I can’t believe it but the fall season Cronin work with the players to prepare In addition to the competition in of 2011 is already in its second half. It is them for entering the competitive U11- the OPL, some of our teams also a busy fall indeed and this report will 14 tryouts in May 2012. compete in the Northwest Champions give you a quick snapshot where EMFC League. A team qualifies for this league EMFC has entered 12 U11-14 teams are competing this fall. if they ended up in the top four spots in teams in the Premier League the top Premier league last fall. In Our newest edition to the club is this fall. Last year all our teams received addition, the top teams from Mini Metros. We have started a new four home games and the rest were Washington and Idaho compete in this program for 4 and 5-year olds in our away games. This year, the OPL went to league. Currently we have the U11 boys club. Caitlin O’Donnell has run the first home and away games for U13 and U14 Rovers Blue, the U12 girls Athletica Blue sessions this fall and we have been teams in the top leagues. EMFC is still and the U14 boys Boca Juniors Blue overwhelmed with excited and talented pressing the OPL to increase the compete in the NWCL. The U14 boys young soccer players. With almost 40 number of home games for all our reached the semifinals which will this Mini Metros we will have to recruit teams. We have reached an agreement year be in early December in Seattle. more coaches for our next session in that in the spring all leagues and age Congratulations to the Boca Blue boys the winter. groups are going to be played with an and their head coach, Joe Beeler. equal number of home and away Jen Davin, our Little Metro games. EMFC appreciates all the help This coming winter EMFC will enter Director, works currently with 150 Little and support we have received from our a full slate of eight high school aged Metro players. Those players are families transporting the players to the teams in the Oregon Premier League. training on Mondays and Wednesdays away games. We do understand the For the first time EMFC will have a boys and then compete on Fridays at challenges it posed for families. We and a girls team in each age group from Roosevelt MS. Please come out and encourage all our families to carpool as U15-18. Most of these teams will have watch some of the games in a beautiful much as possible to save resources and supplemental tryouts to complete the setting. in many cases give the players an rosters in the last week of November. The U10 academy is a year-round opportunity to bond on the way to and Training for the older teams will begin program that works mainly with 4th from games. after Thanksgiving. The U15 girls Impact graders and provides them and the U18 girls Spirit will with a competitive also compete in the alternative. These teams Northwest Champions form in May and train in League. four modules throughout Most of our older the year (Summer, Fall, teams will participate in Winter, and Spring). In the College Showcase fall and spring, these teams tournaments to expose play one year up in the U11 our players to college Kidsports Klassic league. coaches. The FC Portland We have currently three Showcase will be one of girls teams, Cypress Blue, the tournaments most of Black and White, and two our teams will attend. boys teams, Valencia Blue Each of the head coaches and White. Head coaches (Continued on page 2) Caitlin O’Donnell and Finn

for those teams will assess the best possible tournaments and then make a plan for those teams. The Little Metro program is open to all soccer players from age 6-10 who want In April and early May, all U12-18 to learn more about how to improve their

EMFC teams will compete in the OPL state technical skills. The program offers four cup or Directors Cup. The OPL state cup is separate modules a year: a Fall and Spring the most important tournament in the Skills Academy and League and a Summer year for our competitive teams. It will and Winter Skills Academy. expose our players to an extremely competitive environment and give every Currently we are in the middle of our team a chance to compete against the top Fall Skills Academy and League with a teams in the state. record number 150 players. The Fall

