Making the Jump into UVA Athletics: Amber Fry

Amber Fry, First Year, Northfield Illinois

 Read: Making the Jump into UVA Athletics on Virginia Women's Soccer Blog.

9th Annual, DC SCORES Cup 11

Saturday June 11, 2011
Maryland SoccerPlex

Win lunch with Alexi Lalas!

Who can forget one of the stars of the U.S. 1994 World Cup team? Or the 1995 United States Soccer Athlete of the Year? Or the first modern-era U.S. player to play in the Italian Serie A?

Well, whoever wins the SCORES Cup won't just go home with our Stanley Cup of trophies. They will also get to hang out with the former U.S. bad boy and current ESPN soccer analyst this summer. Don't miss out on this chance!

The ninth annual DC SCORES Cup will be held Saturday, June 11 at the Maryland SoccerPlex. All proceeds from the tournament will benefit DC SCORES' 800 poet-athletes.

The SCORES Cup places teams from the greater DC area -- including corporations, law firms, small businesses and others -- in a World Cup-style, round-robin format. The games are 7v7, co-ed and for adults 21-and-up.

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Sign up your Team
Download a Registration Form

Virginia Tech defender named to 2010 All-ACC Academic Men's Soccer Team

BLACKSBURG, Va. – Senior defender Koen Oost was one of 30 student-athletes named to the 2010 All-ACC Academic Soccer Team, announced by the conference office Friday. To be eligible for consideration for the All-ACC Academic team, a student-athlete must have earned a 3.0 grade point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.0 cumulative average during his academic career.

Hunter Jumper Named To All-ACC Academic Men’s Soccer Team

CHARLOTTESVILLE – For the third-consecutive season, Virginia junior midfielder Hunter Jumper (Plano, Texas) has been named to the All-ACC Academic Men’s Soccer Team.

In 2010, Jumper started 19 games for UVa and scored one goal – the game-winner against Wake Forest in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals. A psychology major, Jumper was named to the 2010 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA)/ESPN Men’s Soccer Academic All-District second team.

Three Hokie Women's Soccer players named to ACC All-Academic team

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Three members of the Virginia Tech women’s soccer team were named to the ACC All-Academic women's soccer team, which was announced by conference commissioner John Swofford on Thursday morning. Senior Jennifer Harvey, junior Brittany Michels and freshman Dayle Colpitts were all honored by the conference for their performance in the classroom and on the field this year. Maryland's Caitlin McDowell was named the conference's Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Four Cavaliers Named to All-ACC Academic Women’s Soccer Team

CHARLOTTESVILLE – Four members of the Virginia women’s soccer team were named to the 2010 All-ACC Academic Women’s Soccer Team, announced Thursday by the conference. Senior midfielder Colleen Flanagan (Downingtown, Pa.), junior defender Maggie Kistner (St. Louis, Mo.), senior forward Meghan Lenczyk (McLean, Va.) and sophomore defender Morgan Stith (Montclair, N.J.) were honored for their work in the classroom and on the field.

Flanagan, a sociology major, started all 22 games this season and recorded one goal and two assists. Kistner, a psychology major, started 19 games and scored one goal from her central defender position. Lenczyk, a psychology major, started all 22 games this season and had 12 goals and six assists. Her 30 points ranked second on the team as she earned second-team All-ACC honors. Stith started 20 games and led all Virginia field players with 1,769 minutes played.

It was the second consecutive year that Flanagan, Lenczyk and Stith were named to the team, while Kistner was honored for the first time.

To be eligible for consideration, a student-athlete must have earned a 3.00 grade point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.00 cumulative average during her academic career.

Chesterfield United Partners with I9 Sports

Chesterfield United are pleased to announce a partnership with I9 Sports of Richmond, Virginia. Chesterfield United has teamed up with I9 Sports to help provide guidance, support, and opportunity to the I9 Sport soccer program. 

I9 Sports is the first and fastest growing franchise of youth sports leagues, camps, and programs in the United States. With over 100,000 participants since 2003 and 100 franchise locations in 25 states, i9 Sports offers the most popular team sports for kids with a focus on fun, safety, and good sportsmanship.

In 2008, Entrepreneur Magazine ranked i9 Sports #256 in their illustrious Franchise 500® issue and the 15th Top New Franchise in America; while the Franchise Business Review named i9 Sports the #1 Mid-size Franchise for 2008 and the #1 Sport, Recreation, & Fitness franchise two years in a row!

In regard to the new partnership with Chesterfield United, Owner of I9 Sports Jeff Kraft commented, “As someone who participated in recreational and travel soccer in the area many years ago, I realize that many kids from our program will want and need more advanced training and competition to take their game to the next level. I want to guide my families to an organization that embraces the values and philosophy of i9 Sports and at the same time is professional and organized, like we are. I am very excited about partnering with a top-notch soccer organization that will benefit all the families in Chesterfield County.”

 “We are very excited to be working with I9." commented Pat McStay, Chesterfield United's Director of Soccer Operations.  "They are very innovative in the way they run their leagues and we are excited to be the exclusive soccer partner of I9.  We wish Jeff Kraft and I9 continued success and we are here to help them in any way possible”

About i9 Sports: i9 Sports helps children succeed in life through sports and offers flag football, soccer, basketball and cheerleading for children in Preschool through 12th Grade (ages 4-18). The i9 Sports Experience focuses on providing families the most well-organized, safe and convenient youth sports programs available.

About Chesterfield United Soccer Club: Chesterfield United FC is a 501-C3 non-profit organization based out of Richmond, Virginia in Chesterfield County. CUFC offers some of the top facilities in Central Virginia including the newly acquired United Training Center (Lowes Athletic Center), outdoor county fields @ Ironbridge Park, as well as partnerships to train indoor for technical development, speed and conditioning, as well as futsal during the winter months.

Chesterfield United FC is looking to build on its club model and offerings by adding senior teams and advanced team programming in the Winter and Summer months. These minor league caliber teams and US Club Soccer league initiatives would be at the top of the CUFC pyramid and will set the tone and provide positive mentorship for the three United FC core programs. The three CUFC core programs include a two season recreational league of around 700 players per season, a competitive travel club program of 500+ players as well as a developmental program that includes the United Tots classes (3-5 yrs), the United Development Program "UDP" (6-11 yrs), Puma S-Liga-a summer training program similar to Super Y for our travel players, along with our United FC Summer Camp Series for boys and girls of all ages. The 3 club priorities of; recreational leagues, travel teams and developmental programs offer a variety of playing levels, developmental options, cost packages, and opportunities for the players in the greater Richmond area.

W-League Piranhas sign NSCAA First Team All-American, Samantha Hare

Virginia Beach, Virginia - The W-League Piranhas are pleased to announce the team's first signing for the 2011 season, Lee University senior midfielder, Samantha Hare. She joins the Piranhas subject to USL and USSF approval.

"I couldn't be any more thrilled with the recognition of Sammy (Hare) as an All-American," said Lee head coach Matt Yelton. "She was the most consistent performer on our team all year long and in clutch situations was often the driving force our team needed to spur us on to victory."   Another trait of Hare's that coach Yelton mentioned is that "she hates to lose."

Additional honors include being named NSCAA All-Region, First Team All Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC), All-SSAC Tournament Team, All SSAC East Tournament Team and National NAIA Tournament MVP, all in her senior year.  She was named Second Team All SSAC and NAIA All-American Honorable Mention as a sophomore and Second Team All SSAC as a freshman. Hare red-shirted her junior year due to a knee injury.

