SMOKE SIGNALS
SMOKE SIGNALS 1
OCTOBER 2013 THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE OKLAHOMA SOCCER ASSOCIATION
OKLAHOMA CITY
TULSA
US Soccer Inducts Oklahoman Joe-Max Moore To Hall of Fame US Soccer Inducts Oklahoman JoeMax Moore To Hall of Fame Former U.S. Men's National Team forwards Joe-Max Moore and Peter Vermes will be inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame on Friday, Oct. 11, in a ceremony taking place at 2 p.m. CT on the West Plaza of Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan. The National Soccer Hall of Fame and U.S. Soccer will hold Induction 2013, presented by Eurosport, ahead
October Is Breast Cancer
Awareness Month
Each October OSA encourages its members to support Breast Cancer Awareness month. Many of OSA’s teams will don pink jerseys and referees will wear pink jerseys while officiating matches. If your team or club has photos of your teams or officials turning your club “pink,” October Breast Cancer Awareness Month, page 3
of the U.S. MNT's FIFA World Cup Qualifier against Jamaica. The event will be free and open to the public. Gates for the Hall of Fame induction open at 1:30 p.m. CT. Current Hall of Famers, as well as the Class of 2013 inductees, will be recognized on the field during the match against Jamaica. Moore enters the Hall of Fame in his second-to-last year of eligibility on the Player ballot. During his MNT tenure, Hall of Fame, story on page 4
Joe-Max Moore
Oklahoma Soccer Passes Historic Bylaw Change By a nearly unanimous vote on August 31, 2013, OSA’s member countries and adult leagues approved new bylaws that represent the first major change in OSA’s governance since the original documents were filed in 1967. The new bylaws will take effect January 1, 2014 and the major change will be to streamline OSA into a more efficient organization that can respond more easily to the wants and needs of its membership. “We are basically merging elements of the old bylaws into the new ones,” says OSA’s Executive Director, Sid Goodrich. “While we will no longer have the seven countries in name, clubs will be represented through four recreational districts across the state and two competitive districts representing the state.”
The seven countries were created in 1967 and modeled after the state’s seven recreational divisions. Each country was responsible for registering players in its district and then forwarding registrations to OSA. In those days prior to the internet and access to online registration, the process was sound. By 2013, the process of registration has changed drastically and no longer is a paper form needed to verify registration as it can be done quickly and efficiently via the internet. Also, only two of the seven countries (Green and Frontier) had staffed offices to assist their members and therefore volunteers at the other countries were involved in completing registration for their players. OSA Bylaw Changes, page 4
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OKLAHOMA SOCCER ASSOCIATION
In this Issue
OSA
www.oksoccer.com
US Youth Soccer Partners with Happy Family . . . 5
Tulsa Office: 9820 E. 41st Street, Suite 115, Tulsa 74146 1-918-627-2663
US Youth Soccer Announces 2014 Cup Events . . . . . 6
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 35174 Tulsa, OK 74153-0174 1-800-347-3590 Oklahoma City Office: 4520 Old Farm Road Oklahoma City, OK 73162 405-286-0488
OPD Begins 2013-14 Season . . 6 Recipients of the Andy Stone Scholarships . . . . 9
Executive Board Chairman Brandon Story Vice-Chairman Bill Aven
Tahlequah’s New Soccer Complex Opens. . . . . . . . . 10
Secretary/Treasurer Sean McKelvey SRA ---
Soktoberfest is Here . . . . . . . . 12
Adviser Scott Hughes
OSA Reaches out to STARR . . . . . . 13
Youth Board President Tom Wedding
Tournaments . . .14
1st Vice-President Daryn Story 2nd Vice-President Marianne Ballard
Smoke Signals Story Submissions Smoke Signals welcomes story submissions from teams, clubs, leagues and associations via e-mail or FAX. If you have a story or a story idea, please e-mail or FAX us at the following addresses: oksoccer@oksoccer.com -or- FAX: 1-918-627-2693 to the attention: Dale Watts. The Smoke Signals is the official publication of the Oklahoma Soccer Association and is published bi-monthly. Editorial offices are at the OSA office, 9410-B East 51st Street, Tulsa, OK 74145-8168. Telephone is 918-627-2663 and FAX is 918-627-2693. E-mail at oksoccer@oksoccer.com. The Smoke Signals is mailed to all registered coaches, referees, association officers, subscribers, and players six times a year. Advertisers assume all liability for content of advertisements printed and therefore assume all claims against the Smoke Signals. The Smoke Signals does not publish articles or letters from anonymous contributors. Contributors must provide a daytime phone number to confirm authorship of submitted articles or letters. Opinions expressed in this publication are exclusively those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication. Errors, corrections and changes are inevitable. Please accept our apologies for any inconveniences.
