The early weather report for our game on Sunday is showing decent playing conditions. The forecast calls for partly-cloudy conditions, 80 degrees, with only a 10% chance of rain.
Showing posts with label spring '12. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spring '12. Show all posts
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Monday, June 4, 2012
Final standings for Spring 2012
Here are the Third Division standings:
DCD wins - oh man, we really let them get by us easily. Far Post did what they needed to do when they needed to do it. Funky Town really underperformed. As we saw in our game against them, they can play as a team and do quite well.
Goleros finish third.
| CCSL>Third Division> | ||||||||||||
| Rank | Team | W | L | T | GP | PTS | GF | GA | GD | GDA | ||
| 1 | DC Divided | 7 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 21 | 38 | 11 | 27 | 3.4 | ||
| 2 | Far Post | 5 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0.0 | ||
| 3 | Goleros | 5 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 1.3 | ||
| 4 | Gang Green | 4 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 15 | 22 | 17 | 5 | 0.6 | ||
| 5 | DC Thunder | 4 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 13 | 18 | 16 | 2 | 0.3 | ||
| 6 | Two Left Feet | 3 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | -2 | -0.3 | ||
| 7 | Unathletic DC | 2 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 14 | 23 | -9 | -1.1 | ||
| 8 | Red Devils | 1 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 17 | 30 | -13 | -1.6 | ||
| 9 | Funky Town | 0 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 28 | -20 | -2.5 | ||
DCD wins - oh man, we really let them get by us easily. Far Post did what they needed to do when they needed to do it. Funky Town really underperformed. As we saw in our game against them, they can play as a team and do quite well.
Goleros finish third.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Standings: We have finished 3rd
There are still two games left to play in the division, but they don't matter for the top teams. DC Divided wins the division and Far Post finishes second. We are outside the tops spots, but we lead the rest of the pack. We are third. We have the same number of points as Gang Green. But, given our head-to-head victory, we have the tie-breaker. DC Thunder had a tie-breaker against us, but they failed to pick up the full three points in last weekend's game. That puts us out of their range for their makeup game.
So, let's take a look at the playoff picture. Here is the bracket:
We are the #3 seed so we'll play the #6. That spot will be filled by unAthletic DC if they win their makeup game (they have the head-to-head tie breaker) or else Two Left Feet. The winner of our game will advance to play Far Post.
Our game will be Sunday June 10th.
Standings
| CCSL>Third Division> | ||||||||||||
| Rank | Team | W | L | T | GP | PTS | GF | GA | GD | GDA | ||
| 1 | DC Divided | 6 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 18 | 31 | 10 | 21 | 3.0 | ||
| 2 | Far Post | 5 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0.0 | ||
| 3 | Goleros | 5 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 1.3 | ||
| 4 | Gang Green | 4 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 15 | 22 | 17 | 5 | 0.6 | ||
| 5 | DC Thunder | 3 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 0.0 | ||
| 6 | Two Left Feet | 3 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | -2 | -0.3 | ||
| 7 | Unathletic DC | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 21 | -7 | -1.0 | ||
| 8 | Red Devils | 1 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 17 | 30 | -13 | -1.6 | ||
| 9 | Funky Town | 0 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 21 | -14 | -2.0 | ||
So, let's take a look at the playoff picture. Here is the bracket:
3v6
4v5
1v(4v5 winner)
2v(3v6 winner)
1v(4v5 winner)
2v(3v6 winner)
Final
We are the #3 seed so we'll play the #6. That spot will be filled by unAthletic DC if they win their makeup game (they have the head-to-head tie breaker) or else Two Left Feet. The winner of our game will advance to play Far Post.
Our game will be Sunday June 10th.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Stumbling into the playoffs
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| Oh, what could have been! |
We are stumbling into the playoffs.
With injury issues up and down the roster, we are banged up. And we haven't shown well against quality competition. We have given up the first goal against every team in the top half of the table. In the second half of the season, we were 1-3, with a -7 goal differential. Ugh.
Today's game was a good one despite the score line. While the odds were stacked against us at the beginning of the match, because we didn't have any subs, we were the better team in the first half. We dictated the pace, passed to feet, and showed confidence in all 11 players. That didn't, unfortunately, yield any goals, which is how the season has gone for us. Several cross bars and near misses.
But it was a different game in the second half as the defense got caught in space - without any goal cushion. We gave up a first, then another, and then another when we changed shape to press forward. They were each one on one's. Incredibly, Far Post even missed two sure things when they beat the defense and got behind George at the 18. We did get a goal on a cross from Nate to Adrian, but we didn't pose any direct threats otherwise.
There is good news. We have two weekends of rest. We'll use the first (Memorial Day) to recuperate and the second (June 3rd, makeup date, we don't have a game) to return to form in a scrimmage against Little Urban Achievers. There should be no thinking about "the finals" or anything of that nature. We haven't earned that yet. There is only one game and that is our the first round of the playoffs on June 10th. I foresee...victory!
Notes: 3-1 loss to Far Post, 5/20/12, Ridge Field. Goal: Adrian (Nate), George (3 GA).
