Goal Lines - Issue 8 - September 2016

OREGON YOUTH SOCCER ASSOCIATION’S MONTHLY MAGAZINE

ISSUE #8

GOAL LINES

The playoff picture is star1ng to shape up and if you, like us, are Portland Timbers fans you know that this 1me of year brings nail-bi1ng, heartache, ela1on and everything in between as we start our march toward the post-season.

The Cascadia match up in the past two weeks epitomizes the trials and tribula1ons of being a Timbers fan.

Up in SeaCle a few weeks ago, on FoxSports1 the green and gold limped out of Century Link Field, tails between our legs with a 3-1 loss, and then a mere 7 days later, took SeaCle

apart at Providence Park comfortably going up 4-0 at halLime and seeing the visitors off 4-2 at the end.

This is what the life of a fan is all about. I’s ups and downs. It’s celebra1ng and crying all within a maCer of days as the number of games leL to make it to the dance diminishes each and every week.

Where will Portland end up? We don’t know, but one thing’s for sure…if you’re a Timbers Fan, this is going to be, as always, a crazy rollercoaster ride into the playoff race, and the MLS Cup Finals.

Photo credit: OregonLive.com

CORNER IT’S ALL ABOUT THAT RED LINE Take a look. Right there on this page. Over to the right.

Yeah, that red line on the standings. That’s all that matters right now for the Portland Timbers.

Above and we’re in. Below, and the catastrophic reality that the defending MLS Champions don’t make the playoffs.

The good news for our boys in green is that we barely squeaked into the playoffs last season, and well, we all know what happened then. But until then…keep your eye on that line!

BY THE NUMBERS: 9-11–8 record

42 goals for

44 goals against

37,459 miles travelled this season so far for away games (round trip)

Top scorer - Adi (13 goals)

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Check out our favorite Timbers videos this month that you may not have seen

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

NEXT OPPONENT

Here are the most recent match highlights from our favorite team

Sunday, Sept 10th

Providence Park

7:30pm PST

CLUBS CAN BENEFIT, TOO! The more coaches your club has registered for CoachNet, the more gear your club will receive.

You could receive free Bazooka goals, free Silver, Gold, or Platinum memberships, and even free admission to the 2017 NSCAA Convention in Los Angeles, CA.

Details are outlined on our website, by clicking the CoachNet logo.

The Oregon Youth Soccer Association’s new CoachNet program has been created so that coaches can receive enhanced benefits above and beyond those offered by their club as well as be a part of a network of other coaches brought together to receive enhanced coaching.

Being a member of CoachNet enables, among other things, coaches to receive free items, discounts, free training, access to special events, Timbers & Thorns game tickets, apparel, and invite-only participation in development discussions for further enhancement of the program.

We’ve tiered the program, outlined below, to enable coaches to select a membership that suits their individual needs.

SILVER LEVEL - $95

GOLD LEVEL - $125

PLATINUM LEVEL - $175

✓ Full NSCAA membership for one year, which includes:

✓ All of the benefits listed in the Silver level

✓ All of the benefits listed in the Silver & Gold level

✓ Subscription to Soccer Journal

Gold Level coaches also get:

Platinum Level coaches also get:

✓ Access to NSCAA online resource library

✓ Access to special, invite-only events hosted by the Oregon Youth Soccer Association

✓ Additional 10% on any OYSA offered coaching course (total of 20% off)

✓ Two tickets to a T2 game that OYSA selects

✓ A pair of tickets to the October 6th Portland Timbers game vs.

Colorado Rapids

✓ Discounts on courses

✓ Discounts on the National Convention

✓ $1M in General Liability insurance

✓ Member t-shirt

✓ 10% discount on an OYSA offered coaching course

GRASSROOTS COORDINATOR: DARREN LILLA All of our Grassroots Coordinators have extensive coaching background around the state of Oregon, and elsewhere so they bring unique experiences to their particular region.

Darren Lilla is our Eastside Metro GC, and he brings with him a depth of experience in the game.

A USSF ‘A' license holder, Darren coached with FC Portland for years, and is currently the Thorns RTC Director for Oregon. Darren is a school teacher by profession.