"I am very excited to have Samantha join us for the upcoming season," said Piranhas head coach Wendy Waddell.  "She is definitely an impact player and will be a great addition to our team. Her proven consistency and 'hate to lose' attitude will provide a great spark to the W-League Piranhas this season."

For more information on the 2011 Virginia Beach Piranhas, including tickets, sponsorships, internships or to volunteer, please call 757-572-1592 or visit http://www.hrpiranhas.com/.

Virginia Women's Soccer rated top recruitment class

TopSoccer.com released its top signing classes and rated UVA Women's Soccer as the top class.

Virginia
In terms of sheer quality, there may not be a better class in the country than the Cavaliers' who boast: No. 30 Lia Bellizzi (Albertson SC), No. 4 Olivia Brannon (Michigan Jaguars FC), No. 1 No. 1 Morgan Brian (Ponte Vedra), No. 16 Danielle Colaprico (PDA), Campbell Millar (Bethesda SC) and No. 58 Kaili Torres (Ponte Vedra). Look out.

Read more: Top programs and new commitments roll in

UVA Coach Mike Behonick added to 247GK Staff

From Mike Ammann's www.247gk.com

“We are pleased to announce a new staff member to 247GK, Mike Behonick.  Johno and I have known Mike for a long time and respect his knowledge and passion for the game.  We are extremely excited to add a quality person to our group that shares our thoughts and vision.”    -Mike

Mike is the current Assistant Coach with the University of Virginia Men’s program.

Behonick has been a member of the Puerto Rico National Team since 2008 and has also played professionally for Crystal Palace Baltimore (USL 2, 2007), the New York Red Bulls (Major League Soccer, 2006), Charleston Battery (USL 1, 2003-05), Harrisburg City Islanders (USL 2, 2004) and DC United (MLS SuperDraft Pick).

He was a goalkeeper at American from 1999-2002, posting 16 shutouts and earning second team All-Patriot League honors as a junior. Behonick was the Eagles’ captain in 2001 and 2002, and in those years American made NCAA Tournament appearances. Behonick’s 2001 AU squad was the Patriot League Champions.

He earned his bachelor of arts in business administration from American in 2003.

2011 Kickers Camp Schedule Announced

Kicks Off With MYSL Future 2011 Spring Break Camp

Richmond, VA – (Tuesday, February 22, 2011) – The Richmond Kickers are pleased to announce the 2011 camp schedule. With convenient locations throughout Richmond, the Kickers extensive camp program offers the perfect spring/summer activity for soccer players of all ages and abilities.

“Our camps provide players throughout Richmond great opportunities to be taught by some of the best coaches and professional soccer players in the area,” comments Andy McIntosh, Richmond Kickers Director of Soccer Camps. “The 2011 camp schedule will offer a variety of camps at multiple locations across Richmond giving parents and players the flexibility to find a camp that is perfect for them. This combination of quality programming at convenient locations with inspirational professional instruction is why the Richmond Kickers Camps truly are the best camps in town.”

This year’s camp schedule opens with the MYSL Future 2011 Spring Break Camp at the beautiful, natural grass complex, Hensley Park, April 18-22. The convenient pay-as-you-go format makes it even easier to take advantage of this great opportunity.

Back in 2011 is the Street Soccer Camp, August 1-5, at Ukrop Park, which introduces innovative coaching techniques to develop exciting skills for the modern game leading to increased ball mastery and creativity. Players will develop an improved technical proficiency and confidence on the ball and enjoy the passionate yet relaxed street soccer learning environment.

The Kickers are pleased to partner with Shooters Indoor Sportsplex, conveniently located at Route 288 and Hull Street, to add two new Footskills Camps July 11-15 and August 8-12. A technically focused week of footskills, fast footwork, first touch and futsal, the Footskills Camps are designed to help players become more comfortable with the ball. Players will be in constant contact with the soccer ball in a fun and challenging environment where they are encouraged to play with creativity and freedom.

With indoor and outdoor locations in Midlothian, Chesterfield, West End, Ashland and City of Richmond, registration is now live for all of the Kickers popular camps including, First Kicks, Recreational, Academy, Finishing & Goalkeeping.

Offering unbeatable value, the Richmond Kickers camp staff is comprised of professional players and nationally licensed coaches who serve as role models to the youth community. Camp participants will be grouped by age and ability, receiving age-appropriate instruction. For a complete camp schedule or to register online, visit RichmondKickers.com. For a free consultation about which camp is the right camp for your child, please contact Andy McIntosh, Director of Soccer Camps at 804-644-5425 x 309 or amcintosh@richmondkickers.com for more information.

2011 Camp Schedule

Don’t delay! Register now!

 

 

 

Meet JMU Women's Soccer Player Kate Courter

This is one of a series introducing the JMU women's soccer freshman class of 2010. The features will appear every Tuesday on jmusports.com. 

--INTRODUCING JMU WOMEN'S SOCCER PLAYER KATE COURTER--

Former Courtand High School standout Kerri Butler to sign with Atlanta Beat

Date published: 2/22/2011

BY TOM LEISS of Fredericksburg.com

Former Courtand High School standout Kerri Butler is expected to sign a contract with the Atlanta Beat of Women's Professional Soccer this week.

Butler, 21, is a senior at West Virginia University. She will have to leave school to play for Atlanta. She plans to return in the fall to complete her final semester and graduate with a degree in exercise physiology.

Butler gathered with teammates and her parents in January to follow the WPS draft online but was not one of the 24 players selected.

-- Complete story by Tom Leiss of Fredericksburg.com HERE --

U.S. Women in Portugal to Train for March 2 Algarve Cup Opener

U.S. Women's National Team

2011 Algarve Cup

The Algarve, Portugal

Feb. 21, 2011

U.S. WNT ARRIVES EARLY IN PORTUGAL FOR 11 DAYS OF TRAINING BEFORE ALGARVE CUP: The U.S. Women’s National Team has arrived on the southern coast of Portugal to prepare for its second international tournament of 2011. This is the USA’s 16th trip to the Algarve Cup, which has developed into one of the premier tournaments in the world. The 2011 edition of the event features 12 teams and four of FIFA’s top-10 ranked countries. It’s also an ideal environment for U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage to continue her roster evaluation and team preparation for the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The USA will play four matches, the first three in a group format, with a placement game coming on March 9. The U.S. team arrived on the early morning of Feb. 19 and will have 11 days of training before opening the competition against Japan on March 2 at Municipal Stadium in Vila Real de San Antonio, which is just a Hope Solo goal kick from the Spanish border. The tournament was held a week earlier last year and the USA arrived five days before its first match. All of the USA’s Group A games kick off at 3 p.m. local time (10 a.m. ET) and fans can follow the action as it happens on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker and on Twitter @ussoccer_wnt.

FIRST MEETING WITH JAPAN SINCE 2008 OLYMPICS: The USA faced Japan twice at the 2008 Olympics in China, first in group play and again the semifinal, but the two countries have not met since. The USA and Japan will open play on March 2 in what should be an entertaining game with both countries looking to get a leg up on Group A. A loss during the Algarve Cup is difficult to rebound from, as a team needs to win its group to qualify for the championship game. The Algarve Cup is the fourth event of the year for the USA, which had a training camp in Los Angeles in mid-January, the Four Nations Tournament in China in late January and a training camp in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., in early February. Seven of the eight teams in Groups A and B are the same as last year with Japan replacing Germany. The Germans are finishing up their club season early to prepare for the Women’s World Cup and did not want to pull their players out of crucial end-of-the-season club matches to attend the tournament.

