Washington Spirit held scoreless in 0-2 loss to Portland Thorns FC

PORTLAND, Or.  (May 19, 2013) -- The Washington Spirit ended their first west coast road trip Sunday afternoon falling 2-0 to league-leaders Portland Thorns FC in front of 12,474 fans at JELD-WEN Field in downtown Portland.

Goals by the dynamic tandem of Christine Sinclair and Alex Morgan came in the final five minutes of each half respectively after the teams played end-to-end action for the duration.

Despite hefty doses of possession for the Spirit through the midfield, the visitors failed to seriously threaten Thorns goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc, but did keep her and the Thorns defense honest throughout. 

The Lonely Position - Watch and Learn

I think back to me as a 9 or 10 year old growing up in Sunny Braintree!

1. Did i have a goalkeeper coach..... Nope....
2. Did i have Sky Sports (Cable TV)... Nope...
3. Did i have season tickets to a Premier League Club...Nope
4. "You tube" and the internet where most certainly not on the scene yet!

Well what did i have??

Anyone who ever grew up or has spent time in the UK will most certainly heard of "Match Of The Day" for those who have not it is a Football/Soccer highlight show that is shown every Saturday night with highlights from all of the Premier League games.

Each Saturday night i would record it on VCR and watch it on a Sunday Morning before i went off to play for my team!

Any spare time i had i would be at the park with my friends we would turn our bikes upside down and use them as goal posts and we would each be our favorite player.

I was lucky to grow up around some of the best keepers Seamen, Schmeichel, Kahn, Southall, Miklosko.

And looking back, watching these guys is how i learnt the trade! how do they move, how do they dive, are they vocal.

Euro 96 - David Seamen Penalty saves he would always step one way and go the other! i remember practicing this with my mates over the park,
Peter Schmeichel after making a huge save would always then go and scream at his defenders! Again something i would do!

So enough about my childhood and all that jazz what is my point...

If you coach a youth team in America go to your goalkeeper and ask them name me 5 players that play your position... here will be there answer Casillas, Howard, Cech, De Gea maybe Valdez. You watch them struggle to name 5!

Even harder is if you coach a girls team... name me 5 Female Goalkeepers? they will name you one...Hope Solo, that will be the extent of their knowledge.

Next question how did they do in their last game?? silence.....errr i dunnooo??

How do these kids expect to become as good as these athletes if they do not watch how they move or the way they deal with situations.

And i hear all the excuses.. we don't have Fox Soccer, We can't get to the games, I can't afford the tickets.

Go to a high school Varsity game and watch, Some of us are lucky to have a college team near us to go watch even better a pro team and the Goalkeepers that i coach should have no excuse with DC United, Washington Spirit, George Mason University, Georgetown University to name a few less then a hours drive away.

If you play the sport and aspire to go far within that sport WATCH THE GAME and try to understand why these players are doing certain things.

If your Son or Daughter plays Soccer and they want a Xbox for their Birthday or a Bike, Get them a ticket to a Soccer Game instead with a Jersey and a players name on the back then watch how excited they get from that experience.

Saturday the Washington Spirit we had our Home Opener with over 4500 people packing the SoccerPlex many of those young Soccer Players- Great to See!
I hope these girls could go home and name at least 3 players from each team or at least 3 players that play in positions they play.

Ok so you cant get to a game, i cant remember the last time i met someone who doesn't have the internet its a part of our life now....food,water,internet!
So get onto youtube with your young goalkeepers or email the Goalkeeper from your team links to "Great saves" videos or "goalkeeper training" videos GET THEM INSPIRED!

Anyone coming to a Spirit game the players always sign autographs and talk to the fans after the game. All you with young female goalkeepers come watch and learn from Ashlyn and Chantel both of them are not only great goalkeepers but great role models for up and coming Female Goalkeepers.

I know i talk about the Spirit a lot over my last few blogs and it is because i know and see it first hand how great the two GKs are that i work with and how young female goalkeepers can benefit from watching and interacting with them.

Would love to hear your feedback on the blog feel free to tweet me @GKeepersUnited, again thanks for taking time to read my thoughts!


The Lonely Position - Voodoo Goalkeepers!

