Atlanta Soccer News

The top 20 list for soccer's biggest moneymaker teams

noreply@blogger.com (PanoramaPress) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:52:00 +0000

By a considerable margin, Real Madrid and Barcelona are soccer's biggest moneymakers. Real tops the annual list compiled by accounting firm Deloitte for the seventh straight year with revenues of $637 million for the year ending June 30. Barcelona is second with revenues of $598 million. Manchester United was again third with $487 million. Only Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Chelsea at 4-5-6 have more than half the total of Real Madrid. For the top 20 clubs in revenues ...

The top 20 list includes six clubs from England, five from Italy, four from Germany, three from Spain and two from France.

Borussia Dortmund, Valencia and Napoli replaced Atletico Madrid, VfB Stuttgart and Aston Villa in the top 20.

Deloitte Football Money League 2012
(total revenue for 2010-11)
1. Real Madrid $637 million
2. Barcelona $598 million
3. Man. United $487 million
4. Bayern Munich $427 million
5. Arsenal $333 million
6. Chelsea $332 million
7. AC Milan $312 million
8. Inter Milan $281 million
9. Liverpool $270 million
10. Schalke $269 million
11. Tottenham $240 million
12. Man. City $225 million
13. Juventus $204 million
14. Marseille $200 million
15. Roma $191 million
16. Bor. Dortmund $184 million
17. Lyon $176 million
18. Hamburg $171 million
19. Valencia $155 million
20. Napoli $153 million
http://www.socceramerica.com

Soccer Tip: perfect soccer expecting the very best out of your performance

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Winkler) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:14:00 +0000

FEBRUARY 7, 2012 BY PEAKSPORTS

Many soccer players, who are highly motivated, hold themselves back by trying to play perfect soccer. They expect the very best out of their performance all the time, which can be both positive and negative. Some advantages of perfectionism are having a strong work ethic, desire to improve, and commitment to their goals.

Clearly we want our soccer players to set challenging goals for themselves, but many athletes who are perfectionists get upset or frustrated when they make even small mistakes. Wanting to improve and perform at your highest level is not the problem. The problem is when soccer players are so self-critical that any little mistake in a game causes them to lose focus or check out mentally.

What are some other disadvantages of perfectionism that undermine your mental game of soccer?

Perfectionists often see their performance as black or white, good or bad. Any mistake made can lead to these athletes feeling dissatisfied with their performance, which can hurt confidence and lead to frustration.

In addition, many perfectionist soccer players struggle with fear of failure. Fear of failure can create anxiety, tension, and difficulty performing under high-pressure game situations. Soccer players who fear failure are thinking so much about results that they cannot focus in the moment.

Some other disadvantages of perfectionism include:

Super high levels of motivation leading to over-training or burn out
Lack of self-confidence
Worrying about what others think
Training and competing to please others
Becoming overly technical during games

To improve your composure, you must address some of the underlying mental game challenges associated with a perfectionist mindset. A large part of maturing as a competitive athlete in any sport is understanding that perfection is not possible and not a good goal.

Here are some tips for helping you cope better with perfectionism:

1. Strive for perfection and mastery in practice, but accept you are human and that mistakes are going to happen in games.

2. Train yourself to focus on each play instead of thinking ahead to “what ifs”, such as “what if I miss the open goal and embarrass myself.”

3. Instead of thinking you must play perfectly, create some manageable goals about your performance, such as getting back on defense quickly.

4. Learn to be more accepting of mistakes in order to move forward and focus on the next play or goal scoring opportunity.

If your performance is being held back by a perfectionist mindset, check out our mental game coaching programs that will help you remove these mental barriers.

Download our free e-book, “7 Mental Game Challenges that Block Soccer Player’s Success”, and learn how to overcome other mental game barriers soccer players face.

Capello quits England - Who's next?

noreply@blogger.com (gers4lyfe) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:05:00 +0000

Fabio Capello has quit as England manager, the Football Association announced on Wednesday night.

Capello resigned following a meeting with FA chairman David Bernstein and general secretary Alex Horne at Wembley Stadium.

An FA statement read: "The Football Association can confirm that Fabio Capello has today resigned as England manager. This follows a meeting involving FA chairman David Bernstein, FA general secretary Alex Horne and Fabio Capello at Wembley Stadium."

The statement continued: "The discussions focused on the FA board's decision to remove the England team captaincy from John Terry, and Fabio Capello's response through an Italian broadcast interview.

"In a meeting for over an hour, Fabio's resignation was accepted and he will leave the post of England manager with immediate effect."

Bernstein said the resignation was the right course of action, and added: "I would like to stress that during today's meeting and throughout his time as England manager, Fabio has conducted himself in an extremely professional manner.

"We have accepted Fabio's resignation, agreeing this is the right decision. We would like to thank Fabio for his work with the England team and wish him every success in the future."

Bernstein and the Club England management team will hold a media conference at Wembley at 12 noon on Thursday.

The shock resignation brings an end to Capello's four years in charge of England - he had been due to step down after the European Championship and leaves the FA needing to appoint a replacement as soon as possible.

The next international is later this month, a friendly against Holland on February 29 at Wembley.

Tournament Alert: Fat Tuesday Football Classic

noreply@blogger.com (PanoramaPress) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:22:00 +0000

February 25-26, 2012 @ 9:00am

Mud Creek Park (Marietta, GA)

3 Game Minimum

Entry fee is only $300.00

Mens Open - Mens Rec.-Mens Masters

Womens Open - Womens Rec.-Womens Masters Coed Open - Coed Masters

Tournament Party

Saturday Evening February 25th, 2012

Keegan’s Pub in Marietta

A classic 7v7 soccer tournament….

Mardis Gras style!

Team check in will be Saturday, February 25th, 2012 - 8am at Mud Creek Soccer Park

5600 Barrett Parkway Marietta, Georgia 30064

Liability Waivers will be required at check in. Final Player Rosters must be submitted by end of 2^nd game.

Maximum roster of 12 players allowed in Men’s & Women’s Divisions. 14 players allowed in Coed

Player/Eligibility:

All players must be registered with their State

Soccer association and must provide current photo ID.

Out of State teams must also provide travel permits.

ALL Tournament Finals will be held Sunday afternoon February 26th, 2012 at Mud Creek Park

Visit us on the website for additional information. Easy online Tournament Registration.

Maps of field & party locations

EASY ONLINE REGISTRATION

www.cobbsoccer.org

Tournament T-Shirts will be available in short sleeve for $10 and long sleeve for $15. Tournament T-Shirts can be pre-ordered at a discount. Short sleeve will be $8 and long sleeve will be $12.

Tee-shirt design and pre orders. caslregistrar@gmail.com

Awards & Raffle Items

Tournament contact:

Melissa McMillen

cobbtournament@gmail.com

(678)770-3851

Tournament Alert: SHAMROCK SIX - March 3-4 Savannah, GA

noreply@blogger.com (PanoramaPress) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:17:00 +0000

SHAMROCK SIX - March 3-4

GET YOUR IRISH ON !
Celebrate sixteen years of Soccer Six in Savannah. The Shamrock Six is one of the largest stops on the Soccer Six Tour, the event traditionally features between 30-40 Men's, Women's and Co-ed teams from all over the country. This year we expected another strong crowed to be on hand for the festivities.

