Nov 30, 2011

U.S. Paralympic National Soccer update by Nick Creasy

By: Nick Creasy

The team just began a camp this past Saturday (11/26) and are preparing for a Friendly vs Canada this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (12/1, 12/2, 12/3). The team is missing a few regular traveling 12 player due to academics coming to a close for this semester and moving for great job opportunities.

Since the U.S. Paralympic National Soccer team does have these variables to work with there are a few more new faces at this camp. This is a great opportunity for Coach Jay Hoffman and Assistant coach Michael Haas to see how our development players are excelling. What got the Paralympic Soccer team to this stage in their training for the 2012 Paralympics in London was their superb finish in the final Qualifying Match to get out of the group stage against Ireland, at the CPISRA Paralympic World Cup this past June 14th- July 1st.  The U.S. was ahead with a 1-0 lead at halftime and a 3-0 lead in the early stretch of the second half and really relied on our defensive structure. With a perfectly executed defensive strategy of Bryce Boarman and some game saving blocks by Keith Johnson, the U.S. won the match 3-2 vs Ireland. Josh McKinney put away the first two goals and Adam Ballou put away the third goal which made the difference in the end.

The U.S. Paralympic National Soccer team finished ranked 8th in the world!

Scores in the Friendly USA vs Canada will be updated daily starting Thursday evening ET at http://www.facebook.com/parasoccer. Future Matches have been Scheduled as well as Residencies. As far as future Friendlies, the U.S. Paralympic team will be bringing England to Chula Vista, California during the January camp for matches on January 30th and February 1st.

Starting in late January there will be a mini-residency in Virginia Beach, VA. with coach Hoffman and between four and six of the players from the past World Cup roster. This mini-residency will end the last week of April. On top of this residency there will be one week camps monthly at the Chula Vista Olympic Training Center from January until April leading up to the BP Paralympic Games in mid May.

Heinrichs selects two Virginia club players for U.S. U-18 WNT Final Camp of 2011

Alexandra Wong (McLean Power; Rockville, Md.) and Anna McClung (GSA Phoenix; Gate City, Va.) where selected by U.S. Women's National team technical director April Heinrichs to be part of the final U-18 wnt camp of 2011.

Wong and McClung will head to Florida for the camp that takes place December 11-18. Both Virginia club players are members of only 26 total roster players for the camp.

More U-18 WNT Camp Information: Click Here

Locals Calix, Mejia-Flores named to U.S. U-17 Men's National Team Roster for 2011 Nike International Friendlies

Vriginia players Jorge Calix (D.C. United; Alexandria, Va.) and Herber Mejia-Flores (McLean Youth Soccer; Manassas Park, Va.) are the latest Virginia players to be recognized by the U.S. National program.

Calix and Mejia-Flores have been named by U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team head coach Wilmer Cabrera to be part of the 20 man squad set to compete in the upcoming 2011 Nike International Friendlies in Florida starting November 30.

More Nike International Friendly info: Click Here


Three Virginia players to attend U.S. U-14 Boys National Team training camp

McLean player selected for U.S. Soccer Academy Showcase Select Game


Nov 29, 2011

Three Virginia players reach top 50 of Inspireum Soccer Awards

Three soccer players from Virginia have been named semifinalists of the Inspireum Soccer Awards. Tyler Hobbs (Chesapeake), Christian Metzler (Woodbridge), and Gaela Normile (Virginia Beach) are hoping to win the $25,000 in scholarships.

The list of 50 semifinalists will be narrowed down to 12 finalists on December 13th by the National Selection Committee that includes coaches April Heinrichs and Jurgen Klinsmann.

The Inspireum Soccer Awards celebrate outstanding young athletes, not because of their statistical performance, but because of their ability both on and off the soccer field to inspire teammates, classmates, families and communities. This year we will discover, amplify, and celebrate hundreds of soccer players nationwide who display great character, courage, contribution and commitment. Players are nominated by coaches, parents, teammates, and friends for this prestigious award.

For the full list of semifinalists click here: 50 Semifinalists Announced!

Pro Soccer action in Norfolk as SharX face Lancers

Norfolk, Virginia – The Norfolk SharX will face the Rochester Lancers at Norfolk Scope Arena Thursday night at 7 p.m.  This will be Norfolk’s third match in six days and fifth game of the young 2011-12 season and the first time these two teams have met.  The team faced Wichita on November 25 and Missouri on November 26, both on the road, losing to Wichita 16-11 and Missouri 19-9.
The Norfolk SharX will be welcoming representatives from the Salvation Army Thursday night who will speak briefly about their Red Kettle and Angel Tree programs in Hampton Roads. The Norfolk SharX will also be selling SharX car magnets, with the proceeds benefiting these worthy causes.


Any Seat is $8 Thursday Night


For Thursday night’s match, any seat is $8 using the code THRASH8 at NorfolkSharX.com. This discount code is good up until game time. 


Rochester Lancers at Norfolk SharX
Thursday, December 1, 2011, 7 p.m., Norfolk Scope Arena


Norfolk SharX (0-4)


The new SharX squad has faced a tough learning curve this season, going winless in its first four games.  But ten different Norfolk players have scored points for the team including leading scorer Miguel Ferrer with three goals and three assists and ten points. Brady Bryant has added three 3-point goals and nine points followed by Matthew Delicate and Gerson Dos Santos with five points each, Matt Clare and Marcello Alves with four points each Cecil Lewis with two and Gary Brooks, Brian Hinkey and William Yomby has each added an assist.


But the team has been playing short-handed due to player visa issues.  Norfolk finally has most of their squad in uniform including the addition of two players from the USL Pro Richmond Kickers.  The SharX are proud to announce the signings of Yomby and Dos Santos, Yomby played his college soccer in Norfolk at Old Dominion University and Dos Santos played for Virginia Commonwealth. William also played for the Virginia Beach PDL Piranhas in 2007. Dos Santos and William made their SharX debuts during last weekend’s road trip with Dos Santos adding a goal and William an assist.


