Exhibition / Evaluation Game CANCELLED

Hello everyone, the Exhibition/Evaluation Game for tomorrow has been cancelled.   We have been advised  that there is an OSA Rule which states that Club Teams may not play School Teams in Exhibition Games - under any conditions.

Tryouts will continue as scheduled with  the next session at the Welland Soccer Club, Saturday October 8 from 2:00-3:30 on Field 6A

I’m very sorry for any confusion

Coach Jim

A Great Start & Exhibition/Evaluation Game Details

Hi everyone, we had a great first try-out last night!  The boys showed lots of energy and were serious about the team... I loved it !

Exhibition/Evaluation Game Details

I have confirmed with Clayton that we need to meet as a group at Ridley College on Saturday morning, 9:30am, outside (in front) of the hockey arena... (the futsal boys know where that is!)... We will go to the field from there...  

Players are to wear a WHITE top, I will give them red pinnies to wear... it looks like it will be cool and possibly wet...

PLEASE EMAIL ME A “YES WILL BE THERE” OR “NO, WILL NOT BE THERE” so that I know how many players will show...

GENERAL COMMENT RE THE GAME: Parents, please do not read anything into whether or not your son starts, or how many minutes he played, or at which position he played, or what the score is... I will not be coaching to win this game... this is an opportunity for me to see the players work in a simulated game "vs a live opponent" -  as opposed to drills at a try-out... I will move players around to see different combinations in different positions and simply observe...   

Thanks and see you Saturday AM at Ridley at 9:30am

Coach Jim

WANTED: Y2K BOYS THAT LOVE SOCCER

TRY-OUTS for the new Welland Wizards U12 Boys (born in 2000) are set as follows:

• Tuesday Sept 27 - 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm – Field 7, Welland Soccer Club
• Saturday, Oct 1 - 10:00 am to 11:30 am (*** this will be an Exhibition/Evaluation Game at Ridley College v the Ridley u12s)
• Saturday, Oct 8 - 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm – Field 6A, Welland Soccer Club
• Saturday, Oct 15 - 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm – Field 7, Welland Soccer Club

Please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to start time. Players must wear white shirts/tops – no club gear.

Parents, I understand that this is a busy time of year and some of the boys will have conflicts with hockey and the like.  It is vital that you contact me through email or phone if you cannot attend any of these try-outs.

Thanks,  I’m very excited to get things rolling!

Coach Jim

U12 "Winter" Wizards Try-outs/Work-outs Starting Soon!

Hi everyone, get ready... the U12 Team Try-outs/Work-outs will start soon!

Coach Jim

The sun came up this morning...

To the players ("my boys"),

Last night was a shock to the system, and it hurts to lose...  but the sun did come up this morning!  

My take on the game: I would rather lose playing soccer than win playing "kick-ball"...Alot of teams we played this year couldn't play soccer with us, so they played "kick-ball"... I have always taught you to play a positive style, proper game of soccer... that won't change...

The Ref was right when he stopped by our bench after the game to tell us that he had never seen a team more unlucky than we were last night, that the ball just didn't bounce our way... he said that we controlled the game and did not deserve to lose. I didn't like all those hand-balls he called against us but appreciated he took the time to talk to us... 

You are a special group of young men. I am so proud of you, proud to be called your "Coach".  I have great great memories that will stay with me... thank you boys...

Hold your heads high, and puff out your chests as you read the following accomplishments on the season:

• CHAMPIONS, 49th Annual A.C. Douglas Tournament
• Finalists, TiAmo Festival Cup
• Achieved a 20 win season with 20-6-1 record overall (winning 76% of all our games)
• 14-4 in NYSL league play
• Overall Tournament Record of 6-1-1 (winning 81% of our tournament games)
• 117 NYSL goals scored - which made us the top goal scoring team in any level of the NYSL
• EVERY PLAYER ON THE TEAM SCORED AT LEAST ONE GOAL! ...name me another team that can say that!
• 145 overall goals scored
• +84 Goal Differential in NYSL
• +98 Goal Differential overall

WOW, what a list! No wonder the coaches and your families are so proud of you!   You are the envy of the NYSL, the class of the league!

Let me take a moment to thank Coach Marty...  he sacrificed allot of personal time and effort to help us... much of any credit that may come my way should go directly to Coach Marty - thanks Marty!

