TechTalk
December 2009
The official on-line magazine of the Calgary Foothi#s Soccer Club
February’s College Showcase Tournaments Paul Hamilton signs with Vancouver Whitecaps The Calgary Opportunity Window Foothills Crew and Athletics - Canadian Club Champions Foothills Alumni Strong in ’09
Amanda Pak of the TheFoothills Master Coach Voltage
Paul Hamilton - Canadian InterUniversity Sport MVP
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TECHTALK
December 2009
The Official On-line Magazine of the Calgary Foothills Soccer Club
The Foothills Athletics and Crew - Canadian U18 Club Champions
IN THIS ISSUE... A celebration of accomplishments - from current players to alumni. We thought 2008 was a great year, and it was. But in terms of accomplishments, 2009 may go down as the greatest year in Foothills history. Two national championships and more than 60 alumni playing at the collegiate and professional level. In our largest TechTalk issue to date we give you the stories and pictures of 2009. Tommy Wheeldon Jr. and Colin MacKay detail the stories of two distinctly different national championship runs. Chris Dittmann and guest writer Mark Brennan put soccer in perspective with two great articles on what really matters. Graham Kennedy provides his take on the master coach and what it takes to become a maestro of talent development. The issue would not be complete without a look at some of talented alumni, in particular Paul Hamilton, who was just selected as MVP for Canadian university soccer. We hope you enjoy the issue. All the best for happy and prosperous 2010.
“The better the individual, the better the team.� ~ Stephen Hart, TD - CSA
TechTalk - December 2009 Contributors: Tommy Wheeldon Jr. Leon Hapgood Chris Dittmann Mark Brennan Graham Kennedy
Copyright 2009 Calgary Foothills Soccer Club
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The Foothills Crew National Champs By Tommy Wheeldon Jr Technical Director It was almost three years to the day that the Foothills Crew last competed in the CSA National Club Championships (U14, 2006), only this time they returned as an underage team playing in a U18 tournament. Having narrowly missed the U16 national qualification in 2008 to Edmonton KC Trojans (1-0), the Crew worked harder than ever to pursue their quest for a national berth in 2009. The indoor 2008-2009 season definitely served to raise the bar for this team and saw them compete for the first time in the men's premier division under the DartsFoothills banner, finishing second in Calgary and forth in the Province as a 16-year old team. From here the Crew moved to U18 Tier 1 for outdoor 2009 where they would finish second in the CMSA league, beating former national champions Elbow Valley (5-3) during the regular season. They would lose only one league game to qualify for the U18 Provincials in Edmonton in August. U18 Provincials - Sherwood Park AB In an easy opening game, the Crew swept to an emphatic 10-0 victory in their first game versus Sherwood Park, setting the tone for the tournament. Next came a professional 2-0 victory against a very strong Edmonton Drillers, to put them into the Provincial final to face Elbow Valley and step away from their second berth in the nationals. On the back of a very solid hard working season coupled with a July trip to the UK, the Crew were organized, hungry and focused. The Crew had trained at the Liverpool FC Academy and competed in the Arsenal tournament, and the experience and preparation paid dividends as they ’92 boys looked to pull out a second win over Calgary league nemesis Elbow Valley. A good early start to the game saw the Crew take the lead only to be pegged back to 1-1 moments later. The Crew remained calm and composed under pressure putting the game beyond doubt, with a phenomenal 5-1 lead late in the game. Michael Cox scored a hat trick while Brett Howard and John Troncoso chipped in with a goal each. Elbow Valley scored
one more consolation goal, but it was not enough to stop the 92 Foothills Crew boys from advancing to the 2009 National Club Championships. U18 Sony Cup Nationals - Sherwood Park, AB Maybe it was an omen, or just some good fortune, but the 2009 U18 National Championships were held at the same venue as provincial competition. The seeding draw had placed the Crew in a
group with Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. According to the soccer experts, we had been given the easiest of pools but as a coach I was not prepared to discount any of the Maritime Provinces. The preparation for this event was some of the best I have experienced as a player or a coach, with countless hours spent on the training ground, exhibition games and conditioning to fill the tank as full as possible so that no excuses could be given when the time came. Game 1 Newfoundland Our first game versus NFLD proved to set the tone once again for a positive start to the tournament, rounding the game out with a convincing 5-0 win against a physical and determined team. Day two had allowed Assistant TD, Leon Hapgood, and I to begin scouting the opposition so that we could identify opposition threats as well as weaknesses. We would then match our players accordingly and we did so throughout the tournament. The nasty weather also provided an element requiring preparation with temperatures of minus 10-120C and snow flurries throughout the tournament. However, the mental toughness of our Crew boys was well developed in experiencing adversity and
