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 18^th.  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 31^st.  Our proposed tables are as follows:

Premier
1	Conquistadores
2	FC Benchwarmers
3	Booters FC
4	Washington Wanderers	Returning
5	Rocklands FC
6	Good N Bad	Returning
7	Replacements
8	Ugly Mug Hooligans FC
9	Backdraft	Promoted
D1
1	Itchy & Scratchy	Returning / Relegated
2	Buena Vista Soccer Club	Returning / Does not want promotion
3	Flirting With Sobriety	Returning
4	Postgame FC
5	Painkillers
6	Hoover FC
7	Taz Devils	Returning
8	Capital Crew	Not Relegated (Lost Tourists not going up)
9	Little Urban Achievers	Returning / Promoted  ? ? ?
D2
1	Team Arnold & Porter	Relegated
2	Lost Tourists	Does not Want Promotion
3	The Diplomats	Returning
4	Geezers
5	Celtic
6	Tsunami Naranja
7	Prism	Returning
8	FC Arlington	Returning / Promoted
9	Our Kicks Don’t Lie	Returning / Promoted
D3
1	DC Thunder	Relegated
2	Gang Green	Relegated
3	Goleros	Returning
4	DC Divided	Returning
5	Far Post	Returning
6	UnAthletic DC
7	Funky Town
8	Red Devils
9	Two Left Feet

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 31^st – 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 21^st – Roster Freeze date.

July 30^th – Fall 2012 Captain’s Meeting.  Location: TBD

August 19^th – 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.

Look forward to your comments.  See you around the pitch!

Ricardo

CBT dates to be announced soon

Alex over at District Sports has informed us that the annual Cherry Blossom Tournament will happen on March 31st and April 1st of this year.  While the CCSL season will already be underway, we could request a bye that week and field a team.  It's only 7 on 7 and in all likelihood we could swing both a league game and a tournament engagement in one blowout weekend.  Tournaments are always fun, and they build up team chemistry in a major way.

Interested? 

I may sit this one out as organizer so volunteers should feel welcome to step up!

She came to town and then left (again)

Our good friend and leader Ally came to town last weekend.  I sadly missed the event but it looks like it was quite fun.  Only question: Given the collection of ladies, where is Chris D in this photo?

Season to start Sunday March 18th

Hi team -As reported earlier on this blog, our season starts in exactly 60 days.  The offseason isn't so long anymore.  Get ready!

Report from Exec Meeting

Before each CCSL season, there are two major planning meetings.  The first is the meeting of the Executive Board.  The board - consisting of a Commissioner, Vice Commissioner, Treasurer, Recording Secretary, Scheduler, Registrar, and the non-voting Website administrator, Social Coordinator, Field Guru and Chair of the Disciplinary Committee (that's me) - meets for several hours to plan out league affairs.  It takes a dedicated team to get all of this done.  We have a number of new exec team members, starting with the new commissioner, who will Ricardo L, taking over for Sanjay. 

The second meeting, among team captains, follows up on the Exec Team meeting and is where the actual voting takes place to govern the league. 

The league held the Exec Team meeting last night, and I attended for the first time.  I gave a report on my disciplinary committee work.  There are some pending matters left over from the fall and the issue of how to treat future cases.  But the focus of the discussion, as always, was on the budget (how to keep costs in line) and online registration.  While this is a highly organized league, it is still very non-profit-esque.  Increasing costs are requiring the board members to think more proactively about how to increase revenues and balance the budget in order to maintain the goal of the league, which is to provide a premium soccer experience.  This isn't pick up on the mall or a drop-in league, this is supposed to be among the best experiences available to coed players.  Maybe I'll do more posts on the need to change the league's MO and business model later.  We need to make some adjustments to survive.

For now, here are some headlines that you might be interested in:

• The season will start in two short months, on March 18, 2012.  Fall season will also likely start early, Aug. 19, 2012.