Match play is fun and competitive but once the games are over everyone enjoys the downtown night life. The Shamrock Six kicks off during pre St. Patrick Day Celebrations in Savannah and the town is always rock'n getting ready for the party.
STILL TIME TO PLAY HHI NEXT WEEKEND
It's not to late to round up your team for the our Annual SS Memorial Tournament Presidents Day Weekend Feb 18 & 19 on Hilton Head Island.

ATTENTION OLD GUYS !
The Soccer Six Tournament Series is now offering a Men's 50+ Division.

Soccer Six Tournaments feature up to ten adult divisions... Men's A, B, 30+, 40+, 50+ Women's A, B, and Co-ed A, B & Rec.
2012 Soccer Six Schedule

Feb 18-19 - Soccer Six Memorial - Hilton Head, SC

March 3-4 - Shamrock Six - Savannah, GA

June 9-10 - Foothills Cup - Greenville, SC

June 16-17 - Mazeppa Turf Wars - Charlotte, NC

June 23-24 - Virginia Cup - Richmond, VA

July 27-29 - Summer Madness - Hilton Head, SC

REGISTER YOUR TEAM TODAY !
The Soccer Six Tournament Series is produced by Bear Foot Sports, organizing professionally managed soccer tournaments for over 20 years.
For additional information please call 843/757-8520 or visit us on line athttp://www.bearfootsports.com/soccer.htm

Pre registration and multiple team discounts are available.

Georgia State women's soccer team sign nine student-athletes to National Letters-of-Intent for the fall 2012 season.

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Winkler) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:31:00 +0000

GSU Women’s Soccer Signs Nine for 2012
ATLANTA, - The Georgia State women's soccer team announced the signing of nine student-athletes to National Letters-of-Intent who will begin for the fall 2012 season. The class of 2016 is comprised of eight Georgia natives with just one signee hailing from outside the state lines.

"We are really excited for our 2012 season," said head coachDerek Leader. "It will be a fresh start for both our returners and newcomers. We can't wait to get this new group to campus and begin working with them. The mixture we will have with 21 veterans and nine rookies I think will create a great on-field chemistry that can lead to some positive results come fall."

The recruits, listed alphabetically, are:

Margaret Bruemmer (Lawrenceville, Ga., Collins Hill HS)

Plays women's varsity soccer for Collins Hill High School that was the 2009 Region 7-5A Champion... During her three years with the team, has posted 23 goals and 59 assists ... Named team MVP as a freshman ... Earned a spot on the 2011 All-County team by the Gwinnett Daily Post ... In 2006 & 2007 was a Clemson Summer Camp-Exhibition Player and played in the All-Star Competition in 2007 ... Played club soccer for Atlanta Fire United '94 ECNL Elite under Coach Mark MacKain with fellow recruit Lauren Harriman and Mackenzie Loula ... Atlanta Fire United was in R3PL in 2007 & 2008, a 2008 Georgia State Cup Semi-Finalist, a member of the Red Bull League 2007 & 2007, a Vulcan Cup Finalist in 2008 and placed in the top five in Georgia in 2011.

Miranda Griffin (Lone Tree, Colo., Mountain Vista HS)

Plays defense for the Mountain Vista High School women's varsity soccer team after transferring from Highlands Ranch High School following her junior year ... Helped lead her Highlands Ranch team to the second round of state playoffs in 2009 ... Earned All-State Honorable Mention as a freshman ... Played club soccer for REAL Colorado under Coach Lorne Donaldson.

Lauren Harriman (Suwanee, Ga., North Gwinnett HS)

Earned four letters as a member of the North Gwinnett High School women's varsity soccer team, the 2009 & 2010 Region 7 5A Champions, 2010 5A State Champions and 2011 5A State Runner-up ... In three seasons with North Gwinnett, scored 27 goals and added 12 assists ... As a sophomore, scored one goal in the State Championship game versus Northview High School ... Registered a hat trick and also one assist against Etowah High School in the GHSA 5A State Playoffs ... In addition to playing soccer for North Gwinnett, she also ran cross country and was a member of the National Science Honor Society, Beta Club, Latin Club, Spanish Club and the Student-Athlete Leadership team ... Five-year member of the Georgia Olympic Development Program team which includes playing with the Region III ODP team in 2010 & 2011 that played for the 2010 National Championship, and was also a member of the Region III Premier League from 2008-2011 ... Played club soccer for the Atlanta Fire United '94 Elite ECNL with fellow recruits Mackenzie Loula and Margaret Bruemmer ... Won the 2009 & 2010 Atlanta Cup as a member of AFU '94 Elite.

Anna Hilpertshauser (Alpharetta, Ga., Milton HS)

Earned four letters playing defense for the 2011 Region 6-5A Champion Milton High School women's varsity soccer team ... Voted 2010 Defensive Player of the Year ... Maintained status as a Scholar-Athlete her freshman through senior seasons ... Scored the game-winning goal versus Dacula High School with a 22-yard free kick ... Member of the Olympic Development Program team in 2007 & 2008 ... Played club soccer for United Futbol Academy '94 Elite under Coach Ignace Moleka ... UFA '94 Elite won the Region III League Championship in 2009 & 2010, was the 2009 & 2011 State Champion, 2009 Super Y National Champion and a Region III Finalist in 2011 ... UFA '94 Elite was nationally ranked as a top 20 team in 2009, 2010 & 2011.

Mackenzie Loula (Suwanee, Ga., North Gwinnett HS)

Lettered four years as a member of the North Gwinnett High School women's varsity soccer team that was the 2009 & 2010 Region 7-5A Champion, 2010 5A State Champion and 2011 5A State Runner-up ... During her past three seasons with the team, accumulated 11 goals and 26 assists ... Member of the defense that set a school record for most shutouts in a season ... Played club soccer for the Atlanta Fire United '94 ECNL Elite with fellow recruits Lauren Harriman and Margaret Bruemmer.

Jasmine Jakes (McDonough, Ga., Eagles Landing Christian Academy)

Earned four letters as a member of the Eagles Landing Christian Academy women's soccer team that won its Region Championship in 2010 ... Named All-Area first team in 2009, 2010 & 2011 ... Earned Henry County Player of the Week accolade in 2011 ... In addition to soccer ran track and played basketball ... Played club soccer for Tophat '12 Gold under Coach Ellie Davis.

Ashley Nagy (McDonough, Ga., Union Grove HS)

Plays forward for the Union Grove High School women's varsity soccer team ... In her previous three years, garnered 82 goals and 44 assists .... During her sophomore season, scored the most goals (39), assists (17) and points (95) in a single season at Union Grove ... Was an All-County and All-Region first team selection in 2009, 2010 & 2011 ... Earned Offensive Player of the Year her freshmen, sophomore and junior seasons .... Named the 2011 DiVarsity 4A Player of the Year ... Played club soccer for the Cobb Futbol Club under Coach Drew Bentley.

