December 2016
Kick Cancer Camp
FUN FOR A CAUSE AT DYESS
Keepers, please plan to attend the Kick Cancer Camp, scheduled at Dyess Park on Sun, Dec. 18. Cost is only $55, all of which goes to the Curing Cancer Fund for research in the battle against pediatric cancer. Loads of soccer fun from 1:30 until 4pm. Founded by multimedia personality Glenn Davis, the camps are held at other sites around Houston and elsewhere, but Dyess Park has regularly drawn the most campers. “The mission of Kick Cancer Camps is to bring together soccer communities to raise awareness and funds for cancer research,” said Davis, “engaging personalities from all levels of soccer--youth, high school, college, professional, ex-professionals—who come together to provide their time and expertise.” It is a special event, so you are urged to join the fun and the power of such a great cause.
KEEPER TRAINING SCHEDULE
December calendar for goalkeeper training at Dyess Park:
1—Seniors, 6:30pm
5—Juniors, 5:30pm
6—Intermediates, 6:30pm
8—Seniors, 6:30pm
12—Juniors, 5:30pm
13—Intermediates, 6:30pm
15—Seniors, Intermediates, Juniors, all train at 5pm,
followed by the Christmas party at 6pm
NO TRAINING AFTER DEC. 15 UNTIL JAN. 9. 2017
About the Keeper Club
Junior Keepers (Mondays, 5:30pm)—Beginners, 9 and 10 boys and girls; Intermediates (Tuesdays, 6:30pm)—10, 11,12 competitive boys and girls; Seniors (Thursdays, 6:30pm)—U14 and older boys and girls. Membership fee: $100 for the Spring training season, beginning Jan. 9 through May 22; $200 if not playing for the Cy-Fair Youth Soccer Club or the Dynamos; $50 for Junior Keepers (age 8-10). To join, please send goalkeeper’s name, birthdate, email address and phone number, along with check payable "Keeper Club" to Dynamos Keeper Club, attn: DeNiece Herrod, 5827 Pinellas PK, Spring TX 77379. For more information, email jwalker332@aol.com (phone 281-217-1612) or dherrod@me.com.
IT’S PARTY TIME FOR KEEPERS
What: Keeper Club Christmas Party
Date: Thursday, December 15
Time: 5 o’clock for training, 6 o’clock for party
Place: Far Pavilion (north end concession stand at Dyess Park)
How’s this sound?--an hour of touches on the ball, then adjournment to the Far Pavilion (north concession stand at Dyess Park) for pizza, drinks, and dessert, followed by awards, including the widely-heralded Goalkeeper Starter Kit, and then the annual Krazy Keeper gift exchange. That’s the agenda for the annual no-frills, but lots of fun, Keeper Club Christmas party. Originally called by the more traditional “White Elephant” gift exchange, there was hope of attracting elephants to our party. We tried everything--held it outside, inside, in the rain, in cold weather--but the pachyderms, white, gray, black, or blue, never showed. To make matters worse, they advised through attorneys they no longer wanted their name associated with this event. So, it was changed to “Krazy Keeper,” and you know what?--the white elephants continued to stay away and no crazy keepers show up either. Lots of keepers, though, who though you can never be quite sure what they will say or do, are mostly entirely sane. And keepers are so much more fun than elephants. If bad weather intervenes, the gang will move to the softball building at the double stop signs. Admission to the whole shebang is a wrapped gift, purchased for $10 or less (or something around the house you no longer want). In orderly fashion, keepers choose a gift, either from the “new” stack, or by stealing one previously-selected.
We Get Questions
“Does this start at 5 o’clock in the morning?” one keeper asked. Answer: No, it's an evening event.
“What if I’m not crazy?” inquired another worried keeper, “can I still attend?” A: Certainly, we can use a little sanity around here anyway.
“Can I bring something?” was another question. A: Glad you asked! In addition to your wrapped gift, contributions to the dessert table are always welcome.
RIDDLE ME THIS
1. What can you catch, but not throw back?
2. Which Keeper Clubber can jump higher than the crossbar?
3. Why do grasshoppers not go to many soccer matches?
4. Why did the goalkeeper hold his boot to his ear?
5. What tea do soccer players drink?
6. Where do goalkeepers dance?
7. If athletes get athlete’s foot, what do astronauts get?
8. When should a keeper kick about a birthday gift?
9. As a keeper, when things go wrong what can you count on?
10. Where’s the best place to look for a helping hand?
(Find answers in KeeperTalk)
NABOKOV A KEEPER
Well before he became a celebrated novelist and lepidopterist (O.K., you’ll have to look that word up! And anyone who does and emailsJWalker332@aol.com with a two-word description will be entered in a drawing for a new soccer ball), Vladimir Nabokov learned the goalkeeping trade at the Tenishev School in Saint Petersburg (Russia) and mused about the “blessing of the ball hugged to one’s chest.” After the 1917 revolution, he continued playing at Cambridge University. Anticipating the legendary career of Lev Yashin, revered goalkeeper for the Soviet Union and Dynamo Moscow, Nabokov admired the “gallant art” of tending net and cherished the importance of the position to Russian history. Soccer pops up regularly in Nabokov’s work. In “Pnin” (1957) the title character is put out when, on requesting a “football,” a sales clerk hands him the American version: “No, no…I do not wish an egg or, for example, a torpedo. I want a simple football ball. Round!”--New York Times soccer blog (this item originally appeared in Keeper! in 2009).