3rd Vice-President Keith Ash 4th Vice-President Risk Management Michael Naumann Secretary/Registrar David Moore SYRA Paul Scott Adult Board President Reza Namavar 1st Vice-President Sonny Dalesandro 2nd Vice-President Tekleab Tsegay Secretary/Registrar Jalal Daneshfar SRA --Editor- Dale Watts Layout & Design- Sandy Bent National Ad Director Varsity Sports Communications
Calendar
OCTOBER 1 Youth Board Mtg, Davis, Sand Springs, Stilwell 2 Altus, Broken Arrow, Catoosa, Collinsville, NOKC, FCSA Competitive, GCSA Ex Bd, Ref Committee 3 Midwest City, Northwest Oklahoma 7 Metro Tulsa, Norman, Washington County 8 Claremore, Elk City, Logan County, Mustang, Ponca City, South Lakes 9 Durant, Mayes County 10 Beaver River 14 FCSA, Owasso, Columbus Day 15 Chickasha, Edmond, Harrah, Sapulpa 21 Choctaw/Nicoma Park, El Reno, Shawnee, Stillwater, Westside 22 Tri-Lake 23 Bristow 24 GCSA 28 Glenpool, Yukon 31 Halloween NOVEMBER 4 Metro Tulsa, Norman, Washington County 5 Youth Board Mtg, Davis, Sand Springs 6 Altus, Broken Arrow, Catoosa, Collinsville, NOKC, FCSA Competitive, GCSA Ex Bd, Ref Committee 7 Cleveland, Inola, Midwest City, Northwest Oklahoma 11 FCSA, Owasso, Wagoner 12 Claremore, Elk City, Logan County, Mustang, Ponca City, South Lakes 13 Durant, Mayes County 14 Beaver River 18 All County (Atoka), Choctaw/Nicoma Park, El Reno, Shawnee, Stillwater, Westside 19 Chickasha, Edmond, Harrah, Sapulpa 21 Bixby 25 Glenpool, Yukon 26 Tri-Lake DECEMBER 2 Metro Tulsa, Norman, Washington County 3 Youth Board Mtg, Davis 4 Altus, Broken Arrow, Catoosa, Collinsville, NOKC, FCSA Competitive, GCSA Ex Bd, Ref Committee 5 Coweta, Midwest City, Northwest Oklahoma 9 FCSA, Owasso 10 Claremore, Elk City, Logan County, Muskogee, Mustang, Ponca City, South Lakes 11 Durant, Mayes County 12 Beaver River 16 All County (Atoka), Choctaw/Nicoma Park, El Reno, Shawnee, Stillwater, Westside 17 Chickasha, Edmond, Harrah 23 Glenpool, Yukon 24 Tri-Lake
Meetings
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Breast Cancer
Awareness Month continued from page 1
Ooten Resigns as SRA Citing changes in his personal and professional obligations that require much more of his time, David Ooten has resigned his position as State Referee Administrator for OSA. David served as SRA and SYRA during the previous year after the resignation of Ron Poulsen from the SRA position.
Referees Lance Stewart, Joe Forler, and Susanne Moskal wear their pink jersey’s in support of Breast Cancer Awareness.
please share them with OSA by contacting oksoccer@oksoccer.com . Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, other than skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer. The chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer some time during her life is about 1 in 8. The chance of dying from breast cancer is about 1 in 36. Breast cancer death rates have been going down. This is probably the result of finding the cancer earlier and better treatment. Right now there are more than 2.9 million breast cancer survivors in the United States. For more information about breast cancer, how to find it early, and how to help finish the fight against the disease, visit our breast cancer information resources online or contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 anytime, day or night.
Clinton, COASL - Feb & Aug, Cordell, Great Plains, Hinton, Lawton United, NEOASA - Jan, June, Aug, & Dec, Red Carpet, Tri-City, Verdigris. All other clubs meet “as called.”
As SRA David was, in the words of several referees, a man who understood the problems and pressures facing the referee in today’s stressful environment. His personal contact with referees and willingness to assist them in their development as officials was appreciated by the state’s referee corps. David previously held the office of SYRA and State Coordinator of Assignors. He was also an Instructor and Assessor for OSA. Thank you, David, for your hard work and dedication to the referee program of Oklahoma.