Danielle Paz (Roswell, Ga., Centennial HS)

Has played one year for the Centennial High School women's varsity soccer team after transferring from St. Francis High School where she played basketball, ran track, was a peer mentor and a member of the National Honors Society ... Led the Centennial team in assists (9) and points (19) as a junior when she was named Offensive MVP ... Played club soccer for the North Atlantic Soccer Association under Coach Dave Smith with fellow recruit Samantha Thomas ... NASA won three state championships, two R3PL Championships, was the 2010 National League Champion and the 2011 Region Champions.

Samantha Thomas (Canton, Ga., Woodstock HS)

In the midst of her fourth and final year playing women's varsity soccer for Woodstock High School ... Throughout her previous three seasons, notched 24 goals and provided 17 assists ... Registered a hat trick versus Cherokee High School ... Earned a spot on the Cherokee Tribune All-County team in 2009 & 2010 ... Named Offensive Player of the Year in 2009 & 2010 ... At Woodstock, earned an Academic Letter and the Lamp of Knowledge award ... Played club soccer for the North Atlantic Soccer Association with fellow recruit Danielle Paz.

The current Georgia State women's soccer team will soon begin preparations for its spring schedule beginning Saturday, Feb. 18 with the Blue-White Scrimmage at Panthersville.

Soccer Joke: England in South Africa

noreply@blogger.com (PanoramaPress) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:27:00 +0000

The England team visited an orphanage in Cape Town . “It’s heartbreaking to see their sad little faces with no hope,” said Jamal, aged six.

Women's Soccer: Here are some transcribed highlights from a conference call held with Women's Professional Soccer CEO Jennifer O'Sullivan and Atlanta Beat CEO T. Fitz JohnsonL"Why the league suspended operations

noreply@blogger.com (Linda Winkler) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:05:00 +0000

Here are some transcribed highlights from a conference call held with Women's Professional Soccer CEO Jennifer O'Sullivan and Atlanta Beat CEO T. Fitz Johnson. There's a lot to digest here, I admit. The call lasted over an hour, and this isn't close to everything that was said.
Still, I figure it's better to put more stuff out there on the record than less, especially in a situation like this. So here you go.
(A hat tip to Charles Boehm of Potomac Soccer Wire for helping me piece this together.)
Jennifer O'Sullivan
On the timeline for the Dan Borislow court case:

Any agreement that we have with our attorneys on legal fees, that's a confidential agreement, so I'm not at liberty to discuss our legal fees.

Our court proceeding is currently scheduled for Wednesday. That will be a continuation of the injunction hearing that we started last month. The judge did rule on the first part of that hearing, on the contract issues. Wednesday will be a discussion of the remainder of the issues related to Mr. Borislow's request for injunctive relief.

Once that's concluded, Judge [Meenu] Sasser will make her final determination [in Palm Beach County, Fla., Circuit Court] on whether to grant that injunctive relief.

On whether Dan Borislow will be involved in 2013:

I do not see that as a possibility, based on the current feeling among current ownership. I don't see that it will be a possibility for WPS.

On whether WPS would have folded without Borislow's entry and purchase of the Washington Freedom ahead of the 2011 season:

I think that the league has been faced with – and those of you who've been following us closely have seen it – a series of challenges and difficulties throughout the past year. It is a culmination of those difficulties and issues that has brought us to the point that we are at.

I think that Mr. Borislow has been a lightning rod for a lot of those issues.

I can't personally comment on what would have happened to the league if it had not brought Dan Borislow in last year. That would be speculating on what would have happened, what U.S. Soccer would have done at the time.... I don't know if another ownership group would have stepped up to purchase the Washington Freedom. I can only speak to what the league has had to go through since then.

As I said before, it's been some really challenging issues that have really detracted and distracted certainly the ownership, the league staff and the team staffs from what the focus should have been on.

We've come off of a tremendous year with the World Cup. Going into an Olympic year there should have been nothing but positive things for this league to focus on. Unfortunately it's been quite the opposite, and it's that fact – and the drain on our resources, not just financially that's been considered – that really has brought us to this decision today.

[...]

I think it would have irresponsible to both put on the season and deal with the legal issue if we found ourselves, at some point in the season, unable to move forward for whatever reason.

I think ownership really did feel that once and for all this is something that has to be resolved.

The issues with Mr. Borislow, as far as compliance, there are a number. You are talking about an owner who does not have regard for league authority, for other owners, for partners; who speaks disparagingly about the league and sponsors to the media; was detrimental to the league's overall business.

Those are things that sometimes are difficult to move past, and sometimes when the damage is done – which in this case it was – it's difficult to overcome that.

I think the league and the owners have really tried to come to a resolution on these issues several times, and found themselves just unable to.

On whether there was an apparel deal in place yet for the 2012 season, on whether that had a bearing on the league's decision to suspend play:

We did not announce an apparel deal, no... The league was in final discussions with a sponsor on apparel. The league had a couple of other national sponsors that it was set to announce, and unfortunately we were not able to complete those.

On whether there is a financial commitment from the owners to a 2013 season:

The ownership has their bonds in place for U.S. Soccer [sanctioning] for this season. We'll certainly talk about that moving forward into 2013, what that would mean as we work through this year.

I think everyone has that goal in mind [to be back in 2013], and that's the intent. At this point that's what we're working towards.

On whether there has been an explicit commitment from all the owners to be back in 2013 [this was a follow-up to the previous question]:

Other than what we've said, that's our intention, yeah. To get through this issue with Borislow and to get us back onto the field in 2013.

On whether there is any chance the league won't be back in 2013:

Gosh, I really would hope not. That's certainly not our intent. I think it's a concern when you're talking about some of the challenges we've had to face as a result of these issues with the litigation.

I don't have a crystal ball. I can't tell you what a judge is going to decide, or where things will go further on down the pike. I can only tell you what our intent is, and what we're trying to do, and our every intention is to get back on the field in 2013.

I would be extremely heartbroken if the result was that we don't get back on the field at all. I think it's just critical for everybody involved that we do everything possible to continue making this league a success.

On whether WPS fans should expect anything similar to what she went through working for the Arena Football League, which suspended operations for a year in 2009 and then returned to action:

I think there are a lot of similarities. The ownership group that we had at the Arena Football League, there were certainly some very committed and dedicated people who believed very strongly in it, believed that there was a market and a fan base for it.

It was a lot of work and energy and commitment getting it back out on the field. I think that's going to be a very similar situation here. The good news is, we have that group of people and we have that energy and belief that there is a market for this, that there is a fan base, and that it's important.

I have that dubious distinction of saying that yeah, I've worked for two leagues that have suspended operations. I'd like to have the pleasure of saying that those two both made it back onto the field.

On what degree of confidence people should have that WPS will come back in 2013:

I think that people should have all the confidence in the world that those of us who are involved with WPS are going to do everything we can to bring it back out onto the field, and that their continued support is what's going to help drive it.

To know that we have those people relying on us - I know that when we were at the Arena Football League, that's something we knew we could count on, the fan support and players. The union worked with us, sponsors worked with us. There were a lot of people who made it known that they were going to stand by the league.