William, a 6-3, 186-pound defender from Faboussam, Cameroon, transferred to Old Dominion in 2005 and was selected to the CAA All-Rookie Team and during this college career earned All-CAA Second Team honors and was named to the CAA All-Tournament and All-State teams. He was drafted 23rd overall in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft by Kansas City but transferred to USL’s First Division Puerto Rico Islanders.  In 2009, he signed with the Richmond Kickers’ Second Division squad where he was named USL Second Division All-League First Team and was named Second Division Defender of the Year. He was a member of the 2009 Kickers’ squad that won the USL Second Division Championship. William has remained with Kickers for the 2010-2011 seasons and has signed for 2012. He has scored 67 goals since 2006.


Dos Santos, a 6-1, 175-pound defensive midfielder from Sao Paulo, Brazil, played for several youth clubs in Brazil including C.A. Juventus and Foz Cataratas E.C., before moving to the United States in 2005 to attend Virginia Commonwealth University. He made 45 appearances for VCU over three seasons, scoring 10 goals and 9 assists, earning All-CAA First Team honors in his sophomore season, and being named co-Player of the Year his senior year. He spent the 2007 season with the Richmond Kickers Future and turned pro in 2009 with the Richmond Kickers USL Second Division team.  He helped the Kickers to the 2009 USL Second Division championship.


Rochester Lancers (2-3)


Rochester is also a new MISL franchise for the 2011-12 season and lost their first two matches but then pulled out two consecutive wins.  The team is coming off a tough 26-9 loss to Baltimore in its last match on November 26 at home. The Lancers are led in scoring by Ljubomir Kocic with seven goals and one assist for 17 points followed by Mauricio Salles with six goals and two assists and 14 points.


The SharX hit the road again on Saturday for a rematch at Wichita and will have their next home game at Scope On December 10 against Missouri at 7 p.m.  Wichita is the only MISL team that will not be offering live video of their matches on MISLLive.com this season but Saturday’s game can be heard live online on radio at http://stream.hubris.net/kgso.m3u.


For more information about the Norfolk SharX, Norfolk’s newest professional sports team, including sponsorships, tickets, internships or to volunteer, please call 757-419-3317 or visit www.norfolksharx.com.

Nov 28, 2011

The Ultimate Cup tournament created by Kickers, Chesterfield United merger

A new youth soccer tournament created by the merger of the Chesterfield  United Icebreaker and the Kickers Invitational, The Ultimate Cup tournament  features a Girls and Boys weekend, scheduled to launch February 24-26, 2012 and  March 2-4, 2012.  Applications are available; click here for the Girls Weekend application, and here for the Boys Weekend application.

With divisions for all levels of play from Classic to  Elite, the Ultimate Cup will host games Friday through Sunday and features  top-class facilities with access to some of the nation’s best natural grass  playing surfaces as well as numerous synthetic turf fields. In each division,  teams will compete for the prestigious Ultimate Cup, with finalists also being  honored with a mini replica trophy.

The joint venture between  Chesterfield United and Richmond Kickers will provide an extensive economic  boost to the region, with 100% participation from Chesterfield County clubs,  teams and players.  Additionally, players will have the opportunity to be  scouted by collegiate coaches from throughout the east coast

Each  tournament weekend will also include Professional Exhibition Games featuring the  nationally renowned Richmond Kickers professional soccer team.  Please visit our website, www.ulitimatecuprichmond.com, for more information.

JMU men's soccer falls to UCONN

The last hope for a soccer title in 2011 for a Virginia based college was shut out Sunday after JMU was blanked by Connecticut 3-0 i NCAA Championship action.

Complete NCAA game recap here

Virginia women's season ends with loss to FSU in NCAA Tournament

The great season that University of Virginia women's soccer had came to an end with a 3-0 loss to Florida State in 2011 NCAA Championship play Friday.

Read game recap here.

FOX SOCCER TO BROADCAST NIKE INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLIES

CHICAGO (Nov. 22, 2011) - FOX Soccer will broadcast all three U.S. Under-17 Men's National Team matches during the 2011 Nike International Friendlies in conjunction with the Development Academy Winter Showcase in  December. The U.S. will take on Brazil, France and Turkey during the competition, which will be held at the Premier Sports Campus in Sarasota, Fla.
  
The U.S. U-17 MNT will play each of its games at 5 p.m. ET, facing off against France on Nov. 30, Turkey on Dec. 2 and Brazil on Dec. 4. For a complete list of games and standings,  click here.   

This will mark the ninth Nike International Friendlies since 2003, when it was previously known as the Nike National Team Friendlies. The U.S. has participated all nine years, while Brazil will compete in the series for the seventh time. This will be the second consecutive Nike International        Friendlies competition for Turkey, which was crowned champion last year in the first time the event was played as a tournament.   
       
The competition will be played during the 2011 Winter Showcase, where all 78 Development Academy clubs will play 234 non-conference games from Dec. 2-6.   
       
Since its launch in the fall of 2007, the Academy has provided an increased focus on training and player development by providing a clear connection  between the U.S. national teams and more than 4,000 young players across the country. Top youth coaches and players have direct access to U.S. Soccer  staff on a regular basis through the structured programming overseen by U.S. Soccer Youth Technical Director Claudio Reyna.   

Nov 22, 2011

NSCAA Coaching Courses to be held in Centreville

Southwestern Youth Association / FC Virginia will be hosting two upcoming NSCAA coaching courses December 16-18 in Centreville,VA.

 

 

 

Junior Level VI Diploma - December 16-18

Course Details

Formerly known as the Advanced Regional Diploma, the Junior Level VI Diploma is a 21-hour course that shares a portion of its curriculum with the Junior Level V Diploma.  The Junior Level VI Diploma adds an eight-hour segment to the 13-hour Junior Level V Diploma curriculum, devoted to technical and tactical uses of small-sided games, the study of systems of play and a practice teaching component. Participants are given an opportunity to conduct a training session on an assigned topic and are assessed by the course instructor. All candidates must be at least 16 years of age at the time of application. If a candidate is under 18 years of age, an adult must accompany him or her for the duration of the course.

