Louisville Cups see plenty of local input

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

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

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!

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

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.

World Cup Countdown – Underestimate Slovenia at your peril

When Slovenia qualified for its first ever World Cup in 2002, it became the smallest ever nation to play on soccer’s biggest stage.

Now the 19-year-old country, which split from Yugoslavia in 1991, has done it again and finds itself in Group C with the USA, England and Algeria.

The Slovenians have been dismissed by oddsmakers as 150-1 longshots to win the tournament and considered unlikely to progress beyond stage one, ranked 12-1 third favorites of four.

However, it would dangerous for anyone here in the United States to believe it’s going to be a cakewalk for Bob Bradley’s men and England to make the last 16 from a group dubbed as the ‘group of life’.

Beating hotly fancied Russia in a two legged play-off should be warning enough that Slovenia is not turning up to South Africa for a spot of wildlife sightseeing and to lose all three group games, like it did in 2002.

Coach Matjaz Kek was an unpopular choice when appointed nearly three years ago and was labeled ‘Kekec’, a slang term for a naïve fool. He even told Zlatko Dedic in a phone conversation in 2007 that the forward did not figure in his plans anymore. Dedic went on to score the all decisive goal against Russia which guaranteed Slovenia its place in South Africa.


However, Kek has won over critics, adopting a successful 4-4-2 formation which sees his team play a neat, short passing game.

It includes experienced central defender Bostjan Cesar, two attacking full-backs in Bojan Jokic and Miso Brecko, and West Bromwich Albion's Robert Koren, who is partnered in midfield by Aleksandar Radosavljevic.

Up front, Dedic partners the star of the team, Cologne striker Milivoje Novakovic.
Another to keep an eye out for is midfielder Rene Krhin, a 19-year-old who has begun to make waves at Inter Milan.

Slovenia’s clash with England on June 23 will be interesting to say the least, following a rather heated friendly game between the pair last September. Fabio Capello’s boys won that game 2-1, but Slovenia’s players vowed afterwards that they intend to wind up Wayne Rooney -- who won a rather dubious penalty -- and exact revenge on the English.

Before that, however, it plays against the United States in Johannesburg on June 18 and this game will have a critical bearing on who qualifies for the second stage.
It is hard to envisage the Slovenians losing every match this time round (it should at least overcome Algeria), and that means they will be in there with a shout of progression. England and USA - - you have been warned!

Above: Milivoje Novakovic

Academy news won’t deter local soccer superpowers

Javanon and Mockingbird’s combined proposal to join the U.S. Soccer Federation’s Development Academy may not have been among those chosen for next season, but that will not deter them in their continuing bid for inclusion in the future.

Louisville’s biggest youth soccer clubs – which feature a number of southern Indiana players – have joined forces in an attempt to have two elite teams involved in what can best be described as a national super league.

After an extensive review process which involved more than 200 applicants across the nation, two Minnesota clubs were selected at the weekend to join the academy — Minnesota Thunder and Shattuck-St Mary’s.

Additionally, the San Jose Earthquakes and Seattle Sounders will also field teams in 2010-11, as both Major League Soccer clubs have merged with local youth clubs to further player development.


U.S. Soccer said all clubs were evaluated to determine which ones had the best potential to generate future national team players. It was based on a number of categories, including geographic location, history of player production, coaching staff and administrative capabilities.

The Development Academy was created in 2007 in an effort to bring the game up to par with the rest of the world in terms of cultivating young talent. Focus is on developing the players rather than going after results, according to coaches.

The academy structure allows scouts identify a lot more players capable of becoming part of the national team pools, and long term it is hoped to change the quality of the player at all levels of American soccer.

However, it has also attracted some criticism as the nine month season, which starts in September, clashes with high school soccer in certain areas and prevents players kitting out for their HS teams.

There is a total of 77 top youth soccer clubs in the U.S. participating in the 2009-10 season. They field one team in each of the two academy mixed-age groups at U-15/16 and U-17/18 levels.

Teams are divided into 10 geographically based divisions and play approximately 30 games a year, training at least three days a week during the season.

The top 32 teams in each age group advance to the playoffs, where they compete for one of eight spots in the academy finals week at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, which has been televised in the past on ESPN.

Althought the announcement was made on its website at the weekend (www.ussoccer.com), sources at Javanon and Mockingbird said they believed they would be notified of a decision on May 1.