ACADEMY training

This season we will have ACADEMY training sessions with the Blast. The first of theses sessions is this Friday!!! These trainers run the competitive organization and all have very high levels of coaching education. In these sessions the boys will be pushed. Touch and strength will improve. It's also good for them to be coached by someone else once and a while.

ATENDANCE IS REQUIRED for these sessions. Call me directly if there is a potential conflict.

4-Sep FRIDAY 6:30-7:30
Defending

30-Sep WEDNESDAY 6:30-7:30
Dribbling/Ball Mastery/Ball Control

2-Oct FRIDAY 5:30-6:30
Passing and Receiving (keep it moving)

16-Oct FRIDAY 6:30-7:30
Shooting/Finishing

***UPDATE*** - finished with 1 win and 3 losses. Finished group play in 3rd, though I think we could have finished 2nd. Then went on to lose in the last minutes of our 5th/6th place game after leading for most of the game. Need to work on closng those out.

Scored 6 goals, scored against 14 goals.
vs St Vrain - L 1-6
vs Westminster - L 0-2
vs Real W 3-2
vs Ice (Golden) L 2-4

Played some very difficult A teams and stayed close to most of our competition. Given that this was our first time on the larger field with a larger team, I was satisfied. Looking forward to the regular season and seeing improvement as we adjust to the game.

The Shootout begins today!!! We have home field advantage as the club hosts of the tournament. Let's have a great tournament.

Schedule - http://www.gotsport.com/events/schedule.aspx?eventid=5665&FieldID=0&applicationID=440316&action=Go

Fields - http://www.gotsport.com/events/fields.aspx?EventID=5665&FieldID=

Standings - http://www.gotsport.com/events/results.aspx?EventID=5665&Sex=Boys&Age=9

Reminders

1. Be at the field 20 minutes prior to the game. Earlier if you wish.
2. Wear Red, bring white just in case.
3. Try to avoid allowing your kids to cook in the sun all day. We need them to have maximum energy tonight.
4. Proper healthy lunch and early dinner (or snack) before gametime. no stuffed bellies at kick-off.
5. Drink a lot of water today and avoid soda!
6. Be careful about psyching the kids out today about the game. They will all play well if they are relaxed (not stressed)

7. Party at the Fatovics between games Saturday!!!!!

U8 FIRE - Matchday 7

Captains - Ryan, Cole, Jaden
MVP - Peyton (precision passing) Logan (attacking defender)
Scoring summary - GOAL (ASSIST)
Peyton (Unassisted)
Cobe (Peyton)
Blake (unassisted)
Blake (Landen)
Cobe (Peyton)
Another great performance from the FIRE over the weekend. Hopefully we can stay in this form of aggressiveness and attacking soccer. The boys were really finding each other well. The defense was excellent and feeding the ball forward. And our strikers were shooting well. I think we could have scored 10-12 goals but we were unlucky many times in front of the net. It will come.

My favortie parts of this game both came in the second half. First, there was a collision in our penalty box. A player from the other team went down hurt and Cole came running out from the goal to check to make sure he was all right. This showed great sportsmanship that I think everyone watching the game noticed. Second, another collision happened between Jaden and an opponent. Of course Jaden was the one kid standing (he always is. no one wants to collide with Jaden. He's so tough) Jaden didn't run away, he went straight up to the player, touched him on the head, ruffling his hair and asked him if he was OK.

My heart just melted watching both of these interactions. Not only are we teaching skill, aggressiveness and confidence, but we certainly are trying to have a hand in helping these boys mature. Twice in one game we saw sportsmanship that you don't see in a lot of kids on a field of battle. Jaden and Cole both set a very good example for the team and the club Saturday. Well done boys!!!
Coach Jeb

U8 FIRE - Matchday #3

Captains - Blake, Aiden, Cobe
MVP - Jaden (overall play) Ryan (sweeping)
Scoring summary - GOAL (ASSIST)
Bryson (unassisted)
Cobe (Jaden)
Jaden (unassisted)
Cobe (Peyton)
Blake (unassisted)
Friday we finally broke through and made the goals come. After scoring only 1 goal in the first half I was worried that we were going to play too timidly for the game. The boys didn't disappoint though. They rose up in the second half and started to play like they do in practice. It was an excellent finish to the game. Bryson earned the first goal of the game and his first for the season. Way to go Bryson.

