Coach Jim Moving On...

Hi everyone, with very mixed emotions I write to tell you that I have accepted another coaching position for 2013. I will be Assistant Coach to Tuukka Salonen and Manager for the Elite U13/U14 Soccer Academy Team... I'm thrilled to be part of the wonderful Academy that Clayton and Tuukka are building but will miss my team dearly.

The WSC will be naming a new Coach for next year's Welland U13 Wizards soon. There are a couple of names out there that many of you are very familiar with and I'm sure the team with thrive under the new coach.

I want to take this opportunity to thank "my boys", as I will always call them.

Together with my boys, we took our team from "worst to first".... we took a team that had not won a game in two years and won 82% of our league games, best in our league over the last two years... we racked up 32 wins and were the highest scoring team during the same period (I had the pleasure of watching my boys score 180 league goals) ... we won a tournament championship, and this year we were League Champions, on top of the table from the first week to the last, where ever we went we won... This is a unmatchable track record of success that speaks for itself.

More important than wins though, I saw this group of boys grow, develop and become better soccer players. I saw some of these players fall in love or more deeply in love with playing soccer. That is all this coach ever wanted, because when you work hard and do things the right way, player development, individual growth and team success will follow. 

Thanks for everything boys. Every coach needs great kids to work with, and you guys are the best - I could not have done any of it without you. I will always look at these last two years with great fondness and pride... remember "Outwork Your Talent"!

Special thanks to Coach Rowan for being a great assistant and loyal friend.

I wish you all the best, and I'm sure we will see each other soon.

Coach Jim

Red Dawgs, Red Dawgs, Red Dawgs!
Crave the Burn, Crave the Burn, Crave the Burn!!
Hajra, Hajra, Hajra!!!

Great Night Last Night & Looking Forward to Tonight

Shoot-Out Champs!

Hi everyone, what a great night last night!  Our boys won the half-time shoot-out, and Matthew and a Roma player kept juggling so long that they delayed the restart of the 2^nd half – so it was called a tie!! 

Great work boys it was a lot of fun.  Michael Meleca from Next Captain and Pro Calcio Canada FC took great pictures and will be sharing them with me… I’m sure we will be able to work with him and his org to do some combined training with them in the coming year. 

A special thanks to Clayton for the invite.

Tonight is a go… the weather hopefully will hold out for us... I will bring my bench shelter, if anyone has any others please bring them as well – we may need them!  

Let’s meet at the WSC at 6:00pm and we can do the Parent v  Player game on the small mini field.  I will have the player’s League Championship Trophies and envelopes for the parents.  After we play around and socialize, pizzas will arrive.  …a special thank-you to Danilo and Geneva for the desserts!  If others can bring drinks and chips and dips and the like we will be all set.

***Parents, please remember to pick-up your Banquet tickets at the Club Office… tickets must be picked up at the office… the office staff will  be waiting for you!

I think that’s it for now… see you tonight

Coach Jim
www.wellandwizardsteamtalk.blogspot.ca
www.facebook.com/#!/groups/142169355925756/

It's Official !

YEAH!  GREAT NEWS!! Please see the email below from John Durish…..  the new River Road Soccer Facility in Welland will open for business on Thursday November 1! 

This is huge for our players as WSC Teams will have a state-of-the-art place to train all year round (...and WSC teams have scheduling priority!).

Coach Jim

www.wellandwizardsteamtalk.blogspot.ca

www.facebook.com/#!/groups/142169355925756/

From: John Durish
Subject: Its Offical

Hello Everyone ..

The River Road Soccer Facility in Welland will officially open Thursday November 1^st. There will be two playing fields. Each field is almost double the size of the 6v6 fields offered elsewhere. The Welland Soccer Club is now accepting registrations for Youth and Adult leagues. Bookings for Rentals will be taken beginning October 15^th. Turf Rentals (full field, ½ field or ¼ field) will be available beginning November 3^rd. For More information contact the Welland Soccer Club at 905-735-8106 or email wsc@cogeco.net. Below is an overview of the Adult leagues we will run. Please pass this along to people you believe would be interested in participating.