Oklahoma Soccer Association is a proud member of US Youth Soccer Association US Adult Soccer Association US Soccer and FIFA
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OKLAHOMA SOCCER ASSOCIATION
Hall of Fame, continued from page 1
Moore appeared in 100 games, including three FIFA World Cups, and his 24 goals rank fifth on the all-time list. He also scored 53 goals in six seasons with Major League Soccer's New England Revolution. Joe-Max Moore, Oklahoma’s first U.S. National Team player, grew up in Tulsa hanging around the Tulsa Roughnecks of the North American Soccer
Joe-Max Moore League and playing for Milan Dovedan, who “influenced me most as a coach,” says Joe-Max. Because his father, Carl, owned the Roughnecks, Joe-Max’s early years were spent with international players from the NASL at his Tulsa home until the family moved to Irvine, California when he was 14. While in California, Joe-Max attended Irvine High School and was a scholarship player at UCLA. In 1992, he scored a bending free-kick goal (a skill he would be noted for) against Italy in the Summer Olympics and began a decade of appearances with the United States Men’s National Team. In 1993 he led the USA in scoring with 8 goals, the most ever by a US player, and in the ’95 Copa America he converted his penalty kick in a shootout win over Mexico. Joe-
Max scored 4 goals for the US in 1996 in qualifying play for the 98 World Cup and by the 2002 World Cup he had played in two of the USA’s first three World Cup appearances in nearly 30 years. On the international stage, JoeMax left the US in1994 to pursue opportunities overseas, joining FC Saarbruecken in Germany where he scored a club-best 13 goals in just 25 games. Returning home in 1996, Joe-Max joined the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer and through 1999 was the club’s alltime leading scorer and named MVP in 1996. In 2000, Joe-Max signed with Everton in the English Premier League and scored 8 goals in his first season. During his three years with the Everton squad, Joe-Max played in two FA Cup and scored goals in backto-back matches against Derby County and Leeds United. Rejoining the Revolution in 2003, Joe-Max played through the 2004 season and scored 41 career goals with 35 assists, a Revolution record. In January 2005, Joe-Max announced his retirement from professional soccer. His 24 goals for the US ranked him third in national history at the time of his retirement. The U.S. MNT's match against Jamaica on Oct. 11 is the team's secondto-last match in World Cup Qualifying. The game kicks off at 5:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on an ESPN network,
WatchESPN and UniMas, and on ESPN Deportes Radio. Fans can also follow on ussoccer.com's MatchTracker and on Twitter @ussoccer. Peter Vermes enters the Hall of Fame on the Veteran ballot. He scored 11 goals in 66 career games with the U.S. MNT, helped the squad qualify for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy and captained the team during its champi-
Peter Vermes onship run at the inaugural CONCACAF Gold Cup in 1991. He was the 1988 U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year in his first stint with the National Team and was the 2000 MLS Defender of the Year, leading the Kansas City Wizards to the MLS Cup Championship. Vermes currently manages Sporting Kansas City, which has won back-to-back Eastern Conference regular-season titles in MLS and won the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Established in 1950, the National Soccer Hall of Fame is dedicated to the sport of soccer in the United States by celebrating its history, preserving its legacy, inspiring its youth and honoring its heroes for generations to come.
OSA Passes Historic Bylaw Change, continued from page 1 The new bylaws will remove many of the impediments to change and growth that were created in the initial bylaws. Clubs will now be represented through one of the recreational districts or the competitive districts and each club will have the opportunity to elect members
to serve on that district level. Districts will now determine their needs and concerns rather than a country board. While change is always unsettling and disconcerting, Goodrich and the OSA board members believe that most of the difficulties facing OSA in 2014 will be
overcome and adjustments made to facilitate the majority of OSA’s membership. “The current bylaws that were voted in on August 31 were revised several times before the vote,” says Goodrich. “I’m confident that when changes are needed OSA’s members will make good choices.”
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US Youth Soccer Announces Partnership with Happy Family US Youth Soccer announces Leading premium organic food brand to sponsor nation’s largest youth sports organization with Happy Squeeze line of superfood pouches US Youth Soccer, the largest youth sports organization in the nation, is pleased to welcome Happy Squeeze as the official On-the-go “Superfood” of US Youth Soccer. The new partnership will highlight Happy Family’s line of Happy Squeeze pouches. Made with unique, nutritious superfoods and the best organic ingredients, Happy Squeeze pouches are gluten free; free of preservatives, artificial colors and flavors, trans fats and GMOs; and certified organic by the USDA. The sponsorship will provide US Youth Soccer players with a healthy snack choice while on the move to soccer practices, games and events. These squeezable snacks are hassle-free and allow for easy use for players of all ages. “The US Youth Soccer organization is a natural partner for us as we have a shared mission to promote positive health and well-being among today’s youth,” said Shazi Visram, founder, CEO, and Chief Mom of Happy Family. “We're honored to have the opportunity to support them in providing nutritious and delicious snacks the whole family can enjoy.” Happy Squeeze will reach the more than three million youth players and one million adults engaged with US Youth Soccer through the promotion at events and on USYouthSoccer.org. Samples of Happy Squeeze snacks will be available at several events, including the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series and the US Youth Soccer Workshop at the NSCAA Convention. “We are pleased to welcome Happy Squeeze as a US Youth Soccer sponsor,” US Youth Soccer Executive Director Jim Cosgrove said. “Not only are our members passionate about soccer and furthering their skills but they are also
concerned about eating and staying healthy, and that’s why Happy Squeeze is such a great fit for us.” For more information on Happy Squeeze and other Happy Family brands, please visit www.HappyFamilyBrands.com. For more information on US Youth Soccer, please visit www.USYouthSoccer.org.
About
Happy
Family
Launched on Mother’s Day 2006, and founded and operated by moms, Happy Family™ is the first organic brand to offer a complete line of nutrient-rich foods for babies’, toddlers’, and kids’ growing bodies. Constantly innovating, Happy Family has been a pioneer in the industry, adding extra nutrition to its products — like Salba, the super chia, probiotics, and Choline for brain health — whenever possible. In May 2013, Happy Family announced a partnership with Groupe Danone, a global company whose mission is to bring
health through food to people everywhere. The strategic alliance will raise the bar for children’s nutrition in the U.S., combining their shared commitment to social responsibility and innovation. Happy Family has been consistently recognized for its dynamic team and its extraordinary growth and innovation, including winning Food Processing Magazine’s R&D Team of the Year, being named by Forbes as one of America’s most promising companies; and most recently, Shazi Visram, CEO and Founder of Happy Family, being named a member of the Young Global Leader Class of 2013 by the World Economic Forum. Happy Family believes that every baby deserves to be a happy baby. With every product sold, the company supports Project Peanut Butter, a nonprofit that feeds starving children in Africa. For more information, visit www. happyfamilybrands.com, www.facebook.com/HAPPYFAM, or twitter.com/ HAPPYsuperfoods.