MINDSET OF A WINNING TEAM

Last January at the NSCAA convention in Baltimore, Bill Beswick, a British sports psychologist, gave an informative presentation called “‘Fighters or Victims?’ Building the Mindset of a Winning Team.” There is no doubt that winning teams need both talent and a competitive mindset. How a player responds to challenges shows his or her attitude. Does the player respond with confidence and demonstrate a fighter mentality or does the player respond with anxiety and act the victim? We can all agree that as competitors we want a fighting mentality on our teams. As coaches, how we foster a competitive environment and promote a desire to learn is our challenge.

To begin with, the fighter mentality is driven by the need to succeed. These players also take responsibility for their actions on and off the field. They don’t point fingers, rather they readily admit mistakes and look to correct their errors. The fighter stays in control of her emotions.

This player is competing to the best of her abilities, but at the same time she stays in control of herself. The fighter enjoys the challenge of competition. Win or lose, the challenges posed before the fighter are welcomed. The fighter plays to her strengths and comes to compete everyday, stays positive in the face of adversity, and never quits. The fighter loves being coached and readily accepts coaches’ feedback. The fighter bounces back from setbacks, and can deal with the ‘uncomfortable’.

Unfortunately many coaches have seen the victim mentality which is something we don’t want on our teams. Players with the victim mentality are happy to be mediocre and are comfortable with losing. Unlike the fighters, victims cannot accept criticism and try to turn the situation around and blame someone else. Players with the victim mentality resist learning and are unwilling to change. This player never accepts responsibility and finds excuses and blames easily. Players with the victim mentality can’t cope with mistakes and ‘hide’ under pressure. This player loves the sideshow and chooses ‘victim’ friends. The victim mentality can easily affect others, so we must identify it and work with players to develop a fighter mentality.

The key influences of a winning team mindset are the coach, significant others, a leadership core of players, the practice and playing environment, and a climate of positivity. While we cannot necessarily change significant others in a player’s life, we can control the other factors leading to a winning team mindset. For example, does the coach control the players or help guide them through the learning process?

Coaches can identify the positive leaders in a team and have those players work together to create a competitive, yet positive team culture.

The coach sets the tone for the practice and playing environment through the organization of the training sessions and how coach’s feedback is communicated. Feedback is the key to learning and coaches should arrange their sessions so they are teaching to the training objectives.

Finally, coaches can create a positive learning environment through her actions and words.

How a coach sets the environment for a winning team mindset can be attributed to the team’s purpose and direction, a passion to achieve, shared ownership, an agreed culture, and meaningful relationships. At the beginning of the season, setting a purpose for the team and what direction the team wants to pursue is of utmost importance. Once players understand the team’s direction, they can be reminded of what they are training for and how they can achieve the team’s goals. Instilling a passion to succeed can be difficult, but if coaches bring enthusiasm and passion to trainings and games, this will have a major impact on players. Shared ownership of wins and losses brings a team together and fosters the ‘we not me’ mentality. Coaches and clubs should reflect on what kind of culture they want in their club, as the culture has a direct impact on players, parents, and other members of the community. Lastly, meaningful relationships drive a team’s culture. Soccer is a social game and the bonds between players and between coaches and players will determine the team’s direction and climate.

In conclusion, we have all seen fighter and victim mentalities. How coaches deal with each mindset directly impacts the team’s collective approach to training and competition. Coaches can set performance standards by being clear about players’ roles and the team’s game plan.

The coach can also build team cohesion by moving players from ‘Me’ to ‘We.’ With a fighter mindset players will increase their desire to learn and improve, show toughness to embrace challenges, and demonstrate resilience to setbacks.

JIMMY CONWAY’S WALK TO END ALZHEIMER'S TEAM - SEPT 11 An open letter from Mick Hoban, Team Captain “Friends of Jimmy Conway”: We are fortunate to be involved in the sport of soccer at a time when much of the groundwork has been laid by those who came before us.