Keep Smiling – John Durish

Co-Ed begins Sunday November 4^th (20 week program) Cost $2825, includes HST and referee fees

Co-ed = 9v9 League (4 female and 4 male players + a Keeper) shooting on 6 x 18 Goals.

Field playing surface = 31,365 square feet (compared to the 17, 000 square feet in the 6v6 game)

55 minute games

2 official’s

State of the Art Turf

Men’s A League begins Thursday November 1^st (20 week program) Cost $2825, includes HST and referee fees

A league= 8v8 League (7 field players + a Keeper) shooting on 7 x 21 Goals.

Field playing surface = 31,365 square feet (compared to the 17, 000 square feet in the 6v6 game)

55 minute games

2 game official’s

State of the Art Turf

Men’s B League begins Tuesday November 6th (20 week program) Cost $2825, includes HST and referee fees

B league= 8v8 League (7 field players + a Keeper) shooting on 7 x 21 Goals.

Field playing surface = 31,365 square feet (compared to the 17, 000 square feet in the 6v6 game)

55 minute games

2 official’s

State of the Art Turf

Women’s League begins Wednesday November 7th (20 week program) Cost $2825, includes HST and referee fees

A league= 8v8 League (7 field players + a Keeper) shooting on 7 x 21 Goals.

Field playing surface = 31,365 square feet (compared to the 17, 000 square feet in the 6v6 game)

55 minute games

2 game official’s

State of the Art Turf

 

UPDATE: Team Invite to Penalty Shoot-out and Juggling Contest During Halftime of CSL Roma v Toronto Croatia

Hi everyone, from what I can tell from your responses, it looks like we will have 7-8 players come out tommorrow night.  So, we won't do our team party tomorrow night and we will stick to our original plan on that.

If you want to meet Mellissa Tancredi and get an an autograph tomorrow night, Clayton told me she will be in the Starlight Room starting 6:30pm.

The Penalty Shoot-out and Juggling Challenge will be at halftime of the CSL game (8:00pm start).  Usually 6 players are used for the shoot-outs but Clayton said he would try to accomade all that come out... Colton won't be back from his trip so please let me know if anyone else wants to do a little GK duty.  I will be allowed to pick 2 or 3 players to compete in the Juggling Contest.

Please wear your team game shirts and warm-ups.... See you tomorrow night!

Coach Jim

Hi everyone, I spoke with Clayton last night and our team is invited to participate in a penalty shoot-out and juggling contest during half time of Wednesday night's Roma v Toronto Croatia CSL game (see Clayton's email below - Melissa Tancredi signing as well...)

If we can get everyone out, we can do our team party, pictures and trophy presentations there as well... and then watch our guys dominate the shoot-out and juggling!!!  Please let me know if you will be there.

Thanks
Coach Jim

---

From: clayton rosario [claytonelitesoccerdevelopment@gmail.com]
Sent: September 17, 2012 1:50 AM
Subject: Melissa Tancredi to visit Club Roma Wednesday Sept 19th,2012 6:30pm

Club Roma Soccer Club is pleased to announce bronze winning Olympic Women's Canadian National team player Melissa Tancredi will be at our Soccer Club Wed Sept 19th,2012 6:30pm prior to the kick off of our CSL Home game vs Toronto Croatia. Free Autograph session for all Club Roma players. Non Club Roma players $10. Please check with ticket booth re location of autograph session.
Club Roma Soccer Club 125 Vansickle Blvd, St Catharines ON.
For more info call Clayton Rosario 289-214-1414 or email claytonelitesoccerdevelopment@gmail.com

Team Party, Pictures and League Championship Trophy Presentations

Hi everyone, I picked up the League Championship Trophy's earlier this week and they look great!

The boys mentioned doing a Parents v Players Game so I'm thinking we can combine that with a Trophy Presentation and Picture Day as well.... I will treat the Pizza`s and maybe the parents can bring drinks, chips and dips and the like...

The weather has gotten a little unpredictable for us lately so let's say next Thursday September 20 at the WSC at 6:00pm with a rain date of Friday....  I'm hoping with nearly a week's notice that we can all make it work with our schedules... and that the weather cooperates!

