Dynamos Soccer - KEEPER! - Vol. 19, No. 5

Written and edited by Jim Walker

May, 2012

A publication of the Keeper Club

Written and edited by Jim Walker

MAY TRAINING

"All things seem possible in May."--Edwin Way Teale Regular keeper training, open to boys and girls 10 years and older; Junior Keeper to beginning keepers 10 years and younger, continues until May 24. 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. If you haven't paid for the second spring session, please make check payable to “Keeper Club” and mail to: Dynamos, attn: Loree, 10924 Grant Rd., #224, Houston77070.

Here's the goalkeeper training schedule at DyessPark for April:

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

7—Regular keeper training, 6:45pm

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

14—Regular keeper training, 6:45pm

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

21—Regular keeper training, 6:45pm

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

DYNAMOS SELECT TRYOUTS

Keepers, and other players, who wish to keep or land positions on Dynamos teams for the 2012-13 season are invited to tryouts at DyessPark beginning this month. A schedule for various ages appears below. Keepers should bring their gloves, a ball, and water, and will be assessed by Director of Training Olivier Finidori and his staff during small-sided and full-sided games. At some age levels, depending on the number of players trying out for the position, keepers will participate in a brief special session for additional evaluation. Keeper Club suggestions for keepers: focus, but relax and let your training take over; don't be afraid to talk. . .show your leadership qualities! Here are dates and times for the DyessPark 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

Do:

*Report on time (half hour early the first night to register)

*Keepers, bring your gloves and jersey, a ball, and water

*Wear shin guards and comfortable shoes

*Pay attention to instructions from trainers and coaches

*Have fun!

Don't:

*Show up late

*Wear a team jersey or team shorts

*Kick a ball after a group leader calls "everybody in."

*Show frustration when you make a mistake--instead, hustle to make up for it

*Look at Mom or Dad to see if you are doing all right

ATTN, PARENTS: If you can volunteer to help with tryout registration, please email Dynamos Volunteer Coordinator Rachel Fritz atgfritz1@gmail.com.

If you have questions about Dynamos Select tryouts, email dynamo14@sbcglobal.net or check elsewhere on this website.

SUMMER FITNESS TRAINING

Summer fun--if you like this kind of humor!

Fitness and technical training for goalkeepers 14 years and older begins Monday, June 11 and continues three times a week at DyessPark through the summer until August 9. For keepers, and field players, too, entering high school or are already high school and college students, here's an opportunity to prepare for that high school or college team you are trying out for in the fall. It's not for the faint-hearted, but a fitness program Park that will allow you to grow from whatever fitness level you have to what you will need to satisfy any coach's fitness expectations in your efforts to make the team. It's a technical program, too, with lots of skill work for keepers and attackers. Since 2004, summer training has been directed as an organized program by the Keeper Club's Jim Walker, with guest appearances by specialized coaches. The sessions will meet Mondays at 9am, and Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6pm, ending Aug. 9. The fee is $100, with a $50 discount for Keeper Club members and Dynamos' players. Once registered, keepers and field players may attend as many sessions as they choose during the summer. The training sessions, running about one hour and fifteen minutes, are designed to help players win or maintain positions when they report to their respective club, high school, or college teams. You may register by completing the registration form found on the home page of this website and mailing it with a check payable to Dynamos Summer Fitness to: Dynamos Keeper Club, 10924 Grant Rd. #224, Houston, TX 77070. For more information, email jwalker332@aol.com or call 281-217-1612.

KEEPER! CAMP IN AUGUST

For Keeper! Club members, the 2012 Goalkeeper Camp August 16-18 at DyessPark is free if you sign up and pay for the Dynamos' Select Camp. If you are not attending Select Camp, there's a $15 discount off the $125 camp fee. It's three days of fun, games, and technique activity that will make you a better keeper. If you are a boy or girl nine-to-18 years of age, you won't want to miss this. The camp run from 5 o'clock until 8 on Thursday and Friday evenings, and 9am until noon on Saturday, followed by a pizza and Powerade lunch. You can register at www.dynamossoccer.com. . . click on "Summer Camps" then "Registration". If you're a keeper, or aspire to be one, this camp is where you need to be. If you have any questions about the camp, email jwalker332@aol.com.