Academy is a six week program that Over the last 10 months EMFC practices twice a week with an in house coaches attended six coaching education league that competes on Fridays. We sessions run by Oregon State coach have two practice locations, one in Eugene Michelle Voiland, UO coaches Mac Wilson and one in Springfield. The Friday night and Lauren Hanson, and Director of games are all played in Eugene. Coaching Jurgen Ruckaberle. In addition, The practice sessions are divided by our coaches attended injury prevention clinics with Dr. Mick Koester, online gender and age. The Friday night league rd th concussion training, and a fun coaching consists of coed 3 /4 grade teams, st nd st nd session with the Brazilian coaches from 1 /2 grade boys teams and 1 /2 grade rd th the Tetra camp. Alex Dakers and girls teams. The 3 /4 grade games are 7 Daley Stevens acquired their E-license this vs 7 to larger goals with keepers. The st nd year and Bryn Dennehy completed his 1 /2 grade games are 4 vs 4 to pugg USSF B-license. EMFC remains committed goals with no keepers. to provide their coaching staff with The center of our program is the internal coaching clinics, supporting soccer ball. All Little Metro training coaches who continue their licensing sessions focus on introducing and process, and provide support with local improving the ball handling skills needed and regional coaching clinics. to become a successful young soccer I am very excited to announce a new player. At this young age, players will work venture for EMFC in the spring of 2012. on touching the ball as often as possible in EMFC will form a Women’s Premier team order to learn the motor skills necessary next spring. This team will play in the to move with the ball in all possible Women Premier Soccer League and directions. Players are encouraged to work compete against teams such as Portland with the ball, experiment with the ball, Rain, Oregon Rush and Spokane Shadow. and become accustomed to handling the We will have tryouts for this team in the ball in all situations. The Friday leauge spring of 2012 and hope to recruit many games reinforce this concept and college level players from the UO and OSU encourage dribbling as much as possible. as well as NCU and Lane Community This is the sole reason for keeping the College to our tryouts. In addition, we teams small and limiting the amount of hope to see post graduate female soccer players on the field at one time. players at the tryouts. The season goes Just as technical skills are the from May to late July 2012. Details will be foundation of every soccer player, Little announced in our next newsletter. Metros is the foundation for our I am honored and privileged to serve competitive club. as your Director of Coaching. Jen Davin Go EMFC Little Metros Program Director All the best from coach Jürgen

By Joe Beeler – Technical Director

When building a structure or technical skills (first touch, receiving, in the skill level of our players resulting in organization, it is universally understood dribbling, passing, etc.) and micro tactics more teams playing at the higher divisions that the foundation which either is built (1 v 1 attacking, 2 v 1 attacking, 1 v 1 of OPL, qualifying for the Northwest on needs to be designed to uphold the defending, 3 v 3 – 4 v 4). Competence in Champions League, going further in the demands placed on it. For the soccer these areas is an important building block State Cup tournament, and winning or player, a strong technical foundation and for a player’s ability to positively affect being finalists in other tournaments. small sided tactical foundation is what is the game and make the game more While winning is not the primary focus of required for him or her to successfully enjoyable for themselves and fans alike. our club for the U11-U14 age groups, the meet the demands of the game at higher Our goal at EMFC is to ensure that all level that our teams are able to compete levels. EMFC begins the building of this players who participate in our foundation by placing a high degree of programs are provided the effort and focus on coaching and teaching environment and age appropriate the technical skills to players at young coaching that will help them progress ages. Players are exposed to much in the game so they can continue to technical work (ball skill work) in EMFC’s be competitive and enjoy the game at Mini Metros and Little Metros programs higher levels. Having a curriculum that (ages 4-10). In between Little Metros and is followed by our coaches helps us becoming part of a fully competitive U11 ensure that all players have the same team, we offer the U10 Academy. The opportunity to learn and progress, U10 Academy is a modular program made regardless of coach or team, and will up of 4 modules per year that last 6-8 provide for a stronger base of players weeks. The U10 Academy program is as they go forward in the game. We designed to introduce players to a more continually monitor our youth competitive look at the game and to competitive teams with a critical eye to at is certainly an indicator of the work we prepare them to play in our competitive see how the coaching they received from do with our players in the U10 Academy programs. us in at the younger ages has impacted and younger ages. Our curriculum is one their game in the U11-U14 years. So far strategy for providing consistency in While EMFC has always had a set of this year, we have identified one area that coaching, age appropriate coaching, and objectives and areas of focus spelled out we believe we can better address in our the opportunity for all players to learn for each age group, earlier this year we U10 program. As a result, our curriculum what they need to enjoy the game in a created and implemented a specific will be revised and improved. competitive setting. If you have any curriculum for our U10 Academy. This questions regarding curriculum or age curriculum is designed by EMFC Staff Going forward, EMFC plans to appropriate objectives for your player, coaches and is based on the current continue building its curriculum to include please contact his or her coach. Knowing standards and curriculum set forth by U11 and U12 age groups. In the six short the basic concepts of the curriculum can European Experts and the US Soccer years that EMFC has been providing help you as a parent understand what Federation. In a thumbnail, our coaching and fielding competitive teams they are working on and provide another curriculum is heavily weighted towards we have experienced a continual increase means for you to support their efforts.

