Dynamos Soccer - KEEPER! - Vol. 19, No. 4

Written and edited by Jim Walker

April, 2012

A publication of the Keeper Club

Written and edited by Jim Walker

APRIL TRAINING

No joke, it's April already!

Regular keeper training, open to boys and girls 10 years and older; Junior Keeper to beginning keepers 10 years and younger, continues throughout the month. Roland Sikinger conducts training on Mondays; Jim Walker on Thursdays. Fee for regular training is $50 per ten-week package ($100 if not playing for the Cy-Fair Youth Soccer Club or the Dynamos). Fee for Junior Keepers is $25 per ten-week package. Final spring package began March 19 and runs through May 24. Please make check payable to “Keeper Club” and mail to: Dynamos, attn: Loree, 10924 Grant Rd., #224, Houston 77070.

Here's the goalkeeper training schedule at Dyess Park for April:

2---Regular keeper training, 6:45pm

5---Regular keeper training, 5:30pm; Junior Keepers, 6:45pm

9—Regular keeper training, 6:45pm

12—Regular keeper training, 5:30pm; Junior Keepers, 6:45pm

16—Regular keeper training, 6:45pm

19—Regular keeper training, 5:30pm; Junior Keepers, 6:45pm

23—Regular keeper training, 6:45pm

26—Regular keeper training, 5:30pm; Junior Keepers, 6:45pm

30—Regular keeper training, 6:45pm

TRYOUTS: MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Coaches, whether recreational or competitive, please remind players about tryouts in May and June for Dynamos Select teams for the 2012-2013 seasons. Even if they have decided they don't want to play at a higher level, it's a great opportunity for boys and girls 10 years and over to have fun as well as evaluate themselves with other players at their age. The tryout procedure consists primarily of small-sided games, under the watchful eyes of professional trainers, that test players in assorted situations. It's free and it's fun. If you have questions about tryouts, check it out elsewhere on this website or email dynamo14@sbcglobal.net. Here are dates for the Dyess Park tryouts:

U-11 boys and girls: May 14 and May 16, 5:15-6:45pm

U-12 boys and girls: May 14 and May 16, 6:45-8:15pm

U-13 boys and girls: May 15 and May 17, 6:45-8:15pm

U-14 boys and girls: June 4 and June 6, 5:15-6:45pm

U-15 boys and girls: June 4 and June 6, 6:30-8pm

U-16 boys and girls: June 4 and June 6, 7:45-9:15pm

U17, U18, U19 boys and girls: June 5 and 7, 6:45-8:15pm

DON'T MISS THIS CAMP!

The Keeper! Club will present its 2012 Goalkeeper Camp August 16-18 at Dyess Park, three days of concentrated training and fun that boys and girls 9-18 years of age won't want to miss. The camp, conducted during the Dynamos' Select Camp with some activities interwoven, runs from 5 o'clock until 8 on Thursday and Friday evenings, and 9am until noon on Saturday, followed by a pizza and Powerade lunch. Keeper Club members also attending the Select Camp can attend the goalkeeper keeper for free; otherwise Keeper Club members can take $15 off the $125 goalkeeper camp fee if not attending the Select Camp. You can register at www.dynamossoccer.com and clicking on "Summer Camps," then "Registration." If you're a keeper, or aspire to be one, this camp is where you need to be. It is intense, sweat-producing, guaranteed to send you home a better keeper than when you arrived. Camp director Jim Walker will announce camp staff later this month.

RIDDLE ME THIS

(Answers at end of newsletter)

1. Which Keeper! Club member can jump higher than a crossbar?

2. Why do grasshoppers not go to many soccer matches?

3. Why did the goalkeeper hold his boot to his ear?

4. What tea do soccer players drink?

5. Where do goalkeepers dance?

KEEPER KWIZ

Cameron Rieth, who guards the nets for the U13 Dynamos, captured the $25 gift card to Soccer-4-All in last month's puzzler by correctly responding that "someone else is," as the conclusion of the axiom: "when you're not practicing, _____ ___ __" For entering the drawing, Steven Franke, and twins Bryce and Wyatt Fredrickson, each will receive an Upper Deck card featuring a Major League Soccer player. Thanks, guys, for responding to Keeper Kwiz. For a chance for another $25 gift card, to a location of your choice, answer this question: which Keeper Club members can jump higher than the crossbar? Email your answer (seven words, found elsewhere in this newsletter) and your choice of gift card if you win to jwalker332@aol.com. Anyone reading Keeper! is eligible for the drawing.