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challenges on and off the field through our two year journey to the Nationals. Game 2 Nova Scotia We believed Nova Scotia to be a technical side, but they could not handle the exciting speed and intricate passing and movement of the Crew. At times it was as though we were playing in a training game with some smart composed possession linking through all thirds of the field. We produced five exquisite goals to mirror the first day's score, placing us in the driving seat of our group. Game 3 New Brunswick New Brunswick had an inconsistent start to the national tournament and we felt they could prove to be a potential banana skin if we didn't prepare properly. So in keeping with our habits and routines, we took to the snow covered training ground to loosen the legs and tactically prepare the team for this game. Another classy performance where we kept between 65-75% possession of the ball, saw us win this game comfortably 3-0 and it could have been more. The pleasing part to our tournament to this point was not only the level of our play with the ball, but the excellent defensive shape and dedication to win the ball back early at the turn of possession. Game 4 Nova Scotia Nova Scotia was our fourth game in four days and legs were beginning to get heavy and war wounds were becoming prevalent. Injuries are common at this stage with the demands of playing back to back games at a high level, but the temperature is another factor that takes it's toll on the mind and body. PEI were not to be taken lightly they had won their first two games and had a day off prior to playing us, so they were ready. We stuck to our game plan and played the ball with the class and composure that had become our signature for the tournament. PEI worked hard to keep eleven men behind the ball as they fought to get something from the game. We took the lead 1-0 only to be pegged back through a rare counter attack from them to make it 1-1 at the half. We sent wave after wave of attacks into their box, but could not seem to break the dead lock until the 87th minute, where Brett Howard scored his seventh goal of the tournament. However, some uncharacteristic errors in the final moments of the game gifted PEI an equalizer to finish the game off 2-2. (continued next page)
U18 NATIONALS
Outside at Nationals
Inside at Nationals
Tommy and Leon at ASA Provincials
The preparation for this event was some of the best I have experienced as a player or a coach. Tommy Wheeldon Jr on getting ready for the national championships.
Out of our Hands After three straight wins and another solid performance, the PEI game felt like a loss and for the time put qualifying for the final out of our hands. PEI needed to beat NFLD by six or more goals. A team meeting to review, refresh and refocus cleared the air and allowed the boys to sleep and enjoy their rest day and await the outcome of the PEI vs NFLD game. Not only did all the Crew boys wrap up warm and attend the game along with our club siblings, the U18 Athletic girls, who had already secured their berth in the gold medal final. It was a great show of support by the club and made more enjoyable by the Newfoundland team comfortably beating PEI 3-0, to ensure that it would be both Foothills teams competing for national gold. Playing for Gold The national championship game against the Ontario representative was another cold affair. We would play on the same field on which we had won the provincial final in August so we were comfortable. We had also watched the first half of the Athletics gold medal game and after returning to our hotel to prepare for the final, we returned to the field to watch the Athletics storm back from 1-0 down in the 80th minute to turn the game on its head for a 2-1 win. This served as a great lift for the lads and so did taking the Athletics winning bench, the same bench we used for the provincial final. The Sherwood Park stands were packed with Foothills supporters from President Dennis Kwan to former boy’s director and Dart’s technical director, Larry Poirier, and numerous coaches and players from many of our club teams. All of our supporters were wrapped up in sleeping bags, winter jackets and Foothills scarfs as they braved the blistering cold to cheer on the Hoops. All the preparation we had completed this week plus the hours we clocked up over the last two years had set us up for this moment. However, what occurred between the first and final whistle was absolutely breathtaking. Our opponents for the final were a strong Niagara team from Ontario, who had convincingly beaten BC’s Vancouver Selects 7-3 to qualify for the final. The Crew prepared as we always did, with Hapgood putting the boys through their paces in a lively warm up before a quick reminder from myself on the key game points. As soon as the whistle blew we were at them like a pack of lions, hunting them down and gathering
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the ball as our prize. We played with a high tempo on and off the ball and went straight for the jugular scoring an early goal inside five minutes through Brett Howard and another through Michael Cox moments later to give us an early two goal lead. If the temperature was cold, then our play served to warm the place up because we simply were on fire. Ontario pegged us back with a set play, but we kept our foot on the gas and scored two more excellent goals through the ever dangerous Kieran Oppenheim and John Troncoso to take a 4-1 lead into the half time break. The half time team talk read something like... "keep doing what you're doing" as we looked like a well-oiled machine going about our business with ease. Ontario huffed and puffed to get back into the game, but just could not get the ball off us or have time to settle on it when they did. The fifth goal through Brett Howard proved to be the nail in the coffin and left the Ontario boys completely shell shocked. It did not end there, Brett Howard rounded out his hat trick to make it 6-1 and Michael Cox finished the score line at a breath taking 7-1... a feat that has never been achieved in a national final before! After a grueling seven days braving the cold and five different opponents, I drove back down the Queen Elizabeth Highway numb as I tried to let the outstanding achievements of the double National Gold sink in. I was proud of the outstanding achievement by Colin Mackay and his U18 Athletics girls, who wrote their very own Cinderella story. The contribution made by excellent Assistant TD, Leon Hapgood , who had fought off the flu to participate in the final and my loyal serving team manager Colin Pryde. Yet the biggest sense of pride came from the thought of the eighteen boys who stood shoulder to shoulder and won the U18 national final, as an underage team in a dominating style. I have challenged these boys time and again, and they always rose to the challenge as they awaited the next. They stood tall in the face of adversity and were classy when victorious. There is something gratifying when you witness all the hours of coaching you spend on the training ground, come to fruition on the country's biggest platform. Without question, these boys are a special group, destined for an amazing future and will always remain close to my heart for going shoulder to shoulder with me through an amazing soccer journey.
