Minnesota Soccer Times - Sept. 2019 by Varsity Communications

VOLUME 32

ISSUE 5

SEPTEMBER 2019

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF MINNESOTA YOUTH SOCCER ASSOCIATION

Winners, highlights from MYSA’s

Summer State Tournament IN THIS ISSUE

MYSA Teams Excel At National Championships PAGE 7

Youth Soccer’s Changing Landscape PAGE 12

All-New Video Feature: TOPSoccer PAGE 23

56 FIELDS IN ONE LOCATION GREAT VISITING COMPETITION SHOWCASE YOUR TALENT

VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO LEARN MORE AND REGISTER nscsports.org/soccer

NOVEMBER 9-10, 2019 Come showcase your teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talent at the National Sports Center for college coaches from around the country. Registration deadline is October 19, or until brackets fill. * - Not yet sanctioned by MYSA

APRIL 24-26 *

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MAY 2-3*

JUNE 5-7 * MAY 23-24*

JULY 10-18*

763.785.3679 | www.nscsports.org | Blaine, MN

SOCCER Contents TIMES Sept. 2019 Departments Executive Director’s Message........ 4 Infographic: By The Numbers...... 15 Coaches Corner........................... 16 Honor Rolls.................................. 16 Space for ‘Rents...........................18 Referee Report............................ 20 Video: TOPSoccer........................23

Features

Minnesota Teams Excel at National Cups..........................7 The Changing Youth Soccer Landscape.................................12 Minnesota Summer State Championships................14 Annual General Meeting & Recognition Banquet.............24 MYSA Welcomes New Employee...24

Soccer Times

September 2019

SOCCER TIMES The entire contents of this publication are copyrighted; all rights reserved. Articles may not be reproduced without written permission. The advertising space provided in Soccer Times is purchased and paid for by the advertiser. None of the products or services are necessarily endorsed by MYSA or its affiliates. The opinions and views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of its advertisers or MYSA. Printed in the United States of America. Minnesota Soccer Times Official Publication of the Minnesota Youth Soccer Association is published six times per year by Varsity Communications, Inc. Minnesota Youth Soccer Association Officers: Steve May – President Jennifer Zarth – Vice President John Conte – Treasurer Ann Marie Courchene – Secretary Member Representativs Vacant – East Metro David Carter – Northern Todd Loose – Southwest Metro Julie Magnuson – Northwest Metro Vacant – Southern Minnesota Youth Socce Association State Office 10890 Nesbitt Ave. S., Bloomington, MN 55437 Tel.: (952) 933-2384; (800) 366-6972 MNYouthSoccer.org State Office Staff Matthew Madeira – Executive Director – Integrator Chato Alvarado – Director of Coaching & Player Development Stacy Dally – Director of Marketing & Communications Ashley Jacques – Director of Coaching & Player Administration Sue Gjerset – Director of Technology Patti Isensee – State Registrar Ayla Lokkesmoe – Director of Operations Norine Olson – Director of Finance Cam Stoltz – Director of League Operations Iván Woyno – Director of Enterprise Development Production Varsity Communications, Inc Editor Brian Beaky Graphic Designers Robert Becker, Marcel Colon Advertising Inquiries Ian Civey - (425) 412-7070 ext. 102 ian@varsitycommunications.com Varsity Communications, Inc. Sponsorship Inquiries Stacy Dally 952-252-0227 StacyDally@MNYouthSoccer.org

September 2019

Soccer Times

Executive Director’s Message By Matthew Madeira | MYSA Executive Director–Integrator