The Lonely Position - "It's Good To Talk"

The Lonely Position - "It's Good To Talk"

By Lloyd Yaxley

Since moving across the pond i have noticed two different types of goalkeepers that i come across all the time whilst watching youth games:

1. The kid who just stands there and is completely mute....or

2. The Goalkeeper who will not stop talking and end up being like a commentator as the play is going on!

For me both are as bad as each other!

There are some calls that i hear "the commentator" say that make me cringe every time (this is my favorite one, i'll paint the picture a little) ball goes out for a corner kick and they shout "MARK UP, EVERYONE MARK UP"  so 3 players mark the same player, ball gets crossed and someone has a free header 7 yards out, then they say "I said Mark UP"

We will come back to the above later...

Lets talk about "Mr Mute" why is he/she so silent? one reason may be they do not want to be the goalkeeper they just ended up playing there or another reason may be they just have no idea what to say as they have never watched a game live or on TV before. The final and most obvious reason is they have never been taught!!

So lets start with the very very basics!!

I always ask my young keepers why do we communicate?

- So the defense know how we are going to deal with the situation
- So the opposition know i am coming to get it.
- Organisation

With those points in mind you do not need to shout "Keeper" when you are making a save!! There are no other players involved in this situation as the ball zooms past the defenders and fly's towards goal! They expect you to make that save.

"KEEPER" encourage your goalkeepers to shout this when they are going to take control of the situation DO NOT SHOUT "Leave it" "I've got it" "Mine"

But why does it matter -

so everyone knows that the crazy person who can use their hands is coming to get the ball and if you are in their way guess what......smash!

Its a bit like a police car having a siren......why so everyone knows it is a police car coming and to get out the way if they had a horn like every other car no one would pay attention!

Now when do they shout "keeper"? not when the ball touches your hands!!!! If that is the case you have called just a little late!

AS SOON AS YOU MAKE THE DECISION THAT IS WHEN YOU CALL.

i.e.

Through ball is played splitting the defense - you come sprinting out and smother the ball from the strikers feet. CALL AS SOON AS YOU TAKE THAT FIRST STEP OUT.

As your Goalkeepers get older there will be other situations such as a cross where a early and decisive call is going to help with their timing- with crosses my coach used to say "call early move late" that way you can call judge the flight,adjust your feet then make the catch or punch!

If you do not want to come and gather the pass or do not want to catch the cross then the call is "AWAY" so your team knows to get it away!
Last weekend i honestly heard a goalkeeper say from a cross "OK defenders lets clear it" Just shout AWAY the call is to the point and quick and not a commentary!

Goalkeepers have a split second to make a decision so your calls need to be sharp and get your point across!

Keeper and away a pretty self explanatory, so what else is missing? Being able to see play developing and snuffing it out. this is a huge weakness within American Goalkeepers i feel- why.. they do not watch games on TV or go to games.

If you are having to make a save - one or several of the other 10 players have done something wrong or something has broken down somewhere. It is your job to get them organised with short precise communication.

What the goalkeeper must do is see the danger about to happen, read the game and then break it down!

Do we need to "step up", "drop off" "tuck over" " Gary Right shoulder" "Megan open up" all short quick and to the point.

I really could write a encyclopedia on different calls a goalkeeper might make and why but that is not for me to say the goalkeeper must work it out.and figure out their own style of communication.

One of the big issues with "the commentator" is their team mates just end up ignoring them or fading their voice out. its a bit like when your mum is telling you off if she stands there for 10 minutes giving you a piece of her mind and after 20 seconds all you hear is blah blah blah blah. Same with the Goalkeeper constantly talking for no reason- verbal diarrhea.

All together make your shouts to the point and quick, if you do not get a reaction from the player your voice needs to intensify or get loader so a sense of urgency comes across.

Great example of this is free kick is given 20 yards out..... goalkeeper walks to his post and goes " ermmmmmmmmmmm 3 no 4 ermmm gary you go in the middle ermm ok right right no no left a little ok thats good no actually right a yard"

HOW LONG DID THAT TAKE!!!!!

Quick decision...to the point communication

"3,THREE right, Right RIGHT, STOP" now i get into position.

For each set piece give players responsibility, especially if this is something that hasn't been worked on in training "Shelly near post, Steph mark 9" that way if #9 scores Steph is at fault, if you just say"mark up" there is no urgency or quickness about the call.

