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SCROLL DOWN to READ the Year in Review
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Front Wheel Drive |
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Grand Rapids, MI 49507 |
owner / operator |
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|
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Local Home School Team Claims National Championship
click to enlarge photo
Hudsonville Hornets
While eight soccer teams across the state, including local
schools East Kentwood, Northview, South Christian, and
Western Michigan Christian, prepared for state finals, one team
was still reveling in the national title
they won Oct. 30.
This was not your typical high school championship win,
however. No signs decorate the lockers of the players. There
is no trophy case to walk past daily, reminding them of
their accomplishments.
In fact, these players don’t even spend most
of their time in the same building.
West Michigan’s national championship soccer
players, the Hudsonville Hornets,
are homeschoolers.
Read their story >>>
Read MLIVE Story >>>
see their website >>>
|
|
NAIA Elite 8
Chicago area school, Robert Morris
scores early en route to 2-0 upset
of Lindsey Wilson.
The
Eagles land a spot among final
eight teams for second time in
four previous trips.
Story 1 >>>
Story 2 >>>
Why is that interesting? It
is because of the Goalkeeper.
"... Jeannette
Williams posted her fifteenth
shutout of the season to put the
Eagles into the national
quarterfinals for the second time
in Coach Kurt Melcher's career..".
"...Offense shifted
to defense in the second half for
the Eagles.
Jeannette Williams,
Robert Morris' senior goalkeeper,
warded off 10 attempts by the Blue
Raiders to secure the upset,
including eight in the final
half....
click to enlarge photo
Jeanette Wilson
She is from East Kentwood.
Roster >>>
Robert Morris has another local
connection.
Adam Betzinger
from Cedar Springs is on the mens'
team and has been for 3 years.
Last I heard he was working on
becoming a world famous chef.
|
|
Michigan's Mr. Soccer 2010
It is old news but I have been busy
and it should be posted here.
Dzenan "Jenon" Catic attends
East Kentwood High School and won
the award this year after leading
the East Kentwood team to a 3rd
state title and a #6 National
Ranking..
There were numerous articles, awards
and videos and here most of them are
for your reading pleasure.
WOOD TV INTERVIEW >>>
MLIVE >>>
West Michigan ALLSTAR >>>
High School Sports NET >>
ESPN Player of the week >>>
US SOCCER Academy >>>
WWMT VIDEO >>>
2007 State Final >>>
2010 Semi-Final Canton >>>
Academy National Championship >>>
Somebody Twittered - It's MSU >>>
Michigan Dream Team >>>
Detroit News >>>
NSCAA ALL-American >>>
MI Prep Zone >>>
One would have to say that playing
all those years with Jim Fuller
turned out a decent soccer player.
For those of you who don't know,
Jenon played with Nermin, David
Fuller and a host of other special
players on Fuller's boys team that
won all those MSYSA State Cups.
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owner / operator |
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Boys & Girls Who are Interested in Playing College Soccer ?
The
West Michigan Elite Academy will be operating again this
winter.
FLYER >>>
|
|
This is Something New
It
was in the Grand Rapids Press today and I thought it was something fun....
Read the Mlive story >>>
Go to the website >>>
|
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Michigan Falls in Semi-Final
Wolverines Fall One Game Short of
NCAA Title Shot, Lose to No. 2
Akron.
The No. 19-ranked University of
Michigan men's soccer team ended
its historic College Cup run with
a 2-1 NCAA semifinal loss to No. 2
Akron on Friday night (Dec. 10) at
UC-Santa Barbara's Harder Stadium.
read the story >>>
|
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NCAA Soccer Championships
***MENS D1 GAME***
#1 Louisville vs #3 Akron on
Sunday, December 12 at 4 PM on
ESPN 2
Read every story, watch video, see
the brackets all from this
location...
Mens D I >>>
Mens DII >>>
Mens DIII >>>
Womens DI >>>
Womens DII >>>
Womens DIII >>>
|
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NCAA Mens Division 1
DI
Bracket >>>
NCAA Division 1 tournament cuts from 16
to 8 teams today and 5 Big Ten teams were still playing at the start of
the day.
Michigan State did just about everything
a team could do to advance but it wasn't to be this year. #4 seeded North
Carolina scored with less than 10 seconds left to tie the game at 1-1.
It almost ended "...1:30 into the
first overtime,
Garret Back (FH Central) took a nice feed from Bega and got a shot on net,
however UNC's Scott Goodwin made the save to keep the game in a deadlock. MSU
was unable to get a clean shot in the second overtime..."
2 OTs later brought on penalty kicks and
that is never any fun...Dominic Barone (East Kentwood) and Brent Rosendal (FH
Northern) made their two of the four shots made by MSU but it wasn't enough as
NC converted won all five to win.
