winter 2012 touchline

e a s t e r n p e n n s y l v a n i a y o u t h s o c c e r

Workshop, 40th Anniversary

Celebration & Awards Gala

March 3, 2012

P E N N S Y L V A N I A ’ S L E A D I N G Y O U T H S O C C E R P U B L I C A T I O N

w i n t e r

2012

Referees _ Why We Do It pg. 7

Player Profiles pg. 27

Michael P. Roman pg. 13

National League pg. 24

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E A S T E R N P E N N S Y L V A N I A Y O U T H S O C C E R • T O U C H L I N E 1e p y s a . o r g

I hope that everyone had a happy holiday and Happy New Year! Now that the holiday season is over we can finish with our plans to celebrate our 40th Anniversary.

For 40 years, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer has been a leader in the development of the game. We have been the hosts for numerous special events and international games. Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer played host to our US men’s national team when no one else would, setting attendance records that stood for decades at Franklin Field and Veterans Stadium. We hosted the women’s national team at UGH, Lehigh

and Upper Dublin long before hosting the Women’s World Cup in 2003 at The Linc. We led the charge to make Philadelphia a World Cup city and placed number one in the country in petition support.

You should all be very proud of the work you’ve done. Together, we have changed the landscape of youth soccer in Eastern Pennsylvania for the better.

We look forward to seeing you at the 40th Anniversary Celebration and Awards Gala on Saturday, March 3rd at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Downtown Philadelphia. This event is open to the public and tickets can be purchased, so be there to be a part of his-tory. I encourage you to send in any pictures, jerseys, memrobelia, etc. into the office to be a part of the celebration.

Happy 40th Anniversary, Eastern Pennsyl-vania Youth Soccer!

40 YEARS Of SOCCERBy Chris Branscome, Chief Executive Officer, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

Happy New Year and Happy Anniver-sary! 2012 is an excit-ing year for Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer. We will be celebrating our 40th anniversary. Our as-sociation came into existence in 1972 as

the national state association for the United States Soccer Federation. We have been serving and supporting the soccer community ever since.

Youth soccer was certainly being played on our region prior to 1972. The Philadelphia area had long been the hotbed of soccer. Sev-eral of our current members were established long before we were: The United German Hungarians began in 1910; Inter County Soccer League in 1960 and Lighthouse Boys Club were winning the McGuire Cup (U19 national championship) an unprecedented five times between 1938 and 1967. What began 40 years ago with hundreds of kids in the city, grew into thousands of kids in the suburbs, and has grown into over 130,000 kids throughout the entire state association –from Kensington to Carbondale; from Easton

to Gettysburg.Since 1972, we’ve seen many players go

on to gain national and international fame. We’ve seen our coaches take teams to cel-ebrated heights and we’ve had several admin-istrators lead their way into national promi-nence. We’ve also seen great things happen right here at home. Individuals and clubs have taken the game from small numbers to great numbers. We’ve gone from sharing one dirt field with other sports to building multi-field soccer only complexes with field turf and lights. We’ve evolved from “no girls allowed” to “girls rule!” We’ve moved out of basements and garages to club houses and laptops. We have grown. We have thrived. We are a great position for the future.

2012 is the year to celebrate the past forty years. We look forward to celebrating and remembering over the next twelve months. Please, share your stories, photos, and other souvenirs with us so we can share with future generations. We’ll formally celebrate at a gala event in Philadelphia on March 3rd. The An-nual General Meeting will follow the next day. We hope you’ll join us.

Happy 40th Anniversary to everyone- to all who created and cultivated and grew youth soccer in Eastern Pennsylvania!

Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

4070 Butler Pike, Suite 100Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462

Phone: 610-238-9966Fax: 610-283-9933

www.EPYSA.org

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEPresident Robert McDade

Vice President, Recreational Brian TalericoVice President, Travel Jim Kuntz

Treasurer Herb MaguireSecretary Jeff SommerRegistrar Donna Outt

State Youth Referee Administrator John Campbell

COMMITTEE CHAIRSArbitration & Risk Management Rick Tompkins

TOPSoccer Program Diane SpencerSoccer Across America John Kukitz

Cup Commissioner Dave AshRules & Revisions Tom Dougherty

Scholarships Dave Edgecombe

STATE OFFICE STAFFChief Executive Officer Chris Branscome

Director of Coaching Mike BarrDirector of Soccer Operations Frank Olszewski

Communications Manager Rob BrownMarketing & Events Coordinator Kylea MeredithMembership Services Specialist Beck Kleinert

ODP/Coaching Administrator Kelly ConnorAssistant Director of Coaching Gary Stephenson

Director of Camps Sheldon ChamberlainReceptionist Morgan SimsAccountant Serena Karlson

TOUCHLINEEditor-in-Chief Rob Brown

A.E. Engine11880 28th Street North, Suite 101

St. Petersburg, Florida 33716(727) 209.0792 / Fax: (727) 209.1776

[email protected]

Publisher Craig BaroncelliVP of Sales David Watson

VP, Executive Accounts Dayne MaasdorpArt Director Jason Tedeschi

Graphic Designer Stacey FosterWeb Developer Nicole Hess

Account Executives Chris Vita, Andrew Fisher, Kristy Limotta, Dustin “Doc” Lawson

Office Manager Jamie Smith

The entire contents of this publication are copyrighted; all rights reserved. Articles may not be reproduced or reprinted without written permission from EPYSA and AE Engine Media/Marketing. Advertising space in Touchline is purchased and paid for by the advertisers. None of the products or services are necessarily endorsed by EPYSA or its affiliates. The views and opinions

expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of EPYSA or its advertisers. Printed in the United States of America.

Vol. XXXV • January 2012

ContentsDEPARTMENTSPresident’s Message….................................................1Chief Executive Officer’s Report…................................1Youth Soccer Injuries....................................................3Director of Coaching Message..................................…10-11Social Media Corner.......................................................16Soccer Calendar............................................................20Upcoming Education Courses......................................25Player Profiles.........…....................................................26Coaching: The Overlap..................................................28

FEATURESComing This Spring...................…..................................5Referees –Why We Dot It..............................................7Award Winners...............................................................9Michael Roman, Hall of Fame.....................................13Tournament MVP’s........................................................18Touchline Tales..............................................................20Greg Bibb Profile...........................................................22National League............................................................24Junior Supporters Club................................................25

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND HAPPY ANNIVERSARYBy Bob McDade, President, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

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YOUTH SOCCER INjURIES: THE 3 R’SRISk ASSESSMENT, REHABILITATION AND REDUCTIONBy Brad Papson, PT, DPT, OCS

Youth soccer demands an equal balance of strength, stabilitY, mobilitY,

explosiveness, and endurance. unfortunatelY, when breakdowns in this balance occur, injuries happen. recent studies have found that 50% of Youth sports injuries occur from overuse1. meanwhile, there is a growing epidemic of acl injuries occurring among Younger athletes2.

