Touchline | Winter 2015 by Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

PENNSYLVANIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LEADING YOUTH SOCCER PUBLICATION | WINTER 2015

eastern pennsylvania youth soccer

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

Youth Soccer MONTH 2015 p.19

What is Youth Soccer ALL ABOUT? p.28 Dicce in the UAE p.6

Conshohocken, PA

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CONTENTS

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eastern pennsylvania youth soccer

Volume XLXI | Winter 2016 Touchline is published quarterly. Published by: Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer 4070 Butler Pike, Suite 100 Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462 Phone: 610-238-9966 Fax: 610-238-9933 E-mail: info@EPYSA.org Website: EPYSA.org EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President: Jim Kuntz Vice President, Travel: Michael Finnegan Vice President, Recreation: Dwight Wilkinson Treasurer: Nicole Posillico Epps Secretary: Melissa Weber Registrar: Jim Christian

2 Letter From Our CEO 3 Union League Good Citizenship Award 6-7 Profile: Pete Dicce makes his mark in the Middle East 9 Rec Soccer Spotlight: Manheim Township Soccer Club 10-11 US Soccer Concussion Litigation: A breakdown by our Medical Advisory Committee 14 ODP: Photos from tryouts 16 Save the Date: Awards Reception & AGM

17 Quarterly Calendar 19 Youth Soccer Month 23 Youth Soccer Profiles 2 4-25 A Need For Referees 26 AAA Start Your Journey 28 What Is Youth Soccer All About? 30 Mike Barr: How do I know my child is developing as a player? 31 Coaching Education 32 Exercise from U.S. Soccer’s Digital Coaching Center

STATE OFFICE STAFF Chief Executive Officer: Chris Branscome Technical Director: Mike Barr Assistant Technical Director: Gary Stephenson Director of Soccer Operations: Frank Olszewski Communications Manager: Dillon Friday Administrative Services Specialist: Meredith Crowell Membership Services Specialist: Sheila Molyneaux Business Administration Manager: Kelly Connor Accountant: Judy Curran TOUCHLINE Editor-in-Chief: Chris Branscome Editor: Dillon Friday Printed by: The Pearl Group at CRW Graphics, 9100 Pennsauken Highway, Pennsauken, NJ 08110

Touchline is © Copyright 2015 Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer. The entire contents of this publication are copyrighted; all rights reserved. Articles may not be reproduced or reprinted without written permission of Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer. Advertising space in Touchline is purchased and paid for by the advertisers. None of the products or services is necessarily endorsed by Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer or its affiliates. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer or its advertisers. Printed in the United States of America

FROM OUR PRESIDENT Jim Kuntz, President, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

I’m not sure where the time has gone, but we find ourselves at the end of another Fall Season. My wish is that it was a succesful one for you no matter how you gauge it. I want to take time to speak on the upcoming US Soccer Youth Development changes. The United States Soccer Federation decided to mandate that all youth soccer organizations use birth years and not August 1st as the determination of age groups for the seasonal year. This has brought about much discussion both good and bad. For many years, youth soccer played using birth years just like the rest of the world. In the early 1990’s, that was changed to current the current August 1st breakdown. The rest of the soccer world stayed at birth years. This was cause for much confusion for teams that decided to play in overseas tournaments as those tournaments used birth years to separate age groups. In the mid to late nineties, the Olympic Development Program teams changed back to birth years at the mandate of the US Olympic Committee. This caused even more confusion.

Now comes the present day. We will be moving back to birth years for age groups at the start of the 2016-17 season. I know that this has caused much concern among our players and parents. We all sympathize with your situations, but the USSF has made this decision, and we are implementing it. My own family was affected by age group changes when ODP switched in the nineties. My daughter had to change teams. We, as parents, were more upset than she was. She took it as a positive saying she was looking forward to meeting new teammates and playing on a “new” team. All went well with the experience. Please consider this a positive: new teams and new teammates. It’s no different than seasonal tryouts when new teams are picked. Embrace this change as we are all in this together. I wish you a very happy holidays and success in upcoming competitions.

EPYSA.org

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On US Soccer’s Mandates And Our Place In The Federation Chris Branscome, Chief Executive Officer, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

By now, most of you players, parents and certainly coaches should be aware of a number of changes happening within the soccer community. US Soccer, our national governing body for the sport, has made some important decisions regarding the future of soccer in America. In August, it was announced that national standards were to be implemented in the area of player development. In November, new standards were announced for player safety. These are two issues that have been at the forefront of Eastern Pennsylvania’s platform for the past five years, so it’s not an entirely new direction. However, it is significant that US Soccer has made a national statement and set the bar for all national associations, state associations and other organizational members. It is essentially the first time in recent history that our federation, US Soccer, has embarked on a path so direct and sweeping. I support these initiatives philosophically, as does our staff and the Board of Directors. Small-sided games standards, including field and goal size directives, are positive initiatives for the long haul. We know the value of teaching and learning in smaller groups and in age appropriate activities, but it has long been simply a recommendation. The new birth-year registration is also significant. There are other reasons for this change, but a primary issue is that the United States was not applying the international standard set by FIFA. There have been, and will be, other forums to discuss these initiatives in further detail. If you’re not fully aware, please visit our website where you will find many resources including those directly from US Soccer. I can assure you that your organization’s leadership is aware and is working on an implementation plan that will best suit the needs of the club and the children.

education, background checks and return to play protocol education. US Soccer has been developing its own platform as well, but the announcement had been on hold due to a class action law suit. An agreement was recently reached, and last month US Soccer announced sweeping changes for the entire membership. US Soccer is leading the way internationally with directives on heading for our younger players. More information will follow from US Soccer as well as from our medical advisory and technical staff. How and when to appropriately teach heading has always been a concern, but we will collectively be proactive moving forward. Aside from the changes themselves, I feel it’s very important for our local soccer community to realize they are part of something larger. Our state association is a direct member of US Soccer. US Soccer derives their authority from FIFA, the international governing body as well as oversight from the United States Olympic Committee. We are here in large part to locally support the sport on behalf of those organizations through bylaw and policy. It’s where we receive our authority to govern the sport in eastern Pennsylvania. For example, we execute player registration, coaching education and referee administration on behalf of US Soccer. We are also a member of US Youth Soccer and direct its national programming initiatives at a grassroots level, such as TOPSoccer, or ODP. All of our leagues and clubs are considered affiliates of US Soccer and US Youth Soccer. For each player registered from your league or club, we provide registration directly to each of those organizations. Each player, coach and board member are connected, through our state association, to US Soccer. By that connection, you are therefore connected globally to FIFA.

international transfers of youth players. These are worldwide policies directed by FIFA. They have a great value in protecting children around the world by controlling situations that don’t usually happen in the US. US Soccer also sanctions foreign travel for teams competing outside or coming to the United States. This affects many of your clubs that visit other countries or local tournaments bringing in foreign teams. Of course, coaching education requires the interaction and learning from other countries, and we bring that home to you as well. These things may not be a part of your other youth sport experiences, but due to the global nature of soccer, they are part of our experience.