The 2011 Women’s World Cup brought over 30,000 spectators accessible to their fans. They are great created quite a stir in the United States to see the women play live in Kansas City examples of working hard to achieve this summer. After the women finished and Portland, many of whom had never goals. Throughout the last two years, second in their group during the first seen an international soccer match. The both the National Team men and women round, many Americans thought that the players enjoyed new-found fame and have been stellar examples of winning United States Women were preparing to attention, and fans found new stars, with gusto and losing with grace, make their earliest World Cup exit ever idols, and heroines. And then…there was congratulating their opponents no when they fell behind to Brazil in the silence. Football season started, school matter what the outcome, and cheering semi-final match that has since become was back in session, and many soccer their teammates’ every goal, assist, save, one of the most talked-about soccer fans started their own seasons. The fire and tackle. Further, Men’s and Women’s games in history. During that match, on began to smolder. National Team soccer players are known July 10, 2011, the U.S. Women’s National for their contributions of time and What can you do to keep the fire, team sparked a fire that spread rapidly energy, and sometimes money, to a wide the interest in soccer as a professional across the country. Megan Rapinoe variety of charities. and international sport, alive? And why launched a perfect cross to Abby should you? Let’s start with why. The How can you encourage the Wambach’s head, tying the match after youth that play for EMFC, and youth enthusiasm and support for soccer that 90 minutes of regulation and 30 minutes players across the United States, don’t this summer sent men, women, and of overtime. If you somehow missed the watch enough soccer. It has been clip, go look it up on YouTube. Better suggested, and supported with ample yet, go watch the whole game. research, that a player’s own game That spark created a media frenzy, benefits greatly by watching higher levels with ESPN SportsCenter, Good Morning of play. Kids around the world, America, Rachel Maddow, The Today specifically boys, spend time watching Show, and many other national news older kids and adults play pick-up soccer outlets clamoring for appearances by (rather, futbol), local leagues, and athletes who were formerly strangers to professional matches. They cheer for most Americans. The World Cup final, their clubs, cities, and countries. They bringing the United States and know the players’ names, they wear their together in Germany, left the Americans jerseys, and they try to mimic their skills children to the local sporting goods store with a second place medal, but the on the field. This is important for or soccer shop in search of jerseys skyrocketing interest in soccer remained players’ speed of play, creativity, and bearing the name “Solo” and to the active. In fact, the final match was the confidence. internet to Google “Alex Morgan?” By most “tweeted” event ever on Twitter, taking your kids to more games, Second, many of the U.S. soccer with more tweets flying during those two watching games online or on TV, and players are great role models! There hours than during any other two hours in helping young players identify older haven’t been any steroid scandals in U.S. history, including the Royal Wedding. players to look up to you, will help keep soccer leagues, the players aren’t The women came home to throngs of that fire alive. regularly in the headlines for getting fans lining up for blocks to get DUII’s, stealing laptops, or abusing Oregon is lucky to have SIX Division I photographs, autographs and high-fives. animals, and they are generally college teams to watch: the local favorite Two “Celebration Tour” games against Oregon Ducks women, our neighbors to the north, the Beaver men’s and women’s teams, the University of Portland men’s and women’s teams, and the Portland State women. Portland is the proud home of the team, the Timbers. The Timbers Army (fan following) has garnered national attention for their undying enthusiasm for the newest MLS team. While their season is currently wrapping up, games are surprisingly accessible, both from a transportation and financial perspective. continued on next page

