0 GPA is interested in playing soccer in the fall, and has competitive or recreational playing experience, they can contact Scott Klink at 812-949-7424, or email: sklink@insightbb.com.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Ready for the big kick off ...
Here's the full version of the Louisville/Southern Indiana select soccer piece published in Vype Magazine's March '09 edition, for anyone's who's interested...
Thousands of high school students across Louisville and southern Indiana are preparing for what promises to be a very exciting spring select soccer season.
Teams have been training hard through the winter, and now it’s time to show the world what they’ve got.
Many players may have started out at the recreational level at a young age, where fun is the name of the game, and progressed to a level where they can try-out for a certain club. These tryouts are normally held almost 10 months before teams actually start playing in travel tournaments and their respective leagues. For example, Javanon an Mockingbird – two of the biggest clubs in the area – held theirs last May and June.
We bring you the teams to look out for this season, the leagues they play in and take a sneak at the tournaments they have been preparing so hard for.
The Teams
Javanon
Javanon is Louisville's -- and Kentucky's -- most successful club, having won two US Youth Soccer national championships in 1997 and 2006. In fact, it has just been named No.17 in Soccer America's best boys' clubs for 2009.
Contributing greatly to the club's current recognition nationwide is Javanon '92 boys, having grabbed all the headlines after reaching the US Youth Soccer national finals last year.
Kentucky Coach of the Year, Tim Chastonay, will be hoping his charges repeat their 2008 success at the Kentucky State Cup and the Midwest Regional Championships at Rockford, Illinois.
The team is shaping up nicely after making it to the final of the Disney Showcase in Miami in December, finding only the academy team from English giants Chelsea too good. Two of its players, Layth Masri and Taylor Hafling, were selected on an All-Star team which will travel to train and compete in England in August.
Javanon '92 will play in the Midwest Regional League (MRL) U17 Premier Division with the strongest teams in the region, including Michigan's Vardar and Vardar West, KCFC Strikers (KS) and FC Pride of Indiana.
Javanon '91 boys’ team has picked up additional players from Indiana and Southern Kentucky to improve to its already talented squad. "They have 11 players who received high school awards at the state level this year," says Javanon development director, Kay Maum. "After winning the MRL last season and adding new players for the spring we look forward to an interesting year with this team."
Javanon '94 boys is an upcoming team of which much is expected. It won the Germantown Invitational in December and will hoping for a good showing in the U15 MRL Premier Division, where Vardar (MI), FC Milwaukee and Eclipse Select (IL) will be among its opposition.
The girls' program at the club is just as strong. Javanon '91 team has been ahead of their game for years and this year should prove to be no different. After winning the last four state titles they should be ready for the spring season.
Good seasons are also expected from the '92 and '94 girls, both of which have witnessed some changes that they hope will see a return to State Cup success.
Javanon '94 girls will be playing in the Midwest Regional League's U15 Premier Division, where such powerhouses as Indiana's Carmel United, Michigan Hawks, Ohio's CSA United and Cincinnati United will be its opposition.
It’s a fact: Javanon means ‘youth’ in Farsi, the native tongue of Iran founder Ali Ahmadi.
Mockingbird Valley
Mockingbird Valley’s Select League is one of the largest in Kentucky, comprising over 30 teams.
One of those teams is three time Kentucky State Open champion Mockingbird '92 girls, who went through the US Youth Soccer Region II championships unbeaten but lost out agonizingly on goal differential.
The team has a new coach in the shape of Ben Schneweis, who was involved with the youth academy at Heart of Midlothian in Edinburgh, Scotland. Mockingbird '92 will play in the 10 team Midwest Regional League U17 Premier Division with Indiana's Dynamo, Ohio Elite, CAS Elite Panthers (OH), Cleveland.
Mockingbird '93 girls will also play in the MRL (U16 Premier) and will be hoping to go one better than runner-up in the Kentucky State Open Cup last year. They will be ably assisted in the task by an experienced coach in the shape of Jonathan Velotta, who is not only the club’s director of coaching, but is also the assistant men and women’s soccer coach at Bellarmine University.
The team features Nikki Hafele, who was recently named Gatorade Kentucky High School Player of the Year after helping Scared Heart to a state title with 14 goals.
Four time state champion Mockingbird ‘93 boys were stunned by United 1996 in last year’s state cup semi-final and the club’s assistant director of coaching, Bryan Michel, is confident Kenny Burke’s boys will bounce back. “They’ve got a phenomenal team this year and have picked up a few new players.”
This year’s U15 boys’ team was also a state finalist last year and will be guided by Rusty McIntosh, one of the most successful coaches in Mockingbird history, with four state championships in his four years with the club.
It’s a fact: The St Matthews club hosts one of the biggest cup tournaments around in the shape of the Louisville Cup. Last year, a record 143 girls’ teams and 133 boys’ teams from U9 to U18 participated. This year, the event takes place on April 18-19 for girls and April 25-26 for boys.
United 1996
United 1996 was founded in 1996 (of course!) by Bosnia's Muhamed Fazlagic a year after he settled in Louisville to be closer to members of his family. Thirteen years on and the club now has over 20 teams playing at Louisville Soccer Park and Floyds Fork Park.