West Michigan soccer fans will recognize
some of these names of the players on the Michigan State and Michigan rosters.
Michigan State
>>>- unseeded
Garret Back (FHC),
Dominic Barone (EK), Mark Barone (EK), Matt Cebula (EK), Brent Rosendall (FHN)
and Avery Steinlage (SL)
Game Report >>>
Michigan - #10 >>>
Adam Grinwis (FHC),
Noble Sullivan (GRCC), Matt Schmitt (RP)
Game Report >>>
Ohio State - #16 >>>
Indiana - #14 >>>
Penn State - #15 >>>
|
|
NCAA Mens Division 3
DIII
Bracket >>>
Calvin College men made it to the ELITE 8 this year before
falling 1-0.
Game 1 win >>>
Game 2 win >>>
Game 3 win >>>
Game
4 Loss >>>
Scott Hooker
“What a senior
class this has been,” said Calvin men’s soccer coach
Chris Hughes after the game. “I think that is why this
game hurts so much...
Local Calvin
Seniors
Kyle Billin
Unity), Brad Heethuis (Unity) and Scott Hooker (Unity)....
..Assistant
Coach Don Buchholz said after the match: “This
class has been huge for our program. The fact that they
have won four conference championships, have been to the NCAA tournament four times, made it to the National
Championship game, and this year made it to the Elite
Eight; ....those are things that are huge for a
program.”
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Rick Wohlford |
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owner / operator |
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Women's College Website
This is the best website I have ever found for Women's
College Soccer
Take a look >>>
|
|
Coaching Vacancy
Lowell High School
Varsity Girls Soccer Coach. contact Barry Hobrla,
Athletic Director at:
bhobrla@lowellschools.com
or call 616-987-2906 for
more details
|
|
East Kentwood
in Division 1
How good was East Kentwood this year? They finished the season ranked #6 in the country
as of November 23.
rankings >>>
|
|
NCAA Men's
DI
DII
DIII
Calvin College is at it again as they win their first two
games and advance to National Quarterfinals for second
straight year.
Game 1 win >>>
Game 2 win >>>
*********************
NCAA Women's
DI
DII
DIII
Grand Valley makes another run through the Tournament and
advances to Regional Finals again.
Read the story >>>
******************
NAIA
Men
NAIA
Women
******************
NCCAA I Men
NCCAA I Women
NCCAA
II Men
*************************
|
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What is in the water in West
Michigan?
I was wandering the internet today and
realized that everywhere I looked, the college soccer teams in the Grand Rapids
area were still playing.
GLIAC Champion Grand Valley women advance
to Regional Finals in the NCAA DII tournament
MIAA Champion Calvin men
still playing in NCAA DIII tournament
MIAA Champion Hope men played in NCAA
DIII tournament
MIAA Champion Calvin women played in NCAA DIII tournament
WHAC Champion Cornerstone
women will be
playing in NAIA tournament
WHAC Champion - Davenport men will be
playing in NAIA tournament
WHAC Finalist Aquinas men
NCCAA Grace Bible played in
NCCAA DII National
tournament
With 8 colleges: Grand Valley, Calvin
College, Hope College, Cornerstone College, Aquinas College, Davenport
University, Grace Bible and Kuyper College all within 30 minutes of downtown
Grand Rapids and rosters packed with local players...one has to wonder...
Do you really have to spend all that
money and time traveling playing "PREMIER" soccer if you want to get an
education and play soccer in college?
|
|
Interesting NY Times Article
Read >>>
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The Evolution of the Soccer Ball
see more >>>
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4 West Michigan
Schools sweep State Soccer Championships
The replays were originally scheduled for 11/14 but have been rescheduled.
The telecast of the MHSAA Boys Soccer
Finals from Nov. 6, scheduled to air on FOX Sports Detroit-PLUS on Sunday (Nov.
14) will not take place as scheduled due to technical difficulties.
Here are the new airtimes on November 21 for the Boys Soccer Finals on FOX
Sports Detroit-PLUS:
9 a.m. - Division 4
11 a.m. - Division 3
1 p.m. - Division 2
3 p.m. - Division 1
The games are currently available for viewing online at MHSAA.tv, and will also
be shown on Comcast Channel 900 on the following schedule:
Division 1 – Nov. 17 – 9:30 p.m.; Nov. 20 – 3 p.m.; Nov. 21 – Noon
Division 2 – Nov. 24 – 7 p.m.; Nov. 27 – 7
p.m.; Nov. 28 – 7 p.m.
Division 3 – Nov. 24 – 9:30 p.m.; Nov. 27
– 3:30 p.m.; Nov. 28 – Noon
Division 4 – Dec. 1 – 9:30 p.m.
(Additional times TBA)
How good was East Kentwood this year? They were ranked #6 in the United
States
as of November 9.
