Keeper!

A publication of the Keeper! Club Written and edited by Jim Walker October, 2009          Vol. 16, No. 10   OCTOBER TRAINING Regular training for keepers 10-18-years-old continues in October on Mondays (5:30pm) with Roland Sikinger and Thursdays (5:30pm) with Jim Walker. Fee for regular training is $50 ($100 if not playing for the Cy-Fair Youth Soccer Club or the Dynamos) for 10 weeks of sessions. Please make check payable to Keeper Club and mail to Dynamos, attn: Loree, 10924 Grant Rd. #224, Houston 77070. For more information, email JWalker332@aol.com or phone 281-217-1612.  FREE B. Y. O. K. CLINIC The Keeper Club offers a free Bring Your Own Keeper workshop on Sunday, October 18, at 4pm, for coaches and parents wishing to help guide aspiring goalkeepers. Each coach and/or parent may bring a goalkeeper, or more than one if they like, and participate in keeper training activities. The clinic will be held at Dyess Park and will last about an hour and fifteen minutes. The clinic will include basic tips on proper technique and pre-game preparation. Although there is no charge, registration is requested. Register by emailing JWalker332@aol.com or calling 281-217-1612. Current Keeper Club members and their coaches and/or parents, are welcome to participate and assist in the training session.  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 KEEEEEPERS!!!! Pain is about to arrive. *“Keeee-purrr!!!” (not “keeep” like a birdie). *Don’t get beat near post *Train to be perfect within your range *Train to catch” (you can decide in games whether to try to hold, knock balls down, 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 shot--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. *Roni 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. Roni’s comfort level--foot is high over her head. . .not many duplicate it, but it‘s a good stretch. *Patty cake--throw ball up and clap hands a specified number of times before catching it, while standing, walking, jogging, skipping, shuffling.  FLEDGLING KEEPERS Twenty aspiring goalkeepers turned out for the Keeper Club’s two clinics in September for boys and girls nine years old and under. Attending one or both of the Sunday clinics (Sept. 13 and Sept. 20 were: Katy Abramowitz, Sam Beckmeier, Thomas Capderon, Caleb Crawford, Ben Davis, Seri Dresslar, Joel Garza, Kaleb Garza, Harrison Guthrie, Linnea McClendon, Michael McClendon, Kirby Niermeyer, Bailey Mosher, Connor Muehlemann, Gabriel Rivero, Hannah Saucedo, Maddie Saucedo, Brady Stonebraker, Dylan Stonebraker, Logan Thacker. Current Keeper Club members Kaitrin Miller and Damon Mosher served as demonstrators and assistants for the first clinic and Kaitrin returned to help with the second one. Kaitrin delivered an inspiring closing talk at the end of the second clinic that had every eye on her and every ear listening.  THEY’RE EVERYWHERE Here are some other “keepers” hard at work. Can you think of others?: bookkeeper, gamekeeper, gatekeeper, greenskeeper, peacekeeper, innkeeper, wicketkeeper, timekeeper, shopkeeper, storekeeper, housekeeper, zookeeper.  CIRCUS PERFORMER Famed international goalkeeper Jean-Marie Pfaff is now 54 years old and the centerpiece of a long-running Belgian reality TV show called 'De Pfaffs.' Pfaff’s affinity for performance will further be tested as part of the upcoming Antwerp Winter Circus, when he will be tending nets during a four-on-four exhibition--Belgium vs. Netherlands—featuring boxer dogs trained by a Romanian artist. “A circus is something that takes me back to the heyday of my youth,” said Pfaff, who formed his first football team as a child, including himself and his 10 brothers. “Now I will be the artist myself.”--From The Global Game, by John Turnbull, www.theglobalgame.com.  KEEPERTALK Welcome to new members Cody Brown, Calvin Anderson, Michael McLendon and Cameron Rieth. Calvin is the younger brother of former Dynamos star Philip Anderson, now a sophomore starting striker at Schreiner University. . .Don’t miss the video of Braden (Striker) Mann juggling three balls (volley balls--soccer balls are next) on a 22-second clip at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQEKKIJbiLE. Striker’s got it all together, down to the subtle bow at the end!. . .Jonathan Kauffman lost his locks to freshman initiation, but is seeing action as backup keeper at Ouachita Baptist University and already has contributed eye-catching saves for the Tigers. . .Another former Keeper Club member and Cy-Fair HS product, Hannah Legler, has registered minutes