Young ODP players at the December 2012 friendlies.
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OKLAHOMA SOCCER ASSOCIATION
US Youth Soccer Announces the 2014 US Youth Soccer Regional and National Presidents Cup Events US Youth Soccer is proud to announce the dates and locations for the 2014 US Youth Soccer Regional and National Presidents Cup events - a progressive, competitive experience for US Youth Soccer teams from the state to regional to US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup level. The 2014 National Presidents Cup will take place July 1013 in Greenville, S.C. at the MESA Soccer Complex. “After concluding another successful year of the US Youth Soccer Presidents Cup events, we are excited to look
to the future and announce the host cities for the 2014 events,” said US Youth Soccer President John Sutter. “US Youth Soccer is always eager to offer its players additional opportunities to advance and compete at levels that contribute to the individual growth of players and the Presidents Cup events are proof of that commitment, providing rewarding experiences to thousands of players who become fans of the game for life.” Each US Youth Soccer State Association determines the path through which its state teams advance to the re-
gional competitions. Regional winners of the Under-13 through Under-17 Boys and Girls age groups will earn a berth to the US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup. For more information on the US Youth Soccer Presidents Cup, visit www. USYouthSoccer.org/PresidentsCup. Note: The US Youth Soccer Presidents Cup is a separate series of events from the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series. Learn more about the 2014 US Youth Soccer Regional and National Presidents Cup events below:
US Youth Soccer Region I (East) Presidents Cup Slippery Rock, Pa. | May 24-26, 2014
Slippery Rock University / Dicks Sportsplex / North Boundary Park
US Youth Soccer Region II (Midwest) Presidents Cup Overland Park, Kan. | June 12-15, 2014 Overland Park Soccer Complex
US Youth Soccer Region III (South) Presidents Cup Decatur, Ala. | June 12-15, 2014 Jack Allen Complex / Spirit of America Fields
US Youth Soccer Region IV (West) Presidents Cup Morgan Hill, Calif. | June 10-15, 2014 Morgan Hill Sports Complex
US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup Greenville, S.C. | July 10-13, 2014 MESA Soccer Complex
Olympic Development Program Begins 2013-14 Season For young soccer players looking to improve their skills and develop new ones, the Olympic Development Program (ODP) provides the opportunities and is available beginning in October of this year. Kurt Luitwieler, OSA’s Director of Player Development and Coach Education, has a full schedule of training sessions planned for the fall of 2013. “We are offering online registration on OSA’s web site now and we’ll begin our training center sessions at several locations around the state come October 1,” says Luitwieler. For the registration link go to http://www. gotsport.com/asp/application/reg/?Pro gramID=23283&Type=PLAYER The program has changed from previous formats of simple tryouts to providing training sessions and multiple sessions for the player to better demonstrate his/her capabilities. Assessments
will be made during those training sessions and player development events to determine if the player is invited to attend one of the summer ODP camps offered in Alabama. According to Luitwieler, the events scattered across Oklahoma’s various countries offered young players the opportunity to play against similar aspiring soccer stars. “Each age group is registered by their birth year, rather than a club’s seasonal year,” says Luitwieler. If the player was born between 1997 and 2002 they may participate. “We also hope to bring on promising young coaches from clubs around the state and develop them as well as the players so the game’s growth throughout the state and region continues. TRAINING CENTERS: Here is where the vast majority of the program will
take shape. Each age group will train about once a month on their side of the state. If players want to travel to both, they are more than welcome to get in as much training as they can! Since we are looking to stay local and reduce costs (time/money) for players and families, we can now train during the week and stay away from league/tournament conflicts. We will have TC locations in OKC area and Tulsa area and then be rotating TC site through other communities throughout the year. Dates and Locations will be posted on the OSA web site under Programs then ODP. To complete the registration, all ODP players must complete all 4 of the required document listed on the ODP page on OSA’s web site. For help or information, contact Kurt Luitwieler at the Tulsa office – 918-623-2663 ext 21.