Jimmy Conway, for more than 30 years, invested his time as a player and coach with many Northwest soccer institutions including: Portland Timbers, Oregon Youth Soccer Association, Pacific University, Oregon State University, Pierre’s SC, and many others. He used his incredible knowledge, skills, passion and humor to introduce thousands of people to the game we all love.

In 2010 Jimmy was diagnosed with ‘Trauma Induced Dementia’. He has spent the past few years in hospital. His wife Noeleen, familiar to many in the soccer community for her own contribution to the sport, has devotedly and lovingly served as his primary care-giver and has been supported by their family, friends and members of the soccer community. Noeleen thanks everyone for their support.

As a mark of respect for Jimmy and the work he did for soccer in this area we ask that you consider joining the ‘Friends of Jimmy Conway’ team at the "Walk to End Alzheimers” on Sunday, September 11th at Portland International Raceway (PIR), and/or making a donation.

Here’s a link to the team’s page on the Alzheimer’s Association’s website. http://act.alz.org/goto/FriendsofJimmyConway. At this site you can register to walk as a member of the "Friends of Jimmy Conway" team (free of charge) and/or make a donation to support the work of the Alzheimer’s Association.

JIMMY CONWAY #8

JIMMY CONWAY

Was the first European signed by the Portland Timbers

August 1st, 2014

Save the Date.

Oregon Youth Soccer will have it’s Annual General Meeting on Saturday, January 21st, 2017.

WHAT’S HAPPENING NEAR YOU? Looking to improve your coaching knowledge base? Thinking of moving onto the next level, or maybe just a refresher course before the season? What about other soccer-related events?

Check out the schedule of events near you. Coaching and referee courses are asterisked in red!

To register for a coaching course, simply click the course listing to be taken to the registration page

PORTLAND METRO AREA Providence Park 9/7 Thorns vs. Houston Dash

SOUTHERN OREGON No events planned

CENTRAL OREGON Newport 9/24 Grade 9 Referee course

Providence Park 9/10 Timbers vs. Real Salt Lake

Providence Park 9/17 Timbers vs. Philadelphia Union

Merlo Field 9/24 T2 vs. Arizona United SC

Providence Park 10/16 Timbers vs. Colorado Rapids

Providence Park 10/19 Timbers vs. Deportivo Saprissa

Portland, 12/4 USSF ‘C’ License

Click team badge for their full game schedule

CORNER SEE WHAT’S GOING ON WITH THE THORNS THIS MONTH

BY THE NUMBERS:

Well, we’ve been little light on Thorns news this month, because of the Olympics in

10-3–5 record

Rio. Our ladies had a huge representation down in Rio from different countries and

29 goals for

we couldn’t be prouder of them.

16 goals against

When they got back to Portland, the we had two big games against the Breakers

23,830 miles travelled (r/t)

from Boston and the Houston Dash and both games resulted in big wins for the Thorns, setting up post season very nicely!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Check out our favorite Thorns videos this month that you may not have seen

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

NEXT OPPONENT

Here is the most recent match highlights from the Thorns, and other videos.

Sunday, September 11

Providence Park

6:30pm PST

CHICAGO (Sept. 2, 2016) – The Houston Dash and National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) announced today that the NWSL Championship will kick off at 5 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1 on Sunday, Oct. 9 at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston.

The 2016 NWSL Championship will be the fourth edition of the league’s title game, the first time a professional women’s soccer league in the U.S. has reached that milestone. With the race to reach the 2016 NWSL Playoffs heating up this weekend, clubs are battling to be one of the top four teams in the league table that will qualify for the postseason.

Week 17 begins Christine Nairn and the Washington Spirit look to book their place in the NWSL Playoffs for the third consecutive season when they host Lynn Williams and the Western New York Flash at 7 p.m. ET at Maryland Soccer Plex.

Sarah Hagen and the Orlando Pride look for a four-game sweep of the season series when they go on the road against Kealia Ohai and the Houston Dash on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET at BBVA Compass Stadium.

On Sunday, Becky Sauerbrunn and FC Kansas City come into Week 17 hoping to stave off elimination from the NWSL Playoffs for the first time in club history as they host Samantha Kerr and Sky Blue FC at 6 p.m. ET at Swope Soccer Village.