To finish this edition of "the lonely position" Parents, Coaches and GK's always ask how can i get better at my communicating?

The Magic formula is to WATCH GAMES Here are several different ways!

1. Sit on the couch see situations developing and see if you can call it before the player makes the pass, see if you see anyone unmarked from the corner kick

2. Go to a local High School game or older brother or sisters game and do the same see if you can begin to read the game and think how could i have communicated to stop that situation from happening?

3. Go to a college game or a Pro game and sit behind the goal with a pen and paper and write down:

• What the Goalkeeper Says
• Why they said it
• What the situation was
• how the players reacted

If anyone has a chance to come to a Washington Spirit game there is a mound behind the goal by the entrance if you are a young goalkeeper i would strongly encourage you to try and sit behind their, and Listen and watch how Ashlyn Harris or Chantel Jones communicate with the outfield players.

Thanks for taking your time to read this again you can conatct me on twitter @GKeepersUnited if you have any questions or comments i would be more than happy to help.

Spirit shutout Tarheels 2-0 in preseason college series

GERMANTOWN, Md. (Mar. 30, 2013) - The Washington Spirit professional women's soccer team defeated defending NCAA champions North Carolina 2-0 today in front of 1725 fans at the sunny Maryland SoccerPlex. The Spirit have yet to concede a goal, in what was their third preseason exhibition game in two weeks, with two more to go until starting their first National Women's Soccer League season in Boston on April 14.

The Spirit have now played 270 minutes of scoreless soccer at the back, despite starting today without several players expected to patrol the back line for the regular season, including missing international veterans Ali Krieger, Robyn Gayle and Candace Chapman. Krieger, Gayle, Ashlyn Harris and Diana Matheson all missed today's game while on international duty. Chapman has nearly recovered from off-season knee surgery, and was out of uniform today. 

Duke hold Washington Spirit to scoreless draw

GERMANTOWN, Md. (Mar. 24, 2013) - Fielding a lineup mirroring one that could easily start the NWSL season April 14, the Washington Spirit battled the Duke Blue Devils to a entertaining, yet disappointing 0-0 draw in front of 544 fans at the Maryland SoccerPlex home today. The match is the second of a five-game preseason college exhibition series planned by the Spirit as they prepare for their first season in the National Women's Soccer League.

All games in the series are free to attend, with the Spirit taking on the defending National Champion North Carolina on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. at the SoccerPlex. Over 2,200 tickets have been claimed for the match so far; with fans wishing to attend only needing to claim passes at tickets.washingtonspirit.com.

Playing in their only game of the preseason due to upcoming national team games, Ali Krieger, Ashlyn Harris, Diana Matheson, and Robyn Gayle all started in Mike Jorden's 4-3-3 formation. It was also the debut for U.S. international Lori Lindsey, who is expected to remain with her Spirit teammates for the duration of preseason, barring a late call-up.

Florida draftee Holly King also made an appearance today while home on spring break. The third round draft pick is finishing school before joining the Spirit full time in May.

USWNT players Krieger, Lindsey officially join Washington Spirit

Now that U.S. Soccer and the Women's National Team Players Association have finalized material terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, USWNT players are beginning to join their clubs to prepare for the upcoming inaugural NWSL season.

Both Ali Krieger and Lori Lindsey arrived at Spirit facilities on March 20 to start working with their teammates.

Video: Washington Spirit first game in franchise history vs Penn State

It's official, professional women's soccer has returned to the DMV! Checkout highlights from the first game in Washington Spirit franchise history. More exciting professional women's soccer is coming soon.

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The Lonely Position - NWSL, Pre-Season with the Washington Spirit

By Lloyd Yaxley

So here we are 3rd time lucky with the formation of a new women's professional league in America. In previous years there was the WUSA (Women's United Soccer Association) this league lasting under two years three seasons.

Next was the WPS (Women's Professional Soccer) this league lasting three seasons.

And now here we are at the beginning of a new era. The NWSL (National Women's Soccer League). Before you all click the red cross in the top right hand corner I have neither the time or knowledge to decipher why the two previous leagues failed and I'm certainly not going to bore you on "what we are going to do differently".

What I am going to do though is say LETS LOOK TO THIS EXCITING FUTURE!  AND GET BEHIND IT!