The passing continues to be impressive but aggressiveness to get in and win the ball is still the most important part of the game right now. Win the ball then make it do what you want it to do. Pass, shoot, dribble, whatever. We need these boys to be agressive and win the ball. Boys like Aiden, Jaden and Ryan did this very well for us in this game. Everyone needs to keep up the good work.
Coach Jeb

U8 FIRE - Matchday 6

Captains - Bryson, Stone, Cole
MVP - Bryson (Outstanding shot stopper)

No goals to report on this week. We had a very tough game that was very fun and balanced, we just couldn't find the net. I think we had some good chances, but a lot of credit goes to the boys on the other team for being so quick to close us down. This is typically our hardest game of the season and it certainly remained that way. I'm very proud of all the boys for hanging in there and playing their hardest to keep the game fun.

Bryson was hands down the MVP for the day. He was called on regularly to make saves. He blocked several point blank shots and wasn't afraid for a moment to get in the way of a swinging leg. I never knew that he was so good in the net. This could be the beginning of a very bright goalkeeping career for Bryson.

We have an exciting build up to the end of the season ahead. 3 games in 4 days. That will really be a lot of fun for the boys.

Games for the rest of the season

Here is a run-down of games to come for the rest of the season

Friday May 1st - U8B-Buffington vs. U8B-Maurek 5:00 Field 7 (make-up from 4/4)
Saturday May 2nd - U8B-Buffington vs. U8B-Lewis 11:30 Field 7
Monday May 4th - U8B-Buffington U8B-Sines 5:15 PM Field 7 (make-up from 4/18)
Saturday May 9th - U8B-Mcdonald vs. U8B-Buffington 12:45 Field 7

If you were scheduled for snacks for a game that was cancelled, you get to bring them for the rescheduled time. So the Wingfields have the game this Friday, and the Hemplemans have next Mondays game.

Very full soccer schedule as we approach the end of the season!!!

U8 FIRE - Matchday 4

Captains - Blake, Cobe, Logan
MVP - Cobe (points leader for the day. 2 assists and a goal)

Scoring summary - GOAL (ASSIST)
Peyton (Cobe)
Peyton (Cobe)
Cobe (Peyton)
Cole (unassisted)

Great game Saturday from the FIRE. Our team held the ball in the attacking portion of the field the entire game. Only one significant save had to be made. Blake blocked a point blank shot with his chest on the oppositions break-away. (Steve and I thought he wasn't breathing for a bit). Logan had the huge punt on the day. It looked as though a full grown adult had sent that ball into the air. (Cole wants to have a punting duel with Logan)

The passing was better than I have ever seen it. Repeatedly we saw Cole, Landen, Jaden, Bryson and Cobe combining passes to move the ball into space and away from defenders. Peyton was sprung lose twice to put the ball in the goal from these combinations. The strength on the ball was apparent from the entire team. We work on holding the ball every week under serious physical pressure. As such, these boys are not afraid to be physical with their bodies...and it shows. Opposing teams are often frustrated with our physical presence. Stone, Sam, Ryan and Aiden were particularly forceful in holding the ball from the other team.

We had several squandered attempts at goal, so this week we are working on attacking the goal. Hopefully you'll see this pay off in the games Friday and Saturday.

Coach Jeb

U8 FIRE - Matchday 2

Captains - Landen, Peyton
MVP - Sam (solid, composed defending)

Scoring summary - GOAL (ASSIST)
Blake (Bryson)
OG (Peyton)
Cole (unassisted)
Cole (unassisted)

Another good weekend for the FIRE. We were missing the talents of Cobe and Jaden and the leadership of Coach Eric. Though the game felt sluggish at times, we pulled through and had a game to be happy with. Next time we have a 9am game, I'm imposing a Friday night - 8pm lights out policy for the team!!! kidding of course...but not a bad idea.

