Santos:
Just a quick reminder that Maddie's Riders go THIS SATURDAY and it's not too late to support Maddie, Abby, and Sophia who are all riding in the Summit to Surf bicycling event to benefit the American Diabetes Association. They all need sponsors. Here's the page about Maddie's team:
http://www.maddiesriders.com/about.htm.
Here's where you can donate by sponsoring one or all of our Santos:
http://www.maddiesriders.com/Donate.htm
Every year we lose more than 210,000 people to diabetes--more than AIDS and Breast Cancer combined. Recently progress has been made in preventing and curing this disease, but it's not enough. The disease still has the upper hand. Please support Maddie, Abby, Sophia and their families for their ride this weekend and let's team up to help all those fighting this disease get closer to the goal of prevention and cure.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
Notes on the Tournament
I'd like for the players to be sure and read this message.
The Beaverton Cup was tough. It was our first look at Gold-level competition in a tournament and I think the difference was plain. After Sunday's game we talked about some of the positive performances on the field and how we might build on them. Now, in order to improve, we must face our shortcomings and ask some hard questions of ourselves.
Each of us, coaches included, must ask: What can I do to improve? and How can I help the team be more successful? It is important to consider these questions carefully before trying to answer them. Try to recall the things we have been practicing and talking about during practice. Think about what it takes to compete against the best teams. I expect to hear your answers. I also expect to hear how you intend to do what you need in order to help us improve. You can comment here if you like. In the meantime, here is where I think we need work:
1. Running off the ball. We didn't run off the ball enough and it was the most important reason we played poorly. We ended up kicking the ball as hard as we could without much thought about where it might land. This was mainly because we had no players open to receive passes. When players did make runs, they didn't receive passes because we held the ball too long and this discouraged them from making more runs.
We were not creating space by making runs to draw away defenders. We were not moving to receive passes in an open position. We were simply left to kick the ball hard and hope for the best. It was ugly.
2. Asserting ourselves. We reacted to what our opponents did. They pressured us and we kicked the ball away. They received passes and only then did we begin to defend. They controlled 50/50 balls and only then did we try to win those balls. We have to turn this upside down and force a reaction from our opponents, not the other way around. We have to assert ourselves.
3. Defense. Errors in the back line and among goalkeepers cost us. We held the ball too long in the first game then often failed to make simple clearances in the succeeding games.
4. Techniques and Skills, field players need to improve their ability to control the ball quickly on the ground and in the air. We will work more on this in practice. Keepers must improve their diving so they are as comfortable diving left as right, their distribution, and their timing on high balls. All players can practice these things, controlling the ball and goalkeeping, at home and they should.
5. Coaching. Coaches need to better prepare players for 11v11 games on large fields, especially attacking and midfield responsibilities. Coaches must also work harder to build confidence and better set the team up for success in the first 10 minutes of each game.
There were good things on the field so we should gain confidence from the fact that we can easily compete with these teams if we play to our potential. Also Keith, Russell, and I got a lot of great information about team weaknesses and strengths that will help us do a better job of preparing the team (where there is a lot of room for improvement) for future games. If we do all this stuff and we do what the players themselves identify as needing improvement, but most importantly if we work harder and put the team before ourselves as individuals, we can beat every team we played this past weekend. We already have the ability, but--as we learned in Beaverton--ability is far from enough.
The Beaverton Cup was tough. It was our first look at Gold-level competition in a tournament and I think the difference was plain. After Sunday's game we talked about some of the positive performances on the field and how we might build on them. Now, in order to improve, we must face our shortcomings and ask some hard questions of ourselves.
Each of us, coaches included, must ask: What can I do to improve? and How can I help the team be more successful? It is important to consider these questions carefully before trying to answer them. Try to recall the things we have been practicing and talking about during practice. Think about what it takes to compete against the best teams. I expect to hear your answers. I also expect to hear how you intend to do what you need in order to help us improve. You can comment here if you like. In the meantime, here is where I think we need work:
1. Running off the ball. We didn't run off the ball enough and it was the most important reason we played poorly. We ended up kicking the ball as hard as we could without much thought about where it might land. This was mainly because we had no players open to receive passes. When players did make runs, they didn't receive passes because we held the ball too long and this discouraged them from making more runs.
We were not creating space by making runs to draw away defenders. We were not moving to receive passes in an open position. We were simply left to kick the ball hard and hope for the best. It was ugly.
2. Asserting ourselves. We reacted to what our opponents did. They pressured us and we kicked the ball away. They received passes and only then did we begin to defend. They controlled 50/50 balls and only then did we try to win those balls. We have to turn this upside down and force a reaction from our opponents, not the other way around. We have to assert ourselves.
3. Defense. Errors in the back line and among goalkeepers cost us. We held the ball too long in the first game then often failed to make simple clearances in the succeeding games.
4. Techniques and Skills, field players need to improve their ability to control the ball quickly on the ground and in the air. We will work more on this in practice. Keepers must improve their diving so they are as comfortable diving left as right, their distribution, and their timing on high balls. All players can practice these things, controlling the ball and goalkeeping, at home and they should.
5. Coaching. Coaches need to better prepare players for 11v11 games on large fields, especially attacking and midfield responsibilities. Coaches must also work harder to build confidence and better set the team up for success in the first 10 minutes of each game.