  

18th Annual Algarve Cup

The Algarve, Portugal

Group A

USA, Japan, Norway, Finland

Group B

Sweden, China, Iceland, Denmark

Group C

Portugal, Chile, Wales, Romania

U.S. WNT 2011 Algarve Cup Schedule

Date / Opponent  / Kickoff (Local/ET) / Venue

March 2 Japan 3 p.m. / 10 a.m. Estádio Municipal; VR de SA

March 4 Norway 3 p.m. / 10 a.m. Estádio Municipal; VR de SA

March 7 Finland 3 p.m. / 10 a.m. Estádio Municipal; Quarteira

March 9 Placement Match TBD TBD


SIXTEEN YEARS IN PORTUGAL: The U.S. Women have gone 10-1-4 in openers of this annual tournament the past 15 times they have attended. The only opening game loss came in 2001 when the USA brought a very young team to the Algarve during WUSA pre-season camps. Last year, the USA won all four games of the tournament for only the fourth time in the 15 previous appearances. The USA won all four games, and of course the tournament title, in 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2010. The USA also won the tournament in 2000 (its first title), 2003 and 2004. The USA has twice lost in penalty kicks in the championship game, in 2006 to Germany and in 2009 to Sweden.

FINAL TOURNAMENT BEFORE GERMANY: The 2011 Algarve Cup will be the USA’s final tournament competition before starting play in the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany on June 28 against Korea DPR in Dresden. The USA will play a friendly against England on April 2 in London and several domestic matches in the spring to send the team off to the World Cup, giving the squad 11 full international matches this year before heading to Germany.

U.S. ROSTER BREAKDOWN: The USA comes to the 2011 Algarve Cup with a 24-player roster, but Pia Sundhage will name 20 to suit up for the tournament games. Sundhage has brought four goalkeepers, six defenders, nine midfielders and four forwards to the tournament. Goalkeeper Hope Solo, who is in the final stages of her comeback from major shoulder last September, will not play in this tournament and is targeting the USA’s trip to England for a return to game action. Of the USA’s 24 players, just four are over thirty in team captain Christie Rampone (35 years old), Shannon Boxx (33), Abby Wambach (31) and Lori Lindsey (30). Solo and Nicole Barnhart are 29. The youngest player on the squad is 21-year-old forward Alex Morgan. Fourteen of the players on the roster were at the tournament last year. Eight players – Ali Krieger, Alex Morgan, Kelley O’Hara, Becky Saurerbrunn, Ashlyn Harris, Whitney Engen and Alyssa Naeher – are at their first Algarve Cup. All 24 players on the roster are professionals with 23 playing in Women’s Professional Soccer (and Morgan entering her rookie year). Krieger is the lone American to play her club ball outside of the USA, plying her trade for FFC Frankfurt in Germany. The make-up of the roster gives several young players the chance to impress U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage in some highly competitive games as USA continues on its road to the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany.

ADD KRIEGER: Ali Krieger missed the first two days of camp as she was playing for Frankfurt on Sunday, Feb. 20, in a 6-0 victory against SG Essen-Schönebeck. She started at right back and played the first 74 minutes, and then joined the U.S. that evening in Portugal. Frankfurt is currently in a three-team battle for the Women’s Bundesliga title. Turbine Potsdam of Berlin (52 points from 20 matches) is in first, followed by Frankfurt (50 from 20 matches) and FCR Duisburg (47 from 20 matches). Each team has two matches remaining, one of which Krieger will miss before returning to Germany for the March 13 finale against Bayern Munich.

ALGARVE CUP QUICK HITS

The USA is 42-9-8 all-time in the Algarve Cup.

The USA has scored 124 goals while allowing 48 at the Algarve Cup.

The most goals the USA has scored in an Algarve Cup game is seven, achieved against Portugal in 2000.

The most goals the USA has scored in an Algarve Cup game not against Portugal is five, achieved against France in a 5-1 win in 2004 and against Denmark in a 5-0 win in 2006.

The USA has not lost a match in regulation time in the Algarve Cup since 2004, a 3-1 setback to Sweden.

The USA still made the championship game though and won its second Algarve Cup title 2-0 against China.

Eight players on the USA’s roster have scored at the Algarve Cup: Abby Wambach (15 goals), Carli Lloyd (6), Lindsay Tarpley (5), Lauren Cheney (4), Heather O’Reilly (4), Shannon Boxx (1), Tobin Heath (1) and Amy Rodriguez (1).

Wambach’s 15 goals are tops all-time at the Algarve Cup for a U.S. player and tied with Swedish legend Hanna Ljungberg as the top scorer in the 18-year history of the tournament.

Cheney had a breakout tournament last year at the Algarve cup, scoring in three of the four matches and four goals total, including the eventual winning goal against Germany in the championship game.

The USA had been shut out in just four of its 59 all-time Algarve Cup games (with two coming in 2001), but were shutout twice in 2006, with both games ending 0-0 in regulation against China and Germany. The tie against China in the 2006 Algarve opener broke a streak of 17 straight games in which the USA had scored at this tournament.

Currently, the USA has scored in 16 straight Algarve Cup games and a goal against Japan will tie its record.

Five teams have played in all 18 Algarve Cups so far: Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and host Portugal.

Christie Rampone is the most-capped player on the U.S. roster with 229, 80 more than the next closest player, Wambach. Rampone will not arrive in Portugal on Feb. 22 as she gets in some fitness training back in New Jersey after recovering from sickness.


ALL-TIME U.S. FINISHES AT THE ALGARVE CUP: The USA has had some tremendous success at the Algarve Cup (eight straight appearances in the championship game and seven titles overall), but the USA didn’t win its first until its sixth try in 2000 when a Brandi Chastain penalty kick defeated Norway in the title game, 1-0. It took the USA three years to win it again.

Year U.S. Finish Teams Champion Runner-up

• 1994 Second Six Norway USA
• 1995 Fourth Eight Sweden Denmark
• 1996 DNP Eight Sweden Norway
• 1997 DNP Eight Norway China
• 1998 Third Eight Norway Denmark 
• 1999 Second Eight China USA 
• 2000 First Eight USA Norway 
• 2001 Sixth Eight Sweden Denmark  
• 2002 Fifth Twelve China Norway 
• 2003 First Twelve USA China  
• 2004 First Twelve USA Norway
• 2005 First Twelve USA Germany 
• 2006 Second Twelve Germany USA 
• 2007 First Twelve USA Denmark 
• 2008 First Twelve USA Denmark
• 2009 Second Twelve Sweden USA
• 2010 First Twelve USA Germany

HISTORY OF EXCELLENCE: With the success of the U.S. team in this tournament, the Americans have also taken home several individual awards over the years, including five MVPs and five Top Scorer awards. In 1999, Tiffeny Milbrett was the Best Player and the Top Scorer with four goals. In 2002, Shannon MacMillan was the Top Scorer with seven goals, the most in one Algarve Cup tournament by a U.S. player.

In 2004, Abby Wambach was the Top Scorer with five goals and Shannon Boxx was voted Best Player. In 2005, Christie Welsh was Top Scorer with five goals. In 2006, Hope Solo was voted Best Goalkeeper and Boxx took home her second Algarve Cup MVP award. In 2007, Carli Lloyd did the double, taking the Top Scorer (four goals) and Best Player awards. In 2009, Solo was the first goalkeeper to win the tournament’s MVP award.

