Happy Monday

Guys,

A few important reminders below:

Winter Training Program

Indoor sessions are underway and the staff were very pleased with how the first week went.   Hopefully the players enjoyed the sessions.  Again first session each week will be all technical work and the Friday session will be Futsal.   As I have stated in several previous emails/posts we understand it may tough to get to Netsports on time.  Please do the best that you can.   We do hope the players enjoy the change of scenary.

Spring Training Schedule and Location Update

As many of you are aware we will not be using Cedar Fork for the Spring season.  Below is the plan for the spring.  Our Cedar Fork location will be replaced by Prestonwood Soccer Complex.

Prestonwood Soccer Complex -  1200 High House Road, Cary NC

January

Schedule is set 9’s and 10’s all sessions indoors at Netsports


February  

Week of Feb 4th – Last sessions indoor

Week of Feb 11th-25th - 10’s Tuesday – STADIUM WRAL
                                       Thursday- GRASS FIELD WRAL TBA

                                9’s Wednesday – GRASS FIELD WRAL TBA
                                      Friday – STADIUM WRAL

March-April

Week of March 4th 10’s Tuesday- STADIUM WRAL
                                       Thursday- Preston Woods Fields Field #1

                               9’s Wednesday – Preston Woods Field #1
                                     Friday-STADIUM WRAL

May- TBA right now as we finalize 2013-2104 tryouts dates.

I will of course send out reminders when the training locations change.  Other than weather related conflicts I hope we don't encouter any other significant changes.

Player Evaluations

All players should have received player evaluations now.  If you have not please let me know asap.

Should you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to contact me.

Paul

Happy Monday

Guys,

I hope you all enjoyed the weekend.  Some reminders below:

Some important reminders below:

Player Evaluations

Players should have received player evaluation by now.    If you have questions or concerns please don't hesitate to contact your coach or your age group coordinator.   The evaluations are important for me as they give you an idea of what your son/daughter should work on.  Biggest priority for our U9's and U10's is technique.  The more time a player spends with the ball the more likely they are to improve.   I did ask that the coaches be honest with the grades/scores and constructive with the feedback in the comments box.

Winter Training Information

Winter training schedule starts this week. So the schedule changes. All of the indoor sessions take place at Netsports. The address is 3717 Davis Drive Morrisville, NC 27560.

Per previous emails and posts we would like to start the earlier session at 4.20pm.  We realize this is going to be very difficult for families to get to Cary on time.   Please do the best that you can.


U9s – Wednesday 4.15-5.30pm and Friday 4.15-5.20pm
Wednesday session is all technical work Friday session is Futsal

U10s- Thursday 4.15-5.30pm and Friday 5.25-6.30pm
Thursday session is all technical work Friday session is Futsal

Some freindly reminders:

- Players must wear flat soled shoes (NO CLEATS), wear regular YTS training attire and bring plenty to drink.
- Please make sure the players bring an inflated ball
- Place bags near the bleachers- please make sure the bags do not block the walk ways and or exits.

Cedar Fork

We will not be using Cedar Fork for training in the spring.  We are currently working on an alternative training location in the Cary area and will let you know as soon as we have something finalized. 

Thanks very much for reading.

Happy Tuesday

YTS Families,

Just a a couple of things:

1.  Enjoy the Thanksgiving Holiday.  If you are traveling please travel safely.   I am sure many of you will enjoy the carpool free week.

2.  The week of November 26th:

9's - Train Wednesday 4.30-6.00pm on Fairway (WRAL) ONLY

10's - Train  Tuesday 4.30-6.00pm on Durham Bulls (Stadium Field WRAL)
                    Thursday 4.30-6.00pm on Fairway (WRAL)

The following week we begin our indoor program and I will send out more information about that directly to oure teams managers after Thanksgiving Break.  Again the schedule is set for the indoor training sessions.

3.  Thank you for all the families that have already registered for the spring 2013 season.  Please remember that registration is scheduled to close on Tuesday November the 27th.  If you plan on not returning to the program please let me know.   The link to register for the Spring season is below:

http://www.caslnc.com/Default.aspx?tabid=224521

Should you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to contact me.



Have a Great Thanksgiving.

The YTS Staff

Happy Thursday

Hello YTS Families,

The usual reminders followed by an educational article.    Again the intent of the articles I post is just to make you think.  Soccer is a unique sport in so many ways.  In particular the role coaches play during the games.  We don't get time-outs!  We get an opportunity during our the pre-game to make some points and then again at half-time.  Of course at the end of the game we can reflect.  I still see parents coaching on the sidelines.  All I ask is that you read the article and reflect.

Training Update

Next week we have no training.  I hope you all enjoy the Thanksgiving Break.   If you are traveling, travel safely if you are staying near home enjoy the carpool free week!  It is crazy to think the fall season of games has come and gone.

Player Evaluations

Coaches have until November the 30th to hand out the player evaluations.  I have asked each coach to be honest and constructive with the player evals. Once you receive your son/daughter's evaluation please feel free to contact your coach with any questions or concerns.  If you questions/concerns do not get answered then please reach out to your AGC or myself.   I know how important this feedback is for you as a parent. 

Training

Schedule is set now.  Hopefully we are all on the same page.  I know there are some concerns/issues with the indoor training plan.  We cannot change anything at this point.  Please just do the best you can.  Of course we encourage all players to attend these sessions.

Spring Rosters

Over the course of the next 2-3 weeks we will be working on finalizing our rosters for the spring season.  Please expect change.  Players develop at different rates.  We originally selected the players in May.  A great deal can change over the course of a seven month period.  Of course some players will have improved, some stayed at the same level and some players may well have regressed.   There is no scientific formula to determine this developmental path.  With regards to the player movement we will alert any player/family involved so they are aware of these changes.    Please know we are constantly evaluating the players in our program.  Change is never easy but it is necessary. 

Spring Registration

Thank you to those families that have notified me that they will not be returning in the spring.  I really do appreciate that.  Again if you plan on not returning it would be great if you can let me know.   Of course I hope you choose to re-register for the spring 2013 season.  The link to do this is on my previous post.  The deadline is approaching so please take care of this as soon as you can.


Some thing to make you think....

The Perfect Parent: Be Seen and Heard Very Little by Mark Heffernan -


A friend of ours once had a conversation with a young player:
Coach: ” so what is your favorite position? ”

Player: ” center midfield”

Coach: ” Interesting. Is that because you see yourself as a good playmaker? ”

Player: ” No its because my dad is one side and my coach is on the other and sometimes if in am in the field I can’t hear either of them. “

If it weren’t so sad it would be funny. It’s also a story repeated over and over again at fields all over the world. In the age of helicopter parenting the notion of allowing kids to play for fun or of allowing them to learn by making mistakes is all too rare. Aside from destroying the joy of sport for many young people, such parental or coach intervention is almost certainly misguided.

Try to remember a moment or a time when you played out of your socks, when everything seemed to go right. Now stop reading for a moment and try to think of how it felt at the time, how you would describe it. Obviously, there are lots of words you can use but I think a common description would be that I was in the zone, that it was all so effortless, thoughtless and unconscious. Even though our own experiences with excellent performance have been all too fleeting and uncommon we know that’s exactly how it felt: there was no conscious focus on the how, the focus was entirely on the outcome and we just knew that it was going to work. By contrast most of us would, I believe, agree that when we start to think too much about what we are doing or the mechanics of what we are doing then our actions tend to become awkward and clumsy. Spontaneity and creativity tend to disappear. Now, we do not mean to preach here – as parents we are all human and we have all been there, most of us reading this probably as coaches too. But, in the light of what we have just discussed above consider the following:

By constantly coaching and correcting our kids in the game we are unconsciously, but almost certainly, guaranteeing poor and deteriorating performance. We are taking them away from that unconscious, focused mental state where they need to be to excel.

Tactically it may also be a mistake and only serve to confuse the players. It is impossible to know what precise instructions the coach has given the players so how can a parent tell them what to do when they don’t know what they are supposed to be doing? How many times have you seen a team where the coach has for whatever reason decided to have their team drop when they lose the ball, but where the parents on the sideline are screaming “pressure.”? Little Sally out there has no idea whether she’s coming or going.