Allie Long and Portland Thorns FC aim to put an end to their recent skid on Sunday when they host the Boston Breakers at 7 p.m. ET at Providence Park.

The week closes with Christen Press and the Chicago Red Stars seek to close in on a playoff spot when they welcome Megan Rapinoe and Seattle Reign FC to town Sunday night at 7 p.m. ET at Toyota Park.

Great seats still remain with limited premium inventory and fans interested in tickets can visit NWSLChampionship.com or call the BBVA Compass Stadium box office for additional information.

US SOCCER’S CULTURE OF CONFORMITY SPELLED THE END FOR HOPE SOLO

Every now and again we come across an article that really is thought provoking. This is one and we’d like to share it with you. Written by Scott French, and taken from the FourFourTwo Magazine on August 26, 2016. Credited below, and continued after the jump.

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U.S. Soccer showed it's ready to move on from Hope Solo. As Scott French writes, Solo's outspoken nature never fit in with the team.

U.S. Soccer sets a most worrisome precedent with the decision to terminate Hope Solo’s contract, essentially bringing her international career to a close because she chose, as she has throughout her career, to speak her mind.

Solo's indelicate assessment of Sweden's tactical approach in its quarterfinal victory over the Yanks, in which she called former U.S. coach Pia Sundhage's team “a bunch of cowards” for bunkering in against her more inventive and explosive teammates, was widely denounced and painted her -- before Ryan Lochte and his pals' adventure -- as patron pariah of the Rio Games.

Solo's wasn't the savviest of critiques, to be sure, but she's hardly the first athlete to pop off about opponents' tactical designs.

That's been part of the game outside the lines since, well, forever. In every sport on the planet. She might have tried softer tones, but she is who she is. Portugal didn't suspend Cristiano Ronaldo after he ripped Iceland.

Of course, Solo's penalty isn't really about calling Sweden “cowards” -- that's just the trigger. It's the accumulation of incidents, through much of her international career, a few of them quite serious, that conformed neither to standards the federation has set nor the US women’s national teams’s prevailing culture.

Yes, she brings drama and she has a most complicated backstory -- Sundhage called her “a piece of work” while expressing admiration for the “best goalkeeper in the world” during last year's Women's World Cup -- and U.S. Soccer has long accepted the bad with the good because there's nobody better at what she does. The federation's exasperation is understandable, but Cowardgate, as it were, is a flimsy final straw for one of the national team’s… to continue reading this article click the logo here:

What are you doing around the state? What does your team look like? Got a crazy picture for us?

Want everyone to see what it’s like playing at your club? Well, now’s your chance! Click the submit button and send us your pics.

The Cascadia rivalry is real. Seattle and Portland is one of the best and fiercest rivalries in the MLS and it’s not going anywhere!

One thing however, that transcends rivalries is our ability to raise our glasses and give a shout out to our neighbor association to the north as they celebrate

50 YEARS of servicing youth soccer this month. We’re very proud of you, and we tip our hats to you as you celebrate. Congrats guys! our hats have a star on them though! ;)

US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) is a community-based training and team placement program for young athletes with disabilities, organized by youth soccer association volunteers.

The program is designed to bring the opportunity of learning and playing soccer to any boy or girl, who has a mental or physical disability. Our goal is to enable the thousands of young athletes with disabilities to become valued and successful members of the US Youth Soccer family.

How do you participate?

Check out the list below of areas where clubs already have a TOPSoccer program running or contact your club about starting one. We can help you, too, to set up and run a program within your club, and ALL FEES ARE WAIVED for the TOPSoccer program by the Oregon Youth Soccer Association.

EXISTING PROGRAMS Click on any name to email the director of that program.

Albany

Beaverton

Clackamas

Eugene

Gresham

Medford

Milton Freewater

St Helens

State Chair (OYSA)

SOCCER PLAYERS: IS IT OSGOODSCHLATTERS

DISEASE? Every now and again we come across an article that really is thought provoking. This is one and we’d like to share it with you. Written

by John Gallucci, and taken from the Goal Nation Magazine on 8.26.16. Credited below, and continued after the jump.

