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Fall 2015 VOL. 31
Changes to US Youth Soccer in 2016 - PG. 6 Social Media and Youth Soccer - PG. 12
Championships | Annual General Meeting | Goal Safety
CONTENTS 6 Changes Coming to Youth Soccer in 2016
12 Social Media and Youth Soccer
22 A Daughters Surprise at Nationals
4 Presidents Message 8 Kohl's Cup 10 Presidents Cup 11 State Cup 14 Goal Safety 17 Florida State Premier League 18 Annual General Meeting 2015 20 Presidents Cup Championship 21 National Champions 25 Lightning Safety
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Presidents Message This year has proven to be another success for FYSA! In 2015, I had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people across the state of Florida and on the Regional and National levels as well. I have seen our young players grow and their abilities both on and off the field have greatly increased. This is due in part to the many coaches, parents, and volunteers that have worked with our players every day during this past soccer season. I truly believe that FYSA has some of the finest soccer players in the country and some of the finest coaches, parents, and volunteers around. This year FYSA welcomed Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies, Sports Authority, Lids Team Sports, and Bownet as state partners. These new partnerships will allow FYSA to continue to grow and offer new deals for all of our affiliates across the state. We are very excited to see these new relationships grow in the future. I am pleased to share with you that our registration numbers have increased yet again this year. We saw a 4% increase in registration this season. This is due in part to the many programs that we offer and to the fine individuals who oversee these programs. FYSA continues to strive for excellence with our affiliates. Florida had 30 teams represent the state at the Regional Presidents Cup and Region III Championships. Congratulations to the Bonita Springs U13 Boys for winning the National President’s Cup. Congratulations to our National Champions – the U16 Girls from Jacksonville and the U17 Girls from Tampa Bay Untied. A special thanks to all of the teams for representing the state! We are proud of your accomplishments this season. We also celebrated our 41st Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Orlando, Florida this year. By partnering again with NSCAA, we were able to bring you a weekend full of opportunities for coaches and educational lectures and workshops. This event was a great success and we look forward to the 2016 AGM. Thank you to everyone for their hard work this year! I want to personally congratulate all our Region Cup, Presidents Cup, and State Cup Champions. This has been an exciting year and we look forward to another great year! Warm Regards, Marino Torrens
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CHANGES ARE COMING TO YOUTH SOCCER Age groups and small sided games will be different in 2016 -
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ext year, the world of youth soccer will continue its evolution as all members of U.S. Soccer will begin to make the transition on two key factors to encourage further youth development. The first change will be the nationwide adoption of Small-Sided Games and the second will be a shift from school-year to calendar year for the age grouping of teams.
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"With these initiatives, we’re more likely to have players better prepared down the road," said Tab Ramos, U.S. Youth Technical Director and U-20 Men’s National Team head coach.
US Youth Soccer, the largest member of U.S. Soccer, will assist members with information on these changes through the national office and our 55 member State Associations.
"With small-sided standards, what we're trying to do is to help players develop by putting them in an environment where they are constantly involved in the play, and our changes in birthyear registration will make age groups easier to understand, while aligning our calendar with the international calendar."
Small-Sided Games Small-Sided Games will be mandated come August of 2017, with specific changes occurring in regard to alterations to the field size, goals and rules.
The result will be a decrease in 11-vs-11 competitions in lieu of more 9-vs-9 and 7-vs-7 competitions. U.S. Soccer will encourage the adoption of Small-Sided Games best practices in August of 2016. US Youth Soccer has been encouraging Small-Sided Games for more than 20 years and most of the 55 member State Associations have adopted the philosophy during that time. The benefits of SmallSided Games for players include more fun, more touches on the ball and more tactical decisions. The style of play will allow players to learn different positions, learn tactics quicker, increase fitness and allow players to be more emotionally and socially involved — creating a more fun and enjoyable game. "What we’re trying to do is to help players develop by putting them in an environment where they are constantly involved in the play," Ramos said.