astern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer is currently accepting resumes from high school juniors active within the association for consideration for the prestigious Union League of Philadelphia’s Good Citizenship Award. Winners of this award are eligible to apply for a college scholarship during their senior year worth at least $5000 per year.

demonstrates exemplary performance in selecting the best high school juniors for the Good Citizenship Award. Interested candidates for the Good Citizenship Award must show evidence of good citizenship as manifested by their attitude, sportsmanship, serious scholarship, cooperative effort and perseverance. Each year, the Union League of Philadelphia awards this honor to 20 Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer boys and girls who demonstrate those qualities.

other Union Leagues across the nation. The Union League has hosted US Presidents, heads of state, industrialists, entertainers and visiting dignitaries from around the globe. It has also given loyal support to the American military in each conflict since the Civil War and continues to be driven by its founding motto, “Love of country leads.”

The deadline for application is no later than January 8th, 2016. Visit EPYSA.org for more information on the application process.

Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer was the recipient of the 2014 Agency of the Year Award, which goes to the youth agency that

The Union League of Philadelphia was founded in 1862 as a patriotic society to support the Union and the policies of President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War. The league laid the philosophical foundations for

The majority of you are aware of US Soccer though our Women’s’ and Men’s National Teams and their exploits in the World Cup, Olympics, CONCACAF Gold Cup and so on. As I hope you can see, that only scratches the surface. The next time you watch Carli Lloyd, Tim Howard and the rest of our teams play, know that you are connected. Players, coaches, administrators, parents and fans are all part of the game at all levels. Carli and Tim may be participating at a different level, but they’re members of the same club as you are. You can look from the top down or bottom up. It doesn’t’ matter. Just know from your club, to Eastern Pennsylvania to US Soccer we’re all working together and need to continue.

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Thanks to all of you for your efforts over the past year and I look forward to an exciting and great 2016.

Player safety is another extremely important issue. The global game has reached the United States It has been a primary platform for Eastern and is quite vibrant in Eastern Pennsylvania. US Facebook Follow us on Instagram Pennsylvania over theLike past us fiveon years with the atSoccer works on our collective behalf to assist Facebook.com/EPAYouthSoccer Twitter implementation of concussion management and with registration of foreign-born and players or @EPAYouthSoccer

Union League of Philadelphia’s Good Citizenship Award

LikeLike us on usFacebook on Facebook at at Facebook.com/EPAYouthSoccer Facebook.com/EPAYouthSoccer

Follow usInstagram on Instagram Follow us on and and Twitter Twitter @EPAYouthSoccer @EPAYouthSoccer

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Profile: Pete Dicce Makes His Mark in the Middle East By Dillon Friday, Marketing & Communications Manager, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

ete Dicce cherished his time as the head coach of Kennett High School’s Boys Varsity Soccer Team. The former Temple University star embedded himself in a community that crossed all demographics. Dicce’s players came from “polar opposite sides of the spectrum,” he recalls. Some spoke Spanish as their first language. Others were born into white collar families well-established in Chester County. And yet all, coach included, shared a love for a sport that tends to merge cultural and political divides.

himself and even he wasn’t convinced of a permanent stay.

“Soccer was the common language,” says Dicce. His teams spoke it fluently. Not only did Dicce lead the Blue Demons to the PIAA District One Final one season, he also won an Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Presidents Cup with a Southern Chester County Soccer Association outfit made up of Kennett-area players.

Dicce has brought collegiate soccer and an But Dicce quickly became immersed in his job. inter-scholastic league to Abu Dhabi. He’s He started NYU Abu Dhabi’s athletic program in pictured here with Brazilian star Juninho. 2010, an effort that was spearheaded by the men’s soccer team, which Dicce coaches. Dhabi in the capital city of the United Arab The makeshift squad played informally at first, Emirates. scrimmaging often and taking whatever games In a way, lymphatic cancer brought the now it could. Dicce, however, had grander plans. In 51-year-old to the Middle East. Dicce was 2012, he helped start the Abu Dhabi Interdiagnosed in 2009. When the disease went into University Sports League. The ADISL consisted remission later that year, he emerged with a of four local schools then. It is now made up of new lease on life. 14 with six male sports (soccer, badminton, “I found cancer quite liberating,” Dicce says. cricket, basketball, table tennis, volleyball) and “It gave me a perspective on what was important four female sports (soccer, basketball, to me. I thought, ‘I want to determine what the badminton, volleyball) being played. future holds for me. What is it that I really want Dicce is the commissioner of the league in to do?’” addition to his duties with the university and Soon after trying his last legal case, Dicce soccer team. The grind presented challenges fielded a call from the Chief Operating Officer from the beginning, none bigger than the of NYU at the time, Bill Gallagher. Gallagher told international makeup of the city. him about establishing an athletics program for “I’m in an environment that is very cosmopolitan,” the university’s campus in Abu Dhabi and says Dicce. “Just on campus, we have 110 wanted to see if the former lawyer knew any nationalities represented. Inevitably, you don’t qualified candidates. get it right once in a while. You learn along the “I did the silly thing,” says Dicce. “I joked that way.” I’d be interested.” He now has a solid system in place at the That joke quickly turned into a viable opportunity, homestead, too. Rena works fulltime as the even if it didn’t make a whole lot of sense. With university’s Associate Director of Nursing and a wife and five sons—currently ranging in age has been “a tremendous support behind the from 11 to 26—the decision wasn’t Dicce’s scenes.” alone. Still, his family knew his purpose. “It’s a package deal,” Dicce says. “She knows “I always wanted to do something on a larger how much this makes me happy. She’s a fan scale,” he says. “(His family) got that, especially of all the kids as well.” my older guys. ‘You can’t pass this up,’ they Still, Dicce faces obstacles he may not find said.” state-side. Part of the struggle comes from At first, Dicce made the nearly 7000-mile move running an athletic department that is still very

For a man who ran a law practice and had previously coached at the college level with Swarthmore, Dicce chose happiness over a meager salary. “If you divided it up, I probably got paid twentythree cents-an-hour,” he says with a selfdeprecating laugh. “But I loved it.” Soccer and life had taken Dicce all over the country. He grew up on Long Island and played collegiately for Temple, where he captained the Owls and ended his career in the top-10 for scoring. Dicce then attended law school while serving as the player-coach for the club soccer team at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. He eventually settled in Eastern Pennsylvania with his wife Rena, a Blue Bell native. No job, and no place, gave Dicce the same satisfaction as Kennett. It provided him with an opportunity to “do something on a larger scale;” to build a soccer legacy in a community eager to learn. “It was gutting to leave my players,” Dicce readily admits. He’s found a similar serenity again. Only this time it’s half-a-world away and farther. Dicce works as the Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Athletics at New York University Abu

“I would tell you I had a short-term lease on my car,” he remembers with a chuckle. Dicce initially endured long flights back-and-forth between his new home and his old one. Remarkably, he was able to stay an active member of the Region I Olympic Development Program Coaching Staff to the point that he didn’t miss an event for several seasons (Although his attendance numbers have dipped, Dicce remains a coach with Region I).

