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SOCCER FAMILY
NEWSLETTER
Dear ASA Family,
Welcome to the first issue of the Arlington Soccer
Association Soccer Family
Newsletter. ASA will publish this newsletter
monthly during the soccer season with soccer news and
information for families - parents, players, brothers and
sisters. Your suggestions and comments are
welcome.
- To start, we have a contest to name the
Newsletter. The person submitting the winning name
receives two new soccer balls or a pair of tickets to a DC
United game.
Our deadline is Friday, September
21. Send your ideas to: familynewsletter@arlingtonsoccer.com.
If you don't want to receive this Newsletter, click
on unsubscribe
above. If you want to forward this newsletter to
friends, click on the Forward
email link at the end. The
Editors, Ken Bass and Steve
Spangler
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SCHEDULE FOR FALL 2007 SOCCER SEASON
- Practices
begin:
- August 20,
Friday
- U8 and
above:
- Sept. 15, Saturday - First
games.
- U6 and U7:
- Sept. 15, Saturday -
Soccer Fun Festival for U6 teams.
- Sept. 22,
Sat. - First games.
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NEW TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
The Arlington Soccer Association has
hired Bob Bigney to fill our new Technical Director position.
The Technical Director's primary functions are
to train and educate ASA's recreational coaches and to
coordinate increased player development opportunities, in the
form of clinics, camps and other programs for our recreational
players.
Bob is a native of Virginia Beach, VA.
He has coached soccer at college, semi-pro and youth
levels. He has also been a teacher of coaches at various
national, regional and local soccer education
programs.
Bob has a United States Soccer Federation "A"
license and a National Youth License. He is also
certified as an elementary school teacher.
The ASA is
fortunate to have Bob aboard to fill this important new
position, which will bring professional help to our volunteer
coaches and enhance player development opportunities within
the ASA.
More information about
Coach Bob
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COLUMBUS DAY TOURNAMENT
October 6 & 7
ASA is planning the
2007 Columbus Day Recreational Soccer Tournament for Saturday
and Sunday, October 6 and 7.
Our tournament focuses on
the majority of our players who play on neighborhood
recreational teams. This tournament is a celebration of
community soccer.
Following our successful tournament
last year, we are expanding to include younger teams:
 U7-U8
5 v 5
- U9-U10 5 v 5
- U11-U12 8 v 8
- U13-U14 11 v 11
We plan on two
brackets of teams for both genders in all age groups.
Teams will play four games.
Cost per player will be
$12.
Deadline for team registration will be
Wednesday, September 26.
The Tournament is sponsored by
DC United and area businesses. Each tournament player
receives a ticket to a DC United game.
From the
2006 Columbus Day Tournament: Web site
Slide show
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PLAYER DEVELOPMENT CLINICS - U7 &
U8
A six-week program for boys and girls
in the under 7 and under 8 age groups.
The
clinics are designed to improve the player's technical ball
skills, body coordination and understanding of the game of
soccer.
- $60 per player fee provides over 7 hours of quality
soccer instruction.
- See Player Development
Clinic details on ASA
website.
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REFEREE CLASS - STARTS SEPTEMBER 5
ASA's referee class certifies you to
officiate Arlington Soccer Association 5 v 5 recreational play
for U8, U9, and U10.
- The class is open to parents, coaches, players, and
others.
- Minimum age is 13. No maximum.
- This 5-hour class is free.
- Attendance is required two evenings and a Saturday field
practice.
- You must pre-register so that enough training materials
are available.
See Referee Class
Details |
U6 OPENING DAY FESTIVAL
Saturday, September 15th
ASA is
hosting a new Opening
Day Festival for U6 Teams on Saturday, September 15, at
Kenmore Middle School.
ASA Technical Director Bob
Bigney will introduce our youngest players to soccer - game
format and rules.
- 8:00 am - 10:00 am: Clubs: Aces, NW
Lions, Optimists
- 11:00 am - 1:00 pm: Clubs: Potomac
Kiwanis, Tanzmans Tornados, Arlington Kiwanis
- 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Clubs: Civitans,
Crystal City, Lightning
- 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm: Clubs: Hurts Hammers,
Falls Church, South
Arlington
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VOLUNTEER TO HELP IN YOUTH SOCCER
You saw the flyer, went to the website,
heard from a friend. Now, your child is signed up for an
Arlington youth soccer team.
What should you, as
a parent, be doing, besides cheering for your son or daughter
at weekend games?