"That could be with the ball and that could be without the ball, but when you make things small-sided, everyone is somehow involved in the play, whether that’s in defending, in cutting angles, in cutting the ball back, you’re always in the play." Calendar Year Effective August 2017, the grouping of players will also change nationwide, with encouraged adoption of best practices in August of 2016. U.S. Soccer will go back to calendar birth years to align with international standards and Youth National Team programs. US Youth Soccer will implement the best practice of calendar year age grouping for player registration beginning with the 2016-2017 soccer year for US Youth Soccer programs and competitions. Using the school calendar for age groups is practiced only in the United States and Canada; as all other FIFA members go by the calendar year.
Previously, age groups were determined based on players born between Aug. 1 and July 31. The change to calendar year age groups will reflect the calendar year, or Jan. 1 to Dec. 31. Players are still allowed to “play up” or play in an older age group. US Youth Soccer, a respected leader in player development for more than 40 years, has seen the evolution of the game and various changes. The US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program has used the birth year for the grouping of players since it was established in 1977. In fact, the James P. McGuire Cup, the oldest trophy in youth sport, awarded at the annual US Youth Soccer National Championships also shows the history of teams named for their calendar year age group. “Overall, the two things this accomplishes is it makes things easier and it gets us on the same calendar with the rest of the world," Ramos said. "So now it becomes easier to identify for U.S. National Teams and everything else when it comes to international soccer.”
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Kohl's Cup The Kohl's US Youth Soccer American Cup provides recreational youth soccer players an opportunity to experience a consistent and high-quality statewide tournament in a fun, family-like atmosphere. It fosters stimulation and excitement about soccer in an effort to increase the recreational players interest in and love for the game. We want the recreational player to feel special and have fun! The Kohl's American Cup can achieve this by providing players with the opportunity to participate in an original event outside of their normal league play. In addition to helping recreational players, US Youth Soccer State Associations can benefit from more service to current members and can it be utilized as a tool to increase membership enrollment. A special thanks to all of our clubs that have hosted a Kohl's Cup this year! If you are interested in hosting a Kohl's Cup in 2016, applications are now available. Be sure to fill out the information soon as the deadline for all applications is November 13, 2015.
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On a bright and early Saturday morning, teams from around the state of Florida made their way to the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex in Auburndale. A grand total of 64 teams would compete in the Florida Presidents Cup. The Florida Presidents Cup held on April 11 and 12 this year, is designed for those teams seeking additional challenges to play against teams of similar abilities for a national title. The cup provides a progressive, competitive experience to teams that might not otherwise get the opportunity to participate in a series of unique experiences highlighting competition, camaraderie and community from state to regional to national levels of US Youth Soccer. Boys and girls teams in the Under-11 through Under19 age groups participated in an exciting competition for a chance to represent the state in the US Youth Soccer Region III (South) Presidents Cup in June. Teams played on Saturday to determine the lineup for the championship games on Sunday. After a thrilling set of final games, the following teams are the 2015 Florida Presidents Cup Champions: Boys - U11 Florida Rush, U12 Orlando City, U13 Bonita Springs Storm, U14 Ridge Youth SC, U15 Celtic FC Florida, U16 FC Tampa Scorpio, U17 MST Pachuca FC, U19 Jacksonville FC. Girls - U11 Creeks Soccer, U12 Strictly Soccer, U13 Warner ASG, U14 North Ft. Myers SC, U15 Wesley Chapel Flames, U16 Brevard Soccer Alliance, U17 Jupiter United Soccer, U19 Cape Coral SA.
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The 2015 Florida Presidents Cup Champions made their next debut at the US Youth Soccer Region III (South) Presidents Cup in Lafayette, Louisiana from June 11-14.