I think knowing that in this situation will go a long way towards helping us keep up the momentum, and help us keep doing what we're doing to get back onto the field.

On what it will take to strengthen the infrastructure of WPS:

I certainly think that moving forward, we will be taking a look at the business structure and ways that we can strengthen it. You learn from every mistake that you make. Looking back on things – of course, hindsight is 20-20 – you can look back on WUSA, you can look back at when WPS was launched, how it was launched.

You can say that mistakes were made, and let's try to correct them. I think we're going to use this as an opportunity to also look at the business of WPS and see how we can strengthen it.

I have said before that I welcome, and would love to be able to connect with, people at MLS to help find ways to grow this league and grow this sport. So I'm certainly open to those types of discussions.

Anything that I think could help grow this league and grow the business the right way long-term is something that is worth considering for us.

On what sponsorship deals were lined up for the 2012 season:

This year, we had solidified sponsorships with Sahlen's [hot dogs] and Citi. We were in renewal discussions with the Coast Guard and were having discussions with U.S. Soccer. That's four national sponsorships, and we were having new discussions with others that we were in final negotiations with.

Those sponsors that we had signed deals with, we'll be in discussions with them about extending those agreements for next season.

And Fox Soccer. I would be remiss if I didn't say Fox Soccer. We had to share the unfortunate news with them today. The discussions we've had with them certainly have been positive thus far, and hopefully will continue as we move closer to next year.

Fox Soccer was to go through the end of this season, and we were in talks about renewals for next year.

On who will pay the salaries of O'Sullivan and the rest of the league headquarters' staff:

The current ownership is still invested in the league, and will continue to be invested in the league and their teams at this time.

On whether Puma, which had been the league's merchandise supplier, was one of the sponsors that pulled out because of the Borislow case:

I don't know that I can say I've had discussions with every former sponsor. Puma was not around when I joined the league. I can say that I do think it had a negative impact. I do believe that there were discussions with Puma that perhaps Mr. Borislow had a very negative impact on.

I do know that there has been negative impact with other potential sponsors, and other national sponsors who were not happy with the situation. I think that's fair to say.

I don't think that I'm in a position to identify others if they haven't come forward to make public statements about it. But I can tell you that it certainly did have a negative impact on the league's sponsorship efforts.

T. Fitz Johnson
On the main stumbling blocks that caused the other WPS owners to kick Dan Borislow out of the league:

I think you can look to one place, and that's compliance. We have a set of basic rules in our operating agreement that we all intend to abide by to make this league a success, and magicJack just was not complying with the operating agreement. It just went downhill from there.

On the personal nature of the confrontation between WPS and Borislow:

Well, I'll answer that very tactfully. I don't know that there were any personal attacks coming from our board to Mr. Borislow. Sure, there were some underlying issues, but it all had to do with our operating agreement and trying to do what's right for the league.

You've got to remember that the ladies playing on the field, the product that we put on the field, that's what this ownership group is about. So for as much noise as was being made on the outside, we were trying to concentrate on making sure that our product was pleasing to our fans and entertaining.

I don't have anything personal against Mr. Borislow.

On whether he realized, at the time of the termination decision, that this would be the end result:

No, I didn't. If we're all in this for what's right for these players and our fans, this is not the conclusion that I would have gotten to.

On what specific things have changed since the WPS Draft a few weeks ago, when it seemed like the league was making real progress towards solidifying a 2012 season:

We were struggling at that time, but I will go back to the fact that we have owners that actually wanted to play the season. I think there's not one specific thing, there were several issues that we were dealing with all at one time.

I believe it just became too much of a risk to try to play a season, and we decided it would be better to make the business decision to step back and take a look and work through these issues, rather than get halfway through a season and possibly embarrass ourselves and the league.

POSTED BY JONATHAN TANNENWALD

Tournament Alert:Atlanta Fire United Classic 2012 Duluth, Georgia (Metro Atlanta Area) May 5th and May 6th

noreply@blogger.com (PanoramaPress) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:37:00 +0000

Atlanta Fire United Academy Classic Tournament

Atlanta Fire United invites you to enter the 2012 Atlanta Fire United Academy Classic Soccer Tournament for academy teams. The tournament is santioned by GYSA and USYSA and will be played on May 5, 6, 2012 in the Suwanee and Duluth Metro Atlanta area. Competition is open to both Boys and Girls teams in the Academy, Athena, or Classic programs in the Under 9 through Under 12 age groups.This tournament has become one of the premier tournaments in Georgia with over 100 teams competing.
All tournament information will be posted on this website. Check back often for details and updates.
IMPORTANT DATES

Following is a summary of the important tournament dates.

December 1, 2011 - Application available on-line

April 6, 2012 - Application deadline

April 17, 2012 - Acceptance notifications emailed

April 27, 2012 - Schedules posted

April 30, 2012 - Deadline for pre-ordering tournament T-shirts

May 4, 2012 - Team Check-in, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at WPI

May 5-6, 2012 - Tournament games.

TEAMS

All teams must be affiliated with USYSA. Up to three guest players are allowed. Teams will compete in single age groups with a maximum of eight teams per division.

Tournament Alert: The Ray Thompsett Invitational Rock Hill/York County March 24-25, 2012.

noreply@blogger.com (PanoramaPress) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:18:00 +0000

Discoveries Soccer Club Presents

The DSC March tournament is in tribute to Ray Thompsett, soccer pioneer. Ray began soccer in Rock Hill in the late 70's filling the need of many to start organized soccer leagues. His u12 team ‘the Coca Cola Kickers’ was the first Rock Hill team to be registered with SC Youth Soccer. Ray moved out of SC and on to FL, TN and into all 3 state's Hall of Fame. He became increasingly involved in Youth Soccer by accepting a position as Region 3 Director, then US Youth Soccer Executive Director.
We are proud to honor Ray with a tournament in his name.
Why attend our tournament?
·        State of the Art Facilities- Manchester Meadows Soccer Complex in Rock Hill, SC was chosen by US Youth Soccer for the National Championships in July 2012. Come play on the same fields as the best in the country!
·        Manchester Meadows Soccer Complex, with 8 lighted fields- 2 are stadium turf, is located minutes from I-77
·        2 Concession and 2 Restroom facilities at the fields
·        Playground Pavilion with picnic table seating
·        Covered Lake Pavilion with picnic table seating
·        Walking Trails
·        Restaurants, Hotels and Entertainment within a 2 mile radius of the complex
·        EMT personnel on site, with Urgent Care across the street, and a full service Hospital within 2 miles
·        Great Competition- our Fall tournament had 110 teams attend
·        Outstanding teamwork within our Club and the City of Rock Hill to provide your team the best tournament experience.
It would be our pleasure to host your team March 24-25 for the Ray Thompsett Invitational.
General Info:
U9 and U10 Boys and Girls: 6 v 6 - $425
U11 and U12 Boys and Girls: 8v8 - $450
U12 Boys and Girls: 11v11- $475
U13 and U14 Boys and Girls: 11v11- $475
Clubs that bring 7 teams or more receive a $50 per team discount.
Venue: Manchester Meadows Soccer Complex
Application and Payment Deadline: March 10, 2012

Veterans Soccer: FC Georgia United Recognized by Lt. Governor Casey Cagle

noreply@blogger.com (PanoramaPress) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:53:00 +0000

National Champions Sponsored by Fado, Heineken & MediaFirst

ATLANTA, GA FC Georgia United, national champions soccer club, announces recognition by Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle and the State of Georgia. Members of FC Georgia United Soccer Club recently met with Georgia's Lt. Governor for a photo shoot celebrating their two National titles. In addition, the club is organizing formal teams in all age groups for the annual Veterans Cup competition.