Last year, United '91 International won the Kentucky Open Cup by beating Javanon '91 2-1 in the final. Braco Jusufovic's charges then beat their rival again at the regional championships in Rockford, Illinois in a thrilling 5-3 encounter.
They eventually fell to Scott Gallagher of Missouri in the semi-final, one of the teams they will again meet in the MRL this spring, along with the likes of Fort Wayne Fever (IN), Sockers FC Chicago (IL) and Springfield SC (MO). Recently, the team made the final of the U19 Disney Showcase in Miami, where it found only PDA Cruyff of New Jersey too good.
Muhamed Fazlagic believes United '92, state finalists last year, is another team people should keep an eye out for.
"Dino Sefer and Emery Hamada have been invited to go to FC Cambuur Holland for a year to advance their skills and if lucky -- and they are hardworking -- maybe they will pursue a professional career."
He says the United '93 boys have improved significantly, with several players coming over from Javanon, and the team is hoping to go one better than last year, when it was also a state finalist.
The United Club Classic is one of the first travel tournaments of the season, played the first week in March at Louisville Champions Park, Edith Road.
It's a fact: United 1996 founder Muhamed Fazlagic was a lead singer in a pop band and in 1993 represented Bosnia in the Eurovision Song Contest, one of the most watched annual events across Europe. (He came 16th!)
Thoroughbreds
Thoroughbreds Soccer Club, established in the fall of 1996, now has 300 plus players and 26 teams, which participate in the Kentucky Select Soccer League (KSSL) and the Midwest Regional League (MRL). It is affiliated with the Oldham County Youth Soccer Association (OCYSA).
The club has had seven state cup champions and 15 finalists since 2001. These include the '91 and '92 boys' teams, which won state in 2002 and 2005 respectively, and the '92 and '94 girls' teams, which were successful in 2003.
The club has totally rebuilt its Thoroughbreds ‘92 boys’ team from dormancy after a lot its players moved to the Javanon ‘92s.
“Our ‘new’ player pool is 20 plus strong and playing in the top division of the KSSL,” says Dale Helfrich, general manager and director of coaching at Thoroughbreds.
The U15 and U16 Girls (‘94s and ‘93s) have each added some much needed depth to their rosters and are building towards a solid showing at the Kentucky State Open Cup also. They intend to prepare by participating in the adidas Women’s Invitational in Brentwood, TN from May 8-10.
All of its high school boys’ teams (U15-U18) just kicked of their seasons at the Ohio Elite College Showcase at the end of February.
"It is a great early season tournament that helps get the boys closer towards match fitness, as well as getting some looks from college coaches," says Helfrich. "Several of our players that played in this event last season, got noticed early on from college coaches and signed college scholarships as a result."
It's a fact: Thoroughbreds hosts the very popular Derby Cup tournament from April 24-26.
Louisville Soccer Alliance
Louisville Soccer Alliance has over 350 select and recreational soccer players. Its 20 travel teams play in the Kentucky Select Soccer League.
Ollie Barber, LSA's high school age group co-ordinator, says it is an exciting time at the relatively new club, which is in the process of building a $1.5 million complex on the western edge of Louisville.
"We hope to make it to the point where we have an integrated program throughout the city," he says.
LSA has had at least one team in each of the past three Kentucky Open Cup finals, and the club is looking to its '92 girls' team and U15 freshman-filled '94 boys' team to continue the tradition.
The '92 girls are coached by John Kassebaum and the squad has been bolstered by some nice additions from Mockingbird and southern Indiana.
The U15 boys team, meanwhile, is coached by Bruce Yeagle, and will be hoping to be at the business end of state cup play.
It’s a fact: U15 boys’ coach Bruce Yeagle is best known in youth soccer circles for guiding Javanon's U19 team to national success in 2006.
Indiana
Southern Indiana United
Southern Indiana United was formed in 2004 when Floyd County Youth Soccer Association merged with SIU Soccer Club to form an organization to promote both recreational and select youth soccer teams.
SIU will be looking to its U15 Mavericks, U16 Rampage and U18 boys' teams for success this spring. All three will play at the Indiana State Cup, which is part of the US Youth Soccer National Championship series and features 16 teams in each age group.
U16 Rampage, which won the Indiana Challenge Cup in 2007, has advanced into the prestigious Indiana Soccer League (ISL) premier division.
"Our goals are to win at least one tournament this spring and finish as one of the top two teams in the ISL," says coach Bruce Rigsby. "Also, we would like to have a great showing in the State Tournament by coming out of the first round with a winning record." Rampage is dedicating its season to Kathy Brown, who recently passed away. Her sons Wade and Trent play on the team.
U15 Mavericks, which was runner-up in the Indiana Challenge Cup last year, will play in both the ISL first division and the KSSL premier division. Coach Mike Vejar says he has "high hopes" of hiss diverse group of players making the final four.
SIU's U18 team has a number of valuable new acquisitions, including Floyd Central's Jordan Adams, who scored a record breaking 29 goals in 18 games for the Highlanders in the fall, as well as Jim Curd and Omar Salguero from Providence. Brandon Rogers' side will be playing in the ISL also this season, and is confident of a fine showing in the State Cup.