Check it out>>>
see video >>>
It
was a big day for West Michigan as three Grand Rapids area High schools
and one Muskegon area High School won State Titles.
Most of the players who played in the games started their careers playing in the travel league
based in Grand Rapids, Grand Valley Soccer Association (GVSA).
The league was started in 1996 by Dave Whitehouse of East Grand Rapids. A
long time supporter of youth sports, his long and continued involvement as the
Founder, Board President and then Administrator of GVSA was directly and
indirectly responsible for the success of these players in 2010.
East Kentwood
in Division 1
How good was East Kentwood this year? They finished the season ranked ranked #6 in the country
as of November 23.
Check it out>>>
read story >>>
listen on Internet >>>
GR Northview in
Division 2
How good was Northview this year? They were ranked somewhere between #25
and #35 in the country as of November 2.
Check it out>>>
read story >>>
listen on Internet >>>
GR South
Christian in Division 3
read story >>>
read story 2 >>>
listen on internet >>>
West Michigan
Christian in Division 4
read story >>>
read story 2 >>>
listen on internet >>>
|
|
West Michigan Trainers Announce
Winter Training
Various Grand Rapids area soccer
trainers have announced winter training opportunities. As they email me, I
will post all here for the readers convenience.
Sports Partners USA >>>
Barone Camps >>>
|
|
Physical Conditioning
Do you want to start the weekend off right?
The staff of Woodland Sports has donated some field time on
Saturday mornings to be used for conditioning.
Starting this Saturday morning and continuing through the
end of the year, show up at Woodland Sports from 8am to
9:30am and learn about FARTLEK.
The cost is $10 per session and drop-ins are welcome.
Hey, what’s so funny about the word
“fartlek”? You kids just quit laughing. I said quit
it!! Stop laughing right now or I’ll turn this car
right around then you’ll all be sorry!!!
Seriously (quit snickering, you in
the back, or else), fartlek training is Swedish for
“speed play” (”fart” = speed; “lek” = play, which
makes one wonder… do Swedish cops give tickets for
farting?). It was originally developed by and for
runners, as a looser alternative to their highly
structured timed interval training. I use it here
more broadly to refer to any combination of high and
low intensity work. I also use “interval training”
as a synonym for fartlek, although the two are not
precisely the same. But I fartlek in the general
direction of anyone who complains about my
inaccurate terminology, ha ha.
go fast. go slow. repeat until ripped.
The concept of interval training is
relatively simple: Alternate brief periods of very
high intensity work with recovery periods of lower
intensity work. When I say high intensity, I mean
something that is the equivalent of sprinting.
Hauling ass. Running like a psycho with an axe is
chasing you. Low intensity is equivalent to walking
or slow jogging.
It doesn’t have to be running. It
could be any activity that lets you alternate rapid,
high-intensity, maximal “cardio”-type work with
lower-intensity recovery periods: cycling, swimming,
rowing, high-rep sets of ballistic weighted
exercises such as kettlebell swings, etc.
why fartlek?
A few reasons come to mind.
First, interval training is
extremely effective for fat loss and general
conditioning tool. Interval training has
been shown to be the most effective fat burning
form of cardio. The exact mechanism of how this
works is still unclear, but it is thought that
interval training creates a significant oxygen debt,
which signals to the body to preferentially burn fat
after the workout. It also appears to create a
hormonal environment that is favourable to
mobilizing fat while preserving muscle tissue.
Tremblay’s original 1994 study on interval training
(Tremblay et al; Metabolism 43: 814-818
(1994)), found that small amounts of interval
training were greatly superior in terms of fat loss
to much longer periods of low-intensity cardio — up
to nine times more effective at reducing
subcutaneous body fat.
Since then, intervals have proven to
be a fantastic tool for getting lean in a relatively
short period of training time. You don’t need to
spend hours on a boring-ass machine to see your abs.
All you need is the willingness to endure a little
bit (okay, a lot) of discomfort for a few minutes.
Intervals will also increase
your work capacity and conditioning. If
you’re training for a physical test, or even an
endurance event, including some interval training
will enable you to handle a heavy workload and high
levels of intensity. This carries over into other
areas of performance. If, for example, you need to
run a few kilometres for a fitness test, and you can
already manage 15 total minutes of sprints or
longer, even tougher durations like fast-paced
200-400 metres, you’ll run those easy kilometres
like you were still lying in bed. Your lovely brow
won’t display a single bead of feminine dew.