National Champs Seek Sponsors, Land, Eligible Players & Team Affiliates

Sponsorship: FC Georgia United is looking for sponsorships to finance tournament entry fees, hardship travel expenses, and team jerseys with sponsor logos. Last weekend, Fado Irish Pub in Atlanta, along with Heineken, held an event honoring the team. The two sponsors gave the team a large banner with team and sponsor logos. MediaFirst PR - Atlanta is among the sponsors. Organizations interested in a sponsoring the teams, please contact Dietmar Doehring [dural@bellsouth.net] at 770.887.1242.

Eligible Players: Any age eligible player over 30 years old, who is interested in playing on a Veterans Cup Team please contact Steve Lang [slang02@bellsouth.net] at 404.803.0503. O65 Players get a shot at playing for the defending champs.

Team Affiliates: All masters teams, O30, O35, O40, O45, O50 or O55 that wish to affiliate with the club for the Veterans Cup, other tournaments, leagues or practice (training) may contact QuiQue Lopez [quique@panoramapress.net] of Panorama Press Marketing [http://panoramapress.net/] at 770.882.5911.

Practice Fields: The teams seek fields for soccer training in preparation for the national title and year-round for practice and drawing new players. This may be access to fields or land to develop facilities for the club. Please contact Steve Lang [slang02@bellsouth.net] at 404.803.0503

About MediaFirst

MediaFirst PR - Atlanta is a full-service, marketing services firm that grows your business via inbound marketing, PR, social media, and websites for lead generation. The staff excels at understanding, communicating, and evangelizing your value proposition, even for the most complex high technology. Account teams deliver designs and writing that rings true with the target audience. Experienced staff provide great marketing strategy, brand positioning, public relations, etc. that converts directly to success. The firm's record includes increasing company valuation, empowering venture funding, and expanding targeted audiences: prospects, customers, analysts, employees, allies, investors, and the media. MediaFirst creates awareness, investor interest, and competitive advantage. Clients often combine services for high-visibility speaking opportunities, industry analyst praise, great media coverage, and notable industry awards. For more information, visit us on the web at http://www.MediaFirst.net.

About: FC Georgia United, Soccer Club

FC Georgia United is an adult soccer club in the State of Georgia. Its cornerstone is the two time, defending US National Champion soccer team in the Over-65 (O65) age group, winners of the Veterans Cup in 2010 and 2011. In the past, this team played under the name 065 GA/NC United, in 2011, and O65 GA Rovers/NC United, in 2010. The soccer club currently has two teams, from two age groups, Over-60 (O60) and O65, which compete in local leagues and travel to national competitions. The first victory of 2012 is claimed by the O60 team, which won first place at the annual Florida Classic 2012 [http://floridastatesoccer.com/tournaments/florida-classic-2012/] tournament in Auburndale, Fla.

The players from these competitive teams compete in the local, metropolitan Atlanta area in leagues organized for the Over-50 (O50) and O-58 (O58) age groups. At least three times a year, teams from the club travel to tournaments in preparation for winning the US national championship, the US the National Veterans Cup [http://www.veteranscup.us/], sanctioned by US Soccer's [http://www.ussoccer.com/] United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) [http://www.usasa.com/].

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Media Contact:Jim Caruso
MediaFirst PR - Atlanta
[http://mediafirst.net]
404.788.0188
jim@mediafirst.net

Adult men February PickUp Soccer Fundraiser at Sprayberry High School

noreply@blogger.com (PanoramaPress) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:36:00 +0000

It sounded like there is some interest in continuing the wednesday night pick up from the Pope Winter League, and many of the Sprayberry soccer players desperately need financial aid for their seasonal dues.

The info:

WHO? ANYONE
WHAT? PICK UP SOCCER (small sided games)
WHERE? SPRAYBERRY HIGH SCHOOL'S TURF FIELD
WHEN? the next 3 Wednesday's at Sprayberry (2/8, 2/15, 2/22) from 6:30-8:30pm
WHY? Fundraiser for Sprayberry Boys Soccer
HOW MUCH? $2 minimum per player each wednesday (any additional generous donations will be divided equally among my players

100% of proceeds will be divided among the players in need of finaincial aid

players will be collecting the $2 and any other additional donations at the entrance gate.

Sprayberry High School

Boys Varsity Soccer

Soccer Joke: 2 Liverpool fans

noreply@blogger.com (PanoramaPress) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 17:32:00 +0000

Two Liverpool fans are walking in the city centre when they spot an advert in a chemist’s window saying, ‘Free Liverpool season tickets. Apply within’. So one of them heads into the shop, while the other waits outside. Half an hour later,the guy comes out and hands his mate a packet of banana-flavoured condoms. “Where are the season tickets?” he asks. ” Sorry,” his mate tells him, ” I was too embarrassed to ask”.

Players to get " how to tackle" DVD

noreply@blogger.com (gers4lyfe) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:17:00 +0000

DVD on "how to tackle" will be sent to Premiere League clubs next week after a number of incidents have left managers, players and pundits scratching their heads.

Mike Riley, general manager of Professional Game Match Officials Limited, has met with the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) and the League Managers Association (LMA) as well as leading referees to clarify exactly when a tackle will be deemed dangerous.

"We wanted to get a collective game view rather than just a referee view as to where to draw the line," Riley, a former FA Cup final referee, said in a statement.

"The consensus was that there will always be tackles that are borderline but it's important to return to the message that the players have consistently had over the last three years.

"That message is that if you commit to a tackle that's at speed and with intensity, typically with both feet off the ground, then you put yourself at risk of being sent off."

The DVD is intended to show the difference between careless tackles, reckless tackles and tackles using excessive force using examples from recent Premier League matches.

"(Law 12) specifies the distinction between careless, reckless and excessive force. Ultimately, it's about determining the difference between yellow card and red card offences," Riley said.

"We know that 70 percent of tackles are clean and 25 percent are fouls which are careless and require no further action. That's great credit to the skill of the players and the responsibility they take towards their opponents."

Several examples of the two-footed tackle have raised questions about the interpretation of Law 12 of the game, with some players such as Manchester City Vincent Kompany getting punished while others do not. Kompany received a four-match ban for a two-footed tackle on Manchester United winger Nani despite making minimal contact while a week later, Glen Johnson of Liverpool went unpunished for a similar tackle in a League Cup semi-final against City, leading to shouts of inconsistency.

15,000 tackles had been made in the Premier League so far this campaign said the PGMOL report, up nine percent on the same stage last season. However, there had been a decline of seven percent in the number of yellow cards for tackling.