It’s a fact: One of SIU’s best known and tireless members, vice president with responsibility for select soccer, Debbie Webb, has no children playing with the club.
Net-Surfers
Net-Surfers is an all-girls' club from southern Indiana which was founded in 1995. Starting out with a girls' and a boys' team, it dropped the boys' outfit a year later.
While long-time coach Dave Smith is expecting its talented non high school age going U13 and U14 teams to fly the flag for the club -- both play in the Indiana State Cup this year -- he says the U17 girls' team is fortunate to have gained the coaching services of Shannon Smyth and Lindsay Boling.
Smyth, a starting striker for the UofL women's team the past three years, is on cue to graduate in May and hasn't ruled out playing professionally in Europe. Boling, the Lady Cards' leading scored as a junior midfielder last fall, was a high school all-American at Louisville's Sacred Heart Academy. Together they bring a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to a team that will be playing in the KSSL.
"We can't wait to get started," Smyth said. "The girls have so much potential and seem to enjoy being together. It's going to be a fun season.”
It's a fact: Net-Surfers' coach Shannon Smyth played for Ireland in the World University Games in 2007, reaching the final four.
The Leagues
Midwest Regional League (MRL)
The Midwest Regional League provides the highest standard of competitive play for more than 600 elite youth teams in 13 states. Teams in the MRL's top tier (Premier Division) vie for wildcard spots in US Youth Soccer Region II Championships, which this year will be held at Sioux Falls (SD) from June 19-24. Competition in the spring season will feature both Boys and Girls U-14 through U-18 age groups.
Kentucky Select Soccer League (KSSL)
The Kentucky Select Soccer League was formed in January 1998 and is now made up of more than 300 teams from 40 soccer clubs in Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia. Local teams involved in the league include Clark Co Indiana YSA, Javanon, Louisville Soccer Alliance, Net-Surfers, Southern Indiana United, Mockingbird, Thoroughbreds and United 1996.
Indiana Soccer League (ISL)
The Indiana Soccer League was established to provide a top level of competition throughout the state of Indiana for teams U13 through U18 at Premier, first division and second division level. The spring season starts on April 4 and runs until June 7.
The Tournaments
Clubs play in many travel tournaments, which obviously have their own prestige attached (some we’ve already mentioned), but all are used ultimately in pursuit of the ‘holy grail’ – winning state, and possibly going beyond to regional and national.
The Kentucky State Open Cup is the first step in the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series, the nation's premier youth soccer tournament. It is organized by the Kentucky Youth Soccer Association (KYSA) and is open to teams aged Under 13 through Under 19, both boys and girls. The first weekend will be played from May 23-25 in Lexington, with the second weekend being played at Lover's Lane Soccer Complex in Bowling Green on May 30 and 31.
The preliminary rounds of the Indiana State Cup, organized by the Indiana Youth Soccer Association (IYSA), will be held at FC Pride's Lawrence Soccer Complex in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne USA Citadel's Kreager Park from May 15-17. The finals will held at Goebel Park, Evansville from June 5-7.
Winners of the Kentucky State Open Cup and the Indiana State Cup advance to US Youth Soccer Region II Championships at Sioux Falls, South Dakota (June 19-24). Winners of the regional competition will advance to the national championships in Lancaster, MA from July 21-26.
Meanwhile, the 2009 Indiana Challenge Cup Preliminary Round -- which a number of southern Indiana teams will also be participating in -- will be held May 29-31 and the finals will be held from June 12-14.
Here's the full version of the Louisville/Southern Indiana select soccer piece published in Vype Magazine's March '09 edition, for anyone's who's interested...
Thousands of high school students across Louisville and southern Indiana are preparing for what promises to be a very exciting spring select soccer season.
Teams have been training hard through the winter, and now it’s time to show the world what they’ve got.
Many players may have started out at the recreational level at a young age, where fun is the name of the game, and progressed to a level where they can try-out for a certain club. These tryouts are normally held almost 10 months before teams actually start playing in travel tournaments and their respective leagues. For example, Javanon an Mockingbird – two of the biggest clubs in the area – held theirs last May and June.
We bring you the teams to look out for this season, the leagues they play in and take a sneak at the tournaments they have been preparing so hard for.
The Teams
Javanon
Javanon is Louisville's -- and Kentucky's -- most successful club, having won two US Youth Soccer national championships in 1997 and 2006. In fact, it has just been named No.17 in Soccer America's best boys' clubs for 2009.
Contributing greatly to the club's current recognition nationwide is Javanon '92 boys, having grabbed all the headlines after reaching the US Youth Soccer national finals last year.
Kentucky Coach of the Year, Tim Chastonay, will be hoping his charges repeat their 2008 success at the Kentucky State Cup and the Midwest Regional Championships at Rockford, Illinois.
The team is shaping up nicely after making it to the final of the Disney Showcase in Miami in December, finding only the academy team from English giants Chelsea too good. Two of its players, Layth Masri and Taylor Hafling, were selected on an All-Star team which will travel to train and compete in England in August.
