NOTE FROM LEADERSHIP...
NOVEMBERQUARTERFINALS SCHEDULE...
PLANS FOR THEGAME FORMAT PROJECT...
TREATING REFEREES DIFFERENTLY...
ALUMNAEAT PARIS OLYMPICS...
COLLEGEGAMES OF THE MONTH...
CAL NORTH'S Q&AWITH KENDALLCONWAY...
NOTE FROM LEADERSHIP
Welcome to the newly designed USYS Full Circle magazine. With this debut, the magazine format shall replace our past newsletter design. Many of you that have been with USYS a long time will remember our Fuel Soccer magazine that was published monthly and mailed to all 2.6 million player families. I loved it and I'm glad to see we're bringing a version of it back, just in digital form.
One of the key features that we hope to highlight each month are great stories, videos, and pictures from our USYS Family. If you or someone you know has done something extraordinary within the game as a player, coach, referee, club administrator or parent, please share it with us by sending what you have to: flombardo@usyouthsoccer.org.
As we enter October, we hope that everyone's fall season is off to a great start. Win, lose or draw, it's great to be back out on the fields and for me, fall was always my favorite season to play.
Skip Gilbert US Youth Soccer Chief Executive Officer
LATEST NEWS
SCHEDULE SET FDR NOVEMBER 2024
NATIONAL LEAGUE QUARTERFINALS
The November Quarterfinals willfeature boys andgirls teams, primarily from Elite64, inthe 13U through 19Uage groups. The boys willtakethe fieldsfirst, with games scheduledfor Nov. 1-4, andthe girls will compete the following weekend, Nov. 8-11. Allgamesin Mesa will be playedat the ArizonaAthletic Grounds. The 14U-19U teams playinginArizona will be competing for anopportunity toadvanceto the National LeagueSemifinals for a chancetoultimately qualify forthe2025 USYS National Championships, presented by New York Life.
"It is always great bringingsuchtalentedteams andplayers together, andthe Quarterfinals in November willprovideafantasticsettingforhigh-level youth soccer," said Marc Frankland, USYS National LeagueGeneral Manager. "Witheach teamplayingmeaningfulgames andhavingopportunitiesforadvancement, we knowtheatmosphere inArizona will befunandmemorableforall participants."
Thefieldof teamscompetinginArizona features twoteamsthat wontitlesatthe 2024USYS National Championships - LasVegasSurf Elite64 DSG andStrikers Miami Elite6406/078.
Teams playinginthe November Quarterfinals are dividedintopools withineach agegroup, withpoolplacement dependent on Elite64performancefromlast season. The Champions Poolfeatureslastseason's top-performingteams, followed by theSilver Pool (inapplicableagegroups) andthenthe Wildcard Pool.
LATEST NEWS
PLANS FDR USVS' 'THE GAME FORMAT
PROJECT'
UNVEILED
Theproject'sfocusissupporting USYSmemberclubsbyproviding resourcestoapplyanewgame modeltotheir U5 and US recreationagegroups. Utilizing researchfrom Europeanda U.S. Soccerpilotprogram, theproject shiftstheseagegroupstoa modelutilizingsmallerfieldswith gamesof2v2or3v3.
Participatingclubscanselectthe gameformattheyliketo implementbasedon researched-informedrecommendationsforfieldsize, teamsize, lengthof games, restarts, etc.Thesmallerfieldsandfewerplayersleadtomore touchesontheball, enhanceddecision-making,increasedscoring opportunities, andgreaterenjoyment.
"Thegoalistofosterthemostpositiveandeffectivelearningenvironment andthe2v2or3v3gamemodelswillallowustocreateamore developmentallyappropriateformatfortheseages," said USYS ChiefSoccer OfficerTom Condone.
Theinitiativeisfundedinpartbythe U.S.Soccer Federation'sInnovateto Growgrant. Organizationsselectedforthisprojectcommittoimplementing thegamemodelfortwoseasonsconsistingofaminimumofsixweekseach season. USYouthSoccerisdedicatedtolearningfromtheorganizations, parents, andcoachesparticipatingintheproject, andwillworkwith participantstocollectsurveydatafromcoachesandparents.
THE THIRD TEAM TREATING NEW REFEREES DIFFERENTLY
THAN THEIR PLAYING COUNTERPARTS
There'sonlyonewaythatrefereesavoid makingmistakes -theyofficiatefewer gamesor quit.
Thelatterisbecomingmorecommon withadeclineinrefereeparticipationat nearlyeverylevelofthesport throughouttheworld. Amajorfactorof washoutanddecreaseinparticipation: Thepoortreatmentrefereesreceiveand thenegativeexperiencethatcauses. Evenattheverytop - professionaland internationalsoccer - VAR isneeded; so whydowedemandperfectionfromour newestandleastexperiencedreferees?
Thereisadauntingcyclepresentinour game: Therearen'tenoughofficialsto overseegames, andtheoneswillingto areoverworked -resultinginmore mistakes.
Howcanwereversethattrend? Oneeasysolution: Treatanddevelop refereesthesamewaywedoplayers -especiallynewones. Thereshouldbe nodifferenceintreatmentbetweennewplayersandnewrefereeswhen eitherjointhesport, eventhoughthereistypicallyanagegapassociated withthetwo. Itwouldbeamuchdifferentlandscapeifwewereabletomirror theeffortandcommitmenttoofficialsthatwegivetogrowingourplayers.
FORMER FACES
EIGHTEEN ALUMNAE FUEL GOAL
MEDAL WIN AT PARIS OLYMPICS
The UnitedStatesWomen's NationalTeamaddedtoitsrecord numberofsoccergoldmedalsthis summerinParis, earningitsfifthin Olympic Gameshistorywitha1-0 winover BrazilatthefamedPare desPrinces. Thevictorymarked thethirdtime (2004and2008) theStarsandStripeshavebeaten theSelegaoinagoldmedalmatch.
