Written and edited by Jim Walker
-- March, 2013
A publication of the Keeper! Club
Written and edited by Jim Walker
APRIL TRAINING
at Dyess Park
Who We Are:
The Regulars: Keeper Club members 10 years and older in continuous training
Junior Keepers: Beginning Keeper Club members 10 years and younger
Due now: 10-week Spring package (March 18-May 23)--fee for The Regulars is $50 ($100 if not playing for the Cy-Fair Youth Soccer Club or the Dynamos); Fee for Junior Keepers is $25. Please make check payable to "Keeper Club" and mail to: Dynamos, attn: Loree, 10924 Grant Rd., #224, Houston77070. If you have questions, email jwalker332@aol.com or call 281-217-1612. Here is the schedule for goalkeepers at DyessPark for April:
1--The Regulars, 8pm
4--The Regulars, 5:30pm; Junior Keepers, 6:45pm
8--The Regulars, 8pm
11--The Regulars, 5:30pm; Junior Keepers, 6:45pm
15--The Regulars, 8pm
18--The Regulars, 5:30pm; Junior Keepers, 6:45pm
22—The Regulars, 8pm
25—The Regulars, 5:30pm; Junior Keepers, 6:45pm
29—The Regulars, 8pm
TRYOUT, CAMPDATES SET
Dynamos Tryouts in May, June
Here are DyessPark dates for tryouts from which players will be selected for Dynamos teams that will play Fall 2013, and Spring 2014:
U11, U12, and U13 Tryouts in May
U11 boys and girls (8/1/02-7/31/03)--Mon., May 13 and Wed., May 15, 5:15-6:45pm
U12 boys and girls (8/1/01-7/13/02)--Mon., May 13 and Wed., May 15. 6:45-8:15pm
U13 boys and girls (8/1/01-7/31/01)--Tues., May 14 and Thurs., May 16, 5:15-6:45pm
U14, U15, U16, U17, U18 Tryouts in June
U14 boys and girls (8/1/99-7/31/00)--Mon., June 3 and Wed., June 5, 5:30-7pm
U15 boys and girls (8/1/98-7/31/99)--Mon., June 3 and Wed., June 5, 7-8:30pm
U16 boys and girls (8/1/97-7/31/98)--Tues., June 4 and Thurs., June 6, 5:30-7pm
U17 boys and girls (8/1/96-7/31-97)--Tues., June 4 and Thurs., June 6, 7-8:30pm
U18 boys and girls (8/1/95-7/31/96)--Tues., June 4 and Thurs., June 6, 7-8:30pm
If you have questions about Dynamos Select tryouts, email dynamo14@sbcglobal.netor go to www.dynamossoccer.com
Three Camp Options in August
These quality summer camps will be offered to boys and girls aged six and above at DyessPark:
FUNdamental Camp (ages 6 to 16), Aug. 5-9, 6-8pm $125 (online), Dynamos staff trainers
SELECT Camp (ages 9 to 18) Aug. 12-16, two sessions: 10am-noon and 5-8pm; $225. Dynamos staff and guest trainers
GOALKEEPER Camp (ages 9 to 18) Aug. 15-17, Thurs. and Fri. 5-8pm, Sat. 9am-noon, $125, Jim Walker and guest trainers
If you have questions about the Goalkeeper Camp, email jwalker332@aol.comor go to www.dynamossoccer.comfor information and/or registration.