Didn't the new bench look great on the sideline? The boys loved sitting on it. They thought it was pretty cool also. Thank you again to all of the parents for chipping in.

Some highlights from the game.
1. Sam was playing with a lot of maturity in the back for us. He doesn't jump in and attack (which is good). He watched the play develop, and steadily would move in for the kill. This is why he was MVP. Defenders can't just be agressive. Better attackers will win if our defenders aren't able to study what is happening. Sam showed us that this weekend.

2. Cole's brace. Cole suddenly woke up and decided "I'm going to score a couple goals, and no one is stopping me" I love it. He really has done well this season so far.

3. We went to goal very well. I can think of instances when most everyone on the team had a hand in the attack and chance on goal. We need to finish more shots, but that will be the easy part. Building the attack is the hard part. Well done boys!!!!

We have a Challenger session tonight (Monday) at Aspen Creek - 6pm.
See you all there

Coach Jeb's Soccer Trick.... Practice 3/18/09

It's like riding a bike.
We don't need more broken arms on this team, so be watchful over the boys trying this at home. I 'm not teaching this at practice. I was only trying to show them something cool. Peyton won a bet with me and this was payment. He kept the ball in the air for 5 touches during our juggling practice.

I learned how to do this throw-in when I was 9-10 years old. At that age I could throw the ball 30 yards when most kids could only throw 15-20 yards at the most. It really took other teams by surprise. Now I can throw much farther. It's like a catapult.

If they insist on trying this (and some of them will), here is how I learned.
1. Learn to do a front handspring first. spot them until they learn to do a front handspring on their own. Have a soft landing ready. Matresses work well.When they are landing on their feet every time, then move on to step 2.
2. Have them try the handspring using a stuffed ball. Spot them to begin. when landing on their feet everytime, move on to step 3
3. Only until they are experts at that should they ever try using a real ball. Have a soft landing ready, and spot them. It is very different using a real ball.
Coach Jeb

Coaches Gift

Today's practice went really well. The kids overwhelmingly said that they had a lot of fun. But for me, the icing on the cake was that Nikki gave me the coaches gift. I really do appreciate this. I wish you all could have been there so I could express my gratitude directly. I'll catch up with you on Saturday I hope.

The bench will be very functional for seasons to come. Thank you for not waiting until the end of the year. We will be able to enjoy it for the entire season now.

Coach Jeb

U8 FIRE - Matchday 1

Captains - Jaden, Cobe, Bryson
MVPs - Cole (great all around play), Blake (season's first brace)

Scoring summary - GOAL (ASSIST)
Landen (Cobe)
Cole (Cobe)
Blake (Cole)
Blake (unassisted)
Cobe (Cole)

What a great way to start the season. The boys were ready to take the field and show off their skill. As coaches we've worked hard to give these boys the skills they need and the independence to make game-time decisions. They certainly showed up to play. One thing I was most impressed about was how the team adapted to the addition of throw-ins to the game. It was like we had been doing them for years. All of the boys did well with the throws and getting open to receive the ball.

Though there we many SportsCenter moments today, I have a couple that really stood out.
1. Cobe's stepover. The crowd went wild as Cobe tried his new stepover move at full pace during the first half. It certainly showed why we work on these moves every practice. He juked his player and ran right by him putting us in an excellent scoring position.

2. Cole's half field punt. Again, this is why we work on punting and juggling at practice. This season Cole has definitely found the sweet spot on his foot. I've rarely seen a keeper this age kick the ball as hard or far as Cole did. Thanks for practicing so hard Cole.

3. Blake's brace. In soccer, a brace is when a player scores 2 goals in a game. I was very worried about bringing Blake to the team this year because he's 2 years younger. But he has proven that he can hang with the big kids. He played well on the ball and was rewarded with a couple goals.