his summer, I was lucky to attend various youth soccer championships to cheer on our teams all over the Midwest. Now, I’m an Oregon man myself, so I haven’t had the pleasure of exploring this area, but after this summer, I can no longer say I’m a stranger to “flyover country.” My summer started in Overland Park, Kans., to support our 12 teams competing in the USYS Midwest Presidents Cup. I was impressed with the energy and passion all of our teams displayed, despite the searing sun, and was excited to see three of our teams earn trips to Nationals. What I wasn’t very excited to see was the second-worst sunburn of my life, but the Joe’s Kansas City Barbeque helped ease the pain. Shortly after Midwest Presidents Cup, I made my way to the USYS Midwest Regional Championships in Saginaw, Mich., to cheer on our 14 teams. Each team was fun to watch and represented Minnesota in a professional manner. Two of our teams solidified their spot in the National Championships that would take place in … get this … Overland Park! Even though I spent the month of June primarily at Regionals, I was thrilled that five of our teams made it to their respective National Championships and couldn’t wait to see them perform at the national level. The USYS National Presidents Cup was on deck first, in Murfreesboro, Tenn. And, I have to say, they also have some pretty great barbeque, but the music … the music was phenomenal! Not surprising, as the soccer complex is only 40 minutes from Nashville. In any event, the Keliix 18U boys and girls teams competed their hearts out on the best grass fields I have seen in a long time, and took second and third in the nation, respectively. The Three Rivers 16U girls

Executive Directors Message

team were crowned champions, and I couldn’t be happier for those players, teams, families and clubs. My summer of youth soccer championships ended with a trip back to Overland Park for the USYS National Championships. And, yes, I learned my lesson and applied copious amounts of sunscreen. The 14U Girls Tonka Fusion Elite had a great tournament, and 19U Girls MapleBrook Fury made it to the semi-finals. Now, that might not be how some people choose to spend their summer, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I got to see and experience much of the Midwest, and I may or may not understand a little bit more of where the term “flyover country” comes from. Most importantly, I enjoyed supporting our teams as they competed at some of the highest levels, and I can’t wait to get back at it again this fall. Congratulations to all the teams and, hopefully, we will do it again next summer.

SOCCER BALLS

APPAREL

GEAR

US Youth Soccer National Cups By MYSA Staff

USYS National Championships

he US Youth Soccer National Championship Series is the country’s most prestigious national youth soccer tournament for 13U and older teams. Since 1935, teams have competed for the right to be crowned USYS National Champion, and this year, more than 185,000 players on over 10,000 teams in US Youth Soccer State Associations competed in the USYS National Championship Series. Teams must follow one of two pathways to reach the National Championships. Teams may either advance via a State association’s State Cup and USYS Regionals, or through the USYS National League. MYSA teams started the road to the USYS National Championships at the Minnesota State Cup in May. All State Cup champions advanced to USYS Midwest Regional Championships, June 21-26, in Saginaw, Mich. Out of the 14 Minnesota teams that attended the Midwest Regionals, the 14U Girls Tonka Fusion Elite and 19U Girls MapleBrook Fury qualified for two of the 104 coveted spots in the National Championships, held July 22-28 in Overland Park, Kans.

14U Girls: Tonka Fusion Elite Girls

onka Fusion Elite boasted a 10-1-3 record throughout the entire USYS National Championship series, which included Minnesota State Cup, Midwest Regionals and Nationals. After going undefeated at State Cup and only allowing one goal, Tonka Fusion placed second at the Midwest Regionals against Lou Fusz (MO). Since Lou Fusz had already qualified for Nationals via the National League, Tonka Fusion was able to advance as the Midwest Regional runner-up. The team played their hearts out, going 1-1-1 in group play, with their lone loss to eventual national champion D’Feeters Black (TX-N) in a close, 1-0 contest. Tonka Fusion ended their season as one of the top-eight teams in the 14U Girls age group and demonstrated that they could compete with anyone in the country. “Being on the 05 TFE soccer team playing in the National Championships is a huge accomplishment for me and my team,” said Meghan Sullivan. “At first, knowing how good the teams are made me nervous. But, then I thought to myself, ‘If we have made it this far, we have good shot at doing well in it.’ I am super-excited and proud of my team for coming all this way. Not many Minnesota teams make it to Nationals, so being able to represent our state and region is an amazing thing to do.”