I will have envelopes for the parents with the refunds from the season which will be the money your son's personally generated from the raffle tickets and a $25 cheque for the third tournament we did not get in.

Parents can also pick-up the WSC Banquet Tickets at the Club Office on Thursday Night.

 Thanks
Coach Jim

Great Team, Great Season

It’s usually easy to write up a summary of a game but this one has me a little lost for words (hard to believe I know!).   We were treated to a wonderful game from our boys on Wednesday night.  It was a superb effort that I am finding hard to describe.  Back and forth, attacking one minute and then defending the next. Winning balls, going in hard on tackles, moving the ball, working together, falling down and getting back up… it was an intense and wonderfully played game… I thanked the boys from the bottom of my heart.

They deserved a better result. It was a horrible way to lose - and not a good way to win from Fort Erie’s  perspective either.  Having a questionable PK called against you in the last minute of a scoreless double overtime is a real kick in the stomach.  But in the end someone has to win and someone has to lose. 

The game, and the season, were such a tremendous life lesson for the boys: always do your best, celebrate and take pride in your successes... and work through your defeats, always pick yourself up, no matter how much it hurts.   When I saw a few of my players sobbing on the field and at the bench, my heart broke for them.  All I could say is “it’s OK, you have so much to be proud of, thank-you for playing so hard, I love being your coach”… and then I sobbed too!   May I say it was a great lesson for parents as well, watching our 11-12 year old boys play their hearts out… sometimes some people forget we are talking about 11-12 year old boys playing a sport for fun. 

In the end, “Double Overtime Thriller” doesn’t come close to describing what happened on Field 7 on Wednesday night.  I will miss this team. I really wanted to have a few more practices and a couple more games, and from the looks on the boys faces Wednesday night, they wanted more too.

After the game I reminded the boys that that loss did not take away from our accomplishments... that we had the biggest prize of all, we were League Champions… they have so very much to be proud of. 

Our boys led the league from the first week to the last. IMO this is the most difficult thing for a team to achieve, to be on top of the table all season long.  The first half of the season we had a perfect record. Come the second half of the season, we were playing teams who wanted revenge, teams who were gunning for us because we were in first place, we were the team to beat – and we still finished on top.  This is incredibly difficult and a great accomplishment.

What some people do not understand is that the gaps between teams from the beginning to the end of the season gets smaller as teams get better.  This is common in all sports at all levels.  The added pressure for my team to face these “extra motivated” and improving teams was a different dynamic than they had faced before, and they finished on top! BRAVO!!

We had the best goal differential in the league (+43), we were second in scoring (59) and second in goals against (16), we kept 6 clean sheets out of 14 games, and we are ready for promotion to the SRSL.  Again, so much to be proud of.

I had a blast with my team this year.  Our boys are a great group of young men and it was my privilege to be their coach.  The last two years have been a great journey going from “worst to first”!

As parents, Angie and I are thrilled that our son has made so many great friends through this team, and friendships that will last right through high-school and beyond.

As for what’s next, we will plan a team party, get a final team picture in, I will close off the books and refund cash to parents, and we will have our club banquet at Dave & Busters on September 25.

I will be speaking to the club shortly about my intentions and ideas for next season. The club will appoint coaches after September 20th.

Thanks boys for everything… we will keep in touch...

Red Dawgs, Red Dawgs, Red Dawgs,
Crave the Burn, Crave the Burn, Crave the Burn,
Hajrá, Hajrá,  Hajrá!!!

-Coach Jim

 

Thank you guys...

Super Proud of my Team, may I say: "My Boys"

 

...funny how a game that is played on such a big field sometimes is decided by an inch here or there...

 

These boys are a great group of young men... thanks guys for giving me memories that will last a life time... It has been MY priviledge...

 

I know tonight feels rotten, but always remember that you are the League Champions!  That is an achievement you will have forever! 