The Foothills Athletics - Living the Dream Athletics Meteoric Rise to National Champs The Foothills Athletics U18 Tier 1 girls ended their CMSA youth careers on a high note this past season by winning the Canadian U18 Championship. Heading into their final year of youth soccer, the team competed at the U18 Tier 1 division, only their third season at the Tier 1 level. The core of the team started together at the U14 Tier 2B level in 2004. They were an average team, who finished middle of the pack. By the time the team got to the U15 age group, they had finished second in the CMSA league, earning a silver medal. By U16 the Athletics were dominating teams across the province at Tier 2, winning the U16 Tier 2 provincial championship during the 2007 outdoor season. Upon reaching U17 the Athletics applied for a U18 Tier 1 spot for the 2007-08 indoor season but were denied, even though they had proven themselves ready for Tier 1 play. League administrators believed that the team had yet to prove itself as a Tier 2 team. The coaching staff, and the players took that setback as a challenge, and rather than complain about it, they went on to a 13-0-3 record as an underage team, and cleaned up in the U18 Tier 2 Indoor Provincial Championships scoring 19 goals and allowing just three in three games of round robin competition. The Athletics defeated Edmonton KC Trojans in the final to claim their second straight ASA Tier 2 Championship. In the spring of 2008 the Athletics were finally awarded a Tier 1 spot for the outdoor season, and they finished with a 6-4-2 record, good for third place in CMSA Tier 1. This was a great result for a first year Tier 1 team. The Athletics went into the Indoor 2008-09 season, only their second season at the Tier 1 level, and finished with a 9-2-1 record, a CMSA Silver Medal, and an ASA provincial berth. The team showed well at the 2009 indoor provincials, earning a bronze medal.
Heading into the final season of CMSA play, the Athletics players and coaching staff had a goal: win ASA Provincials in Calgary and a place at the 2009 Canadian U18 Club Championships. As the word got out about their dreams and goals, other teams and coaches across the league snickered, and said, "No chance”. One rival coach called the Foothills Athletics, "Nothing but a strong Tier 2 team". These coaches did not understand the determination and commitment of the Athletics who simply kept working quietly toward their dream. The Foothills Athletics girls started the 2009 outdoor season in dominating fashion, scoring 20 goals and only allowing three in the first three games of the regular season. It was then that the Athletics started to turn some heads - they were on a mission, and other teams and coaches took notice. The Athletics went on to finish the 2009 outdoor season with a 10-2-1 record, winning the league championship and earning a number one seed heading into the ASA provincials. On paper, Edmonton SWU were rated as the top team in the ASA U18 provincial tournament. But the game of course is not played on paper, and a great match up would ensue with Calgary’s top seed meeting Edmonton’s top seed in the final game of the four-team round robin tournament. The Athletics earned 1-0 and 2-1 victories in the first two games to earn six points, while Edmonton SWU claimed a 1-1 draw and a 4-2 win for a total of four points. The Athletics simply needed a tie in the final game to clinch the provincial title, while SWU had to win. In terms of possession, Edmonton SWU dominated the final match against a conservative and defensive Athletics team. With the goaltending performance of a lifetime, Alana Swerda made six heartstopping saves to help earn a 0-0 draw the only point her team would need to win their first Tier 1 provincial championship and a trip to the big dance. An elated coach Colin MacKay stated, "I didn't think we were going get out of that game with the point we needed. I didn't think Alana would stop them all, but she played the game of her life”. The dream was now a reality and the Foothills Athletics were headed to the 2009 CSA Club National Championships in Sherwood Park, Alberta.