Keeper Golf
DIFFERENT STROKES
It was Spring Break and beautiful downtown DyessPark was devoid of activity except for a meeting of the Keeper! Club. Four aspiring netminders, including just-turned-nine-year-old Junior Keeper Tyler Crumpton, reported for training. During warmups, Tyler was a tad intimidated since her training mates--Payton Salinas and Austin Fernandes, both 13, and 14-year-old Nick Wanner—were more experienced. Coach Walker described various methods of distribution and the keepers practiced rolling, throwing, and punting the ball. Then he explained rules for "keeper golf," a game to be played over the unoccupied fields, with the park's trees, ditches, fences and roads serving as sandtraps--obstacles penalizing imprecise "strokes" toward the targets. Their assigned task: be accurate with your distribution, and don't worry so much about power and distance. Tyler, looking perplexed, finally said, "I have no idea what you are talking about." The coach reassured her: "It's okay, follow the others and you'll be all right." "But," countered Tyler, "if we're going to cross the road, what happens if a car comes?" "Uh," replied the coach, "good question.” But don't worry, he assured her, the park is empty, so it's unlikely there will be traffic. Not proficient yet at punting, Tyler was given permission by the others to kick each ball from the ground, like a goal kick, and she was given a two-stroke handicap. The game proceeded: a par four, then a par five, followed by a par three, Nick leading the way with several booming kicks and generally staying out of trouble, Payton airmailing her ball, too, but sometimes without the preferred address, and Austin also punting with power, but tagging a tree, fence, and ditch, sometimes all in the same sequence. All three displayed terrific feats of recovery from bad shots, and for the most part they stayed at par. Tyler, meanwhile, plugged along under par with ground-hugging boots that avoided the many impediments. Going into field 2, she wisely backdoored her way from the parking lot, avoiding the fence. Now everyone congregated on field No. 2, facing south as Coach Walker announced the next target: "yonder light pole, par four." As the crow flies not a great distance, but between field 2 and the target pole loomed a six-foot fence, the road, a drainage ditch, a few trees, and a soccer field. Nick suggested that since Tyler hadn't punted at all she be given a free chance to clear the fence with a kick; if that failed, she could throw the ball over, without penalty. Tyler smilingly agreed and led off. All eyes were on Tyler as she punted, the ball landing on top of the fence and dropping to the far side, onto the road. As the others teed off, Tyler and Coach Walker stood side by side behind the fence, watching her ball settle onto the road and begin a leisurely roll toward the rest rooms. At that moment, alas, an automobile pulled away from the parking lot stop sign and turned slowly onto the road. Oldsmobile and Nike faced off, each advancing toward each other at a snail's pace. The ball veered a little to the left, and the auto countered to avoid; the ball, hitting a pebble, rolled a little to the right and the car again adjusted. Finally, almost simultaneously, the vehicle and ball stopped, a few yards from each other. Coach Walker looked at Tyler. Tyler looked at the coach. "See," she said quietly.
Postscript: Everyone reached the pole with par. The final "hole" exposed imprecise instructions by Coach Walker, who had described the unseen target as "the black bag on the floor of the gazebo." Off went the golfers and when the coach arrived at the gazebo, he was stunned to see three black bags, and golfers all aiming for a different one. All in all, a lot of laughs for everyone and perhaps a lesson learned in the importance of accuracy in punting. . .and coaching.
BY THE NUMBERS
0--Traditionally seen on a goalkeeper jersey
1—Also sometimes worn by keepers
2--Goalkeepers in a game; also Keeper! sessions per week
10--Number of weeks in the Keeper Club training packages
12--Real dozen
13--Baker’s dozen (old-time bakers added a donut or roll to avoid miscalculating the weight, which is the way they were sold).
15--Keeper’s Dozen (keepers are special--they get five ground balls, five flighted balls, five shots on goal in training activity)
16—Age when keepers drive into DyessPark at the wheel of the family vehicle
18—High achiever’s version of keeper’s dozen (“one more. . .one more. . .one more”)
19--Proposed date in December for the 2013 Keeper Christmas party
20—Years Keeper Club has been a gathering place for boys and girls seeking goalkeeper training.
30--Times “getting on the ground” in Keeper Club standard warmup
39--Coach Roli’s age (at least that’s what he claims)
50—Number of catches in “hitting the eyes” warmup activity
70--Sprinting yards in dreaded fitness activity called 'the 70's.’
90--It’s the 90th minute. . .do you know where your goal is?
92--Coach Jim’s age (at least that’s what he says)
100--Per cent effort given c;by Keeper Club members
110—Per cent effort given by Keeper Club members who have failed math
(reprinted from Keeper! issue of Nov., 2006, with slight adjustments)
MORE KEEPER NUMBERS
The math teacher noticed that Johnny, the little goalkeeper, wasn't paying attention in class. She called on him and said, "Johnny! What are 2 and 4 and 28 and 44?" Johnny quickly replied, “NBC, FOX, ESPN and the Cartoon Network!"