The ASA Soccer Family Newsletter
will have more on that in coming issues, including how
you can help your child develop soccer skills in the backyard
or local park, and how you should conduct yourself at games
and other events.
One important thing is for you to
volunteer to do something for
the team.
- The coach is a volunteer, usually a parent. The
coach needs at least one assistant coach, preferably
two. You don't need to know much about soccer to be an
assistant-you just need to care about kids and be willing to
help out.
- Teams also need managers-someone who can take on some of
the administrative chores that otherwise fall to the coach,
such as organizing a phone tree, setting up a snack
schedule, sending out reminders, and even organizing the
other volunteers.
- During games, parents can also help out by volunteering
as an "assistant referee"-the person who makes line calls
when a ball goes over the sideline. Don't worry about
making a mistake, as it's more important that the kids have
someone making the calls.
- It also helps the coach to have someone keep the score
and perhaps maintain other statistics for the team.
- Many teams have a season-ending picnic, party and/or
trophy (or medal) presentation. Volunteer to put it
together.
- Some parents have special skills that can be used as
well. For example, photography-snap some pictures at
games and put together a team scrapbook. Send some to
asawebmaster@arlingtonsoccer.com to
get them published on the ASA Photo
Pages.
Offer to help and, if you're not
needed yet, your time will
come. |
FREE SOCCER BALLS FROM UNIROYAL TIRE
As part of Uniroyal's national youth
soccer program, ASA soccer players can receive a free soccer
ball and ASA will receive a donation.
ASA club
managers and coaches will distribute to players a certificate
redeemable for their soccer ball beginning September 9, 2007
(while supplies last). Participating Arlington stores
are Merchant's Tire & Auto Centers at 4801 Lee Highway and
National Tire & Battery at 2825 Wilson
Blvd.
Uniroyal, Merchant's Tire & Auto Centers and
NTB- National Tire & Battery will present ASA with a cash
donation of $2 for every Uniroyal tire sold to the general
public from September 9 to October 9, 2007.
Parents can also enter the Uniroyal "Win a Free Soccer
Season Sweepstakes" at:
The Tanzman's Tornado Soccer Club
is coordinating this year's program and will donate half of
the proceeds to ASA's "Soccer Plus"
program.
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QUICK KICKS
Wondering about the ASA's rules?
They're
linked from the About ASA page on the
ASA
website.
The rules
were updated this summer by the ASA
Rules
Committee, so you might see something new.
Have questions about ASA soccer
programs or about soccer in general?
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NAME THE NORTH TRACT
Arlington is developing a 28-acre
world-class park and recreational area at the Potomac North
Tract.
ASA families will benefit from two soccer
fields in the Phase I to be completed in 2009 and two more
fields in the final phase. (See North Tract Photo and Plan.)
Susan
Kalish, of Arlington Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources
says, "With dirt moving on the site, it's time the community
got to the heavy lifting: helping select an appropriate name
for what will be Arlington's new signature
destination."
The North Tract Naming Committee has come
up with a number of good ideas. They want your input
before they make a recommendation to the County Board.
Go to North Tract Naming to
let the Committee know what you
think. |
MAKE SOCCER GOAL SAFETY A PRIORITY
Parents, coaches and players should pay
close attention to the safety of the goals on the
fields.
A gust of wind, a young player, an
uneven playing field. In their current design, only 22
pounds of force can bring a 400-pound goal crashing down,
injuring - even killing - a player.
This past week a
player in the Northern Virginia Soccer League was injured by a
falling goal.
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BUY DC UNITED TICKETS AT ASA DISCOUNT
Watching professional soccer inspires
players, teaches the game, builds team spirit, and provides
exceptional game-day experiences for teams and families.
- Discounted
Tickets
Tickets purchased through ASA benefit ASA
and are always discounted.
- On-field game-day
experiences
DC United offers our teams on-field
game-day experiences, such as Halftime Mini-Games, High-Five
Tunnel, Ball Kids (must be U13 +), Touchline Kids, and Flag
Carriers.
Check the DC United/ASA Ticket
Packages web page for the latest opportunities.
- MLS Cup, the
league's 12th championship match , returns to DC on Sunday,
November 18, 12 Noon. Tickets for will be
available through ASA.
Call to buy tickets or get
additional information:
Mighty
Moreno! DC
United's Jaime Moreno is the all-time leading scorer in Major
League Soccer with 109 goals. See video on Access United - 2007 Video
Highlights.
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The Arlington Soccer Association
provides soccer programs for kids ages 5 - 18 in Arlington and Falls
Church, Virginia.