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Watts’ What
By Dale Watts, Editor
What are the odds of a yo u n g ste r from Tulsa, Oklahoma playing in the World Cup? Can a kid from a state where the version of football is played with an odd oblong ball ever achieve such recognition? The answer is “yes” and it couldn’t happen to a nicer young man. Joe-Max Moore began playing soccer in Tulsa under the influence of his father, Carl Moore, who was a part owner of the Tulsa Roughnecks NASL franchise. It was a magic time in those years of the late 1970’s when a new professional sport was provided to us Okies and we embraced it with an odd mixture of enthusiasm and disbelief. Sitting in the stands at Skelly Stadium were folks who had never heard the word “offside” without an “s” on the end of it; people who thought a fullback should be able to carry that weird volleyball looking object with his hands; folks who were somewhat concerned over the short length of those guys’ shorts; folks who tried to figure out why two of the referees weren’t even on the field and to top that had flags they waved at each other; and, finally, why is that guy with the whistle in the center of the field wearing an all-black outfit and shorts? Out of all that curious mix, something wonderful happened (and it wasn’t just because they sold beer at Skelly Stadium, either). Tulsa and the vast majority of Oklahoma got hooked on a game that didn’t require the player to be of a certain size, weight, gender, or height. It could be played in a back yard with two or three kids, in a park with 30, or even against your garage door! I remember that soccer fields sprang up like mushrooms around the city. Of course that was because there were no soccer complexes, no dedicated city or county
parks for the game. Battles loomed between baseball and soccer teams and finally a truce of sorts was worked out to allow soccer games to utilize space in many of the parks around the town. In this context, Joe-Max and his dad grew to become fans of soccer and Carl did what many parents do when they realize their child has a talent that should be nurtured – he hired a mentor to develop Joe-Max’s skills. And thus, Milan Dovedon took Joe-Max under his tutelage and, as they say, the rest is history. The Moore’s moved to California in the early 80’s and while we in Oklahoma were unable to view Joe-Max’s games first hand, we followed his rise to the US National Team and his contributions. As he played in the Major League Soccer we were proud to recognize him and his talent. And then, his appearances in the world’s largest sporting event: FIFA’s World Cup burst our buttons. So, yes, Joe-Max will be inducted into the US Soccer Hall of Fame on October 11, 2013 in Kansas City, Kansas. The article elsewhere in this issue describes some of Joe-Max’s achievements, but for those of us who love soccer and live in Oklahoma he has set the standard. Somewhere out there in one of our OSA clubs is the next Joe-Max. But remember, of all the 40,000 players we now have, only one in the past 40 years has reached that pinnacle of the sport. So please, enjoy the game for what it is – a game. And while holding our state’s only Hall of Fame inducted soccer player to date as a model for aspiring players is commendable, it should not be our only goal. We began this sport in Oklahoma to provide a fun, inexpensive, safe, and genderless outlet for our kids. That is our real goal and I know that Joe-Max will agree. Congratulations, Joe-Max! We owe you.
State Tournament Plaques Due in October Plaques for Champions and Finalists in the Governor’s, President’s, State Cup Tournaments will be ready for distribution after October 7. The trophies or plaques are a unique method OSA devised several years ago that includes a team photo, a medal from the tournament as either champion or finalist, and a bronze plate with information on the team and coach. The plaques require several months of preparation to make certain the correct photo is with the team as well as the text material. The plaques will be available for pick up at either the Oklahoma City OSA office in Soccer City or at the Tulsa office. Coaches and/or managers will be informed via email of the availability of the plaques. OSA wishes to thank all the teams for the patience in the preparation of the awards.
www. oksoccer.com for complete information.
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OKLAHOMA SOCCER ASSOCIATION
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2014 Referee Upgrade and Maintenance Requirement Information “Much is being made of the information USSF has circulated in the past month concerning the policies and procedures about upgrading as Referees,” says Dale Watts, State Director of Instruction. “However, nothing is changing for the year 2014!” USSF has announced plans that they expect to modify the requirements for referees who wish to become upper level referees and for their maintenance of their grade. Upper level referees are grade 07, 06, and 05. Currently, an 08 referee who wishes to upgrade to 07 must attend an upgrade clinic held in January of each year and then obtain an assessment, submit a game log showing 100 or more games, and pass a fitness exam.
USSF is proposing removing some of the game count requirement, eliminating the fitness exam, and replacing the assessment with a field evaluation. None of these are in place for referees registering for 2014. “USSF has provided the State Referee Committee with a program that will allow more flexibility in promoting referees to a higher grade,” says Watts, “but the program also allows the SRC to retain a referee at a lower grade if he/ she is not ready to advance in their opinion.” Ryan Mooney of USSF summed up the policy at the February meeting of SRC’s from around the country in that it would be better to have the SRC evaluate whether a referee was ready for advancement rather than having a simple
check list of requirements that had to be met prior to upgrading. “Will Oklahoma’s SRC alter our policies of advancement?” asks Watts. More than likely it will happen, according to him. However, the policies will be announced in plenty of time for aspiring 07, 06, and 05 candidates to be aware of the changes. The upgrade clinic for 2015 candidates will be held January 24-25, 2014 at Stillwater High School and before that time, those candidates will be informed of what requirements will need to be met. An application to attend the upgrade clinic will be posted on OSA’s web site by November 1, 2013.
SMOKE SIGNALS 9
YOUR GAME, YOUR FIELDS TULSA 5817 S. 118th East Ave. Tulsa, OK 74146 918.249.0044 SOCCERCITYTULSA.COM
OKLAHOMA CITY 4520 Old Farm Road Oklahoma City, OK 405.748.3888 SOCCERCITYOKCITY.COM
Two Oklahomans Receive Andy Stone Scholarships
Julie Jameson and Jordan Schmoker join a very elite group of soccer players who have been awarded the Andy Stone Scholarship. The scholarship is offered only to players in Region III and is granted on an alphabetically rotating schedule. The first Oklahoma players to receive the scholarship were Joseph Steinocher of Broken Arrow and Kari Nicole Roberts of Edmond in 2001. Julie and Jordan join that group of scholars and it will be twelve years before two more Oklahomans are selected. Julie’s background with Oklahoma teams such as the OFC 95 girls as well as her experiences as a referee demonstrate her long term commitment to soccer. Jordan’s soccer history is closely tied to the Tulsa Nationals and his many years of ODP involvement. Both of these young people are truly an example of the dedication and commitment that Andy Stone displayed during his life.
