British Challenger Soccer Camps This Summer

british challenger soccer campI’d be interested in understanding why Park Districts bring in programs from outside the area when we have experienced Coaches and Programs in this area that can do just as good a job and keep our local college players employed. Nonetheless, here is the current list of camps available in Southwest Missouri as offered by the British Challenger Camps program.

Branson Parks & Recreation
Cody Watkins Soccer Complex, 1500 branson hills parkway – Branson, MO 65616
7/25/2011 – 7/29/2011

Fair Grove Soccer Academy
Fair Grove District Park, entrance on Main Street – Fair Grove, MO 65648
6/27/2011 – 6/30/2011

Joplin Parks & Recreation 3301 West 1st Street
Joplin, MO 64801
7/11/2011 – 7/15/2011

Lake of the Ozarks Soccer Assoc. Turner Fields
Linn Creek, MO 65052
7/11/2011 – 7/15/2011

Freeman Family YMCA YMCA field 4701 Chouteau Ave
Neosho, MO 64850
6/27/2011 – 7/1/2011

Nixa Parks and Recreation
701 N. Taylor Way – Nixa, MO 65714
6/27/2011 – 7/1/2011

ROLLA AREA – hosted by U13 Lady Knights Rolla Lions Club Soccer Park
1041 S Bishop
Rolla, MO 65401
6/20/2011 – 6/24/2011

Springfield – Lake Country Soccer
LCS Complex – Springfield, MO 65802
7/25/2011 – 7/29/2011

Pulaski County Soccer Club TBD
Waynesville, MO 65584
8/1/2011 – 8/5/2011

West Plains Soccer Association 1809 South Hiway 63
Half a mile past Dairy Queen
West Plains, MO 65775
7/18/2011 – 7/22/2011

I’ll add the local camps soon but now is the time to start planning for the kids.

Missouri State Youth Soccer Camp Registration Now Open

Missouri State Soccer CampNow entering its 19th exciting year, the Missouri State Soccer School is known as one of the finest quality teaching soccer camps in the nation. The Missouri State Soccer School offers players the opportunity to enhance their individual skills and further develop the concepts of team play. Missouri State University, located in Springfield, Missouri, the gateway city to the Ozarks, provides an ideal environment for all players.

The Missouri State Soccer School offers serious players the opportunity to train and develop under the guidance of the first-rate instructional staff. Come and experience what thousands of players from around the nation have chosen as their summer home for soccer.

This is the camp I sent my nephews to for years and it was always something they enjoyed. Your son or daughter can commute or stay on campus in the dorms (like the college kids) and there are also Team Camps for High School programs that want to come and train together. Details available on the website

Mia Hamm Enlightens Soccer Fans At Springfield Expo Center

Mia Hamm at Springfield Expo Center

Mia Hamm at Springfield Expo Center

I’ll be back with more photos and a story later.

It was a fun afternoon for the girls that were in attendance. A few thoughts that Mia shared with the crowd stood out for me:

When asked by a father about his daughter playing up, Mia emphasized that for girls the game is more about the friendships than it is the results. While she might benefit from the increased competition, his daughter might not find the game as enjoyable and ultimately lose interest. She suggested asking his daughter what she preferred!

That message of friendship came from Mia’s experiences. The opportunities were not as great when she was growing up so she played against, and with, boys through much of her childhood. When asked about her memories and thoughts on what made the biggest difference her responses focused on the friendships and the personal effort that she, Mia, brought to the game. Mia was self-deprecating when it came to her skills, mentioning that her best move was running faster than the defender. Our experiences in watching her play point to a more nuanced skill set then that but it goes back to her common point – have fun.

The biggest downside she noted is the amount of time and attention paid to the game. Too many practices, too much pressure for results to early, and the fun is wrung from the game.

UPDATE – KY3 has a story on Mia’s first stop on Saturday, visiting the Pediatric Ward at Cox Health, the sponsor responsible for bringing her here for the day.

The News-Leader’s Erin Bolen has a nice article on the visit Hamm shows off footwork at clinic

At the clinic, which kicked off the Missouri Winter Games, Hamm used small groups to demonstrate the footwork drills, then she invited older players up to demonstrate shooting technique, offering individual critiques. And the teenagers were just as excited as the younger girls.

“She was the first person I ever started watching when I started watching soccer,” Kirkman’s older sister Mary-Margaret, 16, said. “She’s like the biggest name in women’s soccer, so I’ve watched her pretty much as long as I can remember.

“I liked it because she was about the same height as I was. I’m not real tall like the rest of my team, so it gave me some hope.”