2019 US Youth Soccer National Championships Best XI Similar to FIFA’s all-tournament concept, the Best XI recognizes the top 11 performers in each age group, irrespective of their position on the field, as voted by coaches of the participating teams. Congratulations to Madeleine Schultz (Keeper) of Tonka Fusion Elite, and Megan Plaschko (Keeper) and Eva Bruer (Forward) from MapleBrook Fury.

Continued on page 8 Soccer Times

September 2019

M “The pride and joy you felt by hearing the name of your team being called (at the National Championships Player Luncheon) was something that we will never forget.” — Megan Plaschko, MapleBrook Goalkeeper

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Soccer Times

19U Girls: MapleBrook Fury

apleBrook Fury made a historic run and ended the year as USYS National Championship semi-finalists. The last Minnesota team to qualify for USYS National Championships did so in 1992, when the U16 Girls Burnsville Giants won the title. The entire Giants team wrote a good luck message to the Fury prior to their departure to the Championships: “When you take the field, remember where you’re from. Remember the people and the communities who formed you. Be proud of your roots. And, as completely uncool as it sounds, you’ve got a bunch of 43-year--olds who hung up their cleats a long time ago sending you fiercest energy this weekend for your nerves to be calm, your touch to be soft and the crossbar on your side. Bring it home.” MapleBrook Fury responded with a message of their own: “…thank you for taking the time to contact us and send us such an inspiring message, as well as paving a path for youth/women’s soccer for us… Women like you inspire us all and helped us believe we could win and compete in such a tournament…” While their résumé was impressive, with a 9-3 record and 34 goals in USYS Minnesota State Cup, Midwest Regionals and National Championships, what is even more impressive is the team’s friendship, camaraderie and dedication to one another. Coach Jean-Yves Viardin was a big part in creating the culture, and he even experienced it firsthand.

“Being a foreigner away from home, completely alone in Minnesota has made me realize that this team is my family.” said Coach Viardin. “We have great parents, great kids, and most of a all a great culture that I hope we can reproduce throughout all of youth soccer. These girls love each other through thick and thin and are always there for one another, no matter what.” The MapleBrook Fury earned an automatic spot in the National Championships via the National League, but that didn’t stop them from winning the Minnesota State Cup for the fifth time and taking second place in the Midwest Regional Championship against Campton United (IL). And, once they were at the National Championships, the players were reinvigorated. MapleBrook went 2-1 in group play, opening with a 5-0 win against against a quality opponent from New Jersey. “We started off really strong, which was one of our goals,” said midfielder Linnea Yacovella. “I’m proud of everyone for the effort and I think we set the tone for the weekend.” After their tough, 3-2, second-game loss to their old foe Campton United (IL), the team knew their next game would determine if they would continue in the tournament. “We played our hearts out and learned from our mistakes,” said Jasmine Gates, Fury defender and

team captain. “We are ready to go forward and have a relit fire in our hearts after the disappointment of today’s result. We are excited to go again tomorrow and earn a spot in the semifinals!” Which is exactly what they did, defeating Cajun SC (LA), 1-0. In the semi-finals against Celtic FC (Utah), the Fury went down early in the second half, but in a phenomenal comeback, scored two goals in the last five minutes to tie the game, 3-3, in stoppage time. Neither team scored in overtime, so the game headed to kicks from the mark. Celtic capitalized on each of their opportunities and defeated the Fury en route to becoming the eventual national champion, overpowering their opponent, Lou Fusz (MO), 9-1 in the final. “I was expecting to be more upset about the loss and, to be honest, it has caught me by surprise,” said Viardin. “We had so many people watching the game online and the support was incredible. My grandparents watched all the way from France and, actually, I think my grandma took the loss harder than anyone!” Viardin went on to say, “I am overwhelmed with gratitude, and am so proud of them. I’m not an easy coach to play for … and all I can say is, ‘Mission accomplished.’ We represented our state as best as we could.”

19U Girls MapleBrook Fury College Commitments 2018 GRADUATES • Florida Atlantic University • University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire

2019 GRADUATES • Creighton University • Florida Atlantic University (2 players) • St Cloud State University • University of Minnesota – Duluth (2 players) • University of Minnesota – Twin Cities (5 players) • University of St. Thomas • University of Wisconsin – Madison • Westmont College (Santa Barbara, Calif.)