• Our projected budget for 2012 again shows a deficit of several thousand dollars.  Fees are going up $100 per team again, with more changes in store later.  If we can make some more innovative changes, anything is possible, even potentially lowering team fees.

More when we get to the captains' meeting stage next month.  I know some of this is super boring to people, but for others, it's a nice glimpse into the surprising sophisticated and expensive business of providing soccer opportunities to people like us.

Happy New Year! (and some good news from a LUA player)

Hi team -

I've taken a much needed break from blogging and soccer organizing.  It will still be relatively slow, but it's time to come back from the wilderness and reconnect.

Let's start with a great story.  Remember Andy from Little Urban Achievers, who made a comeback from cancer to play in the Fall 2010? D2 championship game against us?  Read this old post.  Well, we didn't take a victory from that match, but the prelude was memorable.  We raised a fair amount of money for cancer awareness, something we have some experience doing. 

Anyway, I got a great update from Andy.  He's living a charmed life in London now, attending the London School of Economics and seeing some EPL games.  Here's the chain:

Tim -

As discussed via g-chat today, I am interested to hear more about your teammate, Andy, and how he is doing.  I would love to pass on any good information to my team, who will surely be interested to know what he's up to.  I plan to do another post on the blog about it.  Andy's a great fellow.

Happy Holidays!

Best,

Peter w/ Goleros

Andy	12/26/11 (10 days ago)
to Tim, me

Hi Peter- I hope you are well and your soccer team did well this year. 

This year I decided to make some bold moves.  After my health issues I decided life was too short not to take some chances and see what was out there.  So I applied for Masters programs in London- and somehow got into the London School of Economics!  It took some courage to accept, as I’ve been living and working on Cap. Hill for close to 10 years and most of my good friends are in DC, but I did it.  In September I packed up my life and moved to London, which is absolutely the right decision.  I’m studying International Relations at the LSE and working part time for think tanks in London.  It is an absolutely fantastic city where I meet interesting people all the time.  I do a lot of traveling around the UK and Europe thanks to the cheap airline tickets, so I’m seeing a good bit of the world while I read newspapers about the demise of the euro (a good time to exchange dollars for euros, and pounds actually).  I also got a Membership for the Tottenham Hotspurs.  They have been my team for some time now, and Ive seen about half a dozen matches at White Hart Lane as well as gone to watch Clint Dempsey at Fulham a few times.  I have a lot more matches line up this coming year- which is causing me to go broke.  But I’ll gladly eat PB&J sandwiches for dinner if I can watch a few EPL matches each month!! haha. Going back to school after being out of academics for a decade has been a bit of a challenge, but I really do relish challenges in my life now.  the big challenges are never that big once you jump in- and the rewards are always worth the effort.  The school has been fantastic for me- I am learning a ton about the world not only in the classroom but from my classmates.  My program has one of the most diverse student bodies in the world, so every day I learn something new about a culture or how someone else perceives the world.  I’ve also continued to raise funds for cancer research.  Over the past several years we’ve raised over $5,000 for cancer research and your team played a major role in these efforts.  This year I’m doing a fundraiser in London where I hope to raise around 1200 pounds to donate to cancer research in the UK.  So that is a bit about what I have been doing.  Some major-major changes, but all for the good.  I’m loving life and living it to its fullest.  If you or anyone is making any trips to London, please let me know.  There will be a good pint waiting for them, on me, and some soccer tickets if we can make that happen too. 

Happy Holidays.  I hope all is well with you.  And thanks so much for checking in.  It is very kind of you.

All my best,

Andy

   

Andy -

What a great update.  I couldn't respond earlier for fear of giving it short shrift.  It's fantastic to hear that you've thrown off the shackles and gone after what interested you.  My dad always gave me those speeches, and whenever I followed them, I always felt right about it.  But of course enrolling in the London School of Economics is not exactly like backpacking the world or becoming a ski bum.  What great experiences.  Are you taking Ryan Air or Easy jet or another carrier on these short jaunts?  I am an aviation analyst, I care about such things.