Register for Junior Level VI Diploma Course

Goalkeeping Level III - December 16-18

Course Details

The overall objective of the National Goalkeeping Diploma is to explore the tactical components of goalkeeping and the specifics of training and developing goalkeepers.  The emphasis of this eighteen-hour course is on the tactical role of the goalkeeper within the team framework.  All candidates wishing to take the Goalkeeping Level III Diploma must hold the Goalkeeping Level I and II Diplomas or equivalent (NSCAA/USSF Level I and Level II Diplomas). 

Register for GK Level III

United leaves 11 players unprotected for MLS Expansion Draft

Major League Soccer released the official list of players left unprotected for the 2011 Expansion Draft. D.C. United left 11 players unprotected including veterans Steve Cronin and Santino Quaranta.

According to the press release from MLS - each current MLS club has had the opportunity to protect 11 players from their 2011 roster. Generation adidas players (who did not graduate at the end of the 2011 season) and Homegrown players are automatically protected and do not count against a team’s 11 protected roster spots. Designated Players do not have to be protected unless the player has a no trade clause in his contract.  MLS Clubs may lose no more than one player from their 2011 roster during the Expansion Draft.


D.C. United - unprotected players list

Barklage, Brandon
Boskovic, Branko
Brettschneider, Blake
Burch, Marc
Cronin, Steve 
Da Luz, Austin
King, Stephen
McTavish, Devon
Morsink, Kurt
Ngwenya, Joseph
Quaranta, Santino
Zayner, Jed

Harkes out, Twellman in at ESPN

Monday ESPN announced former U.S. national team member and D.C. United player John Harkes has been replaced in the analyst booth by Taylor Twellman.

The network said Monday "we informed John Harkes that ESPN will not renew his contract." ESPN also said it "is leaving the door open to John working with the company in the future on other soccer properties."

You can follow Taylor Twellman on Twitter - @TaylorTwellman where he is very interactive with the soccer community on the social media site.

OFFICIAL ESPN STATEMENT

Nov 21, 2011

Futbolr Pre-Holiday Weekend Sale



Virginia Women, JMU Men NCAA Championship hopes still alive

- On the Men's side of this years NCAA Division I Championship Tournament JMU is the lone Virginia school left in the field of 16 after shuting out Wake Forest 2-0 in second round play. (Read More)

Up next for the No. 14 Dukes is a third round match against No. 3 Connecticut on November 27. (Details)



- On the Women's side of the tournament No.2 Virginia destroyed in-state rival Virginia Tech with a 4-0 shutout in round three action to advance to the final four of this years championship. Morgan Brian of Virginia continued her excellent freshman year for UVA with two goals against Tech. (UVA vs. Va Tech -Video Highlights)

Virginia will now face No. 1 Florida State University on Friday, November 25. The game will be hosted by FSU so UVA will have to play a supurb match to advance to the championship final. (Details)

Nov 18, 2011

Women's NCAA: No. 2 Virginia, Va. Tech in second round action Friday

The No. 2 women's team in the nation Virginia plays Washington State Friday at 2:00 p.m. in second round action of the 2011 NCAA Women's Soccer Championship.

Virginia Tech also plays Friday in a second round match against No. 3 Texas A&M.

Complete NCAA Bracket

ODU, JMU Advance to 2nd Round; Virginia falls in 2OT

What started as four teams from Virginia is now down to two after first round NCAA Championship action Thursday night.

- No. 21 Old Dominion won a thrilling opening round game of the 2011 NCAA Tournament on a chilly Thursday night at the ODU Soccer Complex as they defeated the Liberty Flames 5-4 in penalty kicks to advance. (Read More)

- No. 14 JMU had a first round bye and faces Wake Forest Sunday, November 20 in second round action.
(Game Details)

-  Men's powerhouse and multiple NCAA Champions Virginia fell to Delaware in double overtime. Sophomore John Dineen headed home a shot into the top left corner of the goal with 4:14 remaining in the second overtime period to give Delaware a dramatic 1-0 victory against Virginia on Thursday night at Klockner Stadium in the first round of the NCAA tournament. (Read More)


Nov 17, 2011

Richmond to host US Club Soccer - National Cup XI Southeast Regional

The Southeast Regional portion of the US Club Soccer National Cup XI will be taking place in Richmond, VA June 23-26, 2012.

The National Cup XI Regional is open to U-11 through U-18/19 and Adult teams as part of US Club Soccer's national championship competition.
For more details follow the link: US Club Soccer - National Cup XI Southeast Regional

Three Virginia players to attend U.S. U-14 Boys National Team training camp

Three U14 boys from Virginia clubs will be taking part in the upcoming U.S. Under-14 domestic training camp as part of the 2011 Thanksgiving Interregional from Nov. 23-28 in Chula Vista, Calif.

Andrew Romig (Richmond Kickers; Midlothian, Va.), Trey Vinson (PWSI Courage 97 Red; Manassas, Va.),  and Kevin Coleman (FC Richmond; Warrenton, Va.) have been named to the roster released Thursday by U.S. Soccer.

2011 Thanksgiving Interregional from Nov. 23-28

Nov 16, 2011

McLean player selected for U.S. Soccer Academy Showcase Select Game

Arie w/Brad Friedel at Spurs
McLean Youth Soccer player Arie Ammann has been selected to play in the U.S. Soccer 2011 Development Academy Winter Showcase and Nike International Friendlies . The Academy Winter Showcase is for the top players in the Academy Program and an opportunity for the national coaching staff to watch the players closer.

Ammann is the son of former MLS All-Star goalkeeper Mike Ammann. The elder Ammann is the president of the northern Virginia based Twenty-Four Seven Goalkeeper Academy.

The selection to the showcase for the second generation goalkeeper comes after previous trials stints with  English clubs Spurs and Brighton this past summer.



