Elite Development League

Parents,

Monday and Wednesday came off pretty well for a good, strong start to the league.

FIELDS

The Field situation will be a work in progress. I will share updates here. Basically I am researching sources for top soil and a roller.  Hopefully this camp is the start of an on-going field development process, similar to other high level leagues. 

SCHEDULE

6 weeks of Monday training and Wednesday games--April 18, 20, 25, 27; May 2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, and 23 and 25.  ADDING 4V4 TOURNAMENT TO MAKE UP FOR MISSING APRIL 11 AND 13. By adding in the tournament in place of one week of training, the league takes on a heightened purpose, training teams for tournament play.  The Wednesday match series is the training ground for how teams will perform on June 4.  Please make it a point to try and participate in this final event.  If you are unavailable June 4--PLEASE TELL TAD. 

GUEST TEAMS INVITATION

I am reaching out to the teams I manage in Athens as well as to the coaching directors from local leagues to see if some SMALLER SIDED GUEST TEAMS (4V4) MAY WANT TO PLAY HERE ON WEDNESDAYS.  ALSO I AM INVITING TEAMS TO THE

LEAGUE TOURNAMENT

So the tournament date has been settled for one week after Memorial Day.  Players get a free tournament participation to make up for missing week 1 of the league.

4V4 TOURNAMENT ON

June 4 2016

 

SOCCER EDUCATION--

Here is what you should have learned in week 1

Law 1: The Field--The soccer field for youth games can vary by dimensions.  U6/U8 and U9/U11 will play on an EXPANDED FIELD, as soon as that gets created and painted.  The painted lines are a part of the field, so the ball is in play as long as it is over the line.  The "sidelines" are called the TOUCHLINES.  When the ball goes completely over a touchline--the ball is said to be "in touch", meaning you can pick it up with your hands--it returns to play by means of a player's THROW IN.

When the ball leaves the Field across an "end-line", called GOAL LINES-- it is returned to play by either a CORNER KICK, if the defense last touched the ball, or a GOAL KICK, if last touched by the attacking team.

You can learn soccer terms by visiting the Kicktionary--or soccer Dictionary-- at http://www.athenssocceracademy.com/home/kicktionary

 THIS WEEK--we will be explaining Law 11, or the Offside Law and talking about the goalkeeper position.

Offside--LAW 11
https://youtu.be/z0sO6VQSZ8k

SHIRTS

The shirts have arrived, and this week, I will be experimenting with how to distribute shirts either by size or color.  So because we want to create two teams in age bracket, I may distribute shirts of two colors, or we may all get the same shirt.  Please assist this week with trying on for Size and team appropriateness.

STAY AND PLAY

I am instituting a STAY & PLAY policy for any player who feels they can blend in with the next group up in age.  If you want to stay on either a Monday, when we train, or Wednesday, when we have League Games, please get the OK from TAD.  Generally this will help the player develop, IF THE PLAYER FEELS COMFORTABLE IN THE OLDER ENVIRONMENT.

Sometimes we won't know until we throw the kid out there. Soccer is amazing that way.

I am confident a player, like Vince, for example, will be playing outside of his age bracket very soon, if it is not too early.  Vince is a player in the TINY TOTS LEAGUE who creates scoring opportunities on just about every ball, and who has been known to score most of his goals while being tackled --American football style--by his team mate and younger brother, Dom.

TOURNAMENT TEAMS: UNDER 10 PLAYERS

Recruiting Players for the Marietta Soccer Classic--WHEN: May 14-15, 2016.

Cost is $40 for this additional event.

Weather looks great for this week.  See you all Monday.

Tad Albano

Athens Soccer Academy

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Week 2 Update
Monday
--learned Move 1...Stop ball using the bottom of the foot, step past, turn, accelerate away
--trained with the chip back
 --Goalkeeper training
--Shooting on the 7 foot "Big Goal"

Learning Move #1

Athens Sunday Stars Under 6 Soccer League Kickoff, Results, Standings Week 1

Athens Sunday Stars Under 6 Soccer League

  kicked off the summer season June 7, 2015 on a sunny and breezy day beside the Community Center in Athens, Ohio.

Dynamic Warmups

We begin with ball movement

Keep away from Coach--arrange players in a circle and have them pass the ball continuously to an "open" player, while avoiding Coach Tad...

You know you can't catch Coach--Arrange the players on the 3v3 field and have them try to Catch Coach before the time is up.  If Coach gets caught he does three flying ostriches, and if he does not those fall to the team.

Dynamic Stretching--Arrange players in a straight line between two Captains who decide which stretch to do as a team moving forward, jog halfway through, turn around and complete.

We did High Knees, High Heels, Stretch Kicks, Side Shuffle, and "Frankenstein Walks"

Teams Day 1

 Yellow Team "Taz"--Comprised of Coach Tad and Azrael.

 Orange Stars--Comprised of Sunday Stars

 Green Giants-- Comprised of Parents and Super-Siblings

Results

Orange Stars 3   Team Taz 1

Orange Stars 0 Parents 2

League Standings

1 Green Giants 1 Win 0 Loss

2 Orange Stars 1 Win 1 Loss

3 Team Tazrael 1 Loss

Cool Down

After and in-between games we "retree"t to the treeline for some well deserved water and shade.  We sit upon the magic carpet and draw on the strength from the ground below us as we practice some new cheers

Then we throw all of the game shirt pinnies into a "pinnie pile", all hands come in and mix the soup concoction around, when it begins to bubble we all start humming, the the caller calls out and the team replies--

Tzuka Tzaka Tzuka Tzaka

Hoy Hoy Hoy!

Tzuka Tzaka Tzuka Tzaka

Hoy Hoy Hoy!

 

ASA

All the way!