I wish I could visit White Hart Lane with you.  I eased into the EPL last season, but this season I dove in full speed.  I watch the games on the weekend.  My favorite show is the Premier League Review, produced by the league and played here on Fox Soccer Channel.  I have never fully committed to a team.  I won't do Manchester United or Man City or Arsenal for a number of reasons.  I've always been drawn to Liverpool and I would say I follow them most closely.  But of course I've had my eye on Fulham for years given the McBride/Dempsey connection.  They're finally on a tear this season.  And it's funny you mention Tottenham.  I never considered following them closely before, I'm not sure why.  But watching them this season has been a pleasure.  They're an extremely talented side.  I enjoy watching Modric play, and Adebayor and others are thrilling.  One question for you though - why is Gio Dos Santos riding pine?  It seems he's a pretty electric player - he's not even worth a shot sometimes?

It's also nice to hear about your cancer awareness efforts.  The Goleros have continued in that vein, recently raising a modest amount for our teammate, who did a Breast Cancer walk in support of a family member.

All the best,

Peter w/ Goleros

From: Tim
Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2011 9:56 PM
To: Andy 
Subject: Fwd: news about Andy

hey Andy!

The email below is from Peter, the captain of the soccer team Goleros that we played in the Div 2 championship game last spring.  It was Peter and Goleros that helped raise some money for cancer research during our championship match you may remember.  Anyways - Peter wanted to send around an update to his team, per his email below.  Can you get in touch with him?

Meanwhile - what is your plan for when you are in DC after xmas?

Tim Daly

Referee Recertification for 2012; New Referee Classes

FYI - new referee classes are being scheduled.

All:

Happy New Year!  There are lots of opportunities available to become a referee and to recertify as a soccer referee for 2012.  If your USSF badge doesn't say 2012, you need to recertify in order to referee this year.  

Procedures for enrolling in a clinic are as follows:

http://www.vadcsoccerref.com/docs/2012%20Returning%20Referees%20%20Registration%20and%20Certification%20Process%20REV.pd f

UPGRADE to Senior Referee:

1) Tomorrow, SAT, in Burke

01/07/2012 - 01/07/2012

10:15 AM - 4:30 PM

Kings Park Library, Meeting Room, 9000 Burke Lake Road, Burke, VA 22015

Upcoming clinics are as follows to RECERTIFY:

1) Washington DC

01/10/2012 - 01/12/2012

6:30 - 9:30 PM on Tuesday Jan 10, and Thursday Jan 12

JELLEFF BOYS & GIRLS CLUB, 3265 S ST, NW, Washington, DC 20007

2) Arlington

01/09/2012 - 01/10/2012

6:30 - 9:30 PM on January 9 & 10

Williamsburg Middle School cafeteria, 3600 North Harrison Street, Arlington, VA

3) Alexandria/Kingstowne

01/14/2012 - 01/14/2012

10:30 AM - 4:45 PM

Kingstowne Library, 6500 Landsdowne Ctr, Alexandria, VA 22315

4) Springfield

01/23/2012 - 01/24/2012

6:00 to 9:00 PM on Jan 23 & 24

West Springfield High School, Room 155, 6100 Rolling Road, Springfield, VA

OR 

02/21/2012 - 02/22/2012

6:00 to 9:00 PM on Feb 21 & 22

West Springfield High School, Room 155, 6100 Rolling Road, Springfield, VA

OR

02/27/2012 - 02/28/2012

6:00 to 9:00 PM on Feb 27 & 28

West Springfield High School, Room 155, 6100 Rolling Road, Springfield, VA

5) Burke

02/25/2012 - 02/25/2012

10:30 AM - 4:30PM

Burke Centre Library, Meeting Room 116/117, Fred Oaks Road, Burke, VA 22015

OR

02/18/2012 - 02/18/2012

10:30 AM - 4:45 PM

Pohick Library, Meeting Room 1/2, Sydenstricker Road, Burke , VA 22015

6) Reston

02/04/2012 - 02/04/2012

9:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Reston Community Center at Hunters Woods, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston, VA 20191