Klinsmann the right man for the Job?

Our friends at Futbolr.com have a great piece up worth sharring about the Jurgen Klinsmann experiment in U.S. Soccer.

Pat McStay writes why he believes Jurgen Klinsmann is exactly what this group of U.S. players needs now.

Futbolr.com: German Engineering

Nov 15, 2011

Real International FC claim 2011 CSL Championship

photo courtesy of Tom Leiss
Sunday brought an end to the Fall 2011 Commonwealth Soccer League season with the league’s semifinals and championship being held at Patriot Park in Spotsylvania, Va.

CSL is the Fredericksburg area’s only sanctioned adult soccer league.The day also included action involving teams from the Fredericksburg-based youth soccer club FSCI Phoenix as part of Commonwealth SoccerFest.The day opened with two CSL semifinals at 9 a.m. on fields 4 and 6.

On field 4, Real International FC rolled to a 7-0 win over Fusion FC with goals coming from Victor “Tim” Gardner (2), Nelson Canales (2), Aaron Chandler, Ernesto Rodolfo and Sam White. In the other semifinal on field 6, favored St. Corinthians had to rally for a win in penalty kicks to advance.

Marcellus Jernigan gave Rappahannock Sport a 1-0 lead in the first half, but Dominguez Valenzuela Alcides leveled the score two minutes into the second half. The teams played to a stalemate through the rest of regulation and overtime before St. Corinthians goalie Mike Kaliris stopped two penalty kicks in the shootout, helping his team secure the 3-2 win.

photo courtesy of Tom Leiss

In the CSL championship at 1 p.m., Real International FC jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first half after a free-kick goal by Ever Perla and held the advantage until the intermission. St. Corinthians came out strong after the break, tying the game on a goal from Jorge Molina and taking a 2-1 lead with a score from Juan Meza. However, with about 10 minutes left in regulation, Real was awarded a penalty kick.

Gardner took the shot and Kaliris made the initial save, but Gardner was able to tuck away the rebound to tie the match. Neither team was able to break the deadlock in overtime sending the game to PKs. Both teams converted their first two attempts, but Real goalie Steven Limox saved St. Corinthians’ third. Real converted their next two to hold a 4-3 advantage before St. Corinthians missed its final shot to give Real the championship.In other action on the day, the FSCI Phoenix club’s two U15 teams took part in an exhibition scrimmage between the CSL semifinals and championship.

The players showcased their talents in front of friends and family and the two CSL finalists as they awaited their championship showdown. Following the exciting CSL final, the Phoenix U17 boys took on Chesapeake United SC U17 Juventus in a VSLI Division 1 match. Phoenix jumped out to a 2-0 lead at the half only to see Chesapeake rally to tie the match in the second half. However, Phoenix recovered and scored in the last two minutes of the game to earn a 3-2 victory to close out the day.

Led by a solid defense, the U17 Phoenix finished their season in fourth place in their nine-team division with a 5-2-1 record, allowing the third-least goals in the division (nine).CSL and FSCI also hosted a canned-food drive and penny drive on the day to collect for the Thurman Brisben Center, a full service program addressing the causes and issues surrounding homelessness.

The canned food drive collected 153 cans of various food items, while 3,062 pennies were collected in the penny drive.For more information on each organization, you can visit the following links:

CSL: http://www.commonwealthsoccer.comfsci/
Phoenix: http://www.fredericksburgsoccer.orgthurman/
Brisben Center: http://www.brisbencenter.org/

Virginia colleges prepare for 2011 Men's National Championship

Four Virginia colleges men's programs have made it into the DI championship field announced Thursday by the NCAA. The teams will be trying to end the season as the 2011 NCAA Men's Champions.

James Madison University is the lone Virginia based team with a first round bye and will play the winner of the first round match between Wake Forest and South Carolina.

Joining JMU will be Virginia, Liberty, and Old Dominion University. ODU and Liberty face off right away in a first round match Thursday, November 17. Virginia will play Delaware on Thursday as well.

Click here for full bracket.

Richmond Kickers girls program ranked #2 in nation

Official Richmond Kickers release:


TAMPA, FL – (Tuesday, November 15, 2011) – United Soccer Leagues recently announced the Super Y-League First 11 and Second 11 rankings for the 2011 regular season, recognizing the Richmond Kickers Girls program as one of the league’s top clubs on a competitive and administrative basis. 

The Kickers Girls program ranked second on the First 11 list, claiming the honors for the third consecutive season. The Kickers Girls program earned an overall score of 90.45, with a record of 30 wins, one tie and three losses and superior administrative marks, finishing just 1.45 points behind the Girls leading club MPS Bulldogs/Renegades.  

The Richmond Kickers U12 Girls, coached by former Kickers professional player Mike Burke, led the South Atlantic Division with a 12-1-1 record and 37 points, tallying 57 goals over the season, while conceding just 13.  The U12 Girls will represent the Richmond Kickers at the 2011 Super Y-League North American Finals December 2-6 in Tampa, Florida.

About the Richmond Kickers

Today over 8,000 soccer players participate in programs sponsored by the Richmond Kickers and partner clubs, including Ashland Youth Soccer League, City of Richmond Parks and Recreation, Goochland United Soccer Association, TOPSoccer, Elementary Soccer and Little KICKS. The Richmond Kickers Soccer Club provides opportunities for all players of all abilities and unites soccer in the Central Virginia community.  Benefits include economy of scale, consistency of coaching philosophy, professional administrative and coaching staff expertise, positive role models for youth players and a clear pathway from youth to pro for aspiring young players.

