MAD RIVER UNITED SPRING 6V6 2010

Spring 6v6 Soccer is back again at Mad River United! Last spring marked the first time competitive players were given an opportunity to develop their skills without have to spend more time on the road. The success of this program was crystal clear as player development directly translated into successful summer/fall teams this year.

The 6v6 format was chosen because it will provide the perfect training ground for developing a quality touch and confidence with the ball. Often coaches are forced to spend the majority of their training sessions on the tactics of the 11v11 game. This takes time away from coaching the techniques and skills that are so very critical to youth development. To aid coaches and allow them to stress technique during the 6v6 season all of the rosters are drastically smaller. The amount of one on one coaching that can take place when rosters are made up of only 9-10 players, as compared to 16, is obvious.

The best part of last spring’s 6v6 soccer season is that players had fun! With only 12 players on the field every player got the opportunity to dribble, pass, and of course shoot and score goals! Spring 6v6 2009 was a complete success and I am sure that Spring 6v6 2010 will be even better!

Tryouts for Spring 6v6 2010 will take place on January 9, 2010 at Bloomfield Elementary School in Arcata. Anyone can tryout to be on a Spring 6v6 team and the goal is to make as many competitive teams as possible. Last year we formed 3 U10B’s teams, 2 U10G’s teams, 3 U12B’s teams, 2 U12G’s teams, and 2 U14G’s teams. One of the most exciting benefits of Spring 6v6 is that it provided a great transition for rec. players who were interested in playing competitive soccer. For some players 6v6 was their first exposure to professional coaching and their skills developed at an amazing pace.

Spring 6v6 2010 Costs
Registration Fee: $75 for current Mad River players. $85 for new players.
U12-U14: $40 per month. Total cost $175 for current players, $185 for new players.
U10: $20 per month. Total cost $125 for current players, $135 for new players.

The price is different for the spring, as compared to the fall, because of the smaller rosters. With fewer players the costs for referees, fields, coaches, port-a-potties, equipment, jerseys, etc. are spread out among less players, so unfortunately this means the cost for each player must be increased. Also this spring players will receive jerseys that they can keep! However, because of the smaller roster size and the training benefits associated with having fewer players, your child will experience the best season of their life!

The season will run from March 1st-May 16th. The registration fee is due at tryouts and each monthly fee is due at the beginning of the month. Families also have the option of pay for the entire season upfront.

For any questions, or for more information about Spring 6v6 2010, please check out our website www.MRYSC.com or get in touch with me personally. I am very excited about this coming spring and I look forward to you joining in on the excitment!

Sean Connors
Mad River United
Director of Coaching
716.479.3068


Tryouts For Spring 6v6 2010

When?
January 9th, 2010

Where?
Bloomfield Elementary School (Arcata, CA)

What Age Groups?
U10-U14 boys and girls.
(Your age group is the same as what you played during the fall season.)

What Time?

U10 8:00-10:00am

U12 10:15-12:15pm

U14 12:30-2:30pm

*Boys and girls will tryout at the same time, BUT they will not be in the same groups. Boys will tryout against boys and girls against girls. Evaluators will be made up of MRU staff coaches as well as assistants.

What to Bring?
• Registration Form #1601 (Fill this out ahead of time to speed along the process)
• Copy of Birth Certificate
• 1x1 inch photo
• $75 or ($85) Registration Fee (Checks made out to MRYSL. Registration fee will
be returned if player is not selected for a team.)



Arrive around 30 minuets prior to your actual tryout time. This will allow the player to get checked in, finalize paperwork, begin to stretch, and mentally prepare for the tryout.

Players are expected to work hard, listen to the coaching staff, and do their best!



MAD RIVER UNITED SPRING 6 V 6 TRYOUTS
Ages: U10 through U14 boys and girls
When: Saturday, January 9, 2010
Where: Bloomfield School, Arcata
Times: See tryouts page at www.mrysl.com
Cost: Registration is $75 for current (2009/2010) players
Plus $40/month coach & program fees
Season Length: March 1- May 16
Questions? MadRiverUnited_SPC@yahoo.com , 822-3333,
or www.mrysl.com

MRU Winter Academy Starts Today!

MRU Winter Academy starts today at Bloomfield Elementary School in Arcata. If you haven't sent in your registration form, and still want to be a part of the academy, just drop by today with your registration materials.