OR

01/28/2012 - 01/28/2012

9:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Reston Community Center at Hunters Woods, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston, VA 20191

7) Vienna

01/10/2012 - 01/12/2012

6:30 - 9:30 PM on January 10 & 12

Thoreau School's Lecture Hall, Vienna, VA

OR

02/06/2012 - 02/07/2012

6:30 - 9:30 PM on February 6 & 7

Thoreau School's Lecture Hall, Vienna, VA

OR

02/21/2012 - 02/28/2012

6:30 - 9:30 PM on February 21 & 28

Thoreau School's Lecture Hall, Vienna, VA

NEW REFEREE CLINICS:

1) Arlington

01/12/2012 - 01/31/2012

6:30 - 9:30 on January 12, 17, 19, 24, 26, 31

Williamsburg Middle School cafeteria, 3600 North Harrison Street, Arlington, VA

2) Springfield

02/01/2012 - 02/16/2012

6:00 - 9:00 PM on Feb 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16

West Springfield High School, Room 155, 6100 Rolling Road, Springfield, VA

3) Manassas

02/13/2012 - 02/25/2012

6:00 - 9:00 PM on Feb 13, 15, 21, 23; 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM on Feb 25

Manassas Police Station, 9815 Fairview Ave, Manassas, VA 20110

4) Woodbridge:

02/17/2012 - 02/19/2012

6:00 - 10:00 PM on Friday, Feb 17; 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday, Feb 18 & 19

McCoart Bldg, Woodbridge, VA

5) Herndon

03/20/2012 - 03/29/2012

6:30 - 9:30 PM on March 20, 21, 23, 27, 28, & 29

Clearview Elementary, Cafeteria, Herndon, VA

6) Reston

03/05/2012 - 03/10/2012

6:30 - 9:30 PM on March 5, 6, 7, 9; 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM on March 10

Reston Community Center at Hunters Woods, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston, VA 20191

7) Mt Vernon/Alexandria

03/17/2012 - 03/25/2012

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM on Mar 17; 7:00 - 9:00 PM on Mar 18; 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM on Mar 24; 12:00 - 5:00 PM on Mar 25

Mt. Vernon Government Ctr, 2511 Parkers Lane, Alexandria, VA 22306

Thank you for your consideration.

Best regards,

Jesse Rosenthal

USSF Assignor

_

Early weather report

The weather is looking pretty good for our finale on Sunday.  Early indications are showing lows in the 50s and partly cloudy.  

We're playing at George Mason High School in Falls Church.

Scouting Report on Our Kicks Don't Lie

You may have heard.  We have a big game this weekend.  We play Our Kicks Don't Lie, who we don't know all that well but have every reason to respect.  We have only played them once, and it was this season.  It was a strange game, if you recall.  We gave up an early goal, and throughout the match gave up three more.  But we played an open game and were rewarded with a number of goals.  At times, the Our Kicks defense didn't have any shape.  We won't see that again in the final - they've come too far and they have seen some of what we have to offer.  They'll be much improved and gunning for a big win.  And they can get it unless we play at the highest level.

Above all, I remember their ability to find that young, fast striker, who is deceptively fast and has great timing.  He knows when to shoot and he can pretty much pick his spot.  He scored three against us, he probably scored 3 or 4 last weekend (maybe more), and overall, my guess is he's among the top scorers in the whole league.  And there may be others with skills as well.  I have heard their goalie is pretty good, so we can't expect the same quality of opportunities this weekend that we had in the regular season.  It will take higher quality build ups and goals to get it done.  All in all, we need to be ready.