The greatest predictor of an injury is a previous injury.

What is wrong with that statement?Have our athletes fully recovered from

their previous injury? These questions would seem to have

obvious answers. Unfortunately, “fully recovered” is not objective.

With such a high demand placed on our young athletes, more and more of them are breaking down. Medical providers need to look further into the influences over injuries.

risk assessmentThe Functional Movement Screen (FMS)

is one method of measuring an athlete’s likelihood of becoming injured3. It can also be utilized at the end of an athlete’s rehabilitation to assess their “readiness” to return to sports. While it does not have any direct correlation to playing a sport, it does provide insight into an athlete’s movement patterns. The screen will provide the athlete with a breakdown of their movement patterns and those that need continued correction to help minimize injury risk.

During the rehabilitation process, the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) can decipher functional versus dysfunctional movement patterns that may have an influence over the athlete’s pain. Corrective exercise strategies may be used to help return to functional patterns.

The Star-Excursion Balance Test and Y-Balance Test have both been found to be good risk assessment tools. An athlete who has a decreased ability to balance and reach also has a 6.5x increase chance of injury4.

rehabilitationProprioception, more simply stated as

your awareness of your body in space, is a major component of one’s balance, and body control, namely motor/muscular, are imperative in the return to play continuum. All too often, that seemingly innocuous mild ankle sprain becomes recurrent. Approximately 30-40% of ankle sprains become recurrent. Following the snowball effect, that mild ankle sprain results in a loss of motion, which in turn can become a predictor of a knee injury. This now traumatic non-contact ACL injury could have been prevented through a simple course of physical therapy.

Soccer is a high demand activity requiring an equally demanding rehabilitation. A lot of time is spent on one foot, running, and jumping. These activities can be and need to be practiced in therapy prior to returning to sports order to make sure they are not

impaired. It is imperative that you seek a therapist that is going to provide careful attention to such details when you are recovering from an injury.

reduction of injuriesNeuromuscular Training Methods

(NMT), built on dynamic stretching, motor control, agility, and plyometric training, have become trendy with great reasoning. 15-20 minute warm-up programs, easily adaptable for practice and pre-game routines, have a significant impact on injury reduction.

The PEP program, started by Santa Monica Sports Medicine Foundation, has a 2 year study showing a one year 88% decrease in ACL injuries and two year 74% decrease in ACL injuries among 3,000 female soccer players aged 14-186.

A NMT program developed by Dr. Cynthia LaBella, showed a 44% decrease in non-contact lower extremity injuries and a 34% decrease in non-contact ankle sprains, while Canadian researchers found a NMT program cut the injury rate in half for 13-18 year old soccer players8,9.

What should we be looking for?Yes, there is still a high rate of traumatic

injuries, and the staggering numbers continue to climb, but these readily available programs are devised to REDUCE injury rates, not necessarily prevent injuries.

A thorough program will not only assess the athlete’s current injury, but it will also utilize the most current evidence-based practice available to make sure the first injury is fully recovered. This program will include a full body movement analysis, risk assessment, functional training/testing, educational materials, and should be tailored to provide a lasting exercise program to make weaknesses strengths and strengths stronger.

Ultimately, “hindsight explains the injury that foresight would have prevented.” Let us work together to eliminate the games that are lost.

references

1) www.aaos.org2) http://well.blogs.nytimes. com/2011/10/26/a-new-breed-of- knee-injury-in-young-athletes/3) www.functionalmovement.com4) J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2006; 36(12):911-919. doi:10.2519/ jospt.2006.2244)5) A Joint-by-Joint Approach to Training, www.strengthcoach.com/public /1282.cfm

6) www.smsmf.com7) www.fifa.com8) Effect of Neuromuscular Warm-up on Injuries in Female Soccer and Basketball Athletes; Cynthia LaBella et al. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2011;165(11): 1033-10409) Emery and Meeuwisse, 2010, Br J Sport Med

Brad Papson, PT, DPT, OCS is the Clinical Manager for Premier Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Associates in Folsom, PA. He also co-chairs the Athlete’s Advantage Program developing rehabilitation and prevention programs for local high school and travel teams. For more info contact Brad Papson at: [email protected] or 610-586-7000

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COMING THIS SPRING

EastErn PEnnsylvania turkEy Hill CHallEngE CuP

• Open to all teams playing in an Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Sanctioned League in the U9 through U17 age groups.

• There is no further competition outside of Eastern Pennsylvania.

• Turkey Hill Challenge Cup is playing in a World Cup format. Teams will need to progress from group play into playoffs.

EastErn PEnnsylvania PrEsidEnt’s CuP

• Open to all teams in the U13 through U17 age groups, playing in an Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Sanctioned League.

• Champions in the U13 through U17 age groups will represent Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer in the US Youth Soccer President’s Cup Region I Championships.

• Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer teams U14 through U17 who win the Region I Championships will represent Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer and Region I in the US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup.

EastErn PEnnsylvania statE CuP

• Open to all teams in the U12 through U19 age groups, playing in an Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Sanctioned League.

• Winning teams will represent Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer at the US Youth Soccer Region I Championships.

• Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer teams U14 through U19 who win the Region I Championships will represent Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer and Region I in the US Youth Soccer National Championships.

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REfEREES – WHY WE DO ITBy Geoffrey Spector

i grew up in the town of manchester, connecti-cut. i plaYed soccer for approximatelY seven

Years in the local recre-ational leagues and i loved it, but i was in poor shape and the skills i had weren’t reallY of a high caliber. i did not want to give up plaYing the game, but de-spite mY love of soccer i had to abandon the idea of plaYing at a higher level.

When I was 13 I met the State Director of Instruction for the Connecticut State Referee Program. He presented me with the option of becoming a referee and I took it. It was an interesting way to stay involved in the action, make some money, and showcase a different set of skills from the players.

As a teenager, the first few games I “ref-fed” triggered dollar signs in my eyes, but I soon realized refereeing is not a self-sus-taining profession. The pay is okay, but the problem is that the number of games you

have to work to make a significant wage is not realistic. It is a misconception that we do this for the money. Frankly, you won’t get rich refereeing in this country.