Monday, May 14, 2012
Some history
Yesterday's win versus Gang Green was a good one - a 3-2 come-from-behind win. It got me thinking. It's been a while since we've seen that team, but we have, in fact, seen them on a number of occasions. I searched our blog. Until recently, I didn't tag team names on the game reports so it was a basic and unreliable word search. Anyway, I found two games, and I remember them both. Those two games plus the one we played last weekend all followed a similar script.
In the spring of 2009, we were a pretty decent side but we hadn't distinguished ourselves in the standings. We faced a must win in the final week to get into the playoffs. Gang Green came out strong and led us most of the game. I remember taking the field and shouting that this was it for our season if we didn't step up. I have no idea what effect that had, but we had one of our great all-time finishes. We scored two in the waning minutes to get ourselves into the playoffs. Meg got her first goal for the club and then Adrian did something special to win the game. I remember Adrian taking a ball and just going all the way to goal with it. Their defense faced so much pressure in the second half, they finally cracked. Adrian scored a great 90th minute goal. Read about it here: http://golerosteam.blogspot.com/2009/06/adrian-propels-team-into-playoffs-with.html.
In the fall of 2009, just a few months later, we had a similar situation where we earned a 4-4 result that was also come-from-behind. I recall one of the Gang Green players congratulating us because we never gave up and they just couldn't find a way to beat us. That was saying a lot because they won the division that season and went up to First Division. They were there for a while, but took our place in Second Division when we moved down recently. Now they fell again to Third Division - probably because of attendance.
We may see them in the playoffs. Let's be ready.
For Gema
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| The one and only Silver Fox |
She was born in Havana. She had an amazing son when she moved to Miami to start a new life. Her name is Gema Ginoris Maceo.
I know she is proud of her son, Carlos, a guy who puts his heart into everything, especially football. Today, Carlos scored the winning goal to end our two-game slump and book our ticket to the playoffs. That one was for mom on this Mother's Day.
Carlos exemplified our team approach today. We were pretty good all game, although our offensive struggles followed us well into the second half. Nevertheless, a goal down, we kept pressing and got some goals that had been really eluding us.
The first was the result of sustained pressure - we finally got a break after several games. The second goal was a piece of magic by Jon. While I approached the area unchallenged, my options were diminished. Jon made a fantastic slashing run. I found his feet in a small piece of real estate. His first touch on the run was amazing. He made a move and bent it around the keeper to the far post. That was a piece of skill alright. Carlos' goal - he was well positioned for a rebound and took his shot nicely across the goal - felt like insurance when it happened. But when we surrendered one more with about 12 to play, it turned out to be crucial. Carlos played end to end today. [Nate added this explanation: I took the ball to the left corner, cut back and meant to cross into the box - I screwed up big time and crossed all the way to the other side of the field. Lindsey was there, crossed to Carlos who was on sides despite the outcry from Gang Green and Carlos did put his shot in off the post from six yards out. Similar to the first goal, we scored the last goal because people attacked at the right time and were persistent. ].
So, with good play by everyone and a nice introductory performance by Lindsey, we finally earned a win.
The previous two weeks were disappointing. Our match versus DC Thunder was a killer (4-1 loss). George saw red for allegedly denying a goal scoring opportunity (he made a great and clean play!) and our defense was completely broken down. DC Thunder's goals were generally unmarked "tap ins." And we couldn't put much on the board to counteract those issues - you can't expect to blank DC Thunder. We've never done it. Even though we had the right formations and made the right tactical moves, we couldn't make an impact. There were two small positives. Cheryl assumed a huge responsibility as central midfield and shined brightly. She was the only player with an answer to Roland. And Suzie was back from injury, looking pretty good. That's a big deal.
Our match versus DC Divided was much better. We had about 5 heart attack moments in the first half when last ditch saves were necessary after repeated jailbreaks, but we escaped with only 2 goals against at the half. Nap led the team to make a critical tactical adjustment by stacking our midfield and taking their #10 out of the match. We didn't give up any real opportunities after that. Nap and Elyse were field marshalls who returned the better possessions and opportunities to us - Nap plays slightly deeper than Elyse. It's a 1-2 punch and fun to watch. It must harken back to the college days. Anyway, Adrian had subbed for George in goal and kept us in it with some killer saves off his line, but with 20 to go and nothing on our score sheet, we needed his possession. We brought him out of goal and he made an immediate impact in the field. He forced a keeper error and scored. It wasn't enough in the end as we couldn't find that last pass. DC Divided is the presumed winner of the division at this point, and that win will have a lot to do with it.
This coming weekend is going to be interesting. I think the pressure is off us. We have 15 points already and we're going to the playoffs. First place isn't likely and won't be in our hands. I will look at scenarios a bit later. I can imagine we will likely take 2nd with a win. That would be good enough for a bye.
We looked great today everyone, let's enjoy the week and get ready to finish out the regular season.
This post has been updated since publication.
This post has been updated since publication.
Notes:
3-2 win versus Gang Green on 5/13/12 at Ridge. Goals by Jon? (Bucky), Jon (Peter), Carlos (rebound). GK: George (2 GA - a new stat, I may try it - George's GA figures are pretty impressive this season).
2-1 loss to DC Divided at 5/6/12 at Galludet U. Goal by Adrian (NK). GK: Adrian (2 GA), Peter (0 GA).