Virginia to host second and third round of 2011 NCAA Tournament

The University of Virginia has been selected to host the second and third rounds of the 2011 NCAA Soccer Tournament. The official press release is below:

Virginia to Host NCAA Second/Third Rounds This Weekend

Cavaliers welcome Washington State, Texas A&M and Virginia Tech

CHARLOTTESVILLE – The Virginia women’s soccer team will host second and third round play of the 2011 NCAA Tournament this weekend at Klöckner Stadium. There will be a doubleheader Friday with a pair of second round games.  Texas A&M (16-5-2) and Virginia Tech (13-7-1) meet at 4 p.m. followed by Virginia (15-4-2) hosting Washington State (12-6-4) at 7 p.m.  The winners of the second round games will meet in the third round on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Klöckner Stadium.

This season marks the 14th time in the past 18 years the Cavaliers have hosted NCAA Tournament play at Klöckner Stadium. Overall, Virginia has a 17-10-3 record in home NCAA Tournament games.

Tickets for each day are $9 for reserved seats, $7 for adult general admission and $5 for youth, UVa students, and senior citizen general admission. Fans can order tickets for the tournament online at VirginiaSports.com and by phone through the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office at 800-542-UVA1 (8821) or 434-924-UVA1 (8821). Tickets are also available at the Klöckner Stadium gate beginning one hour prior to the start of play each day.

On Friday, cash parking will be available for $5 in the University Hall and John Paul Jones Arena lots, and free parking will be available in the Emmet/Ivy Parking Garage.

On Sunday, free parking will be available for both women’s soccer and women’s basketball fans in the University Hall parking lot and in Emmet/Ivy Parking Garage due to the women’s basketball game against Tennessee at 2 p.m.

The John Paul Jones Arena west lot is reserved for women’s basketball permit holders and therefore unavailable on Sunday for women’s soccer fans.

Video: Perry Kitchen from U23 MNT camp in Germany

D.C. United's outstanding rookie, Perry Kitchen took some time out of training with the U-23 MNT in Duisburg, Germany to answer a few questions from USSOCCER.com in their latest YouTube video interview from training camp.
 
 


Video: CAA Men's Soccer Championship Match - ODU vs. Delaware


Nov 10, 2011

2011 All-CAA Men’s Soccer Team Announced

Players from JMU, VCU, William and Mary, and Old Dominion where recognized for their great seasons at this years All-CAA Men's Soccer Awards Banquet hosted at James Madison University.

Yannick Smith and Gideon Asante (ODU), Nicolas Abrigo (William and Mary), Paul Wyatt (JMU), and Juan Monge Solano (VCU) where named First Team. For the complete list of players recognized see below following the video.

2011 All-CAA Men's Soccer Awards Banquet | Hosted by JMU





2011 All-CAA Men’s Soccer Team
(Selected by CAA Men’s Soccer Coaches)

First Team


Player, School                           Cl.    Pos.    Hometown/Previous School
Evans Frimpong, Delaware#        Sr.     F       Accra, Ghana/Accra
Roberto Gimenez, Delaware        So.   F       Calle Calatrava, Spain
Yannick Smith, Old Dominion      Jr.     F       Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough
Nicolas Abrigo, William & Mary     Sr.    MF     South Riding, Va./Flint Hill
Gideon Asante, Old Dominion#   So.   MF     Sunyani Ghana/Shattuck-St. Mary’s
Dante Marini, Northeastern         So.   MF     Chadds Ford, Pa./Salesianum School
Paul Wyatt, James Madison#      Jr.     MF     Modbury, England/Ivybridge
Shaun Foster, Hofstra*               So.   D      Southport, England/Stanley
Chris Locandro, Georgia State     So.   D      Kennesaw, Ga./The Walker School
Juan Monge Solano, VCU            Fr.    D      San Jose, Costa Rica
Brandon Miller, UNCW                 Sr.    GK    Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Country Day

Second Team

Player, School                           Cl.    Pos.    Hometown/Previous School
Tim Hopkinson, Old Dominion    So.    F        Nottingham, England/Rushcliffe School
Patrick Innes, James Madison    Sr.     F        Chester, Va./Thomas Dale
Jason Johnson, VCU%               So.    F        Saint Anne, Jamaica/Manchester
Stephen McGill, Georgia State     So.    MF     Atlanta, Ga./St. Pius X
Daniel Roberts, UNCW               Sr.     MF      Sugar Land, Texas/Clements
Leo Stolz, George Mason            Fr.    MF      Munich, Germany/Gymnasiun Pullach
Ken Tribbett, Drexel                  So.   MF      Centennial, Colo./Grandview
Will Smith, William & Mary         So.    D       Avon, Conn./Westminster School
Tommy Webb, Old Dominion      Sr.     D       Auckland, New Zealand/Westlake Boys
Eric Zuehsow, George Mason#     Sr.    D       Ashburn, Va./Broad Run
Victor Francoz, Old Dominion       Jr.    GK     Fleurieu Sur Saone, France

Third Team

Player, School                            Cl.    Pos.    Hometown/Previous School
Olakunle Banjo, Towson#            So.    F        Upper Marlboro, Md./Largo
Mike Kennedy, Northeastern#      Sr.     F        Lynnfield, Mass./Lynnfield
Taylor Morgan, George Mason      Jr.      F       Southampton, England/Tauntons College
Ryan Gracia, George Mason         Sr.    MF      Rockville, Md./Thomas Wootton
Chris Griebsch, Hofstra                So.   MF     Dessau-Rosslau, Germany/Jena
Jamal Keene, Georgia State         So.   MF     Atlanta, Ga./Hiram
Christian McLaughlin, JMU            Jr.     MF     Herndon, Va./Herndon
Ryan Burnham, Northeastern        Sr.     D      North Yarmouth, Maine/Greely
Jason Gannon, James Madison     Sr.     D      Vienna, Va./Flint Hill
Darren O’Connor, Delaware%        Sr.     D      Cork, Ireland/Cholaise Cholim
Pentti Pussinen, Drexel                So.   GK     Tampere, Finland/Kalvan Lukio


2011 CAA Player of the Year:  Evans Frimpong, Delaware
2011 CAA Defensive Player of the Year:  Shaun Foster, Hofstra
2011 CAA Rookie of the Year:  Roberto Gimenez, Delaware
2011 CAA Coach of the Year:  Tom Martin, James Madison