TOSS AWAY THAT MISTAKE

Giving up a goal that loses a game. These are times that try the souls of goalkeepers. Do we lay down and quit? How do we go on? Here's how U. S. Coach Caleb Porter responded when keeper Sean Johnson's gaffe in the fifth minute of stoppage time gave El Salvador a 3-3 tie and ended the USA's Olympic dream. Said U. S. coach Porter: "Just hugged him. Cried with him. What do you do? He feels like he let everybody down, let his teammates down, and I told him he didn't. [The] kid's got a big future and he was very good in the game. He'll move forward from this." After giving up goals of any kind, any value, some Keeper Club members handle these situations with composure by collecting a handful of grass, or dirt, holding it in their hand to personify their mistake, or the mistake (s) of teammates, until the ball is kicked off to continue the game, then toss it away (the mistake) away and focusing on the impending game action. We don't know for sure whether U. S. keeper Johnson uses that method or not but he concluded: "Gotta turn negatives into positives and channel it into motivation. Proud of all my teammates and all the heart and grit they showed."

KEEPERTALK

Welcome to new members Tran Do, Bridget and Jacob Thompson, Riley O'Kilen, Dylan Barquero, and Joseph Majeski. . .Congrats to Kennedy McGill, who went the distance in goal, and came up with key saves, as the U14 Dynamos of Coach Jason King romped to a string of three victories in the State Classic League tournament--one win at Burroughs Park, the other two March 24-25 in Austin. Kennedy and the Dynamos now face competition in the prestigious National Cup. . .All-round athlete Kenzie Peterson (soccer, basketball, pole vaulter) revealed another talent, posting Facebook photos of herself playing volleyball in the Florida sand during spring break. . .Kaylee Barrett earned her referee re-certification March 11 and has returned on the lines this season after handling lots of games at Dyess last year. Hats off to Kaylee and two other goalkeepers, Braden Mann and Joseph Majeski, for making the time and effort to become certified referees. It is exciting to see them working games at Dyess Park. On a recent Saturday,, Striker (Braden Mann) was doing the middle on a game, and his dad, Jim , was the center of another game on a nearby field. . .Liked this Facebook exchange between Kevin Alanis and his dad, Aleks. It went like this--Kevin: "Yes rain. . .Hopefully that means no yard work lol"; Aleks: "I'll hand you an umbrella lol". Also liked this one: "What a great day it was for soccer! 3 games, 3 wins. On to the semis in the morning with the bros!" from Michael Sicola, playing in the Houston Football Association playoffs at Bear Creek. . .Keeper Club alumnus Michael Sicola, graduate of Texas State University and currently coaching goalkeepers at St. Thomas HS, visited keeper training and stayed for two sessions March 22, interfacing with 18 keepers in regular and junior keeper activities. Two other Keeper Club alums Patty Walrath and John (Stix) Kowalczyk visited keeper training March 15, taking part in every activity along with current members Peyton Elliott, Colby McAlister, Nate Dunkley, and Brady Stonebraker. Patty will be a Junior goalkeeper at Houston Baptist University in the fall; John still plays while completing his final year in law school. . .Condolences to former Keeper Club members Jill and Michael Ledgerwood on the death of their father, Ron, who passed away March 18 after a brief battle with lymphoma. Jill played goalkeeper at West Texas State University. . . Please send items of interest for Keeper! or for KeeperTalk, to jwalker332@aol.com.

TRAINING LOG

Names of keepers who attended training during March:

1--Allyson Crouch, Mia Posey, Payton Salinas, Peyton Elliott, Kenzie Peterson, Ethan Brasher, Steven Franke, Riley O'Kilen, Joseph Majeski, Dylan Barquero, Cameron Rieth, Kodi Garcia; Junior Keepers: Tran Do, Colby McAlister, Wyatt Fredrickson, Bryce Fredrickson, Jason Marsh

5--Brady Stonebraker

8--Dylan Barquero, Joseph Majeski, Kennedy McGill, Mia Posey, Payton Salinas, Junior Keepers: Vonn Alanis, Colby McAlister, Wyatt Fredrickson, Bryce Fredrickson, Isabelle Tullier, Dylan Barquero

15--Colby McAlister, Peyton Elliott, Nate Dunkley, Brady Stonebraker. Special guests: Patty Walrath, John Kowalczyk.