There were good things on the field so we should gain confidence from the fact that we can easily compete with these teams if we play to our potential. Also Keith, Russell, and I got a lot of great information about team weaknesses and strengths that will help us do a better job of preparing the team (where there is a lot of room for improvement) for future games. If we do all this stuff and we do what the players themselves identify as needing improvement, but most importantly if we work harder and put the team before ourselves as individuals, we can beat every team we played this past weekend. We already have the ability, but--as we learned in Beaverton--ability is far from enough.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
U-12 Girls 8 teams – 2 four team groups will play a 3 game round robin. The top two finishers will advance to semis and finals.
CFC Rapid Cascade FC
CPSC Timbers 96 Red Columbia Premier Soccer Club
MYSA Mac Attack MYSA
Blackout Bridlemile Soccer Club
OSA Santos Oregon Soccer Academy
CWSC Reign Camas Washougal
NWN GU96 Select Northwest Nationals
OSA Red Fusion OSA
These are the final teams participating in our division or the Salem Waterfront tournament on Aug 1-3. Hopefully schedules will be out this week. Between the Santos and the Fusion we have seen many of these teams this summer--I will post in the comments what these results have been.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Saturday Game
Santos:
Good game this evening. We showed some grit as well as some good soccer. Tomorrow's game is at 3:30 at Tualatin Hills Rec Center Field #3.
Please wear red but please don't forget to bring the white jersey. Always bring both.
Good game this evening. We showed some grit as well as some good soccer. Tomorrow's game is at 3:30 at Tualatin Hills Rec Center Field #3.
Please wear red but please don't forget to bring the white jersey. Always bring both.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Beaverton Cup Info
Santos:
First game we wear red, second we wear white.
2pm game is at Rock Creek Elem, North. 8pm game is at Tualatin Hills Rec Center #5. Have the girls there 1 hour before the first game, 45 minutes before the second. I may be a little late; if so, Russell will get things started.
We will either play at 3:30 pm--if we finish 3rd in the bracket-or at 5pm with a 1st or 2nd finish. Sunday we will play at either 12:30 in the finals or 2pm in a consolation match.
We looked very strong this week in practice with a lot of great effort and some real focus, so I think the team is primed for a good and fun tournament. This will be the toughest competition we have ever faced; our first opponent is from one of Alaska's toughest clubs and was undefeated and untied in their
U11 league last fall. The second won their premier gold league in Washington last year.
But we're better and I have no doubt that we will do VERY well if we work hard and play for each other.
Go Santos!
First game we wear red, second we wear white.
2pm game is at Rock Creek Elem, North. 8pm game is at Tualatin Hills Rec Center #5. Have the girls there 1 hour before the first game, 45 minutes before the second. I may be a little late; if so, Russell will get things started.
We will either play at 3:30 pm--if we finish 3rd in the bracket-or at 5pm with a 1st or 2nd finish. Sunday we will play at either 12:30 in the finals or 2pm in a consolation match.
We looked very strong this week in practice with a lot of great effort and some real focus, so I think the team is primed for a good and fun tournament. This will be the toughest competition we have ever faced; our first opponent is from one of Alaska's toughest clubs and was undefeated and untied in their
U11 league last fall. The second won their premier gold league in Washington last year.
But we're better and I have no doubt that we will do VERY well if we work hard and play for each other.
Go Santos!
Tourney Fields
Rock Creek Elementary North field (594-C7) Located on 185th, across the street from Westview High School. From HWY 26 West Take the 185th exit and turn right on to 185th. Get into the left lane. Turn left into the school parking lot (signal light). The field is north of the parking lot. Restaurants nearby on 185th, south HWY 26.
(THPRD) Rec Center (594-H5) Located on 158th, between Walker Rd. and Blueridge Dr. From HWY 26 West- Take the Bethany/NW Cornell Rd exit, turning left to cross over the freeway. Turn left on to 158th (signal light).
**Weekend parking and parking for fields 2 and 3: Turn left on to NW Blueridge Dr. Turn right on to NW Schlottman. Parking lot is on your left.
**Thursday and Friday parking: Turn left at NW Schendel (signal light). Parking is limited during Saturday and Sunday due to other Rec Center Events. Concessions on-site, and restaurants nearby.
Five Oaks Middle School (594-G4) Located on 173rd between Walker Rd and Cornell. From THPRD, Turn left on to 158th. Turn right on to Walker Rd. Turn right on to 173rd(signal light). The school is about 2 ½ blocks up on your right. The lower field parking is south of the school. The upper field parking is north of the school. Concessions on-site. Restaurants nearby, off of Cornell.
(THPRD) Rec Center (594-H5) Located on 158th, between Walker Rd. and Blueridge Dr. From HWY 26 West- Take the Bethany/NW Cornell Rd exit, turning left to cross over the freeway. Turn left on to 158th (signal light).
**Weekend parking and parking for fields 2 and 3: Turn left on to NW Blueridge Dr. Turn right on to NW Schlottman. Parking lot is on your left.
**Thursday and Friday parking: Turn left at NW Schendel (signal light). Parking is limited during Saturday and Sunday due to other Rec Center Events. Concessions on-site, and restaurants nearby.
Five Oaks Middle School (594-G4) Located on 173rd between Walker Rd and Cornell. From THPRD, Turn left on to 158th. Turn right on to Walker Rd. Turn right on to 173rd(signal light). The school is about 2 ½ blocks up on your right. The lower field parking is south of the school. The upper field parking is north of the school. Concessions on-site. Restaurants nearby, off of Cornell.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
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