Written and edited by Jim Walker
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March 2016
A publication of the Keeper! Club
Written and edited by Jim Walker
TRAINING IN MARCH
Keeper Club training continues in March on Thursdays with Roland Sikinger at 6:30pm for Senior keepers (high school-aged) and Mondays with Jim Walker at 5:30pm for Junior Keepers (10 years and younger) and 6:30pm for Intermediates (10 years and older). TO JOIN: Make check payable to “Keeper Club” and mail to: DeNiece Herrod, 5827 Pinellas PK, Spring TX 77379. Fee for rest of spring $100 for Dynamos/Cy-Fair Youth Soccer Club players 11 and over thru May; $50 for Junior Keepers 10 and under thru May. For information, email jwalker@dynamossoccer.com or dherrod@me.com, or phone 281-217-1612.
Calendar for keeper training at Dyess Park in March:
3—6:30pm, Seniors (14 and over)
7—5:30pm, Juniors, 6:30pm--Intermediates
10—6:30pm, Seniors
14—5:30pm, Juniors; 6:30pm—Intermediates
17—6:30pm, Seniors
21—5:30pm, Juniors; 6:30pm—Intermediates
24—6:30pm, Seniors
28—5:30pm, Juniors; 6:30pm--Intermediates
31—6:30pm, Seniors
BYOK DRAWS 40
Twenty-two aspiring goalkeepers, most accompanied by a coach or parent, participated in the BYOK (Bring Your Own Keeper) workshop presented February 21 by the Keeper Club. The keepers, escorted by their coach/parent partners, were put through their paces with handling activities that emphasized eye-hand coordination, attention to detail, and getting touches on the ball. Moderator Jim Walker, assisted by Coach Eric Briggs and Keeper Club members Steven Franke, Ashlyn and Lauryn Brewer, Grace Ehrenfeld, and David Graham, imparted methods of warming up keepers for games as well as a progression for diving. In a post-clinic drawing, five of the attendees went home with prizes that included soccer balls, a pair of gloves, and a Dynamos Scarf. Each keeper was invited to attend a session of regular Keeper Club training, which continues in March on Thursdays with Roland Sikinger at 6:30pm for Senior keepers (high school-aged) and with Jim Walker at 5:30pm for Junior Keepers and 6:30pm for Intermediates (10 years and older).
KEEPER'S DOZEN
A dozen is a dozen, right? Eggs, oranges, twelve whatevers every time, right? What’s this then about a Keeper’s Dozen? That question comes up whenever new goalkeepers visit Keeper Club training and Coach Walker calls for a Keeper’s Dozen. Veteran members know, but there are puzzled looks from newcomers. "Huh, a dozen is twelve!” Of course it is. On the other hand, a baker’s dozen is. . .13! Why? It's widely believed this number originated in medieval England when bakers tossed in an extra donut or loaf of bread to avoid being penalized for selling short weight. But why 15 for a keeper’s dozen? Well, drumroll here, please, because GOALKEEPERS ARE SPECIAL! When takingcenter stage in goal for this activity at training, theyreceive 15 services of the ball--five ground-huggers, five flighted balls, and five shots on goal, the latter five an opportunity for the servers to try to score, and for the shot-upon keeper, of course, to just say “No!” to goals. No need to advise your teachers about this variation on the dozen, but at least you can yell “15” when Coach Walker calls for a Keeper’s Dozen in training.
PERFECTION? STRIVE FOR IT!
Can players really expect to achieve "perfection" if they give 100 per cent all the time? In Keeper Club, we urge goalkeepers to strive to be "perfect within their range." That is, focus on catching everything they should catch, dive every time they should dive, find the correct position in facing every shot, stay in touch with the game every minute. Of course, the ultimate goal then is to extend their range, fly for balls out of their range, prevent shots when possible, never getting caught flat-footed. But there are other ways for players to be "perfect." How about composing a factor for your efforts? How many times were you late to practice? Talk when your coach was talking? Fail to respond to your team's loss of possession? Arrive late for a game because you didn't try hard enough to be on time? Refuse to come strong for a high ball (saving or heading)? Fail to apply proper technique in collecting and passing a ground ball. Suddenly the quest for zero-defects makes a lot of sense!
LOOKING BACK
2008--Loads of thanks to Trainer Roland Sikinger and Coach Aleks Alanis for coordinating training sessions during the absence of Jim Walker, who vacationed five days at Katy Memorial Hermann Hilton for infectious hand surgery, and who needed several days to recover from the frivolity.
2014—When a young keeper complained of breathing problems and a pain in his side, Coach Roland feared there may have been damaged ribs during diving practice and took him to his mom, who was waiting in the family vehicle. Deeply concerned, Roli advised Mom to keep an eye on her son and go for x-rays if the pain persisted. The coach returned to training, and five minutes later the keeper re-appeared and asked to resume training, explaining that while sitting in the truck, he burped and felt much better.