If you want to see how much the kids hate it, allow them all to describe it anonymously via their coach and read the responses. I think this is a useful exercise for any youth team. You’ll see answers like, “it’s so embarrassing,” “I cringe every time he opens his mouth,” ” I wish they could hear themselves,” or ” they don’t know what they’re talking about.”
So maybe it’s time for all us parents to just shut up and let them play. Praise them and anyone else on the field for good play and leave it at that. And they’ll like us better for it!

Entertaining Goal.. If you not an England fan....

Click on the link below.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/video/espnfc/video?id=1226511&cc=5901



Should you have any questions/concerns please don't hesitate to contact me.

Happy Thursday

YTS Families,

It has been a long while since my last post- my apologies.  I have been emailing managers directly with bits and pieces so I thought it was time to get something on the blog.

Training

The upcoming schedule has been sent to team managers so for the most part your training schedule is set for the remainder of the fall and the winter period.  Other than weather related cancellations there should be no changes.  Please remember next week we start out at WRAL for all YTS training sessions.  All sessions will begin at 4.30pm. 

A note on the indoor winter sessions at Netsports 

Although listed on the schedule as a 4.00pm start time at Netsports most of the sessions will actually start closer to 4.15pm.    As a staff we are aware that many families will have a tough time getting to Netsports at 4.15 and we understand that completely.   All that we can ask is that you do the best that you can.   The indoor environment is a nice change of scenery for the players and coaches.  1 session each week will be all technical work and the other session will be futsal or small sided games.  While the current temperatures are nice once we get into Dec and Jan I expect it to be rather cold outside.  We will not have to worry about the temperature outdoors during the months of Dec and Jan.

Games

Last weekend of regular season games is Nov 11th.    I know we have lost some games to the weather some of which we have tryed to make-up and some we have not been able to make-up.   The weather certainly didn't cooperate with our Sunday games!  Hopefully we can finish the season with no more bad weather Sundays.

Player Evaluations

Our coaches will be working on player evaluations over the next few weeks.  Each coach will provide a written evaluation for each of his/her players.  Once you receive the evaluation if you have questions please feel free to set up a time to meet with your coach to answer questions you might have.  I ask that the evaluations are constructive but accurate.  The main goal is to provide some feedback while also letting you know what your/son daughter needs to work on.  I will email the managers to let them know when the player evaluations will be distributed. 

Player Registration

As a reminder each player must re-register to play in the 2013 Spring season.   The link to complete the registration is below: 

http://www.caslnc.com/Default.aspx?tabid=224521

If you plan on not returning please let me know as soon as you can.  This really helps us with our planning.  We have several families very interested in joining the YTS Program.    Registration will stay open through November 27th. 

Spring Season

As a staff we continue to evaluate each and every player in our program.   Based on these evaluations we can determine if we have players on the right teams going into the spring season. If not then we can consider making changes.   Making changes is never easy but there is a great deal that can change following the formation of teams in May/June.   Players develop at different rates.  These decisions will be made at the conclusion of the season.

Interesting Article

Below is a link to an interesting article.  Please read it.  At the very least it will make you think.

http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/more-family-fun/201202/what-makes-nightmare-sports-parent

As always should you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me.

Happy Thursday

YTS Families,

I hope you are all enjoying the start of the fall and the cooler temperatures.  Please take a moment to watch the video below.  Please don't try this on Sunday!

http://www.socceramerica.com/article/48426/how-trainers-can-really-help-a-team.html

At the very least it should make you smile.   Enjoy watching the games this coming weekend.

Thanks for viewing!

Happy Thursday

YTS Families,

Please read the article below.  We sometimes lose sight of why our children play sports.   The short story below wiill hopefully make you pause for a second.   As we approach another weekend of games please be mindful of a couple of things:

1.  Make sure you check weather hotlines.  For other clubs weather hotlines/websites you can go directly to www.ncchampionsleague.com

2.  When we are traveling to another site/facility please be very respectful.  If we are asked to stay off the fields until a coach arrives please do so.   Unless asked by one of our coaches

3.  No coaching from the sidelines at all.  Please do cheer and support your team for the duration of the game but please refrain from any coaching.

4.  Enjoy watching your son/daughter compete. 

I'm lucky to live in a community that fosters kids’ athletics. When it comes to fall sports, kids in Bucksport area schools are spoiled for choice. Last Saturday, when I brought my daughter to youth soccer, I arrived to a smorgasbord of activities: a high school cross country track meet, an elementary boys’ football game and elementary boys’ and girls’ soccer scrimmages. Every track, field and nature trail that was available saw play.
This Saturday was no different. Kids climbed out of minivans with shin guards or shoulder pads, water bottles and cleats. They swarmed the fields like little Olympians. Parents lined the perimeter, some in lawn chairs, others leaning over the fence with purpose, but all were rallied around their kids. As a teacher whose interaction with parents is limited to yearly open house visits, to see this outpouring of parental support just knocks me back.
As a soccer mom, this means I need to remember I'm one of many parents out there rooting for their kid. This is a tricky business, respectfully manning the sideline. You hear all sorts of chanting, coaching and even scolding remarks from the parental peanut gallery that it serves you well to remember “it's just a game.” I often tell my in-laws, “If I start spouting strategic maneuvers, please muzzle me.” You just get so swept up in the moment, the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, it's hard not to yell out, “GO TO THE BALL, SWEETHEART!”
My daughter's team has known the agony of defeat for two consecutive seasons. Their first year they were 0/8. Last year, they were 0/3 (5 ties, though). Last Saturday, in this, her third season, they finally tasted sweet victory. After beating the green team soundly (8-0), my daughter climbed back into our van and said, “Mom, we actually won! Do you know, we've never won before?” She sounded pleasantly surprised, as if the thought had just occurred to her. My husband, on the other hand, was positively euphoric. He kept saying, “Wow, they won. They really won,” followed by a far off look in his eyes (reliving his own state championship I'm sure.)
This week, a new excitement hummed along the sideline. There was a hitch in my daughter's step, a strut in her stride that wasn't there before. Was it pride? Was it eager anticipation of another “W?” Was I just imagining it? “This is going to be a big game,” Coach Rich said. Our girls would be evenly matched against the red team, a team whose players are roughly the same age and ability as our own white team. This could get interesting, I thought. An even match-up.
While waiting for the game to begin, Richard Sprague, the director of the Bucksport Youth Soccer Program, reiterated this point, “It's all about match-ups at this level of unskilled play; it comes down to individual athletes.” Sprague, the former Bucksport Middle School girls’ soccer coach for 16 years, has seen many such match-ups in his career.
When talking about the value of the program, Sprague added, “You're creating positive memories kids will have for a lifetime. Sports are such a big part of socialization. They have to learn to share. They share the ball, share the field and they share the win or loss.” As I watched my daughter sit the bench for the first few minutes of the game, I realized that this is what I want her to learn. I want her to share this experience with her teammates, to feel part of something bigger than herself.
Then the game began, and I forgot all about sharing. They actually scored a goal! They looked good out there! We were up 1-0 at half time, and a parent of the opposing team said, “They're all winners, aren't they?” I knew this sentiment well. Hadn't I spouted the same platitudes the past two seasons? “It's not if you win or lose, it's how you play the game.” Yeah, yeah. But we were winning this time, so all those euphemisms about losing didn't matter anymore.
Then the red team scored a goal. We were no longer winning. It was a tie game. “It's OK,” I told myself. “This is good. Maybe that dad was right. They're all winners. If they tie, they can share the victory together.” Right after this epiphany, our team scored again and the thrill of another “W” was in the air. I could almost taste the celebratory happy meal. Wouldn't my delightful little defender be so happy?
The whistle blew signaling the end of the game, and a joy like no other descended on her team. Jumping, high-fiving and sweaty hugging ensued. I looked at their jubilant faces and thought, “Yes, this is what it's all about!” As the girls lined up for their congratulatory “good game” high fives, I saw the red coach consoling a teary blonde player. She was sobbing beside him.
Coach Scott gave a rousing speech meant to rally the troops. “We don't lose, we learn. You played very, very hard out there. Let's take what happened today and learn from it. If you played as hard as you could, then be proud of yourself.” Though I was touched, the little blond girl was having none of it. She wanted to win, and all of this learning not losing stuff didn't set right with her.
Then something neat happened. One of the star players of the white team walked over to the red bench. She stood in front of the little blond girl and told her, “You did a really good job out there. You should be proud of how you played. Don't be sad.” I was blown away. They got up, walked over to the white bench, and shared cold drinks.
That little girl shared her win. No one told her to “play nice.” No one said, “Go be a good sport.” She was a good sport. She was the most aggressive girl on the team, yet she instinctively played nice. How did she learn this? By playing sports. She knew what it was like to lose and what it was like to win. When she saw another player upset, it didn't matter what team she was on.
It just mattered. That's what I learned off the field today

