July 2017
JULY TRAINING SCHEDULE
There will be NO regular goalkeeper training in July.
The Summer Conditioning and Technical Program began June 13 and is held Tuesdays and Thursdays (6-7:15pm) at Dyess Park through August 3. ATTN: Since the Fourth of July is on Tuesday, we will meet Wed. July 5, and Thurs., July 6.
Summer Goalkeeper Camp, August 16-18 (5-8pm each day) at Dyess Park.
The 2017-18 training schedule will be announced in the August issue. For more information, email JWalker332@aol.com or phone 281-217-1612.
KEEPERS SEEK FITNESS
Goalkeepers working hard to get fit or maintain their fitness at the Keeper Club’s Summer Conditioning and Technical Program include Zac Cannon, Grace Ehrenfeld, Victoria Finidori, Samantha Nichols, Claire Juenke, Ashley Kimassi, Sophie Pettus, Payton Salinas, Steven Franke, Isobel Herrod, Maddie Saucedo, and Kole Smith. The program started June 13 and continues until Aug. 3. The final June session was directed by Strength and Conditioning Coach Johnny Klander, who has joined the Dynamos family, not only as a parent but as a trainer who will work with Dynamos teams. In addition to the group of goalkeepers and field players, trainers Olivier Finidori, Mark Hunter, and Stephen Gonzalez also are participating. Kacie Paine is back assisting and joining us this year as an assistant is Kylie Austin, former Dynamos and Cy-Creek HS player.
Goalkeeper Camp
DON'T MISS THIS CAMP!
If you are a goalkeeper, or aspire to be one, you'll want to be on hand for the Keeper Club’s three-day summer camp to be held Aug. 16-18 at Dyess Park. Expected to join camp activities this year is David Benner, a retired professional keeper who played in England, Argentina, and the United States, including stints with the Houston Hurricane and Houston Dynamos of past pro leagues and was one of the inspirations for formation of the Keeper Club at Cy-Fair in 1991. In addition to quality instruction, which again will include Brandon Renken, an original member of the Keeper Club, the camp features an official camp t-shirt, daily prizes, an end-of-camp pizza and Powerade party, and lots of fun. The fee is $150, with a $50 discount for paid-up Keeper Club members. The goalkeeper camp will not be part of the Select Camp this year, but will meetWednesday through Friday (not Saturday this year). Camp hours are 5pm until 8pm each day. You can register on this website.
Dynamos Summer Camps 2017
Select Camp, Aug.7-11
Future Stars Camp, Aug 14-16
Goalkeeper Camp, Aug. 16-18
KLINSMANN: STOPPER TO SAVER
Jonathan Klinsmann, the USA’s starting goalkeeper in its run to the quarterfinals of the U-20 World Cup, started out as a goal scorer and is the son of a World Cup champion striker and former U. S. men's national coach, Jurgen Klinsmann. The 20-year-old Cal Berkeley student explained how he ended up in goal. “I was a striker, actually, to start,” Jonathan says. “Attacking mid, striker. goalscorer. I went in goal just for fun in school and I loved it. I loved diving and getting dirty. Eventually I stayed there and I love it." The Southern California-raised Klinsmann also excelled at basketball. “At the age of 12,” his father told FIFA/com. “He was an attacking midfielder until then and very talented, then suddenly said he wanted to play goalie. At the same time he loved to play basketball, so he was always catching the ball.” Jurgen also said he didn’t push Jonathan toward soccer. “No, no, no,” he said. “I just hoped he would enjoy a team sport. Until the age of 16 he wasn’t sure if he should go with basketball or soccer. But he chose soccer. He was very talented at basketball.” Said Jonathan in the FIFA.com article: “He just let it happen. Same applies not even for sports or soccer. They [my parents] never really pushed me for sports or anything. They let me choose and find my passion. It ended up being soccer and it ended up being in goal."--Mike Woitalla, Soccer America
UPDATED KEEPER CLUB LINGO
There are unique words and sayings in every walk of life and it’s no different in the world of goalkeepers. Here’s clarification of common jargon for and about keepers, especially those in the Keeper Club:
*Just Say ‘NO!’ to Goals
*Goalkeepers are to be loved, not yelled at.