And if his time at the helm of the Kennett Blue Demons was an introduction to multiculturalism, NYU Abu Dhabi has been a graduate course. Dicce coaches 25 players from 20 different countries. “They all view that the game should be played a certain way or look a certain way,” he says. “You’re trying to mold that, navigate that and put players on the field to make them successful.” There’s also an issue of competitive balance. Because there is no overarching ruling body like the NCAA, not all the athletes in the ADISL In addition to soccer, male students can compete are amateur in the American sense. Exin badminton, basketball, table tennis, volleyball professionals, who chose to go back to school following their playing careers, have landed in and cricket. young. For instance, 2015 was the first year the league. Dicce recalls a game where his the soccer team enjoyed a preseason, although “19-year-old from Costa Rica played against perhaps enjoyed is the wrong word. They one of the players who appeared for the UAE practiced at seven in the morning to avoid the National Team.” crippling, 115-degree heat that engulfs the For that reason, soccer as well as basketball have been split into two divisions. region seemingly year-round.

But overall, the results have been positive— sometimes overwhelmingly so. Consider female athletics. In a region that trails the rest of the world considerably in terms of gender equality, young women make up about 40 percent of the ADISL athletes according to Dicce. Of that 40 percent, two-thirds are Emiratis. “All these ladies were provided a space and now they play,” says Dicce, “and that’s really cool.” It’s been quite the ride for Dicce, who’s also volunteered with youth soccer clubs in Abu Dhabi. He hopes it continues. “Every day we come to work we’re doing something that no one else is doing,” Dicce gushes. “It’s been an adventure and it’s been fun. I seem to have a better balance in my life and that’s something I wouldn’t trade.” Dicce’s experiences have reaffirmed of the great underlying qualities of soccer. There’s no telling where the game will take us or where we’ll take the game.

Soccer is one of four female sports played in Dicce coaches NYUAD’s Men’s Soccer Team. Twenty different nations are represented on his the ADISL. 25-man roster.

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REC SOCCER SPOTLIGHT:

Manheim Township Soccer Club

Brought to you by

By Dillon Friday

ancaster’s soccer tradition runs deep with the latest addition coming in the form of soon-to-be 25-year-old PA Classics product Andrew Wenger, a midfielder for the Philadelphia Union. But it’s not just the big names or clubs that help the sport thrive in the area. It’s the community support that allows so many kids to play. Take for example Manheim Township Soccer Club. MTSC runs a recreational program that features around 500 players across all age groups each season (fall and spring) in addition to travel teams that begin at under-9. The kicker? Most everybody plays locally. “It’s all in Lancaster,” says the club’s registrar, Jenn Arms. “At all age levels, U9, U10, U11, they’ll play in the Lanco League. If the team is exceptional they’ll play in CPYSL.” The symmetry allows for a relatively easy transition from recreational to travel play. Some parents worry about the time and distances that consume most travel clubs. With Manheim, that’s less of an issue. Instead, travel soccer offers a more challenging environment than the fun-based rec program. “Our travel director Marcos (Emig) has been really good about going out and talking to parents about what travel entails,” says Arms. “I would say that on average, 20-25 kids may switch over in a year,” adds Recreational Director Pete Bergman. “As our program continues to grow, it has enabled us to create additional Travel teams.” MTSC also serves as a feeder system for the township’s middle school and high school teams. The rec program continues through the U19 age group, so the player pool is deep even

if kids don’t go the travel route. This isn’t to say the younger players are ignored. MTSC recently introduced a fall program for four- and five-year-olds. “It’s basically six weeks for an hour each week,” explains Arms. “(The players) have little learn-to-play games. It’s a lot of fun.” From there, the youngsters graduate into the U6 league. “Our rec philosophy is to teach the kids the basics of soccer at an early age, U6, and then continue to provide more advanced instruction as the kids get older,” says Bergman. “The focus is to provide this instruction while creating a fun and safe environment for the kids. Our U6, U7, and U8 kids have one practice a week and games on the weekend against other MT Rec teams.”

club and state association hosted a street soccer night where kids could come out and play 4v4 games while a DJ played music. Hundreds of players, parents and coaches showed up to help make the night a seamless and wonderful event. The effort epitomized what it means to be a local club among large ones, where volunteerism is the lifeblood of the sport. That sentiment continues to drive MTSC, which has served the community since the early 1980s. Consider the paths of Arms and Bergman. The former’s daughter still plays for Manheim Township, while the latter joined the club as a coach five years ago. Now he’s thriving in his new position as Recreational Director.

The U6 teams play 3v3 before progressing to 4v4 at U7 and U8. MTSC calls it “Micro Soccer.” At U10, teams will start practicing twice a week and will play opponents from other Lancaster clubs. And although parents coach the rec teams— with help from nearby Millersville University students—there is structure. MTSC is currently working on lesson plans for all its coaches to help those who may be getting their first taste of soccer. Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer saw the spirit of Manheim Township Soccer Club this September during Youth Soccer Month. The

“Our focus is on player development, working as a team, getting touches on the ball,” Bergman says, “and of course, having fun.”

EPYSA.org

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US Soccer Player Safety Campaign E

astern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer has been acutely aware of the need for concussion education and return to play protocol. In 2012, our association adopted a policy in concert with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Safety in Youth Sports Act designed to educate and protect our children.

Steve Berman, lead counsel for the plaintiffs said: “We filed this litigation in an effort to focus the attention on the issue of concussions in youth soccer… We are pleased that we were able to play a role in improving the safety of the sport for soccer-playing children in this country.”

Furthermore, we have worked with our Medical Advisory Committee on providing additional resources in the area of head injuries as well as the care and prevention of other injuries, including return to play protocol. With this lawsuit being settled, we look forward to working with our national association and our medical advisors and technical staff to provide appropriate curriculum. Here’s everything you need to know:

U.S. Soccer CEO/Secretary General Dan Flynn of the United States Soccer Federation said: “We are proud to be leaders in the areas of concussion education and management. The development of a player safety initiative was under way before the current lawsuit was filed. In constructing the concussion component, U.S. Soccer sought input from its medical science committee which includes experts in the field of concussion diagnosis and management, as well as from its technical advisors, and worked with its youth members to develop a true consensus-based program. …We look forward to sharing the benefits of the youth concussion initiative with players, coaches, officials and parents.”