Two USYouthSoccer Olympic DevelopmentProgram (□DP) alumnae - KorbinAlbertand MallorySwanson-combinedto breakthedeadlockinthe 57th minute, withSwanson'sfourth goalofthe Olympicsbeingher mostimportant. Albertsplitthe Braziliandefensewithapassthat foundSwansonandputher throughongoal, withaclinical finishslottedinthefarcorner , beingthecontest'slonescore.
The UnitedStates'rosterof18 featured USYSheavily, with17of theplayers - includingAlbertand Swanson - aswellasheadcoach Emma Hayes, havingtiestothe largestyouthsportorganizationin thecountry.
FORMER FACES
Throughoutitstriumphantsix-gameruninParis, the UnitedStates' balancedroster -ledbyformerregional USYS □DPcoach Hayes -stoodout ontheworldstage. Itsdefense, anchoredby Olympic DevelopmentProgram alumnaeAlyssa Naeher, Crystal Dunn, Naomi Girma, and Emily Fox, earned fourcleansheets, includingoneduringeverystageoftheknockoutrounds. Withanimpenetrablebacklinebehindthem, the UnitedStates' frontthreeof Trinity Rodman, SophiaSmith, and MallorySwansonputthefinishing touchesoneachopponent, withthe USYouthSocceralumnaecombiningfor 10 goalsduringtheevent.
For Dunn, Naeherand Lindsey Horan, theParis Olympicsmarkedtheirthird timerepresentingtheStarsandStripesatthe Olympic Gamesafter previouslycompetingin RioandTokyo.
EmmaHayes
Emily Fox
Emily Bonnett
Rose Lavelle
Casey Krueger
Casey Murphy
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Whether you'refuelingupforthebiggame,celebrating afterabigwinorjustenjoyingthemforkicks,you can'tbeattherealfruitgoodnessofTreeTopapple juiceandapplesauce.
STATE ASSOCIATION SPOTLIGHT
Q&A WITH KENDALL CONWAY
Kendall Conway isaplayerthathas been withthe Cal North □DP programsince2020. Herstandout performances andtalenthave put her onthe U.S. WomenYouth NationalTeam'sradar, gettingcalled up forcampsandeven winning herfirstmajortournamentwiththe U.S. Under-15Women'sYouth NationalTeamduringAugustin Costa Rica.
Cal Northcaught up with Kendall, a promising and risingstarthathasdeveloped tremendously the lastseveralyearswiththe Cal North Olympic DevelopmentProgram, her current club, LamorindaSoccer Club and nowwith the U.S. Under-15 Women'sYouth National Team.
Cal North: Let'skickthings offby telling us andthe Cal Northcommunity a littlebit about who Kendall Conway is?
Kendall Conway: Iam15 yearsold andasophomoreatJustinSiena HighSchoolin Napa. A fun factaboutmeisthat Iamatripletsothat's pretty cool. My older brother (by aminute) is Jackand my younger sister (by aminute) is Kaitlyn. They aremy best friends and wearevery close.
Cal North: Whendidyougetstartedplayingsoccerandhowdoyou remember first gettinginvolved inthesport?
Kendall Conway: Ifirststartedplayingsoccer when Iwasthreeyearsold when Ilivedin NewYork City. I lovedtokick the ballin CentralPark. My parentsgot usinvolved with every singlesportwhen wewereyounger totry andtireusout.
Cal North: Whendidyou firstjoin Cal North □DP? Howhastheexperience been playing Cal North □DP?
Kendall Conway: I firstjoined Cal North □DPin2020. Ithas beena wonderful experience as Ihavehadoutstandingcoachesanddevelopedgreat friendshipswithmy teammates whocome from all over northern California. I remainintouch withmy □DPcoaches and they havebeen very helpful withmy developmentasa soccer player andasa person. I alsoremember being really, really nervous because □DP wasmy first bigtryout, butit helpedme learnto prepareand practiceonmy own. I really enjoy playing with Cal North □DP because Igettoplay moresoccer and Igettheexposuretodifferent playing styles rithhigh-quality players fromallover northern California.
STATE ASSOCIATION SPOTLIGHT
Cal North: How hasitbeenadaptingtoyour new teammates atthe national level?
Kendall Conway: Ithasbeeneasybecause we allshare thesame passion - we alllove the game ofsoccer! I am inaweof all of themand ithasbeensomuchfun gettingtoknowthemandlearnabouttheirdifferent backgroundsandpathways.Thebondbetween everyoneisjustamazingandthese relationships, like theones I havedeveloped through □DP, willlasta lifetime. Everyoneissofunny, loving, caring and welcoming - like your sisters, and it'sjustsomuchfun.
Cal North: How didthe Cal North □DP helpyouprepare tothenbe identifiedby the US Women's Youth National team?
Kendall Conway: □DP isa terrific organization and has anextensive network.Someof the □DP coachesare U.S. National Teamscoutsorhave connections to the different U.S. National Teams. □DP has helped prepare metoplay inhigh-pressuresituationsandinbig tryoutsoveranextendedperiodof time.
Cal North: What advice wouldyougiveto everyone in Cal North □DP thatislookingtobreakintothe US Youth National Teams?
Kendall Conway: I wouldsay if youare already in □DP, youare onthe rightpathasyouhave already proven thatyouarea really good player. Keep workinghard and itisthe practiceyou doonyourownwhennobody is watchingthatcanreally helpyouimprove. Workon your conditioning, learntobe technicaland watcha lot of soccer.Also, take advantage ofwhatpeople are willing to helpyou with. Finally, themostimportantisto have funplayingthegreatestgameintheworld!