And to the parents and families... your support and the kind words were always greatly appreciated, thank you!


TEAM PARTY
We will have a Private Team Party soon (by private I mean only our team, parents and families) ... I'm checking out some ideas... parents, let me know if you have any ideas...


WSC YEAR END BANQUET
The Club's Year End Banquet will be at Dave & Buster's in Niagara Falls in Mid-October... I will confirm details with you ASAP... I understand the boys will get $20.00 play cards with their meals!


TEAM YEAR BOOK DVD

As you know Liam’s Mom Jane has volunteered to create a “Team Year Book Video” for us!

Please give/send to Jane any pictures or videos you may have of the team’s action this year (saved on a USB/Pen Drive or burned to DVD) and she will put together a memory keepsake of our boy’s soccer summer... I have a ton pictures from a Grandfather of one of the Niagara Falls players. He was kind enough to send me pictures he took of our games with Niagara Falls.


OFF-SEASON U12 PROGRAM
Let's take some time off and then start our off-season program sometime in October.  I have submitted a plan for next year to the Welland Soccer Club and am waiting anxiously for approval!  I will contact all of you when I hear back from the Club.  We will come back even stronger next season! We still have some goals to accomplish...

Finally, let me again say "Thank You" everyone, it was an EPIC soccer season!

Coach Jim

Billy Gray Cup Round One Draw @ Port Colborne Thursday, September 15... "WHO WANTS IT?!"

The WIZARDS begin their quest for the BILLY GRAY CUP with a trip to Port Colborne on Thursday night.  Kick-off is at 6:00pm and players MUST BE ON THE FIELD FOR 5:30 WARM-UPS... We will be wearing our REDS...


Semi-finals are scheduled for Saturday, September 17 at 9:00AM and Finals for Sunday September 18 at 9:00AM both at Grimsby Smith #4 Field.

................and it was clear and sunny in Welland (LOL!) Final Practice Tuesday 6:00-7:30PM at WSC Field 6C

Dino and I got back home from the CSL Game last night and could not believe the sunshine and what a beautiful evening it was in Welland (LOL) ! 

I hope everyone who attended our CSL Roma Night had a good time  - despite the rain... It looked like the boys had a blast!

As their coach, I was so very proud to watch our boys escort the pro team out onto the field and stand with them for the national anthem !  A very nice memory for me... youtube video thanks to Iwona (as always!)

FINAL PRACTICE TUESDAY PM
Our last practice before we begin the play-offs is tomorrow night at the WSC from 6:00-7:30PM (please remember the earlier 6:00PM start)


Thanks
Coach Jim

Practice Sun 8:00AM - Team Day at Roma Game

Hi everyone, see you at practice tomorrow 8:00-9:30AM at the WSC!

TEAM ACTIVITY - ROMA GAME UPDATE - 3:30PM
I spoke to the GM of the Roma Wolves and have arranged for our players to walk the Pro Team out onto the field for the Anthem... also some some of the boys can be ball-boys during the game, sit behind the net and the like... Important though that everyone who is coming be at Club Roma by 3:30pm at the latest otherwise you will not be able to participate in the PreGame...MAKE SURE TO WEAR YOUR RED TEAM SHIRT AND BE THERE BY 3:30PM...

Also, parents will not have to buy tickets... the GM will meet us as a group and we will be able to enter with our boys... There will be BBQ, Pizza and drinks to buy from the vendors...  I hope that all of you can make it! 

See you tomorrow
Coach Jim

Team News - Practice & Play-off Schedules

Hi all, a quick reminder that there is no practice tonight... first day of school is enough excitement!

Final three practices of the year are as follows:

·         Thursday September 8 at WSC (6:00–7:30pm) ***earlier time

·         Sunday September 11 at WSC (8:00-9:30am)

·         Tuesday September 13 - our final practice at WSC (6:00-7:30pm) ***earlier time

 

BILLY GRAY CUP PLAY-OFF SCHEDULE

This is a "knock-out" competition (i.e. we win and we keep playing, we lose and we go home)

First Round Draw v Port Colborne

Thursday Sept 15 at Port Colborne (players must be at Port Field by 5:30PM)

Second Round - Opponent TBD (either Lincoln, Niagara Falls or Pelham)

Saturday Sept 17 at Grimsby 9:00am (players must be at Grimsby Field by 8:30 AM)

Championship Game  - Opponent TBD

Sunday Sept 18 at Grimsby at 9:00am (players must be at Grimsby Field by 8:30 AM)

 

TEAM ACTIVITY REMINDER

If you missed my email last week or didn’t see it here on the biog, we received free tickets (thanks to Liam's Mom Jane) for a Roma Wolves CSL game!  We have booked Sunday, September 11 when the Wolves host Capitol City at Club Roma at 4:00pm...