KeeperTalk
Welcome to new Keeper Club member Christopher Vallance. . .Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, March 13, so spring forward one hour, though Spring doesn’t begin until the following Sunday, March 20. . .High fives to Keeper Club members Steven Franke, Ashlyn Brewer, Grace Ehrenfeld, and David Graham for their attendance and assistance at the BYOK workshop on Feb. 21. . .Keeper Club members Claire Juenke and Samantha Nichols, goalkeeper duo for under-12 Dynamos Silver, have made key contributions already this season in helping their team to two consecutive tournament titles, the latest in the club’s Puma Cup. Samantha was named by the losing coach as Silver’s Most Valuable Player in the final. . .Keeper Club thanks the softball folks at Dyess Park for use of their building for keeper training on days the soccer fields are closed, and to park rangers Robert, Joe, David, and Jonathan for their help on those bad-weather days when the keepers dive on cement. . .Due to an important Dynamos meeting for parents and trainers, the Junior Keepers and Intermediates joined together for Monday’s training and 13 keepers reported to early duty including newcomers Piper Stone, Nathan Jones, Sean Green and Noah Key....Quiz question for February was: what do the letters “B Y O K” (Bring Your Own Keeper) mean? Samantha Nichols wins a $25 gift certificate as winner of the drawing from correct answer responses. This month’s quiz question: What does Roli the Goalie suggest is the most important key to improving the quality of your goal kicks? Answer can be found elsewhere in this newsletter. Email reply to jwalker@dynamossoccer.com for entry in the February drawing for a $25 gift card.
KEEPER LOG
Goalkeepers who attended Keeper Club training during February:
1—Junior Keepers: Daniel Bridges, Andrew Nelson; Intermediates: Alli Thompson, David Graham, Samantha Nichols, Claire Juenke, Matt Shaw, Grace Ehrenfeld
4—Matthew Shaw, Ethan Urrutia, Steven Franke, Maddie Saucedo, Casey Jones, Autumn Driskell (injured, assisting)
8—Junior Keepers: Daniel Bridges; Intermediates: Claire Juenke, Samantha Nichols, Alli Thompson, David Graham
11—Autumn Driskell, Maddie Saucedo, Ashlyn Brewer, Mateo Munoz, Ethan Urrutia, Matthew Shaw
15—Junior Keepers: Daniel Bridges, Victoria Finidori, Andrew Nelson, assisting: Isobel Herrod; Intermediates: Grace Ehrenfeld, Samantha Nichols, Claire Juenke18—Ethan Urrutia, Steven Franke, Casey Jones, Matthew Shaw, Mateo Munez. Maddie Saucedo
21—BYOK workshop assistants: Steven Franke, Ashlyn and Lauryn Brewer, Grace Ehrenfeld, David Graham
22—Junior Keepers: Andrew Nelson, Daniel Bridges, Assisting: Ashlyn Brewer; Intermediates: Isobel Herrod, Grace Ehrenfeld, Claire Juenke, Alli Thompson, Zac Cannon, Ashlyn Brewer, Ian Herrod, Christopher Vallance
25—Ethan Urrutia, Steven Franke, Matthew Shaw, Casey Jones, Mateo Munoz, Krysten Rhodes, Maddie Saucedo, Ashley Brewer
29—Samantha Nichols, Claire Juenke, David Graham, Daniel Bridges, Andrew Nelson, Ashlyn Brewe,Alli Thompson, Zac Cannon, Christopher Vallance, Sean Green, Noah Key, Piper Stone, Nathan Jones.
WHEN YOU'RE NOT PRACTICING. . .
. . .someone else is.
When two small village soccer teams engaged in a match, the visitors were surprised to see the home team's goalkeeper was a horse. The horse played extremely well and was instrumental in a home team victory. After the game, the visiting captain asked the home captain: "How on earth did a horse learn to keep goal like that?" "How does anybody learn?" replied the home captain, "practice, practice, practice."
QUOTABLE
"Be thankful for problems. If they were less difficult, someone with less ability might have your job." ---Bits & Pieces
TIP OF THE MONTH
Too many keepers neglect using their feet at training. As keepers, we will touch the ball more with our feet then our hands in a game--goal kicks, punts and pass backs. Most keepers are good shot blockers, but can they distribute the ball with their feet efficiently? That is the difference between a good goal keeper and a great one. Most goal keepers have trouble with goal kicks. I ask them "Do you practice your goal kicks?" And they always answer NO. Find time to practice your kicking game, before and after training into an open goal net. Practice (getting repetitions) is the key to getting better with your kicking game.—Roli the Goalie
KEEPING SECRETS
Learning answers to these questions can help a keeper assist and direct teammates:
What type of defense does your team use?
Do you play with a sweeper or flat 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?
Read more http://dynamossoccer.com/KeeperClub/Keeper/tabid/375/newsid744/1394/KEEPER--Vol-23-No-3/Default.aspx