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GROWING PAINS! This is one of those catch-all terms uttered by parents when their pre-teen or teen athletes start to complain of pain in their joints.

These words lead to one or many conversations involving statements like “just ice it,” “stretch and you will feel better” or “don’t worry, it will get better as you get older.” Although these statements have some truth to them….

When discussing growth spurts or growing pains in athletes that are involved in sports which require extensive running and jumping or quick changes of direction such as soccer, I believe it is important to bring up Osgood-Schlatter Disease, or OSD. OSD is one of the most common causes of adolescent knee pain and although recently has been seen in the female population, is still much more prevalent in the male population between the ages of 10-16.

This condition is characterized by inflammation of the area where the tendon from the kneecap attaches to the shinbone and is typically the diagnosis when pain and/ or a bump is felt at the very top of the shinbone.

This discomfort is due to the fast rate that the bones grow at during a growth spurt, leading to the much slower growing tendons and muscles to pull on the bones and cause irritation.

As a healthcare professional, I am a strong advocate for getting today’s youth involved in sports and other physical activities. With that being said though, it should be noted that the physically active, adolescent male population experiences a high volume of this condition due to the added stressors placed on the body during… to continue reading this article click the logo here:

PATIENCE PAYS OFF AS JAKE GLEESON SEIZES NO.1 ROLE WITH PORTLAND TIMBERS Jake Gleeson saw the crossroads coming from a mile away.

As the goalkeeper entered this past offseason, he understood the challenge at hand. The Portland Timbers' incumbent in goal, Adam Kwarasey, was a 28-year-old World Cup veteran fresh off backstopping the club to an MLS Cup title. Gleeson, on the other hand, had made just five MLS appearances over five seasons in Portland.

Yet the idea of leaving the Timbers never crossed his mind. The last roster holdover from Portland's pre-MLS days, the New Zealand international wasn't about to give up on the organization that had spent the better part of a decade nurturing his development.

"I had been here so long, this team had invested so much in me, and I couldn't see myself being the starter anywhere else," Gleeson told Goal USA. "It would have felt a little bit incomplete. It just wouldn't have felt right without trying to be the starter or giving it one last go. This is where I wanted to play, and this is home to me now.

"I spent so much time working for that spot that I needed to accomplish that — I needed to become the starter here."

It's certainly been a drawn-out path to that starting spot for Gleeson, who turned 26 earlier this summer. Having spent the 2010 campaign with the Timbers' Under-23 side, Gleeson earned an MLS contract as the club made the jump from the USL to the top flight the subsequent season. An injury to starter Adin Brown saw Gleeson play in four of the Timbers' first five matches in MLS, including the club's home debut. But four and a half years would pass before he made another MLS appearance, with Gleeson's action limited to friendlies and the CONCACAF Champions League, as well as loans to the Sacramento Republic and Portland Timbers 2.

"Maybe you get three games a year, and you have to play‌ to continue reading this article click the logo here:

WHISTLE STOP Times are changing in Oregon’s soccer landscape.

Our members reached out to us and asked us to review how referees are trained, retained, mentored, assigned and recruited.

So we’ve done just that!

This page lets all referees, from the rookies to the most experienced, know what is going on specifically for them in their corner of the game.

FALL SEASON IS HERE! The start of the Fall Soccer Season is imminent. Coaches, players, spectators and referees are all gearing up. OYSA has been working in over drive to get everyone prepared. This season brings many changes to our leagues; no heading directives, birth year player registration, referee coaches and digital rosters/player cards. Referees have been inundated with information for the past several months. Thanks goes to all for being patient and supportive during this time of change.

The IFAB/FIFA has introduced many changes to the Laws of the Game. Referees have been forced to attend training sessions to be brought up to speed with these changes. Many players and coaches are slowly being made aware of these changes. We ask that continued patience and flexibility be exercised during this time of transition. Parents and spectators most likely will not be fully used to the nuances, so referees will need to be compassionate to this fact. Although yelling and screaming from the sidelines towards referees, is NOT acceptable, referees can help and are encouraged to explain and educate when possible.

