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Category Archives: Youth Soccer

Good Hands FC Comes to KC

It was a typical Tuesday training session for head coach Jose Serate and members of the Kansas City Kansas Soccer Association (KCKSA).

Photo Credit: Rob Ivory/ISNSoccer.com

Then, Allstate and former Kansas City and USMNT goalkeeper Tony Meola gave the kids a training session they will not soon forget. With Allstate, Meola talked about how to have success on the field, but also told the team how to deal with everyday problems they may encounter.

“This is a small part of their life today,” Meola said. “One day they will see what it meant and they will pass it on.”

Not only did Meola come with good advice, but teamed with Allstate, KCKSA now has new jerseys, training suits, practice balls, bags, and training equipment. The team had a penalty kick contest for MLS All-Star jerseys and were able to get soccer balls and jerseys signed by the former pro.

“I took so much from the game for 20 years,” Meola mentioned. “Us athletes who take and take every day, but this is a chance to go around the country and give back. These kids are lucky now, they have equipment for the rest of the year. Coaches don’t have to worry about logistical things like who has training equipment.”

The best surprise for the kids and coaches were free tickets for the MLS All-Star game against Italian side AS Roma at Sporting Park.

Allstate not only gave the kids equipment to use, but gave them advice for the future.

Photo Credit: Rob Ivory/ISNSoccer.com

“We as coaches preach what it is to be a leader and how to give back to the community. When they hear it from somebody who has achieved it at a high level, like Tony, it speaks volumes,” Serate noted.

Baker Holstrom, an Allstate agency owner in both Kansas and Missouri, also noted that the company is there to show that they care for the community.

“We are trying to get kids involved in the sport who may have a single parent or whose families are on the lower end of the spectrum. We want to get our faces out there and let people know that we are out there.”

Event Photos

Time Warner Cable SportsChannel to televise Dr Pepper Dallas Cup Super Group games in HD

Time Warner Cable is proud to announce that it has reached an enhanced agreement with the Dr Pepper Dallas Cup to broadcast live and in HD all nine Gordon Jago Super Group games that will be played at the Cotton Bowl Stadium, including the championship match on Sunday, March 31. Eight of the nine will be carried live in Ohio on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel (HD 1311/311).

The Gordon Jago Super Group is made up of elite U19 clubs, including Manchester United’s, and represents the highest level of competition at the internationally renowned annual youth soccer tournament. This marks the fifth year that Time Warner Cable has partnered with the Dr Pepper Dallas Cup to televise tournament games.

“We are thrilled to be able to continue our broadcasting partnership with Time Warner Cable,” said Dr Pepper Dallas Cup Executive Director Andy Swift. “Our historic broadcasting agreement with TWC further exemplifies Dr Pepper Dallas Cup’s status as the top international youth soccer tournament in the country.”

The tournament kicks of its 34th edition this Sunday, March 24, with four Super Group matches at the Cotton Bowl, including a 7:30 p.m. (ET) clash between world soccer power Manchester United and Club America of Mexico. The televised matches will be broadcast regionally on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel in the states of California, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin.

Dr Pepper Dallas Cup Television Broadcast Schedule on TWC SportsChannel in Ohio (All times Eastern)

Sunday March 24

11 AM Coritiba (BRA) vs. Fulham (ENG) TWC SportsChannel (Live)
1:30 PM Eintracht Frankfurt (GER) vs. LA Galaxy (USA) TWC SportsChannel (Live)
4 PM Fluminese (BRA) vs. Tigres UANL (MEX) TWC SportsChannel (Live)
7:30 PM Manchester United (ENG) vs. Club America (MEX) TWC SportsChannel (Live)

Wednesday March 27

7:30 PM Club America (MEX) vs. Dallas Texans (USA) TWC SportsChannel (Live)

Friday March 29

6 PM Gordon Jago Super Group Semifinal 1 TWC SportsChannel (Live)
8:30 PM Gordon Jago Super Group Semifinal 2 TWC SportsChannel (Live)

Sunday March 31

7 PM Gordon Jago Super Group Championship Game TWC SportsChannel (Live)

 

Orf’s Great Lakes Futsal Opens 3rd Northeast Ohio League Location this November

Great Lakes Futsal, Ohio’s largest youth futsal league announces the start of the 2012-13 winter season with play at 3 Northeast Ohio locations: Parma, Akron and new for 2012, Eastlake beginning November 10th.

Great Lakes Futsal is quickly becoming known on a national level as local directors and former Cleveland professional soccer players Chris Dore and Otto Orf have been spreading the word about the benefits of playing the game to the local soccer community since 2008.

On the heels of major announcements by the U.S. Soccer Federation and U.S. Youth Soccer to incorporate futsal play into their academy system curriculum, Great Lakes Futsal opens a third location at One Wellness in Eastlake, OH. The new location joins last year’s addition, the Akron Sports Center and the charter location at Ohio-Nets in Parma.