4-1 loss to DC Thunder at 4/29/12 at Galludet U. Goal by Chris N. (NK). GK: George (1 GA), Peter (1 GA - a PK), and Adrian (2 GA). Discipline: George (Red, 60', denying goal scoring opportunity), Nate (yellow, unsporting conduct), Mike (yellow, unsporting conduct).
Monday, April 16, 2012
80th minute header is decisive [edited]
After our 2-1 victory on Sunday, I texted a few players who were absent but who had asked to know the results. Nate texted me back saying that our game "sounded a lot like Liverpool's game" this week. He's right.
Liverpool had slugged through most of its FA semi-final cup match versus Everton. Everton conceded a foul in the corner and Craig Bellamy sent in a nice cross, which the big man Andy Carroll just kissed into the goal with his head - in the 80th minute.
Look familiar? That's exactly how our game played out this week - and it was won in nearly identical fashion when Bucky rose above his defender to just deflect Adrian's cross into the goal. It was a fair result for our team and also for Bucky, who had hit each post and the crossbar in the first half. As Bucky himself put it at halftime, the only part of the goal left to strike was the back of the net. And he did it.
Folks, that was one of those games you look back on during the season and appreciate. We were not particularly well prepared going into it, but we had all the necessary tactical answers as the match progressed - we sustained pressure, we made a quick strike to equalize, and then we gained control with possession and holding the ball, biding our time until the second and winning goal was possible. I think from a team perspective, it was an efficient game.
Keep in mind that we had not played in a highly competitive match yet this season and we were a little out of sorts attendance wise. The defense took some time to jell - we yielded three dangerous breakaways in the opening minutes, at least one of which should have resulted in a goal, and then the goal itself. While both keepers were outstanding, George earned the win with his brave saves off the line. He has also earned his incredible goal differential thus far this season.
We were down in the match after a difficult sequence. Funky Town diced our back line and managed to sneak one just past the line from my perspective. Mike's sliding clearance was allowed by the referee, but ultimately we couldn't clear the area. Funky Town finished on a deflection and we were trailing for the first time all season.
Still in the first half, we battled back with some good teamwork that began with Mike's back pass at midfield. I received, held the ball, and found Mike at his feet about 20 yards deep. Mike went out to Adrian on the wing, who made a strong move to goal and shot across the goal. A defender was forced to deflect the ball and it fell to Heather, who slotted it in. Heather, incidentally, had a big impact on this game too, scoring the tying goal and playing as an effective outlet late in the game. She and Carlos were great about "coming to" the ball as we looked to get it upfield to safety since we had just about everyone parked behind the ball towards the end.
All in all, I thought it was a great outing. Every single player made contributions. It's no skin off our backs to recognize Adrian, though. As Carlos said, he worked incredibly hard. Just when you thought he was dribbling into a cul-de-sac, he would break through with nifty footwork and set us up for a big play. He was an indispensable piece that made the whole machine work and he gave the other team fits. He can do things that the rest of us can't - and he does them for the team.
Funky Town was much improved from last season, when we beat them 3-0. They deserved more goals. We may see them again in the playoffs. If that happens, let's not forget about #27 (scored their goal) or that little speedster woman who had great tenacity. FT has some quality.
Notes: 2-1 win versus Funky Town at 4/15/12 at Ridge. Goals: Heather (Adrian), Bucky (Adrian). GK: George.
Liverpool had slugged through most of its FA semi-final cup match versus Everton. Everton conceded a foul in the corner and Craig Bellamy sent in a nice cross, which the big man Andy Carroll just kissed into the goal with his head - in the 80th minute.
Look familiar? That's exactly how our game played out this week - and it was won in nearly identical fashion when Bucky rose above his defender to just deflect Adrian's cross into the goal. It was a fair result for our team and also for Bucky, who had hit each post and the crossbar in the first half. As Bucky himself put it at halftime, the only part of the goal left to strike was the back of the net. And he did it.
Folks, that was one of those games you look back on during the season and appreciate. We were not particularly well prepared going into it, but we had all the necessary tactical answers as the match progressed - we sustained pressure, we made a quick strike to equalize, and then we gained control with possession and holding the ball, biding our time until the second and winning goal was possible. I think from a team perspective, it was an efficient game.
Keep in mind that we had not played in a highly competitive match yet this season and we were a little out of sorts attendance wise. The defense took some time to jell - we yielded three dangerous breakaways in the opening minutes, at least one of which should have resulted in a goal, and then the goal itself. While both keepers were outstanding, George earned the win with his brave saves off the line. He has also earned his incredible goal differential thus far this season.
We were down in the match after a difficult sequence. Funky Town diced our back line and managed to sneak one just past the line from my perspective. Mike's sliding clearance was allowed by the referee, but ultimately we couldn't clear the area. Funky Town finished on a deflection and we were trailing for the first time all season.
Still in the first half, we battled back with some good teamwork that began with Mike's back pass at midfield. I received, held the ball, and found Mike at his feet about 20 yards deep. Mike went out to Adrian on the wing, who made a strong move to goal and shot across the goal. A defender was forced to deflect the ball and it fell to Heather, who slotted it in. Heather, incidentally, had a big impact on this game too, scoring the tying goal and playing as an effective outlet late in the game. She and Carlos were great about "coming to" the ball as we looked to get it upfield to safety since we had just about everyone parked behind the ball towards the end.