I have been told by various sources that even the best referees in the country, the ones that do Major League Soccer games full-time, have other jobs and only make enough for a small car and small apart-ment from their games. At my current level, if I do four to six games in a week; I can just about offset the cost of my grocer-ies. Some might say that the compensa-tion doesn’t fit the level of abuse we have to take and in some ways I would agree.

I remember doing a men’s amateur game a few years ago. I sent off a goal-keeper for violent conduct, and he pro-ceeded to tell me I was “blanking” stupid and that my uniform looked – let’s just say he didn’t like my uniform. On his way off the field he spit on me. Friends of mine have been outright assaulted on the field, literally punched, shoved, and in one cased choked and thrown to the ground. We can usually deal with verbal insults fairly well, but to take such disrespect as to be spit on

or assaulted is never right, and not worth any amount of pay.

I think that people fail to realize referees are people too. We seem to be seen as au-tonomous drones that just patrol the field looking to aggravate people and never get-ting a decision right, but we’re just like any other player out there enjoying the game and the company of our fellow teammates while trying to keep the game safe and fair.

I’d be lying if I said I haven’t met many of my closest friends through my time as a referee. As referees we tend to become very close friends because of the fact that during our games we’re always supporting and looking out for each other. In a lot of ways this makes us like siblings. When something goes wrong in my life I know these are the people I can call that will be there for me.

I am new to the Philadelphia area because of graduate school, but I already have some very good friends who are referees here. As referees we don’t always work together in the same crews, but we work together frequently enough to begin to learn how we each think and feel. Off the field we spend a lot of time training together as well. Just like any sports team, you play the best when you are very close with your fellow players and almost like family. Referees are not any different, we are the third team on the field, and we trust each other unequivocally.

So why do I do it? My answer may be shocking, but I simply love the game. That’s why I keep coming back. I truly love what I do and everything else I have gotten out of it has just been a bonus. I’ve met great people, traveled to great places, gotten myself in great shape, and had fun doing it. It’s not about money; it is about much more than that. Despite things that have been said and done to me, I just keep coming back. It is unfortunate a lot of young referees quit because they can’t handle the abuse or the workload of a game. But for those of us who stay with it, we will ref until we physically can’t move anymore. I have been a referee since August 2000 and I have no intention of stopping for a long time to come.

2nd from the right, Geoffrey Spector

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AWARD WINNERSThank you to all nominees

eastern pennsYlvania Youth soccer is extremelY proud to announce the winners of the 2011 annu-

al awards. each award winner will be recognized at the east-ern pennsYlvania Youth soccer 40th anniversarY celebration and awards gala that will be held at the crowne plaza hotel in philadelphia on saturdaY, march 3.

“These individuals are being recognized not only for the impact they made in the local community,

but as well as across Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer,” said Chris Branscome, Chief Executive Of-ficer. “Congratulations to all of our award recipients and to all the members of the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer family for yet another great year.”

All of the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer award winners are automatically nominated, for their respective awards, for the Region I Awards. Region I will also choose a recipient for each of the awards and the Region I winner will become a candidate for the US Youth Soccer award. US Youth Soccer will present its awards at the 2012 Awards Gala that will be held on Friday, February 17, during the US Youth Soccer Workshop in Boston.

the 2011 eastern pennsYlvania Youth soccer awards winners are:

name award hometown organizationBob Kaporvich Recreation Coach of the Year, Girls Downingtown East Brandywine YABud Amentt Recreation Coach of the Year, Boys Havertown Haveford SCJohn Madeira Competitive Coach of the Year, Girls Allentown Parkland Area SCAlbert Prickett Competitive Coach of the Year, Boys Yardley YMSHallie Berger Young Referee of the Year, Female Downingtown Spirit UnitedKyle Smith Young Referee of the Year, Male Ephrata LDC UnitedBobby Ali Volunteer of the Year Darby Junior Lonestars FCDiana Urbanski Administrator of the Year Westtown Penn Fusion SA

40th Anniversary Celebrationand Awards Gala

Crowne Plaza Hotel1800 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA

March 3, 2012 | 6:00 p.m.

Coaches of the Year

Volunteer of the Year

Administratorof the Year

Young Referees of the Year

TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year

Online Tickets Now Available:www.epayouthsoccer.ticketleap.com/40th-anniversary-gala/

1 0 E A S T E R N P E N N S Y L V A N I A Y O U T H S O C C E R • T O U C H L I N E e p y s a . c o m

everY club coach should cancel their training and avoid useless indoor or

outdoor competition, when the opportunitY presents itself to watch barcelona plaY on television. find a big screen television, get some healthY snacks and bring Your entire team to watch them plaY. i find that watching barcelona plaY provides perfect pictures of what coaches should be reinforcing continuouslY with their plaYers.it also offers coaches and plaYers visual images to improve and aspire to greatness in their own game. observing the cooperative and collective plaY of xavi, messi, sanchez, puYol, iniesta, fabregas, pique, ramos, villa and others will provide an immediate impact for anY age plaYer, boY or girl.

barcelona soccerThe recent Barcelona versus Real Madrid

Clasico showed two distinct styles of play. Viewers witnessed the counter attacking of style of Real Madrid and the relentless

team build-up attack of Barcelona. As a club coach it was a wonderful occasion to sit with your team, watch the action and bring out points to observe and later discuss after the match.

If a coach were to provide to his or her players a simple hand-out to guide them on what to look for during a Barcelona match, the team will become more astute about the game of soccer, and recognize the overall areas they may be weak in individually and as a team.

The guide should be broad and include the following:

A) The value of the first touchB) Runs off the ballC) Noticing the number of options for

distribution presented to the player with the ball

D) Team shape on attackE) Transition from attack to defense and

defense to attackF) Individual and team demeanor during

the matchG) Body position when receiving the ball

under pressureH) Runs inside the box and defending

inside the boxI feel that the members of the team

should be given the directive to just watch and enjoy. Forcing the players to take notes becomes an assignment and will lessen the value. A half hour discussion after the match related to the topics of the guide will enhance the influence of watching the match. The impression of watching Barcelona play will assist the club coach in striving towards better play on the field and purposeful exercises during training.

todd marinovich ESPN recently aired “The Marinovich

Project” and I suggest every parent who has their child competing or attempting to compete at a high level in any sport watch and examine their intentions. I am still astonished when I hear a parent say their eight or nine year old is passionate about soccer and does not mind the extra training two nights a week in addition to his or her normal club team training, matches and

tournaments. Eight or nine year olds enjoy activities. Passion should not be part of any parent’s vocabulary when describing children at this age.