“Our leagues now host over 350 teams each winter and include players from almost every community and club. We even have teams joining us from Erie and Pittsburgh, Kentucky, and Columbus,” said Dore, “It is very satisfying to see how quickly young players develop their skills by playing futsal for just one winter. It really shows when they go back to playing soccer in the spring. Because playing futsal requires repeated use of essential soccer skills and is very fast compared to the larger outdoor game, kids go back outside and have more confidence on the ball and more time to see the field once they get the ball under control.”

In 2011, Great Lakes co-director Otto Orf, former U.S. National Team Futsal player, was invited to join his former coach to train the national team in Torrence, CA in preparation for the Futsal Grand Prix in Manaos, Brazil. More recently Otto travelled to three cities in Spain to study the game of futsal and revisited Segovia, the site of his 1996 FIFA Futsal World Cup appearance.

“Returning to Segovia with this US Youth Futsal delegation, especially with former U.S. teammate Jon Parry, was very special to me,” Orf added. “In Cleveland, Chris and I have been working hard to promote and teach the game. We have helped produce some great talent and these kids are now getting exposure as we compete on more of a regional and national level. I would love to be able to help some local young players experiences the things I have over the years. As far as skill level is concerned these kids are way ahead of the players in my day. We continue to educate ourselves so we can provide the best training methods and environments for our young athletes. Then maybe someday we will be able to buy a ticket to sit in the stands and watch them play!”

Great Lakes Futsal is offering free coaches clinics, youth open houses, and adult play nights leading up to the start of their 5th season.

Free Open House:

  • One Wellness, Melinz Parkway, Eastlake. Sunday Oct. 21 1:30-4pm
  • Akron Sports Center, 925 Grant Street, Akron. Tuesday Oct. 23 6-8pm for youth. 8-10pm for adults.

League Play Begins soon:

  • Team registration is open now and there are opportunities for individuals & adults looking to join a team.
  • Boys/girls ages: Futsal Jrs. (4-8), U-9, U-10, U-11, U-12, U-13, U-14, U-16, U-18, Adult men, women and coed teams.

Visit the website at: www.GreatLakesFutsal.com, call Great Lakes Futsal at (216)282-4625 or email [email protected] to learn more.

 

2012 ISN Cup: A Success Story and History in the Making

The 2012 ISN Cup was a resounding success, promoting the game of soccer in the Midwest at no cost to parents, teams, or players.  The free elite soccer showcase, the only of its kind, featured youth soccer matches between teams from across Ohio and Pennsylvania and a WPSL exhibition game.

Keystone Soccer Academy of Hopewell, Pennsylvania won the 2012 ISN Cup thanks to a 2-1-0 record and a +7 goal differential.  The team was led by Salem’s own Julia Dundon, who scored a brace against United HS in their final game.

Challenger Crew Juniors, the Columbus Crew’s Northern Ohio affiliate, finished with a 1-0-2 record and a +1 goal differential.  Challenger was led by goalkeeper Caitlin Jakubek, who finished with team highs in saves and minutes played.  Jakubek is an incoming freshman at the University of Akron and is expected to challenge for the starting goalkeeper position vacated by the graduated Jeny Wolbert.

United HS and Minerva HS both finished with a 0-1-2 record.  Minerva HS keeper Raychel Blocher earned the 2012 ISN Cup MVP award after a solid weekend performance.

The highlight of the weekend was a 8-0 win for the Ohio Galaxies WPSL squad over an All-Star team of NE Ohio college and high school players.  A crowd of over 100 saw Stark County’s first women’s professional match and the first WPSL match ever played in NE Ohio. Several Stark County players, including former GlenOak striker McKensey Cross and Perry defender Adriana Cosentino, played in the game.

It was the final match of the 2012 WPSL season for the Galaxies, who finished with a 3-0-2 record. The Galaxies were the highest scoring team in the Midwest Conference, possessing a potent attack and a strong defensive backline.

Sponsors for the event included Mercy Medical Center Sports Medicine, AFC Rushden and Diamonds, Pelé Sports, Subside Sports, Old Carolina Barbeque, Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, Canton Stark County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, Chick-fil-A at Westfield Belden Village Mall, Kishman’s IGA and Korrio.

Event Photos

Ohio Galaxies Head to Canton to Face Local Stars

Top-flight soccer returns to Stark County with the 2012 ISN Cup at Plain  Township’s Diamond Sports Complex on July 14-15.

The highlight of the event is an exhibition match between Ohio  Galaxies FC of the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) and a select All-Star  team of college and high school players.   The match will take place on Saturday, July 14th at 4:00 pm.  Parking and admission is free.

Matches between premier club and high school teams will take  place all weekend. Teams that are participating in the ISN Cup include Challenger Crew Juniors, Keystone Soccer Academy, Minerva HS, and United HS.

The ISN Cup is part  of International Soccer Network’s tradition of offering free soccer showcases  and combines to help promote the sport of soccer here in Northeast Ohio. The 2011 combine brought 165 players from 10 states and 3 countries, while the 2010 combine saw 65 players from 7 states participate.

Sponsors that help make this event possible include Kelme, Mercy Medical Center Sports Medicine, AFC Rushden and Diamonds, Pelé Sports, Subside Sports, Old Carolina Barbeque, Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, Canton Stark County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, Chick-fil-A at Westfield Belden Village Mall, Kishman’s IGA and Korrio.