The 2015 State Cup Finals proved to be one of the most exciting competitions seen at FYSA. Teams from around the state of Florida traveled to the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex in Auburndale for a chance to progress to the 2015 Region III Championships in North Little Rock, Arkansas. After a special presentation for Armed Forces Day, teams took to the field in a semifinal match that would last all Saturday. After the semifinals, championship games were held on Sunday. During both days of State Cup, young players worked together and competed against the most talented teams in the state. With multiple fields being used, you were sure to find a good match-up no matter what. There were great goals and amazing saves from both sides. Ultimately, these were the champions for this year’s State Cup: Boys - U13 Orlando City, U14 Tampa Bay United, U15 West Florida Flames, U16 Pinecrest Premier, U17 Leg AZ, U18 Space Coast United, U19 Jacksonville FC. Girls - U13 Creeks Soccer, U14 Sunrise Sting, U15 Sunrise Sting, U16 Tampa Bay United, U17 Tampa Bay United, U18 Sunrise Sting, U19 Tampa Bay United. The 2015 State Cup Champions made their next appearance at the US Youth Region III Championships in Arkansas from June 18 – 25 at the Burns Park Soccer Complex. Teams from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North & South Carolina, North & South Texas, Oklahoma and Tennessee all attended the Region III Championships.
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SOCIAL MEDIA
AND YOUTH SOCCER
The information age has given high school students the ability to form opinions about colleges before ever stepping on to a campus for a visit. But they're not the only ones using the Internet to gather useful information. College coaches now have a much quicker and convenient way to form a first impression of a potential recruit's character - through social media. Using popular social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram, coaches can now see what type of player your youth athlete is like. According to a US Youth Soccer survey, 322 college coaches said that they check social media profiles of potential players.
Out of all of these coaches, 89 percent said that a player's social media presence has negatively affected how they view that player. Many college coaches and recruiters can find out a player's personality by his or her social media habits. The University of Clemson men's soccer head coach, Mike Noonan says "that you don't need to read too much into social media because it's more about information that it is a character analyzation of the player. But if someone posts things that are inappropriate, that tells you a lot about whether you want to recruit the player or not."
“If someone is being critical of a teammate, coach, referee or situation on social media that may be suggesting some potential problems down the road," says Noonan. Five Social Media Steps That Hurt Recruiting Chances According to SocialStudentAthletes.com, there are 5 easy steps that could kill young athletes recruiting chances with social media. 1. If 90% of your social media is constantly negative. Coaches and recruiters use social media as a way to get to know the person you are and to judge your alignment with their core values. Does any coach want a new member of their team who appears to only see the negative? Absolutely not. We know that a negative complainer can be a blight on an entire team; no one is going to willing add a problem to their roster. 2. You tell everyone that you are breaking the rules. if you share with the world that you constantly break the rules, a coach is going to wonder if this is someone who habitually doesn't take responsibility for their actions.
3. You broadcast academic problems. The majority of students are going to have trouble with some course; we don’t all learn the same way and there are courses and methods of teaching that are going to trip us up. Do not, absolute rule, DO NOT, talk about courses you are failing or horrific grades on social media. 4. You make it all about you. Don’t be all about you. Coaches want a team player and are looking at how you react to games and tournaments based off your social media comments.
5. You retweet rashly. If you are sharing someone else’s opinion through Twitter, coaches can imply that you share those same thoughts and beliefs. What Can Athletes Do? Perhaps the best thing that any athlete can do is stop and think about what they are about to post. Taking a little bit of time by distinguishing a good social media post from a bad one can play a pivotal role in how others view an athlete’s social media profile.
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THE IMPORTANCE OF GOAL SAFETY Every year children are injured or lose their lives in goal post accidents. The risk is very real, and soccer goals are so much a part of our “scenery” that we often don’t recognize the danger. Falling goals and loose netting can seriously injure and kill young athletes. There are currently between 325,000 and 600,000 soccer goals in the United States. Many tend to be unsafe because they are unstable and either unanchored or not correctly anchored or counterbalanced. In addition, even properly secured goalposts pose an unnecessary danger to players, primarily goalies; because the vast majorities are unpadded. The American Journal of Sports Medicine reported in 1995 that, even though goalies comprise only six percent of soccer players, they suffer nineteen percent of all soccer injuries. When a player collides with the post of a heavy, stationary goal post, the player absorbs all of the impact of the collision.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research, at least 34 fatalities and 51 major injuries during the period of 1978 to 2008 have been linked to unanchored or portable goals. An estimated 120 people per year were treated in hospital emergency rooms stemming from soccer goal posts during the period 1989 to 1993. The report also mentions that many of the injuries associated with goal accidents are blunt force trauma to the head, neck, chest and limbs.