Javanon '92 will play in the Midwest Regional League (MRL) U17 Premier Division with the strongest teams in the region, including Michigan's Vardar and Vardar West, KCFC Strikers (KS) and FC Pride of Indiana.
Javanon '91 boys’ team has picked up additional players from Indiana and Southern Kentucky to improve to its already talented squad. "They have 11 players who received high school awards at the state level this year," says Javanon development director, Kay Maum. "After winning the MRL last season and adding new players for the spring we look forward to an interesting year with this team."
Javanon '94 boys is an upcoming team of which much is expected. It won the Germantown Invitational in December and will hoping for a good showing in the U15 MRL Premier Division, where Vardar (MI), FC Milwaukee and Eclipse Select (IL) will be among its opposition.
The girls' program at the club is just as strong. Javanon '91 team has been ahead of their game for years and this year should prove to be no different. After winning the last four state titles they should be ready for the spring season.
Good seasons are also expected from the '92 and '94 girls, both of which have witnessed some changes that they hope will see a return to State Cup success.
Javanon '94 girls will be playing in the Midwest Regional League's U15 Premier Division, where such powerhouses as Indiana's Carmel United, Michigan Hawks, Ohio's CSA United and Cincinnati United will be its opposition.
It’s a fact: Javanon means ‘youth’ in Farsi, the native tongue of Iran founder Ali Ahmadi.
Mockingbird Valley
Mockingbird Valley’s Select League is one of the largest in Kentucky, comprising over 30 teams.
One of those teams is three time Kentucky State Open champion Mockingbird '92 girls, who went through the US Youth Soccer Region II championships unbeaten but lost out agonizingly on goal differential.
The team has a new coach in the shape of Ben Schneweis, who was involved with the youth academy at Heart of Midlothian in Edinburgh, Scotland. Mockingbird '92 will play in the 10 team Midwest Regional League U17 Premier Division with Indiana's Dynamo, Ohio Elite, CAS Elite Panthers (OH), Cleveland.
Mockingbird '93 girls will also play in the MRL (U16 Premier) and will be hoping to go one better than runner-up in the Kentucky State Open Cup last year. They will be ably assisted in the task by an experienced coach in the shape of Jonathan Velotta, who is not only the club’s director of coaching, but is also the assistant men and women’s soccer coach at Bellarmine University.
The team features Nikki Hafele, who was recently named Gatorade Kentucky High School Player of the Year after helping Scared Heart to a state title with 14 goals.
Four time state champion Mockingbird ‘93 boys were stunned by United 1996 in last year’s state cup semi-final and the club’s assistant director of coaching, Bryan Michel, is confident Kenny Burke’s boys will bounce back. “They’ve got a phenomenal team this year and have picked up a few new players.”
This year’s U15 boys’ team was also a state finalist last year and will be guided by Rusty McIntosh, one of the most successful coaches in Mockingbird history, with four state championships in his four years with the club.
It’s a fact: The St Matthews club hosts one of the biggest cup tournaments around in the shape of the Louisville Cup. Last year, a record 143 girls’ teams and 133 boys’ teams from U9 to U18 participated. This year, the event takes place on April 18-19 for girls and April 25-26 for boys.
United 1996
United 1996 was founded in 1996 (of course!) by Bosnia's Muhamed Fazlagic a year after he settled in Louisville to be closer to members of his family. Thirteen years on and the club now has over 20 teams playing at Louisville Soccer Park and Floyds Fork Park.
Last year, United '91 International won the Kentucky Open Cup by beating Javanon '91 2-1 in the final. Braco Jusufovic's charges then beat their rival again at the regional championships in Rockford, Illinois in a thrilling 5-3 encounter.
They eventually fell to Scott Gallagher of Missouri in the semi-final, one of the teams they will again meet in the MRL this spring, along with the likes of Fort Wayne Fever (IN), Sockers FC Chicago (IL) and Springfield SC (MO). Recently, the team made the final of the U19 Disney Showcase in Miami, where it found only PDA Cruyff of New Jersey too good.
Muhamed Fazlagic believes United '92, state finalists last year, is another team people should keep an eye out for.
"Dino Sefer and Emery Hamada have been invited to go to FC Cambuur Holland for a year to advance their skills and if lucky -- and they are hardworking -- maybe they will pursue a professional career."
He says the United '93 boys have improved significantly, with several players coming over from Javanon, and the team is hoping to go one better than last year, when it was also a state finalist.
The United Club Classic is one of the first travel tournaments of the season, played the first week in March at Louisville Champions Park, Edith Road.
It's a fact: United 1996 founder Muhamed Fazlagic was a lead singer in a pop band and in 1993 represented Bosnia in the Eurovision Song Contest, one of the most watched annual events across Europe. (He came 16th!)
Thoroughbreds
Thoroughbreds Soccer Club, established in the fall of 1996, now has 300 plus players and 26 teams, which participate in the Kentucky Select Soccer League (KSSL) and the Midwest Regional League (MRL). It is affiliated with the Oldham County Youth Soccer Association (OCYSA).