  

TOURNAMENT FORMAT: Since the expansion from eight to 12 teams nine years ago, the Algarve Cup format has been as follows. The teams in Group A and B will compete for the title as the group winners will play in the championship game on Wednesday, March 9. The two second-place group finishers in Groups A and B will play for third place while the third-place finishers will play for fifth. The Group C teams will be competing for a chance to play for spots 7-11 as the winner of Group C will play the best fourth place team from Groups A or B, the second place team in Group C will play the worst fourth place team from Groups A or B. The teams that finish third and four in Group C will play each other for 11th place.

Stat of Note

Abby Wambach’s next cap will be her 150th, making her the 14th U.S. WNT player to achieve that milestone.

- ussoccer.com -

D.C. United re-acquires Brazilian midfielder Fred

Washington, D.C. (February 18, 2011) - D.C. United announced today the club has re-acquired midfielder Fred from the New England Revolution in exchange for a 2013 SuperDraft 2nd round pick. The 31-year old midfielder returns to the city in which his MLS career began in 2007.


“We are excited that Fred will be back in a United jersey,” said D.C. United General Manager Dave Kasper. “He will make our already deep midfield that much deeper and give us a great attacking player who can create and score goals. Fred is very motivated to return to DC, and we look forward to his contributions.”



Fred spent the 2010 season as a member of the Philadelphia Union, after being involved in the trade that brought Troy Perkins to DC in January. While a member of the Union, Fred played in 25 games (24 starts), totaling 1,913 minutes on the field and contributing four goals and an assist.

Following the 2010 season, the New England Revolution selected Fred in Stage Two of the 2010 MLS Re-Entry Draft.

Prior to his time in Philadelphia, Fred spent three full seasons with the Black-and-Red (2007-2009). In 72 total games (60 starts), the midfielder collected 11 goals and 16 assists. His best season with the Black-and-Red came during his first year in the League when he notched seven goals and seven assists during the 2007 season. The Brazilian helped D.C. capture two trophies during his first stint with United - the 2007 Supporters’ Shield and the 2008 U.S. Open Cup.

Fred’s younger brother, 19-year old Junior Carreiro, also plays for United. The two Brazilians become the third set of brothers to play for United in its 16-year history, following the Cooks brothers - Micah (2000-01) and Judah (1998-01) - and the three Carroll brothers - Brian (2003-07), Jeff (2006-08 and Pat (2008).

Broadcasting and P.A. Request: When speaking of the organization, please refer to the team as either “D.C. United” or “United,” but not “the D.C. United” or “the United.” We appreciate your cooperation.

--- www.dcunited.com ---

 

When Is It Too Much?

by: Coree Reuter of Girls Play Soccer

I’ve started to push my girls a lot more at practice sessions this winter. We do fitness work every Wednesday, in addition to a 1v1 tournament, then we scrimmage. We’re very lucky that we get turf space twice a week, and I’ve been doing my best to take advantage of it.
However, last night I noticed a few things.

One, these girls complain a lot!

“Are we done yet?”

“We have to go again?”

“How many more sets?”

“Are we going to do something fun?”

The last question caught me a little off guard, but I had them finish their fitness work before we went to our weekly tournament. I like doing the 1v1 tournament because it gets their competitive fire going, and it’s great for teaching them how to drive forward to the goal. I keep the playing field long, but slightly narrow, and I don’t allow them to use the walls, even though they’re indoors.

Of course, they think the best part of the tournament is that the winner gets a strip of soccer=love tape for their back pack.

After the first round of the tournament, I noticed a small group of my players had pretty much checked out. They moved to a corner while the other girls finished their 1v1s, and began talking, playing with the turf, and generally not paying a lick of attention. Instead of yelling at them, I decided to ignore them.

We calculated points, set up the championship brackets, and just continued on with practice. Finally, I called the girls in for a quick chat. The despondent group noticed, and joined the huddle.

“How many of you notice your teammates sitting in the corner?”

Most of the hands when up.
“And how many of you were ticked off?”

They stayed up.

“Then why didn’t you say something?”

Silence.

I’ve been trying to teach the girls the value of being responsible for your own teammates. The idea of building each other up positively and pushing each other to be better.

I’m not sure they’re getting it.

I pulled aside one of the girls who I believe will eventually be a captain, and asked her if she was angry that some of her teammates had checked out. She said yes. When I asked her why she didn’t say anything, she said, “I didn’t want them to think I was being mean or a snot.”

I can understand that. Feelings are tender when you’re 11. But at the same time, they have to learn eventually that asking someone to step up isn’t necessarily personal. Maybe they’re too young? I’m not sure.

After a short lecture about working hard in practice, I sent them back out. I stressed the fact that they have two tournaments coming up at the end of March, and we needed to be fit. I stressed that no one comes to practice to have their time wasted, and that I believe we are all tired of losing games. Considering they all agreed with me on that point, I’m expecting a lot more out of them in the next couple weeks.
Towards the end of practice, I noticed one of my players was sulking. I called her over, and asked what was wrong.

“I don’t think I’m a good soccer play,” she said. I asked why.

“Because every time I do a move I get the ball taken away.”

I had to explain to her that I didn’t care that she lost the ball every time. That’s why we do these 1v1 tournaments — to improve our skills. I told her about the success of failure. About how Thomas Edison failed 1000 times before he invented the light bulb, and how Michael Jordan missed hundreds of shots in his lifetime. I told her that I didn’t care how many times she got the ball taken away — the important part is that she’s trying.

I don’t know if it got through to her, but I hope it did. She’s a good player, and has the potential to be a great player if she focuses a little and starts believing in herself.

After practice was over I made the girls go around and say one positive thing about each of their teammates. I think it helped. I told them that they had to prove themselves to each other in order to succeed, and that it didn’t matter what their parents had to say afterword. I told them as long as they know they did everything they could, and as long as their teammates know and I know, then the heck with the rest of them.
Again, I don’t know if they heard it. I don’t know if they’ll understand it for a while, but maybe I planted a seed.

I left that practice wondering if I’m pushing them too hard. They are only 11, after all, but then again, I think about the other teams in the area, and I realize that they need to be pushed. They’re not going to get better by sitting in the corner picking up handfuls of turf rubber, or picking daisies. There’s no reason any of these girls shouldn’t go on to play in high school or college if that’s what they want to do, but they have to make that decision on their own, first.

I can’t force them down that path, I can only provide directions and a map.

Tribe Men’s Soccer Announces 10-Player Recruiting Class for 2011 - William & Mary- Athletics at William & Mary

Tribe Men’s Soccer Announces 10-Player Recruiting Class for 2011 - William & Mary- Athletics at William & Mary

Tribe’s John Daly to Coach U-17 Team in Kuban Tournament in Russia

Courtesy TribeAthletics.com


Thu, February 17, 2011

Williamsburg, Va. - William and Mary Tribe head women's soccer coach John Daly will coach the Region One (East) U-17 team participating in the 2011 Kuban Spring Soccer Tournament. The tournament will take place in Sochi, Russia, which will also be the host city for the 2014 Olympics and the 2018 World Cup.