Marinovich was referred to as Robo QB and the Test Tube Athlete in the late 80’s and early 90’s. He achieved amazing success in high school and college and was drafted by the Oakland Raiders but was most noted for the unorthodox training methods forced upon by his father from the time he was six months old.

The undue pressure to fulfill his father’s goals eventually led to severe depression, persistent major drug and alcohol dependency and lengthy jail time. His father’s efforts and demands led Todd to focus on only football and nothing else. Ironically he is now an accomplished musician and artist, who rekindled a relationship with his father through their love of art.

This documentary should be required viewing for some soccer parents who may be following the same path but in a less direct way as Todd’s father Marv Marinovich. Allow your children to make choices about their lives, especially when they reach their teens. Expose them to other sports, art, music and hobbies. Your children will not be measured by their play in youth soccer, personal soccer accolades or tournament victories but in their character and achievement. Your children’s character and achievement will be how you will be measured as a parent.

Surprisingly Todd and Marv reconciled and have collaborated on amazing art projects up and down the west coast.

high school soccerUS Soccer’s Developmental Academies

will soon be telling their players to not play high school soccer or any other high school sports. Most parents of these elite players will buy into the decision, much in the same way they believe it costs thousands of dollars to assure their child becomes a strong player and receive that two thousand dollar partial scholarship. Not surprisingly, the developmental academies

OBSERVATIONS AND OPINIONSMike Barr, Director of Coaching

E A S T E R N P E N N S Y L V A N I A Y O U T H S O C C E R • T O U C H L I N E 1 1e p y s a . o r g

will now be forced to charge more for training and travel.

It seems within youth soccer ideas are implemented with little thought, time, trials or research. We have become a soccer country that relies on the innovations of other countries without coming up with ideas of our own that reflect our society and culture.

The claims that high school soccer is detrimental to development seem to resonate from coaches and administrators who are involved with the Academy programs at the national level. In my opinion high school soccer should remain an important part of our youth sports landscape and parents should examine the pros and cons before making such a decision that could impact their child’s future. I will attempt to unravel the facts for parents:

1) Playing with the academy team and with elite players will enhance my son’s soccer skills.

Yes, and could possibly inhibit his growth, if he is now a substitute or locked into a position that limits touches on the ball and erodes at confidence. He could go from the player to play through or target in high school, to relinquishing roles on the field because the strength of other players on his academy team are seen to be stronger.

2) The quality of coaching at the Academy level is stronger than at the high school level.

This may be the case in some instances but there are many high school coaches who are more capable and more qualified than many academy coaches and many high school coaches have a vast amount of experience at club and ODP.

3) Quality of competition is stronger at the academy level.

Again, it may be the case in some matches but many high school games are much more competitive than Academy play, especially when teams are competing for a league, district or state title.

4) He will enjoy Academy play more. Talk to almost any elite or high level

player within the last fifteen years and

almost every player will tell you that playing for their high school team was more enjoyable than club or their college playing experience. High School soccer still replicates the neighborhood club teams of years ago and the entire community still identifies with high school soccer as their own. Playing with your close peers and representing your community is something special. Attendance at high school soccer matches always attracts more fans than any academy matches, because a community cannot get behind a program that has kids from up to 50 miles away associated with a team.

5) Playing high school will impede development.

An elite high school player begins play against players who may be four years older who are faster and stronger. Young players are forced to develop fast and develop a strong first touch. As they move into their junior and senior years they assume a role as leader and carry more responsibility to their team and themselves. Playing within the academy structure very few players assume or are introduced to the role of leader.

6) Playing Academy will provide up to four nights of training and matches on the weekend for ten months.

Try to imagine the difficulty of maintaining quality grades if every day you are in a car for two hours, in addition to training for two hours. When will a player be able to experience the after school experiences we all enjoyed as high school students? There will be little or no time to attend

social functions, participate in music or theatre, clubs and play other sports. During the college interview many colleges and universities are looking for a well-rounded student. Will playing in the Academy actually hurt my chances to get your child in the school of his choice?

Since we have adopted the academy philosophy of European clubs; possibly US Soccer should replicate these programs and have only developmental academies directed by each MLS Club. All training, travel and expenses would be covered by the club. Each player brought into an MLS academy would realize they have the potential to play professionally.

There still is something special to playing with friends in front of parents and peers and experiencing the thrill and social aspects of high school sports. Quite possibly we could see a resurgence of players staying with their own local clubs and make soccer a reasonably priced sport to play once again.

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MICHAEL ROMAN INDUCTED INTO GIRARD COLLEGE HALL Of fAME By Maribeth Schmidt

jeffersonville resi-dent to be inducted into girard college hall of fame

soccer “guru” michael p. ro-man will receive accolades for more than 60 Years of dedication to the sport

When Mike Roman took the field for Girard College in 1950, representing the school’s undefeated team for the Philadel-phia High School Soccer Championship, it would have been impossible for him to foresee the impact his love of the sport would have over the next 62 years. The Jeffersonville, PA resident, originally from Hazleton, Pa, but sent away to live at Gi-rard College in Philadelphia when he was seven years old, will receive the ultimate recognition for his soccer passion. He will be inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in a ceremony at the Girard College Founder’s Hall.

Following Roman’s successful soccer career at Girard, he went on to play four years varsity at West Chester State College (1951-1955), including being named to the National Soccer Coaches All-American

Team. He graduated with honors from West Chester, and continued his aca-demics at the University of Pennsylvania where he earned a degree in Physi-cal Therapy in 1956. His soccer career progressed with participation on the Ft. Sam Huston Army Team in 1957 and the Kensington Blue Bells in the First Division Philadelphia Soccer League in 1959.

Settling in the Norristown area with his wife, Diana, to raise a family in the mid-1960’s, Roman’s intense interest in a sport that had not yet taken hold in the United States, which was truly ahead of his time. In the mid-1970’s, Roman was instru-mental in initiating West Norriton Township’s very first intramural youth soccer program, alongside Township Recreation Direc-tor Bob Davis, and coached the township’s travel team to undefeated seasons in 1984 and 1985. He officiated dozens of PIAA and NCAA soccer games, served as Assistant Coach of the Swarthmore College soccer team in 1976 and Spring Garden College soccer team in 1980. He also served

as coach of the Audubon Youth Soccer As-sociation, part of the Inter-County Soccer League, from 1977 through 1983, where his son Michael played. Roman rounded out his coaching career with a head coach-ing stint at Norristown Area High School in 1983 and 1984; and then as head coach at Conestoga High School from 1988 through 1995, where his team won the PIAA State Championship in 1988.

