- Welland 2000 Wizards Team Blog - LEAGUE CHAMPIONS (2012 U12 NYSL) : June 2011

Thursday, June 30, 2011

WSC Goal Keeping Clinic

Hi everyone: Coach Gerry D'Angelo is running a great Goal Keeping Clinic at our Club ... unfortunately the clinic is for Thursdays and as you know that conflicts with our game schedule... however, please let me know who is interested and I will try to set something up with Coach Gerry on another night... I would encourage this for any and all our boys... learning the technique for the GK position is valuable for all of them...

Thanks

Coach Jim

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Practice Tonight at WSC 6:30-8:00

Hi everyone, practice tonight, 6:30 - 8:00pm at WSC field 6C (far mini field by the bushes)... as always wear white, proper shin pads and bring lots of water!

Boys: its great to have a practice right after a loss... it helps us learn and grow together... remember, I have said before, that we can lose a game but still do many thngs in the game to be proud of! ....so let's pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and have some fun tonight!

Coach Jim

Monday, June 27, 2011

Tonight Field 7 at 6:00pm - Today's Welland Tribune Sports!

HI everyone, see you tonight at 6:00pm on Field 7…… boys remember t o prehydrate – drink 500ml water when school finishes and then another glass of water at 5:00…. Parents make sure the boys have lots of water for the bench… we will be wearing our REDS…

Check out Page 1 of the Sports section of today’s Welland Tribune! Here is the link to the on-line edition

OSA Heat Alert News Bulletin - same as previous, only reporting for info if you missed it previously

Thanks

Coach Jim

Friday, June 24, 2011

5,000 hits! ...& Soccer Skills Homework!

Hi all, this blog, your Welland Wizards U11 Team Blog (as of yesterday at approx 10:00 pm) had it's 5,000th Page View since it was created last September! The site stats say the blog has been viewed by people in 16 different countries around the world (Canada, USA, Great Britain, Scotland, Ireland, Hungary, Phillipines, Russia, Germany, Slovakia, Ukraine, Malaysia, India, Slovenia, Denmark and Australia)... The internet is crazy, isn't it?!

Soccer Skills Homework: boys watch this video and practice these soccer skills at home... we will go over them at practice on Sunday AM... this kid in the video is young but quite good!

Coach Jim

Thursday, June 23, 2011

A Perfect 10

Boys, that was an "epic" win... 10-0 with 8 different goal scorers!..

Let me say that again - 8 DIFFERENT GOAL SCORERS, in one game? ...unheard of!

Your Welland Goals brought to you by Liam, David, Zack, Dino, Juan, Lucas, Mitchell and Matthew with his second straight hat trick! Colton, Mackenzie and Matthew shared the shut-out, our second clean sheet of the season!

FUN FACTS: We protect and defend our home field. We have a perfect 4-0 record at home with 31 goals for and only 3 against... congratulations boys, you deserve every bit of it!

Boys, Coach Marty and I are most proud of one thing - everyone is contributing... EVERYONE!.... we are seeing team play, you are playing for each other... it's a beautiful thing... Individually you are strong - together you are unstoppable! Well done!

Have a great couple of days off and see you 8:00am sharp on Sunday at Glendale...

Well done!
Coach Jim

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Tomorrow's Game: GREEN Shirts & Socks

Hi everyone, we will wear our "GREENS" tomorrow night when we host NOTL on Field 7 at WSC... be there no later than 6:00pm...

Boys, remember to drink a 500ml bottle of water when school finishes... have a "lite supper/snack" and drink another glass of water at 5:30-ish... see you tomorrow night!

Coach Jim

Monday, June 20, 2011

Welland 8 - Roma 1 ... Wizard Magic

Boys, way to respond -you were brilliant... team-work... communication... winning the ball ... touch and ball control... passing... movement... time and space... playing for each other...and winning the ball again, everything we talk about... congratulations! A well deserved win...

Your Welland Goals brought to you by: Liam, David, Lucas, Juan (2) and Matthew with a hat-trick!

Boys, we had a special guest watching the game... I didn't know until after the game that Clayton Rosario watched the whole game...he was very. very impressed... at pratice I will tell you what he told me after watching your play...

See you at practice tomorrow, WSC Field 6C, 6:30-8:00pm...

Well done!
Coach Jim

Saturday, June 18, 2011

No Practice Father's Day - Monday Team Pictures & Game vs Roma

Hi, at the risk of incurring wrath from Lucas' Mom and Dino's Mom (Liz I'm kidding, with Angie I'm not LOL!)... there will be no practice tomorrow.... enjoy Father's Day!