Happy Wednesday

YTS Families,

Hopefully the weather will cooperate this coming weekend.  It looks promising right now.  As we approach another weekend of games I have attached a series of 4 short videos.  One is a repeat from last week.  As always the videos are sent to make each of you think about your role as a parent on the sideline.    I can't emphasize enough the impact we can have as parents and my hope is we all play a positive role.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61-Pax5cF8A&feature=BFa&list=PL465EC8FA50396D8D

The videos are broken down into 4 stages.  One that takes place before the game, two during the game and one that is after the game.   While the videos are very serious they certainly help paint a great picture.  A picture of course I hope we do not see on the sideline during any game during the course of our season. 

Please take the time to watch the video.

Winter Training

I am currently finalizing details for our winter indoor sessions.  For those of you that are new to the program we continue to train in Dec and Jan.  These sessions take place at Netsports which is located in Cary.  I will get times and dates out asap so you can start planning.  There is no extra cost for these sessions and we encourage all players to attend.

I always get asked about playing on a winter indoor team.  I have no problem if players choose to play on an indoor team.  YTS will not form teams nor will the YTS coaches be asked by me to coach these teams.  So if you want your son/daughter to play that is completely fine please understand YTS coaches are not expected to coach these indoor teams.  I will likely send more information about this when it becomes available to me

Thanks for reading and should you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to contact me.

Paul

Happy Tuesday

YTS Families,

I hope you all had an enjoyable Labor Day Weekend.   With our games approaching this coming weekend I will try to accomplish two things in the post.  Firstly some general reminders about what to expect for game days and then a couple of videos which will make you think about your actions on the sidelines.  

Game Reminders:

• Double check field location and game time
• Always check weather hot lines to make sure game has not been canceled
• Make sure your son/daughter has both uniforms with them - start to make them accoutable for their soccer bags.. even if you have to double check
• Always be early.. rather than rushing to get to field.. it just makes life a great deal easier on your child
• Wish you child good luck, tell them to compete and have fun
• Once the game kicks-off there is very little you can do.. so sit back in your comfy chair and enjoy watching your child compete

Please remember we are not focused on the outcome or the score of the game.  Of course we want for the players to show a strong desire to compete and of course we want for each player to want to win each game they play.  Our focus is more on the process.  The process is how the players apply themselves during the game.   The players will be excited about playing their first game of the season.

Sideline Reminders:


 We expect parents to set a good example on the sideline for other parents, players and of course our club as whole. So with that said some friendly reminders below.

• Please refrain from coaching your child or anyone else's child during the game.  Your intentions maybe positive but please don't do it.  This includes hand signals.  The players must be allowed to make decisions independently
• Please do not question the officials.  At all times show them the respect they deserve.  We use some younger officials for our YTS games as they can gain very valuable experience.  Please be supportive.  I see parents every week trying to make every call for the referee.  Like the players officials must be able to make their own decisions.  Sometimes they may miss an offside call.  Trust me it is not the end of the world.  Especially seen as though we do not keep standings in YTS.
• Simple rule of thumb.. "If you don't have anything positive to say please don't bother saying it." especially around the players
• Per a previous point do all you can to enjoy watching your child compete. 

Now for he fun part.  Below are two video's to make you think about being a soccer parent.  

The first video shows an overbearing parent on the sideline communicating with the official! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0qGeADPzAs

The second video is another overbearing parent on sideline communicating with his son!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=ZRcv-ZRMCXI&feature=endscreen

Both videos are short please take the time to watch them as they will make you think about your role as a parent on the sideline. 

Thanks for reading the blog and should you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me at

Paulf@caslemail.com

Happy Wednesday

YTS Parents,

Each week I like to try and communicate with all of you about being a soccer parent or just the game of soccer in general.  Sometimes my email is an educational piece, sometimes it is a video highlight, sometimes it may even be a cartoon.  My hope is to help educate each of you about the important role we play play as parents.  Being a parent provides many different challenges.  As a parent of a son/daughter who is playing sports its is essential we find ways to be positive and supportive ALL OF THE TIME.  There is an article that is linked to the blog entitled "A Nation of Whimps."  At the very least the article will make you think.  Please take some time to read it. 

If you have something you would like for me to share with our YTS families please don't hesitate to pass it along. 

Some other important reminders:

1.  Sometimes the weather doesn't cooperate.  We do all we can not to cancel sessions.  Please remember to always check with your team manager, the CASL Weather Hotline, a friend etc to make sure the session has not been canceled.  We will at times get our decision to cancel or not to cancel wrong.  The weather is unpredictable.  Please be patient with decisions that we make.  Our goal is to make weather related decisions by 2.00pm during the week for training.

2.  Our coaches have been instructed to clear the field if they are concerned about weather conditions.  Again please understand our number one priority is the safety and well being of the players in our program.  Make sure your child knows what he/she should do if the field has to be cleared due to inclement weather.

3.  If you feel the need to communicate with a coach, AGC or myself please understand that right before or after a session is not the best time.  Many of our coaches have double sessions each night.  So please set up a time to talk with the coach, AGC or myself that will make for a more productive meeting.

4.  Please make sure you son/daughter always brings an inflated soccer ball to training, is wearing the correct attire and has plenty to drink.

5.  With WCPSS school starting next week please think about a snack for the car ride over to training.  A snickers bar, big mac, hot dog or a milkshake are examples of what not to eat! Please make good healthy options when selecting a snack before training.

Should you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me. 

Happy Monday

YTS Familes,

I hope you all had a good weekend.  It was great to get Saturday's session in and start our fall season.  A few reminders below as we truly get started with our regular fall training.

1.  Please make sure your son/daughter brings an inflated ball (with name on it), plenty of water and is dressed appropriately for the training sessions- this includes CASL white training T, black shorts, black socks and shinguards.

2.  Please make sure your son/daughter knows which team they are on.  Saturday was our version of an open house where the kids get to see and meet the coaching staff.  Again please make sure you let them know which team they are on.  The sooner they can identify with their coach the better.

3.  Do all you can to get to training on time.  We realize the 4.30pm start time makes it very difficult for families.  If you son/daughter is late have them jog over to their team coach and join in the session.

4.  Please make sure you are responsive to team emails that are sent out from your team manager.   They are volunteering their time so again please help and respond to all emails where a response is necessary. 

5.  Always check email, weather hot line.  Don't assume training is on because it is not raining at your house.  Weather hot line is 919-248-9516.  I would recommend storing this number in your phone.

6.  Field Locations:

9's     Wednesday Cedar Fork Field 7 and 8
          Friday WRAL Durham Bulls Stadium Field

10's   Tuesday WRAL Durham Bulls Stadium Field
         Thursday Cedar Fork  Field 7 and 8

Remember sessions start at 4.30pm and end at 6.00pm.


Should you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me.

Again we look forward to a great season!

Happy Friday

YTS Familes,

Well this time next week we will be gearing up for our first training session for the 2012-2013 season.  There is a great deal of soccer on TV right so I hope your son/daughter is watching the game on TV.