Take a look at the season had by Our Kicks:

Third Division: Our Kicks Dont Lie

GAMEs Date Time Location Opponent W/L/T GF GA   Sun 10/30/2011  3:00p  Washington   FC Arlington  L  1  3    Sun 10/23/2011  11:30a  Washington Trinity  DC Divided  L  0  6    Sun 10/16/2011  9:45a  Washington Trinity  Goleros  L  4  9    Sun 10/09/2011  5:00p  Falls Church  Two Left Feet  T  2  2    Sun 10/02/2011  11:00a  Washington   Funky Town  T  2  2    Sun 09/25/2011  10:00a  Washington   Unathletic DC  W  3  1    Sun 09/18/2011  11:00a  Washington   Red Devils  W  3  2    Sun 09/11/2011  9:45a  Washington   Far Post  L  0  2     2 wins, 4 losses and 2 ties 15  27

And they have been on a tear in the playoffs.  12 goals in two games!  That's amazing actually.

Third Division: Our Kicks Dont Lie

GAMEs Date Time Location Opponent W/L/T GF GA   Sun 11/13/2011  5:00p  Falls Church  FC Arlington  W  7  1    Sun 11/06/2011  2:00p  Washington Trinity  Far Post  W  5  4     2 wins, 0 loss and 0 tie 12  5

It should be a highly competitive match.

It's Alumni Week

That's trouble

I'm sure you saw Ally's inspirational post earlier this week.  We DID visualize the game, and guess what, we did quite well.

Ally's post reminded me to get in touch with some other people in the Goleros family to see what's up.  If you're inspired yourself, reach out to an alumni of the Orange and White, and let us know what our people are doing.





From Suzie, current teammate on the IR:

Hey Peter!
I miss you guys! And I miss playing soccer! My foot is ok, I am still on crutches but I go to the doctorThursday and I'm hoping he'll let me get into a walking boot! Baby steps, I guess.
Unfortunately I am unable to come to the game, but good luck and I hope you kick ass!I'm so proud of how well you guys are doing!
Suzie

From Jackie Y, who I believe you may possibly remember if you think really hard about it.  Let's see, she was that girl from Jersey who had a sense of humor as I recall.

Hey Peter!!!
long time no talkie.. How are the kiddies? and the rest of the family?Things are going well here in the dirty Jerse... it seems like AGES ago that I lived down in DC and played with the Goleros.... I read this article and think, "HOLY crap CUA has infiltrated Goleros!!!" which is not a bad thing... but that's soo great that the girls have joined the team :) makes me sooo very happy :)
I am hard at work at school... tons of classes and I am almost done.. almost.. May 2013 I will have my BS/MS in Foods and Nutrition with a Sports and Wellness Certificate! :) Then I  apply to an internship and go off to that for a year and then sit for the RD exam and HOPEFULLY become a Dietitian! 
I play on a bunch of teams up here.. I play On sundays with a women's league in Randolph, NJ.. then Sunday nights I play on a Co-ed team run by my boyfriend and we play in morristown and our team name is Ramrod (but we will be changing that next season! hahaha) and Finally I play on a women's Indoor league on monday nights in a dome in Montclair and I think our name is Orange Crush! hahahahahahah
NONE of these teams have the soul or spirit like the Goleros did... They come MIGHTY close.. but none of them shine a light on what I miss down there :(
I love that article and picture... thanks so much for posting it! PLEASE tell everyone that I love them and miss them!love,Jackie

From Ashley, who is living in Miami now:

 PETER!!!Good!! How are you? I miss soccer so much. There isn't any teams that I have found down here :( I love Miami though! So warm and we live right on the beach!!! Lifestyle is pretty chill. I am working at a Physical therapy office and working on my PTA (physical therapy assistant). So exciting! How is the family and the new baby? Hows the team? Hows work? 
Talk to you soon, send the team my love! :)

-- Ashley

It's great to hear from our friends!

Final game set: we play at 9:00 p.m. this Sunday!

Ladies and gentlemen, our last game of the season has been scheduled, and in fact, it will be the last game played this fall in the whole league.

We play Our Kicks Don't Lie at 9:00 p.m. this Sunday Nov. 20th at George Mason High School in Falls Church.