Soccer Joke: Arsenal

noreply@blogger.com (PanoramaPress) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:59:00 +0000

The Football Association was considering a scheme for simplifying club badges and emblems so that they more closely reflected the clubs' names. A committee was set up to receive suggestions and, after a few weeks, the chairman called a meeting.

'Gentlemen,' he said, 'our request for new club badge designs has produced a very satisfactory response.

Most of the suggestions are perfectly straightforward and logical - an ox for Oxford United, a sun for Sunderland, a heart for Heart of Midlothian, a windmill and a brick wall for Millwall.

However, I'm afraid we must definitely draw the line at the proposed design received from Arsenal!'

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas warns Premier League managers of Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho.

noreply@blogger.com (PanoramaPress) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:55:00 +0000

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has sent out a warning to all top Premier League managers that their jobs are constantly under threat from Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho.

The Santiago Bernabeu boss has been linked with a move back to Stamford Bridge today and the 49-year-old has always said he would welcome a return to English football in the future.

Villas-Boas worked under Mourinho during his spell at the west London club but highlighted that he was still the top dog at Chelsea and dismissed any immediate return of the ‘Special One’.

“At the moment, there is not a vacancy at this club. That is the most important thing. And the Real Madrid manager is not available at the moment,” he insisted to reporters on Friday.

“He's tied to the best club in the world. The only thing I can say is that I have lived Jose's availability when we were out of Chelsea and we know and I know how many clubs came knocking on our doors.

“So, a manager of Jose's dimension and the number one in the world will always be an attractive target for whatever club.”

Villas-Boas was keen to add that Mourinho’s intent on returning to English football someday puts pressure on managers at all the biggest top flight clubs.

The 34-year-old coach added: “Because he's a manager that makes himself available to return to his beloved England, it will for sure capture the interests of City, United and Chelsea and Tottenham and Liverpool and Arsenal, and so on and so forth.

“So, in that sense, we are all under pressure, from Mancini to Ferguson to me to Dalglish to Harry Redknapp and so on.”

How do you stay up to date with football when on the move? With http://m.goal.com

Mancini says he will allow Carlos Tevez to return to the team!

noreply@blogger.com (PanoramaPress) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:56:00 +0000

MANCHESTER, England (AP)—Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini says he will allow Carlos Tevez to return to the team if the Argentina striker can prove his fitness.

Tevez was included Thursday in City’s Premier League squad for the rest of the season after failing to secure a move away from the league leaders in the January transfer window.

Currently in Argentina without permission from the club, Tevez hasn’t featured for City since September and Mancini said last month it would be “impossible” for the 27-year-old striker to play for the team again.

However, the Italian coach’s stance has altered with Mancini saying Friday “Carlos is not an option at the moment but it is possible in the future … if he comes back and he is fit, it is possible.”

Soccer Joke: David Beckham' Autobiography

noreply@blogger.com (PanoramaPress) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:48:00 +0000

David Beckham has just announced he’ll be writing his new autobiography. It’ll be all about his playing days with England, his life withe Victoria and his clothes. He’s going to call it ‘ Three Lions, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Youth Soccer: AYSA Soccer program Overview

noreply@blogger.com (PanoramaPress) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:28:00 +0000

Program Overview

Program Offerings Chart

Recreational

The primary objective in the recreational program is for the young players to have fun with an emphasis on sportsmanship, good play, and following the laws of the game of soccer. Recreational players in the U-4, U-5, U-6, U-7, U-8, U-10, and U-12 age brackets play small-sided (micro) soccer. Recreational players in the U12 and up bracket play in the GYSA inter league format and play clubs, both home and away, from the Atlanta area and follow the rules of GYSA. For the soccer player who seeks a more competitive environment, AYSA participates in the GSSA select and Soccer Academy programs. AYSA offers a U-10, U-11, and U-12 Soccer Academy program. Select teams are offered at the age of U-13 and up.

Academy

The Academy Program is comprised of U9 through U12 players. The program provides an alternative to the traditional recreational and traveling team programs. The Academy Program is a league designed for boys and girls ages 8-12 years old. The overall focus of this league is to provide development of technical skills, tactical awareness, physical abilities and psychological growth within a fun and rewarding environment without the intense pressure to win at all costs. The ultimate goal of the program is the overall development of every player in each area of emphasis. All of the teams will be trained by professional club coaches to provide the players with the best foundation of skills, abilities and knowledge of the game.

Select

Inter Atlanta Select Program is comprised of U13 through U19 players. This program is designed for players who have outgrown the Recreational Program and are looking for a more challenging soccer environment. Players who play at the select level usually have a personal goal, such as to play for the high school varsity team, or some may have the desire to play college soccer and beyond. The main objective of the Select Program is to help each player reach his/her potential and achieve his/her goal. The Academy and Select Programs are for a commitment, Fall and Spring Seasons. These programs are for serious soccer players looking to develop their skills in an environment with professional coaches and staff. Players are asked to make practice sessions and games during BOTH seasons (U15-U19 n/a for spring GYSA season. Typically, teams practice 2 days a week during the season and play 1 game per weekend (fall practices Aug-Nov; spring practices Feb-May); however, PLEASE NOTE our higher level teams may be REQUIRED to add a third practice, while others will have an optional third practice added. Select soccer IS different than recreational soccer. It is a two-season commitment and practice attendance is required or playing time is subject to limitation based on the discretion of the coaching staff. The competition both inner-club and intra-club is much greater at the Academy and Select level and training sessions help build a player’s skill level to meet the demands of that competition. Professional staff members coach the teams to deepen a player’s skill and understanding of the game. Please take this commitment seriously and know that you are committing to a FULL seasonal year of soccer on the team, BOTH Fall and Spring Seasons.

How soccer falls may impact you:

noreply@blogger.com (gers4lyfe) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:22:00 +0000

Childhood Falls and Health Problems

Research led by Jessie Garciaguirre and Karen Adolph published in Introduction to Infant Development, Oxford Press, 2007, showed that fourteen month old toddlers fall an average of fifteen times per hour while playing. Fifteen times! That is not a trivial number especially when you begin to add the number of falls they take during a day, a week, a month or a year. The cumulative impact of these repetitive falls can cause problems in the spine and nervous system that contribute to many unexplainable health problems.

Do the math! Fifteen falls per hour, six hours minimum per day, is approximately 90 falls a day. This equals nearly 700 falls per week, and up to 2,500 falls per month. And while their young bodies are capable of adapting to the environment during their developmental years, these repetitive strains can be overwhelming and cause injuries to the spine and nervous system that affect their health on every level. In addition, these falls can cause abnormal spinal patterns that become lifelong problems and lead to unhealthy aging.

Injuries to a child’s spine called vertebral subluxations can result from these falls. They can also be caused by trauma from the birth process. Research out of the University of Colorado by Seth Sharpless, M.D. found that it only takes 10 millimeters of pressure, the weight of a dime, to reduce nerve transmission. While this amount of pressure may seem insignificant, it is enough to wreak havoc within a growing body and cause immediate symptoms, or it may remain symptom-free and go unrecognized for years. Also, since not all nerve interference is felt as pain and can affect the organs, many unexplainable health problems can result.