Safety Guidelines Goal safety is everyone’s job and people need to be aware of the dangers. Listed below are several safety guidelines to consider when it comes to goals: • Never start a practice or a game without inspecting the goals. Always make sure that goals are properly anchored and that the top cross bar is secured. • Do not manufacture or design goal posts – buy from a manufacturer who has product liability. • Perform periodic surveys on the condition of a goal.
• Put warning labels on all goals. • Communicate goal safety information to everyone involved with your soccer team. • Goals are not playground equipment. No child, no matter the age, should climb or play on a soccer goal. • Be aware and responsible. If you see a child playing on a goal, ask them to stop. • Make sure that the netting is securely fastened. By following these simple guidelines you can promote a healthy and safe environment!
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The Florida State Premier League (FSPL) held one of the largest events in Florida this year. During the weekend of September 12 & 13, over 153 teams from across the state played FSPL games at The Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch, Florida. This was the biggest event ever for FSPL as games were played on 20 fields simultaneously throughout both days. "We wanted to try something new and see if we could get all of the FSPL teams in one location for a weekend," said Bryan Bachelder, Program Coordinator for FYSA. The competition was exciting and fast paced on both days. Minus the occurrence of some minor rainstorms on both days, only several games had to be cancelled during the whole event. "We thought it was a great turn out and would definitely like see this again," said Coach George Fotopoulos from Tampa Bay United."Having all of the teams in one location shows the scope of how big this league really is."
With thousands of players, coaches and parents in attendance, the FSPL games at Lakewood Ranch have been met with positive feedback from the FYSA community. The new season of FSPL is proving to to be an exhilarating experience so far! FSPL will take a short break over the holiday season and start up again in 2016.
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Annual General Meeting 2015
The Florida Youth Soccer Association and the National Soccer Association of America (NSCAA) partnered once again this year to bring the Florida soccer community an exciting Annual General Meeting (AGM). By combining the FYSA AGM and the NSCAA Summer Symposium, attendees had the opportunity to attend a variety of workshops and lectures at the Buena Vista Palace near Orlando's Disney Springs.
Some of these workshops included coaching courses, team foundation meetings, and many more. The AGM also included an extensive vendor showcase highlighting the latest soccer equipment and programs available for the attendees. Johnson & Johnson, Lids Team Sports, and Bownet were just a few vendors featured at the showcase. Representatives from Orlando City, the Tampa Bay Rowdies, and the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers teams were also on site. Of course, we also honored our award winners at the AGM Awards Banquet.
Every year during the Annual General Meeting, FYSA honors those individuals who have gone above and beyond this past year with the Annual Awards Banquet. These award winners have shown great dedication not only to the jobs that they perform but to those around them. With a variety of categories, we like to acknowledge the fantastic efforts that were given to the great game of soccer.