All in all, I thought it was a great outing. Every single player made contributions. It's no skin off our backs to recognize Adrian, though. As Carlos said, he worked incredibly hard. Just when you thought he was dribbling into a cul-de-sac, he would break through with nifty footwork and set us up for a big play. He was an indispensable piece that made the whole machine work and he gave the other team fits. He can do things that the rest of us can't - and he does them for the team.
 |
| Super winger |
Funky Town was much improved from last season, when we beat them 3-0. They deserved more goals. We may see them again in the playoffs. If that happens, let's not forget about #27 (scored their goal) or that little speedster woman who had great tenacity. FT has some quality.
Notes: 2-1 win versus Funky Town at 4/15/12 at Ridge. Goals: Heather (Adrian), Bucky (Adrian). GK: George.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Bruiser
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With that win, we have a legitimate winning streak of 3 games. However, when we stepped off the pitch, we were probably more focused on the fact that we got out of there with our ankles in tact.
It was a bit of a bruiser. See the photographic evidence to the right.
From the opening whistle, we were in control. While we weren't all that consistent throughout the match - note the soft goal we gave up late in the 2nd - we had more than enough plays to win.
The signs from above were unmistakeable when Adrian opened up the tab in the 12th minute with...wait for it...a direct score from a corner kick! Somewhere in Baltimore, Chris N is fuming because, unlike his solo game winner in a divisional semi-final several years ago, which deflected off the post and into the goal, Adrian bent his ball directly into the side netting. It was stunning, and I say that having seen it go over and around me in the box. The keeper would have had to abandon the near post completely to have any chance. I can't believe our team has scored twice off corner kicks in the past few years! I'm telling you, even though we've missed out on some big games, we have quality.
The other goals were all very well deserved because unAthletic didn't have a cohesive defense on this day. Bucky had a really strong shot just eight minutes later. Nate finished on one of his patented full-field runs from defense, arms swinging the whole way. They simply couldn't account for him and his surprising pace. Chris had a brace to finish the game. The next time I miss an open goal, please note that I did, in fact, put the ball over the line in this one but it was called back on a foul.
We're approaching the halfway mark. Let's keep this up!
Notes: 5-1 victory versus unAthletic DC on 4/1/2012. Goals by Adrian (direct off corner), Bucky (Adrian), Nate (Jon), Chris N (Jon), and Chris N (unknown).
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Schedule re-published
I still haven't "loaded" up our schedule to the right, sorry. But here are our remaining games, to keep them fresh in your mind.
4/1 4:45 pm Trinity College vs unAthletic DC
4/8 NO GAMES because of Easter
4/15 9:00 a.m. Ridge vs Funky Town
4/22 BYE
4/29 11:00 am Galludet vs DC Thunder
5/6 1:00 pm Galludet vs DC Divided
5/13 3:00 pm Ridge vs Gang Green
5/20 11:00 am Ridge vs Far Post
5/28 NO GAMES because of Memorial Day Weekend
6/3, 6/10, 6/17 Playoffs
4/1 4:45 pm Trinity College vs unAthletic DC
4/8 NO GAMES because of Easter
4/15 9:00 a.m. Ridge vs Funky Town
4/22 BYE
4/29 11:00 am Galludet vs DC Thunder
5/6 1:00 pm Galludet vs DC Divided
5/13 3:00 pm Ridge vs Gang Green
5/20 11:00 am Ridge vs Far Post
5/28 NO GAMES because of Memorial Day Weekend
6/3, 6/10, 6/17 Playoffs
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Our Kicks and FC Arlington are winless in 2nd division [updated]
At the conclusion of Week 2, the two teams that were promoted out of 3rd Division are winless. I'm not clear if Our Kicks Don't Lie has played two games or just one. But the standings show one tie. FC Arlington, on the other hand, has lost two in a row, actually three if you count their non-effort in the 3rd division semi final last season.
2nd division is quite competitive. I'm sure FC Arlington will acquit themselves because they are a solid team.
2nd division is quite competitive. I'm sure FC Arlington will acquit themselves because they are a solid team.
Monday, March 26, 2012
First win at Blair High School [updated]
We produced six goals in a great outing, including two from Adrian in his first game after returning from Europe. But it was Pam who stole the show with two sensational goals that displayed strength, skill, and finesse.
All of it equals a 6-0 win versus Red Devils, against whom we are now 2-0 lifetime. We had a mixed record versus the old Red Devils who moved between 2nd and 3rd division for years. Relive an important game versus the Old Red Devils here. I remember losing a prized new recruit who came out for the first time that day, presumably because she wasn't happy with the loss. Of course, starting in the very next game, we went on an incredible record-setting hot streak that lasted two seasons. Anyway, the new version of the Red Devils was reconstituted only last season when a team suddenly folded and the Commissioner stepped up to organize a wholly new team.
In Sunday's game, we did what we needed to do. We started with 10 and had the better chances but lacked finishing. Pam scored the lone goal of the half at about the 25' mark with a perfect far post header off the corner kick. I had the best angle as I jumped for the same ball. I saw Pam with a superior angle and better height. She managed to direct the ball down enough to come in well under the crossbar. The corner kick or free kick header is one of the best plays in sports!
