crown logo

Sophia and Caroline Like the logo with a crown on it. We vote to do t-shirts!

Team Logos

Here are some possible logos if we want to do shirts. Thanks Kevin L. ! Comment on which you like or if you have other ideas.

Tournament Info

Santos: Please arrive 60 minutes before the first game, i.e., arrive at 10:40 AM. Here's the map.
Please review the video below before the tournament and reflect on what we discussed Thursday. We must win balls in the air BEFORE they hit the ground. We must be willing to play physically on all lines but especially in the back. When you tackle, tackle hard. Midfielders must mark up defensively around the penalty box especially defending layoff or backwards passes for shots. Midfielders must also use the ENTIRE width of the field, remember there is usually open space behind you. Imagine it, then use it.

We must finish better offensively. Before shooting, look up and find the goalkeeper, look back at the ball, take a breath, be calm, remember the goalie's position and where an opening in the goal is, and then place the ball accurately into that opening. The far post on the ground is often a good option. If you are shooting from distance, be sure to keep your eye on the ball as you shoot. Trust your technique and use power. If we have thick grass, remember to shoot harder than you do on turf.

Get a good night's sleep and be ready tomorrow.

tournament question

hi everyone,

I was wondering what we would like to do about the span of time between games this weekend. 

Should we all pack a light lunch and hang out together in between games, or should we all do our own thing and be back by 3 ish for the later game?

Soccer tactics

Many of last year's Santos have seen this already but I'd like for everyone, new or old to review the video in preparation for our Wednesday scrimmage and tournament.

The video provides good descriptions of tactics we intend to use this season and a few other pointers that all players on our team must keep in mind. Please use the guide below when viewing the video.

Four Key Space Section

Scoring Zone
Offense: One touch shooting. Balls played in here are very dangerous. We must make accurate passes to our attacking players in this area often. This includes lay-offs at the top of the box and a little above to central mids and defenders with strong shots .

Also players capable of creating space for themselves off the dribble should make a move to get enough space for a quick shot in this zone. It's a simple sequence: create space, shoot, and then follow your shot.

Defense: We must mark man-to-man in this area. Don’t allow shots here. Force shots from other spaces.

Thread Zone
Offense: through balls or penetrating passes. These passes must be made with the right touch so that they are hard enough to beat the defenders but not so hard that the keeper can reach them first.

All players must make diagonal runs off the ball to get in behind the defense. Passes must be quick so receivers aren’t caught offside.

Danger Zone
Defense must keep offensive players in front of them, tilt to defend and play zone.

Crosses
Offense: We must create more chances by crossing the ball. We especially need our Wing players to make crosses rather than shots from these areas. Crosses must be made with touch to open players at the near or far post. These crosses should be made diagonally.

Our wing players can really help us when they cross the ball rather than shoot at difficult angles. We must focus on crossing from close to the end line. Crossing is really important.

Players receiving the cross must keep themselves from over-running the crosses to avoid having to backup in order to receive the pass instead of running on to it.

Using Offside to Move The Opposition Out of The Scoring Zone
Defense: watch how the video defense moves as a group, keeps their shape, stays connected with each other and quickly moves out of the 18 yard box whenever they can to get their opponents offside.

Zonal Marking and Denying The Ball
This is a very important section; watch to see how the defense moves in a line to cover the space between the offense and the goal.

You can skip the video from 4 minutes to 5:55 minutes.

Doubling Up
Very important. The two players doubling up on defense in this case will normally be the outside back and outside mid.


In, Out, Through
Very important offensive tactic we want to use frequently, one touch from the midfield for the through pass is very important so the wing doesn’t get offside.

Team T-Shirts and Logo

We are considering doing team t-shirts this year. I would like your opinion on whether you would like to do this and if you have any ideas of what type of logo or design you would like on them.
Please comment.

Things you may (or may not have learned) at the party—or you may already know:

• Both of Emma’s parents (Stephanie Vaughn and Kerry Matthews) are doctors in Family Practice and share a job at Kaiser
  

• Laura Korman (Avi’s mom) and Renae Lind (Abby’s Mom) trained together as residents at OHSU (I already knew this one)
  

• The Wrays are friends with another resident that Laura and Renae trained with—Drea Olmstead (I didn’t know this)
  

• The Briglia’s name is pronounced Brill-ya.
  