*It’s the 90th minute. Do you know where your goal is?
*Keepers are players, too. Play in the game, not just the goal.
*When you hear KEEEEEPER!!!! Pain is about to arrive.
*“Keeee-purrr!!!” (roar strong like a lion, not “keeep” like a birdie).
*Don’t get beat near post; you’ll have a nightmare if you do!
*Train to be perfect within your range
*Train to catch (you can decide in games whether to try to hold or block shots, or box them away, but in training, try to catch, and hold)
*Train to dive (and you can decide in games whether or not you need to)
*Powerade Challenge--when practicing goal kicks, you announce you will hit the crossbar. . .and do. (prize is a Powerade. . .unless the coach erases it by the hitting the crossbar, too.
*Claire Bear stretch--lay on the ground on your side with hands (with or without ball) outstretched in front of your eyes and bring the upper leg as high as you can toward your hands for a comfortable stretch. Claire Bear's comfort level:foot is high over her head; not many duplicate it, but it‘s a good stretch anyway. (Until Claire came along, it was called the “Veronica Stretch” for Ronni Pierce, who also stunned us with her flexibility)
*Patty cake--throw ball up and clap hands a proscribed number of times before catching it, while standing, walking, jogging, skipping, shuffling.
Do you know others? Send 'em to jwalker@dynamossoccer.com to add to our list.
KeeperTalk
Former longtime Keeper Club member Patty Walrath, who starred as a goalkeeper for Houston Baptist University, relates that she will leave Texas later this month to spend “about 10 months” as a media relations intern for the Western Athletic Conference in Colorado. Patty has worked in the HBU sports information office since her graduation. . .Thanks to Dyess Park rangers David, Joe, and Kieran for their attention and assistance during the opening sessions of the Keeper Club’s Conditioning and Technical Program in June. . .Check out the story by former Dynamos and Cy-Creek player Kylie Austin in the June 30 Coaches Memo elsewhere on this website. Kylie tells of her roller-coaster battle with cancer after derailment while preparing to play for Midwestern State University in 2014. She got good news June 28, but is being monitored closely. She currently is assisting Coach Walker with the Summer Conditioning and Technical Program at Dyess Park. . .Last month’s question was: “who said 'one keeper’s sunset is another keeper’s morning'?" Answer was “David Benner” and Samantha Nichols came through again with the correct response. This month’s query: in his winning essay for a Dynamos scholarship, who did Taylor Elliott praise for his “fantastic way of coaching.”? Answer is elsewhere in this newsletter. Email your entry to jwalker332@aol.com to be included in the July drawing. . .If you have stories, anecdotes or photos for Keeper!, please email them to jwalker332@aol.com.
KEEPER LOG
Goalkeepers and field players who attended the Keeper Club’s Conditioning and Technical Program during June 2017:
13—Isobel Herrod, Samantha Nichols, Claire Juenke, Victoria Finidori, Ashley Kimassi, Jayden Goytia, Michelle MacIntrye, Zac Cannon, Sydney Cannon, Mya Trager, Reese Schmadeke, Alex Nichols, Keegan Goytia, Ashlyn Rankin, Tia Finidori, Kole Smith, Abbie Bridges, Maison Bell, Mark Hunter. Assisting: Kacie Paine
15—Sydney Cannon, Zac Cannon, Victoria Finidori, Keegan Goytia, Grace Ehrenfeld, Michelle MacIntrye, Alex Nichols, Samantha Nichols, Haelyn Rankin, Ashlyn Rankin, Reese Schmadeke, Mya Trager, Claire Juenke, Sophie Pettus, Jade Dewbre, Nick Piercefield, Mark Hunter, Olivier Finidori. Assisting: Kacie Paine
20—Karryn Duncan, Victoria Finidori, Keegan Goytia, Brooke Hensley, Michelle MacIntryre, Ashley Kimassi, Haelyn Rankin, Ashlyn Rankin, Reese Schmadeke, Mya Trager, Jade Dewbre, Olivia Urrutia, Abbie Bridges, Payton Salinas, Mason Krogh, Kohen Funderburk, Ramsey Sharayha, Olivier Finidori, Jacob Meyer, Mark Hunter. Assisting: Kacie Paine