Women’s World Cup—continued

Believe it or not, there are TWO women’s soccer leagues in the United States, and chances are good that you EMFC has grown its program in the This team will extend our program haven’t heard of either of them. The last few years to integrate a very success- and will allow female players to continue Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) ful Little Metro program and this fall intro- to play at the highest level. It will also al- League is only three years old and cur- duced the Mini Metros. This coming sea- low our community to watch very com- rently has six teams playing, all of which son EMFC will have a full roster of at least petitive games for female athletes. The are located east of the . This one team per age and gender from U10 to games will be played at local high schools league is the most competitive, and it is U18. Over the last few years, EMFC has and we feel very confident to bring the home to many of the women who were put more focus on the girls side of the local soccer community out in numbers to stars in the Women’s World Cup for the club to make the girls side as competitive support our newest addition to the EMFC U.S., Brazil, Canada, , and England. as the boys side. In 2012, EMFC will add a soccer program. In addition, it will allow While it certainly isn’t convenient to Women’s Premier League team to our all EMFC players to watch high level soc- watch these matches live, at least one program. This team will compete in the cer in the summer months. game is broadcast on Fox Soccer Network Women Premier Soccer League together If you are interested in supporting this every week, and they are often streamed with teams from Portland, Spokane, Bend, new part of the EMFC program please live over the internet. The second na- Seattle, and Vancouver, B.C. The season is contact Director of Coaching, Jurgen Ruck- tional league, the Women’s Premier Soc- from May 1 to August 1 in 2012. The team aberle. We are looking for help and sup- cer League (WPSL) is home to many cur- will be coached by Director of Coaching, port in marketing, promoting, and spon- rent and former female college players, Jurgen Ruckaberle and EMFC staff soring this team for 2012. and we have three teams in Oregon! The coaches. Portland Rain U23, Portland Rain, and The Women’s Premier Soccer League Oregon Rush. Hopefully, we’ll have a is an independent national soccer league team in Eugene sometime soon! whose main focus is on the development Finally, for younger players, even get- of highly competitive women’s soccer ting to a High School match is a good ex- teams. The WPSL also makes every effort perience. Seeing older siblings, friends, or to bring quality soccer to all levels of the other local athletes playing against community and to promote the stature of schools from across Oregon can help de- female athletes as role models for our velop aspirations and inspire the younger youth. The league fielded over 60 teams player. These games are frequent during nationally and plays in 10 divisions. Typi- the fall season, inexpensive, and fun to cally players come from older club teams, watch. high school teams, college teams, and even have post collegiate players on their In conclusion, don’t let the excite- rosters. Many college programs encourage ment, support, and engagement in soccer their players to compete in the WPSL to die until the next big international tourna- improve and maintain their skill and fit- ment. Keep the EMFC players in your fam- ness levels. If you want to read more on ily engaged in the sport beyond OPL and the WPSL please read more details at ODP. Check out teams online, go to some http://www.wpsl.info/ games, and help the youth identify players that they look up to, whether it is for their EMFC will run a tryout for this team in position on the field, hometown, jersey April 2012. We will encourage college number, hairstyle, or off-field interest. level players from Lane Community Col- Your son or daughter will benefit on and lege, University of Oregon, Northwest off the field, and who knows…he or she Christian University as well as college pro- may be the next role model playing for the grams from the area (OSU, Willamette Ducks, the Timbers, or the U.S. National University, Corban University, etc.). In Team with kids asking for their autograph addition, we will encourage our own older after the game. players to try out for this team. We hope to form a competitive roster of at least 30 Caitlin O'Donnell is currently coaching the girls U10 Academy and the club's first players to be able to maintain a quality session of Mini Metros. Off the field she is training environment and be able to send an attorney at Thorp, Purdy, Jewett, a competitive roster to the 10-16 games Urness, and Wilkinson. over the summer.