After the half, many good plays were made. Bucky was all over the field, the defense was strong, George made another incredible chest save, etc. The scoring played out like this:
We finally got a win at Blair High School. We are now 1-2 on that pitch, having lots two season openers to Tsunami (I fell down) and FC Arlington (that one got out of hand).
It's not all good news though. Anna picked up an injury in the game that will keep her out for at least a week. With a trim female roster, this will be a challenge to manage. Plus, we can look forward to harder games in the coming weeks.
Congratulations to Red Devils for a well-played game.
Notes: 6-0 win on 3/25/2012 vs Red Devils at Blair High School. Goals: Pam (Adrian), Adrian, Chris N. (Mike), Pam (Kelly), Bucky (Adrian), Adrian (Chris N.).
All of it equals a 6-0 win versus Red Devils, against whom we are now 2-0 lifetime. We had a mixed record versus the old Red Devils who moved between 2nd and 3rd division for years. Relive an important game versus the Old Red Devils here. I remember losing a prized new recruit who came out for the first time that day, presumably because she wasn't happy with the loss. Of course, starting in the very next game, we went on an incredible record-setting hot streak that lasted two seasons. Anyway, the new version of the Red Devils was reconstituted only last season when a team suddenly folded and the Commissioner stepped up to organize a wholly new team.
In Sunday's game, we did what we needed to do. We started with 10 and had the better chances but lacked finishing. Pam scored the lone goal of the half at about the 25' mark with a perfect far post header off the corner kick. I had the best angle as I jumped for the same ball. I saw Pam with a superior angle and better height. She managed to direct the ball down enough to come in well under the crossbar. The corner kick or free kick header is one of the best plays in sports!
After the half, many good plays were made. Bucky was all over the field, the defense was strong, George made another incredible chest save, etc. The scoring played out like this:
- Pam's 25' header (Adrian)
- Adrian's 60' solo effort through the midfield
- Chris N.'s finish (Mike)
- Pam's flip over the keeper as he came off his line - was this even more skillful than her header? Perhaps! (Kelly)
- Bucky's upper ninety long distance strike (Adrian)
- Adrian's tap in (Chris N.)
We finally got a win at Blair High School. We are now 1-2 on that pitch, having lots two season openers to Tsunami (I fell down) and FC Arlington (that one got out of hand).
It's not all good news though. Anna picked up an injury in the game that will keep her out for at least a week. With a trim female roster, this will be a challenge to manage. Plus, we can look forward to harder games in the coming weeks.
Congratulations to Red Devils for a well-played game.
Notes: 6-0 win on 3/25/2012 vs Red Devils at Blair High School. Goals: Pam (Adrian), Adrian, Chris N. (Mike), Pam (Kelly), Bucky (Adrian), Adrian (Chris N.).
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Annoying streak snapped
Harken back to the last year of the George W. Bush presidency. The war in Iraq raged on and the seeds of the Great Recession were sown. Eli Manning and the New York Giants had just made an improbable run to the Superbowl, beating the New England Patriots.
It was Spring 2008. It was also the last time that the Goleros won their opening game of the season.
The most annoying streak in the world has been snapped. We enjoyed a decisive victory over Two Left Feet today at Galludet. We are now 4-10 in CCSL openers, an aberration in an otherwise solid period for the team.
This game was not in doubt once it got underway. 2LF started short and didn't have as much chemistry as they would have liked. It was clear they were integrating new players so I'm sure they will grow stronger each week. We know they have quality.
We didn't have a full complement for the whole game either, because we had only a minimum number of women involved. Nevertheless, it was enough. We were not outstanding, but we dealt with the conditions and scored 4 earned goals.
The game winner was scored in the 15th minute by the guy who deserved it most: Nate. He's been working hard all off season and looked sharp from the get-go. Nate's goal was set up by Bucky, newly signed to our full-time roster. Both he and Cheryl, the other newbie, got points today, which is impressive. There were three other goals:
It was Spring 2008. It was also the last time that the Goleros won their opening game of the season.
The most annoying streak in the world has been snapped. We enjoyed a decisive victory over Two Left Feet today at Galludet. We are now 4-10 in CCSL openers, an aberration in an otherwise solid period for the team.
This game was not in doubt once it got underway. 2LF started short and didn't have as much chemistry as they would have liked. It was clear they were integrating new players so I'm sure they will grow stronger each week. We know they have quality.
We didn't have a full complement for the whole game either, because we had only a minimum number of women involved. Nevertheless, it was enough. We were not outstanding, but we dealt with the conditions and scored 4 earned goals.
The game winner was scored in the 15th minute by the guy who deserved it most: Nate. He's been working hard all off season and looked sharp from the get-go. Nate's goal was set up by Bucky, newly signed to our full-time roster. Both he and Cheryl, the other newbie, got points today, which is impressive. There were three other goals:
- Jon's left footed follow up after the keeper blocked his near-post bid (assist: Anna).
- Griz's easy follow through, because he was in the right place (assist: Ermy)
- Carlos' deft and finessed deflection past the keeper from 15 yards (assist: Cheryl).