TEAM PICTURES AND GAME vs ROMA
On Monday night, please please please be at the WSC for Team Pictures for 5:30 sharp... many teams are lined up on a schedule for picture with the photographer... I will then take the boys out to Field 7 for warm-ups... kick-off v Roma is at 6:30...

See you Monday
Thanks
Coach Jim

Friday, June 17, 2011

Grimsby "dodged a bullet..."

"We dodged a bullet"... Boys, that's what the Grimsby coach said to me after the game....

We didn't get the result we wanted, but playing with only one sub and overcoming some bad breaks, you played your hearts out... we were up 2-1 with less than 15 minutes left and we created incredible pressure in the last 5 minutes ... in total we hit two posts and one cross bar... it could have gone either way guys... don't let this bump in the road bother you... this will make you that much more hungry for a win vs Roma on Monday!... and trust me, Grimsby is not looking forward to playing us again...

Congrats to Juan and and Henry (Henry's first!) for great goals... and to Colt for making awesome saves through-out the game.

As always I'm very proud of you...
Coach Jim

Thursday, June 16, 2011

2morrow Nite @ Grimsby - be there 6:00pm

Hi everyone, we can hardly wait for tomorrow night’s game at Grimsby… please click here for google map directions to Smith School on Oakes Road, Grimsby.

Players must be at the playing field by 6:00pm for warm-ups… we will wear our “Reds”…. Bring lots of water… make sure to pre-hydrate by drinking a 500ml bottle of water when school is finished and then another glass of water one hour before the game...

Rest up and see you tomorrow night!

Coach Jim

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Welland 8 - Niagara Falls 0

Your Welland Wizards "performed magic" again as they moved to 3-0 to start the season with a great 8-0 win at Club Italia...

Your Welland Goals were brought to you by: Miguel, Liam (2), Matthew, David (2) Juan and Lucas... In net, Dino calmly recorded his first career shut-out!

No time to rest boys! ...see you Friday night at 6:00pm at the Grimsby Smith School - Field 4! ...(we will wear our "Reds")

Coach Marty and I are very very proud of you... well done!
Coach Jim

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Practice Reminder - 2Nite @WSC 6:30-8:00pm... & Direction's to tomorrow's Game at Club Italia, NF

HI everyone, we have practice tonight AT THE WELLLAND SOCCER CLUB, FIELD 6C (sorry for the CAPS…not yelling LOL, just want to make sure no one goes to Glendale!)… 6C is beside Field 7 where we play…

Also please click here for directions to tomorrow’s game in Niagara Falls at Club Italia

Make sure to be at Club Italia no later than 5:30pm as we have an earlier kick-off than usual….

Thanks

Coach Jim

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Wizards Win 6:1 - Start Season 2-0

The Welland Wizards put in another superb effort with a 6:1 victory over Pelham as they start the season at 2-0... Congratulations Boys, you deserve every bit of it!

Your Welland Goals were brought to you by: Liam (2), Matthew (2) and Juan (2)...
Youtube highlights courtesy of Matt's Mom Iwona!!!

And a special ovation to our Keeper Colton with another commanding performance in net... Colton has the best Goals Against in the NYSL!

FUN FACTS: This team has scored 13 goals so far this year...by 6 different goal scorers! Defensively, we have only allowed 2 goals in 2 games... TEAM DEFENSE!

I have been trying to figure out a way to track assists and it's impossible to be 100% accurate but... I can say this with certainty : Coach Marty and I know that nearly EVERYONE has an assist! Boys, this is the most rewarding part of watching you play... EVERYONE is involved... EVERYONE CONTRIBUTES... you are playing as a TEAM, and playing for EACH OTHER... well done!

Enjoy a couple of days off boys... see you bright and early on Sunday at Glendale (8:00-9:30am) !

Coach Jim

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

GAME ON! Thursday PM v Pelham @WSC Field 7

Hi all... GAME ON!!!!!.... as I announced yestesday at practice we will be hosting Pelham at the WSC, Field 7 on Thursday night... be there no later that 6:00pm, wearing our "Reds"... bring your water and make sure your shoe laces are tied and tight!

Boys, remember to hydrate BEFORE the game... drink a bottle of water (500ml) when school finishes.... have a light supper... drink a glass of water at 5:30pm ....

See you tomorrow night!
Coach Jim

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Practice Tonight @ Glendale 6:30-8:00pm

HI guys, see you tonight at Glendale, 6:30-8:00pm... as always, bring lots of water, wear WHITE shirts, proper soccer shoes and shin pads!

Parents: please check your emails...