There was a mixture of allocations, drafts, and free agents whilst beginning to form the eight teams (basic outline there! really basic!!).

So what next....... that's right Pre-Season! 

I'm really fortunate to be given the opportunity to coach the goalkeepers for one of these teams -- The Washington Spirit. 

Our pre-season camp started last Monday where I met one of the goalkeepers, Chantel Jones, whom I will be working with throughout the season. Chantel played at UVA and had just returned from playing in Iceland. Meanwhile our other goalkeeper, Ashlyn Harris, was away with the US Women's National team making her international debut against Sweden in the Algarve Cup.

So unluckily for Miss Jones she has had to deal with me alone for the time being.

This week for me has been about a few different things: 1) getting to know my player/players, 2) seeing what level of fitness she is at! 3) pushing her as much as I can to perform even when exhausted.

Day 1 was ladder work variations, into basic handling saves, after a brief rest then we where using the width of the 18 yard box to do what I would call "up and down' variation  drills! i.e. dive to left..get up...dive to right...get up dive to left etc etc etc all the way across the width of the penalty area. Quote from day one "I'm not as fit as I thought I was!" 

Day 2 was.....wet .....very wet- again a tonne of footwork.

Day 3 Windy....very windy!!!! Today we focused on our core lots of sit up kind of drills with volleys as rest periods,  by now I'm sure a picture of me was on a dartboard in Chantel's house.

Day 4 Medicine ball and upper body work- again volleys for rest periods, in the afternoon we where inside working on handling and reaction times with a shot coming off the wall.

Day 5 Lighter- kicking back passes talked about pre-game warm up.

In between all of this we where integrated with the rest of the team for other exercises.

So the week has been filled with fitness, wind, rain and saving everything the field players hit at us!! 

Even with a statement "I'm not as fit as I thought I was" which I thought was a little harsh on herself, Chantel took everything I threw her way and worked her butt off the whole week. She has a fantastic work ethic, great attitude, and is constantly looking to improve her game. These three attributes are why she is a professional soccer player.

Game day rolled around on Sunday where we played Penn State- winning the game 1-0.

Two big break-away saves in the 2nd half when the game was tied at 0-0 which all of the coaching staff were very happy with. All in all a decent performance- all goalkeepers are looking for perfection, there were some things we spoke about that we felt she could have done better during the game but sorry, that discussion will remain between us! I can guarantee you those things will be tidied up over the next few weeks.

This past week has just been the start of the journey, next is where the competition for that starting spot really begins when Ashlyn and the other internationals join the squad! I am confident that both these players will push each other to perform to their absolute max. 

Next up, more training followed by Duke at 3pm on Sunday. Come out and watch, tickets are free so you have no excuse! Then you can see what all these hours of training go towards.

Again, any comments tweet me @GKeepersUnited and come to support the Washington Spirit.

www.washingtonspirit.com (go here for your Free Tickets for the pre-season friendlies)

The Lonely Position: Voodoo Goalkeepers

VIDEO: Krieger Has the Spirit

Check out Virginia native and Washington Spirit player Ali Krieger.

via U.S. Soccer YouTube channel

Few U.S. players have played as many professional club matches as Ali Krieger. For five seasons in Germany, she represented FFC Frankfurt, one of the top clubs in Europe and the world. She came back to the USA to play in the new National Women's Soccer League and is looking forward to having those same lessons learned in the highly competitive pro game replicated on U.S. soil so that she, and many other American players, can maximize their potential.

Follow Ali Krieger on Twitter: @AlexBKrieger

More info: http://www.nwslsoccer.com
NWSL
...on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NWSL
...on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NWSL

The Lonely Position

By Lloyd Yaxley

I guess the best way to start this blog is to briefly introduce myself and to give you all a taster of what to expect from my blog in the future!

Myself- i played as a Goalkeeper in England floating around the Semi-Pro scene, then went into coaching. I've worked with some great coaches and have always tried to be a sponge and soak up any information or drills that they have to share. I'm now coaching within a few of the Youth clubs in Northern Virginia helping develop their Goalkeepers, I'm also really excited about the new women's league the NWSL where I will be the Goalkeeper coach for the Washington Spirit and am really looking forward to putting our keepers through their paces!