The club has had seven state cup champions and 15 finalists since 2001. These include the '91 and '92 boys' teams, which won state in 2002 and 2005 respectively, and the '92 and '94 girls' teams, which were successful in 2003.
The club has totally rebuilt its Thoroughbreds ‘92 boys’ team from dormancy after a lot its players moved to the Javanon ‘92s.
“Our ‘new’ player pool is 20 plus strong and playing in the top division of the KSSL,” says Dale Helfrich, general manager and director of coaching at Thoroughbreds.
The U15 and U16 Girls (‘94s and ‘93s) have each added some much needed depth to their rosters and are building towards a solid showing at the Kentucky State Open Cup also. They intend to prepare by participating in the adidas Women’s Invitational in Brentwood, TN from May 8-10.
All of its high school boys’ teams (U15-U18) just kicked of their seasons at the Ohio Elite College Showcase at the end of February.
"It is a great early season tournament that helps get the boys closer towards match fitness, as well as getting some looks from college coaches," says Helfrich. "Several of our players that played in this event last season, got noticed early on from college coaches and signed college scholarships as a result."
It's a fact: Thoroughbreds hosts the very popular Derby Cup tournament from April 24-26.
Louisville Soccer Alliance
Louisville Soccer Alliance has over 350 select and recreational soccer players. Its 20 travel teams play in the Kentucky Select Soccer League.
Ollie Barber, LSA's high school age group co-ordinator, says it is an exciting time at the relatively new club, which is in the process of building a $1.5 million complex on the western edge of Louisville.
"We hope to make it to the point where we have an integrated program throughout the city," he says.
LSA has had at least one team in each of the past three Kentucky Open Cup finals, and the club is looking to its '92 girls' team and U15 freshman-filled '94 boys' team to continue the tradition.
The '92 girls are coached by John Kassebaum and the squad has been bolstered by some nice additions from Mockingbird and southern Indiana.
The U15 boys team, meanwhile, is coached by Bruce Yeagle, and will be hoping to be at the business end of state cup play.
It’s a fact: U15 boys’ coach Bruce Yeagle is best known in youth soccer circles for guiding Javanon's U19 team to national success in 2006.
Indiana
Southern Indiana United
Southern Indiana United was formed in 2004 when Floyd County Youth Soccer Association merged with SIU Soccer Club to form an organization to promote both recreational and select youth soccer teams.
SIU will be looking to its U15 Mavericks, U16 Rampage and U18 boys' teams for success this spring. All three will play at the Indiana State Cup, which is part of the US Youth Soccer National Championship series and features 16 teams in each age group.
U16 Rampage, which won the Indiana Challenge Cup in 2007, has advanced into the prestigious Indiana Soccer League (ISL) premier division.
"Our goals are to win at least one tournament this spring and finish as one of the top two teams in the ISL," says coach Bruce Rigsby. "Also, we would like to have a great showing in the State Tournament by coming out of the first round with a winning record." Rampage is dedicating its season to Kathy Brown, who recently passed away. Her sons Wade and Trent play on the team.
U15 Mavericks, which was runner-up in the Indiana Challenge Cup last year, will play in both the ISL first division and the KSSL premier division. Coach Mike Vejar says he has "high hopes" of hiss diverse group of players making the final four.
SIU's U18 team has a number of valuable new acquisitions, including Floyd Central's Jordan Adams, who scored a record breaking 29 goals in 18 games for the Highlanders in the fall, as well as Jim Curd and Omar Salguero from Providence. Brandon Rogers' side will be playing in the ISL also this season, and is confident of a fine showing in the State Cup.
It’s a fact: One of SIU’s best known and tireless members, vice president with responsibility for select soccer, Debbie Webb, has no children playing with the club.
Net-Surfers
Net-Surfers is an all-girls' club from southern Indiana which was founded in 1995. Starting out with a girls' and a boys' team, it dropped the boys' outfit a year later.
While long-time coach Dave Smith is expecting its talented non high school age going U13 and U14 teams to fly the flag for the club -- both play in the Indiana State Cup this year -- he says the U17 girls' team is fortunate to have gained the coaching services of Shannon Smyth and Lindsay Boling.
Smyth, a starting striker for the UofL women's team the past three years, is on cue to graduate in May and hasn't ruled out playing professionally in Europe. Boling, the Lady Cards' leading scored as a junior midfielder last fall, was a high school all-American at Louisville's Sacred Heart Academy. Together they bring a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to a team that will be playing in the KSSL.
"We can't wait to get started," Smyth said. "The girls have so much potential and seem to enjoy being together. It's going to be a fun season.”
It's a fact: Net-Surfers' coach Shannon Smyth played for Ireland in the World University Games in 2007, reaching the final four.
The Leagues
Midwest Regional League (MRL)
The Midwest Regional League provides the highest standard of competitive play for more than 600 elite youth teams in 13 states. Teams in the MRL's top tier (Premier Division) vie for wildcard spots in US Youth Soccer Region II Championships, which this year will be held at Sioux Falls (SD) from June 19-24. Competition in the spring season will feature both Boys and Girls U-14 through U-18 age groups.