RIDDLE ME THIS!

1. When should a goalkeeper kick about a birthday gift?

2. As a keeper, when things go wrong, what can you count on?

3. Where's the best place to look for a helping hand?

Answers at the end of newsletter

KEEPERTALK

All keepers, and field players, too, who are 14 years and older are invited to attend a Dynamos' College Orientation event May 24, at 7pm, at HamiltonElementary School. "We encourage all of you to attend," said Dynamos Director of Training Olivier Finidori, "even though our 14's still have a way to go, it is never too late to gain a good understanding of the college recruiting process. . .A big training welcome to Sebastian Ruiz, who is looking forward to under-15 Dynamos tryouts, and to Ayden Bridges, Academy Dynamos' goalscorer par excellante, who showed she has natural abilities at stopping goals, too. . .Kennedy McGill, reliable netminder for the U14 Division One Dynamos, reported to training April 26 despite wearing a finger split and lent her good hand as an assistant, also participated in footwork activities. . .The U9 Academy Dynamos' Allyson Crouch saved a late penalty, and her team, in a mid-month scoreless tie with Challenge, admitting it was a little bit anticipation, little bit last-second reaction that enabled her to turn away that bad boy. . .U15 keeper Kaylee Barrett made key one-on-one stops off her line and played the second half with a later-diagnosed broken ring finger in a 3-0 blanking of South Belt Select for her Division One Dynamos in late April. . .The St. Edwards University club soccer team, for which the Keeper Club's Sabrina Pasier is the goalkeeper, received the "Rising Star Award" as an elite organization at the college's recent Excellence Awards ceremony. . .The U9 Academy girls celebrated a 5-3 victory over Texas Rush AND keeper Izzy Tullier's birthday April 22 with cupcakes and juice. . .Don't try to make sense of all this, but popular Maddie Saucedo appeared at keeper training April 19 without her usually ever-present burnt orange plaid baseball cap, but the headgear was riding proudly atop her head the following week when she was also wearing wearing newly-installed braces. Maddie doesn't talk much and responded to questions with a wide sparkly grin. . .Many thanks to Aleks Alanis and Michael Sicola for standing in at April 12 training while Jim Walker played hookey to attend the final MortonRanchHigh School athletic banquet for granddaughter Kacie, who is headed to BaylorUniversity in the fall. Aleks and Michael are certified U. S. Soccer goalkeeper trainers and sound role models for the Keeper Club. Aleks has been assisting with the Dynamos' Future Stars program and Michael is the keeper coach at St. Thomas Catholic HS. Both have indicated they will assist at fitness sessions during the summer. . .Samantha Adrianson enjoyed a one-on-one training session with Rolie the Goalie when she was the lone keeper to report on April 30. . . Please send items of interest for Keeper! or KeeperTalk, to jwalker332@aol.com.

TRAINING LOG

Names of keepers who attended training during April:

2--Stormy Weathers

5--Editor's apology--lost names logged in for April 5 and April 12. If you attended either one of these, pls sent a note to jwalker332@aol.com for credit. Thanks!

9--Sebastian Ruiz, Brady Stonebraker, Braden Mann, Nathan Dunkley, Samantha Adrianson

12--See above (5)

16--Lightning Boltz

19--Aaron Austin, Braden Mann, Mia Posey, Allyson Crouch, Maddie Saucedo, Dylan Barquero, Steven Franke, Riley O'Kilen, Cameron Rieth, Payton Salinas, Peyton Elliott, Ethan Brasher. Junior Keepers: Briahnna Ginwriight, Colby McAlister, Jacob Thompson, Bridget Thompson, Wyatt Fredrickson, Bryce Fredrickson, Ayden Bridges, Isabelle Tullier

23--Braden Mann, Sebastian Ruiz, Ethan Brasher.

