eastern pennsylvania youth soccer
TOUCHLINE Volume XLI | June 2013 Published by:
Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer
4070 Butler Pike, Suite 100 Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462 Phone: 610-238-9966 Fax: 610-238-9933 E-mail: info@EPYSA.org Website: EPYSA.org
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President: Jim Kuntz Vice President, Travel: Michael Finnegan Vice President, Recreation: John Lenart Treasurer: Nicole Posillico Epps Secretary: Jeff Sommer Registrar: Donna Outt Past President: Bob McDade COMMITTEE CHAIRS Administration & Risk Management: Rick Tompkins TOPSoccer Program: Diane Spencer Soccer Across America: John Kukitz Cup Commissioner: Dave Ash By-laws: Jeff Sommer Scholarships: Dave Edgecombe STATE OFFICE STAFF Chief Executive Officer: Chris Branscome Director of Coaching: Mike Barr Director of Soccer Operations: Frank Olszewski Communications Manager: to be announced Marketing & Events Coordinator: Kylea Meredith Assistant Director of Coaching: Gary Stephenson Membership Services Specialist: Beck Kleinert Business Administration Manager: Kelly Connor Director of Camps: Sheldon Chamberlain Administrative Services Specialist: Bark Budgick Accountant: Judy Curran Public Relations Consultant: Jim DeLorenzo TOUCHLINE Editor-in-Chief: Chris Branscome Consulting Editor: Jim DeLorenzo Contributors: Kylea Meredith, Alexis Christopher, Ian McDade Advertising Sales Rep: Dan Clark, Pearl Press Liberty, 215-925-4900 x 1544 Printed by: Pearl Pressman Liberty Communications Group, Inc., 7625 Suffolk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19153 Touchline is © Copyright 2013 Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer. The entire contents of this publication are copyrighted; all rights reserved. Articles may not be reproduced or reprinted without written permission of Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer. Advertising space in Touchline is purchased and paid for by the advertisers. None of the products or services is necessarily endorsed by Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer or its affiliates. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer or its advertisers.
CONTENTS
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Club Profile: North Union United
5
Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Championship Scoreboard
8
Highlights from US Youth Soccer National League
10
National E &D Licenses Restructured
11
Three Local Youth Soccer Legends Inducted into Hall of Fame
12
US Soccer Celebrating 100 Years
13,16 Children, Sports & Concussions 14
Jeff Parke, from Lionville to PPL Park
18
The Chester Upland Soccer for Success Program
19
Olympic Development Program Update
20
Upcoming Coaching Education Courses
21
September is Youth Soccer Month!
24
Quarterly Association Calendar
25
Mike Barrʼs Corner
27
Coaching: Dribbling & Passing
28
Summer Time is Camp Time
14
Jeff Parke: from Lionville to PPL Park
Printed in the United States of America.
Give Back to the Game by Chris Branscome, Chief Executive Officer Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer
As a player growing up in the 70’s and 80’s, I was fortunate to have had some excellent coaches. As a young coach, I had terrific mentors. They taught me and my teammates how to play, as well as how not to play. They taught us the history of the game and gave a sense of where we fit in the soccer community. They instilled a sense of responsibility and respect for the game. They were always telling us how some day it will be our turn, and we’ll be taking their places. They we’re teaching us how the game was good to them, and now good to us, and we need to give back. It’s a different environment today. Soccer has evolved. Successful national teams; professional leagues; 24 hour cable TV coverage…all a dream for so long, but became a reality by the 2000’s. Our sport has also become far more organized at all levels. Soccer has grown from a hobby into an industry; from an avocation into a vocation.
Many people, including myself, now earn a living from the sport. So more money is being spent, more options are available, more people are involved, more kids are playing the game. But I’m concerned that not enough are giving back to the game. I took this path after reading the recent Time Magazine article on the Millenials- “The Me, Me, Me Generation.” Will the next generation of coaches and administrators- those who will replace me and my generation, will they have the same sense of responsibility that was imparted on me? They grew up with soccer having “arrived.” Previous generations have worked hard to give them MLS and Fox Soccer Channel, soccer only complexes and beautiful fields to play on. They have been taught the game by “trainers” and have practice gear as well as game uniforms. This generation has so much, yet they may not appreciate it. I realize my comments echo of Depression Era folks who say the same about the Baby Boomers or Generation X. So yes, in the grand tradition of my predecessors, I am calling out the Millennials. Will they have the same
sense of community and the same respect for the game? Will they volunteer to gain experience? Will they work with intramurals and the youngest players? Will they learn to how line fields and set up goals? Will they work long hours to run the local tournament? Or will they expect to have a coaching job waiting for them upon graduation? Will they expect to coach the team of their choice? Will they expect to be paid every time they step on a field? Whatever the answers to these questions may be, I still believe we all owe something back. It’s what keeps the game moving forward. A little nostalgia or lesson from the past is a good thing. It’s why we have record books and halls of fame and reunions. I believe that if you grew up in the game, you got more from it than you might realize. Your coaches, team parents and your teammates taught you many things and gave you great memories. When you do realize it, and hopefully not too late, pass on what you learned. If soccer was good to you, than give back to soccer….you owe it to the next generation.
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