A lawsuit was filed: The United States Soccer Federation and the other youth member defendants, with input from counsel for the plaintiffs, have developed a sweeping youth soccer initiative designed to: (a) Improve concussion awareness and education among youth coaches, referees, parents and players; (b) Implement more uniform concussion management and return-to-play protocols for youth players suspected of having suffered a concussion; (c) Modify the substitution rules to insure such rules do not serve as an impediment to the evaluation of players who may have suffered a concussion during games; (d) Eliminate heading for children 10 and under and limit heading in practice for children between the ages of 11 and 13. The complete details of the initiative along with a more comprehensive player safety campaign will be announced by U.S. Soccer in the next 30 days.

What it states: U.S. Soccer has implemented Youth Soccer initiative rules as requirements for players that are part of U.S. Soccer’s Youth National Teams and the Development Academy. It should be noted that Youth National Teams will continue to be bound by the substitution rules of the events in which they participate. Youth members joining in the initiative do not have direct authority at the local level to require the adaption of the rules. Therefore, these are only recommendations since these guidelines are based on the advice of the U.S. Soccer medical committee, and therefore U.S. Soccer strongly urges that they be followed at the youth level.

Compliance is Your Responsibility… and We’re Here to Help.

Changes and Outcomes for Players Regarding Concussion • Improved concussion awareness and education among youth coaches, referees, parents and players • Instill uniform concussion management and return-to-play protocols for youth players • Prohibit heading the ball for children 10 and under • Limit the activity of heading in practice only for ages 11 to 13. • Modify substitution rules to allow players who may have suffered a concussion during games to be evaluated without penalty Player Safety Campaign Protecting the health and safety of athletes and preventing injuries is critically important to U.S. Soccer. They have taken a lead in education, research and proposing rule changes to improve player safety for several years, and are looking forward to continuing in that leadership position with the release of the player safety campaign. U.S. Soccer will be releasing this comprehensive player safety campaign in the coming months. The genesis for developing the campaign was unrelated to the lawsuit as U.S. Soccer has been working on a player safety campaign since long before the lawsuit was filed. The campaign was developed with the help of medical experts to provide coaches, players, parents and referees with information, guidance and additional educational materials to improve the management of injuries, including concussions. The initiative will not only include information about head injuries, but also other important player safety topics such as heat-related illness and injury prevention.

Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer has been at the forefront of player safety and concussion education since 2012. To reinforce our policy and ensure you have a clear understating of your responsibility towards compliance at the club level, there are four basic steps:

Educating and certifying all of your coaches, annually.

Complying with return to play protocol as set forth in the policy, always.

Educating all of your parents and children participating in your programs, annually.

Annual certification of compliance.

Compliance is your responsibility. Each year, an officer of your organization will certify that you are in compliance. We have created a simple form that will be signed by an officer (as per your annual RG-1) and returned to the state office in October of each year. In short, we all must enforce coaching education and training; parent and child education and proper return to play protocol. What is critical is that each layer of our membership is aware of the symptoms and effects of brain injury. We are each other’s checks and balances to ensure first and foremost, the safety of the player. Second, we are aiming to protect our coaches, parents and players from placing competition above health. The policy, as well as many resources to assist you, is available through our website. If you need further guidance, please contact the state office any time. We have worked at length with our Medical Advisory Committee to provide you with the necessary resources

for concussion safety. Through our Medical Advisory committee we have also produced information on general return to play protocol for all injuries, as well as preventative care and training techniques. US Soccer’s new initiative entitled “Recognize to Recover” now requires nationally what we have already been doing locally in that all coaches, licensed or not, must review the approved concussion education materials annually. US Soccer will also require all referees, licensed or not, to do the same. Our board of directors and staff will also review any necessary rules changes regarding head injury and substitution. To refresh your knowledge of our policy or for additional information on our concussion education program or US Soccer’s “Recognize to Recover” please go to our website, EPYSA.org

EPYSA.org

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2015-16 Olympic Development Program By Mike Barr, Technical Director, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

he support and commitment to the Eastern Pennsylvania Olympic Development Program has been overwhelming. This year we had more than 1900 players try out over the two dates. The depth of talent made it so we took more players for our teams than we ever have before. Thank you to everyone who participated. We look forward to diving into the 2016 season. Here are some of the best pictures from tryouts. Follow EPYSA.org/ODP for all ODP updates. Photos by Tatiana Madise.

April 3 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; May 22, 2016 Rain makeup date on June 5th

7-game league Sunday afternoons u8 - u18, Boys and Girls Rock League matches can be used as State Cup Qualifiers. For more information and registration visit:

www.RockLeague.net 14

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Quarterly Calendar

SAVE THESE DATES!

Saturday, March 12, 2016 Awards Reception

EPYSA.org

Visit for more information and to purchase tickets!

Sunday, March 13, 2016 Annual General Meeting

At the Philadelphia Marriott West | Conshohocken, PA

And the Winners Are… Rec. Coach of the Year

Young Referee of the Year

Admin. of the Year

Buddy of the Year

Travel Coach of the Year

TOPSoccer Buddies of the Year

Girls Recreation Coach of the Year

FC Brandywine

Manheim Township Soccer Club

Volunteer of the Year

Boys Travel Coach of the Year

Jim Sponaugle

Volunteers of the Year

Boys Recreation Coach of the Year

Young Referees of the Year

Interboro Soccer Club

Midway Manor Soccer Club

Male

Rocky Rivello

Administrator of the Year

Girls Travel Coach of the Year

Red Lion Youth Soccer Club

Huntingdon Valley AA

Lloyd Faller

Brad Sorkin

Brian Hearn

Montgomery United Soccer Club

9 2016 Horizon Services Eastern Pennsylvania Indoor Cup Application Closes @ 12:01 AM, E.S.T.

Fall Registration Payments Due

6 U13 Girls & Boys “A” Indoor Cup | Wyoming Valley Sports Dome & U17 Girls & Boys Indoor Cup, U19 Girls & Boys Indoor Cup | In the Net

2016 Outdoor Cup Registration Opens

24-31 Office Closed, Winter Holidays

7 U13 Boys “B” Indoor Cup | Wyoming Valley Sports Dome

26 U12 Boys & Girls, U13 Boys ODP Training | In the Net*

27 U13 Girls, U14 Boys & Girls ODP Training | In the Net*

7 Futsal Tournament Series Qualifying Event Presented by Philadelphia Union, United Sports & Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer | Episcopal Academy

27 New Year’s Classic 3V3 Tournament | United Sports

19-21 U13 through U17 ODP @ Virginia Friendlies | Williamsburg, VA

28 Futsal Tournament Series Qualifying Events Presented by Philadelphia Union, United Sports & Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer | United Sports & The Blue Barn

21 Futsal Tournament Series Championship Presented by Philadelphia Union, United Sports & Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer | United Sports