Some updates:

1.  For team camp make sure your son/daughter wears white CASL training T, black shorts and black socks.  Please make sure your son/daughter has an inflated ball with there name on it and plenty to drink.  Please make sure the name is visible as there will be soccer balls all over the place!  The team managers should have the training t's in time to get to you before team camp next week.  If for some reason you don't get your training t please wear a generic white shirt.

2.  The schedule for the team camp is as follows:

Friday August 10th 4.30-6.30pm

9's will meet in the Stadium
10's will meet on Baker Roofing

Saturday August 11th 9.15-11.00am

9's will meet on Harris Teeter
10's will meet on Newcomb 

3.  Chelsea 3's  - For those playing in the Chelsea 3's enjoy the day tomorrow.  Please remember it is not mandatory for our coaches to attend this event.  Some coaches will be out there and others not.  The day is for the kids to play and enjoy the game.  Hopefully as parents you will be able to do the same. 

Be on the look out for the parent who loves to coach from the sideline and instruct their child on everything to do.  

I think that is for now.  Have a great weekend!

Happy Tuesday

YTS Families,

I hope this post finds you all doing well and staying cool in the very hot temperatures.  Good news is there is a lot of soccer on TV right now with the European teams playing there pre-season games and the Olympic Games starting.  No real excuse not to be watching soccer on TV.

Below you will see the YTS coaching assignments for the coming season.  While I know you all have been waiting patiently for this information I must take this opportunity to remind you about our focus for the coming year.  While we do have teams the focus is truly on the development of individual players vs developing a team.  Yes the players need to work in the team environment and understand better the idea of working with team mates....  We are not concerned with how many games our teams win or lose.. the priority is to help the players become as technically proficient as possible.  There is nothing quite like playing on a team and seeing the kids competing in game situations.  We are not trying to win trophies... we are trying to develop players that can control a ball consistently, pass a ball accurately and feel comfortable in 1v1, 2v1 and 2v2 situations.  Please keep this in mind for the duration of our season and the year we will spend together.  I will continually send out reminders about this.

With that said below is the coaching assignments for the upcoming season:

U9 Boys

Barcelona                       Bryan Farnsworth
Real Madrid                   Jonathan Knaus
Athletico Madrid            Phil Southerland
Valencia                         Austen King
Real Sociedad                Drew Mckinney

Malaga                           Nick Cerrullo


U9 Girls

Montpeiller                    Mike Walters
Lyon                             Lindsay Vera
Marseille                       Courtney Crandell
PSG                              Whitney Haase

U10 Boys

CASL White                  Tim Evans
CASL Black                  Michael Hoy
Chelsea                          Andrew Scheck
Arsenal                           Eric Debrah
Newcastle United           Drew Mckinney

U10 Girls

CASL Black                  Steve Castro
Inter Milan                     Jill Bradford
Juventus                         Nambiri Bastos
Lazio                              Jaclyn Hanson


We are all looking forward to the start of another soccer season and hope you are too.  It is essential we all work together to benefit the players.   As a staff we ask for your support during the course of the year.  Should you have any concerns please don't hesitate to contact me at anytime.   As a staff our goal is to create a special, safe and fun environment for your child!

Happy Tuesday

YTS Families,

Not long now until we start with our season!  I hope you are all enjoying your summer and that your son/daughter has increased his/her juggling record since my last post.  Below are a few important reminders as we ready for the start of our new season.

1.  Team Managers will be collecting the following from each player:

a) US Club Waiver (this is located on the blog).  I tryed to download and print it this morning and it when it printed it was very small.  I am trying to fix this problem.  You can also click on the following link to access US Club Medical Waiver. 

http://www.usclubsoccer.org/main.aspx?sec_id=15&guid=a94ba0c7-5d9c-4757-8904-916b56628ed6

b)  A copy of  your son/daughter's birth certificate.  We need a birth certificate from every player even if your son/daughter played with CASL last season.  No exceptions unfortunately.

c) Head shot.  This is only for the U10 players.  If we need to collect head shots for our U9 players we will certainly let you know.

Again all of this information can be turned into your team manager and brought into the office at one time.  This helps make the process easier from an administrative standpoint.


2.  Training T-Shirts.

Each team manager will collect one order for their respective team.   The form (located on the blog) should be accompanied by a check for the shirts.  Our goal is to have the shirts ready to be picked up the week of August 6th.  I will let the managers know when the orders are filled and a team rep/manager can come to the office (3300 Women's Club Drive) to pick up the order.

3.  Training Schedule 

Our training schedule has been released and is posted on a previous blog.   Other than inclement weather this schedule will stay in place for the vast majority of the fall.

4.   Uniform

Due to the slow down in emails I am hoping the vast majority of your have been able to order your uniform etc from Eurosport.  Again if you have issues please let me know.

I think that is it for the time being!  Have a great week and weekend!

Paul

Happy Saturday

YTS Familes,

A big thanks to all of you that have completed the registration for the upcoming season.  If you have still not done this please view one of my previous posts to get this taken care of asap.  Our season is right around the corner.  I hope you are all enjoying the summer and the warm weather and the heat is not stopping your son/daughter from getting outside and juggling/playing with the soccer ball.  A great way to practice is to spend time with the ball.  Each week a player should look to beat his/her juggling record.  Find a way to trick your son/daughter to get out with the ball.  Ice cream seems to work well.

Some important date information for you all:

Friday August 10th 4.30-6.30    Team Camp   (WRAL Field TBA)

Saturday August 11th 9.15-11.00 Team Camp (WRAL Field TBA)

While we realize many of you may be on vacation we'd like to try and get as many of the players together as possible before our regular fall training begins.  We understand if families cannot attend these sessions.The players can meet their new team mates and of course their coach and also the Age Group Coordinators:

U9 Boys - Bryan Farnsworth
U9 Girls- Mike Walters
U10 Boys- Tim Evans
U10 Girls- Steve Castro


Week of August 13th - First week of regular training:

U9's Wed (at Cedar Fork)  and Friday at (WRAL)

U10's Tues (at WRAL) and Thursday at (Cedar Fork)

Yes we are back at Cedar Fork!!!   I will send more about field #'s etc when we get a bit closer to the season starting.

I am sure with school not starting until late August for many of the kids that some families will miss some training at the start of the season.  We understand this.  The sooner we can get into a training routine the better it is for everyone.

As a club we are still trying to determine the feasibility of moving the start time to later than 4.30pm.  While this may help many of you a change in training time for our YTS players has an enormous impact on other age groups within the club.  I hope to have a final decision on this in the coming weeks.  As they say somewhere... "Stay tuned."

Coaching assignments will be released the week of July 16th.  I know you are all looking forward to finding this out.

Thanks so much for reading.

As a staff we are looking forward to starting the 2012-2013 season!

YTS and Eurosport Link

YTS Parents,

I apologize for the all of the problems with the link.  I believe the link below will work.  Once you click on it look for the a box that has CASL Page on soccer.com.  This page should direct you to the YTS Page and you can begin to order what you need.

Remember - Returning players - only need to purchase a bag and the black long sleeve shirt.
www.soccer.com/11627186

Thanks again for your patience.

Happy Friday

YTS Parents,

I hope this email finds you all enjoying the warm weather and watching the European Championships on ESPN.  Please encourage yoru children to watcth the game on TV.  Below you will see some more reminders.

1.  If you have already registered and accepted your child's spot for the fall season thanks so much for taking care of this.  If you have nt please take care of it ASAP.   The link to complete this process is below

http://www.caslnc.com/home/default.asp?menu_category=YTS&menuid=1476&parid=1476

2.  You can also now order your YTS uniform from Europsort. The link below should take you straight to the Eurosport page where you can order.  Remember each family is responsible for ordering their own uniform etc.  The link shows all of the required items for the coming season.  It is very important all of our players wear the correct attire.  Returning players only need to purchase a new bag and the black long sleeve training shirt.

http://www.soccer.com/Navigation.process?Ne=878&Srp=24&N=4294924663+4294802377+4294958123

3.  CASL Training T-Shirts will be purchased through each team manager and only one order will be made per team.  This will not happen until later in the summer.   Each player should purchase two training t's if of course you don't already have one.  Team managers will help coordinate this.