...Will have more later in terms of a party and getting a team picture in

Coach Jim

Billy Gray Cup Game Wednesday Night

Tomorrow night we will host Fort Erie in the first round of the Billy Gray Cup.  Players must be on the field by 5:15 pm as we have a 6:00 pm kick-off. We are wearing our Reds. 

Weather:

·    Weather Network calls for 27 degrees, which will feel like 34 degrees with 78% humidity....we could see some rain as well.   As always, please make sure to PREHYDRATE.   I will have the cooler with ice water towels for the players. 

Pre-Game Meal and Hydration:

·     make sure to pre-hydrate: drink one 500ml bottle of water between 2:30-3:00 pm, then another glass of water between 4:30 - 5:00 pm.

·     eat early and light e.g. small serving of pasta and lean meat (remember our meals at Sherkston), dried fruit, or my favorite choice - a banana

·     absolutely no fast-food
·     Have a full supper after the game.

·     I recommend a large cold glass of chocolate milk after the game.

Remember to bring lots of your own LABELLED WATER for sipping and splashing on your head during the game!

As Coach Frank tells us: Compete for every ball, all game, every game!

CRAVE THE BURN!

Coach Jim

PRACTICE CALLED OFF

HI everyone, looking at the weather network and the radar map, the rain in the WSC area will not stop tonight, so I have decided to cancel practice… no need to get soaked and dirty the night before a big game…  I’m sure the Mom’s will appreciate it most!

I will send out an email later with some instructions for the players re tomorrow’s game – the things we would have covered tonight… please make sure the boys see it when it comes..

Thanks

Coach Jim

Practice Tomorrow and Team Photo-Shoot

Hi everyone, we have practice at the WSC tomorrow from 6:00 - 7:45 pm.

I mentioned to the players at practice last night to wear their team uniform to Tuesday's practice (team adidas shorts and socks and game jersey over your practice shirts) as we will have our team photoshoot at 6:00pm. Players can wear the jersey for photo's and then take them off for practice.

I added 15 minutes to our usual practice time to accomodate for pictures... Special thanks to Mitchell's Dad Neil for taking pictures!... parents, pls feel free to bring your own camera's as well... If it's raining we will do it the next practice... see you tomorrow...

Coach Jim

Good sports about going green | Local | News | Welland Tribune

Good sports about going green | Local | News | Welland Tribune

Exciting News from the new Sportsplex!  ... can hardly wait to hold my team's training in this new state-of-the-art facility...

See you tonight for practice at WSC from 6:00-7:30

Coach Jim

SUNDAY PRACTICE

SUNDAY PRACTICE: I have permission to run practice at the club tomorrow from 6:00-7:30 PM... I believe it will be on Field 7 but the club may ask us to use another field.... enjoy your morning! 

We will also have our regular Tuesday night practice at the club which will be our final prep for our Cup game v Fort Erie on Wednesday (on Field 7).

Thanks
Coach Jim

The Screenshot We Wanted...

WELLAND 2000 WIZARDS U12 LEAGUE CHAMPS

The results from the last league games are in and our Welland 2000 Wizards are U12 League Champions! 

Congratulations boys - you deserve all the credit in the world! 

I will have a more detailed post later but let me say that winning the division was an important goal I set for the team this year.  Winning the division is the most difficult and significant achievement for a soccer team.  We led our division from the beginning to the end, finished with a very well deserved 11-1-2 record and the best goal differential at +43.  We are ready for promotion! The Welland Soccer Club is very proud of you.

Very well done, I am so very happy for you!  Now let's set our sites on the Billy Gray Cup!

Coach Jim

Game Day Instructions

Final Regular Season Game Tonight at Club Italia Niagara Falls.  We have a 7:00pm start - players must be at the field no later than 6:15pm. We are wearing our Reds. 

Weather:

·    Weather Network calls for a very comfortable night for soccer (23-26 degrees, sunny with a 15km breeze) As always, please make sure to PREHYDRATE.   I will have the cooler with ice water towels for the players. 

Pre-Game Meal and Hydration:

·     make sure to pre-hydrate: drink one 500ml bottle of water between 3:00-3:30pm, then another glass of water between 5:00-5:30pm.