This will be the fourth time that Daly has coached a Region One team in international competition, as the long-time Tribe leader has also led squads in in tournaments in Holland, Italy, and Ireland. The 2011 tournament in Sochi will run from March 4-16. Other U-17 programs competing at the tournament include teams from DPR Korea, Japan, China, Turkey, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Slovakia, and Estonia.

During his 24 years at William and Mary, Daly has cemented himself as one of the finest coaches in the country, leading the Tribe to an NCAA-record 29th winning season in 2010. Amongst his peers, Daly by all measures ranks as one of the top 20 coaches in NCAA history. When the College defeated Delaware in double-overtime on Oct. 3, 2008, Daly became just the fourth women's soccer coach in NCAA Division I history to win 300 games all with the same school. All told, Daly is the ninth coach in Division I to accomplish the remarkable feat of 300 victories and the 19th across all divisions in the NCAA.

For his career, Daly has posted an incredible record of 330-137-39 (.691) over his 24 years, including a 114-28-12 (.779) in CAA play. All told, Daly has guided the College to 20 NCAA Tournament appearances.
 

W-League Regular Season Schedule Released; 3 local teams new to league

TAMPA, Fla. – United Soccer Leagues released the divisional alignment and schedule for the W-League today, with the action slated to kick off for the 158-game regular season on Saturday, May 14. A trio of new W-League teams for 2011 will make their debut on the 14th, with the Dayton Dutch Lions, LA Strikers and Victoria Highlanders kicking off their inaugural seasons.
Also new to the W-League in 2011 are the Fredericksburg Impact and Washington FC, while the Hampton Roads Piranhas have become the Virginia Beach Piranhas.

The W-League will feature 27 teams in three geographic conferences – Eastern Conference, Central Conference and Western Conference. The Eastern Conference features two six-team divisions – Atlantic and Northeast – while the Central Conference is composed of seven teams and the Western Conference features eight teams. W-League clubs will play 10- to 14-game schedules in 2011, with each team facing each opponent in its division or conference home and away.

The final weekend of the regular season is set for July 15-17, with 22 of the 27 teams in action as the race for postseason spots winds down. The full 2011 W-League postseason format will be announced at a later date.

The first and longest-standing women’s league in North America, the W-League is USL’s highest level of women’s soccer in the United States and Canada. In addition to featuring international and professional stars, elite amateur players have the opportunity to compete on amateur teams in the league while maintaining their collegiate eligibility. The league is recognized throughout the world for providing superior competition for female players, while offering affordable family entertainment for fans across North America.

2011 W-League Schedule

D.C. United, Richmond Kickers to participate in 98th edition of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup

CHICAGO (Feb. 17, 2011) – The 98th edition of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup will get underway on June 14 with 16 first-round games. Five rounds of play precede the Oct. 4 final that will decide the U.S. Soccer national club championship.
The more than 155 teams that entered the competition beginning in the initial stages will be narrowed to 40 teams for the tournament proper by the May 30 qualifying deadline. In 2011, 19 professional teams – including eight from Major League Soccer – and 21 amateur teams will make up the field.

The first and second rounds will be made up of exclusively lower division and amateur teams and will be played on June 14 and June 21, respectively, with eight teams advancing to play eight MLS teams on June 28 in the third round.

The quarterfinals will be played on July 12 and the semifinals will be played on Aug. 30. All 2011 U.S. Open Cup matches are scheduled to be played on Tuesdays.

The tournament has crowned a champion for 97 consecutive years beginning in 1914. Every winning team’s name is engraved on the base of the Dewar Challenge Trophy which dates to the first year of the tournament and currently resides at U.S. Soccer House in Chicago.

The two-time defending champion Seattle Sounders will enter the tournament in the third round and will be the first team since 1984 with a chance of winning three consecutive U.S. Open Cup titles. The New York Greek-Americans (1967-69) were the only other team to accomplish this feat.

Like recent editions, the U.S. Open Cup is a single-elimination tournament, with games tied after regulation extended by two 15-minute overtime halves. If a winner is not determined in overtime, advancement will be determined by kicks from the penalty spot.

The 2011 champion will earn a $100,000 cash prize, while the runner-up will collect $50,000. The top Division III and Amateur Division clubs will each receive a $10,000 prize. No Division II teams will participate in the 2011 U.S. Open Cup as the North American Soccer League did not obtain provisional sanctioning in time to be included.



2011 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Schedule

May 30: Qualifying Deadline

June 14: First Round (32 teams from USL PRO and Amateur Division)

June 21: Second Round (First round winners)

June 28: Third Round (Second round winners paired against eight MLS teams)

July 12: Quarterfinals

Aug. 30: Semifinals

Oct. 4: Final
Participating Teams

Major League Soccer (Division I – 8 teams): Six automatic qualifiers based on the 2010 regular season standings and two qualifiers from a play-in competition that features 10 teams.

Automatic Qualifiers (6 berths): Columbus Crew, FC Dallas, Los Angeles Galaxy, New York Red Bulls, Real Salt Lake, Seattle Sounders

Play-in Qualifiers (2 berths): Chicago Fire, Chivas USA, Colorado Rapids, D.C. United, Houston Dynamo, New England Revolution, Philadelphia Union, Portland Timbers, San Jose Earthquakes, Sporting Kansas City
United Soccer Leagues PRO (Division III – 11 teams): All U.S.-based clubs automatically qualify.
Automatic Qualifiers (11 berths): Charleston Battery, Charlotte Eagles, Dayton Dutch Lions, Harrisburg City Islanders, Los Angeles Blues, FC New York, Orlando City, Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Richmond Kickers, Rochester Rhinos, Wilmington Hammerheads


United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League (Amateur – 9 teams): The top U.S.-based clu b from each of nine PDL divisions will qualify based on the results of four pre-selected 2011 regular season games. Each of the 54 teams eligible will play two home and two away matches that will serve as qualifiers.

U.S. Adult Soccer Association (Amateur – 8 teams): The first and second place teams from each of the four U.S. Soccer regions will advance to the tournament. Approximately 50 teams entered qualifying at the local or state level.

National Premier Soccer League (Amateur – 4 teams): The process for determining NPSL qualifying teams will be announced in the coming weeks. The 36-team national amateur league is affiliated with the USASA. In previous years its teams participated via USASA regional qualifying.

- ussoccer.com -

D.C. United Officially acquire Charlie Davies

Washington, D.C. (February 16, 2011) - D.C. United announced today that the club has acquired forward Charlie Davies. The Black-and-Red have signed the striker to a loan deal from French side FC Sochaux for the 2011 season. The club used its position in the MLS allocation ranking to acquire the forward. United will hold a press conference in the Volkswagen Lounge at RFK Stadium today at 2:00 p.m. to introduce Davies alongside President and CEO Kevin Payne, General Manager Dave Kasper, and Head Coach Ben Olsen. The press conference will be streamed live on dcunited.com.


“We are really pleased to have concluded a deal that will bring Charlie to United,” said General Manager Dave Kasper. “Charlie spent 10 days with us in our first pre-season camp and underwent a full battery of physical and medical testing. He simply looks terrific. Coming in, we weren’t sure where he would be, but he’s great physically, has impressed with his mental approach and we’re excited to see him on the field with us this season.”

Davies comes to United from Ligue 1, where he burst onto the French scene with FC Sochaux in mid 2009. Davies scored twice in his debut for Sochaux, netting a brace in a 3-2 loss to Bordeaux on August 15. Davies went on to play in eight matches for the club before sustaining serious injuries in a car accident on October 13, 2009 while on U.S. National Team duty in Washington, DC. Davies ultimately recovered from his injuries and resumed training with Sochaux in April of 2010.