The best reason to do
fartlek is that it is fun! If you’re sick
of bland monotony on the stairmaster, or endless
boring rounds of the local track, then this is for
you! Fartlek is both a great mental and physical
challenge. Since it is very adaptable, you can make
it as gentle or as arduous as you like, though I
warn you: even at the “crybaby” level of difficulty,
this is still a tough workout. But, if you’ve
learned anything at all from reading this site, it’s
that tough is good! Tough gets results!!
how to fartlek
Originally, as I said, fartlek was
developed for runners. However, the principle of
fartlek can be applied to a variety of chosen
activities. Basically, alternate brief periods of
very high intensity with periods of very low
intensity. The high intensity should be a maximal or
near-maximal effort, like sprinting or cycling as
fast as possible up a hill. The low intensity should
be quite moderate, such as walking. As long as you
stick to the general principle of alternating
high-low, you can fartlek any way you like.
One form of intervals that I am
quite fond of is stair runs. I have a long staircase
near my house, and I just run up and down it, so
that high intensity (up) is alternated with lower
intensity (down). Simple, but a very effective use
of 15 minutes. If you live in an apartment building
and don’t feel like going to the gym one day, just
take on the stairs in your building.
So, how to develop your own fartlek
program? The basis of fartlek, remember, is to
alternate periods of high intensity work with
periods of low intensity work. These periods can be
of set duration, or you can just do them randomly.
They can be as short as 10-20 seconds or as long as
5 minutes. To add intensity, you can increase speed
or difficulty of the exercise. For example, you
could run up and walk down a hill. You can alternate
sprinting on a track, street, or field with slow
jogging or walking. Or, you can simply adjust the
difficulty level on your cardio machine. As you get
better at it, figure out ways to add more
resistance. Try a weighted knapsack as you run up
hills, for example.
Here are some ideas for basic
fartlek programs, and please adapt them to your
needs as you see fit. I’ve tried to arrange them
loosely by ability levels, but when I indicate
“beginner” I mean someone who is new to interval
training but has a good base of cardio fitness. This
is considered cardio, so do it either after weights
or on the days you don’t do weights. Even if you can
only manage a few minutes per session, you will see
benefits from this kind of training. In fact,
beginners should start by doing only 5 minutes at a
time for their first few sessions. Aim to work up to
around 15 minutes per session. Before each session,
warm up with some light cardio for at least 5
minutes, and maybe even do some gentle active
stretching.
sprint – walk
You can’t get any more basic than
this fartlek series which simply involves a
combination of running/jogging and walking. I like
to do these in “sets” of 10, where I run 50 metres,
walk back, run 50 metres, walk back, etc. Each
run-walk sequence is one rep. After 5 “reps”, I take
a longer rest where I might walk slowly or even just
stand around keeping the joints moving a little.
Then I’ll do another “set” of 5.
Beginner: sprint or fast jog for 50
metres
Intermediate: sprint for 50 to 100 metres
Experienced: hey, I don’t need to tell you what to
do by this point, do I? You’re a machine!
warmup |
5 minutes brisk
walk on level ground, light active stretching if
desired |
intervals |
sprint or fast jog,
10-30 seconds (the higher your intensity, the
shorter you should make your time)
walk, 30 seconds (you can sprint 50 metres or
so, then walk back to your starting point)
repeat sequence for desired length of time |
cooldown |
5 minutes moderate
walk on level ground, more substantial
stretching if desired |
hill or stair run
More of a challenge than running on
flat ground, all you need for this is a friendly
local hill; begin on a gentle hill and work up to
steeper stuff in subsequent workouts. If you prefer,
substitute a long set of stairs instead.
Beginner: walk briskly up hill
Intermediate: run up hill or stairs
Experienced: run up hill wearing a weighted pack, or
increase the number of flights of stairs
warmup |
5-10 minutes
moderate to brisk walk on level ground, light
stretching |
hill/stair run |
up hill/stairs and
walk down hill/stairs, 5-15 minutes |
cooldown |
5 minutes moderate
walk on level ground, more substantial
stretching |
combo workouts
With a combo workout you are truly only limited
by your imagination; these are only a few ideas;
pick any high-intensity interval in column A and
pair it with any low-intensity interval in column B;
or do all of them, as long as you alternate high
intensity with low intensity. Don’t forget to warm
up and cool down.
column A
|
column B
|
- sprint or fast jog, 30 seconds
- vertical jump from crouch position, 15-20
times
- jumping rope, 60 seconds (to increase
intensity, hop on one foot at a time, bringing
knees up, as if you are jogging in place)
- run, jog, walk up hill
- object carry: grab a heavy, bulky object,
such as a sandbag or weighted duffel bag, in a
bear hug and walk as fast as possible around
with it for 30-60 seconds
- take your heavy object for a walk up a
couple of flights of stairs
- good ol’ fashioned jumping jacks, 10-20
- hitting a heavy bag rapidly, with
combination punches if possible
- burpees: squat down, place hands on floor,
kick legs back so that you are in the top of a
pushup position, do a pushup, kick legs
forward again, and jump up as high as you can
(that’s one rep), 10-15 reps
|
- walk or slow jog, 30-60 seconds
- walk or slow jog down stairs or down hill
- jumping rope, half-time, 30-60 seconds
|
If’n you come up
with any more bright ideas, or you want to share
your own fartlek program with me,
drop me a line. |
|
Nov |
I thought it time to try to put some
of the many articles and accolades in
one place and so without apology...