·     eat early and light e.g. small serving of pasta and lean meat (remember our meals at Sherkston), dried fruit, or my favorite choice - a banana

·     absolutely no fast-food
·     Have a full supper after the game.

·     I recommend a large cold glass of chocolate milk after the game.

Remember to bring lots of your own LABELLED WATER for sipping and splashing on your head during the game!

CRAVE THE BURN!

Coach Jim

Congrats to Sabrina D'Angelo & Our CAN U20 WNT!

 

Congrats to Sabrina D'Angelo and the CAN U20 Women's National Team with the 6-0 win over Argentina! Check out Sabrina's early save in the highlight video!

 

Our Colton trained with Sabrina at the WSC this summer!

 

Coach Jim

District Program Training Update from Coach Frank

Hi everyone, Coach Frank wrote up a summary of the training session he ran for the U12 District Program last weekend.  It's a good read and useful for me as a U12 coach to see my messages at practice are consistent with what is being taught at the District level.

Coach Jim

Team Activities This Coming Week

First off, good luck to Jay, Liam and Matthew this weekend at the District Team Camp!  Along with other top coaches they will be trained by Clayton, Tuukka and Frank DeChellis ...sound familiar? (my Wizards get the best training and development available!).

Even though we will have low numbers, I will still conduct a training session for our team at our regular Sunday 8:30-10:00am time (at the WSC).

We will also have our regular practice on Tuesday night at the club.  Hopefully our schedules will work out so that Coach Frank can join us again to continue on "Quick, Early and Accurate".

Of course, Wednesday is our final league game of the season, vs NFSC at Club Italia in Niagara Falls.  I will send out the usual pregame emails.

Thanks
Coach Jim 

Hard Fought Draw

The boys worked hard tonight and earned a 1-1 draw with Grimsby.  I loved the effort and grit in a very entertaining game.  At times we slip into some of the old habits of ball watching, letting the ball hit the ground, and not being wide and deep enough in our shape, but then we also see the boys move the ball around very well, communicate with eachother, execute wall passes, work hard to keep possession, move the ball into space and create scoring opportunities.  Our passes being "Quick, Early and Accurate" was inconsistent tonight though... we will continue to build on that part of our game.

As coach, when we create more scoring opportunities than our opposition and our defensive effort allows only one goal, all I can I say is job well done.  Draws can leave players with mixed feelings, the "would of, should of, could of" type questions. Let's be sure to let them know we loved watching them play their hearts out and point out that they were a few inches here-or-there from the win... A very good effort... always things to work on but loads to be proud of!

Raffle Results
We had Mario Mascitelli, the President of the Welland Soccer Club join us in the club house to draw the winning ticket.  In front of an enthusiatic crowd of players and parents, Mario pulled the winning ticket... drum roll please................ The winners were the Jesik family.  The Jesiks are going on vacation and are not able to attend the TFC game this Saturday.  They graciously donated the TFC tickets back into the box for another draw.  The second ticket drawn and winner of the TFC tickets was Mr. Joe Peidl from Niagara Falls. Congratulations Mr Peidl!  I contacted him when we got home and he was thrilled.

A special thank you to Gary Talosi from Dundee Wealth Management in Port Colborne for the TFC Tickets, the anonymous donor of the Tony Roma's Gift Certificate, and to D'Angelo Printing for printing the raffle tickets free of charge!

The proceeds from the raffle will be recorded and sorted out shortly.  It's a little more complicated than I expected as not everyone sold all their tickets and I have to work the calculator a bit!

Coach Jim

Final Home Game Tonight!

Game Tonight at home vs Grimsby.  The players will be meeting in the WSC Lockerroom before heading out to the field for warm-ups. We will meet no later than 5:45pm in the WSC Lockeroom.  We are wearing our Reds. 

Weather:

·    Weather Network calls for chance of thundershowers and 23 degrees, which will feel like 29 degrees... humidity will be high but with a 15km wind. As always, please make sure to PREHYDRATE.   I will have the cooler with ice water towels for the players. 

Pre-Game Meal and Hydration:

·     make sure to pre-hydrate: drink one 500ml bottle of water between 3:00-3:30pm, then another glass of water between 5:00-5:30pm.