This is a great chance to train all winter long and have a lot of fun!

See you out there.

First Annual End of Year Banquet is a Success!

Last Saturday was the First Annual End of the Year Banquet and Fundraiser and it was an absolute success! With around 80 parents, players, coaches, and supporters in attendence it was great to celebrate with everyone who played an important role in the success of our organization during the past year.

Thanks for coming and next year let's work to turn it into an even bigger event!

End of Year Banquet and Fundraiser!

Come and celebrate the end of a great soccer season in style with MRYSL at the First Annual End of Season Banquet and Fundraiser!
You are invited to join your team at the D Street Neighborhood Center Arcata (NEW LOCATION!) on November 21st at 6:30pm for an End of Season Banquet and Fundraiser!

*Have your end of season party here!*

*Coach of the year recipients will be announced!*

*Teams will be honored!*

*Video and picture slideshow!*

*Basket Raffle!*

*Space is limited so reserve your seats fast!*

For further details visit www.MRYSC.com to download the flyer and follow the instructions on how to reserve your tickets! See you at the party!

MRYSL Hosting CYSA E License Coaching Course

MRYSL will be hosting a CYSA E License Coaching Course the weekend of August 14th in Arcata CA at Bloomfield Elementary School.

Everyone is welcome to attend regardless of affiliation, or lack there of, with MRYSL.

The E License is an 18 hour course consisting of a Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday. (Friday 6:00-9:00pm, Saturday 9:00-6:00, Sunday 9:00-2:00pm)

The cost is $40 for MRYSL coaches and $50 for coaches from other organizations.

Important reminder: It is mandatory that participants in the E course have the F certificate as a prerequisite.

Space is limited so you must sign up prior to the first class and payment is required in order to guarantee a spot in the class.

Checks can be made out to MRYSL and for more information please contact Sean Connors either by phone or email.

Sean Connors

connsean9@yahoo.com

716-479-3068

For more information visit the CYSA District 5 coaching course website:

http://www.cysadistrictv.com/coaching.htm

MRYSL Dynamic Stretch Presentation

To view video in full screen click on the second button from the right on the bottom of the movie.

MRYSL Spring 6v6 Soccer League

Check out the video above for highlights from the 6v6 League this past spring!

Competitive Volunteer Program

It is well established that MRYSL needs more volunteer and financial resources to run sustainably.  Additionally, it has been shown that our competitive Program typically uses more financial and energetic resources than our Recreation Program.  Beginning in the 2009 Fall season families will have the option of paying a $100 volunteer opt-out fee, or volunteering at least 10 hours to the league.  This program is modeled after many other programs that have used it successfully for years

The intention of this program is to gain financial and volunteer resources to continue to run our league well and improve our programs.  This program is NOT intended to discourage any family from participating in the Competitive Program!  A hardship waiver will be available for any family which is unable to pay or donate time to the program.  

So what does this all mean?

Families that have players in the completive program (ie. playing for a D3 Mad River United team) will have a $100 fee due at the end of August.  Families that complete their 10 hours of volunteer work before the August deadline would not owe any money.  Families that complete their 10 hours after the August deadline (and after they have already paid the $100 fee) will be issued a refund once the time is completed.  Families that do not wish to volunteer at all will have their fees used to take care of all of the jobs within Mad River United.  

Possible volunteer positions and duties include but are not limed too:

• Assigning fields or refs for the competitive or recreational teams
• Managing a team
• Being a team treasurer
• Being a coach
• Being the D3 or D1 league contact for the season
• Being on the Board of Directors or an active member of a committee
• Managing a fundraiser
• Writing a grant
• Working on the website
• Managing fields
• The list can go on and on

We can use all of the extra help we can get so please contact MRYSL for more information on how you can get involved!

Mad River United u19 Boys Win Gold!

For a complete write up on the u19 boys success from The Times-Standard click here.

Congratulations to all of the players and their coach, Jason Ewing!

U11 Boys bring home hardware from Rogue Valley Cup

Medford, Oregon - May 2009

The Mad River United U11 boys traveled to Medford over the Memorial Day weekend to prove that Humboldt soccer is as good as any played in Southern Oregon or Northern Nevada.  They did not disappoint.  The squad assembled for the first time as a unit on Saturday morning and got to know each other during a convincing 5-2 win.  After another 4 tough, but evenly matched games, the boys were awarded a bronze medal. 