Two things stand out. First, we had a clean sheet and were somewhat lucky in that regard. We let our guards down on several occasions. On one such occasion, the Red Sea parted and 2LF's fastest player took advantage and made the break. George made a fantastic chest save at the 18, but he had to come way off his line. 2LF was in position for a seemingly easy follow up. De's clearance on the line was memorable, and the perfect complement to George's bravery. Even then, though, we still had to clear the ball out for good. But it was fun to watch, clearly a sign that we deserved the win. The second point I have in my mind is Griz's steady play on the back line. He made some great slides and tackles today that kept us in it. He closed on the ball well and distributed nicely.
Well done. Now let's get ready for next week.
Notes: 3/18/12, 4-0 win versus Two Left Feet at Galludet. GK: George. Goals: Nate (Bucky), Jon (Anna), Griz (Ermy), Carlos (Cheryl).
Friday, March 9, 2012
Save the date for happy hour!
Looks like Chris D might take the lead on a happy hour. He's probably thinking Thursday or Friday of next week in DC, so save the date!
Report from the captains meeting
Nap and I attended the semi-annual captains' meeting last week. It went by pretty quickly. The only issues that were debated were online registration and the possible reintroduction of a health insurance benefit.
Here is a full report for those who are interested.
DC United tickets - Chelsea Bendhert of DC United introduced herself as the new CCSL ticket rep. Feel free to use her - we'll have a link on the league website for tickets. I also have a ticket rep - Chris Frady. (cfrady AT dcunited DOT.com).
New members of the Exec Team - Ricardo takes over for Sanjay. Jessie (female) will take over as Vice Commissioner. Mike of Tsunami will now be treasurer, taking over for Jen. We have a new social chair in Ayman.
Schedule released - Ricardo presented the schedule. The exec team completed the schedule a full two weeks before the season. That's a record in our 6 or so years in this league.
Promotion/ relegation set - Ricardo showed us the tables. We have two new teams in our division. I'll do a post on that shortly.
Referees - Jessie R, our referee assignor, gave a very brief report. We have some referee fines for teams that did not supply one. We are currently in compliance with the policy thanks to Carlos. Seriously, thank him when you have a chance. He loves the work, but it does require some training on the weekends. We pay our refs $55 per match in the center, $40 as an AR. You can make decent money.
Fields - Again this year, we have great fields. All high quality turf and large, except for Trinity, which is a nice grass field. I'm personally unhappy to see Blair HS on the list. And we have a game there. It's far for me. Most fields are in DC. We probably won't be on the new Long Bridge Fields in Arlington because they have really high rates. Even if we got around the county residency issue, it would still be high. We need premium fields, but we also try to keep costs as low as possible. We pay $40/hr for Ridge (a steal) but prevailing rates are usually $150/hour.
Budget - The league's operating deficit is closing. Having lowered field costs and trimmed some other items, we are close to breaking even on the year. We are fine in the spring, but fall costs us a lot because we pay state dues. We were able to cut those dues substantially through negotiations, and then we trimmed them further by cutting the health insurance option last year. 36 teams generate $63,000 in revenues per season. Fields cost $30,000 per season. Referees cost $28,000 per season. State association dues are $20,000 per year, so about $10,000 per season. You can see some of the math now. That is why our team dues went up $100 this season, resulting in slight increases for you as a player. Our league reserve fund, once in the $50K range, is now down to $28,000. That's disappointing to me so we need to keep working on structural changes without reducing the quality of the product. We will NOT be doing 2-man reffing crews or going back to the mall fields.
Health insurance question - Jessie K, the Vice Commissioner, wants to restore the health benefit. She experienced a torn ACL while the league's policy lapsed. Although she had primary health insurance, she still paid $1000 out of pocket. She thinks she could have gotten much of this reimbursed. Here's the situation. Part of state dues pay for supplemental health insurance - in other words, if you get hurt playing in a CCSL game, you can seek reimbursement for qualified health costs after (1) you first try your primary health insurance if you have it; and (2) you pay the $400 deductible. Given our dire budget situation last year, and the fact that we had few claims, we waived this policy for players and saved $2 per person, or about $2000 annually.
Jessie is trying to get the league to restore the coverage. My perspective is, great, let's do that, but let's make sure to increase dues by the corresponding amount (about $20 per team per season) so that there is no budgetary impact on the league. If we simply restore the health insurance coverage without adjusting team fees, the league will pay the $2000 annually and we'll either go back into a deficit situation or we'll have to further cut expenses. Given the reasonable cost per person - $2 per year! - I think we can manage the increase. We'll have a survey and your input will be welcome.
There's the full report.
Here is a full report for those who are interested.
DC United tickets - Chelsea Bendhert of DC United introduced herself as the new CCSL ticket rep. Feel free to use her - we'll have a link on the league website for tickets. I also have a ticket rep - Chris Frady. (cfrady AT dcunited DOT.com).
New members of the Exec Team - Ricardo takes over for Sanjay. Jessie (female) will take over as Vice Commissioner. Mike of Tsunami will now be treasurer, taking over for Jen. We have a new social chair in Ayman.
Schedule released - Ricardo presented the schedule. The exec team completed the schedule a full two weeks before the season. That's a record in our 6 or so years in this league.
Promotion/ relegation set - Ricardo showed us the tables. We have two new teams in our division. I'll do a post on that shortly.