KeeperTalk
Here’s a great chance to see top college goalkeepers in action! The NCAA Division One men’s soccer final playoffs—semifinals on Dec. 9 plus final and consolation on Dec. 11—at BBVA Compass Stadium. A great event right here in Houston! For ticket info, go toncaa.com/tickets/soccer-men/d1. . .High fives to Junior Keeper Ethan Baylis, who attends every training session and shows improvement each time, arriving early (jogging to join everyone if he’s late) and staying afterward for more touches by hand or foot. . .U. S. Army Capt. Mya Morrison, a former Keeper Club member, was honored in November for her service as a company commander at Fort Sam Houston. . .A boy on a bicycle stopped and watched as Junior Keepers gathered for their session at Dyess Park. He remained on his bike as they stretched, and began their warmup with the ball. Asked if he’d like to participate, he laid his bike down and joined in, contributing his kicking foot and even taking turns in goal. Turned out it was Trainer Mark Hunter’s nine-year-old son, Noah, killing time while his father worked with Dynamos’ teams on nearby fields. . . Trevor Gibson, highly-decorated Tomball Memorial HS goalkeeper and alumnus of the Keeper Club, traveled with MidAmerica University (Kansas) as a member of the Pioneers' goalkeeper corps to the NAIA final playoffs in Delray Beach, Fla. . .Philadelphia Union and Jamaican international Andre Blake was named 2016 Allstate Major League Soccer Goalkeeper of the Year, beating out the New York Red Bulls' Luis Robles and Colorado Rapids' Tim Howard. . .In the NCAA women’s tournament, Melissa Lowder, a sophomore, collected 14 saves and held off a wave of attacks as Santa Clara University edged the No. 1 seed, Stanford, 1-0, on Jenna Holtz's first goal of the year in the 108th minute. Although outshot, 31-3, it was Santa Clara's first win over Stanford in the NCAA Tournament since 2004. . .Answer to the Keeper questions above: 1) a cold; 2) all of them--a crossbar can't jump; 3) they prefer cricket; 4) because he liked sole music; 5) penaltea; 6) at a soccer ball; 7) missletoe; 8) when the gift is a soccer ball; 9) your fingers; 10) at the end of your arm. But it isn’t one of those answers which will win you a new soccer ball. Ol’ Reliable Samantha Nichols picked up another gift card for her answer to last month’s Keeper Kwiz—what are two words keepers should shout out loud and clear?—answer, of course, was “Keeper!” and “Away!” To enter the drawing for this month’s prize, a new soccer ball, please email jwalker332@aol.com a two-word definition of the word “lepidopterist” which appears elsewhere in this newsletter. You'll have to look this one up. . .If you have news items, photos, anecdotes, or tips on goalkeeping, please send to jwalker@dynamossoccer.com
KEEPER LOG
Goalkeepers who attended Keeper Club training during November:
3—Ethan Rimbey, Ethan Urrutia, Maddie Saucedo, Piper Slone, Audrey Faucher, Elizabeth Corkin, Kaeden Johnson, Grace Ehrenfeld, Claire Juenke, Daniel Bridges
10--Elizabeth Corkin, Ethan Urrutia, Mia Posey, Audrey Faucher, Maddie Saucedo
14—Ethan Baylis, Victoria Finidori, Ashley Kimassi, Samantha Nichols
15--Alex Wangen, Ben Jones, Samantha Nichols, Samantha Yeager, Amber Zlatich, Zac Cannon, Alli Thompson, Andrew Nelson, John Steadman, Robbie Steadman, Grace Ehrenfeld, Noah Bar.
17--Ethan Urrutia, Audrey Faucher, and Kaeden Johnson
21--Ethan Baylis, Victoria Finidori. Assisting: Samantha Nichols. Guest: Noah Hunter
22—Zac Cannon, Samantha Nichols, Alli Thompson
24—Tom Turkey, Virginia Hamm,
28—Ethan Baylis, Victoria Finidori, Ashley Kimassi, Assisting: Samantha Nichols
29--Andrew Nelson, Noah Bar, Zac Cannon, Alex Wangen, Ben Jones, Samantha Nichols, Samantha Yeager, Alli Thompson, Grace Ehrenfeld, Amber Zlatich, Claire Juenke
QUOTABLE
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.
You're on your own.
And you know what you know.
You are the one who'll decide where to go.
--Dr. Seuss, coach at heart
TIP OF THE MONTH
Your first and foremost priority should be to catch the ball. So hands, of course, are considered the most important tools you possess to accomplish that goal. But foot movement runs hand in hand, so to speak. Shoddy footwork can make even the best hands ineffective. Footwork not only bears the burden of getting your hands to the ball, but often is the key to preventing attackers getting off a shot at goal. Footwork enables you to make your best save the shot that’s never taken.
KEEPING SECRETS
Questions to ask yourself regarding your team’s system of play:
What type of defense does your team use?
Do you play with a sweeper or flat at the back, man-to-man, or zonal?
On what part of the field does your team begin to pressure the ball?
Do your wide midfielders force attackers inside or outside?
Is the offside trap a regular strategy?
How does your team defend at corners and long throw ins?
Where is the restraining line defending free kicks from 50 yards? 35
yards?
Learning the answers to these questions will help you assist and direct your
teammates.