·     eat early and light e.g. small serving of pasta and lean meat (remember our meals at Sherkston), dried fruit, or my favorite choice - a banana

·     absolutely no fast-food
·     Have a full supper after the game.

·     I recommend a large cold glass of chocolate milk after the game.

Remember to bring lots of your own LABELLED WATER for sipping and splashing on your head during the game!

***RAFFLE TICKETS and $$$ MUST BE IN TODAY AS THE DRAW WILL HAPPEN AFTER THE GAME.

CRAVE THE BURN!

Coach Jim

Introducing the 4-5-1

NOTE: NO PRACTICE ON SUNDAY AM!

So many things to be pleased about with last night’s 2-0 win at Fort Erie...  Fort Erie is a good team, and it is tough to beat good teams twice in a season.

Above all else, the effort from our boys was top notch.  The boys were very focussed last night, paid attention to the details that we have be teaching them and played a smart and tough game. 

Body position in relation to where the player is on the field and to the ball was improved thanks to Coach Frank’s session with the team on Wednesday.  Passes were more “Quick, Early and Accurate” as well.   This all lead to having more "Time and Space" and therefore being a more comfortable group as a team on the field.  It helped the team to stay composed and keep shape when we were defending against a few surges from Fort Erie.  We were able to win back possession and pass our way out of trouble.  Fort Erie has scored 49 goals this year and the boys held them to two shots on goal – both great saves by our Keep!

We made changes to our formation this week.  Since the Strength and Conditioning nights in February I have been thinking about making our 4-3-3 more transitional, more defensive when not in possession and more attacking when in possession.  We talked about it in Sherkston and slowly I have been introducing more transitional concepts and responsibilities. 

Looking back we could have done it sooner (my bad) but the timing seemed right last week to make it more “formal” and give us an extra spark to finish the last month of the season.  Given vacations and injury we needed to strengthen defensively. So we spent parts of our practices this week with my whiteboard and markers going over how to switch during a game to a 4-5-1 and each position's responsibilities.  We went over it again before the game and they had retained it.  The boys really seemed to understand and last night it showed.   Playing with 5 mids we controlled the middle of the field. I give the players all the credit in the world.  They worked hard and played smart soccer.  They are a wonderful group.

Some Quick Facts:

·        After 12 games we are the highest scoring team and share the best GA in our League

·        The boys have earned shut-outs in 6 of 12 games

·        In the last 4 games we are 4-0, outscoring our opponents 19-1

We can be very proud of what we are doing, but let’s keep in mind that we have to keep focussing and trying to be better at every practice and every game because next year we will be playing against stronger competition.  With continued commitment from coaches, players (and parents!) our team has boundless potential!

Well done boys, and remember: "Touch The Ball Everyday"

Coach Jim

Instructions for Game @ Fort Erie

Game Tomorrow Night at Fort Erie  - 6:30pm Start - Players must be at Optimist Park by 5:45pm. We are wearing our Reds. Optimist Park is located on the corner of Gilmore and Pettit Roads, Fort Erie.  You can get a map from the NYSL website by clicking here and choosing Optimist Park 1

Weather:

·     This looks to be our first real rain game. Weather Network says there will be thunderstorms and 22 degrees,with a 15km wind. I will have our canopy for the bench but please bring your umbrellas!  Even with the rain and slightly cooler temperature, players must still PREHYDRATE.  As always, I will have a cooler with ice water towels for the players. 

Pre-Game Meal and Hydration:

•       make sure to pre-hydrate: drink one 500ml bottle of water between 3:00-3:30pm, then another glass of water between 5:00-5:30pm.
• ·     eat early and light e.g. small serving of pasta and lean meat (remember our meals at Sherkston), dried fruit, or my favorite choice - a banana
• ·     absolutely no fast-food before the game ... Have a full supper after the game.
• ·     I recommend a large cold glass of chocolate milk after the game.
• Remember to bring lots of your own LABELLED WATER for sipping and splashing on your head during the game!