Referees - Jessie R, our referee assignor, gave a very brief report. We have some referee fines for teams that did not supply one. We are currently in compliance with the policy thanks to Carlos. Seriously, thank him when you have a chance. He loves the work, but it does require some training on the weekends. We pay our refs $55 per match in the center, $40 as an AR. You can make decent money.
Fields - Again this year, we have great fields. All high quality turf and large, except for Trinity, which is a nice grass field. I'm personally unhappy to see Blair HS on the list. And we have a game there. It's far for me. Most fields are in DC. We probably won't be on the new Long Bridge Fields in Arlington because they have really high rates. Even if we got around the county residency issue, it would still be high. We need premium fields, but we also try to keep costs as low as possible. We pay $40/hr for Ridge (a steal) but prevailing rates are usually $150/hour.
Budget - The league's operating deficit is closing. Having lowered field costs and trimmed some other items, we are close to breaking even on the year. We are fine in the spring, but fall costs us a lot because we pay state dues. We were able to cut those dues substantially through negotiations, and then we trimmed them further by cutting the health insurance option last year. 36 teams generate $63,000 in revenues per season. Fields cost $30,000 per season. Referees cost $28,000 per season. State association dues are $20,000 per year, so about $10,000 per season. You can see some of the math now. That is why our team dues went up $100 this season, resulting in slight increases for you as a player. Our league reserve fund, once in the $50K range, is now down to $28,000. That's disappointing to me so we need to keep working on structural changes without reducing the quality of the product. We will NOT be doing 2-man reffing crews or going back to the mall fields.
Health insurance question - Jessie K, the Vice Commissioner, wants to restore the health benefit. She experienced a torn ACL while the league's policy lapsed. Although she had primary health insurance, she still paid $1000 out of pocket. She thinks she could have gotten much of this reimbursed. Here's the situation. Part of state dues pay for supplemental health insurance - in other words, if you get hurt playing in a CCSL game, you can seek reimbursement for qualified health costs after (1) you first try your primary health insurance if you have it; and (2) you pay the $400 deductible. Given our dire budget situation last year, and the fact that we had few claims, we waived this policy for players and saved $2 per person, or about $2000 annually.
Jessie is trying to get the league to restore the coverage. My perspective is, great, let's do that, but let's make sure to increase dues by the corresponding amount (about $20 per team per season) so that there is no budgetary impact on the league. If we simply restore the health insurance coverage without adjusting team fees, the league will pay the $2000 annually and we'll either go back into a deficit situation or we'll have to further cut expenses. Given the reasonable cost per person - $2 per year! - I think we can manage the increase. We'll have a survey and your input will be welcome.
There's the full report.
Dues update
Dues are coming in, but slower than expected. I usually get quite a boost after my initial emails. In this case, however, only 6 players have paid.
Get to paypal and send your cash-poor captain some money, please.
Get to paypal and send your cash-poor captain some money, please.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Pay your dues
I just wrote the big check to the league and they are cashing it right away.
Your portion is $95 for the season. The fees went up for teams so it results in higher costs per person. It's still a value for the fun we have and the overall quality of the league.
Please pay via Paypal.com to my personal address, not the team address. You'll see it circulated via email. I don't post it here so it isn't data mined.
You must pay before the first game, no exceptions.
Remember to avoid fees on paypal. You can avoid them on your end by linking directly to your checking account or doing the check clearing process. Paying via credit card is convenient, but you'll incur a small fee. I will incur a fee no matter what, unless you designate this as a payment among friends and family. So please do that or I pay needless fees.
Thanks!
Your portion is $95 for the season. The fees went up for teams so it results in higher costs per person. It's still a value for the fun we have and the overall quality of the league.
Please pay via Paypal.com to my personal address, not the team address. You'll see it circulated via email. I don't post it here so it isn't data mined.
You must pay before the first game, no exceptions.
Remember to avoid fees on paypal. You can avoid them on your end by linking directly to your checking account or doing the check clearing process. Paying via credit card is convenient, but you'll incur a small fee. I will incur a fee no matter what, unless you designate this as a payment among friends and family. So please do that or I pay needless fees.
Thanks!
League to require waivers this season (link included)
Heads up on an annoying administrative issue. The league is requiring that players sign waivers as part of registration. This was always required but, in recent years, we haven't followed through. New registration requirements and procedures make it hard to dodge this time.
I'm not requiring players to do it yet, because we've got plenty on our plates to begin the season.
However, you will hear from me in a few weeks. Then, you will have to go to this website to register. Allegedly, it will only take a few minutes after you create an online account.
Feel free to do it now, if you'd like. You're just doing the waiver, not paying anything there.
https://mdcvsa2.d4sportsreg.com/?pid=132474
I'm not requiring players to do it yet, because we've got plenty on our plates to begin the season.
However, you will hear from me in a few weeks. Then, you will have to go to this website to register. Allegedly, it will only take a few minutes after you create an online account.
Feel free to do it now, if you'd like. You're just doing the waiver, not paying anything there.
https://mdcvsa2.d4sportsreg.com/?pid=132474
Monday, March 5, 2012
Spring 2012 schedule released
As you read in your inbox, the Spring 2012 schedule has been released. I will upload it to the site shortly. Please save the dates and stay in touch with your captains concerning attendance.