* - All-CAA First Team in 2010  # - All-CAA Second Team in 2010   % - All-CAA Third Team in 2010


2011 CAA Men’s Soccer All-Rookie Team

Player, School                                Cl.    Pos.    Hometown/High School
Jonathan Barden, James Madison    Fr.     MF      Harrow, England/Park
Yoan Fontaine, Delaware                So.    D        Ruelle Russienne, France/Lycee Arago
Roberto Gimenez, Delaware            So.    F        Calle Calatrava, Spain
Marcus Luster, William & Mary          Fr.    MF/D    Chesapeake, Va./Great Bridge
Ambry Moss, Northeastern              Fr.      D        Nassau, Bahamas/The Pendleton School
Prince Nartey, Delaware                  So.     D        Accra, Ghana/Presby Boy’s School
Juan Monge Solano, VCU                Fr.      D        San Jose, Costa Rica
Leo Stolz, George Mason                Fr.    MF        Munich, Germany/Gymnasiun Pullach
Michael Teiman, William & Mary       Fr.      D        Liverpool, England/Liverpool College
Verneri Valimaa, George Mason       Fr.    MF        Coral Springs, Fla./American Heritage Acad.

Virginia has three selected to All-ACC Men's Soccer Team

The All-ACC Men's Soccer Team and 2011 ACC All-Freshmen Men’s Soccer Team have been announced and the University of Virginia is well represented.

Junior forward Will Bates is the lone Virginia player named to the All-ACC First Team. The All-ACC Second Team includes Bates' teammates Brian Ownby and Brian Span.

Rounding out the Cavaliers to be recognized by the ACC is Freshman forward Ryan Zinkhan.

Up next for Virginia  (12-6-1) is a match against top-seeded North Carolina (15-2-2) in the semifinals of the ACC Men's Soccer Championship at 5:30 p.m. Friday at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. The game will be live on ESPN3.

Nov 9, 2011

Tribes Connors named to National Team of the Week

Courtesy TribeAthletics.com
Tue, November 08, 2011

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - After helping the William and Mary Tribe women's soccer team claim its 10th CAA conference championship this past weekend, sophomore defender Tara Connors was named to Top Drawer Soccer's National Team of the Week.  Connors is the third Tribe player to be named to a TDS National Team of the Week this season, joining Katherine Yount and Mallory Schaffer, who earned the accolade twice.

Check out TopDrawerSoccer.com for complete POTW list.

Virginia advance on Double Overtime goal, face UNC Friday

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Brian Span (So., Somers, N.Y.) scored the golden goal with 20 seconds remaining in double overtime to propel the fourth-seeded Virginia men's soccer team to a 4-3 victory over fifth-seeded Wake Forest Tuesday night in the quarterfinals of the 2011 ACC Tournament at Klöckner Stadium.

With the win the Cavaliers (12-6-1) advance to play top-seeded North Carolina at 5:30 p.m. Friday at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. Third-seeded Duke will face seventh-seeded Boston College in the second semifinal. Both games will be webcast on ESPN3. The championship game will be played at noon Sunday.




Read full story on VirginiaSports.com

William and Mary men face Georgia State in CAA Tournament

The women are not the only soccer team having success this season in Williambsburg, the William and Mary Tribe men's soccer team will look to defend its conference crown this weekend at the Virginia 529 CAA Men's Soccer Championship, hosted by James Madison.  The Tribe's journey to an eighth CAA title gets underway on Thursday, November 10 when the No. 3-seeded Green and Gold face the No. 6-seeded Georgia State Panthers.  Kickoff in Harrisonburg is scheduled for 5 p.m.

Tribe to Face Georgia State in CAA Tournament on Thursday - William & Mary- Athletics at William & Mary


Nov 8, 2011

Commonwealth SoccerFest closes out Fall 2011 season

The Commonwealth Soccer League Fall 2011 season will come to an end this Sunday, November 13th, at Patriot Park in Spotsylvania, Va., during the Commonwealth SoccerFest. CSL, the Fredericksburg area's only sanctioned adult soccer league, and the youth soccer club FSCI Phoenix will be working together for a day of soccer and fundraising to close out the Fall 2011 season.

The day will kick off with the CSL semifinals at 9 a.m. Upset-minded Fusion FC will take on Real International FC on Field #4, while Rappahannock Sport will face defending champion St. Corinthians on Field #6.

Fusion FC used three second half goals to top Group B-winner Mountain Top 3-1 in last Sunday's quarterfinals, while Real International FC cruised by Misfits 6-1. Both teams in the other semifinal needed penalty kicks in their quarterfinals after finishing regulation and overtime tied 2-2. Rappahannock Sport knocked off regular-season champions Manchester United 3-2, while St. Corinthians rallied to defeat CSL Wanderers 4-1.

At 11 a.m., FSCI Phoenix's two U15 boys teams will take to Field #6 for a special exhibition game, which will be followed by the CSL Championship at 1 p.m. on Field #6 between the two winners of the semifinals played in the morning. The day's action will conclude when FSCI Phoenix's U17 boys team takes on Chesapeake United SC U17 Juventus boys, also on Field #6.

Throughout the day, CSL and FSCI will also be working together on a Penny Drive and Canned Food Drive to benefit the Thurman Brisben Center, which is a homelessness prevention and rapid rehousing program based in the Fredericksburg area.

There is no admission to the day's events.

You can also join CSL at Cancun Mexican Margarita Bar & Grill after the CSL final as the league hands out it's Fall-season awards. All teams and their families and friends, and any soccer fan in general are welcome to attend.

For more information, go to http://www.commonwealthsoccer.org/.

Manassas native, JMU alumn C.J. Sapong named 2011 MLS Rookie of the Year

Major League Soccer announced the first of many 2011 season awards today by naming former James Madison University standout C.J. Sapong as the MLS Rookie of the Year for 2011.

