SOCCER SHORTSText Box: Message from the President ...

 PETERS TOWNSHIP SOCCER ASSOCIATION            April  2008
Text Box: APRIL 2008 Text Box: Editor - Robin Taylor 724-969-0523 Have a topic you would like to share with the membership, call me with details for inclusion in future issues of Soccer Shorts. Fund raising ideas, upcoming tournaments, training or coaching tips are all great topics for you to share. Text Box: Message continued from above to the fees charged by other community sports associations in Western Pennsylvania, and still a bargain as compared to the fee levels charged by the private soccer clubs in the area (which can typically be in the $1,500 to $3,000 range on an annualized basis). Board Membership PTSA is always in need of volunteers to serve on its Board of Directors. We have formed a Nominating Committee to identify candidates for the 2008-09 Board (term is 1 year from July 2008 through June 2009). Please consider serving in a Board member capacity. Annually, PTSA experiences turnover on the Board and its success is dependent on new members. We anticipate a lot of turnover this coming year as several long-standing Directors will be ending their service this June. PTSA’s Board is large … some twenty-six positions in the areas of executive officers, gender and age group commissioners, and at-large members. If you have an interest in serving, or know someone that could make a good contribution to PTSA’s soccer programs, please send me your contact information (name, phone and email) and I’ll be sure to pass it along to the Nominating Committee. Field Conditions In February, several members of the PTSA Board of Directors appeared at the Peters Township Parks & Recreation monthly board meeting to discuss field conditions. The poor field conditions are evident and have been the subject of much commentary in previous Soccer Shorts newsletters, so I’ll not belabor the issues. Suffice to say that the meeting was productive and included the Peters Township Manager, Parks and Recreation Director, and Parks & Recreation Maintenance Supervisor. I think everyone was in agreement that (1) poor field conditions result from (a) lack of field space in Peters Township which leads to an inability to accommodate the needs of all the sports associations and provide for optimal field resting on a rotational basis, (b) extensive use by the soccer association during prime turf growth seasons, (c) poor field drainage at some fields, (d) lack of irrigation systems at others, and (e) certain sub-standard field construction at some locations, and (2) improvement in field conditions would be a slow, evolutionary process. The Peters Township Parks & Recreation Department committed to a regular maintenance program of top-dressing, aeration, over-seeding, fertilization and herbicide treatments, and irrigation. PTSA is evaluating areas of the maintenance program where it can offer supplementary help in maintenance, such as post-season spot-sodding of worn areas of the fields. Also, Peters Township indicated it was in the process of adding a full-time employee to the maintenance staff and had purchased an additional piece of equipment for improved top-dressing maintenance activity. Hopefully, over time, field conditions will improve, but we must all realize the challenges in this area. Finally, to the extent alternative field space can be found and allocated to PTSA by PTP&R, our newest field (Peterswood Parks’ Field #5, which we refer to as the Peterswood Soccer Complex) may be partially closed on a rotational basis over a couple year cycle so an aggressive maintenance program can be instituted there to improve the soil and turf conditions. I hope this comes to realization soon as conditions there are not good at all. May everyone have an enjoyable soccer season this Spring and good luck to all the teams that will be participating in our In-house program’s season ending tournaments or the PA West Open Tournament for travel teams at Edinboro University in June. Pete Chiste President Peters Township Soccer Association pmchiste@hotmail.com 724-969-1070

This newsletter contains some important information and dates for the upcoming Spring Session.  Please read it cover to cover to be “PTSA informed”.  Also, members should visit our Internet website, www.ptsoccer.net, frequently during the year as it is being used as a primary communication destination on most aspects of the PTSA.

 

Spring Session

 

Peters Township Soccer Association is ready for the Spring playing season, but the season doesn’t seem ready for us.  At this writing (April 1st), we have yet to open fields for practices or games due to snow melt and rain causing seriously spongy field conditions.  This is nothing new in Western PA and although we are always optimistic to start the Spring season as scheduled (on April 5th this year), it rarely turns out that way.  Our various age-group Commissioners will grapple with scheduling and we are hopeful to get in a full eight game season if our many Coaches are able to schedule make-ups of canceled games.  Hopefully, by the time you read this, the first games will have been played and the soccer balls will be in motion throughout Peters Township.  Also, some special programs will be available this Spring such as extra training sessions for preparing for competitive team tryouts and “Street Soccer” … see other sections of this newsletter for details.

 

 

Fee Increase for 2008-09

 

As I indicated in the Winter issue, PTSA’s anticipation of some level of fee increase for the 2008-09 fiscal year has come to fruition as the PTSA Board has proposed, and the Peters Township Parks & Recreation Board has approved, a

fee increase.  This is PTSA’s first fee increase in four years.  Essentially, registration fees for our In-House program have increased a modest $5 per player  (to $70 for U6 Grasshopper, and to $85 for the other, older age groups, for the full 2008-09 playing seasons, which include Fall and Spring) to cover various cost-of-operating expense increases.  The In-House family maximum was increased to $225, and excludes Travel player registration fees.  A significant fee increase will be implemented for the Travel Team program as the fee has increased to $175  ($85 payable at registration, plus an additional $90 will be due at Travel Tryouts (those players not selected will be refunded this fee).  Although it is an increase of over 100%, there is a corresponding significant change in the program for travel players as the 2008-09 Travel program will include, during each of the Fall and Spring sessions, one-hour per week training conducted by MLS Camp instructors who are professional soccer trainers.  They will provide programmatic technical and tactical instruction to all Travel Team players on a contractual basis with PTSA, and it will be supplemental to the coaching and training performed by our volunteer coaches.  This will allow for PTSA to carry out an enhanced player development plan for its competitive level players and guarantee that soccer accomplishments in Peters Township over the past 30 years will continue for many years to come.  PTSA believes the additional cost of the program, at less than $5 per player per training session, and  embedded in the increased fee, is quite reasonable relative        Continued ….