See you all Monday. Please have the boys juggling on their own and working on their moves.
This is looking like it will be a great season!

Coach Jeb

U8 FIRE - 10/4/2008

Captains - Landen, Logan
MVP - Logan (Half field goal!) Jaden (Ferociousness)

Outstanding game Saturday. The competition was much better this week than we've seen. They had some very tall and fast players that made it difficult for us in the 1st half. The team worked it out in the 2nd half and had a very offensive half. Poor Cole never seems to see any action when he plays goal. Which is good for the team, just boring for a keeper.

We had several outstanding plays in the game. We had good saves by the keepers and solid defending. One specific incidient that stands out was Logan's half field shot. We know that at this age group, keepers often float out of position. At half-time Coach Eric and I encouraged the boys to shoot from outside of the box. This way the could practice taking long distance shots and possibly get lucky with a few goals as a result. Too often the boys feel like they need to walk the ball into the goal. I want them to be comfortable with taking shots.

So Logan took the advice and hit a real zinger. Good job.

All the boys are playing very well. The next 3 games will get progressively harder. I know the teams we will play and they have all done very well this season. With some determination and hard work, I know the boys will hold their own - and even produce some surprises here and there.

Coach Jeb

U7 THUNDER - 10/4/2008

Captains - Peter and Jonathan
MVP - Seth (sneaky attacking)

Another great game today from the Thunder. They faced a very tough team. To begin, I thought we would dominate the game pretty well, but the other team came alive and held us to only 1 second half goal. They were tough and a greta reason why I teach stingy and mean defending. Our boys can't be afraid to get in and take the ball. They certainly did that again this week and the game was very balanced as a result.

There were 2 highlights for me in the game. First, Jake's own goal. Sure we shouldn't put the ball in our own goal, but Jake just smiled and shook it off. No one was on his case, instead we say "that's OK" and move on. It was a reminder to me that we are all out there for fun. If we keep it fun, the kids will keep coming back for more. Great attitude from everyone Saturday.

Second, was a first ever goal. I don't think I've ever seen anything like it before in all of my playing years. Ryan L was on the goal line. The ball bounced off his hip and somehow managed to roll into the goal. It was pretty incredible. Great goal Ryan L. I know you meant to do it.

For the parents...great Fan Tunnels all season. This means a lot to the boys. Keep up the good work and all the positive cheering we hear from the sidelines. I have the best parents in the league - again.

Coach Jeb

U8 FIRE - 9/27/2008

Captains - Cobe, ? ?
MVP - Cole (2nd half Hat-Trick)

Todays game moved fast. The boys were ready to pounce on every loose ball and get up the field. We started to run away with the game early so I played our team in new positions. We saw some great skill today and great ball movement. A highlight of the game had to be our first Goalkeeper assist. Cobe punted the ball downfield to Peyton, who finished the ball. All of the boys will likely have a chance at being keeper this year, so get them practyicing punting the ball. Maybe they can earn a goalkeeper assisted goal as well.

Coach Jeb

U7 THUNDER - 9/27/2008

Captains - Ryanihno and Seth
MVP -

The THUNDER keeps plugging away and showing great improvement during the season. We had 4 different goalscorers in Blake, Ryanihno, Jake and Peter. We also had every player on the team with a shot on goal. This is outstanding that all of our players are getting to the goal and having a chance.

Our defense continues to be solid and "mean". I try to get the boys to be very stingy defenders and to get in and take the ball quickly. We have a great group of players.

Coach Jeb

U8 FIRE - 9/20/2008

Captains - Bryson, Peyton and Ryan
MVP's - Ryan and Sam (unflinching goalkeeping)

Another great showing by the FIRE this weekend. We were missing only a couple players, but pulled off some attractive soccer. It was apparent about 10 minutes into the game that the game would be very lopsided. So we made some adjustments to challenge our players to play in less common positions. Our normal attacking minded players played solid defense. And our defensive minded players pushed forward toward the goal. At times, passing looked pretty impressive and our team was always showing their stregth on the ball and even a few moves here and there.