Stay tuned for emails!


Check out this beautiful bracket:

Tournament Brackets

New Game    Printable Version   

>Third Division>
	Goleros (4)
	#3: 11/13/2011 10:30a	Goleros
	Washington , Galludet
Unathletic DC (1)
#1: 11/06/2011 10:00a
Washington, Trinity	DC Divided (1)
DC Divided (3)
		#5: 11/20/2011 9:00p
		George Mason HS	Champion
	FC Arlington (1)
	#4: 11/13/2011 5:00p
	George Mason HS	Our Kicks Dont Lie
Our Kicks Dont Lie (5)
#2: 11/06/2011 2:00p
Washington, Trinity	Our Kicks Dont Lie (7)
Far Post (4)

Report: Our Kicks Don't Lie Upsets FC Arlington

Nothing is posted on the website yet.  However, Adrian has a friend on FC Arlington and reports that FC Arlington lost its match up versus Our Kicks Don't Lie.  It's not what you would expect on paper, but it's not that surprising actually.  FC Arlington didn't have much to play for, and Our Kicks has been going gangbusters, scoring a lot of goals.

This means that we will have a must win this coming Sunday.  And it will be against the team that played us incredibly well and scored 4 goals against us.

Stay tuned for more info.

Sunday schedule TBA

I have requested a late start time for the game.  Kickoffs are at 3:00, 5:00, 7:00, and 9:00 p.m.  Look for us to get the 7:00 or 9:00 slot, but we'll see.  No word on the field, but I'm guessing George Mason in Falls Church.

Goleros advance to Division Championship with a Memorable Defensive Effort

Your captain and a leader on defense

Today's 4-1 result versus DC Divided was emblematic of the season overall.  We came together as a team and played as a cohesive unit from front to back.  In recent weeks, our positive results have been largely due to a resurgent defense that is making tackles at the point of attack, taking away space, and getting the ball upfield, where we have sufficient numbers to create opportunities.

Our defense today integrated new people and made some key tactical adjustments - each and every person made great plays. Scratch that.  We made some spectacular plays, both this week and last week as well.  Here are but three examples: Jon's incredible goal-line clearance over the cross bar (from my perspective upfield, the geometry just didn't work on that one) and De's creative spin to play the ball to safety in the second half.  And going back to last week, let us not forget when Adrian went to ground in the box to seal the tie.  These are memorable moments and they make my Sunday.

In both games, DC Divided was solid.  They play a competitive game, and their tall players can cover a lot of ground quickly.  Each time I cover one of those guys, I am surprised by how I fall behind a half-step every few yards.  The loss today wasn't a just result due to the success they've had and the product they put forward.  If memory serves, I believe DCD has 1 loss in just the past two season (to FC Arlington).  Compare that to our 1 loss this season and 5 last season.

It's all about your form

It was hard to prepare for the rematch this week.  In our last game, both teams battled to a 1-1 tie.  In this game, we needed some new pieces and a new set if we wanted to improve.  Thankfully we had both.  We had some players they hadn't seen and we moved some of the players around who they were familiar with.  For example, we were pretty sure they would have their eye on Adrian, based on his defensive effort last week, so we unleashed him upfield instead.  As it turned out, I think his skillful dribbling before the pass was a major factor in wearing down their defense and midfield.  Chris N.'s play had a similar effect.

Credit DCD for putting in the first goal, like last week.  Even though it was a fluke play, it was consistent with the run of play up to that point.  We were slowly yielding to pressure.  After the goal, the defense made a tactical adjustment to create depth and fill space.  It paid off quickly and featured our more possession-oriented midfielders.   Chris D, Cat, Elyse, Carolyn and others went to work, applied pressure, and won what seemed like every 50-50 ball.  Up top, Pam was a constant threat, which kept their defense honest.  Ermy was very good on this day, and brought us back to even keel in the 35' with a strong shot that deflected in the goal.  Nate, Chris D., and Chris N. followed with more goals.