4.  The Chelsea 3's tournament is being held again this year on August 4th. We have changed the format from a two day event to a one day only event (Rain make up day is August 5th). All teams will be guaranteed 4 games. If you would forward this email onto your team managers I would appreciate it. All CASL players will receive half off their entry fee. A typical team fee is $240.00 if they are all CASL players then the fee changes to $120.00 (6 players per roster at $40.00 per player) to receive your CASL Player discount enter the discount code "CASL" for each player at the payment screen. Directions on how to register and how to enter the discount are also located under the application button on the tournament home page. Last year we had a great turn out and with your support hope to have another great event! If anyone has any questions please feel free to email me at events@caslemail.com .

I think this is a great waty to start the fall season.  It would make sense that each YTS team form two teams for the event if enough players are interested.  Again coaches will not select the teams for this event so a parent can help get two teams together.
http://soccer.sincsports.com/TTIntro6.aspx?tid=CHELS3


I think that is it for me right now.  As always if you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me.

Paul

paulf@caslemail.com

Happy Wednesday

Guys,

1.  Please remember to go to my previous post and accept your son/daughter's spot in our YTS Program.  Please be take care of this asap.

2.  We now have a team manager for each team.  Each team manager has been given the list of contacts for their respective teams and they will likely be sending out an email within the coming days.   Please be patient.  There is not a whole lot going on right now so you are not missing out on too much.

3.  We are still finalizing the coaches for the YTS teams.  As soon as that information is finalized I will send it out so you are all aware.   I know everyone is excited to find out who is coaching their son/daughter next year.  Thanks for your patience with this.

4.  We will get uniform information out next week. 

5.  In the meantime try and allocate some time to watch the European Championships!  A great opportunity for the kids to watch high level soccer.

Thanks very much!

Happy Thursday

Guys,

• We still need team managers for the following teams:

U9 Boys Real Madrid, Valencia, Real Sociedad and Malaga (Come on U9 boys parents!)

U9 Girls PSG

U10 Boys - Good to go- (well done U10 boys parents)

U10 Girls - Lazio

As soon as I get team managers I will pass out the contact informtion to team managers to share so you guys can start to work on Chelsea 7's, carpools etc.

• Below is the link to the acceptance page on our website.  Please go ahead and take of this asap.

http://www.caslnc.com/home/default.asp?menu_category=YTS&menuid=1476&parid=1476

• The European Championships are about to start and with the games being aired on the ESPN Network this is a great oppportunity for our young players to watch the game.  It is evident our younger players don't watch the game enough!  This is part of their development please watch some of these games.  They start tomorrow morning. 

Thanks very much and have a great weekend.

Happy Tuesday

YTS Parents,

I hope this post finds you all doing well.  Several bits of information below that are important for us all to read.  We are really excited about the 2012-2013 season.

Parent Information

I urge you to read the document entitled YTS Parent Information.  On the YTS blog homepage it is on the right hand side.  Please read this document closely.   There is some very helpful information in this document and it was created to help you learn more about the YTS program.

Team Manager

Now that we have our teams formed for the coming fall seasons I'd like to ask if we can get team managers in place for our teams.  Each team will need a team manager.  I have a document that I will send  to all team managers that was kindly put together by a former YTS manager that will help each volunteer team manager through the process.  Essentially a team manager helps with communicating things to their respective team.  The role is an important one as I always need help with communication in addition to the emails I send and of course the posts I place on the YTS blog. 

If you are interested in doing this please email me at paulf@caslemail.com

Registration

I will post the link so that you can register for the upcoming fall season in the coming days.  Once this link goes live we will ask that families register asap.  It will be as simple as clicking on the link and completing the registration process.  Reminder- You will need to register again in the spring.

Communication

I will do my best to keep the lines of communication open so that you are all aware of what is going on and what the plan is with training, games etc.  Please understand there are over 200 players in our progam this coming year which of course is very exciting.  If you ever have a question please don't hesitate to contact me.  While we may not always agree I would prefer to communicate vs the alternative.

Age Group Coordinators

We have the following coaches in place as Age Group Coordinators:

U9 Boys - Bryan Farnsworth

U9 Girls - Michael Walters

U10 Boys- Tim Evans

U10 Girls - Steve Castro

These coaches will be responsible for their respective age groups.  I am excited to have all four on board as I feel they will all do a great job with their respective age group.

YTS Calender

I am working on a calender as we speak and hope to have something out in the coming weeks.  Our first week of regular training will be the week of August 13th.  We are looking at doing something on Friday Aug 10th (pm) and Saturday August 11th (am).  We realize many families will be on vacation etc at this time.  I will work to get this finalized asap.

Regular Training Schedule

Starts the week of Aug 13th!

9's Train on Wed (Cary Location still TBA) and Fri (WRAL)- both sessions 4.30-6.00pm

10's Train on Tues (WRAL) and Thurs (Cary Location TBA) - both sessions 4.30-6.00pm

Chelsea 7's

The Chelsea 7’s Tournament on the weekend of June 23rd & 24th is a great two day event that features a unique 7v7 format; No offside, one referee, plenty of scoring and some great prizes!   Our coaches will not be responsible for forming teams.  I think it would be a great way to get the kids together and play.  Ideally the kids play together with players from their YTS team and a team manager/ parent that is willing to put this together would be fantastic.


The deadline is June 11th and all games are at WRAL. Please consider entering a team this year!

http://soccer.sincsports.com/TTIntro6.aspx?tid=CHELSEA

All players will receive:

• An adidas Chelsea 7's themed t-shirt
• A special Chelsea FC gift provided by adidas
• A Chelsea 7's themed team picture provided by TSS promotions
• Each team will receive a Game Ball

Trophies will be given for Finalists and Champions. If you have any questions at all, please refer your manager to my email address.


Thanks for reading you will be ready for a nap if you get this far!

Paulf@caslemail.com

Happy Friday

Guys,

Thanks for your patience with the process.  Below you will see the teams for the upcoming 2012-13 season.  A few reminders below before you get to the teams:

1.  Per our phone conversations all of the players listed below have accepted spots in our program.  Our hope is the committment you made via way of a phone conversation or email is something that will hold true for the duration of the year.

2.  Per the parent meeting we will at the mid-point of the season evaluate all players and determine if we need to move players.  While this is always difficult it is a necessary part of player development.

3.  We be getting more information on player acceptance etc and the process that you will each go through.  We will get acceptance information up in early June.

4.  Obviously lots more infornation to follow!!!

AGE GROUP COORDINATOR- Bryan Farnsworth

U9 Boys

Barcelona- (Will play 8v8 v U10 Teams)

Abel Nicolas
Ryan Dirocco

Joshua Murray

Parker O-Ferral

Dylan Niemann

Christopher Glenn

Kavon Malek

Diego Pardo

Drew Garro

Calik Parham

William (Cole) Wright

George Lin

Real Madrid (7v7 Champions League)

Luis Campos

Jake Smith

Jeremy Arukwe

John Anderson

Robert Seymore III

Bryce Dunkelberg

Marco Echevarria

Ethan Rose

Yekesen Subah

Bryant Griffin

Ashton Carpenter

Preston Carpenter

Athletico Madrid  (7v7 Champions League)

Jordan Brown

Evan Freeman

Matthew Smith

Owen McGinnis

Nicholas Sanaie

Lewis Powell

Reece Deaton

Owen Wing

Shane Olander

Ethan Stone

Andrew Turpin


Valencia   (7v7 Champions League)
Aristides Pilos

Kyle Wipperman

Connor Garrett

Cole Foster

Devin Davidson

Emil Gormsen

Landon Frank

Kavon McLaughlin

Jack Sharples

Kevin Lorenz

Max Hollingsworth

Real Sociedad 
(7v7 Champions League)

Cristian Milazzo

Noah Fetzer

John Townesnd

Aydin Atasoy

Diego Tapia

Jack Chappell

Joshua Taylor

Jack LeClercq

Benjamin Wold

Patrick Briedsprecher

Matthew Ramsey

Malaga  U8 Boys

Aydan Dirocco

Tyden Frame

Liam Walden

Drew Casey

Dominic LeClercq

Alexandr Martin

Carter Malone

Grant Stewart

Brycen Swank

Christian Lee

Miles Pier

Luke Bratager

Toren Kristoffersen

AGE GROUP COORDINATOR Michael Walters

U9 Girls


Montpellier   (Will play 8v8 v U10 Teams)