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September 2019

US Youth Soccer Presidents Cup

he US Youth Soccer Presidents Cup is designed for 13U and older teams seeking additional challenges to play against teams of similar abilities for a national title. Presidents Cup provides a progressive, competitive experience to teams that might not otherwise get the opportunity to participate in a series of unique experiences highlighting competition, camaraderie and community from the state, to regional, to national levels of US Youth Soccer. Aspiring MYSA teams first competed at May’s Minnesota Presidents Cup. All Minnesota champions advanced to USYS Midwest Presidents Cup, June 13-17, in Overland Park, Kans. Out of the 14 Minnesota teams that attended the Midwest Regionals, three teams — 16U Girls Three Rivers Rampage, 18U Boys Keliix-Intra and 18U Girls Keliix-Intra — claimed regional championships and advanced to the to the USYS National Presidents Cup, July 10-14 in Murfreesboro, Tenn. All three teams represented Minnesota well and earned first-, second- and third-place national finishes.

16U Girls: Three Rivers Rampage Girls

he 16U Three Rivers Rampage Girls team won all but one game in their remarkable playoff run this summer and were crowned USYS National Presidents Cup Champions. After coming out of the Minnesota Presidents Cup undefeated, the team went 4-1 at Midwest Presidents Cup, dropping their only game to Muscatine SC (IA). At National Presidents Cup, Three Rivers went 3-0 in group play against quality teams from Pennsylvania (1-0), Texas (2-0) and Washington (2-1) en route to defeating Solar SC (TX-N) in penalty kicks and earning the right to be called USYS National Presidents Cup Champions! “We had two goals going into the season — one being to win the Minnesota Presidents Cup, and the other to win our league in order to be promoted to Premier II,” said Sophia Lange. “We have accomplished both of those goals and even gone further. Our team has been putting in a lot of hard work and dedication and it’s been very fulfilling to see it pay off.” “I have been on this team for three years and never dreamed that we would get to this point,” said Isabella Kornwol. “We train nine months out of the year and have worked incredibly hard to achieve where we are today … Each and every player on this team has contributed and helped us get to this point. All of the players on this team are family, and everyone always puts the team before themselves.”

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2019 US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup Award Winners & Best XI (From left to right): GK Kadyn Dilger, Golden Glove; FWD Ava Johnson, Golden Boot & Best XI; CM Cedar Jorgensen, Golden Boot & Best XI and CB Callie Patraw, Best XI.

18U Boys: Keliix-Intra

he Keliix boys went undefeated in Minnesota Presidents Cup and USYS Midwest Presidents Cup to earn themselves a spot in the USYS National Presidents Cup. The team finally met their match in the first game of group play at Nationals, but were able to rally back and win their next two group games. Keliix competed in the National Championship game, but came up short against a fierce West Texas Rush Sharks team. “Although we lost, the fact that we were even positioned to be crowned National Champions is a testament to who we are collectively,” said Keegan James. “The commitment and love we have for each other and the heart we play with tells the story of who the Keliix 18B are.”

18U Girls: Keliix-Intra

he Keliix girls went undefeated in Minnesota Presidents Cup and USYS Midwest Presidents Cup to earn themselves a spot in the USYS National Presidents Cup, winning both their regional semi-final and final games in overtime. The team finished 1-1-1 in group play at Nationals, and then went on to claim third place in a definitive 3-0 victory over CSA Monmouth (NJ). “Playing at the National Presidents Cup was an experience my team will never forget,” said Meerah Thompson. “The weather was a bit of a shocker, coming from Minnesota, but we came prepared and stayed hydrated in the heat. Overall, we are lucky to have had this opportunity and are grateful for the experience and the memories.” September 2019 11