What I will remember most about this game is the tactical adjustment by the defense and the almost uninterrupted focus of the defensive players including George, from kickoff to full time.

Thanks to Jamie and Bucky for activating as reserves and making critical contributions.  Thanks also to DC Divided for yet another competitive match.

This was our fourth semi-final appearance in CCSL.  We are 4-0 thus far.  More about our next game and opponent as soon as possible.

Griz is there! (Note: Why is #11 running the wrong way?)

Notes: 4-1 playoff semi-final win versus DC Divided on 11/12/11.  Goals: Ermy (Pam), Nate (Chris N.), Chris D. (Ermy), Chris N. (Chris D.).  GK: George.

On the mend

Our depth has really been tested this season.  Just last week, we put our third player on Injured Reserve.  Like Suzie and Carlos, Anna is out until spring.  She has undergone surgery by Dr. John Klimkeiwicz of Georgetown, for all intents and purposes, the team orthopedist.  The doc repaired severely torn cartilage, which caused pain and lack of mobility for more than 2 years.

This was much-needed scheduled surgery, and wow, we owe Anna a debt of gratitude for intentionally planning it around the regular season.  She wanted to give us a boost into the playoffs and help the team.  What a teammate!  That's way beyond the call of duty.

And what a player too!  Let's get back to this torn cartilage thing.  One would think that tearing the cartilage from the bone would render a player useless on the field.  Not with this player.  She's been solid this season, scoring 5 goals and contributing one assist.  Those are pretty big numbers for an 8-game season - actually 7 games because one game was a forfeit win.  We have so much confidence in her as an outlet on the pitch.  She has a good work rate as a striker and makes the people around her better.  She's also the most successful female offensive player in club history, scoring more points than any other woman.  I would have to look it up, but I would estimate that she's contributed about 25 goals (not to mention saving about that many as keeper).  By way of comparison, Jozy Altidore has probably scored about 15 goals since moving to various clubs in Europe 3 years ago - and he has the opportunity to play up to 30 games a year versus our 16.

Anna, on behalf of your teammates, we can't wait for you to fully recuperate and come back!  Get well.

Goleros earn hard-fought point; rematch coming

For the last match of the regular season, we showed really well.  We all would have all preferred the win, but the way in which we played to a tie was quite satisfying.  We had to come from behind, we stayed composed despite some changes to the game plan on the field, and we did what was necessary to earn the result that guaranteed us a second place finish in the division.  That's the highest we've finished in years, potentially going all the way back to our first stint in Third Division.  We have been fighting for 1st or 2nd going into that final week a number of times, but often we have lost that last game and tumbled a few spots.  Not this time.  Our failure to win turned out to be insignificant anyway.  FC Arlington took care of business and won their game, so they would have topped us no matter what.

We played hard.  It was a competitive match throughout.  DCD proved to be every bit as refined and talented as we thought.  All of their men seemed like 6'4" to me.  They got the first goal at the end of the first half.  I lost my mark by ball watching and Sanjay, their captain and the league commissioner, headed the ball into the goal.  Kelly was almost able to clear it off the line though so it was close.

Same was true when we struck.  Following a great run of possession, Chris D dribbled with purpose deep into the box and took a powerful shot.  It was deflected twice by defenders, though not very cleanly, before rolling across the line.  Both goals in the match were scored by thin margins.  It was the essence of competition, a great game to be a part of on a beautiful day.

So, that's it, right?  We enjoy the result and rest on our laurels?  NO, NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.  We have to play these guys again this week.  And it's gonna get harder.  They will be bringing their two best strikers, who we did not see in the regular season game.  They are going to be hungry.  Look at it from their perspective.  They "lost" a close one, as they will surely be unhappy with the tie that sent them to third place and an extra playoff game.  They are in the groove right now and will have a chip on their shoulder.  We will need to be even better to win.


Notes: 1-1 tie vs DC Divided on 10/30/11 at Ridge.  Goal: Chris D. (Ermy).  GK: George.