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The Canadian U18 championship tournament contained two groups. The Athletics were grouped with club champions from Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Ontario and Manitoba. Foothills went through group play with a 3-0-1 record, scoring 25 goals and allowing only one! This earned them a spot in the BMO Canadian U18 Club Championship Final against the Burnaby United 92 team, British Columbia’s champions. Burnaby was also undefeated in group play. Burnaby opened the scoring in the second half of the championship final and appeared to be heading for the gold. “We struggled to score”, said Athletics head coach Colin MacKay. “It seemed like one of those days when you do everything right, but you come out on the wrong end.” Foothills midfielder Chelsea Oddan had missed a penalty opportunity in the 16th minute, a rarity for Oddan, and the Athletics found themselves down 1-0 until very late in the game. “We hit two posts in the second half”, stated MacKay, “And I was starting to think our fate was determined”. Finally in the 85th minute, Lisa Hickey evened the score and with one minute to play striker Sara Paul fired home the winner, crushing the hearts of Burnaby, and sending the jubilant Foothills faithful into hysterics. A dream season indeed! Calgary’s starting XI featured Katrina Greenley in goal, a back four consisting of Luci Tansley, Kayla Mein, Kara Noel and Madison Pinder; midfielders Natasha Lombardo, Chelsie Oddan, Cassandra Dennis and Melanie Sunada with Paige Doyle and Sara Paul up front. All dreams begin with a single step forward. The Foothills Athletics kept moving and theirs is a rare story not often played out: a second tier team who had to scrape and battle for respect, who just kept working hard, and who eventually, with a little belief and luck, earned their way to the top of the heap. From Tier 2 to national champions - not bad at all. Thank-you Foothills Athletics for writing what may be the greatest Foothills story ever told!
Head Coach, Colin MacKay
Leon Happgood and Tommy Wheeldon Jr., Club Technical Driectors - feeling the chill.
MacKay - still pointing the way!
Every great and commanding moment in the annals of the world is a triumph of some enthusiasm. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Foothills coach Chris Dittmann spent six weeks working in Cork, South Africa in July and August of 2007. Cork is 80 km north of Nelspruit in South Africa, near Kruger National Park. Chris brought a donation of Foothills uniforms, balls and nets. The two mesh nets are now the property of the village council and are used for special occasions only. They are the only nets in the entire region!
A Passion to Play By Chris Dittmann It’s a warm winter afternoon in the rural community of Cork, South I mean, zero recognition. No adults the least bit interested in your Africa in July 2007. I remember this particular day well. More soccer talent. No one ever giving you an ounce of feedback, specifically, I remember a moment well. other than your mates of course, who were more likely to laugh at you when that sliding tackle comes to a stop in a pile of fresh I am volunteering at a local school and the day just has ended goat manure than praise you. and I’m am standing on a dirt soccer pitch watching a group of grade six boys play a game of 5 versus 5. I’m watching quick, Imagine if our young players had no external measures of their one touch play punctuated with back heels, volleys and success. No pressure to stay in Tier One or make a select team. audacious 1v1 moves performed by flashing bare feet (can’t ruin No utterly frightening tryouts under watchful adult eyes. No your good school shoes!). Suddenly one of the boys, a lad indications of success or failure. Just soccer for the sake of named Ezire, dangles the ball across a defender about 20 yards soccer. from goal. He rides the challenge, throws in a quick Matthews move to buy some space from a mound of goat manure, and then What if the only reason for a kid to play soccer when they are 10 it happens. or 11 is just that; to play, to learn a step over, to chip with her left foot or to turn a rainbow into a volley? Simply playing soccer to He sends the wickedest, dipping, swerving, screamer at goal that play soccer. Stress? What stress? Pressure? It’s just play. I have ever seen from an eleven year old. For good measure, the There’s nothing to prove. No external achievement to be had. ball thumps the underside of the wooden crossbar of the net-less goal and ricochets into a flock of unsuspecting chickens. I As a parent, how interested would you be if you were never given mentioned the bare feet, right? Ezire’s boys give it a cheer, he any measures of a child’s ability in soccer? As a coach, how slaps his shirtless chest in pride, and then they get back on with would you feel if you never had a win/loss record or tier label to the game. It could have been a great game winning goal, but I prove your success? I know that if I’m honest, I’m not as don’t think anyone was keeping score. idealistic as I’d like to be. That’s when it occurred to me: these kids had no idea how good they were. None. You see, just about every reasonably flat patch of dirt I drove by on my commute home each day was filled with the same scene - lots of kids doing lots of ridiculous stuff with the ball. None of the kids coached. Ever. None of the kids ever donned a uniform. None of the kids were likely to ever play in a league in their entire lives! No one recruited them for a team - no tournaments, no tryouts, no refs, and no scores. Cork was just too far and too poor for a real club to care about. No recognition.
What if all our younger players had was the opportunity to play? Just play, with nothing else. What if we knew that was best? Would it be enough? Foothills U-10 boys coach and Gr. 6 teacher Chris Dittmann spent a month in South Africa in 2007 as a teacher/soccer coach with South African NGO Hands At Work. www.handsatwork.org
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Receiving to Finish
Coaching Points: • Play two-touch • Have each player at A, B and C start near the marker and perform a check-run prior to opening up for the pass • Use the first touch from the preceding player as a trigger or starting signal to perform a check-run • Players at A and B should receive the ball on the lead foot (back foot) to open up - left foot in this diagram • Player at C should receive the ball on the trailing foot (foot closest to the passer) to play the ball into the central area with a long first touch - right foot receive and right foot shot • Emphasize power on the first shot using the instep (laces) area of the foot. • Emphasize accuracy on the second shot (rebound) using the inside of the foot to “place” the ball into the net.