Youth Soccer’s Changing Landscape and MYSA By Matthew Madeira | MYSA Executive Director – Integrator

he past few years have provided some of the most transformational changes for youth soccer in the United States. From the addition of U.S. Soccer’s Girls Development Academy, the switch from calendar to birth year, the addition of Boys ECNL league, and the rule that 11U and younger players are unable to deliberately head the ball (or receive instruction), it’s safe to say that the youth game is changing. And, those are just a few of the changes. Sweeping changes were also implemented at the professional level, too, including the folding of the Division II North American Soccer League (NASL), the expansion of the Major League Soccer (MLS), and club changes within the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). The evolution of soccer in the United States will persist at each level, as Kate Markgraf was recently named the U.S. Women’s National Team General Manager and Earnie Stewart was promoted to Sporting Director to “create more streamlined structure, align the overall technical approach and ensure greater communication and sharing of best practices within Federation programs.” We have witnessed these changes and started to make our own changes to be proactive and keep up with the evolving youth soccer landscape. Changes include: Digital Passes: We moved to digital player passes in Fall 2016 to make the process more efficient and convenient without compromising the integrity of the pass. Streamlined Operations: We took responsibility for all league operations in order to streamline operations and give the staff the ability to make timely, age-appropriate, and location-based decisions. For example: If the 13U Girls North League has 10 teams, and the West League has five, we would strongly consider placing two teams

from the North League that are in close proximity to the West into the West League, as that would help even out team counts in each league. MYSA Task Force: We organized a task force comprised of club administrators, Executive Directors, Directors of Coaching, coaches, and parents to receive input and recommendations on any and everything involving MYSA. A few months after the Task Force met, all Task Force recommendations were passed at the Annual General Meeting.

EVENTS USYS Presidents Cup In May 2018, we offered the USYS Minnesota Presidents Cup, and 50-plus teams participated in the inaugural tournament. In 2019, we grew the event participation by about 80 percent and had three Minnesota teams advance to Nationals.

Life Time Sport Freedom Cup New concept that required all adults, including coaches, to stand at least 30 feet from players, allowing players to be more creative and autonomous.

12U Junior Cup Provided age-appropriate event for 12U teams.

Summer Championships We moved our Summer Championships one week later in the summer to allow teams to participate in USA Cup and the Summer Championships.

New Leagues: Starting this fall, we are implementing three brand-new soccer leagues: Minnesota Black & Blue, Minnesota Futures, and Minnesota League One. These leagues provide different commitment options and cater to all levels of teams, players and families. As we look ahead to the fall and spring seasons, we plan to gather feedback from club administrators, coaches, and parents about not only the new leagues, but also about events, procedures, and more. The youth soccer landscape will continue to change, and

we are committed to embracing that change. Your feedback is important as we continue to navigate the youth soccer landscape, and while we rely primarily on club administrators (including Executive Directors, Directors of Coaching, Board Presidents and coaches) to provide that feedback, we are also open to hearing it directly from parents. Please don’t hesitate to reach out via email at MatthewMadeira@MNYouthSoccer.org. We welcome any and all feedback. Thank you and see you at the fields!

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CLICK HERE to read more about these two amazing individuals!

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September 2019 13

Champions Crowned AT Boys League Champion 11U Classic 1. . . . . . . North Metro/Three Rivers. . 11U Classic 2. . . . . . . Minnesota Rush . . . . . . . . . 11U Classic 3. . . . . . . Faribault. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12U Classic 1. . . . . . . MapleBrook. . . . . . . . . . . . . 12U Classic 2. . . . . . . Crow River. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12U Classic 3. . . . . . . Austin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13U Classic 1. . . . . . . Tonka Fusion Elite. . . . . . . . 13U Classic 2. . . . . . . MapleBrook. . . . . . . . . . . . . 13U Classic 3. . . . . . . Austin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14U Classic 2. . . . . . . Faribault. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14U Classic 3. . . . . . . Marshall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15U Classic 1. . . . . . . Fusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15U Classic 2. . . . . . . Minnesota Rush . . . . . . . . . 15U Classic 3. . . . . . . Mankato United. . . . . . . . . . 16U Classic 1. . . . . . . MapleBrook. . . . . . . . . . . . . 16U Classic 2. . . . . . . Southeast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16U Classic 3. . . . . . . Worthington FC. . . . . . . . . . 17U Classic 1. . . . . . . Tonka United. . . . . . . . . . . . 17U Classic 2. . . . . . . Fusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18U Classic 1. . . . . . . Salvo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18U Classic 2. . . . . . . Austin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19U Classic 2. . . . . . . Northfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Runner-Up Minneapolis United Central Minnesota . Inver Grove Heights Wright County CD Lobos Princeton Blackhawks Hastings FC Minnesota Rush . River Falls (WI) Austin Tonka United Force New Ulm North Metro Tonka United Wright County Austin St.Michael-Albertville Tonka United Eclipse Select Minnesota Rush