Kentucky Select Soccer League (KSSL)
The Kentucky Select Soccer League was formed in January 1998 and is now made up of more than 300 teams from 40 soccer clubs in Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia. Local teams involved in the league include Clark Co Indiana YSA, Javanon, Louisville Soccer Alliance, Net-Surfers, Southern Indiana United, Mockingbird, Thoroughbreds and United 1996.
Indiana Soccer League (ISL)
The Indiana Soccer League was established to provide a top level of competition throughout the state of Indiana for teams U13 through U18 at Premier, first division and second division level. The spring season starts on April 4 and runs until June 7.
The Tournaments
Clubs play in many travel tournaments, which obviously have their own prestige attached (some we’ve already mentioned), but all are used ultimately in pursuit of the ‘holy grail’ – winning state, and possibly going beyond to regional and national.
The Kentucky State Open Cup is the first step in the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series, the nation's premier youth soccer tournament. It is organized by the Kentucky Youth Soccer Association (KYSA) and is open to teams aged Under 13 through Under 19, both boys and girls. The first weekend will be played from May 23-25 in Lexington, with the second weekend being played at Lover's Lane Soccer Complex in Bowling Green on May 30 and 31.
The preliminary rounds of the Indiana State Cup, organized by the Indiana Youth Soccer Association (IYSA), will be held at FC Pride's Lawrence Soccer Complex in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne USA Citadel's Kreager Park from May 15-17. The finals will held at Goebel Park, Evansville from June 5-7.
Winners of the Kentucky State Open Cup and the Indiana State Cup advance to US Youth Soccer Region II Championships at Sioux Falls, South Dakota (June 19-24). Winners of the regional competition will advance to the national championships in Lancaster, MA from July 21-26.
Meanwhile, the 2009 Indiana Challenge Cup Preliminary Round -- which a number of southern Indiana teams will also be participating in -- will be held May 29-31 and the finals will be held from June 12-14.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Teams aim to hit right notes at United Cup
There are not many soccer clubs that are founded by ex- pop stars, but we are fortunate to have one not a million miles away from us.
United 1996's Muhamed Fazlagic was the lead singer of Fazla, who in 1993 represented war-torn Bosnia at the Eurovision Song Contest, one of the most watched annual events across Europe.
Fazla came 16th of 25, but it wasn't that bad really as far as Eurovision songs go. (You can decide for yourself by checking it out at: www.youtube.com/watchv=hJctjigBfuI)
A year after settling in Louisville in 1995, Fazlagic founded United 1996. Thirteen years on and the club now has over 20 teams and two of its teams -- United '91 International and U19s -- won Kentucky state titles last year.
The club's big travel tournament, the United Cup Classic, takes place this weekend at Louisville Champions' Park, Edith Road, and signals the start of the spring soccer season for a number of teams.
In the girls' section, Net-Surfers field three teams. If you saw our feature on the club on Sunday, you'd know that the U17 team is benefitting from the coaching experience of University of Louisville's Shannon Smyth and Lindsay Boling. They play on Saturday against United 1996 '92 and Indy Burn, and play the hosts' '91 team on Sunday.
Net-Surfers '95, coached by Errol Morgan, will play in the Indiana State Cup this year, which places them among the elite teams in their age bracket in Indiana. They kick off their season at the United Cup Classic on Saturday against the hosts and Knoxville FC's FC Crush '95 Orange, and finish off the group stage against Swanner Athletic on Sunday.
The U11s are the third Net-Surfers team playing in the tournament and they will take on United 1996 and Hoosiers Futbol Club on Saturday, and Nelson County YSA Rowdies on Sunday.
Meanwhile, in the boys' section Southern Indiana United's U18s play in the second division against Indianapolis Rangers and Fort Wayne Citadel on Saturday. Brandon Rogers' side will finish the group stage against Louisville Soccer Alliance '91 on Sunday.
Kossis plays in Cyprus
Speaking of Southern Indiana United's U18's, former player Stephan Kossis is now togging out for Cyprus club Apollon Limassol.
According to New Albany High School's Blotter newspaper, the Bulldog senior -- who graduated early -- tried out with the first division outfit and will be used as a reserve.
His dad, originally from Greece, was offered a job in Cyprus and the family thought it would be in their best interest to return to Europe.
"The level of play is incredible," Kossis told reporter Kelsey Greater, adding that NAHS's soccer conditioning does not compare to the difficulty, the level of commitment and hard work of Apollon, currently lying fifth in the league.
Kossis, who won a sectional title with New Albany in the fall, will be returning to the US after the summer to go to college.
Chelsea goes to Brazil
While we're on matters international, it's worth mentioning Jeffersonville's Chelsea Grover, who recently went on a productive nine day trip to Brazil with Western Kentucky University.
While staying in Rio De Janeiro, they toured the Brazilian national team training facilities, stepped in legend Pele's footprints and played a lot of beach soccer, we are told.
Oh, and they also went undefeated on the field, with Grover scoring against one of the U21 Brazilian club teams.
United 1996's Muhamed Fazlagic was the lead singer of Fazla, who in 1993 represented war-torn Bosnia at the Eurovision Song Contest, one of the most watched annual events across Europe.