Baylor Goldthwaite
Kendall Crawford

Riley Page

Jessica Finnessy

Leah Canterbury

Bailey Burgess

Skyler Carden

Makenzie Lipscomb

Sydney Reifschneider


Shea Robinson

Lyon  (7v7 Champions League)
Ella Rudolph

Isabella Perez

Kiara Finnessy

Hannah Riley

Noa Hyson

Dylan Martin

Anna Dabruzzo

Tessa Justice

Elanor Kuhn

Phoebe Goldthwaite

Marseille (7v7 Champions League)

Emery Manning

Hannah Francis

Laura Lupton-Smith

Trinity Marrisett

Mackenzie Geigle

Reilly Weitkamp

Iliana Pardo

Sara Hupp

Alison Staples

Christina Welch

Katelin Rucker

PSG  (7v7 Champions League)

Nina Wilson

Stella Smith

Ella Bjorklund

Alyssa Collupy

Megan Lassiter

Mary Francess Mabry

Cameron Wood

Sarah Haddix

Ava Miller

Cameron Roberson

AGE GROUP COORDINATOR- Tim Evans

U10 Boys

Manchester City  (Will play 8v8 @U11)

Sebastian Burke
Zack Peterman

Wes Mason

Ian Holdaway

Cole Frame

Blake Maclauchlin

Alex Burnside

Max Ontjes

Ryder Jeske

Logan Swank

Matt Hill

Manchester United (Will play 8v8 @ U11)

Lucas Pleasants
Tyler Shearin

Jason Smith

Jackson Burkhart

Christian Welch

Evan Donaldson

David Ortiz

Zach Hassell

Trace Alphin

Scotty Gates

Evan Retzlaf

Jaxon Carpenter

Chelsea (8v8 Champions League)

Oliver Weaver
Ryan Findlen

Alex Walczyk

Matt Provencher

Dean Swift

Grayden Martin

Chris Martin

Owen Malone

Logan Starr

David Dixon

Logan Coyne


Arsenal  (8v8 Champions League)


Scott Martin

Michael Ramsey

Heiden Kristofferson

Jackson Quinn

Connor McClanahan

Augustine Lund

Robert Hinkle

Garret Olson

Houston Kuropas

Tyler Cozzie

Newcastle (8v8 Champions League)

Cole Lucas

Nick Fairnak

Parker Hopkins

Hayden Romick

Michael Worley

Will Edmondson

Liam Daughtery

Barrett Lozaw

Jacob Crutchfield

Forest Siar

Anthony Castillo

AGE GROUP COORDINATOR- Steve Castro

U10 Girls

AC Milan  (Will play 8v8 @u11)

Ani Khacadourian
Zoe Ziade

Mia Crabtree

Isabella Lusardi

Emily Agar

Graycie Elliott

Braelynn Francher

Ashleigh Ziegler

Alexis Duran

Emily Gray

Allison Brown

Kaleah Black

Inter Milan (8v8 Champions League)

Nicole Micchia

Haleigh Arostegui

Lauren Wilson

Lindsay Diehl

Lauren Harris

Brianna Holt

Kyra Koons

Kathryn Stiles

Izabell Ference

Ainsley Bulmer

Sarika Ahlawat

Serena Spitz

Juventus (8v8 Champions League)

Grace Parrish

Avery Glenn

Ellie Payne

Tory Schafer

Stephanie Stewart

Ella Karmanos

Kara Musteikis

Hannah Kaplan

Makaela Stokes

Annika Jenson

Kendall Inge

Brieena Sroka

Lazio (8v8 Champions League)


Brooklyn Holt

Eileen Sweeney

Avery Andrews

Jillian Sullivan

Natalia Karadis

Emma Norton

Amelia Lester

Emma Holt

Sarah Arnold

Claire Stewart

Nora Mc Nabb

Abigail Burns


HAVE A GREAT MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!

YTS UPDATE 2012-2103

Parents,

Teams will be posted tomorrow.  Thank you very much for your patience as we work to finalize a couple of things.  Enjoy watching the highlight video below.  The music is a bit loud so turn down your sound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Yfc_SBiqio&feature=related

Thanks again.

Happy Thursday

Parents,

It is crazy to think our current YTS Players have played their last game of the 2011/2012 season.  By now I a surer you tired of my blog post's.  Good news for the rising U11's no more blog posts if you unsubscribe.  For the rising 10's and returning 9's- not sure what to say!  I have once again enjoyed working with the players and coaches and look forward to tracking the progress of the players that will be moving on from YTS.

Some final reminders:

1.  Please take a moment if you have not already done so to thank your team manager.  They have all done a wonderful job of keeping each of you informed.  I am certainly thankful they each stepped up to take on the role as a team manager.  

2.  Each player should have received a player evaluation.  If you have not received your son/daughter's eval please let me know asap.  Also if you have questions about your son/daughter's eval then please contact your team coach to get your questions answered.  Just so you are all aware every player in the program needs to continue to improve in all areas of the game.  Use the evaluation as an indicator as to where your child currently stands not where they will end up.  With some extra effort and time with the ball improvements can be made!

3.  Each year we try to make changes to our program to improve the environment for the players involved.  We will once again look to tweak things moving into the 2012-2013 season.  

4.  I am attaching the link below which is the Top 10 goals from this year's Champions League Tournament.
http://www.socceramerica.com/article/46707/top-10-champions-league-goals.html

Some really good goals- Enjoy!

5.  We will have a training session tomorrow at 4.30pm for the U10's.  The 9's can take the night off.  The kids will just play the whole time.  The session will be on the stadium field.   If you son/daughter has U11 tryouts next week a couple of friendly reminders:

Make sure your son/daughter hydrates well before each session (lots of water) - really important as it is usually very hot.
Make good decision on food intake - a milkshake and a hot dog probably aren't a good idea on the way to the fields
They bring an inflated ball to each session and lots to drink- it is better to have too much water than not enough
Allow plenty of time to check-in- less stress the better- there will be several age groups trying out at the same time next week early is good
Encourage them to work as hard as they can, enjoy playing/competing, and react positively to any mistakes they might make
Wish them good luck and that's about all you do!
Don't critique there every move at tryouts when you get them in the car- be positive!
Regardless of which team your son/daughter is selected for recognize it is U11 and that every player has a long, long way to go

Again good luck to all of those players trying out at U11!

Should you have any issues/concerns please don't hesitate to contact me at paulf@caslemail.com

Have a great weekend.

Happy Wednesday

Some Reminders below:


Training Update
This week is the last week of regular YTS training.  I can't believe the training cycle has come to an end and we are preparing for next year already.
Last Week of Regular YTS Training: April 30th  - Teams will train as normal this week.

Week of May 7th- Current YTS U9's will not have any training this week. U10's will participate in the Festival on Friday May 11th at WRAL.

Week of May 14th - Current YTS U9 and U10 teams will only train on Friday May 18th. U9's are welcome to attend training if they would like as they will have attended two tryout sessions during the week.

Game Update

There will be no games played this coming Sunday.  Enjoy the day off!   Please make sure you check the NCCL website for any games and read all comunications from your team manager.  If you are not sure please reach out to find the answer to your questions.

Evaluations

Coaches have been asked to distribute evaluations by Friday May 11th at the latest.  If you have questions once you receive your daughter's eval please contact Team coach first, AGC second and then myself.     The recommendations we make for the 2012-2013 year are to help you.  It is your choice as to which level you enroll your son/daughter to tryout.  I ask that the coaches are honest and constructive with the evaluations in order to provide some feedback as to how your son/daughter is doing.

As always if you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me at paulf@caslemail.com

Happy Monday

Guys,

I hope you all had an enjoyable weekend.  The weather was certainly perfect.  Below is another interesting article for you to read when you get a moment.  At the very least reading it will make you think...

http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/more-family-fun/201202/what-makes-nightmare-sports-parent

Any questions please don't hesitate to contact me.