Register for NSCAA Coaching Clinic In Springfield March 18-20

Registration is being accepted for the upcoming Junior Level VI Diploma (U-11 – U-18) course being offered at Drury University the weekend of March 18-20. A three-day class, it’s a great opportunity to advance your craft and expand your network. Any non-NSCAA member who takes a non-residential course will receive a complimentary NSCAA membership. This applies to NEW members only.

I sat down with Coach Ryan Swan, Drury University Men’s Coach to talk about the class and his new role as the Technical Coordinator in the state of Missouri for the NSCAA. He’s working to bring resources to all parts of the state.

Junior Level VI Diploma (U-11 – U-18)
Formerly known as the Advanced Regional Diploma, the Junior Level VI Diploma is a 21-hour course that shares a portion of its curriculum with the Junior Level V Diploma. The Junior Level VI Diploma adds an eight-hour segment to the 13-hour Junior Level V Diploma curriculum, devoted to technical and tactical uses of small-sided games, the study of systems of play and a practice teaching component.

Participants are given an opportunity to conduct a training session on an assigned topic and are assessed by the course instructor. All candidates must be at least 16 years of age at the time of application. If a candidate is under 18 years of age, an adult must accompany him or her for the duration of the course.

Non-Residential Course
Course: Junior Level VI
City: Springfield, MO
Start Date: 03/18/2011
End Date: 03/20/2011
Fee: $105

Contact Person: Ryan Swan
Telephone No.: 417-873-7830
E-mail Address: rdswan@drury.edu

Register by completing the application which can be downloaded here: NSCAA Junior
Level VI Diploma Registration Form

Ryan noted that the NSCAA plan on offering additional courses throughout the year. If there are any particular courses that you would be interested in hosting or attending, please let him know.

The curriculum outlines how technical and tactical concepts can be applied in the development of players. The focus is placed on the basic methods of coaching, teaching proper technique, the theory and application of offensive and defensive tactics and understanding team management. There is no testing in the Regional Diploma. All candidates must be at least 16 years of age at the time of application. If a candidate is under 18 years of age, an adult must accompany him or her for the duration of the course.

USSF Intermediate Referee Clinic in Springfield

Referee Andy Ellsworth, KC Wizards exhibition

Referee Andy Ellsworth, KC Wizards exhibition

There will be a USSF Intermediate Referee Clinic held in Springfield on Saturday, February 5, 2011. The event is sponsored by the Missouri Referee Development Program

There is No charge for attending this Annual event which is open to all USSF Registered Referees, Instructors and Assessors. The event will include a Free Buffet Lunch.

What: USSF Intermediate Referee Clinic
When: Saturday, February 5
9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Where: 425 W Walnut Street
Springfield, Missouri 65806

The venue is the 425 Event Center located due East of the Springfield Brewing Company site on Walnut Street in Downtown Springfield. Free parking is available one block North in the College Station Parking lot. Maps and detailed information available at the link above.

Coaching License Clinic Available At Lake Country Soccer

Coaching Clinic, 2005

Coaching Clinic, 2005

Lake Country Soccer, in conjunction with Missouri Youth Soccer Association, is providing a USSF D License course in early February.

UPDATE – the class has been canceled due to lack of registration

The USSF ‘D’ Certificate

This course is geared for those who coach U13 and up players. The purpose is to further develop the player’s technical abilities and their application to the game. Increase the understanding of Principles of Play and how they are applied in the game. Expand the coaches understanding of 11 a side soccer and the importance of developing a team system that is based on the players abilities. Course duration is 36 hours, this is a tested course in which candidates will either receive a National ‘D’ or State ‘D’ certificate.

Course: 2011 ‘D’ License Course
Date: February 5th, 6th, 12th, 13th, 2011
Time: 8:00am till 4:00pm, on all days.
Location: Springfield Soccer Club Training Facility, 3105 E Elm, Springfield, Mo 65802
Fees: $200.00

Note that the course will be held over two (2) consecutive weekends.

Click here and scroll down to the appropriate clinic to register for this class.

There are several items available for Coaches to read prior to attending the course, including Best Practices for Coaching Soccer in the US, a worthwhile addition to any Coaches library.

MYSA Coaches Code of Conduct

A soccer game should be friendly and unifying – a spirited social and athletic occasion for players, coaches, referees and spectators. To clarify expectations of coach conduct, we jointly expect all coaches to conform to this code of conduct.

* Before, during and after the game, be an example of dignity, patience and positive spirit.
* Before a game, introduce yourself to the opposing coach and to the referee.
* During the game, you are responsible for the sportsmanship of your players. If one of your players is disrespectful, irresponsible or overly aggressive, take the player out of the game at least long enough for him/her to calm down.
* During the game, you are also responsible for the conduct of the parents of your players. It is imperative to explain acceptable player and parent behavior in a preseason meeting.
* Encourage them to applaud and cheer for good plays by either team. Discourage them and you may need to be forceful and direct from yelling at players and the referee.
* During the game, you are also responsible for the conduct of spectators rooting for your team.
* During the game, do not address the referee at all. If you have a small issue, discuss it with the referee calmly and patiently after the game.
* If you have a major complaint, or if you think the referee was unfair, biased, unfit or incompetent, report your opinion to your league. Your reactions will be taken seriously if they are presented objectively and formally.
* After the game, thank the referee and ask your players to do the same.