The now-retired, previously self-employed physical therapist has been a fixture on the sidelines of the Neshaminy High School football team since 1995. With his son-in-law, Mark Schmidt, at the helm, Roman has overseen Neshaminy’s placekickers, and most notably lent his vast coaching expertise to four-year start-er Kevin Kelly, who went on to become the third-highest scorer in NCAA football history as a placekicker for The Pennsylva-nia State University.

download the app now for your iPad

or iPhone!SEARCH: FUEL SPORTS MAG

LAUNCHED IN 2010, FUEL SOCCER IS AN EXTENSION OF THE CONTENT PROVIDED BY USYOUTHSOCCER.ORG AND THE US YOUTH SOCCER SHOW ON FOX SOCCER.

THE MAGAZINE HIGHLIGHTS AND BUILDS ON CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN PLAYERS, PARENTS AND COACHES.

FUEL Soccer is available online and soccer fans can read the magazine for free at USYouthsoccer.org/FUEL and through the iTunes store or via the ‘FUEL Mag’ app for iPhone or iPad. You can order a copy of FUEL Soccer for your family and team for $2.95 at USYouthSoccer.org/FUEL/orders.asp

The 2011 FUEL Soccer follows a day in the life of Women’s World Cup standout Alex Morgan of the U.S. Women’s National Team and Sporting Kansas City’s Teal Bunbury.

The edition also includes a feature story on New England Revolution’s Kevin Alston’s positive attitude and determination to return to the game he loves after injury.

FUEL Soccer dedicates a section to the question, “Are You Ready?” to help players take their game to the next level. Also, professionals who have made a career out of their love of the game are featured, including Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated.

In addition to nutrition, training tips and inspirational articles, readers will find other topics addressed in FUEL Soccer like recruiting, downtime, education, prevention and more.

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The Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Workshop consists of over 1,500 soccer coaches, admin-istrators, referees and enthusiasts. The event, the area's largest of its kind for youth sports, features more than 35 educational workshops and demonstrations kicking off on Saturday morning and runs through Saturday late-afternoon. Check out the up-to-date list of classroom sessions and clinician coaches below. We will be adding more as we get closer to the event!

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1 6 E A S T E R N P E N N S Y L V A N I A Y O U T H S O C C E R • T O U C H L I N E e p y s a . o r g

SOCIAL MEDIA CORNER, THE NExT STEPby Brandon Rost, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Social Media Consultant

now that Your club has a better understanding of the different social media

channels that are available from our is Your soccer club social article in the last touchline, it’s now time to reallY focus on building up Your communities. having Your presence is great but onlY if Your targeted

communitY knows that You are in that space and communicating important messaging through it. there are several different waYs that You can work on building Your communitY of fans/followers. below You will find some of the important steps to take to accomplish this.

Before you can start sharing your page with people you should secure a unique URL for your fan page on Facebook. In order to do this, visit www.facebook.com/username to secure a unique URL. This will allow your fan page to go from having multiple numbers after the .com to securing something easy to remember like www.facebook.com/epayouthsoccer. Your Twitter handle is already set up to be unique to your Twitter handle. For ex-ample Eastern Penn’s is @epayouthsoccer.

Now that you have secured unique urls to

drive people to it’s time to spread the word! First add the social media icons to your website so when people visit your site they will see the social icons and be able to click right through to your channels and link in to your communities.

Next, start adding your social media icons/addresses to your signatures sent from the club for all board members and of-ficers. Additionally most clubs utilize email newsletters and the email system to spread important club information and news. Start including your social icons on these emails and templates to drive people back to your Facebook fan page and Twitter handle.

Lastly, begin giving incentive to your fans and followers with different opportu-nities to receive cool gifts.

In the next issue of Touchline we will be providing you an in-depth look at Google+ and the opportunities available for your clubs. For more information or if you have any questions on the above article please feel free to contact Brandon Rost at [email protected]

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TOURNAMENT MVP’SBy Chris Bleam, Region I Staff Coach

tournaments are an integral part of Youth soccer and present manY positive

opportunities for plaYers and teams to test their work from training in the game environment. fantastic fundraisers, tournaments also provide opportunities for host clubs to join forces in the organization and dailY operations, provide service opportunitY and valuable social networking. participating teams gather for weekends at a time to experience competition against a varietY of opponents, travel to a different part of our countrY or even abroad and to bond as plaYers and families.

I have found many tournament directors and committees have implemented a most valuable player award to be presented by each coach to a player on the opposing team following each game. Recognizing players who stand out or excel is a noble idea and may in fact provide extra motivation for some players, especially in a match where team success is not present. For sure, the satisfaction a player receives when recognized by an opposing coach is extremely positive. There is no doubt the idea has merit and is full of the most positive intention. How-ever, my observations have led me to question whether the positive feedback obtained by a

limited few is worthy of the doubt the process may instill in the majority of the tournament participants.

As a coach, my primary focus is on the de-velopment of each player on my team. Using training and games to develop the technical, tactical, physical and psychological abilities of each player is my primary challenge. I must also develop a positive team climate so that each player can become accepted and believe his role is useful. A player who is not secure will be challenged to develop at the same pace as his team, if at all.

It is my belief that the team supersedes the individual at all times. No doubt, we all have our impact players, our “blue collar” workers and our role players. Each is a vitally important individual cog in the whole unit. A goal scored is a team success and a goal allowed is likewise a team setback. Each player works within his role in any given match to contribute to his team’s success. Each individual employs his technical skill and tactical ability to support the whole. Allowing recognition for a “game MVP” does more poten-tial damage to the development of the whole team than good for the recognized player.

A player who stands out is likely to be recog-nized by the opposing coach. The goal scorer, the creative midfielder, the fast wide player or the goalkeeper who makes great saves are all players in the spotlight and most likely to receive recognition. In many cases, a single player is likely to be recognized on multiple occasions. The player who does the behind the scenes work necessary for the impact player to shine is not nearly as likely to be recognized although she may be the true MVP of the team for that game. I have too often witnessed that “lost” look on the faces of many of my team members when the opposing coach recognizes an individ-ual who may or may not have been deserving, and I can only imagine what goes on in the mind of our many hard-working-role players who are key components of team success, when they watch the impact players receive recogni-tion time and time again.

Even more lost is that look on the face of some terrific young people when a player who is not a very hard worker or who is not the most positive contributor to their team’s chemistry is recognized. While they may have had a positive impact on the game in question or perhaps had

one special moment that changed the game and caught the eye of the opposing coach, their recognition may serve as negative reinforce-ment for the consistently performing team members who are the keys to team success. Even when the most deserving player is the one recognized, they can only have that positive impact with the team surrounding them.