19--Brady Stonebraker

22--Riley O'Kilen, Aaron Austin, Mia Posey, Kennedy McGill, Joseph Majeski, Dylan Barquero, Ethan Brasher, Kenzie Peterson, Steven Franke, Payton Salinas, Grant Ayers, Junior Keepers: Tran Do, Colby McAlister, Wyatt Fredrickson, Bryce Fredrickson, Isabelle Tullier, Jacob Thompson, Bridget Thompson. Special guest: Michael Sicola

26--Nate Dunkley, Ethan Brasher, Samantha Adrianson, Brady Stonebraker

29--Payton Salinas, Peyton Elliott, Kennedy McGill, Kenzie Peterson, Braden Mann, Aaron Austin, Steven Franke, Mia Posey, Maddie Saucedo, Dylan Barquero, Ethan Brasher, Vonn Alanis, Joseph Majeski, Kodi Garcia, Cameron Rieth. Junior Keepers: Bridget Thompson, Tran Do, Dylan Barquero, Bryce Fredrickson, Wyatt Fredrickson, Isabelle Tullier, Jacob Thompson, Colby McAlister

HANNAH IN SPAIN

Former Keeper Club member Hannah Legler, junior goalkeeper at the Naval Academy, traveled during March with the Navy women's and men's teams on a tour of Spain. with a side visit to England. Hannah, who played at Cy-Fair HS, was a key figure in an incident described in a blog written by sophomore keeper Elizabeth Hoerner during Navy's exciting travels, which included a personal visit with English Premier League star Clint Dempsey. Wrote Elizabeth: "Our transportation throughout the trip has run very smoothly, however our ride to the airport turned out to add a little excitement to our 'planes, trains and automobiles' adventure! One of the side doors of the luggage compartment popped open while traveling full speed and out flew a piece of luggage, which resulted in a chaotic reaction from the team to stop the bus! Don't worry, thanks to the valiant efforts of Hannah Legler, the suitcase was retrieved while making sure no other bags were M.I.A.. There was quite the scene as we laughed from inside the bus and applauded Hannah's return. Thankfully, the doors below the bus cooperated for the rest of the commute." Elizabeth summed up the journey: "Overall, this trip was a great bonding experience for our team. We learned a ton, tried new food, played well, and most importantly we shared a lot of laughs and enjoyed our time away from school before we hit the ground running full speed on Monday."

ALWAYS BE READY

Brian Rowe was in the shower--in Los Angeles--when the call came Friday (March 23) sending him to a Major League Soccer team. Earlier that day, some 2,000 miles away, Stefan Freihad broken his leg training at Toronto's BMO Field. With its home opener Saturday, Toronto FC needed a backup goalie. "I was in the shower and my agent called me three times in a row," said Rowe, the 23-year-old who had been working out in the morning with some former UCLA teammates. Rowe was taken in the January supplemental draft pick and later released by Chivas USA. He has since served as a designated "league pool goalkeeper." He took the red-eye to Toronto that night for Saturday's 1 p.m. ET game against the visiting San Jose Earthquakes, who won 3-0 with Milos Kocic in the Toronto goal while Rowe was on the bench. Frei is expected to be out eight to 10 weeks with a broken fibula. While there is no time frame for Rowe's stay here, he says he'll do whatever is needed. "I've been [living] out of my suitcase since I left for the Combine, which started about Jan. 2," said Rowe. "I've realized I can live on not too many clothes—just the bare essentials."--The Canadian Press

QUOTABLE

To be a good goalkeeper, you need to be a real leader. This is the way I see it: You need to think as a leader, you need to act as a leader and you need to be a leader."--Joseph-Antoine Bell, considered to be among the greatest goalkeepers to come from Africa, playing for top-level clubs in France, including Marseille, Bordeaux, and Saint-Etienne. He represented Cameroon in three World Cups

TIP OF THE MONTH

Some young goalkeepers never say a word from the first whistle to the last, which is a waste of a goalkeeper’s unique vantage point. They don’t have to give a running commentary. They certainly shouldn’t be “crying wolf” or blaming others. But they can blunt their opponent’s attack with the right word, the clear warning at the right time. This helps them join in the game as they work as part of the overall defense, not just in isolation. Some things coaches can say to your goalkeepers:

“As well as being the shot-stopper, your other job is look-out for the defense”

“The job of a look-out is to give clear warning to the defenders about what is happening directly in front of you, but that may be outside of their field of vision”
“You must SHOUT your instructions so your players CAN HEAR YOU”
“You especially need to make yourself heard at set pieces–free-kicks and corners--John Carragher

KEEPING SECRETS

To work on footwork, take up your ready position about a yard behind the goal line. Have a server strike balls at you, and to your sides. When the shot is taken, use quick feet to get to the front of the goal line and behind the ball.

RIDDLE ANSWERS

1. All of them--a crossbar can't jump.

2. They prefer cricket matches

3. Because he liked sole music

4. Penaltea

5. At a soccer ball

Sunday, 01 April, 2012 (2023 reads)