“Charlie Davies is going to be a great addition to this club,” said United Head Coach Ben Olsen. “He is a player that can make a difference, and we are looking forward to seeing him contribute to the Black-and-Red.”

Prior to joining Sochaux midway through 2009, Davies scored six goals in 11 matches across all competitions for Swedish side Hammarby IF. Signing for the Allsvenskan club in 2007, the New England native scored his first goal for Hammarby on June 24 against Klaksvik in the first round of the 2007 Intertoto Cup. Davies went on to play 20 league games that season for Hammarby, scoring a hat trick and his first three league goals in the last match of the season in a win over GAIS. Davies had his best season as a professional when he scored 14 goals for Hammarby in 2008, including three multiple-goal games. The forward started 25 of the 27 matches he played for the Swedish side during the 2008 campaign.

“I'm extremely excited about the opportunity to play for D.C. United and to put on that shirt,” said Davies. “I remember watching MLS as a kid and seeing D.C. United as the top team in the League. This is a dream to be able to play for such a prominent organization.”

“The club's fans don't need any introduction,” Davies continued. “Everyone knows how passionate they are and how much joy they bring to the game and I'm excited to play for them. This past week in Florida has shown me how great the atmosphere around the team is, and I know this is a place where I can be successful. This is a group of guys that is very close, and I'm excited to be a part of it. Ben is a coach that will push me and get the most out of me, and the ultimate goal is to help this team turn it around for this upcoming season and to put D.C. United on the map.”

At the international level Davies earned ascendancy quickly within Bob Bradley’s team prior to his accident. Davies played in 13 games for the U.S. Men’s National Team in 2009, scoring three goals. During the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa, he played in four of the five matches, including the final against Brazil. On August 12, 2009, Davies became only the fourth U.S. player to score at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City in the team’s World Cup qualifying loss to Mexico. He also appeared in two games during the United States’ run to the Gold Cup final, scoring against Grenada on July 6 in Seattle.

On October 15, 2008, Davies scored his first senior international goal in the United States’ 2-1 loss to Trinidad and Tobago during the CONCACAF qualifying rounds for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He earned his first international cap on June 2, 2007 in a friendly with China in San Jose, Calif. The forward went on to be part of the 2007 Copa America roster in Venezuela, where he was a teammate of D.C. United Head Coach Ben Olsen.
Collegiately, Davies played three seasons at Boston College. The New Hampshire native started 16 games in 2006 as a junior, scoring 15 goals to partner six assists. Davies led all ACC scorers in points per game, goals per game, and game-winning goals, as well as becoming the nation’s leader in points per game (2.25) and being second in goals per game (.94). He was named one of three finalists for the Hermann Trophy, earning NSCAA All-America First Team honors. Davies was named ACC Offensive Player of the Year and he was also selected as the nation’s premier forward by Soccer America. Davies finished his college career with 24 goals and 10 assists in 37 appearances.



Name: Charlie Davies

Position: Forward

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 160

Jersey: 9

Date of Birth: June 25, 1986

Age: 24

Place of Birth: Manchester, New Hampshire

Citizenship: United States

Last Club: FC Sochaux

Acquired: Signed from FC Sochaux to a loan deal on February 16, 2011.
 

Liberty Men's Soccer Announce 2011 Spring Schedule

The Liberty men's soccer team has announced its 2011 Spring schedule. The Flames will have five spring contests in preparation for the upcoming 2011 season. Highlighting the schedule is a match with Virginia on April 9.


Besides the Cavaliers, the Flames will face several opponents who are expected to challenge for their respective conference titles next fall. Liberty will host Big South opponent VMI at Osborne Stadium in its lone home contest of the spring on March 24 at 7 p.m.

"We are excited about our spring schedule," stated Liberty men's soccer head coach Jeff Alder. "This schedule will stretch our guys and allow us to play against some different styles of soccer.

"It is important for us to continue to build confidence and mental toughness as a group and individuals. Playing four road games under tough conditions will allow our group to grow and mature this spring."

The Flames posted their fourth consecutive season with 10 or more victories in 2010. Liberty compiled a 10-7-1 record and finished the year ranked 21st in the country in scoring offense with a 1.94 goals per game average.


Liberty Men's Soccer

2011 Spring Schedule



March 24

VMI

7 p.m.



March 29

at Richmond

4 p.m.



April 2

at UNC Greensboro

1 p.m.



April 9

at Virginia

4 p.m.



April 20

at N.C. State

7 p.m.

Virginia Beach Piranhas take on resort city's name

Virginia Beach, Virginia - The Hampton Roads Piranhas have been rechristened the Virginia Beach Piranhas, beginning in the May 2011 season.  Playing in the Virginia Beach Sportsplex, their new moniker affirms and promotes the teams' proud roots in the City.

"We are excited to have the Virginia Beach Piranhas here in our home town," said Ron Kuhlman, Vice President of Tourism Marketing and Sales for the Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau. "They are a great organization and we are looking forward to a very successful inaugural 'Virginia Beach' season this year."

"The Piranhas have had  a great longstanding relationship with Virginia Beach and are very happy to reflect our City in our team name," said Piranhas president Marcie Laumann. "Changing our name also tells our fans and the world exactly where the Piranhas play and where we call home!"

Both the W-League Piranhas and the PDL Piranhas will kick off their 2011 seasons in May at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex. Both teams' schedules will be released this week, subject to official release of the final schedules by United Soccer Leagues.

For more information on the City of Virginia Beach click here. For information on the Virginia Beach Piranhas, including tickets, volunteering or to become a team sponsor or intern, please call 757-572-1592 or visit www.hrpiranhas.com

VMI Women's Soccer Announce Spring Schedule

LEXINGTON, Va. - The VMI women's soccer program has announced its spring schedule, according to information released by the program Monday.

After a difficult 2010, the Keydets will open up their spring March 27 at VCU, taking on the Rams at 2 p.m. in Richmond. That match will be followed by a contest with Longwood on Thursday, March 31 in Farmville, a rematch of last year's contest, won by Longwood 4-0.

Those two full side matches will be joined by a pair of seven-a-side tournaments, which will take place April 9 and 16, respectively. The first of those tournaments will be held April 9 at Radford, while the following Saturday, the Keydets will travel to UNC Wilmington for competition. The spring schedule wraps up with the team's annual Spring Clinic. It will be the sixth annual clinic for area girls, and is currently scheduled for Saturday, April 30. More information on the clinic will be available later in the spring.

Washington Freedom/magicTalk SC to play at FAU?

According to a recent article on FAUOwlACCESS.com, Dan Borislow may finally have a location in Florida to play home games as magicTalk SC.

From FAU website:

FAU Soccer Stadium was completed as part of a 10-year development program to create five on-campus soccer fields in conjunction with the Greater Boca Raton Beach Tax District. FAU hosted the Atlantic Sun Conference women's soccer championship in 2000 and 2003 and the University has served as a practice site for several international teams, Team USA and the women's soccer professional combines. Recently, FAU faced the Colorado Rapids and Real Salt Lake during the MLS team's spring training at the FAU Soccer Complex.


There still where rumors of the team possibly playing two home games in the D.C. area but no venue has been 'officialy' announced.

As always with the magic man and his team, STAY TUNED...