We stress two points:

Referees – especially young and inexperienced ones – are like your players and yourself, in that they need time to develop. You can play an important role in helping them to improve by letting them concentrate on the game. You can help by encouraging them, by accepting their inevitable, occasional mistakes and by offering constructive post-game comments. On the other hand, you could discourage and demoralize the referees by criticizing their decisions, by verbally abusing them and inciting-or even accepting-your own players’ overly aggressive behavior.

Your example is powerful, for better or worse. If you insist on fair play, if you concentrate on your players’ enjoyment of the game and their overall, long term development, and if you support the referee, your players and their parents will notice. If you encourage (or allow) your players to play outside the rules, if you’re overly concerned about results, and if you criticize the referee harshly, your players and their parents will also notice.

Think about what you’re doing during a game! Uphold the Spirit of the Game! If you follow the expectations described above, the spirit of the game will be alive and well in Missouri and will grow, along with the enjoyment of all.

Mia Hamm Soccer Clinic in Springfield February 12th

Mia Hamm with fansAs part of the Missouri Winter Games, former US National team player Mia Hamm will be in Springfield on February 12th to offer a Clinic and a speech for the assembled masses.

The event will be held at the Springfield Expo Center at a time to be announced.
$50 – TICKET
45 minute soccer clinic
20 minute speech
T-Shirt
Professional 8″ x 10″ Picture with Mia

$25 – TICKET
45 minute soccer clinic
20 minute speech

**Seating will be general admission.
**No autographs due to large crowd & time management.

You may download the Mia Hamm Ticket Order Form Here. I would suggest checking the Missouri Winter’s Game site for updates before sending in your check.

Mia Hamm Youth Soccer Clinic February 12th

Mia Hamm with fansAs part of the Missouri Winter Games, former US National team player Mia Hamm will be in Springfield on February 12th to offer a Clinic and a speech for the assembled masses.

The event will be held at the Springfield Expo Center at a time to be announced.
$50 – TICKET
45 minute soccer clinic
20 minute speech
T-Shirt
Professional 8″ x 10″ Picture with Mia

$25 – TICKET
45 minute soccer clinic
20 minute speech

**Seating will be general admission.
**No autographs due to large crowd & time management.

You may download the Mia Hamm Ticket Order Form Here. I would suggest checking the Missouri Winter’s Game site for updates before sending in your check.

Nixa Soccer Club Supports The Eagles

Nixa SC 2010 at NHS v Ozark

Nixa SC 2010 at NHS v Ozark

At the recent Backyard Brawl game featuring the Christian County derby game between the Ozark Tigers and the Nixa Eagles, the host Eagles had a strong advantage in the stands. Nixa SC was on hand to support their home team and get a glimpse of the opportunities that await them in their future endeavor.

Nixa SC has competitive teams ranging from U10 through High School boys and U9-U14 girls. The U14 girls won the Founders Cup Tournament at LCS in August.

We are currently forming U9 boys and girls teams that will start competing this winter. We are always looking for young athletes interested in playing soccer.

Our focus is providing quality soccer opportunities at a reasonable cost. We are a volunteer driven, non-profit organization with two training facilities in Nixa.

We will be hosting the 4th Annual Nixa Street Soccer league in November. This is a 3 week long 3 v 3 league promoting fast play and skill development. The games are played at night under the lights. It is open to youth players age 8-16. There is a nominal fee for individual registration (no team registrations). Players are assigned to teams based on skill and age.

You may learn more and contact the club via their website, Nixa Soccer Club

Free Youth Soccer Clinic at Missouri Southern Oct. 19th

MSSU Lions soccerJOPLIN, Mo. — The goal of this free Missouri Southern State University soccer clinic, scheduled from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 19, is to teach age-appropriate fundamentals of soccer and a basic understanding of the game. The clinic will focus on fun drills and games to further develop each player’s technical and tactical skills in a safe, competitive, and enjoyable environment.

This free MSSU soccer clinic, for ages 7-13 at the MSSU field, will be run by Alese Woolard, head women’s soccer coach, and Christina Kleecamp, assistant women’s soccer coach. Also, assisting the coaches will be current players from the women’s soccer team.

If you are interested in attending this free MSSU Soccer Clinic please contact Alese Woolard at 417-625-3014 or email at woolard-a@mssu.edu.