Thanks very much and enjoy the article.

Interesting Article...

YTS Parents,

I know it has been a while since I posted an educational type article.  One of our coaches kindly passed this on to me and I think it is worth reading.  Enjoy.

Saturday, April 21, 2012


Proud parents of great players offer insight

By Mike Woitalla

"The worst thing for a kid is to be on the field and hear his father screaming from the sidelines, and the kid has to look over and see that."
That’s from Pablo Forlan, the father of 2010 World Cup Golden Ball (MVP) winner Diego Forlan, one of 55 soccer superstars featured in Bruno Pisano’s book, “My Son The Soccer Player: The Secrets of the World’s Greatest Players as Told by Their Parents.”

Pisano tracked down the parents of great players from around the world for insight on the early years of Messi, Donovan, Drogba and many more. If the parents weren’t available, he interviewed the players. (And despite the “sons” title, included are Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain and Julie Foudy.)

“I never felt any pressure from my father -- only his company,” says Enzo Francescoli, the predecessor as Uruguay’s greatest player to Forlan, whose father added, “With Diego, I’d motivate him, but I very much believed in not talking unless he talked to me. If he wanted to know about his mistakes I’d tell him, and I’d also tell him about his best moves.”

Mia Hamm’s father, Bill Hamm, speaks of the time she, between 10 and 11, quit the game for a while:

“She got tired of playing soccer for some reason. Therefore she took a break for one of the seasons. She sat back for about six months. I used to continue coaching the team without her. In the next season, she returned with new enthusiasm. She had recharged her batteries and wanted to play soccer again.”

Landon Donovan’s mom Donna Kenney-Cash reveals there were times when he thought of quitting: “Sometimes, he used to think that it is not the game it used to be, that what started out as fun has become something stressful.” It happened when he was away from home at a young age. “But he never stayed negative for long. … Those were just small moments, and he always went back to his love of soccer and went on to fulfill his dreams.”

Albert Drogba urged his son, Didier, to focus less on soccer and strive to become a doctor or lawyer. Diego Maradona Sr. threatened to take his son’s ball away if he didn’t study more. Young Diego responded by spending more time with his teachers.

“But instead of learning, he began to play soccer with his teachers,” recalls Diego Sr. “The issue is that one of his teachers was his accomplice – they’d play soccer together and the teacher would forge good report cards for him.”

Other players besides Lionel Messi coped with being outsized. Francisco Richo, the father of high-scoring Swedish striker Henrik Larsson, lamented that his boy suffered from a poor physique as he “never drank milk or ate fish.”

“When [Henrik] was 12 or 13, because he was very small and skinny, the other players made fun of him,” Richo says. “His coach saw his quality and told him not to worry because he had the skills to make it, even though at the time he had to play with younger children because of his size.”

Larsson grew to 5-foot-10, but Andres Iniesta, scorer of the 2010 World Cup-winning goal for Spain, peaked at 5-7.

Jose Antonio Iniesta recalls his son’s early challenges: “At that time I was thinking that he will grow with time -- his body will grow. But at that age, teams look for players who are bigger. Most of them focused on height. Fortunately Andres was gifted both with technical ability and a great intellect. However, as I said, coaches at the time were skeptical.”

The book also includes detailed biographical features. Its interviews all end with queries for parental advice.

Says Johan Cruyff, “I think my advice for a father or a mother is not to rush their child. … If your kid knows that you are standing behind him through every moment, through thick and thin, then he will surely give his best.”

Nene Cubillas: “Give him the ball and let him enjoy it. Of course you can go to games and applaud him and encourage him, but try never to upset him or push him. Give him all the freedom in the world so that kids can be themselves and do the best they can.”

The Salvadoran playmaker, Mauricio Cienfuegos, settled in the USA after ending his career with the Los Angeles Galaxy as one of the top players in MLS history.

“For me, my son loves American football, so we support him in that because he enjoys it,” says Cienfuegos. “If your son likes soccer, art, another sport – support him in what he does. The most important thing is for your children to be happy and to do what they love.”
(For more on “My Son The Soccer Player: The Secrets of the World’s Greatest Players as Told by Their Parents” by Bruno Pisano, go to mysonthesoccerplayer.com/. The author donates $1 for every book sold to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.)

Post your response to the public Youth Soccer Insider blog.See what others are saying on the Youth Soccer Insider blog.

FEEDBACK: Send comments to letters@socceramerica.com. Please include your first and last name and hometown.

Happy Monday

YTS Parents,

Please remember the deadline to register early for YTS is fast approaching.  If you don't register before Thursday April 26th you will have to register as a walk-up on the first day.  The cost to register goes up to $40 vs $20 if you register early.

The link to register for the 2012-2013 season is:

http://www.caslnc.com/home/default.asp?menu_category=YTS&menuid=923&parholdid=1458

Should you have any questions with regards to tryout registration please do not hesitate to contact me at paulf@caslemail.com

Thanks

Happy Thursday

YTS Families,

Several things:

1.  Please check NC Champions League website or with your team manager to make sure there have been no changes to your game locations/kick-off times.  We have had to make a few changes.

2.  Please make sure you register for tryouts.  While some of you may be waiting for our recommendation as to what level you should tryout for it is always possible to move a player in our system if need be.  I would hope all current players in our program would want to continue playing within the CASL system.

3.  Our plan for training is as follows:

Last Week of Regular YTS Training:  April 30th  - Teams will train as normal this week.

Week of May 7th- Current YTS U9's will not have any training this week. U10's will either train on Friday May 11th or participate in the festival.  This will be the only session for the U10's this week.

Week of May 14th - Current YTS U9 and U10 teams will only train on Friday May 18th.   U9's are welcome to attend training if they would like as they will have attended two tryout sessions.

I will get something our next week about player evaluations.

As always if you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me.

Paulf@caslemail.com

Training Update Thursday April 5th

Training has been moved to the stadium field (durham bulls) at WRAL this evening 4.30-6.00pm.


If you get this please share with other families as I know some of our team managers may be out of town.


Thanks very much.

Happy Thursday

YTS Parents,

Several reminders below.  It is amazing to think that April is around the corner.

Some reminders:

1.  Our evaluation/tryouts dates have been released and are available on my previous blog post or on our website at www.caslnc.com .  Please make sure you get registered ahead of time to avoid the stress and the additional cost of registering very late.  I will send more information about the tryouts in the coming weeks.  Again just enjoy watching your child play in the mean time.

2.  Your son/daughter will receive another evaluation towards the end of the season.  We have not set the date yet for the evals but will do so shortly. The evaluation will also have a spot where our staff will make a recommendation as to which level your son/daughter should tryout for.   Please understand this is only a recommendation and it is your choice which level you choose to register your child to tryout for.   Also understand our recommendation does not guarantee placement on a team.

3.  Our plan for the WCPSS Spring Break (April 2nd-6th) is as follows:

Tuesday 3rd 4.30pm-6.00pm (all U9’s and U10s)
Thursday 5th 4.30pm-6.00pm (all U9’s and U10’s)

Both sessions will take place on Dunkin Donuts and GOP (These two fields are the grass fields at the rear of the complex) Dunkin Donuts and GOP are at WRAL.

While we understand many families will be away we will still hold the training sessions. Any players in town are encouraged to attend these sessions.

The players will do a technical warm-up and then play SSG’s (Small Sided Games).



As always should you have questions please don't hesitate to contact me.

Paul

Happy Friday

YTS Familes,

Below is the link for our YTS Evaluations (Tryouts)

http://www.caslnc.com/home/default.asp?menu_category=YTS&menuid=1458&parid=1458

Below is the link to for our Classic Tryouts

http://www.caslnc.com/home/default.asp?menu_category=Classic&menuid=1456&parid=1456

Below is the link for for our Challenge Tryouts

http://www.caslnc.com/home/default.asp?menu_category=Challenge&menuid=1460&parid=1460

This will allow you to start plugging in some important dates for with reagrds to the tryout/evaluation process that our players will go through towards the end of the spring season.  I will send more information in he coming weeks about what to expect.  The link to register is not activated yet so you will not be able to register.  You should be able to register in the next week or so.  For the time being let's focus on enjoying the remainder of our YTS Spring season.   I can't believe we are already half way through March!