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This year FYSA was able to stand and honor the following award recipients: Boys Competitive Coach of the Year Eric Vasquez from Coral Gables Youth Center Girls Competitive Coach of the Year Alyssa Esposito from Space Coast United Boys Recreational Coach of the Year Benjamin Plechaty from Space Coast United Girls Recreational Coach of the Year Tim Michaud from Space Coast United Recreational Club of the Year Space Coast United TOPSoccer Buddy of the Year Kala Neighborhood from Space Coast United TOPSoccer Volunteer of the Year Chris Drew from Gainesville Soccer Alliance TOPSoccer Coach of the Year Mark Loewenberg TOPSoccer Club of the Year West Florida Flames Soccer Club Female Referee of the Year Ruth Babione Male Referee of the Year Dalton Gammon Friends of Soccer Awards William Quinter, Allan & RuthAnn Lacombe Volunteer of the Year Nancy Babin from the Florida Rush Admin of the Year Lou Confessore Hall of Fame Inductee Virgil Stringfield Photo of the Year Monica Amaya (Pictured on the left) Goal of the Year Bela Nagy Save of the Year Gianna Fontana
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2015 US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup Champions
The US Youth Soccer Presidents Cup offers teams the challenge of experiencing different types of play by competing from state to regional to national levels. The Presidents Cup provides teams with a progressive, competitive experience that highlights competition, camaraderie and community. This year's National Presidents Cup Champion from Florida goes to the Under 13 Boys Bonita Storm team
Bonita Storm (FL) swept through preliminary play with a 3-0-0 record, and defeated CFJ West 01/02 Red (IL) 2-1 in the final to become the Under-13 Boys National Presidents Cup champion. Bonita player David Gomez came up big in the match with two goals in the first 15 minutes to get the win. “It’s really amazing how much our hard work paid off this weekend,” coach Danny Diaz said after returning from the tournament played in Overland Park, Kansas. “The support that we got from the community and how serious the boys took it really gave us the incentive to work hard and we’re seeing the results right now.” Congratulations to the U13 Bonita Storm on their championship win!
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2015 US Youth Soccer National Champions The US Youth Soccer National Championship Series is the country's most prestigious national youth soccer tournament, providing approximately 185,000 players on more than 10,000 teams from the US Youth Soccer State Associations the opportunity to showcase their soccer skills against the best competition in the nation while emphasizing teamwork, discipline and fair play. The National Championship Series took place in Tulsa, Oklahoma this year at the Mohawk Soccer Complex. With teams from all around the country in attendance, Florida would go on to take two National Championship Titles! Under-16 JFC Storm 98/99 (FL) managed to reclaim its championship with a win over YMS Premier Xplosion 98 (PA-E) with a 3 to 0 score. “We’re the first team in Florida to win back-to-back National Championships,” said JFC head coach Mike Walker. “Last year we were unknown but this year we were definitely on everyone’s radar.” Tampa Bay United 97 Premier (FL) avenged last year’s loss to Beach FC Academy 97 (CA-S) by winning their matchup 1 to 0 to claim the Under-17 Girls title. “It’s all a credit to these players. They play their hearts out,” Tampa Bay coach Adrian Bush said. “We’ve won everything there is to win. We’ve won a state title, a regional and now we just capped it off with the National Championship. No one can take that away from them, and I’m just so proud of them.” Congratulations to the U16 Girls JFC Storm and the U17 Girls Tampa Bay United teams!
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The Perfect Surprise Like many players, Danielle Gordon’s father, Dana, is in Tulsa, Okla., to watch his daughter play in the 2015 US Youth Soccer National Championships. Except the Tampa Bay United 97 Premier (FL) father-daughter duo is a little bit unique
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Dana saw his daughter for the first time in more than seven months after being deployed with the USS Iwo Jima, the Navy battleship that he captains. Dana brings the support of the ship’s entire crew with him as he cheered on his daughter and Tampa Bay United. The following is an interview with Captain Dana Gordon while attending the National Championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Could you tell us a little about your job and what you do? I’m the captain, the commanding officer, of the USS Iwo Jima, which is an amphibious assault carrier based out of Jacksonville, Fla. I just got back from a 7-and-a-half-month deployment off the coast of Yemen in support of the embassy evacuation.
How has your wife handled everything with you being away?
How long have you been in the armed forces? I’ve been in it 25 years. What kind of crew is under your command in terms of the size and numbers? The ship is an 844-foot ship, second size-wise only to an aircraft carrier. We have 31 aircraft, including prairies, ospreys, cobras and some other different types of helicopters. We also have two amphibious landing craft in support of Marines. I have 1,200 Navy and another 1,600 Marines who work on the ship. So I have a total of roughly around 2,750 people on the ship. When was the last time you saw your daughter before today?