Julie Jameson The Andy Stone Scholarship was set up by US Youth Soccer Region III to honor the dedication and commitment of Andy Stone, former Region III Director. Andy passed away suddenly in 1998. Any active member of Region III may apply for the scholarship as per the guidelines in the application.
Score Sports Offers Discount on Purchases Score Sports is Oklahoma’s apparel sponsor and provides uniforms, equipment, and apparel for many OSA activities. Now is a chance for you to share in their generosity as Score Sports is offering a 15% discount on purchases of $100 or more. Use the above coupon on your next order from Score Sports and be sure to use the Proud Sponsor promo code of OKSOCCER15 during checkout.
Jordan Schmoker The 2013 year scholarships for $1,500.00 awarded to Julie and Jordan are split with $1,000.00 for the first grading period and the $500.00 payment made after receipt of proof of a “C” average for the first grading period. Congratulations Julie and Jordan and OSA wishes you continued success in your studies.
10 OKLAHOMA SOCCER ASSOCIATION
Tahlequah’s New Soccer Complex Opens Fall Season
Tahlequah Soccer Club kicked off their 2013 fall season in a brand new complex named for the Anthis Brennan family who donated the land. Tahlequah Soccer Club president Chris Foreman praised the city for its work to open the complex for the September 7 matches. “Mayors Purdy and Nichols have worked hard to develop this complex and we are very happy with the results.” The complex has 14 fields with one full-sized field and one designed for U12 matches. “The other 12 are smallsided fields,” says Foreman, “because our largest number of players is in the U4 to U6 age groups.” Anthis Brennan Family Sports Complex boasts a large concession stand with restrooms, a playground for the young ones, new goals, bleach-
Melissa and Chris Foreman with their children Kara and Jacob along with referee Nate Hewett. Chris and Melissa are the new President and Registrar of Tahlequah Soccer Club.
ers, and lots of parking for fans. Future development of the complex includes baseball and football fields as well. “We have seen a growth in the registration in the past few years,” says Melissa Foreman, Tahlequah’s club registrar. The club had dropped to fewer than 150 players just two years ago but now has over 400 playing. The club has met with OSA and Director of Coaching Kurt Luitwieler on developing plans to create an Academy league and possible competitive league soccer in the future. Located on the west side of the city, the complex is easily accessed from highway 51 by turning north on the 51 spur then turning right at Allen Road. The soccer fields shown in the accompanying layout are but plans and will change during the completion of the complex.
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12 OKLAHOMA SOCCER ASSOCIATION
Logan County Hosts Chevy Days and Plans for 35th Anniversary
Logan County is kicking off their fall season with several activities but the primary one will be the celeb ration of 35 years of membership in Oklahoma Soccer Association. OSA visited with the Logan County Soccer Club officers this month to discuss the new bylaws and to plan events around their anniversary celebration set for September 28.
U5 Goal Busters (in white), the U5 Cheetahs (sitting in blue), and the U7 Racers. Referees are LtoR Justin, Larissa, and Makayla. Holding the check from Eskridge Chevrolet in OKC are Gregg Gumerson and Nicki Collins.
OSA agreed to share in the festivities by having one of its Fun Day Celebrations at the site and will provide games, activities involving coaches, contests, and moonwalk jumping equipment. The club will also have (L to R) Mike Terherst - 2nd VP; Larissa Collins - referee; concession stands open for Nicki Collins - President; Laurel Davis - Registrar; food, drink, and t-shirts. and Jada Young - Secretary/Treasurer.
Another club event was the Chevy Days tournament that raised money for their club. The Eskridge Chevrolet dealership provided the club with a check for the fund raiser which goes to support the club’s budget. Logan County Soccer Club’s officers are picture below displaying the US Youth’s September is Youth Soccer Month proclamation signed by Governor Fallin.
Soktoberfest 27 Begins October 18th If it’s October that means adult soccer teams are heading to Tulsa for the annual Soktoberfest held in conjunction with Tulsa’s internationally known Oktoberfest. Now in its 27th year, the adult tournament offers not only games in nine brackets, but the opportunity to partake in the festivities at Tulsa’s celebration that draws fans worldwide. Brackets for this year’s tournament: Men, Super Group, Masters, Mens Competitive, Mens Open Rec 1, Mens Open Rec 2, Over 30 Rec, Women, Competitive, Rec A and Rec C. Food and memorabilia will be available at the Torcia Oliver Soccer-
Plex at 105th and South Delaware in Tulsa. For directions and map, use the following link: Torcia Oliver SoccerPlex
For those using the Creek Turnpike, exit at Riverside Drive and turn south to the entrance to the complex which will be on your left. 10715 S. Delaware Most every team will want to place an order for the t-shirts that have become a collector’s item among the participants. While available at the site, Northeast Oklahoma Adult Soccer Association advises you to visit their website and order ahead of time so the shirts will be ready when you arrive. Soktoberfest Registration is $425 until October 1st and then $500 afterwards. Registration closes October 8. Contact: info@soktoberfest.com
SMOKE SIGNALS 13
OSA Reaches Out to OKC Housing Authority and STAAR to Introduce Soccer
Sid Goodrich, Kurt Luitwieler, Frank Miller, Gerald Scott, Brandon Thomas and Thomas Henderson (OKC controller).