By Graham Kennedy Men’s Head Coach, StFX University Target Group: U12 and up. Strong U10s. Session Emphasis: Passing and receiving to create quality goal scoring opportunities. Set-up: Place three markers in the shape of a triangle as shown in the diagram below. Marker B is approximately 25 m from goal. The markers at A and C are approximately 18 m from goal and about 20 m apart. Position a player at each marker and place a goalkeeper in goal. The coach (CH) stands to the goalkeepers left with a supply of balls as shown. The remaining players await their turn in the corner as shown.
Key Factors: • Timing of check runs • Accuracy and velocity (weight) of pass • Receiving on the correct foot • Long range shooting technique • Short range finishing • Speed of play • Outcome
Action: The first player in line passes to the player at marker A and follows his pass. Player A passes to B and then B passes to C. Each player follows his pass. Player C receives the pass with a long first touch to set the ball into a central shooting area (1) and then follows with a long range shot. Player C immediately follows the shot and receives a rebound pass from the coach to shoot from close range (2). Progression: 1. Work in a counter-clockwise direction to ensure the use of both feet. 2. Vary the rebound pass to include volleys and headers.
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Winning it Right By Mark Brennan Good coaches win. Right? Thats the generally accepted idea in the world of sports, and it certainly rings true at the university and professional levels. But is there a time when a good coach doesn’t win? Is there a time when a losing season is acceptable? Is there a time when the very best coaches are focused on something other than winning? And should wining really be the goal of coaches of young teams? How do we perceive success for players at U8, U10, U12 and U14 levels? Any good coach will always want to win, it’s built into us. At the youngest levels (U8U12) we may see blow-out after blow-out in league games. The players and parents of the winning team usually love it, the coach is seen as the masterstroke, and players buy into the coach’s program. Everyone wants to be a part of a winning program. Under eight to U12 is often referred to as the golden age of motor learning. It is a special time in the career of a young athlete, where they are more capable of learning the technical skills required to reach their potential later on. After age twelve it becomes increasingly more difficult to learn the technical side of the game. Things like first touch control and ball mastery, including the array of turns and fakes, right down to the simplest passing and receiving techniques are built between the ages of 8 and 12. A coach that can pick the “natural athletes” for their team in the U8-U12 age group will win lots of games. Get the ball forward to the fastest, biggest and most aggressive player and most often the ball will end up in the back of the net. Place a strong footed player in the back and you increase your changes even further. Is this really the mark of good coaching and player development, or is it simply selecting early maturing players to ensure a winning record? There is also the pressure from well intentioned parents who want to see their children do well. In our society doing well means winning a lot of the time. So the inexperienced coach, wanting to do well, coaches to win, instead of coaching to
develop the player. When we do this the kids lose. Yes, they win the game but their development is held back. Lost is another opportunity to improve the most important skill at this level: mastery of the ball. What is ball mastery? To keep it simple, ball mastery is the players ability to manipulate the ball, making it do the things that make soccer a beautiful game. It includes, dribbling, turns, fakes, passing and receiving, first touch, controlling the ball out of the air with various parts of the body, and most importantly the ability to do all of this under pressure in a game environment. This is the foundation of the game of soccer, without these skills we will eventually see frustration and players leaving the game before they should. When we focus on developing the player, when we train players and coach games to improve a player’s technical ability, then a real opportunity to reach their potential in the game is created. This of course means focusing our attention on the individual player more so than on the team. So how can coaches achieve better results that can lead to a more fulfilling soccer experience? I think the very first thing is to have much less emphasis on the final score. Provide praise for goals, but also give very special attention to the pass, feint, dribble, movement to space, or communication that created the goal. Pay special attention the effort that served to make the goal. When we do this we build confidence and game understanding. When we focus on these elements instead of the final score the players become less inclined to leave the field upset and sad after loosing 8-0. Because when coach says a player made some awesome penetrating passes, or some quick first touch control of ball, then emphasis is placed on the players and what they did right in the game, not the score. It focuses the player’s attention on things that are within the control of the player. Winning and competition are both important, but at the U8-U12 age groups it should take a back seat to the much more important role of development. So the next time you are out there watching your kid play or coaching their young team, do them a favor, praise the little stuff, then the enjoyment comes from their own performance, not the game result. The performance and ability of the team comes later, from U14 and up, that’s when we can teach tactics because they learned to
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master the ball in the younger years, rather than mastering the scoreboard. When players have the ability from a young age to master the ball they set their own limits in the game, rather than relying on others to do so. If a coach’s main focus is development instead of winning, you have done your job well. If you are coaching a team who is winning 4-0, bring out the best in your players by giving them other challenges. Can we keep the ball and make ten passes in a row? Can we do a turn to keep possession of the ball? Can we practice our shielding, can we dribble really quickly into space? The list of questions and challenges is endless. Constantly set new goals for them and I guarantee they will rise to the challenge. The last problem with focusing on wining at U8-U12 is playing time. A coach who is focused on winning will not give equal game time to all players on the team. The best coaches realize that the average player at U10 could be a dominant player at U16. The best coaches provide equal opportunity for all players during games, regardless of ability. When you freeze out players with less ability at the younger ages you are taking away their soccer future. No coach can accurately tell who will be the best player at the older ages there are just too many variables. The best coaches, don’t coach to win at all costs, and the best parents encourage and praise the coaches who focus on development, that way the kids win, the program wins and in the later years the club wins. Always keep it fun and positive in everything you do and say. Bottom line: the more touches on the ball, the more development you will have. The more development the more enjoyment. The more enjoyment the longer the player will want to play. Isn’t that the goal? Mark Brennan is the Technical Representative for the Highland Knights Soccer Club in Nova Scotia, Canada and he coaches a U13 Tier 1 girls team.