Outdoor Cup Registration Closes for U9-U17

U9 Girls Indoor Cup | United Sports

Charlotte Elrod Female

Annual Awards Reception

U15-U17 Boys & Girls ODP Training | In the Net*

9 U11 Boys & Girls Indoor Cup | Pocono Dome & U14 Boys Indoor Cup | Riverfront Sports

10 U10 Boys & Girls Indoor Cup | Pocono Dome & U14 Girls Indoor Cup | Riverfront Sports

10 Futsal Tournament Series Qualifying Event Presented by Philadelphia Union, United Sports & Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer | Lou Ramos Center

Office Closed, New Year’s Day

13-17 NSCAA Convention/US Youth Soccer Workshop | Baltimore, MD

18 Futsal Tournament Series Qualifying Event Presented by Philadelphia Union, United Sports & Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer | United Sports & BucksMont Indoor Center

24 U12 Girls Indoor Cup | In the Net & U16 Boys & Girls Indoor Cup | Wyoming Valley Sports Dome

Joshua Encarnacion

Please help us celebrate our 2015 award winners at our being held this year at the Philadelphia Marriott West in Conshohocken, PA on Saturday, March 12, 2016. Visit EPYSA.org for more details regarding the event and to purchase tickets.

February 2016

January 2016

Corinne Mackenzie Patty Butler

December 2015

Office Closed, Presidents Day

U9 Boys Indoor Cup | United Sports

March 2016

12 Awards Reception | Philadelphia Marriott West, Conshohocken, PA

13 Annual General Meeting | Philadelphia Marriott West, Conshohocken, PA

Outdoor Cup Schedule Release (U9-U17)

Outdoor Cup Roster Freeze (U9-U17)

* ODP Training. Please check your team page on the website for more details.

U12 Boys Indoor Cup | In the Net

U15 Boys & Girls Indoor Cup | In the Net

Visit EPYSA.org to view schedules, standings, and champions for the 2015 Horizon Services Indoor Cup. 17

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Youth Soccer Month S

eptember was Youth Soccer Month across the United States and Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer celebrated in style. We ran 4v4 street soccer complete with music in Northeast Philadelphia, Manheim Township, with West-Mont United at The Hill School in Pottstown and prior to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Final at PPL Park. We attended Viva tu Vida in Kennett Square, a celebration of Hispanic culture in the Philly suburbs. In addition, thirty brand new soccer balls were given away throughout the month. It was a wonderful thirty days and a great way to give back to the soccer community weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re proud to call our own.

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FISHTOWN

CVSC

Anette Lua

Karli Farrell

Lexi Livelsberger

Team Name TTCheetahs Organization/Club CVSC

Team Name Bells Organization/Club Fishtown

Team Name Supernova Organization/Club Supernova FC

What position do you play or what do you do on your team? Defense

What position do you play or what do you do on your team? Striker and outside mid

What is your nickname? Netty

What is your nickname? Karl

What is your nickname? Lex

Who is your role model? Why? My role model is Cristiano Ronaldo because he goes out on the field and gives 100

Who is your role model? Why? Lionel Messi because he is great at soccer and a great person on and off the field.

Who is your role model? Why? Megan Rapinoe because she is a game-changer and never gives up

What is your favorite soccer team? DC United

What is your favorite soccer team? Argentina

What is your favorite movie? Pitch Perfect

What is your favorite movie? Jurassic World

What is your favorite song? Rise by David Guetta feat. Skylar Grey

What is your favorite song? Only by Nicki Minaj

Age: 11

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What position do you play or what do you do on your team? 3/13/15-4/23/153/14/14–4/24/14 6/12/15-7/9/15 7/25/15-8/27/15 9/4/15-10/15/15 11/27/15-12/31/15 3/14/14–4/24/14 • March • 7/25/14–8/28/14 • 9/5/14–10/2/14 • 12/5/14–1/1/15 3/14/14–4/24/14 •6/13/14–7/10/14 6/13/14–7/10/14 3/14/14–4/24/14 • 6/13/14–7/10/14 • 7/25/14–8/28/14 3/14/14–4/24/14 • 6/13/14–7/10/14 • 7/25/14–8/28/14 • 9/5/14–10/2/14 • 6/13/14–7/10/14 • 7/25/14–8/28/14 • 9/5/14–10/2/14 • 12/5/14–1/1/15 • 7/25/14–8/28/14 • • 9/5/14–10/2/14 12/5/14–1/1/15 • • 9/5/14–10/2/14 12/5/14–1/1/15 • 12/5/14–1/1/15 Left midfield March 14th to April 24th, 2014 14th March to April 14th March 24th, to April 2014 14th March 24th, to April 2014 14th 24th, to April 201424th, 2014 COUPON DATES. Dates subject totochange. COUPONVALID VALID DATES. COUPON Dates VALID subject DATES. COUPON change. Dates VALID subject DATES. COUPON to change. Dates VALID subject DATES. to change. Dates subjectOFFER! to change. SPECIAL SPRING OFFER! SPECIAL SPECIAL SPRING SPECIAL SPRING OFFER! SPECIAL SPRING OFFER! SPRING OFFER!

Hey, Kids! { And adults, too! } Perhaps you’ve said to yourself:

“I want to be in

Magazine!” eastern pennsylvania youth soccer

Want to appear in an upcoming issue of Touchline?

This is an exciting feature in the magazine where Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer players, coaches, and parents get an opportunity to be seen and heard by the rest of our readers. Well, now is your chance! If you would like to be considered to appear in an upcoming issue, simply answer the 11 Questions that appear on our website (and on page 23 ), fill in the bio information and email it to info@epysa.org. Most importantly, you need to send a photo of yourself with the email… the higher quality, the better! If there is not a photo, then we can’t use your entry in the magazine. Entering is not a guarantee of getting published. We wish you luck, and who knows? When you open the next issue of Touchline magazine, you could find yourself staring back at you!