3/18 2:00 pm Galludet vs Two Left Feet
3/25 1:00 pm Blair HS vs Red Devils
4/1 4:45 pm Trinity College vs unAthletic DC
4/8 NO GAMES because of Easter
4/15 9:00 a.m. Ridge vs Funky Town
4/22 BYE
4/29 11:00 am Galludet vs DC Thunder
5/6 1:00 pm Galludet vs DC Divided
5/13 3:00 pm Ridge vs Gang Green
5/20 11:00 am Ridge vs Far Post
5/28 NO GAMES because of Memorial Day Weekend
6/3, 6/10, 6/17 Playoffs
3/18 2:00 pm Galludet vs Two Left Feet
3/25 1:00 pm Blair HS vs Red Devils
4/1 4:45 pm Trinity College vs unAthletic DC
4/8 NO GAMES because of Easter
4/15 9:00 a.m. Ridge vs Funky Town
4/22 BYE
4/29 11:00 am Galludet vs DC Thunder
5/6 1:00 pm Galludet vs DC Divided
5/13 3:00 pm Ridge vs Gang Green
5/20 11:00 am Ridge vs Far Post
5/28 NO GAMES because of Memorial Day Weekend
6/3, 6/10, 6/17 Playoffs
Monday, January 30, 2012
Captains make schedule requests for spring
League officers have said they will release a full schedule several weeks before the season starts. While this would be unprecedented in our five years in the league, the schedule has run smoothly as of late due to an abundance of premium fields.
In response to my email, Goleros teammates indicate that they could be traveling a lot this spring. That could make attendance a bit dicey. The problem week at this point looks to be the CUA Alumni game on April 22nd. We have requested a bye that weekend and I expect it to be accommodated. We have also asked for a late start on April 1st, which could be the second round of the Cherry Blossom Tournament.
More news on the schedule to come.
In response to my email, Goleros teammates indicate that they could be traveling a lot this spring. That could make attendance a bit dicey. The problem week at this point looks to be the CUA Alumni game on April 22nd. We have requested a bye that weekend and I expect it to be accommodated. We have also asked for a late start on April 1st, which could be the second round of the Cherry Blossom Tournament.
More news on the schedule to come.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
League news
Here is an email sent to team captains concerning the upcoming season. Some of this I've shared by email or previous post. Some will be covered later. For those who are interested...
Captains,
I trust that everyone had a wonderful holiday season and that the New Year will bring you much joy and success. Apologies for the long message but we have a lot of important information to distribute.
It is a privilege and an honor to be your new league commissioner. I have some pretty big shoes to fill but I am confident that your executive board will continue to provide you with the premier coed soccer league in the region.
It is hard to believe but we will be back on the pitch in eight weeks and we have a lot of work before then. Our Spring 2012 season will start on Sunday, March 18th. We will not play on Easter or Memorial Day Weekend.
Once again, we will be playing a majority of our games on turf fields. We will continue to use Trinity College as well. I regret to inform you that our league has been operating at a deficit over the past few seasons. The increase in rental fees for the turf fields has been a major factor. As a nonprofit league ran by volunteers we need to meet our operating costs in order to maintain the level of fields and officials that you are accustomed to. Therefore, we will raise our team fees to $1,950.00 starting this season. This modest increase in team fees may not be sufficient to balance our books. We are exploring alternate sources of income (such as sponsors). Any opinions or suggestions about raising more income will be welcomed.
Our second order of business is to work on our schedules. Please reply to me and confirm that you will be returning in the spring and whether you are interested in promotion (if applicable). I would like to hear from each team no later than January 31st. Our proposed tables are as follows:
Please confirm your team's return if you have not done so directly with me already at your earliest convenience.
We will continue to do online registration this season. If you are interested in using this system, please let me know as soon as possible. We are using the system on a trial basis with teams interested in volunteering. I would like to start online registration in early February. You will be able to pay team dues through our website as well.
2012 CALENDAR
------------------------------------
January 31st – Deadline for returning teams to confirm participation in Spring 2012.
February 6th - Early Registration Opens.
February 7th - Team schedule requests due to Lou.
March 5th - Captains Meeting. Location: Tenley Friendship Library, 4450 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20016 (across the street from the Tenleytown Metro (red line). Meeting will start promptly at 7 PM (need to clean and leave the room before 9 PM). Pizza will be offered. Please let me know in advance if you have any items that you would like to have added to the meeting’s agenda.
March 5th - Schedule release. This is a firm date. Make sure you have your request in to Lou by the 7th of February to ensure you get full consideration.
March 18th – Spring 2012 Season Kick Off.
April 21st – Roster Freeze date.
July 30th – Fall 2012 Captain’s Meeting. Location: TBD
August 19th – Fall 2012 Season Kick Off
League will not play on Easter and Memorial Day Weekends
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We have several new board members and I will provide you with more details at a separate date. We are updating our website and you will also find the email addresses for your board members there.
I have also met with our new DC United account representative. We are working with the team to organize a couple of tailgates as well as discounted tickets. I will cover United in more detail at the Captain’s Meeting but I encourage anyone attending DC United games to purchase tickets through our account new account representative. There will be no processing fees if you buy tickets through her and there will be an additional $8.00 discount per ticket.Ricardo
Look forward to your comments. See you around the pitch!
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