26--Peyton Elliott, Payton Salinas, Braden Mann, Aaron Austin, Mia Posey, Allyson Crouch, Maddie Saucedo, Dylan Barquero, Cameron Rieth, Kenzie Peterson, Steven Franke, Assisting (injured), Kennedy McGill; Junior Keepers: Isabelle Tullier, Ayden Bridges, Bryce Fredrickson, Wyatt Fredrickson, Tran Do, Bridget Thompson, Briahnna Ginwright, Jacob Thompson, Colby McAlister

30--Samantha Adrianson

THAT'S DYESS

Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast--you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.--Eddie Cantor

Next time you motor into beautiful downtown DyessPark, don't tramp on the accelerator and bolt past the double stop signs, making like Danica Patrick to get to Field #1. Be a slowpoke. Watchful, but with a glance to your right at the enclosure of goats, billy and otherwise, grazing on everything in sight. To the left, high school girls playing at softball. Take a peek at the little playground where siblings swing and climb while practicing brothers and sisters train. Straight ahead, the unpleasant double stops, at times frustrating, but a safety measure nonetheless. Stop, look around. Check out the JunoBuilding, then a field sometimes swarming with pre-kindergartners in long shorts and tall socks trying to aim a number three ball into miniature goals. Next is the historic concession stand. On the right, check to see if Ranger Robert, or David, or Joe, or Jonathan, stand at the door, poised to wave, but ready to leap on their trusty four-wheeler if it is you ignoring the stop signs. Then on to the old oaken gazebo, built lovingly by Cy-Fair parents, where Charlotte, a real spider, once spun a web and attended Dynamos' camps for three weeks. Next to the gazebo, the little sprout of a tree planted in memoriam to heroic Fire Captain Jay Jahnke is growing tall and strong, on the verge of providing shade for end zone observers at field six. Yet another stop sign, and another decision. Left to field two, or do we journey straight ahead to where the Far Pavilion, from atop a knoll oversees the back fields and meadows to the right, where a massive bull once stared down a tiny goalkeeper. . .or did the keeper stare down Toro? Both appeared delighted that a fence of barbed wire separated them. Make the turn and, eureka!, another string of fields, descending on the left from tiny to the tinier. Check out these guys and gals sometime, it's more fun that a barrel of, well, fire ants. Other side of the Far Pavilion, more fields, a softball diamond (where did that come from?) and an airfield, yes, a miniature landing strip for model planes. We're here to tell you, there's lots to do at beautiful downtown Dyess Park and we haven't even spoken of kite flying, baseball and football tossing, jogging, or just plain sittin' in a chair, sunnin'!--Jim Walker (reprinted from The Coaches Memo, April 13)

QUOTABLE

“My colleagues spend most of their time with their backs turned towards me. I don’t believe it’s because I am unpopular--honestly”--Brad Friedel

TIP OF THE MONTH

Your growth as a goalkeeper depends largely on understanding your mistakes so you can avoid making them again. Start a notebook to diagram goals you give up in games and practices, and note why you gave them up. Draw a picture of uprights and a crossbar and every time you are scored upon, mark a dot or "x" where the ball entered the goal. When certain areas become dark, you'll know this is where you need work. Don't be hesitant about discussing your discoveries with your keeper trainer or a coach. . .they may lend another thought that you can transcribe in your notebook.

KEEPING SECRETS

Sometimes it seems a keeper must have eyes in back of the head. Not true, but Keeper! Club members train hard to be aware of activity behind their backs so they can organize the defense while at the same preparing for action at the near post. A quick, well-timed look that won't interrupt their focus, followed by a specific command, for example, "Kevin, far post!" or "Ashley, pick up 6!" will ensure their back is covered. After this quick visual sweep of the far post area and delivery of the command--it is important that the keeper communicate early and identify the defender--then re-focus on the ball.

'Riddle Me This' Answers

1. When the gift is a soccer ball

2. Your fingers

3. At the end of your arm

Monday, 30 April, 2012 (2001 reads)