To register go to:

http://www.epysa.org/communications/player_profiles/

SUPERNOVA FC

YOUTH SOCCER PLAYER PROFILES

What is your favorite book? The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer What is your favorite food? Cheeseburgers What is your favorite sport outside of soccer? Basketball

Age: 11

What is your favorite book? The Fault in our Stars by John Green What is your favorite food? Chicken tenders What is your favorite sport outside of soccer? Softball

What is your pet peeve (what thing makes you mad or drives you crazy)? Nails on a chalkboard

What is your pet peeve (what thing makes you mad or drives you crazy)? When people aren’t committed to the team and don’t come to practice

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why? I would go to Mexico because they play a lot of street soccer

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why? I would go to the World Cup and see all the best players in the world play

What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a photographer

What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a doctor and a lawyer

Age: 12

What is your favorite soccer team? Manchester United What is your favorite movie? Harry Potter What is your favorite song? Lean On by Major Lazer What is your favorite book? Harry Potter series by JK Rowling What is your favorite food? Chinese What is your favorite sport outside of soccer? Cross country What is your pet peeve (what thing makes you mad or drives you crazy)? When someone takes their nails across the chalkboard If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why? I would go to Brazil because that’s where there’s a lot of talented players, and I could see how they played soccer What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a pro soccer player and then a physical therapist

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The Need for Young Referees, and the Challenges They Face. A

By Rick Woelfel

s soccer’s popularity continues to grow the need for referees increases. On any given fall weekend, thousands of Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer players were on the pitch. And that doesn’t include the hundreds of high school and middle school games that were played in the area each week. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to find enough referees to cover all those games. The reasons are varied. When the Suburban One League made the decision a few years back to shift its girls’ soccer schedule from the spring to the fall significantly increased the number of officials that were needed on any given day in a region of the state where lack of numbers was already an issue. Sue Pisch-Wilson had a long career on the pitch herself and now assigns games at the high school level. “The lack of officials has been a problem throughout the state,” she says. “(But) more in this area because we have

The demand for young officials has never been higher.

more teams that play as compared to other parts of the state. At the collegiate level, the high school level, and the club level, we have a shortage of officials.”

reflected in the student-athletes as well when you have a teacher who is on the field with them as compared to a non-teacher. It’s a factor sometimes with behavior.”

Pisch-Wilson points out that the economy has a direct impact on the size of the referee pool. “If the unemployment rate is down it’s tougher to find officials,” she says. “If the unemployment rate is up, we have people looking for something to supplement their income.”

The sum of all this is a new reality that is not particularly appealing to prospective referees. The end result is an acute shortage of bodies.

But economics aside, a major reason for the shortage of on-field officials is the increasingly hostile environment they have to work in. Kelli Romano played soccer and two other sports at Cabrini after an outstanding career at Sun Valley High School. She started refereeing six years ago “to give back what was given to me.” Romano, who is also an assistant lacrosse coach at Germantown Academy, says the atmosphere surrounding the sport has changed in the decade-plus since she played her last college game. In today’s world expectations and the emotions that go with those expectations run higher. “We’re forgetting the point that [youth soccer] is suppose to be something that is enjoyable and teaching life lessons,” she says. “I think it starts with the coaches and parents. The parents nowadays think that every kid is getting a full ride somewhere. They’re thinking their son or daughter is the best, better than any other kid. Then you may have a coach who is very egocentric; everything is about ‘Me, me, me.’ As a coach, yes, you’re there to win … but you’re also there to teach the kids life lessons like respect and sportsmanship. The ball was dropped somewhere. It’s not all coaches. It’s not all kids. It’s not all parents. But the environment has changed.” Pisch-Wilson points out that fewer of today’s high school coaches are classroom teachers and some may not understand the role of high school sports in the educational process. “You have more non-teaching coaches than you had in past years,” she says. “You see that (mindset)

important it is to help the newer people,” says Nagler. “Every clinic this topic is discussed and each official is asked to take personal responsibility for two new referees each year. Another program we are starting is having our core mentor group contact every new official at the three-, six-, and nine-month mark after their initial entry level class.

Most regular-season high school matches are conducted using two referees. But it is not uncommon for games below the varsity level to be conducted using just one official. On one occasion this season Romano worked a boys’ high school varsity match by herself. The referee shortage had an impact on the schedule. One high school was forced to postpone its season-opening match on the Friday morning before Labor Day because no referees were available. Another suburban district had three middle school matches scheduled for the same day but because of the referee shortage had to conduct a coin toss to determine which one would actually be played. Add in the fact that the median age of today’s officiating pool is on the rise and it becomes readily apparent that that pool needs to be re-stocked. “We need referees,” Romano says. “We need younger referees. People don’t want to do it. We barely have any (younger officials).” Romano believes that the long-term solution to the numbers issue involves encouraging youth-aged players to pick up a whistle. “If you start them young, it’s a domino effect,” she says. “If you get one or two kids on a team involved, and they do it and love it, they’re going to talk about it.” Romano notes that refereeing is a way for a young player to give something back to the soccer community. “It will change how they treat referees,” she says. “I think it would be a great thing to correlate it with school, or a community service organization, maybe going to a training course or helping the little kids on the weekends. Maybe giving up some of

“The programs will aid the new official by answering questions, giving feedback after matches to correct deficiencies, and shielding them from some of the abuse they would suffer if going in alone.”

Margaret Domka, the only American referee at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. their time to do a little community soccer and see what it’s like on the other side.” Pisch-Wilson points out while younger officials may not have the experience that some of their veteran colleagues do they have other attributes that can help them move up the ranks. “They have a greater rapport with the players,” she says, “because it wasn’t that long ago that they were out on the field. They have a better rapport and the players respect them a lot more.” Joanne Neal helps administer Eastern Pennsylvania’s refereeing program. A veteran official herself, she deals firsthand with the issue of recruiting young officials, who can be as young as 14, and then keeping them. “Kids are coming in,” Neal says. “Our entrylevel classes might be 30 students and 25 or 26 might be young kids. We’re getting the kids coming in. What we’re not doing is retaining them. They do it for a year, maybe two years.” Neal estimates the retention rate for novice referees is somewhere around 25 percent. In other words, three of every four aspiring referees decide the profession isn’t for them. Or worse, they believe officiating to be an easy occupation only to find it takes to time to adjust

to the speed of the game. “How do we go about combatting the issues of recruiting, retaining, and developing better officials?” asks Stan Nagler, Eastern Pennsylvania’s State Youth Referee Administrator. “First off, we must get these referees past the three-year mark. No matter how easy being a soccer official appears from the outside, it takes three-five years to become even marginally competent. If one-third of our referee base is in either their first or second year, it is ridiculous to think that they will be at the level that is expected by coaches, players, and spectators.” Teenage referees put aside their whistles for other reasons as well. Some leave for college, some have trouble getting to games if they don’t have a driver’s license. But a major facture is the abuse they receive from parents and adult coaches, something that can be especially challenging for a teenager.

And there is no limit on what a young referee with a strong work ethic can accomplish. Margaret Domka was a player when she started refereeing in 1993 at age 13. She wasn’t sure she wanted to stay with it at first but things worked out reasonably well for her. In 2009 she was certified as a FIFA referee. This past summer she was the only American referee to work the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Domka, who hails from Milwaukee and is a high school Spanish teacher by profession, says it’s important for young referees to have mentors who will encourage them, as others did for her. “We need to be very positive with our young referees,” she says, “and we need to be supportive of them. Being a young referee, honestly, I still think to this day that it was one of the most challenging places you could be.

Nagler and State Referee Administrator Frank Giancroce have maintained a mentoring program that allows novices to receive encouragement and support from experienced veterans.