As a reminder, here is a link to the new Laws of the Game produced by the IFAB and adopted by FIFA. Click here.

Thanks again for everyone’s continued dedication to the game of soccer. The partnership with OYSA and the Oregon Referee Committee (ORC) continues to develop with the referee and the game of soccer in mind. For more information on how to become a referee, or if you are a club interested in hosting a new referee course, please email David Grbavac @ david@oregonyouthsoccer.org

Look what we found in the vaults!

This is from Goal Lines in 2003.

Oh how soccer has changed!

MEET THE CLUBS AROUND OREGON

Eugene Timbers FC started as Eugene Metro FC in 2006 with 3 teams and has since grown to over 35 teams. The club also supports a WPSL women’s team Azul to provide opportuni1es for top female college players. The mission statement of Eugene Metro FC is to “encourage and mo1vate special needs, recrea1onal, and compe11ve soccer players in our community to advance their individual and team skills by providing quality training, commiCed teams, and skilled coaching.”

ETFC has established a scholarship program that is “designed to serve the diverse cultures and income levels of the community.”

In 2013, the club joined the Timbers Alliance, a network of strategic partnerships between the Portland Timbers and elite youth clubs in Oregon, and changed its name to Eugene Timbers FC. The club has a LiCle Timbers program for kids age 4 to 10, and a Development Academy for players age 8-10. In addi1on, the ETFC also offers a TOP Soccer program for players with disabili1es. ETFC serves about 900 youth soccer players in the WillameCe Valley.

AT A GLANCE ✓ Formed ‘officially’ in 2006 ✓ Offer soccer to kids aged 5 through 11 in the Fall and Spring seasons each year. ✓ Located in Eugene, OR ✓ Play in the Timbers/Thorns leagues ✓ Are extremely active in the community with younger kids and coaches.

The club is not only commiCed to improve players’ development but also strives to improve the en1re coaching staff. ETFC coaches are working together by sharing resources, aCend coaching educa1on sessions, and con1nue their licensing progress. Many of their coaches work also for the various high schools in the Eugene/Springfield school district and coach for local colleges.

The club’s Director of Coaching is Jurgen Ruckaberle, who holds his USSF A license and has directed the club since 2008. Jurgen is commiCed to player development at every level and expects a high standard on and off the soccer field. He strives to keep their players accountable in the classroom and on the soccer field and above all, wants them to have fun playing the game we all love.

DIRECTOR OF COACHING JURGEN RUCKABERLE

MONTHLY LESSON PLAN FROM THE OREGON YOUTH SOCCER ASSOCIATION Each month we will feature a new lesson plan for you. Simply click on the image below to go to a downloadable PDF.

WHERE’S VINNY? WHAT’S VINNY BEEN UP TO THIS MONTH? Vinny, the OYSA van, has been resting this month after the monster from last year with the Boise trip and all. The highlight really was getting an oil change!

Simon has Jeremy Hanson inside the van this month, and it’s a fantastic conversation.

Jeremy is one of the elite referees in MLS and he lives right here in Vancouver. Learn what

FOLLOW VINNY ON TWITTER

INSIDE VINNY!

he goes through each week and how he got to the top of his profession.

If there is someone you’d like to see Inside Vinny next month, don’t hesitate to ask. We’ll come to you and do the interview. Know someone who is doing the right thing in your area? Let us know!

WHAT’S IN VINNY’S GLOVE BOX! Like we said, Vinny gets around. A lot.

This month, Jeremy is in there, and it’s all about refereeing at the highest level in the US. He’s a MLS referee.

Click the badge to the right to answer questions about the video and be entered to win a group of T2 tickets to an upcoming match.

The winner will be drawn from all the people who entered, and will receive 10 tickets to the Timbers 2 game vs. Arizona United at Portland Merlo Field on September 24th!

ROAD LOG So far this month Vinny has logged over 1,000 miles visiting different places around the state.

CLUBS/PLACES VISITED:

Scappoose, Liberty Stadium,

Hillsboro, The Dalles, and Washington Timbers.