Monday, September 27, 2010

OE North U9 Girls at The Fall Ball

Our OE North U9 Girls finished the Fall Ball Classic Tournament with a 2-1 record, just missing out on a chance to get to the finals. Keep up he hard work girls!!

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

YDA Squads Dominate at The OP Tournament

Last weekend saw OESA send 4 YDA teams to the OP Invitational Tournament in Dublin, Ohio. Over the course of the two days we played a total of 16 matches, with the Girls in bracket play (3 preliminary matches and a final)  and the boys in round robin (4 matches no matter what) play. Final results were:


U10 Girls - Champs
U9 Girls - Runner Ups
U10 Boys - Champs
U9 Boys - Runner Ups


While we are very proud of our accomplishments, we felt we had some of our most beneficial moments when we weren't successful. All teams had matches where they were down in score and had to show determination and grit to get a result. The U9 boys had to come back from a 3-0 deficit in their last match to get a 6-6 draw, with two huge saves from Keegan, which netted them second place. Every player on the team contributed in some way to the result. The U10 girls learned to NEVER let a ball hit the ground from a keeper punt ever again, in letting a match get away and turn into a draw. The U10 boys had to deal with a huge momentum shift in a match on their own in pulling out a win. Our U9 girls had a tough final match against a really "vocally scary" coach and had to control their fears and play how we are taught to play. In all of these matches, we can look to the training pitch and know that in some way, shape or form, we have put the players through some form of situation that will make them emotionally deal with the adversity the face in matches. All of our YDA players, whether attending and playing or not, are responsible for the YDA's success at every event. Your player plays a vital part in the total development of each player and our program, so we all share in any success we achieve. We don't always measure success by wins, losses, goals and saves. We prepare our players to be focused and dedicated to themselves and the badge they wear on their chest.
We need more photos of all of our YDA squads to post here on the blog!!!

Just a few thoughts

First I have to say what great kids we have in our YDA program! They are very hard working and strive to become better players. I think that it is awesome that we can give them the resposibility to warm themselves up before a game and they take pride and do it! Not many teams at this age can do that.

One of the things that we are always talking to the kids about is going FAST. Running fast with the ball, going fast at the other team with the ball, getting the ball in play, and so on. This just makes them have a sense of urgency and makes the speed of play faster.

Also, one of the other things we talk about is "getting into" tackles. We try to teach them to not be afraid of the ball and another player and to get into them. They should always want to have the ball, no matter what! I think that all the kids are getting TONS better at this and are realizing that if they don't go hard into a tackle they are going to get knocked down.

I'm so excited to see what the rest of the season brings!

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Excited for the Season

It has been a change for me this season thus far. I have worked with the older OESA players and high school players in the past and now I am with the YDA. It has been a transition for the better and I feel myself becoming a stronger coach every week. I thoroughly enjoy the "little ones" and look forward to working with them. They always bring a smile to my face with their actions and words. Their commitment to the game is more than apparent and the competition is real. Keep it up.

I am especially proud of the U-10 Navy Boys team. This past weekend we showed up with 5 players and took it to Middletown. They played amazing! Max and JG were all over the field, taking people on, and putting the ball in the net. Joe K. was the strong force on defense. Austin came up with key goalie saves. Jake took the ball the length of the field and almost scored from the goalie position! Truly Awesome! More importantly, the kids did not complain once of being tired or upset. They showed a great deal of character and got the job done.

It really has been a pleasure thus far and I look forward to having similar experiences with other teams.

Comments from Coach Jason

Hi all,

I just wanted to say how much of a pleasure it has been for me to work with all the kids at the West Chester and the OEN programs. I have defiantly enjoyed my last few weeks as I am seeing the development of the girls and boys I have been working with which is the most rewarding thing for a coach is to see to see that the hard work we put in coaching the children is been used in games and when you teach that one skill and the player uses it in a game you cannot be more proud of a coach.

As we all know our philosophy is of developing technically skilled players and what we do now will defiantly be a big advantage when the kids get older as they are learning these advanced skills so young. I would like to say that this is a big advantage because in England we pass more and this has affected them in later life as they always look to pass and never dribble which prevents them from being an elite athlete.

I just wanted to say a few words and I wish all the Girls good luck for the Fall Ball this weekend :)

Monday, September 20, 2010

Comments From a New Coach

As a new member of the staff I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know all of the players and watch them as they work to become elite athletes. I see so much potential not only in talent but in dedication to growth. There are a number of natural leaders who push themselves consistently and set the bar high, and the other players feed off of that energy and work harder in return. No where else have I seen U10 boys and girls take the initiative to warm themselves up, juggle during water breaks, and challenge themselves to improve with such tenacity. Coach Scott has done a great job of creating an environment where the players take on responsibility for their development.

The professional attitude extends from the practice field to the game field, one thing that really struck me was that the YDA players never play as if they are defeated. I have seen both the U10 Navy boys and girls in matches where they were significantly behind by halftime, but during the second half they took the field as if the score were 0-0 and never let up in intensity. It is this sort of determination that sets them apart.

The YDA philosophy of developing technically skilled players is most noticeable in games when they face teams who do not devote the same intensity to individual skill. I used to think that it was a rare thing to see a goalkeeper set the ball down and try to dribble past the entire opposing team until I started working with these kids. I have seen more impressive footwork and confidence on the ball from these players than in many players twice their age.

I have sincerely enjoyed the time that I have spent with the club so far and I look forward to a successful season with all of the YDA players. It's been a privilege to be a part of their training and I hope to play a role in helping them reach their full potential.