Thanks
Coach Jim

Friday, June 3, 2011

News and Updates

HI everyone, some quick updates:

Picture Day
Monday June 20 at WSC, 5:30 sharp... timing is very imporant on this as our rescheduled Roma game will take place after pictures... when we are done with the pictures I will take the players out to Field 7 for our pre-game warm-ups...

Rescheduled Games

as mentioned above the Roma game @ WSC has been rescheduled to Monday June 20 (Picture Day) at 6:30 pm...
Yesterday's game at West Lincoln has been rescheduled to Thursday July 21, 6:30 pm at West Lincoln Leisureplex Field 2...

The Game Schedule link on the far left column has been updated to include the above...

Tournament Schedules
I shared with parents last night that I feel it best to NOT take the boys to the Grimsby 200 Tournament as it could possibly mean 7 games in 8 days (including NYSL League Games)... I will finalize the complete Tournament Schedule and post here within a few days.

Scratch Card Fundraising
We have made plans to finish-off the cards, please see your email for details....

Warm-up Suits
If you have not done so already please ensure you bring your money for the suits to practice on Sunday AM... we need to pay Buckners asap.... a huge thank-you to Zack's Mom Amber for organizing the cards AND the order from Buckners!

See you Sunday AM for practice!
Coach Jim

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

OSA NEWS BULLETIN - HEAT ALERT

HI everyone, this is the link to the OSA Website Heat Alert Bulletin .....well written and comprehensive info for all of us to remember...

Thanks,
Coach Jim

PLAYER ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

1) MENTAL ATTITUDE/APTITUDE FOR THE GAME & TEAM PLAY

i. Commitment to Game – The player exhibits good Team Player attitude. He is confident in his abilities and doesn’t second guess himself. The player is coachable/respectful at all times. He shows up for practices, listens, makes progress, shows good competitive sportsmanship and applies lessons well. Shows a desire to play soccer for the love of the game. Focused at games and practices. Eager to learn because he is aware of his own strengths and weaknesses. Always makes best effort. Rarely late. Player has courage and plays with urgency, willing to sacrifice.

ii. Game Sense – The player understands the tactical side of the game. Player understands the principles of attacking and defending, and rules of the game. Aware of situational play, transitions well between attack and defend mode, can make fast decisions and makes a positive difference in most plays with his teammates. Communicates with team-mates. Knows when to be “selfish” and knows when to be “unselfish”. Can “shake-off” mistakes.

iii. Positioning/Spatial – A player’s ability to read the game as it develops and to position themselves in the most advantageous area from which to support their team effectively. The player moves to space. The player understands their position and his position on the field. Understands the format the team is playing. Adjusts his play to support those around his and usually makes the BEST choice during play. Player is always moving.

2) SKILL CATEGORIES

i. Dribbling/Ball Control - Player’s ability to move the ball quickly, while under complete control combining pace, deception, and skill. Using both feet, inside and outside, under control, under pressure. Composed manner, shielding and seldom losing possession. Attacks opponent straight-on, makes opponent commit. Player works towards achieving 100 juggles/kick-ups using both feet (including inside/outside of feet), thighs, head and chest.

ii. Passing/Serving/Crossing – To accurately pass the ball at the correct pace to a teammate. Proper passing/receiving technique, passes to feet of teammate and to space, can keep the ball on the ground and lofted as needed. Uses both feet and all parts of the feet. Anticipates opportunities/plays for team-mates. Communicates with team-mates.

iii. Receiving/First Touch – Shows for the ball and receives cleanly. Eyes on the ball, body behind the ball. Checks away. Uses either foot to trap the ball. Uses their body effectively to trap air balls. Does not wait for the ball, runs to the ball to receive it and always moves to open space to minimize a challenge.

iv. Shooting/Striking – The ability to strike on goal with a variety of techniques from differing ranges and angles, with composure, showing the touch to score goals. The ability to drive long passes from goal and corner kicks. Proper shooting technique, on goal, off passes and volleys. Head down and eyes on the ball

v. First to Ball/Winning the ball – The “smarts” and ability to get to the ball with efficient and fast movements in all areas on the field. Winning possession of the ball, shows courage. Overall speed with the ball. Overall speed without the ball. Quickness & reaction time.

vi. Fitness – Overall endurance, ability to work hard the entire practice session and in games. Athletic abilities of running, quick change of pace and direction (agility), leaping, and strength on and off the ball. Game fitness.

vi. Defensive Technique – Understands transition to defense. Demonstrates ability to contain attackers and knows when to challenge (tackle). Understands Goal Side. Communicates with team-mates. Wins the ball under control (not just clearing). Provides defensive support to team mates.