Foothills Alumni Strong in 2009 There are currently 62 Foothills Alumni who are active in university, college and professional levels of play. Each of these players has played for Foothills for at least one season and in most cases for the majority of their youth careers. The list includes 22 females and 40 males. Forty-three (43) are currently playing at the university level (29 CIS, 14 NCAA) and 14 at the college (CCAA) level. The estimated scholarship total for Foothills graduates is $380,000.00 for 2009 and over the course of a four year degree these athletes will garner more than $1.5 million in total scholarships. There are five alumni who are currently playing professional at some level. We apologize if we have missed anyone.
Universities ALBERTA
TRINITY WESTERN
VICTORIA
Brett Colvin Canada West 1st Team All-Star CIS 2nd Team All-Star Matthew Strelow Stephen Reid Peter Kos
Men’s Paul Hamilton Canada West 1st Team All-Star CIS 1st Team All-Star CIS Most Valuable Player Women’s Colleen Webber Kirsten Funk Jilian Dietrich Canada West 2nd Team All-Star
Cole McFarlane Canada West 1st Team All-Star CIS 1st Team All-Star Miguel Romeo
SASKATCHEWAN
LETHBRIDGE
CALGARY
Men’s Ryan Contenti, Taylor Evernden Women’s Andrea Guebert, Tianda Dranchuk
Steven Brown
Matthew Reid, Scott McCorkill, Ilya Zelinsky, Tanmeet Singh, Fernando DiCapua, Brian Delaney, Michael Arnieri Dodzi Dossou, Geoff Marsden
DALHOUSIE
ST FRANCIS XAVIER
WESTERN ONTARIO
Ross Hagen AUS 1st Team All-Star CIS 1st Team All-Star
Thomas Bradley Paul Oppenheim Josh Weinberger
Robyn Sudeyko
OAKLAND
MILWALKEE-WISCONSON
ARIZONA
Kara Weber
Keara Thompson Demi Price
Kristi Strother Alexandra Smith
EASTERN KENTUCKY
EASTERN MICHIGAN
MONTANA STATE
Katie Collar
Jessica Thomas
Andrea Baytaluke
NOTRE DAME
WYOMING
WESTERN ILLINOIS
Tereza Statsny
Carmen Blume Olivia Mohtadi Courtney Merkle
Arthur Paszkowski
\MOUNT ROYAL
SAIT
PROFESSIONAL
Men’s Jonathan Cherkas, Justin Farenik, Justin Tawtel, Jamie MacDonald, Brandon Czymoch, Colby Sawatzky, Caden Sawatzky, Kyle Giminez,
Men’s Brandon MacDonald-DiPalma, Eric Roa,
Owen Hargreaves Kevin McKenna Philip Amazhazion Zach Kalthoff Michal Misiewicz
Kayla Twoomey
HARTWICK
Carson Pryde
Colleges and Professional
Women’s Lisa Hickey
Women’s Malory McNab, Kristin Roeke, Alana Swereda
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Kara Weber - Oakland University
Paul Oppenheim - StFX
Keara Thompson and Demi Price - Milwaukee-Wis.
Cole McFarlane - UVIC
Paul Hamilton - Trinity Western Josh Weinberger - StFX
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Paul Hamilton played at Foothills for six years before graduating to the university ranks. In 2006 he lead the Foothills U18 boys to an Alberta Championship and a silver medal at the Canadian U18 championships Paul has played with the Vancouver Whitecaps of the USL-1 and PDL under an amateur contract. He has one year of CIS eligibility remaining at Trinity Western.