Semifinal match scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Sunday

The schedule has been posted for our semi-final matchup versus DC Divided. 

We play at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday at Galludet U. 

RSVP and roster-building will start immediately.  Look for emails.

Visualize the Game

You have spent the past few weeks visualizing your performance in this coming Sunday's game. You have conditioned your mind and your body to successfully execute our plays. You have seen yourself out-play your opponent time and time again. And in the end, you have visualized our team defeating Sunday's opponent.

Now, for the next few minutes I want you to visualize the full 90 minutes of this weekend's game. Close your eyes, relax yourself, slow your breathing, and picture yourselves out on the pitch. You are fired up, you are walking out onto the turf and the crowd responds loudly to your entrance. You take a look around, absorbing what you see, what you hear, what you smell and you allow all of it to energize you! You take it in as if it is liquid energy. Your adrenaline starts pumping.

 

The announcer acknowledges your presence and you run onto the field. The crowd responds to your presence with a thunderous roar- their team has arrived! You are pumped! You get in your teammate's faces and you let them know how ready you are! The stage is set and it is time to perform!

 

The referees do the coin toss and we line up for the opening kickoff. You are lined up across from your opponent and you know what you need to do to succeed on this kickoff. The whistle blows, the ball is kicked and you fly into action. You sprint to your designated area and you eliminate your opponent from the play. You removed any possibility of them succeeding on this play. They don't stand a chance. They never knew what hit them. They are in awe of you and your execution. When the whistle blows, you reach down and offer a hand to lift your adversary from the carpet. You smile, pat them on the back, and return to your teammates to do it again and again. The other team looks at you as if you've lost your mind. They start to doubt their ability to stop you. They begin to question their desire to compete against you. they are weakened. You have won and the game has only just begun! Visualize It!

 

Kick Butt on Sunday Goleros!

 

Miss you guys so much.

 

With love from Maine.

 

Ally

DC Divided Advances to Face Goleros

According to the CCSL website, DC Divided has beaten Unathletic DC by a score of 3-1.  That means they will face us in the semi-finals next week.  The game will be on Sunday, but the time and place are still TBD.

Jackie J Leads the CUA Women to the Conference Championship Game

Two important Jackies

You may have noticed that we've been without our trusty defender, Jackie J, all season long.  That's because she has made an inspiring comeback to rejoin the Catholic University women's soccer team this season.  Due in no small part to her steady play in central defense, the Lady Cardinals are playing for the Landmark Conference championship today at 1:00 p.m. EST.  They face the Scranton University Royals.  The game will be webcast here.

Behind Senior Captain Caitlin Brett and a strong coaching staff that includes not one, but two Goleros standouts, the Lady Cards have rolled through the 2011 season with a 12-6 record, with just one loss in conference play.  They are enjoying their sixth post-season appearance in the last seven years.  If they can manage a win today, they will earn a berth in the NCAA Division III tournament, which begins later this month and concludes in San Antonio, Texas.

I wish I could be there for the game.  I am sure the Cards have a good game plan that will give them an edge.  De and Kelly are both assistant coaches for the defense, and you shouldn't be surprised that defensive shape has been key to victory all season long.  Just as your captains' envision our defense on Goleros, the Lady Cards are enjoying success from the back by distributing well and playing an active role in the offense.  Jackie J is, according to sources, steady as ever, making fierce tackles and displaying that quality first touch that we have all seen with our own eyes.  I'm just a little bit proud that Jackie helped to re-launch her college career on our squad.

So, CUA Women, the Goleros are behind you.  Given the number of alumni that are playing, and have played for the Goleros, CUA is in our DNA.

Go Cards!

Playoff schedule still TBD

While the league has already established a schedule for the Quarters, it has not made any announcements about Semis or Finals.  Remember, we have a bye so we're off this week for the Quarters.

Stay tuned, we might not hear until early next week.  Keep open all of Sunday for our critical semi-final match.