The team enjoyed themselves on and off the field and exhibited exceptional maturity in the face of many “interesting” calls (5 of the 10 goals scored on the team during the tournament were from penalty kicks!).  And, as is typical for this group of boys, they worked together well as a unit while each performing individual heroics.

Due to the 85-degree heat and huge field, this 14-man squad also adapted to a new formation for them – a 4,4,2 – which was anchored by a super keeper and a virtually impenetrable defense.  As a result of exceptional play-making and team-work, the 14 Mad River goals and many assists were spread amongst most of the squad’s gifted midfielders and forwards.

Your Mad River team (from left to right)

Back: Aiden Carter, Sam Spinosa, Wyatt Tucker, Nick Black, Matthew Mayer, Collin Townsend, Rio Crossen

Front: Skyler Trout, Canyon Robins, Kacey Ford, Addison Prentiss (Keeper), Jake Verhaegh, Jon Espinosa, Cole Urbany

Coaches: Duncan Robins, Heath Ford

Manager: Darcy Robins (taking photo…thanks Darcy!)

Mad River United Finds Success at Rogue Valley Cup!

This past weekend Mad River United had 5 teams entered in the Rogue Valley Cup in Medford Oregon.  The teams included Boys U10, U11, U14, U19, and Girls U14.

All of the players enjoyed the beautiful weather and great field conditions.

The Boys U10 and U11 team both took the bronze for their respective age groups!

Boys U14 ended up with a record of 3-1-1 and taking 4th place out of nine teams!

Most impressive the result for Mad River United was the Boys U19 team which secured the championship with a 2-0 win in the final!  The defense was solid throughout the entire tournament only giving up three goals in all five games.

Everyone at Mad River United is proud of the all of the teams that ventured north to compete this past weekend, and could not be more excited about how well the all represented the Mad River colors! 

U10 Boys Take the Bronze at Rogue Valley Cup!

The MRYSL U10 Boys Tsunami- Arsenal went 2-1-1 to take 3rd place of six teams at the Rogue Valley Cup this past weekend in Medford Oregon. 

They shut out one of the top two teams in a 3-0 victory on Sunday.  Coach John (JD) Davidson did a terrific job at keeping the boys emotional engines on positive notes, and he coached a terrifically effective active transition game where all field players went full gas when the ball changed hands. He taught them to go hard and to not be afraid of making mistakes.

With a minimum of tactical directives, the boys were allowed full creativity and had success by playing hard, playing smart, and having fun!  With half of the squad being made up with younger players the future looks bright for the U10's!

Article and photo by Anthony Kahn

Mad River United Summer/Fall 2009 Teams

This coming Summer/Fall 2009 season Mad River United will field a total of 8 teams.

Boys Teams

• U-10 Boys Mad River United Black (Coached by Pete Shepard & Dave Narum)
• U-10 Boys Mad River United White (Coached by John Davidson & Dan Birdsall)
• U-10 Boys Mad River United Red (Coached by Tim Olson)

• U-12 Boys Mad River United Red (Coached by Heath Ford & Jason Tower)
• U-12 Boys Mad River United Black (Coached by Duncan Robins)

• U-14 Boys Mad River United (Coached by Matt Durham)

Girls Teams

• U-10 Girls Mad River United (Coached by Dan Johnson)

• U-12 Girls Mad River United (Coached by Kelsey Gomula)

Mad River United players will also be taking part in the newly created Humboldt United county-wide D1 program.  

Humboldt United

Humboldt United?  What's that?

Over the past few months there has been many questions regarding Humboldt United.  Essentially the most common question is, What exactly is Humboldt United?

Humboldt United is a soccer club that will field only Division 1 caliber teams.  (Division 1, or D1, is the highest level a club team can play.  This means they enter the most competitive tournaments and play the most competitive league schedule.)

The reason for Humboldt United to be created is so ALL top players in Humboldt County who have the skill and desire to play D1 club soccer have that opportunity.

In the past Mad River United was the only club in the area competing as the D1 level.  Some years the results were good, and others were more disappointing.  The fact is that some of the best players in the county were simply not playing for Mad River United because they had spent their whole lives playing in the HYSL system.