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Runner-Up Three Rivers MapleBrook Coon Rapids MapleBrook Wright County Three Rivers Salvo Minnesota Rush Three Rivers Three Rivers Mankato United St. Michael-Albertville Inver Grove Heights St. Michael-Albertville Three Rivers MapleBrook Crow River MapleBrook Great River Three Rivers Fairmont

Girls League Champion 11U Classic 1. . . . . . . Three Rivers/North Metro. . 11U Classic 2. . . . . . . CC United . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11U Classic 3. . . . . . . South St. Paul . . . . . . . . . . . 12U Classic 1. . . . . . . North Metro/Three Rivers. . 12U Classic 2. . . . . . . Mankato United. . . . . . . . . . 12U Classic 3. . . . . . . Cambridge-Isanti. . . . . . . . . 13U Classic 1. . . . . . . Eden Prairie. . . . . . . . . . . . . 13U Classic 2. . . . . . . Minneapolis United. . . . . . . 13U Classic 3. . . . . . . Mississippi Valley . . . . . . . . 14U Classic 2. . . . . . . CD Lobos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14U Classic 3. . . . . . . Mississippi Valley . . . . . . . . 15U Classic 1. . . . . . . North Metro . . . . . . . . . . . . 15U Classic 2. . . . . . . MapleBrook. . . . . . . . . . . . . 15U Classic 3. . . . . . . Sartell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16U Classic 1. . . . . . . Salvo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16U Classic 2. . . . . . . Central Minnesota. . . . . . . . 16U Classic 3. . . . . . . Three Rivers . . . . . . . . . . . . 17U Classic 1. . . . . . . Lakeville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17U Classic 2. . . . . . . Waseca. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17U Classic 3. . . . . . . Sartell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18/19U Classic 2 . . . . North Metro . . . . . . . . . . . .

Click here to see more photos from this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Summer State Championships!

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MYSA Summer State

Championships BY THE NUMBERS

Clubs Represented

414 Teams Participated

515 Games Played

State Champions!

Community Sites Soccer Times

September 2019 15

Honor Roll

Coaches Corner

MYSA

is proud to present the Coach Honor Roll. The Coach Honor Roll includes coaches who have recently completed a license or diploma in Minnesota. Thank you all for your efforts to improve the level of soccer for all players in Minnesota. Congratulations to all coaches for making the MYSA Honor Roll!

“D” License — 20

Coaches: You are Important! By Chato Alvarado | MYSA Director of Coaching & Player Development

oaching a team is one of the most demanding and rewarding jobs you will ever attempt. The demands will be immediate, the rewards will come later. During the journey you will experience a wide range of emotions, from feeling at the top of the world, to second-guessing yourself. From game to game, you will have the opportunity to play an influential role in the development of your players, both on and off the field. Many of the lessons you teach your players will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Teamwork: Soccer requires a great deal of teamwork. Each player has a different and important role to play, but how they link and work with each other will determine how successful the team will become. In this case, success may not mean winning the league or a tournament. It means how well each of them understand that they are part of a group and how well they relate to, trust and communicate with each other for the benefit of the entire team. Discipline: Soccer, like any other sport, requires discipline. This includes learning how to control the ball, how to recognize and move to an open space, how to deal with the emotional challenges during practices or games, as well as good behavior on and off the field. Hard work: Soccer not only teaches players that hard work is required to achieve goals, but that hard work does not necessarily guarantee success. One thing is for sure, hard work will help players improve their skills. Setting goals: There are many things in soccer that can be measured, and where there is measurement, there is an opportunity for improvement. Setting goals helps