My wife is Rolanda. We have an 11year-old who plays, as well. She also won the US Youth Soccer Florida State Championship. Rolanda has been running both of the girls around all year and a lot of time I’ve been gone the last three years, actually. She’s been phenomenal making sure the girls get where they need to be. Playing We left Dec. 11 just prior of them at a level this high is a lot of going down to Disney to finish up commitment in terms of where they have to be and the travel. It’s the second half of National League. I got to see them play up certainly been worth it to get to watch them play and the until that point. I told them, ‘If excitement that comes with it. you guys win, I’ll see you at Nationals.’ So, here I am. We corresponded and I kept up with What would it mean for your daughter’s team to advance to them throughout the season, as the semifinals and ultimately far as their games through the have a chance to play for the US Youth Soccer State National title? Championship and then Regionals. They’ve got two and They need to win. They know that. are trying to make the trifecta It’s what we talked about before here with the National we left. I think for them anything Championship. short of that won’t be a disappointment, but it’s the goal What was it like to see her they have for themselves. Having today? finished last year in double overtime, losing by one goal in It was great. This is the second deployment that I’ve left with her penalty kicks in the championship game. For them, this is the next being here and not getting a step, the next milestone for them. chance to see her for an extended period of time. The first time she was a little younger, and Tampa Bay United would go on to win the National this time was probably a little Championship this year. more emotional. But she’s focused. We hugged each other and she said, ‘I’ve got to go play.’ That’s the way she is — all about business, which is great. TOUCHLINE | 23
When Lightning Strikes Living in Florida we are accustomed to the shifting weather. One moment you may be enjoying a bright sunny day and the next a fierce thunderstorm has arrived to ruin your plans. As many parents and team officials are aware of, rain and lightning is not something to take lightly during a game. Lightning itself can prove to be especially dangerous. Each year, about 400 children and adults in the U.S. are struck by lightning while being outside for sports events, mowing the lawn, going to the beach or during other outdoor activities. About 80 people are killed and several hundred more are left to cope with permanent disabilities. Many of these tragedies can definitely be avoided. Finishing the game, getting a tan, or completing a work shift is not worth death or crippling injury.
Outdoors is the most dangerous place to be during a lightning storm. Lightning often strikes as far as 10 miles away from any rainfall. The general rule is if you can hear thunder, lightning is close enough that it could strike your location at any moment. Look for dark cloud bases and increasing wind. Every flash of lightning is dangerous, even the first. Head to safety before that first flash. If you hear thunder, head to safety! Lightning Safety Rules during a Soccer Game - Postpone activities promptly. Don't wait for the rain. Many people take shelter from the rain, but most people struck by lightning are not in the rain! Go quickly inside a completely enclosed building.
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- Be the lowest point. Lightning hits the tallest object. Stay below the tree line.
- Avoid leaning against vehicles. Get off bicycles and motorcycles.
- Keep an eye on the sky. Look for darkening skies, flashes of lightning, or increasing wind, which may be signs of an approaching thunderstorm.
- Get out of the water. It's a great conductor of electricity. Lightning can strike the water and travel some distance beneath and away from its point of contact. Don’t stand in puddles of water, even if wearing rubber boots.
- Listen for the sound of thunder. If you can hear thunder, go to a safe shelter immediately. - Listen to a weather report for any warnings. - If you can't get to a shelter, stay away from trees. If there is no shelter, crouch in an open area.
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- Avoid metal! Drop all metal objects that you may be carrying. - Keep your distance from other people during a lightning storm.
These are just a few safety rules to consider during a lightning storm. Parents and team officials should always keep an eye out for potential storms. In case of emergencies, call 911 or your local ambulance service. Get medical attention as quickly as possible. If a person has been struck by lightning,
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