Take a
look >>>
GR Press August 1 >>>
A new Challenge...
GR Press Article Nov 3 >>> |
|
|
Automotive Emporium, Inc. |
"Trustworthy Auto Service
& Repairs Not Found Elsewhere" |
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616-452-3024 |
3716 S.
Division |
Kent Ayers |
Wyoming, MI 49548 |
Owner / Operator |
|
State/ASE Master Technician |
Nov |
Alex Ludwig, resigned as Director of Coaching of the Michigan
Rovers one week before the end of the fall 2010 season.
Go to website >>>
|
Nov |
Michigan PDA U14's Crowned US
Club National Champions
The Michigan PDA u14
girls downed the Minnesota Thunder 1-0 to win the US Club Soccer National
Championship in Virginia Beach. The Championship game was a hard fought
defensive battle with both teams displaying outstanding efforts. PDA forward
Jordan Newman scored the winner and goal keeper Madi Killeen was awarded the
game ball for her outstanding performance throughout the tournament....
Read more >>>
See Video Interview >>>
The Michigan PDA
is a newly formed (first year) organization devoted to organizing players from
the various clubs around Michigan to compete in Elite Tournament events.
Visit Tournament site >>>
Game Schedule >>>
Check out PDA website >>>
|
Nov |
MVP Fieldhouse, Grand Rapids
August 27-29, 2010
Application deadline: August 9, 2010
more info >>>
|
July
30 & July 31, 2010
Friday evening & all day
Saturday
HOSTED BY:
Unity
Christian High School Athletic Boosters
LOCATION:
Unity
Christian High School Athletic Complex
5900
- 48th Ave. Hudsonville, MI 49426
20 minutes west of Grand Rapids
AGE DIVISIONS:
BOYS & GIRLS U8, U10, U12, U14, U16,
U19
MENS & WOMENS OPEN, COLLEGE, and OVER 30
MORE INFORMATION >>>
|
Nov |
Kingdom Cup 2010 - Labor Day
More Info >>>
|
TOURNAMENT DATES August 20-21-22, 2010
TEAM ENTRY DEADLINE August 6, 2010
APPLY HERE >>>
|
Nov |
Michigan PDA
The U14 Girls PDA
have won their first two games at the US Club Soccer National Championships
in Virginia Beach this weekend.
They play Monday
morning at 9AM for the right to play for the National Title.
The Michigan PDA
is a newly formed (first year) organization devoted to organizing players from
the various clubs around Michigan to compete in Elite Tournament events.
Visit Tournament site >>>
Game Schedule >>>
Check out PDA website >>>
|
JULY |
Women's Soccer Page
This is the best page
I have ever found for women's college soccer.
read more >>>
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Drywall- Stucco - Plaster |
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Fred Johnson |
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Free Estimates |
Satisfaction Guaranteed |
616-366-5616 |
Serving Grand Rapids |
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and all of West Michigan |
owner / operator |
|
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|
World Cup Final Watch Party – Sunday July 11,
2010
Watch the biggest game in the world on the biggest TV screen in town!
Get Your Ticket Now >>>
|
|
Michigan PDA
The Michigan PDA
formed two teams (U13 Girls, U14 Girls) for summer play.
The two teams are
playing in a the US Club National Cup Series tournament in Ohio the weekend of
June 18-19.
Check
out Results U13 >>>
Check out Results U14 >>>
Check out PDA website >>>
|
|
Midwest Soccer
Clubs need to read.....
A new premier youth
soccer program focused on established, elite clubs delivering consistent,
high-quality competition and college readiness services for its members launches
today.
Twenty-four youth
soccer clubs across the western United States have formed the Western College
Development Academy, which debuts this summer with teams representing clubs
in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada and
Colorado.
READ MORE >>>
|
|
GR Crew Spring
Classic
April 16-18 in
Grand Rapids
Read More >>>
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Free Estimates |
Prompt Service |
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Grand Rapids Transmission Service |
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Front Wheel Drive |
4 x 4 Trucks |
616-452-7411 |
2121 Kalamazoo |
Ryan Popma |
Grand Rapids, MI 49507 |
owner / operator |
|
|
|
Alex Ludwig will be
offering a full slate of options for the soccer players of
West Michigan this spring and summer.
Check out his new website for his upcoming programs.