University of Virginia: 9 Top Colleges for Soccer Fans - US News & World Report

University of Virginia: 9 Top Colleges for Soccer Fans - US News & World Report

University of Virginia fans at Klockner Stadium

2008 Rookie of the Year Re-Signs with Richmond after MLS Stint

RICHMOND, VA – (Monday, February 14, 2011) – The Richmond Kickers are pleased to announce that midfielder Stanley Nyazamba will return to Richmond for the 2011 season, pending USSF and Visa approval.

“It is our pleasure to welcome Stanley back to Richmond,” comments Leigh Cowlishaw, Richmond Kickers Head Coach and Director of Soccer. “He made an immediate impact in his brief time with us in 2008 and I know he is eager to make a similar impact second time around. Our fans loved Stanley's style, passion and enthusiasm for the game and there is no doubt Kickers fans will be excited about his return.”

Named 2008 USL-2 Rookie of the Year, Nyazamba quickly became one of the Kickers top scorers, tallying eight goals and two assists overall for 18 points. Picking up Team of the Week honors on two occasions, he concluded his rookie campaign third on the team in scoring, and finished in the top 10 in goals and points in the league. Following the Kickers 2008 campaign, Nyazamba became the 22nd Kicker to advance to Major League Soccer, signing a developmental contract with the Columbus Crew. Most recently, the native of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe spent the 2010 season with the NASL side FC Tampa Bay where he posted over 1,000 minutes in 25 appearances, adding two assists.
Drafted in the second round of the 2008 Major Indoor Soccer League College Draft by the now-defunct Detroit Ignition, Nyazamba joined the Kickers professional squad upon graduating from Lee University of the NAIA Conference. The three-time All-Conference First Team honoree earned a place on the 2007 All-American First Team and was named a NAIA All-American Scholar Athlete his senior season. During his tenure at Lee, the Flames posted a record of 53-14-2 and made two NAIA National Tournament appearances. Adding 12 goals and 20 assists his senior year, the 6’1” midfielder finished with 28 goals and 44 points over three seasons, eclipsing the All-Time Assists Leader at Lee University with 60 assists overall.

Reserve your 2011 Season Passes and join the Richmond Kickers when they open the USL PRO campaign, hosting Orlando City on Saturday, April 2 at 5:00 p.m. at Richmond City Stadium. Taking the field for their 19th season, the Kickers will compete alongside American Division rivals Charlotte Eagles, Charleston Battery, Orlando City and Wilmington Hammerheads and will also face National and International opponents Dayton Dutch Lions, Harrisburg City Islanders, FC New York, Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Rochester Rhinos, Antigua Barracuda FC, Los Angeles Blues, Puerto Rico United and Sevilla FC Puerto Rico of the 24-game season. Visit RichmondKickers.com for schedules and ticket information.

#27 Stanley Nyazamba Midfielder 6’1” 172 lbs Hometown: Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

NASL Provisiona​lly Sanctioned as Division 2 Profession​al Outdoor Soccer League for 2011 Season

NASL Required to Fulfill Certain Requirements to Obtain Full Sanctioning Beyond 2011

CHICAGO (Feb. 12, 2011) – The U.S. Soccer Board of Directors provisionally sanctioned the North American Soccer League (NASL) to operate a Division 2 men’s outdoor professional soccer league in the United States. The sanctioning was approved this weekend at U.S. Soccer’s Annual General Meeting in Las Vegas. 

The provisional sanctioning allows the NASL to operate a Division 2 league during the 2011 season. The NASL will need to meet certain requirements defined by the Board of Directors to be granted full sanctioning beyond the 2011 season.

“Division 2 soccer is an important element in the success and popularity of the sport in the United States and we are pleased the NASL will play professional games in their markets this season,” said U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati. “The Federation’s continued interest is in sustainability and stability at the Division 2 level of professional soccer.”

Chesterfield United FC Announce Dick's Sporting Goods as sponsor

Chesterfield United is proud to announce that Dick's Sporting Goods has become one of the clubs newest sponsors. Dicks Sporting Goods has joined forces with Chesterfield United to help develop the clubs coaches and players at the recreation level by providing a variety of discounted soccer goods for both to enjoy.

"I have worked with Dick’s Sporting Goods in the past, and they have been very helpful in supplying our recreational coaches with necessity’s that will help them throughout their seasons both fall and spring” commented Pat McStay, Director of Soccer Operations. “We hope that our relationship will continue to grow as our club grows in the future."
 
Check out other Chesterfield United News & Updates:
 
Heather Pedersen to coach at the 1994 Girls National Training Camp in Pomona, California

Chesterfield United is proud to announce that Director of Girls Coaching Heather Pedersen will be heading to Pomona, California in February to join the 1994 Girls National Training Camp. As part of the ODP program Heather has been selected to coach some the country’s finest talent. Heather will be working with the region 1 1994 ODP program that includes players from all states across the east coast from Virginia to Maine including West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

"This is a great opportunity, and I know I will gain a lot from this experience. Not only will I be working with the best players from Region 1 and in the country, but also alongside some of the best coaches in the country" commented Heather. "I am really looking forward to it, and excited about the information I can bring back with me to further develop Chesterfield United players!
 
 

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United FC Announce First Ever Puma-S-Liga

Competitive summer soccer for all ages now available

2011 Puma-S-Liga

United FC announces the first ever Puma-S-Liga. This league will provide players an opportunity to continue high level training over the summer months in preparation for the Fall 2011 season. Teams will be provided with at least 10 training sessions, 3-5 games, and a uniform. All games will be played in Richmond, Fredericksburg, or Williamsburg; no traveling out of state. There will be U13/14 boys, U15-U18 boys, and U15-U18 girls teams. These teams will play in the US Club Regional tournament, held here is Richmond, VA June 25-28. As well as two friendly game in July, location and dates TBD. Teams will have a chance to compete for the US Club National title in Boise, ID July 29-August 1 if they win the Regional event!

Tryouts for U13/14 boys, U15-U18 boys, and U15-U18 girls will be at The United Training Center (behind Lowes) Friday March 25, 6:00-7:30, and Friday April 1, 6:00-7:30PM.

The Puma-S-Liga will also include a pre-Puma-S-Liga for U9-U12 boys and girls. This will consist of 10 training sessions, Puma-S-Liga training shirt, and intra-league games every session. There will be no tryouts for the U9-U12s; please sign up here.

U9-U12 Pre-Puma-S-Liga - $150Head Coach – Matt Lacey

10 training sessions, intra-league games every session, Puma-S-Liga training shirt; training will start the week of June 6, 2011. Click here to register

For more information - email mlacey@chesterfiledunited.com

U15-U18 Girls Puma-S-Liga - $350

Head Coach – Heather Pedersen -

10 training sessions, US Club Regional Tournament (June 25-28 Richmond, VA), two friendly matches against other Virginia club teams, and Puma-S-Liga training shirt; training will start the week of June 6, 2011.

For more information - email hpedersen@chesterfieldunited.com


U13/14 Boys Puma-S-Liga - $350

Head Coach – Joe Farrell

10 training sessions, US Club Regional Tournament (June 25-28 Richmond, VA), two friendly matches against other Virginia club teams, and Puma-S-Liga training shirt; training will start the week of June 6, 2011.

For more information - email jfarrell@chesterfiledunited.com


U15-U18 Boys Puma-S-Liga - $350

Head Coach – Jon Gates

10 training sessions, US Club Regional Tournament (June 25-28 Richmond, VA), two friendly matches against other Virginia club teams, and Puma-S-Liga training shirt; training will start the week of June 6, 2011.