“To be younger than the parents of all the athletes who are watching and to be yelled at by the parents… you’re just a kid and you’re being yelled at. So I just think it’s always important that there be support at the fields for those referees; that the referees that are older make sure the younger referees are able to share what their experiences were on the field and know that they have support. It’s just a case of trying to keep it a positive atmosphere within the referee community.”

“We are stressing to our senior officials how

We couldn’t have said it any better ourselves.

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AAA Start Your Journey Martelli Family Fits The Bill P By Chris Winkler, PhiladelphiaUnion.com erhaps no family is more suitable for the Luke has about 15-30 minutes to settle down AAA Start Your Journey nomination than and get into bed. the Martelli family from Gap, Pennsylvania. Up “He really works his tail off,” Domenic said. to four times a week, Domenic and his wife “He wants to be a part of the Union academy Jennifer are making the hour-trek to either and one day become a professional soccer Conshohocken or Wayne to give their nine- player. That or an engineer.” year-old son Luke the best opportunity possible Right now, Luke is excelling in the center of to further develop his young soccer career. the midfield, sometimes in more of an attacking So far, so good. Luke is currently excelling against role. He had 21 goals and 17 assists last season much older competition and will be playing for and, at the urging of his coaches, is becoming Continental FC at the U11 level for Dortmund this a better distributor and defender by the day to season and is also with the Union juniors. But older round off his game. But with the natural goalcompetition is nothing new to Luke who got his scoring and playmaking abilities, it’s no surprise start in the sport after his older sister Alexandria began playing – when Luke was just four.

who his favorite Union players are.

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“Sebastien Le Toux,” his dad said. “And of course Andrew Wenger because of the Lancaster connection.” Even less surprising is that his favorite team is the always entertaining Arsenal. But for now, Luke is settled on taking it one day at a time. While the future is bright for the nine-year-old, he’s still just a kid. “His grades are great and we’ve told him he can do what he wants to do,” Domenic said. “But we definitely don’t have to push him into soccer.”

“When it first happened almost six years ago, we didn’t really envision it taking off like this,” Domenic said. But Luke’s advancement in the sport can be partially attributed to a sheer dedication from both himself and his parents. Four days a week, Luke will have practice that is often more than an hour from his home in Gap, just east of Lancaster. Then on the weekend, it’s off to wherever his club is playing. Luckily, though, his parents haven’t had to preach the importance of school during the busy schedule, something that doesn’t surprise Domenic, a teacher. “We’ve really worked on him with time management,” Domenic said, also noting his wife Jennifer is a guidance counselor in the same school system. “But he’s really very good at getting his work done. He has about an hour after school to get homework done before we leave, and if he needs more time, he’s doing it during those hour rides. He’s good at understanding the need to get his work done.” That or eating dinner. While the Martelli’s have loaded miles on the car, it’s also doubled as a dining room for whoever is making the daily trek with Luke. After a two-hour practice, the family leaves the facility and heads back home. An hour later,

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This story is part of AAA’s “Start Your Journey” campaign, an effort – in partnership with the Union – to help celebrate families’ journeys in support of their young athletes…the long road trips, all-weekend tournaments, and the special bonds that are formed from the extensive time on the road. Each month, the Philadelphia Union and AAA will select an individual within its soccer network to develop a feature story on their path to success in association with the game of soccer. Additionally, fans are encouraged to share their own stories via social media using #ShareYourJourney.

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What is community soccer really all about?

it’s j u at

By Lori Peters-McClure

m l lu ons made sy!

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d Bran r e t as Lanc

E I R E S ROTISC KEN C HI

As the Assistant Director at Access Sports Experiences, Lori Peters-McClure has worked to help provide inclusive sporting experiences for individuals with disabilities and at-risk youth. Lori has developed and led a number of fundraising campaigns, traveled to various countries to create programs to help fight societal injustices and develop educational and economic initiatives. Suburban Life Magazine recognized Lori as a “Super Woman” for her international philanthropic work.

ver the past few years I have had the opportunity to be deeply involved in sports, especially soccer. A few years back I was asked to help coach my daughter’s team and support the head coach. I played soccer many years ago and even coached as a young adult. I was very happy to jump in and provide any assistance I could. During those few years of coaching and now being a parent on the sidelines I began to wonder, what is community and travel soccer really all about? When my child was young, soccer was simple: learn the rules, gain skill, make friends and have fun. As she grew in both age and skill the focus began to change: refine skill, gain greater understanding, compete hard and win. If the make-up of the team did not produce the “win” then I must go and find a team that

could accomplish that end, no matter what the means, expense or distance. I watched teams dissolve and communities lose the “community” in their teams. Players were jockeyed from one club to another looking for the golden ring of prestige, reputation and glory. In the meantime what also dissolved were friendships, the stability of a team unit and fun. As I reflect on the heart of community soccer I am convinced of two essential outcomes. First, community soccer is just that: community. I recently heard about a boys’ soccer team tryout, which attracted a number of players from other communities. The outcome was

the majority of the boys who were selected for the team were from the “other” communities and those within the local community were left without a team. I am not against competition and the desire to create quality programs. However, this can happen through solid programming, commitment to the team, belief in the players and empowering them to rise to the highest level of expectation. The byproducts are a strong sense of loyalty to the community, opportunity for camaraderie and solid relationships that surpass a playing field. Second, the best assets soccer can provide are transferable skills that will impact players their entire life. Each player, regardless of when, should be able to finish their soccer career with an understanding of themselves, value to team, the importance of hard work, never giving up, losing with grace and contributing to the greater good of a team despite what might be most advantageous for the individual. As I continue to transport my child to practice and games and to stand on the sidelines, I will remind myself that statistically speaking, she probably has two to possibly six more years of soccer left in her lifetime. Along with that thought, I will remember the connection to community and the character she will develop being part of a team will be the most valuable “win” she will ever have. That’s what soccer is really all about.