Training Sessions for Travel Tryouts

Child must be 9 by July 31, 2008

 

PTSA will be having four training sessions before the Fall Travel Tryouts.  Players will experience common drills associated with any tryout, and help them feel more at ease if they have never attended a tryout. 

 

· Sessions will be open to all registered PTSA Travel eligible players: no fee or registration is required

 

· MLS coaches will mimic tryout drills and coach small sided games

 

Even if a player has experienced a soccer tryout, he/she is encouraged to attend these sessions to become better prepared for the PTSA Travel Tryouts, which begin on May 5th.

 

 Wear cleats & shin guards, bring a ball & water

Check www.ptsoccer.net for additional Tryout information

 

Dates:   Saturdays: April 5, 12, 19, 26

Time:    5-7 pm

Place: Peterswood Park Soccer Complex
Text Box: Street Soccer & Skill Days Who: Grasshopper through U12, registered PTSA players No pre-registration required Wear soccer gear, bring ball (with name/phone # on it), and plenty of water Place & Time: Saturdays: May 3, 10, 17 5-7 pm in Peterswood Park Soccer Complex Goal: Players get a feel for “street soccer” where they’re in control of the game and largely supervise themselves; they can play free of the fear of making mistakes in front of adults, and they can be creative on the soccer field and experiment with learned or self-invented moves. Schedule: 20 minutes n PTHS Varsity Soccer players will teach individual soccer techniques n The use of 1 v 1 match related activities will help players perfect their skills against the opposition in more demanding situations. 100 minutes n Participants play “street soccer” in a “pick-up” game environment n Small sided teams are randomly assigned; play 5-10 minutes on a rotational basis n No adult coaching, refereeing or feedback: the kids play games (supervised by PTSA coaches), where they motivate themselves, figure out how to use the learned techniques and play in a fear-free environment. Questions? Contact Manny Politis, Director of Training   mannygp@comcast.net

Tryouts for Travel Soccer 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All tryouts will be conducted by Professional Development Officers of the MLS Academy

 

Tryout Check-in:

· Please arrive 30 minutes before your tryout time!  Tryouts begin promptly.

· Each player will be assigned a tryout number, which is needed for team notification purposes.  You will be given a Tryout Notification Card—this card explains how to gather the tryout results, which will be posted on our website, and includes a spot to record your child’s tryout number.  Please retain this card!

· As part of this tryout registration you will be asked to select your player’s uniform size.  Sample uniform sizes will be available to view at the Tryouts.  You will be asked to fill in your child’s name and their size information.  This will allow for more accurate uniform ordering once teams are established.

· Players must be registered through PTSA for the Fall 2008 season to be eligible for Travel Tryouts.  An additional Travel Program fee of $90 is expected at the time of the Tryouts (cash or check).  If your child is not on a final Fall roster, the payment will be returned to you.

 

Please bring the following to the tryouts:

            q email address

            q copy of Official, Government issued, Birth Certificate

            q 2 recent 1” square color photos

            q Cash or Check for $90 payable to PTSA

 

Tryout Format—Field play:

This format begins with possession play and progresses into small-sided games.  Players will be evaluated on their abilities to adapt to both offensive and defensive transitions, maintain spacing, perform combination plays, as well as communicate with other players.  Groupings will be random with the goal of balanced “teams”.  No goal keepers will be utilized in this format.

 

Goalkeepers Format:

Goalkeepers must bring their own protective gear and be prepared to display overall goalkeeping skills inclusive of shot defense: reaction speed, punting, and throwing.  U10 players may participate in goalkeeping tryouts, but few if any make a U10 Travel team only as a goalkeeper.

 

Makeup Tryouts:

Players should make every effort to make their age specific tryout, but those who are unable to make their originally scheduled tryout, can attend the makeup day.

 

Notification Procedure:

The final list of teams will be posted on our website www.ptsoccer.net by July 7, 2008.  Please keep your Tryout Notification Card; tryout numbers are necessary to interpret the team rosters.

 

Please wear soccer gear, bring a ball and plenty of water!  Good Luck!

Place:                Peterswood Park Soccer Complex    

Times:               Girls 5:30-6:30pm         Boys 6:30-7:30pm

Dates:               May 5th  U10    8/1/98-7/31/99

                          May 6th  U11    8/1/97-7/31/98

                          May 7th  U12    8/1/96-7/31/97

                          May 8th  U13    8/1/95-7/31/96

                          May 9th  U14    8/1/94-7/31/95

                          May 12th          Goalkeepers & Makeups

 

May 12th  Goalkeepers & Makeups
Text Box: You are cordially invited to the ANNUAL PTSA SOCCER PICNIC May 31, 2008, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Shelter #1 – Peterswood Park The Association will provide hot dogs and drinks Each family attending can bring: Last names: A-N — Salad or side dish O-Z — Fruit or dessert (Please bring throw-away containers and utensils or clearly label any items you need returned with name and phone numbers) We really need your help to make our picnic a success. Volunteers are needed to help organize (prior to the picnic), set-up, cook, or clean-up. If you can help, anytime, please contact: Jeff Crummie at 724-941-1255 or by e-mail at jcrummie@verizon.net Players, Coaches, Families