OSA has initiated ground work to assist the S.T.A.A.R. (Services That Assist and Redeem) Foundation in establishing soccer in the 6 housing units of the OKC Housing Authority. Frank Miller, with the OKC Housing Authority, recently met with Sid Goodrich to discuss the possibility of providing soccer to the youngsters in the housing authority. Joining the discussion was Gerald Scott of S.T.A.A.R. whose foundation works to provide career training, education, and cultural services to youngsters in the Oklahoma City area. On September 5, Sid Goodrich, Kurt Luitwieler, and Dale Watts met with Miller and Scott as well as Brandon Thomas and Thomas Henderson to determine how soccer can be offered to youngsters in the OKC Housing Authority. The meeting produced excitement for all attending and follow up meetings will continue as the three organizations work to provide the opportunity to play soccer. OSA can provide the training of coaches and referees and administrators while S.T.A.A.R. and the housing authority and provide leadership and support in a variety of ways. According to Miller, the offering of soccer will give the youngsters an activity that many love to participate in and an opportunity to learn new skills. Scott sees the offering as a continuation of his orga-
nization’s desire to keep the children in school, learn new concepts, and make them feel a part of their community. The focus will be on a single housing unit in the spring of 2014, but it is hoped that eventually all the housing units will participate in the program and perhaps even create their own league. “The level of excitement and enthusiasm at this meeting was amazing,” said Goodrich. Luitwieler likewise voiced how the willingness of the two boards to provide such activities for children was a huge motivation to see that the program works. For the youngsters living in the OKC housing authority, there will soon be even more reason to go outside and play the game the world calls “the beautiful game.” OSA will provide the housing authority with one of OSA’s FUN DAYS on November 2. Luitwieler and OSA coaches will be there to offer soccer games and a radar gun to show how fast the ball travels on a kick. And of course there will be inflatable jumping rides for the young ones. “The FUN DAYS are used across the state to help clubs increase registration and awareness of soccer,” says Luitwieler. If your club wishes to hold a FUN DAY, visit the OSA web page under Coaches and then General Information for a request to host a FUN DAY.
College Schedules Available If you want to attend some of the finest soccer matches in the state, you should plan on visiting one of the many Oklahoma college and university campuses across the state where many of our OSA players are now participating in college soccer. Each year OSA posts on its web site a link to colleges that offer soccer as a varsity sport. Use the link below to visit our OSA site and then take your family and enjoy the other “football” being played in Oklahoma.
College Schedules
Oklahoma Sports and Orthopedics Institute is Oklahoma’s source for Orthopedic and Sports Medicine treatment. Norman: 405.360.6764 Oklahoma City: 405.552.5764 Moore: 405.793.2900 Edmond: 405.478.7111
Check out the Oklahoma Soccer Association website for information, forms and updates
oksoccer.com
14 OKLAHOMA SOCCER ASSOCIATION
OSA Approved Tournaments October 4-6, 2013 Festival de Futball Host: North OKC Soccer Club All US Soccer affiliated teams Oklahoma City, OK Fields: NOKC fields Contact: Gary Boreham Phone: 405-701-5353 Email: borehamsoccer@cox.net U6 - U19 Recreational Boys & Girls U8-U10 Academy Boys & Girls Referee Assignor: Brett Dobie Email: referee@NOKCSoccer.com
October 25-27, 2013 Clinton Arsenal Fall Cup Host: Clinton Arsenal Soccer US Youth Soccer member teams only Clinton, OK Fields: Clinton Schumacher Fields Contact: Lucas Martinez Phone: 580-309-2046 Email: martinezb21@yahoo.com U7-U10 Academy Boys and Girls U6-U18 Recreational Boys and Girls Referee Assignor: Ashley Rodriguez Email: martinezb21@yahoo.com
October 11-13, 2013 Chillfest Host: Tulsa United Soccer Club All US Soccer affiliated teams Tulsa, OK Fields: TUSC complex Web site: www.tulsaunitedsoccerclub.com Contact: Dave McFarland Phone: 918-409-6541 Email: dmcfarl@quiktrip.com U7-U16 Recreational Boys & Girls Referee Assignor: John Evans Email: acessoccer@cox.net