KEEPERTALK
Welcome to new members Claire Juenke, Austin Fernandes, and Oscar Guerrero. . .Happy Birthday to longtime Keeper Club member Kaylee Barrett (16 on March 24). . .The official statistician recorded an assist for Kennedy McGill in an early March game when the 13-year-old ignited the winning goal for the Dynamos. With the score tied 2-2, she made a save, yelled for everyone to push up, ran to the front of the penalty area, and punted past midfield, where one of her forwards headed (on the fly, no bounce) for a second striker to elude the defense and score easily. . .Ethan Rimbey came up big over and over in an early March game at Katy Park when the Dynamos U12 Gold boys fought Albion Hurricanes to a scoreless tie. In addition to several diving saves, “Canadian Bacon” also made quick and precise distribution choices, initiating a number of credible scoring chances that didn’t materialize. . .After a tooth fell out naturally sometime during her Keeper Club session Feb. 28, six-year-old Abbie Bridges left a note under her pillow for the tooth fairy, explaining that she couldn’t find the tooth at Dyess Park and requesting the tooth fairy to believe her. The tooth fairy accepted the plea, it was later learned. . .Isobel Herrod and Briahnna Gist are teammates on the Klein Stars and share goalkeeping duties. . .For a dozen keepers, Christmas arrived in early March when Trainer Roland Sikinger ran his popular Christmas tree grid, requiring participants to work on three different set positions on the same ball line, each traveling down the line and getting set as the shot is taken. Working the "tree" were Isobel Herrod, Mia Posey, Maddie Saucedo, Payton Salinas, Oscar Guerrero, Michaelyn Wilkinson, Kennedy McGill, Aaron Austin, Steven Franke, Austin Fernandes, Izzy Tullier, and Ian Herrod. . .Another "Rolie the Goalie" session focused on quick footwork, shot blocking and a rousing game of “circus, circus,” another on punting accuracy, and still another on technical, low contact, breakways. . .Mark Aug. 15-17 on your calendars, the dates for the Summer Goalkeeper Camp (see above). . .If you would like to enter this month's drawing for a new brilliantly-colored soccer ball, simply email the proposed date for this year's Keeper Christmas party (answer elsewhere in this newsletter) to jwalker332@aol.com. Winner will be named in the May newsletter. . .Goalkeepers, coaches, and parents are urged to share photos and items of interest for use in Keeper! and KeeperTalk--Simply email to jwalker332@aol.com.
TRAINING LOG
Goalkeepers who attended Keeper Club training sessions during March, 2013:
4--Steven Franke, Ethan Rimbey, Marissa Mills, Izel Hernandez
7--Isobel Herrod, Mia Posey, Maddie Saucedo, Payton Salinas, Oscar Guerrero, Michaelyn Wilkinson, Kennedy McGill, Aaron Austin, Steven Franke, Austin Fernandes, Izzy Tullier, Ian Herrod; Junior Keepers: Maison Bell, Ian Herrod, Assisting: Isobel Herrod.
14—Austin Fernandes, Nick Wanner, Payton Salinas, Tyler Crumpton
18—Izel Hernandez, Steven Franke, Marissa Mills
21—Payton Salinas, Maddie Saucedo, Mia Posey, Isobel Herrod, Oscar Guerrero, Michaelyn Wilkinson, Kennedy McGill, Steven Franke, Austin Fernandes, Izzy Tullier, Dylan Stonebraker, Regan Fortner, Ian Herrod. Junior Keepers: Maison Bell, Ian Herrod, Claire Juenke. Assisting: Isobel Herrod.
25—Marissa Mills, Steven Franke, Izel Hernandez, Kacie Paine
28—Steven Franke, Mia Posey, Aly Crouch, Maddie Saucedo, Austin Fernandes, Izzy Tullier, Aaron Austin, Kennedy McGill, Isobel Herrod, Dieterik Hunsche, Ian Herrod, Oscar Guerrero. Junior Keepers: Claire Juenke, Tyler Crumpton, Ian Herrod, AbbieBridges. Assisting: Isobel Herrod.
QUOTABLE
“At 211°, water is hot. At 212°, it boils. That one extra degree makes all the difference. Are you content with just being pretty good? Or are you ready to go the extra degree?”—Mac Anderson, obviously talking about training as a goalkeeper.
TIP OF THE MONTH
Keepers need to be in a set position with their hands first when they are in danger of a shot. When moving in the goal, left to right, front to back, run naturally with your arms and legs in sync. You will get to your spot where you need to be quicker.—Roland Sikinger
KEEPING SECRETS
“Being a goalkeeper gives you quite a unique perspective on things. You are part of a team yet somehow separate; there are no gray areas, with success or failure being measured in real time; and you have a physical job which you can only do well by paying attention to your mental well-being. A great goalkeeper has to have the keys to a great mindset. To be able to work well in the box, I believe you have to be able to think outside the box.”--Brad Friedel, American goalkeeper playing in the English
Read more http://dynamossoccer.com/KeeperClub/Keeper/tabid/375/newsid744/219/KEEPER-Vol-20-No-4/Default.aspx