22-Kaileigh Duncan, Karryn Duncan, Victoria Finidori, Keegan Goytia, Brooke Hensley, Michelle MacIntyre, Alexander Nichols, Samantha Nichols, Ashley Kimassi, Haelyn Rankin, Reese Schmadeke, Mya Trager, Claire Juenke, Macie Johnson, Abbie Bridges, Ashlyn Rankin, Jacob Meyer, Olivia Urrutia, Mason Krogh, Kohen Funderburk, Mark Hunter, Olivier Finidori, Stephen Gonzalez. Assisting: Kacie Paine
27—Sydney Cannon, Zac Cannon, Jade Dewbre, Victoria Finidori, Jayden Goytia, Keegan Goytia, Grace Ehrenfeld, Kohen Funderburk, Brooke Hensley, Ashley Kimassi, Mason Krogh, Michelle MacIntyre, Alex Nichols, Samantha Nichols, Sophie Pettus, Ashlyn Rankin, Haelyn Rankin, Payton Salinas, Nick Piercefield, Maddie Saucedo, Dylan Rattan, Reese Schmadeke, Mya Trager, Josh Vargas, Mark Hunter, Stephen Gonzalez, Olivier Finidori, Assisting: Kacie Paine, Kylie Austin
29—Sydney Cannon, Zac Cannon, Jade Dewbre, Kaileigh Duncan, Victoria Finidori, Karson Funderburk, Kohen Funderburk, Brooke Hensley, Mason Krogh, Ashley Kimassi, Mason Krogh, Michelle MacIntyre, Alex Nichols, Samantha Nichols, Sophie Pettus, Ashlyn Rankin, Haelyn Rankin, Nick Piercefield, Kole Smith, Mya Trager, Maddie Saucedo, Mark Hunter. Guest instructor: Johnny Klander. Assisting: Kacie Paine, Kylie Austin
QUOTABLE
“During my first season (2009), I found myself playing multiple positions due to Roland Sikinger’s fantastic way of coaching. The focus of U11 was development so he played us in a variety of positions to push us out of our comfort zone for a different perspective. As the season began, I encountered many challenges in goal and on the field. On one of many smelly hot afternoons at Lindsey Lyons Park, I played keeper the entire game. We were getting pounded by Santos Laguna Juniors. Shots, breakaways and crosses entered my penalty area and I continued to make saves all over the goal. The opposition continued to go through our defense, but it was a two vs. one in the penalty area that led to the only goal of the game. On Monday at practice, Coach Roland asked my Dad how I was doing. My Dad told Roland I was disappointed with the result because I had let one in. Surprised, Roland replied: "For what, saving fifteen shots?" This was one of the many times in which Coach Roland showed me how to think positively. I played much better after that.”—From the essay of Dynamos Scholarship Winner Taylor Elliott, who will attend Texas A&M this fall.
TIP OF THE MONTH
The goalkeeper is in charge of the penalty area, but he cannot be expected to be responsible for every square yard of it. Over-emphasis of the penalty area role encourages some keepers to wander about, giving advice like a spectator caught in the middle of things. A goalkeeper’s obsession should be the protection of the goal. It is his property, his responsibility, and the one which should never be left open. If he leaves the goal to narrow the angle it is to hide the goal from oncoming forwards. If he leaves the goal to exploit the advantage of hands and height, it is to get rid of the danger to his goal, either by confiscating the ball or by punching it well out of harm’s way. It is not his job to get mixed up with a situation where his chances of getting the ball are the same as or only a little better than the other players. –Soccer for Thinkers, Malcolm Allison
KEEPING SECRETS
If you’re a goalkeeper and not taking your team’s goal kicks, you need to practice so you can. Time and effort spent in practice will strengthen this important area of your game. If a teammate is taking the goal kicks, you are conceding a numerical advantage to the opposition, something you do not want in such an important area of the field.
*****
KEEP your eye on the ball. Keep YOUR eye on the ball.