Many of my colleagues handle this MVP process in different ways, as I am sure they are cognizant of the same impacts on the psychological dimension of the player and team. Some ask me who I think should get the award on my team. Others ask me to avoid awarding a player from his team who had been recognized in an earlier match. Some admit they have no idea who the best player or MVP was and simply hand over the award for me to present. It is clear the process presents a com-mon challenge for many of us.

Coaching education prepares us with some common ideas to implement as we develop the physical, technical and tactical aspects of the game with our players and teams. A wall pass, the step over move, and the need to pressure the player with the ball are consistent for players of all ages, gender and ability level. However, developing and maintaining a positive psychological envi-ronment is an aspect that is terribly differ-ent for each coach and team. It is affected by many factors including but not limited to: gender, age, ability level, recent success and lack thereof. Further, this psychological dimension is one which can serve to keep a team moving forward in times of difficulty or possibly, lead a talented team to under perform due to “off field” challenges.

It is my position that tournament directors reconsider the individual game MVP award, save the money spent and put it toward player development in their own club. This will allow teams to enjoy tournament play as whole units and avoid the disappointment, uncertainty and sometimes tears that follow each MVP award whether it was accurate or not. The good play-ers know who they are and receive recognition enough from their personal performance. The rest need the assistance of their coach and par-ents to reconcile and accept their role within the team and to understand the value each team member presents.

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TOUCHLINE TALESBy Rob Brown

eastern pennsYlvania Youth soccer, has added two more set’s of hands to it alreadY

great staff. with all of the programs and events we are gearing up for we needed a couple of more people to fill out our staff.

One of the newcomers is Gary Stephenson, who has been working with Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer on an interim basis as an educa-tion administrator. In his new role, Stephenson is respon-sible for the coaching educa-tion including coordinating the coaching curriculum, coaching courses, and the general education of coaches throughout the Association. Gary will work directly with Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Director of Coaching Mike Barr to enhance the

development of coaches and players in Eastern Pennsylvania.

Gary has coached in the USA for eleven years, working across various levels from under-five players to NCAA Division 2 and 3 programs. Gary holds a honors degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Northumbria in Newcastle, England. He has also been a member of the Olympic Devel-

opment Program coaching staff for 4 years. Stephenson holds a United States Soccer Fed-eration “A” coaching license and he also holds National Youth License as well as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, Nation-al Goalkeeping Diploma, Director of Coaching certificate.

A few weeks earlier, on November 7th, Kylea Meredith came onboard as the Marketing and Events Coordinator for Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer. In her new position Meredith will assist in the implementation of marketing goals and direct Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer’s annual Workshop.

Kylea graduated from University of Pitts-burgh in 2009 with a double major in Psycholo-gy and Sociology and a certificate in Children’s Literature. After graduation, she worked as an Early Childhood Education Teacher at a Pre-school in Pittsburgh, PA. Over the past few years she has also worked for Thom Meredith, Inc., a sports marketing and events company, as a Project Manager for the 2011 US Youth Workshop in Louisville, KY, as well as the upcoming 2012 US Youth Workshop in Boston, MA. Meredith recently moved to Philadelphia.

Kylea and Gary

EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA YOUTH SOCCER CALENDARjANUARY 2012

7 U15 Boys Horizon Services Indoor Cup | Riverfront, Scranton7 U15 Girls Horizon Services Indoor Cup | Riverfront, Scranton8 Indoor Technical Training8 U9 Boys Horizon Services Indoor Cup | In The Net, Palmyra11-15 NSCAA Convention, Kansas City14 U14 Boys Horizon Services Indoor Cup | Wyoming Valley Sports Done15 Indoor Technical Training15 U14 Girls Horizon Services Indoor Cup | Wyoming Valley Sports Done16 MLK Day | Offices Closed21 U13 Boys Horizon Services Indoor Cup | Riverfront, Scranton22 Indoor Technical Training22 U13 Girls Horizon Services Indoor Cup | Riverfront, Scranton

jANUARY 201228 U16 Boys Horizon Services Indoor Cup | In The Net, Palmyra29 Indoor Technical Training29 U16 Girls Horizon Services Indoor Cup | In The Net, Palmyra31 Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Outdoor Cup application deadline

fEBRUARY 20125 Indoor Technical Training12 Indoor Technical Training

MARCH 20123 Workshop, Region I Girls Symposium and ODP Showcase Games3 40th Anniversary Celebration and Awards Gala4 Annual General Meeting15 Roster Freeze Date deadline

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PROfESSIONAL HOOPS, SOCCER ROOTSBy Trevor Adams

greg bibb recalls the first of october 1997 as if it was just YesterdaY. onlY a Year

before, greg had completed his bachelor’s degree in communications at marist college, and now he found himself standing in front of the pennsYlvania state farm show arena, prepared for his first daY working in professional sports.

“I still remember the excitement I had to get started,” Greg said.

Greg began his career as the Director of Public and Media Relations for the Harrisburg Heat, a now defunct professional indoor soc-cer team.

“In a lot of ways, those first years in sports, with indoor soccer, were some of my best in terms of pure enjoyment, in terms of learning opportunity, and in terms of realizing that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my professional career,” Greg said.

Greg remained with the Heat until Febru-ary of 2001, before taking the same position at the National Professional Soccer League office (NPSL). During his time there, the NPSL transitioned into the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL).

After his stint working at the league office in Connecticut, Greg moved south, to Phila-delphia. In January of 2003 he took the job as Executive Vice President/General Manager for the Philadelphia KiXX, another member of the MISL.

While Greg worked in Philadelphia, the KiXX experienced success both on the field and off, reaching the MISL semi-finals twice and increasing their average attendance in each season.

In September of 2005, Greg took his first giant step forward in the sports world. He left his position at the KiXX to become the President of Hantz Group Sports and Enter-tainment LLC and the newly formed Detroit Ignition, an expansion MISL team.

“It was a great personal learning opportu-nity for me,” Greg said. “It was a true startup: a desk, a telephone, and a computer; and eighteen months later we were in the cham-pionship game, playing in front of a sold out crowd, on a regional sports network.”

Ironically enough, Greg notes, that cham-pionship game was played against his former employer, the Philadelphia KiXX.

“I can’t recall who won that game,” Greg jokes. The Detroit Ignition lost the game, but

Greg’s first and only season at the helm of the Ignition was a clear success.

