U.S. Youth Soccer workshop comes to town

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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.