The medical profession is well aware of these types of conditions and has termed them "Medically Unknown Symptoms" [MUS]. These are conditions for which there are no medical examination findings even though the individual may be suffering from symptoms such as pain, irritable bowel syndrome, non-cardiac chest pain and fibromyalgia [Hatcher, S, Arrol B. Assessment and management of medically unexplained symptoms. BMJ 2008; 336:1124].

In fact, among patients seeking medical care, the prevalence of MUS is in the range of 50 %, varying from 25 to 75 %, with pain being the most common symptom [Smith RC, Dwamena FC. Classification and diagnosis of patients with medically unexplained symptoms. J Gen Intern Med 2007; 22:685].

The nervous system controls and coordinates the function of every cell, tissue and organ in the body, and adapts you to your environment. Because of the vast nature of nervous system control, many symptoms related to spinal injuries are overlooked and unexplainable through traditional medical examinations. This can be true with many childhood maladies ranging from ear infections and digestive disturbances to growing pains.

A chiropractic examination can determine whether repetitive falls may be affecting your child’s health and development. This important, non-invasive examination can ensure the healthy function of their spine and nervous system, and a healthy future.

A common-sense solution to your child’s unexplainable health concerns may be right around the corner. Or, if you want to ensure that your child’s spine and nervous system are developing normally in spite of all their falls, this comprehensive spinal examination can give you the security you are looking for.

Either way, explaining the unexplainable may be a phone call away. Don’t waste another minute in worry or wonder. Make an appointment for your child today.

Youth Soccer: Atlanta Club named to Soccer America's Top 30 Best Clubs, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (PanoramaPress) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:46:00 +0000

Soccer America Top 30 Best Clubs, 2011

Click to read Girls Article Click to read Boys Article

2011 Top 30 Girls Clubs	2011 Top 30 Boys Clubs
1. PDA	1. Baltimore Bays
2. Eclipse Select	2. FC Dallas
3. Sting Soccer	3. New York Red Bulls
4. Mustang Soccer	4. Chicago Fire
5. Colorado Rush	5. PDA
6. Lonestar SC	6. Dallas Texans
7. CASL	7. CASL
8. Dallas Texans	8. Concorde Fire
9. FC Stars of Massachusetts	9. Cal Odyssey
10. San Diego Surf	10. Michigan Wolves
11. So Cal Blues	11. Pateadores
12. Michigan Hawks	12. Real So Cal
13. MLVA	13. D.C. United
14. Solar	14. Crossfire
15. Real Colorado	15. Columbus Crew
16. Real So Cal	16. Vardar
17. KCFC	17. Los Angeles Galaxy
18. Bethesda SC	18. Carmel United
19. FC Milwaukee	19. PA Classics
20. Slammers FC	20. Fullerton Rangers
21. Arsenal	21. Grand Rapids Crew Juniors
22. Ohio Elite Soccer Academy	22. Chicago Magic
23. Concorde Fire	23. Seattle Sounders
24. FC Bucks	24. St. Louis Scott Gallagher
25. Naperville SA Premier	25. West Coast SC
26. Match Fit Chelsea	26. RSL AZ
27. West Coast FC	27. Arsenal FC
28. Crossfire Premier	28. Yardley Makefield Soccer
29. McLean Premier	29. Westside Metros
30. Ohio Premier Eagles	30. Albion SC

NASA alumnus Warren Creavelle, who helped NASA get to the National Championship game in 2009, was drafted on January 12 in the MLS Super Draft by the Houston Dynamo.

noreply@blogger.com (PanoramaPress) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:42:00 +0000

Warren Creavalle

	Class: Senior
	Hometown: Acworth, Ga.
	High School: North Cobb

	Height / Weight: 6-0 / 155
	Position: M

2011 (Senior): Earned a spot on the All-Conference USA First Team...Played in 17 games, and made 16 starts...Recorded one goal and three assists for five points...Totaled 27 shots on the year...In the season-opening win at Jacksonville, recorded a goal on three shots...In the C-USA opener versus Kentucky, scored the game-winning goal in double overtime, and also had an assist...Recorded three shots on goal at FIU...Named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List.

2010 (Junior): Named All-American Third Team, becoming first UCF player to earn All-America status since 1997... Earned spot on C-USA All-Conference First Team... Became the first player in program history to be named to the NSCAA/Performance Subaru All-South Region First Team... Picked up first goal of season against FAU on 9/6...Had an assist against Army on 9/19...Tallied an assist against No. 5 SMU on 10/2...Recorded one goal and one assist against Memphis on 10/9...Scored lone UCF goal against Kentucky on 10/13...Scored opening goal against Virginia Tech on 10/19...Tallied assist against Tulsa in C-USA semi-final game on 11/12.

Prior to UCF: Member of the Olympic Development Program in 2005-2006...Regional Team in 2006...Selected for Thanksgiving Inter-Regional Event (FL) in 2006...Regional Pool Selection in 2005 and 2006...Regional Camp in 2005 and 2006...PDP / Super Y in 2005-06...Super Y / ODP National Camp - Selected for All-Star Game...U15 Super Y National Team 2006...PDP / Super Y North American Finals - All-Tournament Team Selection.

Want to be a ref in Georgia?

noreply@blogger.com (PanoramaPress) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:23:00 +0000

http://gareferees.com

What classes do I have to take to become a referee or upgrade?

The Entry Course is the first class you will attend. For most, this means the Entry Course (R9). It is nine hours long, three on a weeknight (Thursday or Friday) and six hours on Saturday, four of which are on-field practice. All materials are provided. The cost is $80. The course fee does NOT include uniform or referee equipment, which will entail a cost of about $40 - $50 at a retailer. You must attend all of a nine (9) hours and pass a written 50-question test with 75% or higher. You will receive a teal Recreational Referee badge which will allow you to referee U-14 and younger recreational games and be an assistant referee on U-14 recreational and select games.
The Adult Player-Returning Referee Course is 11 hours of classroom plus an online study course for the simpler laws of the game. It is taught over a single weekend. The online component is at your convenience, but must be completed before the classroom sessions. It is an entry class that covers all the Laws of the Game. It is intended for adults (over 16 years of age) with a minimum of ten years playing experience and referees who have let their registration lapse for more than four years. Requirements include scoring 75% or better on a 100-question test. Successful completion results in obtaining a referee grade 8 badge.
The Upgrade Course R9 to R8, often called the Bridge Class, includes an online session on the basic laws of the game plus six hours in the classroom, usually on a Saturday. The on-field exercise is only one hour. While the class covers all the laws, emphasis is placed on issues encountered at higher levels of play than recreational -- foul recognition and selection, recognizing and dealing with misconduct, managing the game and players -- all at the select level of youth play. The cost is $80. Requirements include scoring 75% or better on a 100-question test. Successful completion results in obtaining a referee grade 8 badge.
The Annual Recertification Course is five hours taught in one session. Requirements for passing include attendance for all five hours and passing a recertification test with a score of 50% for R9 referees, 70% for R8 referees. The cost is $75 during the Summer/Fall and $80 if it is taken during the Spring. All materials are provided.
An In-service Referee Clinic is usually 1 1/2 hours long, but may vary. Topics are various and usually focus on one to three topics per session. In-service classes DO NOT count toward certification or re-certification. They are free and open to any referee.
The Annual Recertification Course for Advanced Referees (Gold Rush) is a two-day advanced clinic required for referees of grades 7, 6, and 5. It is open to any referee interested in receiving advanced instruction focused on the highest levels of the game. This class is presented once per year and the cost is set annually. This is a recertification class and DOES NOT satisfy any requirement for upgrade.
The Upgrade to R7 from R8 Course is a one-day class addressing referee techniques and principles for higher levels of play at U-19 and adult. The cost is $155 and includes the necessary assessment fees. All materials are provided. In addition to passing the referee test with a score of 85% or better, the upgrade candidate must pass an on-field assessment on a U-17 or older game (90 minute duration). This class is typically offered twice per year, sometimes at multiple locations, depending on demand.
The Upgrade to R6 from R7 Course is a three-day class taught over one weekend. It addresses referee issues faced on adult and professional level matches. Besides passing the State Referee Test with a score of 75% or better, the candidate must pass two field assessments as referee and one as assistant referee on adult matches. The cost is $265, which includes fees for the necessary assessments.
Click HERE for a current listing of classes and to enroll online.