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The Never-Ending Story: Winning vs. Development

By Mike Barr, Technical Director, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

arents and coaches of youth soccer players have been following discussions and possible new protocols regarding heading and concussions with great interest as well as the changes in small-sided play. The direction US Soccer takes will have a direct impact on every player who is currently participating. The other topic that seems to spur the interest of parents is the never-ending discussion of “Development vs Winning.” The mistake, often made by coaches and parents alike, may be believing that winning correlates with development. Soccer is unique from other major sports in that statistics are not a fair measure of a player’s growth. In baseball, a player’s success in development is measured in batting average, hits, wins and losses, speed of a fastball, home runs, errors… I could go on and on. Basketball, hockey and football have the same type of individual statistical analyses in regard to development but size, speed and strength are also major components. Many of the top soccer players coming into the professional ranks actually come from countries that do not have a structured youth system or a formal coaching education platform. Much like inner city youth in basketball, their skills and development comes from free play among themselves without any formal instruction until their early teenage years. Speed is becoming an ever-increasing valuable asset but size does not play as big a factor in soccer as in other sports. For numerous reasons in the United States we have taken a different pathway to skill development, and sometimes I am not sure it is paying dividends. As parents you should be looking at your child’s experience the same way you examine his or her progress in school. You should expect your child to enjoy the sport and demonstrate growth from season to season, especially if your child has a paid trainer. Progress should be in line with their ability and age. Try to remember that much like in the classroom, children progress at different rates and some do not show

significant progress until they mature, but you should still see growth. The best way to be sure there is development with your child is to begin to observe your child in training and games. Hopefully, utilizing these questions may be of assistance: A. Does my child still enjoy going to training and games and is there enthusiasm in anticipation of playing in a game? B. Does my child display confidence and assertiveness in his or her game? C. Has my child’s knowledge of the game increased as he or she participates within a team? D. Can he or she perform the technical skills necessary to compete in matches with players of the same age? E. Are my child’s skills comparable to other players on his or her team? F. Are technical skills apparent at speed and under pressure? G. Is there an awareness of roles on the field in attack and on defense especially without the ball and does he or she move quickly and smoothly in transition? H. Do the coaches instruct all the players when presenting exercises in training and do they ask guided discovery questions when checking for understanding? I. Is there an ongoing evaluation process provided during and at the conclusion of the season to your child and you? J. Does he or she understand the roles of all players in various positions and if moved to a new position does he or she demonstrate a sense of comfort in playing? K. Are all the players actively involved in training and does each exercise seem to progress and transition smoothly? L. At the younger ages, up to U12, does the coach of my child’s team make winning the number one priority?

M. Does my child demonstrate the fitness component needed to play at the level of the game itself? N. Does my child work well during training or games with the other players on his or her team. O. Does the coach direct the team so much from the sideline that your son or daughter rarely has the opportunity to make his or her own decisions? P. Is your child provided the opportunity to participate in no-pressure and small-sided games with little or no coaching in order to try new skills and make his or her own decisions without correction or reprimand? It cannot take the place of free play but it provides an opportunity to complement the free play that is going on in Latin American and African countries.

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Q. Do you periodically ask your child what training was about and how he or she feels about performances? R. Does the coach incorporate fun with learning during most sessions? S. Does your child express that he or she often feels undue pressure during training and games? These recommendations in the form of questions are meant for children eight and up. At age 13 competing to win begins to play a major role and becomes part of development. Recognize that there should be a form of accountability attached to your child’s development as a player, whether the coach is a volunteer or a paid trainer and coach. In many instances it may be difficult to measure your child’s progress, but utilizing these series of questions should give you a better idea of your child’s improvement in the sport that is meant to be for all children.

Eastern Pennsylvania Turkey Hill Challenge Cup

Eastern Pennsylvania President’s Cup

Eastern Pennsylvania State Cup (National Championship Series)

• Open to all teams playing in an Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer sanctioned league (Cup-qualifying) in the U9 to U17 age groups.

• Open to all teams in the U12 through U17 age groups, playing in an Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer sanctioned league (Cup-qualifying).

• Open to all teams in the U12 through U19 age groups, playing in an Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer sanctioned league (Cup-qualifying).

• Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer offers two divisions of play in the U9 to U11 (8v8) age groups (“A”= Most competitive and “B” = Competitive).

• The Presidents Cup is played in a World Cup format. Teams will need to progress from group play into the State Finals being played on May 1st, 2016.

• There is no regional competition outside of Eastern Pennsylvania.

• Champions in the U13 through U17 age groups will represent Eastern Pennsylvania in the US Youth Soccer Region I Presidents Cup (Hosted by Maryland State Youth Soccer Association).

• The State Cup competition is a single elimination tournament with the State Finals for the U12-U17 age groups played May 14-15, 2016 and the U18-U19 finals played on June 5th, 2016.

• The Turkey Hill Challenge Cup is played in a World Cup format. Teams will need to progress from group play into the playoffs. The finals will be played May 14-15, 2016.

• Eastern Pennsylvania teams that win the Region I Championship will represent Region I at the 2016 US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup in Tulsa, OK, July 14-17.

• Teams that win the State Cup will advance to the US Youth Soccer Region I Championships in Barboursville, WV, June 30 – July 5th, 2016. • U13-U19 teams that win the Region I Championship will represent Eastern Pennsylvania and Region I in the 2016 US Youth Soccer National Championships in Frisco, Texas, July 25-31, 2016.

Registration for these competitions will open December 16, 2015. For more information and to register visit EPYSA.org/cups

SAMPLE TRAINING EXERCISES

From US Soccer Digital Coaching Center

By Gary Stephenson, Assistant Technical Director, Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer

BOX PRESSING (4V4 TO 6V3) Description (Recommended as an initial step in Stage II) A dynamic exercise that is a competition between two groups of players. 1. Divide the training group into two sets of players. Each group should be defined and organized into their functional roles. Example: Grid A: Six v. Three (#6, 8, and 10) v (7, 9, 11, 6, 8, 10) 2. The focus is on pressing to regain possession. In the “Grid A” example adjacent, the three central midfielders are awarded a point for each time they win possession of the ball and dribble it across the grid boundary. The opposing team of six then retrieves the ball and serves back into play. 3. Grid Size: 20 x 30 yards (Adjust relative to age, fitness level and technical level of the team)

4. Rotate the players back and forth across the two grids. This rotation will result in alternating roles between attacking (possession) and defending (pressing) Key Points 1. Recognize and teach the critical cues that determine the decision for the 1st defender to press the ball carrier. Define the angle and speed of approach. 2. Recognize, teach and reinforce the covering position (angle and distance) of the 2nd defender. Each moment will vary depending upon the cues for that moment. 3. Reinforce compactness of the defending unit by observing and defining the positioning and movement of the 3rd defender in each group.

SMALL-SIDED TO A TARGET Description Create a playing area with cones. At the end of the playing area, make an end zone. Ask an assistant coach (may need a few) to stand in the end zone. They are a “target”. Inside the playing area play 2v2/3v3/4v4. A point is scored when a team can pass the ball to a target.

Key Points • Surface selection of the push pass. “What part of the foot do you use to pass the ball to a teammate”? • Surface selection of receiving. “What part of the foot do you use to receive a pass”? • If you can’t pass forward then what? (Pass to a teammate)

SMALL-SIDED GAME 2V1 IN HALF (4V2) Description Eight players. Split a playing field into half. Each half is approximately 15x15. Place two players from one team in one half and two of there teammates in the other. One defender is in each half. The attacking team (4) try to score on the small goal placed in one of the halves. The defending team (2) try to score on two small goals placed in the other half. Attacking players

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are restricted to their zone. Defending players are not. Rotate players after each interval. Key Points • Redirect the ball to keep possession or to pass to a teammate. • Passing to an open player. • Accuracy of the pass.

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