• Kim Foren did the flowers for Gabe Schnitzer’s (Sophia’s brother’s) Bar Mitzvah. If you need flowers she is the one to call

• Russ Natter learned to cut pineapple from a chef while working as a rafting guide—and he’s good!

• Russ Natter played 3 sports in college—none of which was soccer.
  

• Sutton Stern was not an All-American—but he should have been (OK, this was from the parent meeting)
  

• Bonnie Castro grew up in Wisconsin and is a Packers fan.
  

• You can see Maddie Ehl’s house from Abby Eakin’s house (I knew this one too)
  

• Madison Wray likes to be called Chipmunk—or Madison is OK, too.
  

• Annalise Laurila can be kind of crazy—in a good way (Abby told me this one)

• Madison Wray can do “eyebrow dancing” (this also is according to Abby)
  

• Keith Lambert is Irish and likes to drink Guinness—surprise, surprise.
  

Hopefully you all learned something new too. If you did, make a comment and share it.

(This is also a test to see if you are reading the Blog)

Thanks for coming. We look forward to a great season!! Go Santos!

Renae et al Thanks for a great party

Emma and I had a lot of fun getting to know this wonderful group.  Thanks to the "old" team members for such a good time

Pizza Party

We are on for our Pizza Party after practice tomorrow night at FAIS. Practice has been changed to 6:00-7:15 since we can no longer have the field at 5:30. You can come directly from practice to our house. Here are the directions to our house from the French American School.
The "old" team members are hosting so if you are new to the Santos team just bring yourselves.

Turn RIGHT onto NW CORNELL RD. 0.2 mi

Turn LEFT onto NW MILLER RD.

1.9 mi

Turn RIGHT onto NW MURDOCK ST.

0.4 mi

End at 9133 NW Murdock St Portland, OR 97229-8074
On Left side of the Road.
Please park on the street at the bottom of the drive and walk up. We are the first house on the Right side of the driveway.

Estimated Time: 6 minutes Estimated Distance: 2.57 miles

NO Scrimmage this Saturday

This has been canceled. We'll try another scrimmage next weekend with Clackamas.

Chris Skaggs, coach of the U13 B team--the Shock--would like to scrimmage the Santos this Saturday at 11am at West Hills Christian. We'll discuss this at the parents meeting tonight. If you have a conflict and can't come tonight, let me know via email or here on the Blog if you can attend a scrimmage Saturday.

Uniforms

Hi everyone,

We are going to have to get some replacement parts for the uniform and we are wondering about this sleeveless jersey idea.  Is the team interested in changing to that? And please let me know what color Santos' pennies are so we can get Emma V the right color (I think it is blue). 

Thanks, Stephanie 

Emma Lambert

Emma will not be at practice Tues May 13th. She is at outdoor/overnight school.

This Blog

We will use the Blog to communicate. Hopefully this will reduce the email flow. Please post as you like and encourage the girls to do the same. It's fun.
The Blog has very important links to the right, especially the calendar and roster. Renae and I will also use Google Groups to post team information that doesn't fit a Blog format, like attached documents, tourney schedules, etc. All will be linked from this Blog, so visit frequently.

Week of May 12

90 Minutes for ATC's
As you know, we start academy training next Tuesday May 13 at PSU from 6:30 to 7:30. I would like us to practice 90 minutes instead of 60, starting at 6PM. We'll focus on SAQ work (Strength, Agility, Quickness).

French American Fridays
Bonnie Castro has reserved the French American School field for us on Fridays at 5PM to 6:30. These sessions are completely optional and pretty informal. We had a great time last Friday. http://www.faispdx.org/contactus/directions.asp

Parents Meeting
Parents meeting on Thursday May 15 for about 30 minutes after practice.
Agenda is (1) plans and objectives for this season, (2) introductions, (3)volunteering, (4)communications, (5)summer tourney schedule.

Hillsboro May Tournament
We have applied to enter the Hillsboro Spring Blast tournament at the end of May (May 31 and June 1). Looks like we have enough players. Should be fun!

Questions? Email is always best, but my cell phone is 503 928 9491 if you need it.