Greg continued to move forward in leaps and bounds. On October 1, 2007, exactly ten years to the day from his first day with the Harrisburg Heat, Greg started as Chief Opera-tion Officer for the Washington Mystics of the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBA).

“I enjoy the WNBA. It sort of presents an op-portunity somewhere between that of indoor soccer and the NBA,” Greg said.

Greg continues as the Chief Operating Officer of the Mystics today, but also took the job as the Executive Vice President of Business Operations with Washington D.C.’s National Basketball franchise, the Wizards in 2010, finally taking the plunge into one of the major sports leagues in the United States.

“Obviously the stage is bigger, in terms of number of people following the business and being involved in the business, but the template of the business, how you go about moving forward and being successful is very similar,” Greg said.

Greg describes the WNBA as more granular than the NBA. The accessibility and interac-tions with the fans are more pronounced, he explains. Despite the WNBA’s early struggle, the Mystics have solidified their business suc-cess through relationships with their fan base,

often achieving one of the season’s highest average attendance values. Greg has contin-ued that tradition.

While Greg insists that the business aspects of sports are similar everywhere, he is also quick to stress the fact that the WNBA has an underlying issue that other league’s do not: women’s equality and opportunity.

“It’s only year sixteen for the league, and I am very bullish on the future of the WNBA and women’s sports in general,” said Greg.

In a sports culture where lesser sports and women’s athletics are often degraded or swept under the rug simply because they are new or different, it is refreshing to hear such a strong opinion pulling in the opposite direction.

“I also value it because I have a daughter, and I want her to see the opportunities that are available to her, and I have a son, and I want him to understand that women can do whatever men can do and there is no ceiling whether you are a boy or a girl,” said Greg.

Greg currently resides in Arlington, VA with his wife, Tara, his 4-year-old daughter, Adelyn, and his twenty-one-month-old son, Caden. They are too young to be involved competi-tive sports, but Adelyn recently started her first sports class, according to Greg.

Greg also notes that he was part of the last generation of kids who did not play soccer.

“But obviously soccer has been very good to me,” Greg said. “I owe a lot to soccer. It provided me with two things: one it provided me with my professional mentor Steve Ryan, who is the former commissioner of the MISL and NPSL, and Steve has done more for me professionally than anyone else.”

Soccer also played the matchmaker for Greg, introducing him to Tara, through her father, who was the majority owner of the Harrisburg Heat.

“I have found that the people who are involved in soccer, from the grassroots level to the top professional level, all have one strong common bond, and that is a deep, deep desire to move that sport forward and to do whatever it takes to do so,” Greg said. “I think much like women’s sports, the outlook for soccer has never been better. There has been a tremendous job done by leadership across soccer at youth level and all the way up to MLS.”

Gregg Bibb

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us Youth soccer national league, entering into its fifth season, is

for top under-15 through under-18 boYs and girls club soccer teams, with each team having an individual proven track record of continued success in us Youth soccer programs.

In 2011-2012, the 120 teams chosen to compete in the league represent 32 of the 55 US Youth Soccer State Associations, including five teams from Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer: U-15 Boys Lehigh Valley United 96, U-16 Boys Lehigh Valley United 95, U-18 Boys Penn Fusion Celtic, U-18 Boys PSC Coppa 93 and U-18 Girls FC Penn Strikers.

In 2010-2011, 22 of a possible 36 slots in the US Youth Soccer National Championships were taken by National League teams; twelve teams earned automatic berths via winning their National League division while another 10 teams won their respective US Youth Soccer Regional Championships. During the 2011 National Championships,

National League teams took eight of a possible 12 spots in the championship games, with three being named national champions.

“The US Youth Soccer National League continues to prove it is the nation’s most elite competition as each team

must prove itself to gain entry into the league, regardless of hometown or club affiliation,” said Paul Luchowski, National League commissioner. “Our consistently high level of play challenges teams to raise their level of play to compete for a top spot in the National League standings.”

The National League is an extension of the highly successful US Youth Soccer Regional Leagues [US Youth Soccer Region I (East) Premier League, Midwest Regional League, Region III (South) Premier League and Far West Regional League] in which the top teams are eligible to continue the path of success into the National League where the ultimate prize is qualifying for the prestigious US Youth Soccer National Championships.

The first place team from division age groups Under-15 through Under-17 will earn a spot to the 2012 US Youth Soccer National Championships along with the four US Youth Soccer Regional Champions. Since its inception, National League teams have captured a combined 13 national championships.

As is the case with the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series events and the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program, the National League creates another significant opportunity for the nation’s collegiate, professional and national team staffs to see players in an environment of meaningful play.

To follow the National League: www.usyouthsoccer.org/national_league

NATIONAL LEAGUEBy Ali Williams


Being a Junior Supporter Club member also comes with exclusive privileges. All members will receive a monthly newsletter as well as having the opportunity to participate in the Union’s Junior Supporter’s Club night at PPL Park. Junior Supporter Club members who check-in at home games will get their membership cards stamped in order to receive rewards. The first 5 members to check-in at the Junior Supporters table

at home matches will be taken on field for player warm-ups. The first DOOP package holder to check-in may go on field for post-game autographs. DOOP Package holders may also request a behind the scenes stadium tour before the game (must be scheduled in advance). In order to sign up, simply visit www.philadelphiaunion.com and click on the fans tab. Be the first to join!

PHILADELPHIA UNION jUNIOR SUPPORTERS CLUB

the philadelphia union junior supporters club offers Young fans an exclusive opportunitY to get involved with the team. in 2012, junior supporters will be able to get involved in a whole new waY. the club offers three brand new membership packages, the spirit package at $25, the rattlesnake package at $45 and the doop package at $100.

spirit package includes:

Membership CardAutographed Player Card

Union MagnetUnion Bumper Sticker

Union FolderUnion Pencil

Union Cup

rattlesnake package

includes all spirit package benefits plus:

Union T-shirtUnion Rally Towel

Autographed PennantUnion Mini Scarf

doop package

includes all spirit and rattlesnake package benefits plus:

Replica JerseyMini Ball

Post-game player meet and greetVoucher to attend an open

practice

upcoming coaching education certificates/courses

course date location club sponsoringE Certificate Jan 27 to 29 Lititz LYSCE Certificate Mar 5, 7 & 9 Quarryville SYSAE Certificate Mar 23 to 25 York PSCG Certificate Mar 24 West Chester WCUSCF Certificate Mar 25 West Chester WSCUSC

Please check the Education section of the website for further information about current courses and 2012 course schedule


Hey, kids!(and adults, too!)Hey, kids!(and adults, too!)

want to appear in an upcoming issue of touchline?