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achieve that improvement. Depending on variables (position, skills) goals will vary from one player to another, and from individual to team goals. Soccer helps players get started with good goal-setting habits. Perseverance: Soccer provides a great number of challenges that test and help build perseverance: losing an important game, being cut from the first team, missing or conceding a goal that determines the outcome of a game. These and other challenges constantly influence a player’s confidence. Healthy competition: Whether it is two players competing for the same position or two teams competing for the first-place spot, soccer provides an avenue for healthy competition. It’s true that being in the starting lineup and winning games are more fun, but players learn not to react badly regardless of the outcome. Be the best coach you can be: A perfect coaching model simply does not exist. Just like many of your players come equipped with different sets of abilities and attributes, you, as the coach, can use different styles and approaches to find equal measure of success. Help your players become the best they can be, both today and beyond.

Ted Albuquerque Eray Alemdar Julio Batista Eder Da Silva Justin Engum Christian Espitia Grant Gmeinder Frank Lucchesi George Mastrogiorgis Jose Medina Karaan Mehrottra David Montgomery Chad Morlock Abdifatah Saleban Brandon Schol Seth Sibunka Joshua Stewart Eddy Vuong Adam Wierman Isaac Wong Youth Module — 8

Brian Baginski Jim Beard Jenna Eng Christian Fuentes-Rivera Grace McCarthy Vuthy Phan Tony Reichenberger Hannah Slaikeu

Soccer Times

September 2019 17

Space For ‘Rents

It’s A Perfect Day to Have a Pre-Season Parent Meeting

By MYSA Staff

aving a strong and organized pre-season meeting will make this fall a great season for your kids and a fun time for you as a parent on the sidelines. A pre-season meeting can help coaches and parents address potential challenges long before they become emergencies. But, those meetings can also help all of us as parents to prepare for the season. By having clear expectations with regards to what the team is trying to accomplish, what the coach is trying to teach the players, and what we as parents are trying to achieve by being at our kids’ games, 18 September 2019

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everyone involved on game day can ensure that game days will feature a fun-filled and sporting atmosphere. While the coaching staff will share with all of us what player expectations and team objectives will be for the season, there are four simple items that we, as parents, can add to the agenda to ensure that our kids and referees will have a great experience this fall. Some of these items may ask that you move away from your comfort zone and take bold action in the upcoming season! What are these four agenda items? Well, let’s get started with the list.

Communication: We are not referring to when it is acceptable to contact the coach. We are referring to the language that we will utilize as a team during the season. Agree to use inclusive language focused on “We” rather than “I” or “me.” Statements such as “We are all responsible for making this season a success for the kids” is a good example. Ultimately, if parents and coaches work together, we are indeed responsible for the positive experience that our children will have during the season.

Referee Support: Referees are a critical part of the game. Without them, an official game cannot take place. In addition, most of the referees in the state are under the age of 17. They are learning and growing from their mistakes, just like our soccer players are. At the meeting, agree that for the season, no matter what the call is, we will recite, out-loud, the road construction crew song – “Give them a break!” If anyone needs additional encouragement to join in on the chant, just remind them that someday it may be their son or daughter out there in the yellow shirt blowing the whistle. Let’s pay this one forward and allow the referee crew to learn and improve without fear of screams from the sideline.

Cheer Philosophy: Agree as a parent base to shift away from only cheering our own teams’ good plays, and instead start to cheer all the great soccer that takes place on the field. The opposing goalkeeper makes a save. Cheer for it! Our goalkeeper makes a save. Cheer for it! A beautiful goal has been scored. Regardless of who scored it, you guessed it, cheer for it!