Fazla came 16th of 25, but it wasn't that bad really as far as Eurovision songs go. (You can decide for yourself by checking it out at: www.youtube.com/watchv=hJctjigBfuI)
A year after settling in Louisville in 1995, Fazlagic founded United 1996. Thirteen years on and the club now has over 20 teams and two of its teams -- United '91 International and U19s -- won Kentucky state titles last year.
The club's big travel tournament, the United Cup Classic, takes place this weekend at Louisville Champions' Park, Edith Road, and signals the start of the spring soccer season for a number of teams.
In the girls' section, Net-Surfers field three teams. If you saw our feature on the club on Sunday, you'd know that the U17 team is benefitting from the coaching experience of University of Louisville's Shannon Smyth and Lindsay Boling. They play on Saturday against United 1996 '92 and Indy Burn, and play the hosts' '91 team on Sunday.
Net-Surfers '95, coached by Errol Morgan, will play in the Indiana State Cup this year, which places them among the elite teams in their age bracket in Indiana. They kick off their season at the United Cup Classic on Saturday against the hosts and Knoxville FC's FC Crush '95 Orange, and finish off the group stage against Swanner Athletic on Sunday.
The U11s are the third Net-Surfers team playing in the tournament and they will take on United 1996 and Hoosiers Futbol Club on Saturday, and Nelson County YSA Rowdies on Sunday.
Meanwhile, in the boys' section Southern Indiana United's U18s play in the second division against Indianapolis Rangers and Fort Wayne Citadel on Saturday. Brandon Rogers' side will finish the group stage against Louisville Soccer Alliance '91 on Sunday.
Kossis plays in Cyprus
Speaking of Southern Indiana United's U18's, former player Stephan Kossis is now togging out for Cyprus club Apollon Limassol.
According to New Albany High School's Blotter newspaper, the Bulldog senior -- who graduated early -- tried out with the first division outfit and will be used as a reserve.
His dad, originally from Greece, was offered a job in Cyprus and the family thought it would be in their best interest to return to Europe.
"The level of play is incredible," Kossis told reporter Kelsey Greater, adding that NAHS's soccer conditioning does not compare to the difficulty, the level of commitment and hard work of Apollon, currently lying fifth in the league.
Kossis, who won a sectional title with New Albany in the fall, will be returning to the US after the summer to go to college.
Chelsea goes to Brazil
While we're on matters international, it's worth mentioning Jeffersonville's Chelsea Grover, who recently went on a productive nine day trip to Brazil with Western Kentucky University.
While staying in Rio De Janeiro, they toured the Brazilian national team training facilities, stepped in legend Pele's footprints and played a lot of beach soccer, we are told.
Oh, and they also went undefeated on the field, with Grover scoring against one of the U21 Brazilian club teams.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Net-Surfers ready to make waves
Southern Indiana's Net-Surfers are ready to make waves during the new select soccer season with the help of some top talent.
This year, the all-girls' club will field competitive teams from U11 to U17 age categories. It will also run a flourishing academy program for players ages 5-10.
The U17 team is first into action this weekend in the United Cup Classic tournament in Louisville, and is fortunate to have gained the coaching services of University of Louisville's Shannon Smyth and Lindsay Boling.
Smyth, a starting striker for the Lady Cards the past three years, is on cue to graduate in May and hasn't ruled out playing professionally in Europe. Among her most notable achievements to date was playing for Ireland in the World University Games in 2007, when the Girls in Green surprised many by reaching the final four.
Boling, meanwhile, is the Lady Cards' leading scored as a junior midfielder last fall, was a high school all-American at Louisville's Sacred Heart Academy.
Together, they bring a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to a team that will be playing in the Kentucky Select Soccer League this spring.
First up for the girls, however, is the United Cup Classic (U18 category) and Smyth said they can't wait to get started, with games on Saturday against the hosts United 1996 '91 and Indy Burn.
"The girls have so much potential and seem to enjoy being together," she said. "It's going to be a fun season.”
Net-Surfers' long-time coach, Dave Smith, said the club is also expecting its talented U13 and U14 teams to perform well this year. Both will play in the Indiana State Cup this year, placing them among the elite teams in their age bracket in Indiana.
The U14s, coached by Errol Morgan, matched Javanon for the top won-loss record in the KSSL Gold Division last fall, and finished second based on points.
Morgan, who now also serves as co-director of coaching for programs and events, has high hopes for his side.
"We finished strong, playing up in the U15 division at the Veterans' Tournament in Evansville last November, and made the final round," he said.
Coach Dave Carrier's U13 Net-Surfers won the silver division of the KSSL last autumn, were finalists in the Louisville Cup and return a talented group of youngsters.
"We're honored to be selected one of 16 squads to have a chance at the Indiana State Cup," said Carrier.
Another team to keep an eye out for is Net-Surfers '94, who will compete in the KSSL. The team comprises many talented and diverse players who earned spots and playing time on their schools' varsity squads in the fall.