Sapong beat out D.C. Uniteds' own Perry Kitchen to win this years award recognizing the leagues best first year player. With five goals and five assists Sapong led all MLS rookies in points. Sapong was the only player for Sporting KC to appear in 34 matches and is the first member of Sporting KC to win the ROY award.

Sporting KC's Sapong named Rookie of the Year | MLSsoccer.com


Nov 3, 2011

U.S. Soccer name Goodson, Onyewu and Hamid to roster vs. France

U.S. Soccer took to Twitter today and announced their roster for an upcoming international friendly against France in November.

Three players with local Virginia/D.C. ties where named to the roster by head coach Jurgen Klinsman - Clarence Goodson (VA), Oguchi Onyewu (Born in D.C.) and Bill Hamid (D.C. United academy product).

For the entire USMNT roster head over to USSoccer.com.

Virginia Freshman Morgan Brian Named ACC Freshman of the Year

Add another award the the list of accolades Morgan Brian's bio. The Virginia freshman and former Gatorade Player of the Year award winner has now been named ACC Freshman of the Year.






GREENSBORO, N.C. – Virginia women’s soccer first-year midfielder Morgan Brian (St. Simons Island, Ga.) was named ACC Freshman of the Year as conference officials announced the all-conference awards on Thursday. In addition, she was named first-team All-ACC, as was junior forward Caroline Miller (Rockville, Md.). Brian also was one of three Cavaliers named to the ACC All-Freshman Team. 

Brian becomes the third Cavalier to be named ACC Freshman of the Year, along with Becky Sauerbrunn in 2003 and Jess Rostedt in 2005. She is the fourth Virginia first-year to be named first-team All-ACC, joining Megan Boehm and Angela Hucles in 1996, and Sinead Farrelly in 2007. Brian ranks second on the team in scoring this season, with eight goals and six assists for 22 points. Five of her goals and four of her assists came in ACC play, as did all three of her game-winning goals. 

Miller earned All-ACC honors for the first time in her career. She is tied for the conference lead with 14 goals and 32 points. Her 14 goals rank fifth on Virginia’s single-season goal scoring list, and she set a school record with seven goals in conference play. Miller leads the team with four game-winning goals, including two overtime golden goals. 

Brian was joined on the ACC All-Freshman Team by defender Olivia Brannon (Troy, Mich.) and midfielder Danielle Colaprico (Freehold, N.J.). Brannon has started all 19 games of her rookie season, ranking second among UVa field players with 1,733 minutes. Offensively, she has added two goals and one assist. Colaprico has appeared in all 19 games, starting three. She has three goals and two assists on the season.

The second-seeded Cavaliers will play sixth-seeded Florida State in the ACC semifinals on Friday night in Cary, N.C. Game time at WakeMed Soccer Park is 7:30 p.m., and the game will be broadcast online by ESPN3.

Nov 2, 2011

Ethan White, Perry Kitchen named to U.S. U-23 Roster camp in Germany

Two members of D.C. United, Ethan White and Perry Kitchen, have been named to the roster for the U.S. Under-23 camp.

Men's National Team head coach Caleb Porter has named 31 players to the roster for the upcoming training camp in Duisburg, Germany, which also features several players who are age-eligible for the U.S. Under-20 Men's National Team. The camp will be held from Nov. 7-16 at the Sportschule Wedau, a German sporting school where the players will train and stay. More players may be added to the roster based on the results of the upcoming MLS playoff matches.

"The goal was to put together a comprehensive group of players to further evaluate the pool while building towards Olympic qualifying," said Porter. "By having a mix of domestic and overseas-based professionals, we can develop a clearer picture of who can help us in qualifying and hopefully the 2012 Olympic Games."

The U-23 camp is taking place at the same time the full Men's National Team will be gathered in France and Slovenia. U.S. MNT head coach Jurgen Klinsmann worked with Porter and the rest of the coaching staff in order to structure the program in a similar fashion to the full team, including the approach to style of play, training sessions, and fitness testing.

"It is very important that we are all on the same page in how we are working with the national teams and that we are all pulling in the same direction, since all roads lead to the senior team," said Klinsmann. "They will have full support from the National Team, and their camps will be run just like ours. In this initial camp they will gather as much information as possible. As this group gets together, it is important for all these players to understand that they have a very unique opportunity."

As part of the coordination between the national team programs, several players who are age-eligible for the 2012 Olympics will continue to participate with the full team for the friendlies against France and Slovenia. There are no schedule conflicts between the U-23 team and the full team for either the Olympic Qualifying Tournament or the 2012 Olympic Games.

U.S. Soccer Youth Technical Director Claudio Reyna will direct the U-23s during the camp while U.S. Under-20 head coach Tab Ramos will lead his age group of players. Due to previous scheduling commitments, Porter will remain with the University of Akron men's soccer team. Newly appointed Under-18 Men's National Team head coach Richie Williams is also among the staff that will travel to Germany.

Clubs from seven different countries are represented in this roster. Twenty of the players called into camp play in Europe, including 12 who are based in Germany. Josh Gatt, who recently won the Norwegian Championship with Molde, is joining the group but will not participate as he recovers from injury. The roster also features eight players who play for MLS teams: David Bingham, Dilly Duka, Sean Johnson, Jon Kempin, Perry Kitchen, Omar Salgado, Zarek Valentin and Ethan White.

The roster includes nine former U.S. Soccer Development Academy players: Gale Agbossoumonde, Joe Corona, Sean Cunningham, Conor Doyle, Gatt, Kempin, Caleb Stanko, Valentin and White. Jose Villarreal, the only current Development Academy player, scored both goals for Pateadores in the 2011 Development Academy U-17/18 Championship against FC Dallas. Shortly after, he was invited to the Milk Cup with the U-18 MNT.

Three players have also made appearances for the U.S. Men's National Team. Agbossoumonde has one cap, appearing in the 1-0 win against South Africa on Nov. 17, 2010, in Johannesburg. Mixx Diskerud has appeared twice, including a complete game against Chile on Jan. 22, 2011. Johnson earned his first cap as a second-half substitute in the same game.