Both HYSL and MRYSL felt that in order to field the best possible D1 teams they must work together.  From this goal Humboldt United was formed.  Not to replace either organization, but to act as a place for both organizations to send their best and most dedicated talent.

It is with this commitment from HYSL and MRYSL that Humboldt United exists and will have the most success on the field.

Currently Humboldt United is being housed under the umbrella of MRYSL simply because of the infrastructure that is already in place from running a Division 1 program in the past.  In the future Humboldt United will act as its own entity with impute coming from both MRYSL and HYSL.  

By having the two largest and most successful soccer organization standing behind, and believing in Humboldt United, I am confident that this new D1 club will have tremendous success when facing other top clubs from all over the country.

For the 2009 Summer/Fall season Humboldt United will field three inaugural teams.  

• U-17 Girls (Coached by Andy Cumbo)
• U-14 Girls (Coached by Sean Connors)
• U-13 Boys (Coached by Sean Connors)

New Coach at Humboldt United --- Andy Cumbo!

Humboldt United is extremely excited to announce the hiring of a new staff coach:  Andy Cumbo.

Almost everyone in the area knows about Coach Cumbo and the fact that he is the current soccer coach at Humboldt State University for both the men's and women's programs.  Certanly both of these accomplishments, and the continued success of each team speaks loudly to the type of coaching Cumbo will bring to Humboldt United 

It is amazing that somewhere in that busy schedule Cumbo was willing to coach one of the inaugural Humboldt United teams: u17 Girls.  This team is extremely special and unique for a few reasons.  

First, as stated before, this is one of three inaugural teams to played under the new Humboldt United County-Wide D1 Soccer Club.

Secondly, this team has an extremely diverse player base.  Players range from Fortuna to Trinidad and everywhere in between.

Adding Coach Cumbo to the coaching staff will expose these players to an opportunity that they have never been able to in the past, training and learning from one of the best coaches in the area and West Coast.

  

Teams and Team Formation

Teams will be formed based on the Exley Evaluation System and the recommendations from the Director of Coaching to the Competitive Committee.  The Exley Evaluation system is effective in determining which soccer level each player should be playing at (D4, D3, and D1) and how each player compares to one another.

After using the Exley Evaluation it provides coaches a non-subjective score in which to select players for the team they are assigned.  

The situation becomes more complex when more players qualify for either D3 or D1 soccer, than the roster will allow. 

Example:  23 players qualify for D3 soccer.  Clearly this is not enough to form two teams so the question is: 

How is the final roster selected?

In these particular circumstances the coach that was hired to coach this group of players will hold a Final Team Formation Tryout.  Relating back to the example above, the hired coach will have all 23 players to the Final Team Formation Tryout and select a team based off of the Exley System Scores and their own observations.  The Director of Coaching will be present to aid in the selection of teams.  The Final Team Formation Tryout does not consist of the same drills that are used during the Exley System; rather each individual coach is given the freedom to choose the drills that they believe will aid them in picking a proper squad.      

In the case that there is enough players to form two D3 teams at one age level a fair and equal draft will be used to create the two teams.  

Essentially the Exley Evaluation System is a way for Mad River United to determine how many players are interested in playing soccer, what skills level they are, and what level different teams should be playing at.  After determining this information the DOC and CC can select coaches for particular teams and move forward with Final Team Formation Tryouts if necessary.

Mad River United/Humboldt United Evaluations a Success!

As many of you know the scores for the D1 and D3 Evaluations are now posted on www.MRYSL.com.

In the very near future all players/parents will be contacted to be informed what teams were formed, if the player was selected for a respective team, or unfortunately if D4 is the best option for the player involved.

Certain age groups may have an additional day of tryouts with the specific coach assigned for the respective age group and gender.  

This occurs when there is a large number of players that qualify for a team, but there was not enough players to form two teams.  (For example 25 players qualify for a D3 team.  Clearly this is not enough to form two teams, and thus 25 players must be narrowed down to 15 or 16.  In order to pick the best team possible the coach will then hold a team formation tryout with all 25 players and then pick the squad of 15 or 16.) 

Once all teams and coaches are finalized they will be also announced on the website.

It was great to see such a large turnout across the board and in the future I hope to see the number of high quality players grow in the future!    