Last year, it competed in the Indiana Soccer league, finishing fourth of nine other club teams from all across the state. A notable win was the 1-0 victory over Carmel. They were also chosen as the league's fairness award winner, which is selected based on the game reports from all the coaches and refs during the season.
Dave Smith said the club is grateful to have president and U12 assistant coach Greg Reger at the reigns.
"Greg has done a marvelous job of leading the club from a business perspective," he said. "He's organized, committed and always positive. We're in good hands and moving forward."
Above: University of Louisville’s Shannon Smyth (left) and Lindsay Boling
Who'd be a ref?
The spring soccer season is just around the corner and teams are putting the finishing touches to their preparations.
That includes travel and recreational teams, as well as the Catholic Deanery leagues for 3rd to 8th grades.
How many of the players, parents and coaches attached to these teams and leagues actually have a very good knowledge of laws of the game, do you think?
For example, how many know the difference between a direct and indirect free kick, or know what offenses cause the referee to call a free direct or indirect in the first place? And then there's the offside rule, of course.
You'd be surprised how few are competent in the laws of the game, and it's this ignorance that quite often leads to the abuse of referees. Many of the officials in the area are young (you can now be a referee once you hit 12 years of age) and being yelled at a lot can frighten many of them off. This, in turn, leads to a shortage of referees.
Other than having courses set up around the area specifically for parents, another great way to learn more is by actually taking a referee's course.
This weekend, I decided to do just that by three day Grade 8 beginners' class for referees at Mt Tabor Elementary School in New Albany. It is a United States Soccer Federation recognized course organized by the Indiana State Referees' Committee. I believe anyone involved in the game should take the class, whether they have designs on being a referee or not, as it helps you understand what the referee is calling and why.
Most of those taking it were quite young -- 11 years and up -- and are already involved in the game in a playing capacity, be it with recreational teams, select teams or high school. There was just one other adult.
Of those that will last through the early days of refereeing -- and many seemed to be very knowledgeable of the game -- they should do well for themselves. Many young people make good seasonal pocket money from doing games. It starts at $8 a game and you can do quit a few of the younger age level games in a day. Then there are the likes of high school games and tournaments, where the pay is better.
Instructors Tom Berger and Heinz Pedolzky – also both experienced referees -- went through the 17 laws of the game, from the field of play to the offside rule, to fouls and misconduct. Some video clips were used from games as examples, and there was a fun oral quiz, where we were pitted against each other to test our speed and knowledge of what we’d learned.
After the three days, we took a 100-question multiple choice test (you need 75 to pass), after which we were presented with our referees’ badges. Next, it's out onto the fields of southern Indiana, when the new refs will be assigned to games a referees and assistant referees. Most will start officiating in just a few weeks.
Take it easy on us, and remember – it’s only a game!
For further information on how to become a referee, contact Gemma Newland at : gemma.nwl@sbcglobal.net or Teresa Knear Bell at : tknearbell1@yahoo.com
That includes travel and recreational teams, as well as the Catholic Deanery leagues for 3rd to 8th grades.
How many of the players, parents and coaches attached to these teams and leagues actually have a very good knowledge of laws of the game, do you think?
For example, how many know the difference between a direct and indirect free kick, or know what offenses cause the referee to call a free direct or indirect in the first place? And then there's the offside rule, of course.
You'd be surprised how few are competent in the laws of the game, and it's this ignorance that quite often leads to the abuse of referees. Many of the officials in the area are young (you can now be a referee once you hit 12 years of age) and being yelled at a lot can frighten many of them off. This, in turn, leads to a shortage of referees.
Other than having courses set up around the area specifically for parents, another great way to learn more is by actually taking a referee's course.
This weekend, I decided to do just that by three day Grade 8 beginners' class for referees at Mt Tabor Elementary School in New Albany. It is a United States Soccer Federation recognized course organized by the Indiana State Referees' Committee. I believe anyone involved in the game should take the class, whether they have designs on being a referee or not, as it helps you understand what the referee is calling and why.
Most of those taking it were quite young -- 11 years and up -- and are already involved in the game in a playing capacity, be it with recreational teams, select teams or high school. There was just one other adult.
Of those that will last through the early days of refereeing -- and many seemed to be very knowledgeable of the game -- they should do well for themselves. Many young people make good seasonal pocket money from doing games. It starts at $8 a game and you can do quit a few of the younger age level games in a day. Then there are the likes of high school games and tournaments, where the pay is better.
Instructors Tom Berger and Heinz Pedolzky – also both experienced referees -- went through the 17 laws of the game, from the field of play to the offside rule, to fouls and misconduct. Some video clips were used from games as examples, and there was a fun oral quiz, where we were pitted against each other to test our speed and knowledge of what we’d learned.
After the three days, we took a 100-question multiple choice test (you need 75 to pass), after which we were presented with our referees’ badges. Next, it's out onto the fields of southern Indiana, when the new refs will be assigned to games a referees and assistant referees. Most will start officiating in just a few weeks.
Take it easy on us, and remember – it’s only a game!
For further information on how to become a referee, contact Gemma Newland at : gemma.nwl@sbcglobal.net or Teresa Knear Bell at : tknearbell1@yahoo.com
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