This is a great opportunity for the boys to get together for a fun night out... lets wear our uniforms and show our team pride!... I am arranging (hopefully) for our players to be involved in the pregame ceremonies/coin toss on the field and possibly a Penalty Shoot Out Contest with another team at half time! ...Will keep you posted!


***Please let me know if you can or can't make it...

 

YEAR BOOK VIDEO

Liam’s Mom Jane has volunteered to create a “Team Year Book Video” for us!

Please give to Jane (at practice on Thursday) any pictures or videos you may have of the team’s action this year (saved on a Pen Drive or burned to DVD) and she will put together a memory keepsake of our boy’s soccer summer... I have a ton pictures from a Grandfather of one of the Niagara Falls players. He was kind enough to send me pictures he took of our games with Niagara Falls.

 

TEAM PHOTO

Keegan’s parents Dierk and Aurelia wanted me to share with you that they called FutureStars re team and individual photos - some parents may not have ordered one on Picture Day but want one now.  The person Aurelia spoke to said that if you have made an initial order on Picture Day that you could now make a subsequent order for $9.00.  If you did not make an initial order on Picture Day the cost today would be $16.00 (i.e. you had to have ordered something else already to get the $9 deal). The contact asked Aurelia to share this with anyone else who wanted a picture and team photograph. The contact name was Michelle at FutureStars, 1-800-461-6575.  *****Next year I will try to get you the order sheets ahead of time so that parents are not scrambling to fill out the order form and make payment on the field!

 

YEAR END TEAM BASH

Once we have finished the play-offs we will have a Year End Team Bash (just for our team, this is separate from the WSC Banquet). Parents, please let me know if you have any ideas – I’m open to suggestions that work for everyone!

Thanks

Coach Jim

Magical Wizards Win 20th Game On The Year

Welland 8 : 1 Port Colborne


Your Welland Goals brought to you by: Matthew (3) Juan (2), Liam, David and Lucas (8 goals by 5 different players) ... and another outstanding performance by Colt in net... Coach Jim matched the 8 goals with 8 bee stings LOL's!  Youtube video courtesy of Matthew's Mom Iwona


If you would have told me before the season that we would reach the Final of TiAmo, win the A.C. Douglas Championship, go 14-4 in the NYSL and win 20 matches overall with the Billy Gray Cup still to play, I would not have believed it... We finished the NYSL Regular Season with 4 straight wins by a combined score of 38-3!


I knew this team had grown and would be better than the last few years, but to win 80% of our matches, to score 145 goals and have a goal differential of +101 is astounding!


Every player on the team has scored at least one goal! We earned 4 shut-outs using 5 different Keepers throughout the year...A TRUE TEAM! A REMARKABLE TEAM!  Take pride and be proud of your hard work and accomplishments boys!


NOT FINISHED YET: there is more work to be done - let's go win the Billy Gray Cup starting with our trip to Port Colborne on September 15!  More to come...


Very well done,
Coach Jim


NEXT PRACTICE: THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 8 (6:00pm - 7:30pm) at WSC ***earlier time

Final Home Game v Port Colborne 2-NIte

Hi everyone, players must on our home Field 7 at 5:30 for warm-ups for our game v Port Colborne.  We are wearing our "Reds".

Players: even though it's cooler these days, you still need to make sure to pre-hydrate and eat properly before the game: drink one 500ml bottle of water between 2:30-3:30pm, then another glass of water between 4:30-5:00pm.... eat an early light supper (small serving of pasta and lean meat) or snack of nuts, granola bar, trail mix, dried fruit - my favorite choice - a banana) ... Have a full supper after the game… ***I recommend a large cold glass of chocolate milk after the game!...

As always, remember to bring lots of your own water for sipping and splashing on your head during the game!

Pre-Game Thought: including Tournament Play, we have won 19 games so far this year - let's make it 20 tonight!

See you at 5:30pm!
Coach Jim