Go to website >>>
Alex Ludwig is also the Director of Coaching of the Michigan
Rovers. They will be holding tryouts for GVSA teams
and MSPSP teams starting on JUne 12, 2010.
Go to website >
|
|
Thoughts on the Silly Season
As one more beautiful
Michigan Spring begins, we are about to enter the "silly" season.
It is similar to the
salmon run in September when the salmon throw all rational thoughts aside and
migrate up river to spawn.
This "silly" season
now runs from April 15 to TRYOUT date of each year and the only real appreciable
and measurable
difference between the salmon and the parents is that the parents get to do it
all over again every year.
It is that time when
many parents, who are normally quite sane, appear to, for a brief time at least,
forget that their child is not the next Mia Hamm or the next Landon Donavan and
they scramble about looking for somebody to fill their head with promises of
college scholarships.
Unfortunately,
Shakespeare said it best when he wrote the comedy "...Much Ado About
Nothing..." and my friends, that is what this is.
Most of your children
would do just as well, playing with a local club, paying lower fees and then
using the money you didn't spend (at the expensive club) to pay for small group
skills training up to about age 14.
After that, the die
is cast and there isn't much change in playing ability, no matter what they tell
you, no matter which coach or club
they play for.
All that really
happens after the age of 14 is that their skills are refined, they become
tactically aware of the game and you discover who really wants to play soccer.
|
|
TRYOUTS
I know it is early but there seems
to be a great deal of interest in
Tryout info this year.
I have a page that I will attempt to
keep updated with whatever
information I can round up.
I am revising the page on a daily
basis.
Take a look
>>>
|
|
Barone Announces Camps
check it out >>>
|
Free Estimates |
Prompt Service |
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Wohlford's Brake Stop, Inc
|
|
Brakes - Shocks - Tie Rods |
Struts - Ball Joints - Oil Change |
616-532-7781 |
3613 Viaduct St. |
Rick Wohlford |
Grandville, MI 49418 |
owner / operator |
|
|
|
Some Passing Thoughts
There is much going on in West
Michigan soccer.
New Affiliations,
Mergers or Assimilations are being
discussed. New Clubs are being
formed. Existing clubs are
talking about opening new areas.
Coaches (and players) are beginning
to look around. Some are
always looking for greener pastures.
Coaching contracts (yes, they sign
them) are ending.
Some are shopping around the teams
they coach as if they own the
players and the parents.
Parents are on the verge of
realizing that the promises they
were made last June didn't quite pan
out the way they thought.
Teams have been granted premier
status and Coaches now begin the
hunt for players.
It should make for an interesting
season.
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Alex Ludwig
Alex Ludwig has a new website
Go to website >>>
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Spring Break Camp
Are you looking for something
exciting for your soccer player to
do this spring break?
Woodland Sports has teamed with Alex
Ludwig to offer a 6 day, 36 hours
intensive training camp for $180.00.
The camp is also broken down into 3
hour blocks & 3 day camps to make it
easier and les costly to attend for
shorter periods of time.
DETAILS >>>
Click here to register online!
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ECNL expands for
2010-11 with addition of 12 clubs
What is the ECNL?
2 clubs from Michigan make the cut
The ECNL is designed to be a League
covering the USA, sanctioned
by US Club Soccer. It will
only have U15, U16 & U17 Girls teams
playing in it (at this point).
At this moment, it is not certain if
the girls who choose to play in the
ECNL will be required to give up
their High School careers to play.
If so, that would make this the spot
for only those players who dream of
playing at the highest levels
(National team, Olympic team, D1
college)
A review of the clubs who are in the
first year seem to indicate that
only clubs (or clubs that
formed/merged recently) with a
history of producing State Cup
Champions made the cut the first
year.
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Free Estimates |
Prompt Service |
Himes Electric, LLC. |
Commercial - Residential |
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616-437-9419 |
3940 Prairie St. SW |
Bill Himes |
Grandville, MI 49418 |
Owner/Principal |
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State Certified/Master
Electrician |
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This March on Saturday and Sunday
Alex Ludwig will be
offering a training program geared towards all players under
the age of 12, beginning
Saturday March 6.
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NCAA - Nutrition & Performance
The NCAA has a wonderful section on
this subject.
Go There >>>
Inside that section are these
sections for the student athlete.
Read More >>>
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MSYSA Announces Administrator of the
Year
Mary Jo Messenger is the club
administrator for the West Michigan
Fire Juniors soccer club. She is
characterized by exceptional
organizational and....
Read the story
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Ole Knockout Tournament II
1 v 1 NUTMEG Tournament
This tournament is one of a kind and
never done anywhere else in the US.
Ole Soccer Club is proud to
re-introduce the Ole Knockout
Tournament. Don’t miss out on Ole
Knockout II.