 

ASA

All the Way!

 

Mind Body Spirit

Soccer

 

We are the...

SUNDAY STARS!!!

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Then all of the pinnies and hands fly into the air in a final salute to the game, our team, and our club.

The Sunday Stars are the first to learn these new quick-cheers which can be called out at any time during a session...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hup Hup

Ho!!!!!

&

 Woop  Woop

Wo!!

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"Clean Coach's Room"

Finally, it is time to "Clean Coach's Room". Everyone Scatters about to pick up gear and return it to the magic carpet.

Clean Room Protocol

Balls in Bags

Pinnies in Pinnie Sack

Cones stacked in buckets

Buckets stacked

All bottles, bags, wrappers, boxes, shoes, shirts, blankets cleared

When the room looks in perfect order...

Class Dismissed

Athens Soccer Academy Players to Watch

Congratulations

 to these ASA 

 Players to Watch

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Under 8 Sullivan Pelot

Under 10 Bo Reese

Under 12 Shaw Morgan

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The unmistakable, irreplaceable Shaw Morgan

 

Under 10 and #10 Bo Reese

Under 8 Sully Pelot--Center, Yellow Indoor shoes

Under 8 Sullivan Pelot

How long have you played soccer?

4 Years

2) Why do you like soccer?

It's fun, and it's the most important sport in the world.

3) What positions do you play? 

#4 Target Attacker/forward

Goalkeeper

 Are there any you would like to try but haven't?

I've tried them all

4) Do you play FIFA?

YES!

Who is your favorite player and what is their overall rating?

5) Do you watch live soccer or go to soccer games?

Watch on TV

I want Dad to take me to a Columbus Crew Game

6) Which is your favorite team from MLS?

Don't have a favorite MLS Team
What is your favorite National Team or other team?

Barcelona (Spain)

7) What are you working on in soccer?

The rainbow, and the behind the back heel kick

8) What have you recently learned in soccer?

A keeper can run up to the second line

(Penalty Area Perimeter)

9) Tell me your favorite soccer story...

Well this one time in PLayStation FIFA, Messi did the cross and hit the top bar and Henry Bicycle Kicked it almost in.

10) Who are your parents---list your names as you would like them to appear.

Kenny and Meghan Pelot

11) What is your favorite food?

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, but that's just one.

12) Do you ever help out in the kitchen?  What can you cook?
Cookies
 Would you make that for our soccer potluck?

Yes

13) How do you like school?

Not as much as playing soccer

14) Do you play other sports?

No, but I've tried others.

15) If you had one wish what would it be?

To get into the Championship in soccer.

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Under 10 Bo Reese

1) How long have you played soccer?

Since I was 4

2) Why do you like soccer?

I'm good at it and I like playing it

3) What positions do you play? 

Right Wing, Left Wing and forward
 Are there any you would like to try but haven't?

Maybe Midfield and Goalie

4) Do you play FIFA?

Yes

Who is your favorite player and what is their overall rating?

My favorite player is Lionel Messi. His rating is 93

5) Do you watch live soccer or go to soccer games?

I watch it on TV, and I watch my brother's team

6) Which is your favorite team from MLS? What is your favorite National Team (country)?

I like the Columbus Crew and Argentina

7) What are you working on in soccer?

Taking up their passing lanes

8) What have you recently learned in soccer?

How to shoot

9) Tell me your favorite soccer story...

When I meg my brother

10) Who are your parents---list your names as you would like them to appear.

Danny & Heather Reese

11) What is your favorite food?

I like Spaghetti

12) Do you ever help out in the kitchen?  What can you cook?  Would you make that for our soccer potluck?

I toast a mean waffle

13) How do you like school?

I don't like school

14) Do you play other sports?

A little

15) If you had one wish what would it be?
...to get into the world Cup

Under 12 Shaw Morgan

Shaw is on the ground, laughing as friend and opponent, Nathan, dribbles past

1) How long have you played soccer?

6 months in Utah, 6 months in Japan, and 1 year in Ohio

2) Why do you like soccer?

Because I know how to play soccer. It's the sport I learned how to play first. I like the aspect of passing and making good plays.

3) What positions do you play?  Are there any you would like to try but haven't?

Midfield and defense. Attacker and goal keeper.

4) Do you play FIFA? electronic soccer

No.

5) Do you watch live soccer or go to soccer games?

Occasionally.

6) Which is your favorite team from MLS? What is your favorite National Team (country)?

Real Salt Lake. Japan

7) What are you working on in soccer?

Juggling and shooting.

8) What have you recently learned in soccer?

I learned that a 1-2 pass (or give and go) will never fail.

9) Tell me your favorite soccer story...

When I scored a goal against the really good team in U12 in the first game we played, even though they were dominating us. It was at the last minute of the game!

10) Who are your parents---list your names as you would like them to appear.

Charlie and Hisako

11) What is your favorite food?

Pasta with shrimp

12) Do you ever help out in the kitchen?  What can you cook?  Would you make that for our soccer potluck?

I do dishes. Cup Ramen and toast. Yeah, ramen.

13) How do you like school?

I don't.

14) Do you play other sports?

I played basketball for the rec league.

15) If you had one wish what would it be?

That I could see the answers on a test. So I could get all A's and get more screen time.

Watch the ASA games this Saturday at Alexander soccer fields and see why these players have been selected.  They are stars in their league and on their teams, leaders on the field, and important people in our community.

Thanks to their parents for supporting their learning curve.
Their trust in the game has paid off.

Women's Soccer Poem

The World Cup is Over,

but you did not get enough.

The Beautiful Game is calling you

to get up off your duff.

Celebrate Woman Community

Suffer small Fatigue

Manifest your Mojo

in the Sunday Women's League.