Referee Courses
Course Type	Courses
Adult Player - Returning Referee Course Adult Referee Grade 8 Course for Adult Players (over 18) and referees that have not recertified in over 3 years	1
Entry Course (R9) R9 Entry Refere Course To get a head start in learning the Laws of the Game, review the online training video at: http://www.ussoccer.com/Referees/Resource-Center/Referee-Resources/Grade-8-Referee-Course.aspx And read the Guide to Procedures here: http://www.ussoccer.com/Referees/Resource-Center/Referee-Resources/Zone-1.aspx	13
GR07 Recert Gr07 recert class for administrative purposes.	1
Upgrade to R8 from R9 (Bridge) Course The first session for the Bridge Class must be completed online at: http://www.ussoccer.com/Referees/Resource-Center/Referee-Resources/Grade-8-Referee-Course.aspx Create a login. Enter the course number under "Clinic number". Review laws 1 through 4, 7 through 10, and 13 through 17 and take the associated quizzes. This material will NOT be taught in the class (you should know most of it already) but it WILL BE on the final exam at the end of the course.	10
Annual Recertification Course for R9 & R8 Annual Recertification Course for R9 & R8 You may now choose your favorite topics from a list. You can pick as many as three. The top finishers will be topics sure to be discussed at the recertification class. Note that these will NOT be the only questions discussed - the floor will be open. The annual recertification test is a measure of your overall knowledge of the Laws of the Game, with which you should already be familiar. Much of the test's content will NOT be taught in this course.	22

Click a Course Type below to view all Approved Courses Assessor Courses
Course Type	Courses
Assessor Annual Recertification Clinic Annual Assessor Recertification Clinic	1

Click a Course Type below to view all Approved Courses Assignor Courses
Course Type	Courses
Assignor Course Assignor Certification Course

Goal.com's American Player Rankings...who's missing?

noreply@blogger.com (PanoramaPress) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:46:00 +0000

Goal.com

Oguchi Onyewu will back in the top 10 in the rankings this week.

The big defender notched a brace over the weekend with two towering headers. The goals were a reminder that Onyewu can be a very real threat in the air when he's at his best, and of just how much he's been missing that part of his game recently.

There's plenty of reason to be optimistic about Onyewu's return to form over the last five or six months. He has been playing regularly at a high level in Portugal and seems to be as good on the ground as he's ever been.

The question remaining was whether or not Onyewu could still be a dominant aerial threat. If these two goals were any indication, that question could already be answered.

His move back in, combined with some slow starts to the year, will see some major movement at the bottom of the rankings.

Landon Donovan also had a great week with three assists in two matches. Everton went out and splashed in the transfer market, and it's a shame that Donovan won't really get a chance to benefit from the new signings.

1. Clint Dempsey

Age: 28

Club: Fulham

Position: Midfielder

Last Week: 1

Comment: Dempsey's was on the losing end of Fulham's battle with Everton. Despite that result and Donovan's good form, Dempsey's goal total since the start of the year is more than enough to keep him top of the group.

2. Brad Friedel

Age: 40

Club: Tottenham

Position: Goalkeeper

Last Week: 2

Comments: Friedel continues to be a major part of a Tottenham team that just keeps plugging away and that notched another win on Tuesday.

3. Landon Donovan

Age: 29

Club: Everton

Position: Midfielder

Last Week: 3

Comments: Donovan has provided a spark for Everton in the last couple of games with two assists against Fulham and one against Manchester City in an Everton win. It's been a good run for the club, and for Donovan, but his time with the team is coming to an end shortly.

4. Tim Howard

Age: 32

Club: Everton

Position: Goalkeeper

Last Week: 4

Comments: Howard held a clean sheet against Manchester City, which is an accomplishment in itself, and the only goal he let in against Fulham was a penalty. Not a bad week for the USA's first choice 'keeper.

5. Michael Bradley

Age: 24

Club: Chievo

Position: Midfielder

Last Week: 5

Comments: Bradley and his club took a beating over the weekend from Lazio. To Bradley's credit, his club was only down one goal when he was subbed off, and ended conceding twice late on.

6. Carlos Bocanegra

Age: 32

Club: Rangers

Position: Defender

Last Week: 6

Comment: Bocanegra and Rangers crushed Hibernian over the weekend, and the defender helped hold a clean sheet in the process.

7. Sacha Kljestan

Age: 26

Club: Anderlecht

Position: Midfielder

Last Week: 9

Comments: Kljestan continues to impress with Anderlecht. While the level of the league may not be the best, his club is dominating and he's been a big part of that.

8. Maurice Edu

Age: 25

Club: Rangers

Position: Midfielder

Last Week: 10

Comments: Edu, like Bocanegra, played a big part in his club taking a 4-0 win over Hibernian.

9. Oguchi Onyewu

Age: 29

Club: Sporting CP

Position: Defender

Last Week: NR

Comments: Onyewu is back on the list after scoring twice to give his team a 2-0 win. If he can become a consistent threat on set plays again, his comeback from injury will be complete.

10. Jozy Altidore

Age: 22

Club: AZ

Position: Forward

Last Week: 7

Comments:

Veterans: 3 Georgia Teams Celebrate Success at the Florida Classic

noreply@blogger.com (PanoramaPress) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:23:00 +0000

Terrific turnout (45+) yesterday at Fados celebrating the success that the 3 Georgia teams had at the Florida Classic (two firsts and a second).

Heineken, along with Fados sponsors the 65's

Front row. Steve Denton, Steve Lang, Engin K, Jim Rudy, Hugo L.

Back Row:Steve Norton, Sabir N, Tom Wallace, Gerry Carty, KC Braun, Imre Pataki, Steve Cooper,

Bruce Wilcox, Refik Kozic.

Keichi Saito not in photo.