For more information - email Jonathan_Gates@ccpsnet.net

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Fundraiser will support financial aid for players and local charity

Win an IPAD through Chesterfield United. That’s right, buy a raffle ticket for your chance to win an Apple 16gb IPAD with WIFI. The raffle will go to benefit two causes! The first is Chesterfield United’s Financial Assistance Program. This program is set up to help families in need of financial assistance to meet their membership fees with the club. The second is the Ronald McDonald House of Richmond.

We will donate 10% of all proceeds back to Ronald McDonald House of Richmond. We feel that it is important to us to not only find ways for kids to play soccer in our community regardless of their household’s financial situation, but also to give back to others in our community whenever possible. Jason Young, Executive Director at RMHC of Richmond, was extremely thankful that we thought of the Ronald McDonald House of Richmond as a place to give back.

Thank you and good luck!

Five Washington Freedom/magicTalk SC players selected to 2011 Algarve Cup roster

CHICAGO (Feb. 10, 2011) – Following a seven-day training camp in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Pia Sundhage has named a 24-player preliminary roster for the 2011 Algarve Cup in Portugal.
This year’s tournament is being staged from March 2-9 and the U.S. team will depart for Europe on Feb. 18. The venues and kickoff times have yet to be confirmed. Sundhage will name 20 players to the tournament roster prior to the start of the matches.

All the games will be played at small venues across the Algarve region on the southern coast of the country, and the placement matches will take place on March 9. Fans can follow the USA’s intense schedule of four games in eight days online via ussoccer.com's MatchTracker, on Twitter @ussoccer_wnt and watch highlights on ussoccer.com.

The U.S. team, which has been placed into Group A at the annual tournament, will open play on March 2 against first-time Algarve Cup participants Japan, will face Norway on March 4 and will finish the first round on March 7 against Finland. Group B features Sweden, China, Iceland and Denmark. Group C features host Portugal, another first-time Algarve Cup participant in Chile, Wales and Romania.

Since the expansion to 12 teams 10 years ago, the Algarve Cup format has been as follows: The teams in Group A and B will compete for the title as the group winners will play on Wednesday, March 9, in the championship game. The two second-place finishers in Groups A and B will play for third place while the third-place finishers will play for fifth. The Group C teams will be competing for a chance to play for spots 7-12 as the winner of Group C will play the best fourth place team from Groups A or B for seventh place. The second place team in Group C will play the worst fourth place team from Groups A or B for ninth place, and the third and fourth place finishers in Group C will play each other for 11th place.

This will be the 16th trip to the Algarve Cup for the U.S. Women, who have won the tournament seven times, including an unprecedented three straight championships from 2003-05 at what has become one of the world’s most competitive international women’s events. Last year, the USA defeated Germany 3-2 in the championship game on a sloppy field at Stadium Algarve in Faro.

Sundhage will bring a slightly larger roster to the tournament as U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo (who is attending her ninth Algarve Cup) is not yet cleared for game competition, but will come to train as she enters the final stages of her rehabilitation from major shoulder surgery. The larger roster will also give more players the chance to train in preparation for this summer’s 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Four of the eight teams over Groups A and B will be participating in the World Cup in Germany.

The USA scored nine goals at last year’s tournament, including one own goal, credited to Sif Atladottir of Iceland, and each of the U.S. goalscorers return this year. Carli Lloyd, Abby Wambach and Lauren Cheney, who all scored in the championship game, accounted for the eight goals with Cheney netting four and Wambach three.

After missing January’s Four Nations Tournament in China, Wambach returns to the roster looking to build on her career total of 117 goals. The U.S. roster is stocked with veteran players, led by U.S. captain Christie Rampone (who missed last year’s tournament while preparing for the birth of her second daughter), Shanon Boxx (the 2004 and 2006 Algarve Cup MVP), Wambach (15 career goals at the Algarve, best of any U.S. player), and 100-plus capped midfielders Lloyd, Lindsay Tarpley and Heather O’Reilly. Lloyd was the MVP of the 2007 Algarve Cup after scoring in all four games. O’Reilly will be playing in her team-leading ninth Algarve Cup.

Joining Wambach in a quartet of forwards is Amy Rodriguez, Lauren Cheney and Alex Morgan, the top pick in the 2011 WPS Draft by the Western New York Flash. Sundhage chose nine midfielders with Yael Averbuch, Tobin Heath, Megan Rapinoe, Lori Lindsey and Kelley O’Hara – all of whom contributed to the Four Nations title – rounding out the group.
Seven defenders were chosen. Heather Mitts will not make the trip due to injury, but outside back Ali Krieger, currently playing her club soccer in Germany for FFC Frankfurt, will join the U.S. team in Portugal. Veterans Rachel Buehler, Amy LePeilbet and Stephanie Cox will be joined by Becky Sauerbrunn (five caps) and the uncapped Whitney Engen on the back line.
Nicole Barnhart, who has started the past 11 games in goal for the USA, is joined by uncapped Ashlyn Harris and Alyssa Naeher as the USA will bring four ‘keepers to Portugal. This is the eighth Algarve Cup appearance for Boxx and seventh for Wambach.

U.S. Women’s National Team Roster by Position – Detailed Roster

GOALKEEPERS (4): Nicole Barnhart (out of contract), Ashlyn Harris (Western New York Flash), Alyssa Naeher (Boston Breakers), Hope Solo (out of contract)

DEFENDERS (7): Rachel Buehler (Boston Breakers), Stephanie Cox (Boston Breakers), Whitney Engen (Western New York Flash), Ali Krieger (FFC Frankfurt), Amy LePeilbet (Boston Breakers), Christie Rampone (Washington Freedom), Becky Sauerbrunn (Washington Freedom),

MIDFIELDERS (9): Yael Averbuch (Western New York Flash), Shannon Boxx (Washington Freedom), Tobin Heath (Sky Blue FC), Lori Lindsey (Philadelphia Independence), Carli Lloyd (Atlanta Beat), Kelley O’Hara (Boston Breakers), Heather O’Reilly (Sky Blue FC), Megan Rapinoe (Philadelphia Independence), Lindsay Tarpley (Washington Freedom)

FORWARDS (4): Lauren Cheney (Boston Breakers), Alex Morgan (Western New York Flash), Amy Rodriguez (Philadelphia Independence), Abby Wambach (Washington Freedom)



18th Annual Algarve Cup

The Algarve, Portugal

Group A

Japan, Finland, USA, Norway

Group B

Sweden, China, Iceland, Denmark

Group C

Portugal, Chile, Wales, Romania



March 2

Group Teams

A Norway vs. Finland

A USA vs. Japan

B Sweden vs. Iceland

B China vs. Denmark

C Portugal vs. Wales

C Romania vs. Chile



March 4

Group Teams

A Japan vs. Finland

A USA vs. Norway

B Iceland vs. China

B Denmark vs. Sweden

C Portugal vs. Chile

C Wales vs. Romania



March 7

Group Teams

A Norway vs. Japan

A USA vs. Finland

B China vs. Sweden

B Denmark vs. Iceland

C Chile vs. Wales

C Portugal vs. Romania



March 9

Placement Matches

11th-Place Match

9th-Place Match

7th-Place Match

5th-Place Match

3rd-Place Match

Championship

- ussoccer.com -