There is an exciting new feature in the magazine where Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer players, coaches and parents get an

opportunity to be seen and heard by the rest of our readers.

And perhaps you have said to yourself, “i want to be in touchline magazine!”

Well, now is your chance! If you would like to be considered to appear in an upcoming issue, simply answer the 11 Questions that appear on our website and fill in the bio information, and

email it back to [email protected]. Most importantly, you need to send a photo of yourself with the email, the higher quality, the better. If there is not a photo, then we can’t use your entry in the magazine. Entering is also not a guarantee of getting published.

We wish you good luck, and who knows? Perhaps when you

open the next issue of Touchline Magazine, you will find yourself staring back at you!

To register go to: http://www.epysa.org/touchline_profiles.aspx


EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA YOUTH SOCCER PLAYER PROfILESSee page 26 to learn how you can get profiled in the next issue of Touchline!

ANASTASIA BArrETT

age: I will be 11 on 01/10/12

team name: Thunder

organization/club: GCVSA

what position do you play or what do you do on

your team? Midfield or striker. I like to

assist and score goals.

what is your nickname? Stasia

who is your role model? why?

Leonardo Da Vinci because he used nature to make

amazing new ideas

what is your favorite soccer team?

Swedish National team because my uncle and aunt

live in Sweden.

what is your favorite movie?

Harry Potter & the Deathly Hollows

what is your favorite song?

Enchanted by Taylor Swift

what is your favorite book?

Guardians of Ga’hoole series

what is your favorite food? Grape tomotoes

what is your favorite sport outside of soccer?

Running

what is your pet peeve (what thing makes you

mad or drives you crazy)? Loud noises

if you could go anywhere in the world, where

would you go and why? Sweden because it is a very

beautiful country

what do you want to be when you grow up?

Art teacher

COlIN BATEMAN

age: 12

team name: Shakhtar

organization/club: Ukrainian Nationals & ODP 99s


your team?Midfield and forward

what is your nickname?C- Bates


Frank Lampard – center midfielder like me and takes

free-kicks


Chelsea


Goal


Mocking Bird by Eminem

what is your favorite book?Number the stars

what is your

favorite food?Steak

what is your favorite

sport outside of soccer?Basketball


mad or drives you crazy)?My little brother Danny

if you could go anywhere

in the world, where would you go and why?

England to see an EPL game


Pro soccer player

GrIFFIN KAIFEr

age: 11

team name: Hurricanes

organization/club: Mason Dixon SL


your team?Forward and Goalkeeper

what is your nickname?Griff


Frank Lampard – like the way he plays


Chelsea


Star Wars


Songs by Little Wayne

what is your favorite book?Haven’t got one

what is your favorite food?

pizza


Basketball


mad or drives you crazy)?My brother Mason


would you go and why?England to see Chelsea play


Soccer player

HArrISON MAlONE

age: 11

team name: LMSC Sabertooth Rats

organization/club: Lower Merion


your team? Forward – or whatever Biff (my coach) asks me to do!

what is your nickname? H-Bomb


Lionel Messi. He has great sportsmanship on and off of the field and is a great soccer

player.

what is your favorite soccer team? FC Barcelona


Grown Ups


Party Rock Anthem

what is your favorite book?

Crash by Jerry Spinelli


Macaroni & Cheese


Lacrosse


mad or drives you crazy)? Being late to anything - and if I am not 30 minutes early, I

am late!


would you go and why? I would go to Spain to watch FC Barcelona train and play.


A professional soccer player or college soccer coach

SHElBy yOuNG

age: 14

team name: SUSC U15 Barca

organization/club:Spirit United Soccer Club


your team? Mostly a forward but also a

midfielder.

what is your nickname? Shelbo


My sister Kylie. She is two years older than I am and she sets a perfect example for me with the

family, in her studies, and the way she treats other people.


Philadelphia Union

what is your favorite movie? The Wizard of Oz


The Classic “Who Let the Dogs Out” by the Baha Men

what is your favorite book?Pretty Little Liars


Mashed Potatoes


College and Pro Football


mad or drives you crazy)?When people are not polite.


would you go and why?Italy, because I would like to see the ancient architecture and taste different types of

Italian food.


An Artist and Baker

Sabe

rto

oth

r

atS

Thun

der

Shak

htar

Hur

rican

es

Barca

Hey, kids!(and adults, too!)Hey, kids!(and adults, too!)


THE OVERLAP – PROMOTING MOVEMENT Off THE BALLBy Gary Stephenson, Assistant Director of Coaching

The player with the ball (1st attacker) passes to a team mate on the flank (2nd attacker) within 10-15yds. The 2nd at-tacker receives the ball dribbling across the center of the field horizontally engaging the nearest defender. The 1st attacker makes a run (bending, see dia-gram) past the 2nd attacker – utilizing the space created by the 2nd attacker on the flank. The 2nd attacker’s dribble acts to disguise the run made by 1st at-tacker pulling the defender on the flank with him. The 1st attacker calls for the ball to be played when alongside the 2nd attacker. The 2nd attacker players the ball in to space (through ball) for the 1st attacker to run onto.

warm uporganization

• Players in threes with a ball – passing and moving – dynamic stretching

organization• Mark out a diamond 20 x 30 yard• A players placed on the two cones, two players at each of the ends• One ball at each end

sequence & progression• Player B checks away from player A towards the pole, turns and calls for the ball. Player A plays the ball to B. Player B dribbles infield. Player A bends a run past B. Whilst alongside B, player A calls for the ball. Player B play ers a through ball for player A to run onto. Player A passes to the other end.• Switch the center players

coaching points• Sharp pass A -B• Player B dribbles inside – creating space• Player A run is bent• Player A doesn’t call until alongside Player B• Good weighted through pass

organization• Mark out a grid 20 x 30 yard with two 5yard end zones• Two teams of 4 players

sequence & progression• Each team must try and pass into opponent’s end zone and be in full control of the ball. Once a team scores they must turn around and attack the other end zone.• Score double points if an overlap is performed in the build up

coaching points• Good communication• Read the defensive teams shape• Engage the defender to unbalance the defense• Correctly weighted passes• Speeding up and slowing down the pace of the game

Remember when working on the overlap that you want the players to be adding disguise to their play but more important to take the visual clues from the defensive teams position

THE OVERLAP ExPLAINED

OVERLAPPING DIAMOND

4 V 4 TO END zONE

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