as backup keeper in her Plebe year at the Naval Academy. . .After rough early going as freshman starter for St. Mary’s University, Mari Edwards collected her first victory Sept. 24, as the Rattlers dumped University of Texas-Permian Basin, 3-1, making 14 saves, one less than the school record. . .A shortage of players in the Houston Labor Day Cup forced keepers Veronica Pierce and Danielle Benoit each to play a half at striker--and while neither scored, they caused havoc upfront with their non-stop running for the U18 Dynamos. . .Trevor Gibson suffered a concussion during the Austin Labor Day Cup. Play was physical and strikers were taking liberties in the box when Trevor took a kick to the head, which also hit the ground hard. The U13 Dynamos keeper was disoriented for a few hours, but Mom and Dad knew recovery was imminent when he finally recognized sister Kelsi (also a keeper, who plays for the U11 Dynamos). By Thursday, Trevor was remaining after keeper training to work on his punting. . .Marissa Mills had a shutout for one half, then went on the field and scored a goal for her team on Sept. 26. . .To enter a drawing for a new soccer ball, email your favorite “Keeper Club saying” or one of your own to JWalker332@aol.com. . .It was a good mid-September weekend for American goalkeepers playing on foreign soil--Tim Howard (Everton, England), Brad Friedel (Aston Villa, England) and Troy Perkins (Valerenga, Norway). Howard shut out Blackburn Rovers as Everton picked up a 2-0 victory, Friedel blanked Portsmouth in a 2-0 win, and Perkins shone brightly in a 4-1 victory over Lyn. Incidentally, American keeper Brad Guzan was on the bench for Villa, but was in goal the next weekend and victorious, 1-0, over Cardiff City. . .Halloween is Saturday, October 31 and Daylight Saving Time ends Sunday, November 1. . .If you have items for Keeper! or KeeperTalk, please email JWalker332@aol.com or call 281-217-1612.   Jonathan Kauffman soaring at Ouachita Baptist University  TRAINING LOG Listing of players who attended training in September: 3--Stormy Weather, Muddy Waters, Lightnin’ Boltz 7--Labor Day, No Play 10--Marissa Mills. Grant Steppe, Damon Mosher, Alyssa Bradley, Jordan Nassirian, Cody Brown, Danielle Benoit, Roni Pierce, Patty Walrath, Kaylee Barrett. Guest shooter: Brenden Kowalski. 14--Patty Walrath, Roni Pierce, Aaron Austin, Taylor Elliott, Cameron Rieth, Kennedy McGill 17--Kaylee Barrett, Patty Walrath, Roni Pierce, Cody Brown, Jordan Nassirian, Alyssa Bradley, Damon Mosher, Grant Steppe, Marissa Mills, Kodi Garcia, Calvin Anderson, Trevor Gibson, Samantha Adrianson, Ethan Maxson, Braden Mann, Kaitrin Miller, David Meyer, Sophie Frusco, 21--Patty Walrath, Trevor Gibson, Kennedy McGill, Francesco Lasoro, Cody Brown, Michael McClendon 24--Sophie Frusco, Calvin Anderson, Kaitrin Miller, Kelsi Gibson, Trevor Gibson, Roni Pierce, Patty Walrath, Grant Steppe, Ethan Maxson, Cody Brown, Damon Mosher, Alyssa Bradley, Kaylee Barrett, Guest keeper: Brenden Kowalski 28--David Meyer, Aaron Austin, Taylor Elliott, Michael McLendon, Cody Brown, Marissa Mills, Cameron Rieth, Kennedy McGill, Roni Pierce, Patty Walrath  TIP OF THE MONTH GO to the ball. Go TO the ball. Go to THE ball. Go to the BALL. Don’t wait for it. I f you wait, at least two things can happen, both bad. First, whether the ball is in the air or on the ground, it gives the opponent the opportunity to beat you to it, and the longer the ball is on the ground the greater the chance of a bad bounce.  KEEPING SECRETS One way to prepare yourself mentally for a game is to get ready physically. Preparation for games is something many keepers face in a haphazard way. They show up, stretch with the team, and jump in goal to face a few shots. For proper preparation, establish a routine that will make you feel good about yourself. After stretching with the team, perform movements within the penalty area you might use in the game. . .jogging, jumping, skipping, shuffling, gradually building to change of speed and direction. Add in handling and diving activities that translate to game action. Handle crosses and shots from various angles, that will help you build confidence in catching. Before kickoff, get a feel for distribution, goal kicks, and punts. Of course, pre-game preparation actually begins days before by eating properly leading up to a match. The night before it is wise to use mental imagery to visualize the match. . .imagine yourself playing the game and performing PERFECTLY!

 

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