Paul Hamilton - CIS Soccer MVP In only three seasons at Trinity Western University, team
the national rankings for three weeks to earn a fifth consecutive
captain Paul Hamilton has established himself as one of the best
trip to the CIS championship. The education student tied for the
players in Spartans history. The 6-foot-1, 172-pound defender
team lead with 13 starts and played a team-high 1,245 minutes as
was named to the first all-Canadian team this fall following
Trinity Western topped the conference with 25 goals scored and
nominations to the second CIS squad the past two years, and has finished third with 12 goals allowed in 14 games. been a Canada West first-team all-star in each of his seasons at Trinity Western. Hamilton was selected to the all-tournament team
“Paul is the keystone to our backline. He is the emotional and
at the 2007 CIS championship, and again in 2008 when the
physical leader of our team,” said Spartans head coach Pat
Spartans reached the national final. The Calgary Foothills product
Rohla. “He is our best tackler and is respected for his ability to
spent his first CIS season at Cape Breton University, capturing
win challenges both on the ground and in the air. He is consistent,
AUS rookie-of-the-year honors and a spot on the second AUS
reliable, and able to lead a line of defense like few other players I
squad.
have seen at the CIS level. I believe that Paul continues to be one of the premier centre backs in the nation.”
In 2009, Hamilton led the Spartans to second place in the Canada West standings with an 8-2-4 mark, helped TWU reach the top of
THE HAMILTON FILE
2006
2007
2008
2009
Atlantic University Soccer Rookie of the Year
Canada West 1st Team All-Star
Canada West 1st Team All-Star
Canada West 1st Team All-Star
CIS 2nd Team AllCanadian
CIS 2nd Team AllCanadian
CIS 1st Team AllStar
AUS 2nd Team AllStar
CIS Most Valuable Player
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Scheduling
20 - Training break starts 28/29 - Mark Hamilton Cup Futsal Festival
2/3/4 - CMSA Indoor Tournament for Tiers 1-3 4 - Training break ends 15 - Canyon Meadows open house night 7:00 PM
5 - Outdoor registration opens
5 - Outdoor registration closes
12/13/14/15 - CMSA Indoor Tournament for Tiers 4-5
6 - Outdoor season try-outs start
11/12 - Teachers Convention
13/14 - Indoor Inter-City Championships
15 - Family Day 31 - CMSA All-star game
19/20/21 - ASA Youth Indoor Provincials 26/27/28 - ASA Senior Indoor Provincials 29 - Spring break begins (CBE)
Foothills Grassroots By Colin MacKay Staff Coach Foothills Grassroots Program The Foothills soccer grassroots is a developmental soccer program where the kids learn by playing 3-aside and 4-aside small-sided games. The Emphasis of the program is on fun, developing great dribblers, and masters of the ball. Why we play 3v3 Mini Soccer (U6) and 4v4 Mini Soccer (U8) • More opportunity to play with (possess) the ball. • Reduced complexity leading to progressively staged decision-making and game awareness. • Fewer players in a smaller space are easier to coach • Offers Parent/coaches an opportunity to grow in progressions also. • Teaches kids that they can play soccer in the schoolyard or back yard. • More exposure to individual defending and attacking principles. • More opportunity to score goals. • Ensures that players stay involved and do not disappear on the field. • Micro soccer offers natural progressions up to full sized soccer
Foothills Grassroots Program Philosophy Creating players who can run with the ball and who are great dribblers is our number one priority. Players who can dribble the ball well at young age grow to become great passers and ball strikers as they mature. Players U6 and U8 don’t pass the ball and this is natural and healthy. Players to not pass the ball at this age because they don’t believe that they will get it back, and they are correct! Remember, the ball is a toy to players and they want to play with the toy as much as possible and this is good. At Foothills we want to develop the individual and not the team at this age.
Visit foothillsgrassroots.com for more information about our U6 and U8 programs.
