Monday, April 4, 2011

Updates - Coach's Thoughts - Plans for April

Hi everyone, an update (further to my Feb 21 post on plans for the summer), some thoughts on the year and plans for April:


PRACTICE SCHEDULE FOR APRIL (WSC Dome)
  • April 6 (Wed 6:00-7:30pm), 
  • April 12, 19, 26 (Tuesday’s 7:30-9:00pm)
Total Cost for Dome Rental will be $20.00 per player ($5.00 per session)... I would appreciate if you could bring the $20 to the April 6 practice.


TEAM AND LEAGUE UPDATES
  • Please Register at the WSC ASAP if you have not done so already.
    If you did not play Select last year for the Welland Wizards, please provide the Club (front office) with a picture (passport size, head and shoulder) for the Players Identification Book and your birth certificate ASAP.
  • Season to start last weekend in May with games likely to be Thursday evenings with practices Tuesday evenings and Sunday mornings.  I will confirm all dates when I receive the schedule from the NYSL
  • We will be in a 10 team league, playing an 18 game schedule (home & home) vs. Fort Erie, Grimsby, Lincoln, Niagara Falls, NOTL, Pelham, Port Colborne, Roma, and West Lincoln
  • Our Team Blog will be my primary communication tool for Players and Parents (with training videos, news and updates). Parents, please ensure the boys have access to our blog amd that you save the URL in your Favorites!
  • Parents Meeting set for Tuesday April 12, 8:30-9:00pm (NOTE time correction, meeting will be during practice at WSC)
  • Team Building Retreat Weekend at Sherkston Shores set for May 13,14,15 with Elite Soccer Development Academy (at a cost of approx $205.00 per player) 
  • Competing in 3-4 Tournaments meaning budgeting approx $75.00 to $100.00/ player for total Tournament Costs (i.e. West Lincoln Pre-season, St Cath Ti amo, Niagara Falls Douglas, Welland, Tottenham). Given we will have a full 18 game schedule we can discuss at the Parents's Meeting the number of Tournaments we should enter.
  • Cost-neutral Organized Team Activities (OTAs) will be planned with parents to emphasize team building and togetherness...please bring your ideas to the Parent's Meeting (BBQs, CSL Roma Games, Pool Parties etc)  
  • Practice plans include Dry-Land Circuit Training to emphasize conditioning for the big fields this summer. I will also bring in Guest Coaches (e.g. GK Specialist) to offer the widest array of training and coaching techiques for the players. 

APPROX COSTS FOR THE YEAR
  • Registration $265, Tournaments $100, Team Building Retreat Weekend $205, April Dome Rentals $20 = Approximate Cost for the Year of $590.00 (Registration and April Dome Time included).
Fund Raising is vital for our team.  We hope to raise enough money to cover a significant portion of this cost for parents - but we need everyone to chip-in and help. As an example, if each player can raise $200, the cost of the Weekend Team Building Retreat at Sherkston will be covered!  Please bring your ideas to the Parents Meeting. 


PARENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Parents, as Coach I can't do it myself -  I need your help!  We need Parent Volunteers for the following:
  • Car Pooling (with our "Soccer Family" working together, rides to practice and games should never be an issue!)
  • Social Committee (to organize OTAs and social activities for team building)
  • Fund Raising Committee (the more $$$ we raise together, the less the season will cost for the parents)
  • Team Manager (coordinate ordering warm-ups/bags and assist with team administration
  • First Aid Rep
  • Volunteer Linesperson - for games
  • Parent Rep (to act as a spokesperson for the parents)
Based on our discussion on March 30, some of you have already contacted me with your ideas and I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH! ....

Sincerely, thank you... Someone once told me: "You get out of it what you put into it"... working together as a "Soccer Family", we will make this a great soccer season for our boys!

I can't emphasize enough, if you have any questions, concerns, or ideas to help make this a great summer for our boys, please call me...See you at practice on Wednesday and at the Parent's Meeting on Tuesday April 12!


With ALL my thanks,
Coach Jim