March 27 & 28, 2010
Read More >>> |
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Automotive Emporium, Inc. |
"Trustworthy Auto Service
& Repairs Not Found Elsewhere" |
|
616-452-3024 |
3716 S.
Division |
Kent Ayers |
Wyoming, MI 49548 |
Owner / Operator |
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State/ASE Master Technician |
Feb |
Super Y Tryouts
Head Coach Courtney Nash of the
Chicago Fire Juniors -Michigan will
be holding tryouts for U17
Girls.
When: Sat, Feb 27th, 2010
Time: 3:00-5:00pm
Where: Davenport Univ. (6193
Kraft Ave, GR)
Surface: Gym Floor
(bring Indoor Shoes)
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FEB |
More Details >>>
Tell them you saw it on West Michigan Soccer |
FEB |
Axios Real Estate,
LLC
Seminar Information >>> |
FEB |
Blare's Bears
There is a young boy named Blare Gooch
who started a mission to send Teddy
Bears to Haiti, finding Haiti close to
his heart because his grandfather is
from there.
Blare plays soccer for the U12
Academy team run by the Wolves - Grand
Rapids.
Mlive Story >>>
Wood TV Video >>>
Watch the Scrubs #1 video >>>
Watch the Scrubs #2 video >>>
94.5 Scrubs Website for Blare >>>
Facebook page >>>
Rays of Hope is who they are shipping
through and they are a 501c3 so your
donations are tax deductible. If
anyone would like to contribute to
this worthy cause, please consider a
financial donation and/or a few teddy
bears.
Bears and/or donations can be dropped
off at Hair Force #1, 1557 Michigan
Street, GR. 458-7778.
Please make check payable to Rays of
Hope for Haiti-Teddy Bear fund.
|
Free Estimates |
Prompt Service |
Himes Electric, LLC. |
Commercial - Residential |
|
616-437-9419 |
3940 Prairie St. SW |
Bill Himes |
Grandville, MI 49418 |
Owner/Principal |
|
State Certified/Master
Electrician |
Feb |
GR Crew Juniors
We are collecting 1000 soccer balls
new or used (in good condition) for
kids in South Africa.
This is a great outreach to lift the
spirits of less fortunate kids!
Please bring them to the MVP Sports
Spot at 3701 32nd St. SE.
Thanks so much for your support!! |
Feb |
CSA/ SportPartners USA
Coach van Elst (UEFA
B-license, USSF
B-license) will analyze and
improve your shooting technique,
which will increase your power and
placement. Fun, competitive games
are included in this high energy
environment.
More Info >>>
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Feb |
Want to be a GVSA Referee?
This Association is your first step.
Go to this website and contact the
men listed on the contact page.
Website >>>
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Feb |
Forest Hills Northern
The Forest Hills Northern High
School Girls team is gearing up for
the spring season.
Check it out >>>
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20 years Experience |
Drywall- Stucco - Plaster |
|
Fred Johnson |
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Free Estimates |
Satisfaction Guaranteed |
616-366-5616 |
Serving Grand Rapids |
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and all of West Michigan |
owner / operator |
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Feb |
This is Good Stuff
The Alliance Academy U13 Boys are
spending their President's Day
weekend competing in Phoenix,
Arizona at one of the top
tournaments in the USA.
Follow their results and experiences
here throughout the weekend of
February 11th.
Read the Blog >>>
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Feb |
Goal Keeper Camp
A Grand Rapids area club, CATS, is
bringing a fairly well known Goal
Keeper Camp to West Michigan this
summer.
Read More >>>
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Feb |
GR Crew Spring
Classic
April 16-18 in Grand Rapids
Read More >>>
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Feb |
Michigan Rovers
The Michigan Rovers are pleased to
announce two additions to the
coaching staff for the next playing
year which starts June 12, 2010.
Jamie Bogart has agreed to
join the Rovers and head up the new
Youth program.
He will be responsible for
developing and implementing a
seamless program that will cover all
aspects of a players soccer
education from U6 to U12.
More information on this program
will be available shortly.
Hamdi Rammal has agreed to
join the Rovers where he will coach
Girls premier teams beginning at the
MSPSP tryouts in June.
Until then, he will assist the
current Rovers U14 Girls team
when he is able.
The Michigan State Youth Soccer
Association named Mr. Rammal as
their 2007 Competitive Coach of the
year for female team.
Read the Article >>>
These additions to the Rovers are
the second step towards making the
Rovers one of the soccer clubs you
should consider when tryout day
arrives.
If you would like more information
about the club or you have a
question about the club or your
child would like to attend some
complementary training sessions
this winter, please feel free to
contact our club manager....