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The Master Coach By Graham Kennedy Some coaches seem to have an uncanny ability to grow talent in developing players. They know what to say, when to say it, and how to say it. They can coach any age group and they can run a great training session on short notice. They can quickly make adjustments to a practice when things are not going well, turning it into something magical that players talk about on the car ride home. It just seems to come naturally to these “master coaches”. But is it natural, or is master coaching the result of something more? What really makes a master coach? I used to think that master coaches were great orators, capable of inciting rebellions, or at the very least, a cult-like following. I thought they were great leaders, or battlescared veterans of their craft. I thought they had Bill Walsh eloquence and style, or Pat Summit intensity, or perhaps Alex Ferguson passion and presence. For a while I thought they were stand-up comedians who could entertain as they coached. At some point I even thought master coaches possessed some magic formula, like the Kentucky Fried Chicken recipe, which they could never divulge. What I have come to realize is that master coaches are many things, but mostly they are themselves. Like great players, they have their own individual style and a presence that separates them from mere mortal coaches. Do master coaches possess a magic formula? Yes, but it’s not what you think. According to Daniel Coyle, author of the Talent Code, master coaches are usually older. Often in their sixties and seventies, and they have coached for thirty or forty years. Coyle calls these coaches and teachers the talent whisperers, and they coach differently than an up-and-coming coach. They listen more than they speak and they don’t give shock and awe sermons. They possess extremely deep technical knowledge and are focused on the intricate details of teaching technique and its application. Most of all they really know and understand their players and what makes each individual player tick. Master coaches know their sport, possessing broad-based tactical, psychological and physiological frameworks of knowledge to coincide with their technical understanding. They are supremely confident in their knowledge and they know they are right when they
provide instruction and feedback or answer questions. They cultivate talent slowly, because that is the only way you can do it. They are patient and focused on the fundamentals. They understand the gift of time and how time helps form the soil that nourishes the roots of talent. I have listened to many master coaches, watched them work and read books about them. One of the things that I have come to believe is that although master coaches possess deep knowledge frameworks that extend out in many directions, they all seem to have a sweet spot. Some are great at developing very young players, some are better with males, some with females, some are better with older players. Some are task masters, some are motivators, some make you feel extremely special, but they all hook you somehow and make you believe in them. Master coaches have a way of getting to every athlete. Operating in their own sweet spot, they find the sweet spot in others that place, or state, or moment when they can deliver the right trigger, word of praise, demonstration or critique; pushing each athlete toward the upper edge of their ability at all times. However, coaches may spend years before they recognize, appreciate and accept that they have a sweet spot. Arsene Wenger has found his sweet spot coaching young professionals at Arsenal in London. Others may find their sweet spot coaching U10s at an inner-city club. Wenger will get greater recognition, but his role is no more important. The staying power, or perseverance, required to become a master coach is significant. Most coaches don’t coach long enough to become masters of their craft. The vast majority of coaches leave coaching long before they get really good. It takes many years to become a skilled athlete and it also takes many years to become a skilled coach. Coaching is a skill, and coaching development requires education, application, practice, perseverance and time. There are no shortcuts in developing master coaches. Coach education helps, playing experience helps, and mentoring helps, but ultimately, coaching is a skill that must be developed over many years through practice. If you have passion and perseverance you will find opportunities to grow as a coach. Thanks to all of you coaches who are sticking with it and becoming masters of your craft - generations of players will benefit.
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Juggling By Leon Hapgood Assistant TD The great thing about juggling is that you can do it on your own; plus it’s fun and you don’t need much space to practice. Beginner Juggling No. 1 Toss the ball with two hands, slightly above head height, and let it bounce. Next kick the ball upward, very softly, using the laces of your dominant foot, and catch the ball with two hands. Repeat using the left foot. Toss - bounce - foot - catch. Beginner Juggling No. 2 Similar to No. 1, but this time, instead of catching the ball from your first kick, let it bounce and then kick it with your left foot. Toss - bounce - R foot - bounce - L foot - catch. Repeat. Beginner Juggling No. 3 Toss - bounce - R foot - bounce - L foot - bounce - repeat. Catch only when necessary. Beginner Juggling No. 4 Toss - bounce - R foot - L foot - Catch. Before you know it you will be eliminating the bounce. Soon after you can eliminate the toss and just flick the ball up with your toe to start. As you improve, work on having as little backspin on the ball as possible by squeezing your toes toward the bottom of your boot. Juggling develops balance, coordination and first touch control. Every good player likes to juggle and you can learn if you practice a few minutes each day.
Parting Shots If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or thing
By prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, one may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination.
- Albert Einstein
- Christopher Columbus
If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn始t lead anywhere. - Frank A. Clark
Only as high as I reach can I grow, only as far as I seek can I go, only as deep as I look can I see, only as much as I dream can I be. - Karen Raven
A teacher is one who makes himself progressively unnecessary. - Thomas Carruthers
Goals are dreams with deadlines. - Diana Scharf Hunt
I have always maintained that excepting fools, men did not differ much in intellect, only in zeal and hard work. A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.
- Charles Darwin
- Henry Brooks Adams
Foothills TechTalk is published four times per year by Foothills Soccer Club. Please contact the club with all inquiries. About Calgary Foothills Foothills Soccer Club was founded in 1972 and is the longest serving youth soccer club in south Calgary. Originally serving only southwest Calgary from the reservoir south and west of Mac Leod Trial, Foothills is now a true city-wide club with participants from all over Calgary and surrounding areas. Foothills operates soccer programs for all ages and abilities and incorporates a comprehensive coach education program. Foothills Soccer Club has been ranked as one of the Top Ten Youth Soccer Clubs in all of Canada. Our graduating players have gone on to play on the world stage, at prestigious universities and at local recreational fields across the country. www.gofoothills.ca
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