Welcoming Committee: Designate four people for every home game of the season to head the Welcoming Committee. The role of these ambassadors of the game is simple: Greet the opposing team. Engage in conversation with the visiting parents about their season, their club, their community and the kids on the team. Let them know that, as a group, we will be cheering all good plays and invite them to join you in this practice.

hile these four items may seem out of the ordinary, once they become a part of the pre-season meeting, and as a parent group we make a commitment to implement them this fall, the change to the sideline atmosphere will be profound! We may not control the weather at a soccer game, but we can control the climate on the sidelines. And, these four simple agenda items will help make this upcoming fall a fun-filled season for our kids, referees and coaches! Do not wait another day, today is a good day to have a pre-season parent meeting! Soccer Times

September 2019 19

Referee Report

Adult Referees Needed: Help Grow The Game by Sharing Your Passion and Knowledge! By Doug Marshak Minnesota State Director of Instruction

ur adult referee numbers dropped by almost 40 officials this year. In 2018, the Minnesota State Referee Committee (MNSRC) certified 1,216 adult officials, and this year that number dropped to 1,186. Overall referee numbers fell from 4,150 to 4,033, and we continue to staff over 70 percent of our referee positions with kids age 17 and under. What most people don’t realize is that as youth soccer participation grows and the skill level increases (resulting in these fantastic regional performances), we’re not adding able-bodied officials who have life experience. The number of officials age 18-30 fell from 498 statewide to 468. The game is getting faster, the players are getting better, but the number of referees who have experience playing that game and the young legs needed to keep up are dropping. And, it’s about to get a whole lot worse. For the 2020 U.S. Soccer registration year, U.S. Soccer placed a minimum age of 13 on anybody who wants to certify as a referee. Three hundred of our certified officials in 2019 were 11 or 12 years old, which means we can expect our overall referee population to drop another 7.5 percent in 2020. For years, our state has been ignoring the reality that we increasingly rely on inexperienced kids to referee other kids in the face of a rapidly improving playing population. Don’t get me wrong, I think kids learning to referee is a great thing, and they should get opportunities, but having 14-year olds run lines for 17-year old referees working 16U Premier games is not OK. As the number of teams continue to grow, clubs are going to have to accept the need to make some very hard decisions in order to staff their games with officials.

The reality is that next year we will likely see most games for 14U and younger officiated by a single referee. This is not as outlandish as it sounds, as Europe manages youth matches this way. The simple fact of the matter is that referee assignors need relief from the desperation of trying to fill every match with three officials. We’ve ignored this problem for too long, and now we are going to have to take drastic steps to solve it. It means some — maybe a lot — of offside calls might be missed. It means that coaches will have to assume a greater responsibility for ensuring their players play in a sporting manner, because a single set of eyes for up to 22 players on the field won’t be enough to manage behind-the-back-shenanigans. It means parents will have to get better at accepting referee errors, because one person can’t possibly see everything that three can … (not to mention that three people can’t see everything that 40-50 parents on the touchline can!). Not satisfied with this reality? We will be holding entry clinics starting this winter. If you have played or coached, please get yourself certified and work 5-10 games next summer. We need ADULTS to play a role in making our playing environments safe. Yes, it costs a bit to get your foot in the door: registration fees, uniform and equipment, background checks and the like. You’ll earn most of that money back within 2-3 weeks of the start of the season, and everything else you work after that is a vacation savings account for that fun trip after the season ends. Just 200 new adults, each working an average of seven games next summer, would fill 1,400 assignment slots. Parents, help give back to the sport your kids love. If you’re a coach, help your club out by working a few games.

Just 200 new adults, each working an average of seven games next summer, would fill 1,400 assignment slots 20 September 2019

Soccer Times

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ABOUT JOTP Discover Play this year with JOTP. A nonprofit dedicated to healthy play for kids of all ages. We believe Play is important to the child's emotional, physical and social health.

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Join JOTP this winter for Free Play, Futsal and Skills Programs Boys and girls of all ages. Regardless of club affiliation, join us this winter and grow like never before. Sign up Today!

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www.joyofthepeople.org Soccer Times

September 2019 21

22 September 2019

Soccer Times