November 1-3, 2013 Turkey Shootout Host: Edmond Soccer Club All US Soccer affiliated teams Edmond, OK Fields: Edmond Soccer complex Web site: www.edmondsoccer.com/tourn_ts.php Contact: James L. Soesbee Phone: 405-409-2324 Email: soccer999999@sbcglobal.net U7-U10 Academy Boys & Girls U6-U19 Recreational Boys & Girls Referee Assignor: Brandon Story Email: bstory4@gmail.com
October 18-20, 2013 Soktoberfest Adult Soccer Host: Northeastern Oklahoma Adult Soccer Contact: info@soktoberfest.com October 25-27, 2013 Blitz United Fall Invitational Host: Blitz UnitedFalf Soccer Club All US Soccer affiliated teams Tulsa, OK Fields: Indian Springs Soccer Complex Web site: www.blitzunited.org Contact: Robbie Mitchell Phone: 918-691-7404 Email: tournament@blitzunited.org U11-U19 Competitive Boys & Girls Referee Assignor: John Evans Email: acessocer@cox.net
Follow OSA on Facebook Friend Oklahoma Soccer Association
November 15-17, 2013 BASC 32nd Annual Recreational Tournament All US Soccer affiliated teams Broken Arrow, OK Fields: Indian Springs Sports Complex Web site: www.brokenarrowsoccerclub.org Contact: Steve Iwerzchowski Phone: 918-258-5770 Email: bascsw@cox.net U6-U19 Recreational Boys & Girls Referee Assignor: Mike Naumann Email: bassignor@hotmail.com November 23-24, 2013 adidas Sam Shannon Showcase Host: TSC Hurricane, Jenks, OK All US Soccer affiliated teams Fields: MetroTulsa and Indian Springs Soccer Complex Web site: www.tschurricane.com Contact: Jim Tindell Phone: 918-688-9071 Email: jimtindell@me.com U15-U19 Competitive Boys & Girls Referee Assignor: Frank Sesso Email: samshannonshowcase@yahoo.com
KIDS’ PAGE
SMOKE SIGNALS 15
JOKES
RIDDLES
How many letters are in The Alphabet? There are 11 letters in The Alphabet
Q: What do you call a single vampire? A: A bat-chelor.
What is the center of gravity? The letter V!
Q: Why didn’t the skeleton cross the road? A: He didn’t have the guts!
What English word has three consecutive double letters? Bookkeeper
Q: Why are graveyards noisy? A: Because of all the coffin!
What has a head, a tail, is brown and has no legs? A penny!
Tongue Twisters Check out this list of hard to say tongue twisters. Try saying them as fast as you can three times in a row. Pronounce them clearly. If you can say all of them, then you’re better than most of us. Some of these tongue twisters are tough!!!! Six thick thistle sticks. Six thick thistles stick. A noisy noise annoys an oyster. Friendly Frank flips fine flapjacks. Fat frogs flying past fast.
Knock Knock Jokes Knock, knock----Who’s There?----Ashe---Ashe who? Bless you! Knock, knock----Who’s there?----Nobel---Nobel who? No bell, that’s why I knocked!
PUZZLE WORDS
Knock-knock----Who’s there?----Aaron---Aaron who? Why Aaron you opening the door? BATS BROOMSTICK CANDY CAULDRON GHOST GHOULS GOBLINS HALLOWEEN HAYSTACK JACKOLANTERN MASKS PUMPKINS SPELLS SPOOKY TREATS TRICKS WAND WITCHES ZOMBIES
October Puzzle
This issue of the Smoke Signals will feature the holiday Halloween. Please complete the puzzle and send in your answers! Solve the puzzle, cut it out and mail to OSA, c/o Smoke Signals, PO Box 35174, Tulsa, OK 74153. Good luck and remember to PRINT your name, address, and zip code on the form below. I’ll publish your name in the next issue if you solve the puzzle. Plus, you’ll get prizes from Mazzio’s Italian Eatery as well. Deadline for this puzzle is November 18, 2013.
Name: _______________________________________________ Address: _____________________________________________ City: _______________________ State: _____ Zip: ________
N I F G P R O B W A H C A O C I L V H W
V B L A A R C G K H N Q R W W H V X L X
F L A K C O T M P A W Q Y L T X Y J X Z
R G A T Z I C C U P G X I R F M Q P A V
H S R Z L J K E N G L Q X W V L R Y W Z
I T C M P X H F E D S O K R M T N A S F
P S G N J I A X P D S I S S S E B Z G K
E I C F O T T G O B L I N S K D F A Z P
A V S K Z R K I G Q U I D F W A Q C N K
S O J X I I Q I S H K Q G I I Q C Q N X
H G N I N C G N E P K H K I T A D J X Y
Z H E T G K A Y M Z O C C B C J S T D L
T R E A T S T U I U I O A F H H Z T W W
G P W S P E P L L T Y T K T E D J I E Z
M P O E Q I R S S D S N E Y S P K K X S
U H L C K B W M X K R C R G Y Y W M G T
G L L Y I M O A S C D O Q D E L A D F O
S J A C K O L A N T E R N H X R Z H F F
M I H A R Z M J K D X A Q L J J N Q W F
G V I B X F H S S O C N P C Y Z X I L R
16 OKLAHOMA SOCCER ASSOCIATION
SMOKE SIGNALS 17
SCORE
New Sponsor of Oklahoma State Association
SCORE is excited about our new partnership with Oklahoma S.A. We are here to help you with all of your soccer needs. Call 800.626.7774 or visit www.scoresports.com
Official Sponsor of
www.scoresports.com
American Soccer Company, Inc. - 726 E. Anaheim Street - Wilmington, CA 90744 - 800.626.7774