Bob Smith >>>
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Free Estimates |
Prompt Service |
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Grand Rapids Transmission Service |
|
Front Wheel Drive |
4 x 4 Trucks |
616-452-7411 |
2121 Kalamazoo |
Ryan Popma |
Grand Rapids, MI 49507 |
owner / operator |
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Feb |
Barone Goal Scoring Academy
February 16- March 23
High School Tuesdays 7:30- 8:30 P.M.
Read More >>>
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Feb |
Seminar
Mental Toughness, The X Factor
Sport Psychologist Dr. Eddie
O’Connor will present practical tips
to coaches....
See More >>>
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Feb |
This is actually an editorial mixed
with news.
A Sad Day
It is an unfortunate fact of life
that change comes when you least
expect it.
One of West Michigan's best young
coaches is heading for a new
challenge.
Ryan Fitzsimmons, the Alliance Youth
Director...
...is headed to Las Vegas, Nevada where he
will work for the #1 Club in that
state, NueSports Football Club.
see the club>>>
We are all sad to see him go.
He is a great coach, a great role
model for our youth and just a very
nice young man.
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Feb |
State Association Presidency
Most of what passes for youth soccer
in Michigan is part of a state
association called the Michigan
State Youth Soccer Association (MSYSA).
It has 80,000 members and
historically has been run by the
same people over the last 15 years.
That statement, in and of itself,
explains much.
Different individuals, including
myself, have gotten involved in an
attempt to effect change over the
years.
If you interested in the process,
here is a look at someone who is
running for the Presidency of this
Association.
Dan Raben >>>
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Prompt Service |
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Wohlford's Brake Stop, Inc
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|
Brakes - Shocks - Tie Rods |
Struts - Ball Joints - Oil Change |
616-532-7781 |
3613 Viaduct St. |
Rick Wohlford |
Grandville, MI 49418 |
owner / operator |
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Jan |
Super Y Tryouts - U14G
player born after 8/1/1995
Dan Price (TNT Premier Coach) will
be holding tryouts for the Chicago
Fire U14 Girls this Saturday from
4:00pm-5:30pm at the Cornerstone
University blue gym.
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Jan |
Creative Soccer Academy (CSA)
It appears as if CSA, a training
company headed up by Erwin Van Elst
(Georgetown SC DOC) has morphed into
a new entity.
The link to CSA now leads to:
Sports Partner USA
Read More >>>
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Jan |
SUPER Y INFORMATION
West Michigan has several options
for Super Y this summer.
Only three West Michigan clubs;
Alliance FC, TKO and West Michigan
Fire are holding tryouts and placing
teams in the Super Y summer program.
Both the Alliance and TKO Tryouts
have taken place but they will be
holding additional tryouts and are
seeking additional players.
The West Michigan Fire is coming up
this month.
Apparently, after 15 years the
Kalamazoo Kingdom no longer
has an affiliation with the USL and
will no longer be offering Super Y.
I am sure there was much going on
behind the scenes.
****************
Alliance FC
The Alliance FC has announced Super
Y Tryouts for summer 2010.
READ MORE >>>
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TKO
TKO has announced Super Y Tryouts
for summer 2010.
READ MORE >>>
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West Michigan Fire Jrs.
The West Michigan Fire has announced
Super Y Tryouts for summer 2010.
READ MORE >>>
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Jan |
Magazine section Below
Four Four Two
Updated !!!
|
Free Estimates |
Prompt Service |
Himes Electric, LLC. |
Commercial - Residential |
|
616-437-9419 |
3940 Prairie St. SW |
Bill Himes |
Grandville, MI 49418 |
Owner/Principal |
|
State Certified/Master
Electrician |
|
|
Automotive Emporium, Inc. |
"Trustworthy Auto Service
& Repairs Not Found Elsewhere" |
|
616-452-3024 |
3716 S.
Division |
Kent Ayers |
Wyoming, MI 49548 |
Owner / Operator |
|
State/ASE Master Technician |
20 years Experience |
Drywall- Stucco - Plaster |
|
Fred Johnson |
|
Free Estimates |
Satisfaction Guaranteed |
616-366-5616 |
Serving Grand Rapids |
|
and all of West Michigan |
owner / operator |
|
|
Free Estimates |
Prompt Service |
|
Grand Rapids Transmission Service |
|
Front Wheel Drive |
4 x 4 Trucks |
616-452-7411 |
2121 Kalamazoo |
Ryan Popma |
Grand Rapids, MI 49507 |
owner / operator |
|
|
Free Estimates |
Prompt Service |
|
Wohlford's Brake Stop, Inc
|
|
Brakes - Shocks - Tie Rods |
Struts - Ball Joints - Oil Change |
616-532-7781 |
3613 Viaduct St. |
Rick Wohlford |
Grandville, MI 49418 |
owner / operator |
|
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