Again let's not worry too much about what is ahead and instead enojoy the present! 

Happy Monday

YTS Parents,

Below are several reminders. 

Inclement Weather

Typically the start of the spring season is accompanied with poor weather.   Always check your email and the weather hotline before you leave for training or a game.  Please also understand that our team managers pass on any information they receive as fast as they can.  With that said they don't all sit waiting for emails from me to fwd on.  While they are in place to help it is the responsibility of each family to check.  Again I recommend pairing up with another family so any changes made you are aware of. 

Training Sessions

Per my previous post we do all we can not to cancel training sessions.  While I realize this may create a change in carpool plans we have no desire to create any more work for anyone- just want to try and make it work so the kids can train.   Sometimes a change in location is all we can do to make sure a training session happens!

Please make sure your son/daughter brings an inflated ball to each and every session and dresses appropriately. 

Games

Obviously a lot of games were canceled yesterday we will look to try and reschedule but I cannot guarantee that every game will be made up.   Please make sure you let your team manager know if your son/daughter will not be present for a game.  It is essential our coaches know how many players they have available for the Sunday games.  We can always use players from other YTS teams to make sure we have an appropriate number of players for each game.

For our U10 teams playing 8v8 we will use both fellow U10 players and some U9 players to play in the games based on team needs for each weekend.

Again always check emails/weather hotlines before you leave for your games.

Lines of Communication

If you have issues concerns please contact your age group coordinator.  Remember managers are in place to help coordinate and communicate with regards to team information or program information.  Soccer related issues should be a addressed with the AGC's.

U9 Girls - Andy Truex andyt@caslemail.com
U9 Boys- Caleb Norkus  calebn@caslemail.com

U10 Girls-  Paul Forster paulf@caslemail.com
U10 Boys- Tim Evans tetlevans68@gmail.com and Paul Forster

If your AGC is unable to help please feel free to contact Paul Forster at paulf@caslemail.com


Let's hope for some good weather!

As always thanks for reading.

Happy Thursday

YTS Families,

If I remember correctly one of my previous posts talked about the great weather we were having.    While today is beautiful last week was a complete wash-out.   Unfortunately we have no control over the weather.  The same applies to Cedar Fork closing.   As a club we don't like to cancel training.  When cancellations are made we do our best to communicate via our team managers/coaches.  Unfortunately when I post on the blog there is a delay in families receiving my post.  So currently email messages are the main way for us to communicate with you all with any changes/updates.

CASL also has a weather hot line that is updated as soon as decisions are made.  The number for the hot line is 919-248-9516.


We encourage you to check your email before you leave for training/games in case changes are made.   Time is valuable and we do all we can to make sure we don't waste any of your time!  While this may sound crazy it would make sense to have someone on the team (not the team team manager) call/text you with any changes.  The buddy system can save time.  I do apologize if you had a wasted trip last week and hope that now we are into the swing of things we will all check emails etc before driving out to training/games.

While we may not agree on everything all of of the time I hope we can agree to work together in helping one another stay in the loop... with regards to gossip please keep that to yourself...

One of our very own parents shared the article below.  As a parent myself I found it very interesting.  The timing is appropriate as we go into our first weekend of games.

http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/more-family-fun/201202/what-makes-nightmare-sports-parent

As I always state... should you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to contact me.

Paul

Happy Wednesday

YTS Parents,

Please remember starting next week- February 20th 2012 we will be moving back out to Cedar Fork for the following training sessions:

Wednesday U9's  4.30-6.00pm

Thursday     U10's 4.30-6.00pm

We will be on Fields 7 and 8.

While I know we all have busy schedules and starting at 4.30pm is very difficult for many of you please do all you can to get your son/daughter to training on time.    It has a huge impact on training when players are consistently drifting in late.   As always we appreciate your support.

Enjoy the warm weather.

Happy Friday

YTS Families,

It has been a while since my last post so I apologize.    Several bits of information on this post so please read it closely. 


So far the weather has cooperated with our outdoor sessions.   Hopefully this will continue. 

General Training Info

Our training sessions are focused on developing individual players rather than teams.  Please remember this as this is the primary focus of our program.   If we develop a pool of technically proficient players at a young age our older teams at CASL will continue to be strong.   I feel it is important for me to continually remind parents about this.    Winning games at U9 and U10 are certainly not our priority.  Developing players that can win in the future certainly is.  The players must develop a winning/competitive mentality hence the reason to train and play hard regardless of what team a player is on or what the score is.   Developing this trait will benefit all of our players in the future regardless of where the game takes them.

The game schedule is available on line at www.ncchampionsleague.com

Teams will be finalized next week.  There will be very few changes to the current team assignments.   Instead we will look to manipulate the training environment where we feel the need.  

All U10 teams will play 8v8 games this coming spring and U9 teams will continue to play 6v6.   Players may be invited to play additional games on Sundays with different YTS teams.  AGC's will help with this process.

General Info

1.  If you have a question or concern please don't hesitate to contact me.  I would rather give you my answer than you find one out for yourself.  I don't claim to know everything but will be candid always!

2.  If you know your son/daughter will be missing a game please let your team manager know asap.  This is very important as we like to make sure we have enough players for each team for the games.

3.  Make sure your son/daughter is ready to train.  They need to bring an inflated ball to every training session.   Please make sure they are dressed appropriately.

4  Enjoy the watching the attached video link.   Scoring goals is the hardest thing to do in soccer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4y_FDPmcJY0&feature=related

Thanks for reading!

Happy Monday

YTS Parents,

It looks like the timing of our move outdoors is going to be perfect.  Hopefully the warm temperatures will stay with us.. keep your fingers crossed.  Our upcoming schedule looks like this:

Training

U9's Wed at 4.30 on Pet Mania (WRAL) and Fri at 4.30pm on Durham Bulls (stadium field)

U10's Tues at 4.30 on Durham Bulls and Thurs at 4.30pm on Eurosport (WRAL)

We will be on the schedule above for the next three weeks.  After that we plan on returning to Cedar Fork on Wed (U9's) and Thurs (U10's).

Games

First weekend of games is scheduled for March 4th.  I hope to have a schedule some time next week. 

We are excited to get started outside again with the kids and look forward to a good spring!

Thanks very much.

Happy Thursday

YTS Familes,

I found this highlight video and thought it would be good to share.. Enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a_mrcRgHWI

As you all should know we start our indoor sessions again next week- the week of January 9th.  

We will start our regular outdoor training schedule the week of January 30th.   For at least the first three weeks of February all of our training sessions will be at WRAL.  The schedule minus a couple of field assignments is below.

Tuesday 4.30pm- Stadium
Wednsday 4.30pm- Field TBA
Thursday 4.30pm- Field TBA
Friday 4.30pm- Stadium

I realize this will be an inconvience for some families.   We hope to be back out at Cedar Fork in late February.  I will of course do my best to keep you all updated.

Should you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.

We look forward to an exciting 2012!!!

Happy New Year

YTS Families,

I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday.  We wish you all the very best for 2012 and hope that the year is a kind one to us all.   Below are a few reminders:

1.  If you have not already done so please go ahead and register for the spring season.  More information can be found on spring registration on my December post.  Again if you do not plan on returning please let me know asap.  Once we get everyone registered we will look to finalize our teams for the spring season.

2.  Our January schedule is posted on the blog on the calender.  We have three more weeks of indoor training.  With the current temperatures it will feel great to be indoors.   Please remember all players are expected to wear the correct training attire- white CASL training shirt, black shorts and black socks.

3.   We are scheduled to move outside the week of Jan 30th.  I will forward more information on this in the coming weeks once I have all the final details.

4.  If you have not received your son/daughter's player evaluation please contact your AGC directly.  If this fails to solve the problem please contact me.  

As always should you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

My email address is paulf@caslemail.com

Again all the very best for 2012!