The team is loaded with players with previous youth national team experience, a total of 22 players having played at either the U-20 or U-17 level. Six players appeared in the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, while Kitchen and William Packwood played in the 2009 U-17 FIFA World Cup. Nine players competed in 2011 U-20 World Cup qualifying.

Porter plans to have additional domestic camps early next year as the U-23 Men prepare for 2012 Olympic qualifying beginning in March.

On Thursday, U.S. Soccer will release the roster for the U.S. Men's National Team's games against France and Slovenia. U.S. MNT captain Carlos Bocanegra will take over U.S. Soccer's twitter account - @ussoccer - at 1 p.m. ET to release the names of players on Jurgen Klinsmann's squad and answer questions from fans.

U.S. UNDER-23 ROSTER BY POSITION - Detailed Roster GOALKEEPERS (4) : David Bingham (San Jose Earthquakes; Pleasanton, Calif.), Cody Cropper (Ipswich Town; Athens, Ga.), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire, Lilburn, Ga.), Jon Kempin (Sporting KC; Leawood, Kan.) DEFENDERS (9) : Gale Agbossoumonde (Eintracht Frankfurt; Syracuse, N.Y.), Anthony Brooks (Hertha Berlin; Berlin, Germany), Sean Cunningham (Molde; Troy, Mich.), Royal-Dominique Fennell (Stuttgarter Kickers; Göppingen, Germany), Greg Garza (Out of Contract; Grapevine, Texas), Perry Kitchen (D.C. United; Indianapolis, Ind.), Will Packwood (Birmingham City; Concord, Mass.), Zarek Valentin (Chivas USA; Lancaster, Pa.), Ethan White (D.C. United; Kensington, Md.) MIDFIELDERS (9) : Joe Corona (Club Tijuana; Chula Vista, Calif.), Mixx Diskerud (Stabæk; Oslo, Norway), Dilly Duka (Columbus Crew; Montville, N.J.), Jared Jeffrey (Mainz; Richardson, Texas), Sebastian Lletget (West Ham United; San Francisco, Calif.), Tyrone McCargo (Nürnberg; Nürnberg, Germany), Charles Renken (Hoffenheim; Edwardsville, Ill.), Caleb Stanko (Freiburg: Holly, Mich.), Jose Villarreal (LA Galaxy; Inglewood, Calif.) FORWARDS (9) : Terrence Boyd (Hertha Berlin; Berlin, Germany), Conor Doyle (Derby County; McKinney, Texas), Josh Gatt (Molde; Plymouth, Mich.), Joe Gyau (Hoffenheim; Silver Springs, Md.), Jerome Kiesewetter (Hertha Berlin; Berlin, Germany), Omar Salgado (Vancouver Whitecaps; El Paso, Texas), Tony Taylor (Atlético Clube de Portugal; Jacksonville, Fla.), Bobby Wood (1860 Munich; Irvine, Calif.), Andrew Wooten (Kaiserslautern; Worms, Germany)

CAA Women's Championship Preview Video

It all comes down to this for the women's teams in the CAA as the 2011 Virginia 529 CAA Women’s Soccer Championship kicks off on Thursday evening at Martin Family Stadium at Albert-Daly Field in Williamsburg, Va.

Who will be named champion in 2011? Take a look at the video preview from CAA:


MLS has survey to gauge interest in Baltimore | Craig Stouffer | Washington Examiner

File this under "This can't be good" for D.C. United fans: MLS has survey to gauge interest in Baltimore Craig Stouffer Cheers & Jeers Washington Examiner

I would guess the only thing worse than losing the most championed team in MLS history would be to have them move about an hour away to a rival sports city.

Unfortunately for the news of an MLS survey follows the recent comments from D.C. United president Kevin Payne to Steve Goff of Soccer Insider in  (read it here) regarding the financial issues the club has been forced to deal with while trying to run a financially viable MLS franchise in the worst professional sporting venue in the entire country.

D.C. United President Kevin Payne to Stev Goff:

 ‘the current deal at RFK is unsustainable as a business,’

Forget about the history of R.F.K. and acknowledge the simple fact that the stadium is about 25 years past its prime. The stadium was not even up to par when the Nationals called it home and it was created to host baseball games. Soccer fans throughout MLS are enjoying new state of the art soccer specific facilities while the flagship franchise of the MLS is left to fall by the wayside in an ancient ghost of a stadium.

Maybe moving the team to Baltimore will finally send a message to the politicians in D.C. that by failing to work out a deal you have essentially given an amazing opportunity to a city that knows how to at the very least build quality professional stadiums for it's teams.

I would hate to see D.C. United become a bullet item on the list of former professional soccer teams in D.C.
  • D.C. United ?
  • Washington Freedom
  • Washington Diplomats
  • Washington Darts
  • Washington Whips
  • Washington Warthogs

Nov 1, 2011

Tribe head coach John Daly previews 2011 CAA Women's Soccer Championship

Currently ranked No. 20 in the nation by SoccerAmerica William and Mary are looking to finish the season strong during the CAA Championship.

WIlliam and Mary are ranked #1 in the tournament and will be paired up agianst the winner of Deleware/Hofstra Friday Nov. 4th.

PAIRINGS DETERMINED FOR VIRGINIA 529 CAA WOMEN'S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP

Tribe head coach John Daly previews the upcoming 2011 CAA Championship in this YouTube video below:


Final Regular Season College Top 25 Rankings | UPDATED Nov. 2



Top 25

SoccerAmerica Women's Top 25 (Oct. 31)

6. Virginia (14-3-2) prev.5
20. William & Mary (15-2-2) 23

SoccerAmerica Men's Top 25 (Nov. 1)

12. James Madison (12-2-1) 17





3. James Madison
11. Old Dominion




NSCAA National Ranking Men

12. James Madison prev. 21
16. Old Dominion prev. 6


NSCAA National Ranking Women

5. Virginia prev. 9
25. William and Mary