CRAVE THE BURN!
Coach Jim

Great Practice Tonight & Coaches Thoughts - "Touch The Ball Everyday"

Hi everyone, we had a great practice tonight, we did some agility, alot of technical work, and progressed to a small-sided possession-type game... we got in a ton of touches with the ball and the boys responded well.  We ended with a team strategy session and the boys seemed to really understand what I was asking of them.  They are a great group and I enjoy coaching them very much.

I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you that I had the chance to visit this weekend with two Hungarian friends of mine who played professional football in Hungary in the 60's.  They played in Hungary's first division, the NB1, at a time when it truly was one of the best in Europe.  I asked them about the training they had as youth soccer players, esp focussing on what they did in our team's age group. 

We went through some drills and how to practice different techniques, and the same major theme was repeated throughout our conversation.  It always boiled down to how much personal practice time players put in, or as they put it: "Me and the ball"...

As youth soccer players they practiced everyday all year round. Besides the team practices, they would play and practice soccer 6 hours a day, on their own or with a group of friends - "until the sun went down".  The weather was irrelevant, rain or shine, blistering hot or freezing cold...they played soccer in the snow all winter!  

What is interesting is that most of their personal training (or as they called it "Me and the ball" time) was very simple.  One of the basics they would always do, from 8 years of age through to their professional years, was simply kicking a ball against a wall... concentrating on being on their toes, balanced with knees bent, striking the ball with different parts of the foot and alternating feet when receiving the bounce-back. They would do this until they got a rhythm going, similar to a boxer with a speed bag.

The juggling work was always very important for them... they would get together with friends and have competitions that would last for hours... juggling with both feet, inside foot, outside foot, laces, thighs, shoulder, and head.

They emphasized that the most basic things are the most important things... ball control and touch, which they would work on for hours during their personal time with the ball. They told me that tactics, systems and strategy were not a priority until the players hit the U15-U16 level. 

Interestly, this is the same message that we got when meeting the AS Roma Academy Coaches, and through Tuukka's brother from the FC Inter Turku Academy, and from the Dinamo Zagreb Academy Coaches from Clayton's camp.

Now, of course what my Hungarian friends were describing regarding their hours and conditions of practice was in a different world, back in 1960's Communist Hungary.  Our world is very different, our boys have lots of activities that pull them in different directions.  But what resonated with me is this: "Me and the ball" or as I have been calling it, "Touch the Ball Everyday"... 

This has been one of the themes for the boys since I took the team over two years ago.  Whether it's juggling, or kicking a ball against a wall, throwing a ball up the in air and trapping it, or setting up a dribbling course and dribbling around cones like we do at practice - "Touch the Ball Everyday". 

I encourage our players at every practice to take some of the drills we do together and do them at home on their own.  I ask them to put in at least 20 to 30 minutes everyday, working with the ball - on their own... I have joked with the boys that I want them to sleep with a soccer ball so that soccer was the last thing they think about before falling asleep and the first thing they think of when they wake up!  (I actually slept with a football in my arms all through highschool, my mother thought I was nuts!).  It's funny but I am always making the point that if it's important to them, they will do it- the extra work part!

Of course the "Touch the Ball Everyday" theme applies to many aspects of our boys lives.  Let me relate it another way... We have a few budding musicians on our team!   From the age of 6, I played and then taught music, performed at parties, the Hungarian Hall, church, restaurants and weddings.  With music, going once or twice a week for lessons was not enough, I had to practice on my own everyday - and for hours, to get to the point where I was moderately accomplished.  Whether it is sports, school, or the arts, the key to success is the same -  commitment and practice.

These are great life skills for our boys to develop. School work needs the same type of commitment, solving that difficult math problem takes time and practice.  Becoming a better soccer player is no different.  Going to practice twice a week and then playing a game is not enough. This is why I give them "Soccer Homework" in the form of instructional videos to watch and then practice - on their own...

Players must "Touch the Ball Everyday" and work at it on their own to raise their level.  I'm glad that many of my players do.  We will need that type of individual commitment to raise our collective level for next year.

