Sunday September 5
Schedule at Log College Middle School (Field 15)

8:00 am vs Warrington
11:20 am vs CRUSA
2:40 pm vs Chestnut Hill
4:20 pm vs Warminster

The  ICSL fall schedule has been added to the team calendar.  This is not the final calendar of activities for the fall but it is getting close. Note that for some reason there is a Monday night game scheduled on September 27 at our home field.

Fall league play begins on September 11 and fall tournament dates  now have been added to the team calendar.  The first six months of team fees will be billed early in August so that we can pay for tournaments and buy some equipment.

As the second-oldest team at HVAA, our practice time in the fall likely will be the late slot at 7:15 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting August 31.  If your daughter needs new cleats now is the time to buy them while the stores have the new fa ll inventory and most sizes.

Over the winter John and Mark at CrossFit Prime will be helping the team with sports performance training.

Goals of the program are to improve:

1. Cardiovascular/Respiratory Endurance – The ability of body systems to gather, process and deliver oxygen.
2. Stamina – The ability of body systems to process, deliver, store and utilize energy.
3. Strength – The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply force.
4. Flexibility – the ability to maximize the range of motion at a given joint.
5. Power – The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply maximum force in minimum time.
6. Speed – The ability to minimize the time cycle of a repeated movement.
7. Coordination – The ability to combine several distinct movement patterns into a singular distinct movement.
8. Agility – The ability to minimize transition time from one movement pattern to another.
9. Balance – The ability to control the placement of the bodies center of gravity in relation to its support base.
10. Accuracy – The ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity.

Who gets to start and in what position depends on many factors.  First, I have some idea about most teams we play and I put out the players by position that I believe will be most successful against that particular team.   Often it is not the best 11 soccer players.

I am constantly reviewing players in games and practices to see where they are strong or where they may be struggling.  The ability and willingness to use both the right and left foot in a game is essential now.  Commitment to the team and to learning the game is a factor in overall playing time and we are now at a point where the players who constantly work on improving are the ones who stand out. Attending practices and games and working on skills at home makes a difference as there is an interesting correlation between time spent practicing and overall development as a player.

As for how I decide who to play where, outside forwards usually need to be some of the fastest players on the team. I use them to stretch the defense of the other team but I also need them to be able to control the ball to shoot or cross as needed. Occasionally I will use a player with good skills but not great speed if I think they can beat the defense with their skills and cross the ball.

I play two center midfielders and one may appear to be a center forward but really they share duties and may switch with each other on offense and defense. Those two positions are filled by players who have some of the best ball skills, who have the drive to play offense and defense and who have the stamina to run for most of the game. Outside midfielders are also players who need good stamina and who can transition between offense and defense.

Strong defenders are a rare and under-appreciated breed of player. Not everyone wants to play defense and the best defenders have a combination of toughness and speed.  Players willing to make more contact with opponents don’t need as much speed – those with more speed may not have to make as much contact to be successful. Defenders start the offense by distributing the ball forward so that the team retains possession.

If you have any questions regarding your daughter and her play on the team, please contact me.