So the taster......"The Lonely Position"
No its not the lone striker taking all the glory from a long ball rounding the keeper and scoring on the counter attack, Its the player lying on the floor as the size 10's stumble past them and slip the ball into the net.....Yes the Goalkeeper!

Anyone who has played in this position will have experienced feelings and emotions many other players have not; anyone who has watched the game will have jeered at the opponents Goalkeeper as the ball slips through their hands for what should have been a routine save!

This is why the position is lonely - it is a individual sport being played within a team sport -
There are plenty of lows being a Goalkeeper but I would take all those lows every day for the feeling you get when the crowd, opponents, even your team mates think the ball is hitting the back of the net and you manage to get the slightest touch on the ball to deflect it onto the goalpost!

Just look at Joe Hart these past weekends, against Southampton made a blunder even his manager calls him out and then this past weekend against Chelsea with the game at 0-0 he gives away a penalty, look at his team mates thinking "Joe what are you doing!!!" Twelve yards out Frank Lampard 1-0 Chelsea but NO....Fantastic agility from Hart to get his hand down and make a huge save.... some may say a Match winning save as it changed the game!

Throughout my blog I want to examine Goalkeeping mentality, show you guys some highlights and maybe some blunders, but mainly keeping Virginia updated on the individuals that play "The Lonely Position". Tweet me @GKeepersUnited with your feedback or any areas you would like me to discuss within the blog.

Thanks for taking the time to read my short intro look forward to delving further into the mystical position that is the Goalkeeper

UVA forward Caroline Miller selected in 2nd round by Washington in NWSL college draft

With the second overall selection in the inaugural National Women's Soccer League college draft taking place at the NSCAA convention in Indionapolis, IN, the Washington Spirit have chosen Tiffany McCarty (forward / Florida St.).

Tiffany McCarty Bio

The Spirit also selected University of Virginia forward Caroline Miller with the second pick of the second round. Miller ranks second all-time with 45 career goals at Virginia. The club selected former D.C. United Women's player Holly King in the third round.

Caroline Miller Bio

UCLA forward, Zakiya Bywaters was selected 1st overall by the Chicago Red Stars.

NWSL First Round Draft Selections

Washington Spirit will pick 2nd in inaugural NWSL colleg draft

Inaugural NWSL College Draft Begins at 9 a.m. ET at Indianapolis Convention Center;

CHICAGO (Jan. 16, 2013) - The National Women's Soccer League announced today the order for the league's inaugural college draft, which will take place on Friday, Jan. 18, at 9 a.m. ET at the Indianapolis Convention Center. 

Fans can follow the draft live on Twitter @NWSL. 

The draft order is as follows: 

1.          Chicago Red Stars
2.          Washington Spirit
3.          FC Kansas City
4.          Sky Blue FC (New York/New Jersey)
5.          Boston Breakers
6.          Western New York Flash
7.          Seattle Reign FC
8.          Portland Thorns FC

National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) set for Spring 2013 start

CHICAGO (Dec. 15, 2012) - The new eight-team women's soccer league will be called the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). The league, which will be administered by U.S. Soccer, will begin in the spring of 2013.
The new league logo is appropriately red, white and blue and features the silhouette of a female soccer player about to strike a shot.

With the confirmation of the league name and logo, the National Women's Soccer League has also launched its official pages on Facebook and Twitter. Fans are encouraged to like the league at facebook.com/NWSLsoccer and follow on Twitter @NWSL_soccer. A league website will be launched in the near future.

U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati announced on Nov. 29 that former U.S. Women's National Team General Manager Cheryl Bailey had been named the Executive Director for the new league.

"We are working on finalizing a number of league items, but we now have a name and a logo that we think the fans will identify with and enjoy," said Bailey. "This is a league we have to build from the bottom up and we have a group of dedicated owners and talented support staff at U.S. Soccer to keep this process moving in a positive direction while slowly growing the brand."

U.S. Soccer will subsidize the salaries of up to 24 U.S. Women's National Team players while the Canadian Soccer Association and Federation of Mexican Football will each do the same for up to 16 players.

The eight teams in the league are: Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, FC Kansas City, Portland Thorns FC, Sky Blue FC, Washington Spirit, Western New York Flash and Seattle, which has yet to announce its team name.

More information on the details of the league will be released as they become finalized.