Sometimes as coaches and parents we have a tendency to over-complicate things.  The game is actually very simple.   There really is no secret to development.  Hard work pays off. I wanted to share this note with you because I find it so interesting that the message I get from whom ever I meet up with in the soccer world is the same... "Touch the Ball Everyday"...

See you at practice tomorrow night at 5:30.
Coach Jim

Regular Practice Tonight & Make-Up Practice Wednesday

Hi everyone, we will have our regular practice tonight at WSC from 6:00-7:30pm. 

We will also have a practice on Wednesday night at the club from 5:30-7:00pm.

I originally wanted to do our "make-up for Sunday" practice on Thursday but have been able to secure Coach Frank DeChellis for Wednesday night to continue the theme of his first session with our team "Can I Go Forward".  We will work on making quick decisions, i.e. diagnosing if the forward play is not there, passing back to support and keeping possession.

See you tonight and tommorow night and thanks Coach Frank!
Coach Jim

A Good Read: "Are your players ready to compete?"

Hi everyone, wanted to share this post from Frank DeChellis' on-line journal... a good read for coaches and parents.

Coach Jim

No Practice Sunday

Hi everyone, even though most can make it for Sunday AM, I'm thinking we give the boys (and parents) a Sunday AM off given long weekend as well....

We play next week on Friday PM at Fort Erie... so I would like our regular practice on Tuesday and another on Thursday (same time and place as Tuesdays).

Thanks

Coach Jim

Game Day!

Game Tonight at home vs Pelham.  The players liked the idea of the team gathering in the WSC Lockerroom before heading out to the field for warm-ups, so let's do it again!  We will meet no later than 5:45pm in the WSC Lockeroom.  We are wearing our Reds. 

Weather:

·     Looks like very nice weather for our boys tonight.  Weather Network says it will be sunny and 25 degrees (which could feel like 31 degrees), with a 10km wind. As always, please make sure to PREHYDRATE.   I will have a cooler with ice water towels for the players. 

Pre-Game Meal and Hydration:

·     make sure to pre-hydrate: drink one 500ml bottle of water between 3:00-3:30pm, then another glass of water between 5:00-5:30pm.

·     eat early and light e.g. small serving of pasta and lean meat (remember our meals at Sherkston), dried fruit, or my favorite choice - a banana

·     absolutely no fast-food
·     Have a full supper after the game.

·     I recommend a large cold glass of chocolate milk after the game.

Remember to bring lots of your own LABELLED WATER for sipping and splashing on your head during the game!

CRAVE THE BURN!

Coach Jim

Practice Tonight at WSC 6:00-7:30

See you tonight as we prep for our match tomorrow night v Pelham!

Coach Jim

Very Proud Coach! ***UPDATE***

***UPDATE***   Waterloo United are Champions of our division beating the Niagara Falls Titans in PKs after playing 0-0 through added time in the final...  what does this say about our team?!  ... it makes today's 0-2 loss that much more impressive... I had the opportunity to congratulate the Waterloo coach tonight at the Festival and he told me that besides their dramatic final with NF, we gave them the best game of their tournament.  Well done Wizards!

Today the boys played Waterloo, currently the 26th ranked U12 team in all of Ontario. Let me say that again to put this mornings game into perspective - the 26th ranked team in the Province... Again, as yesterday, we were level at half, eventually falling 0-2... a tremendous effort.

The Waterloo coach was full of compliments and said we should be very proud - he was surprised we were not a SRSL team already... Head's up boys, lets keeping working hard, working on the details... like I say, always things to work on, but always getting better! We are on the right track!

Very proud Coach here!
Coach Jim

A Big Step Forward

Very happy and proud of my team today... Our first competition against the SRSL-type Teams and we showed we can compete... this is what I wanted to see... in both games we came out level at half time and kept our opponents off balance.

Both games we could have/should have scored first... The referee apologized to me for not calling the handball which would have surely changed the first game in our favour... in the second game we dominated play in the opening 15 and had many chances... but thats the way the game goes sometimes... play-on! I am VERY proud the team!

See you at the same field tomorrow morning at 8:15am for our match against Waterloo!

 

Coach Jim