We had 3 players in the goals column. Jaden, Landen and Peyton each had multiple goals. Bryson notched a couple assists. No one connected more passes than Cobe. He set up the plays that lead to a few of our goals. Stone and Aiden were our meanest defenders. Sam and Ryan each made several saves and didn't show any hesistation in scooping up the ball from the other team. Logan played a great supporting role and will continue to assistant coach until his cast gets a little smaller.

Great weekend. All the boys made it fun to be a coach! Special thanks to Nick and Steve for filling in on Thursday at practice while we brought Crew into the world.

Coach Jeb

U7 THUNDER - 9/20/2008

Captains - Kevin and Ryan L
MVP's - Jonathan (Joga Bonita)

Another very evenly matched game this weekend. The "mean" defending practice this week paid off. All of the boys were very tough in the game (with the exception of a brief mental lapse at the start of the second half).

The goals were very even throughout the game, and the defense was agressive. Peter was back to his speedy ways and Blake hit a couple of unfortuanate victims in the head with his "rocket kick". It makes me cringe, but I want all of the team to kick that hard by the end of the season.

The boys shold be very happy with the game. They are doing well taking what they learn in practice and applying it to the game.

I'll see you all at practice Tuesday.

Coach Jeb
Special thanks to Mike Keene and Sang for running practice Thursday.

U8 FIRE - 9/13/2008

Captains - Stone, Sam and Cole
MVP - Bryson (Stingy Defending)

Much different game this week than last week. We played Rachel Hansen's team. I knew from previous seasons that this would be a very tough team to face. Probably the hardest of the year. They are small but very aggressive. Her twins are fireballs and normally handles their scoring.

It was a very tight game that had 2 goals from us. Peyton and Cobe scored one a piece. I don't think I've seen such a low scoring game at this age ever. Normally goals come fast. Obviously, their team scored very few times as well because of our stingy defense. I bet that if we played this team several times in the season, that we would trade goals all year long and be pretty balanced against each other. I was very proud of all of the boys in how they stayed focused during the entire game. The real measure of a player is how they play in all settings (winning, losing, physical, easy, etc.)...definitely not how they do when goals come easy.

Bryson was awarded the MVP for is very skillful handling of the defensive end. Not only was he stealing the ball, but he would "switch field" often, making it difficult for the other team to get organized against us. Playing like that shows real maturity in the game.

Coach Jeb

(pictures were from Lisa Fatovic. All pictures can be seen on flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/30740581@N04/ - Thanks Lisa)

U7 THUNDER - 9/13/2008

Captain - Blake and Jake
MVP - Blake (Great goal scoring)

This weeks game was quite a bit harder than last week. It wasn't so easy to score at will. We managed 7 goals in a very balanced game. I'd say we were scored on as much as we scored so defense was very important in this game. I saw excellent defensive work by all of the kids. We were being a little "too nice" though. So we'll continue to work hard on becoming "mean" defenders - monsters really (the kids know what it means). We've practiced going after the ball and being very agressive if we don't have the ball. This will pay off as the season goes on. So many kids at this age are shy in games, but the THUNDER won't be.

Very fun game. The boys should all be very proud of themselves.

Coach Jeb

U8 Fire Game Schedule

Date Home/Away Color Opponent Field Time
6-Sep Away White vs. McDonald HP2 @ 11:30am
13-Sep Home Red vs. Hansen HP2 @ 10:15am
20-Sep Away White vs. Sides HP2 @ 10:15am
27-Sep Home Red vs. Long HP5 @ 9am
4-Oct Home Red vs. Lewis HP2 @ 9am
11-Oct Away White vs. Ziemek HP2 @ 9am
18-Oct Home Red vs. Scheller HP2 @ 10:15am
25-Oct Away White vs. Sines HP2 @ 9am

HP (Highland Park) Field Map