Youth Development within Mad River United and Humboldt County

One of the major concerns from parents in regards to youth soccer in the area is the lack of residents living within Humboldt County. Tying into this issue is the fact that there is also a lack of competition for teams, again because of the minimal population.

When comparing the number of youth players interested in soccer in Humboldt and Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa clearly wins. When making the same comparison to Humboldt and a Southern California city such as San Diego, San Diego would win by millions. With this being said the same conclusions should not be made when comparing the “soccer skill” in the two areas because skills are not dependent on population. Clearly having a larger population in which to draw players from can make it easier to find talent, but having a smaller population does not put a limit on how talented our players can become.

By taking a look at the current FIFA World Rankings and the corresponding population figures for each country it shows even more clearly that population does not directly result in superior soccer players.

FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings March 2009

Rank -- Country -- Population
1   --  Spain  --  46,157,822
2  --  Germany  --  82,060,000
3  --  Netherlands  --  16,492,230
4  --  Italy  --  59,905,225

100 --  PR China  --  1,321,851,888

The Peoples Republic of China amounts for nearly 1/5 of the entire worlds population, and yet it is currently ranked 100th in the world soccer rankings.

If population does not determine success on the world stage than why is population considered a detriment to youth soccer in Humboldt?

Rather than considering the location and population of Humboldt County as a disadvantage to youth soccer, it must be thought of as an advantage.

Since Mad River does not have a large population in which to find pre-developed players the focus must be on youth development. When a player joins Mad River it is the responsibility of the organization to provide an experience that is both enjoyable and beneficial to each player. By retaining players year after year it will allow the coaching staff to truly teach all of the techniques and tactical skills that are necessary in a successful player.

All over the world the key to success in professional soccer is youth development. Professional clubs spend millions of dollars signing teenagers in hopes that in five to ten years they will be playing for their senior squad. Millions are spent on coaches and training facilities so that when the time comes for their youth players to be called up to the starting 11 they are prepared to handle the technical and tactical aspect of the professional game. The same must be said about the development goals of Mad River United. At each age level players must be prepared to handle the technical and tactical aspects as they advance through each level within the club.

By training under the Mad River umbrella each player can expect a coaching staff that will provide him or her with the necessary tools to move onto the next level. The creation of The Mad River Method, a club wide curriculum, guarantees that the entire coaching staff is on the same page and working toward the same goals in regards to the development of youth players.

For example, The Mad River Method sets the technical and tactical requirements that are requirements to be taught at the u10 age level. At each next successive age level there is another set of technical and tactical skills that build off of what is taught at the younger age levels. Having a strategic and club-wide plan to develop youth players is the only way to effectively succeed both for the individual and the club.

In other parts of the country players move from team to team and from club to club, spending their youth soccer career without any continuity. In Humboldt County the opportunity to change teams and clubs is severely limited. With this being the case it is the responsibility of Mad River to create the best environment possible for our players so they do not feel the need to go elsewhere for training. This means hiring the best coaches, training players with the best possible methods, and working as a club to develop the best players under the guidance of The Mad River Method.

It is clear that with the creation of Humboldt United that the idea of putting youth players in the best possible environment is a vision shared by HYSL. Having the two major soccer organizations in Humboldt County, MRYSL and HSYL, on the same page, and working together to form high-level D1 teams, proves that the best is yet to come for youth soccer in the area.

County Wide D1 Update (Humboldt United) & Evaluation Information

Humboldt United is a joint venture of Mad River Youth Soccer League and Humboldt Youth Soccer League created in order to provide Humboldt County’s elite youth soccer players with the best possible development.

Humboldt United will offer players the opportunity to excel with excellent coaches, a top-level curriculum, and the chance to compete in elite leagues and tournaments.

Local 6v6 Spring Soccer League

It is an exciting time around Humboldt County with the debut of the first ever Local 6v6 Spring Soccer League!

The season will begin April 5th and include teams from Mad River Soccer Club, Eel River Youth Soccer Club, and Eureka Youth Soccer Club.

The advantages of 6v6 soccer are endless and will benefit all players involved. With a smaller field size, and fewer players on the pitch, it will allow players more touches and time on the ball. Also with smaller roster sizes players will be able to work with their coaches in a much more private setting than in a typical spring season. With this in mind all coaches have been instructed to focus on the technical skills of the game rather than being restricted by the tactical necessities of an 11v11 season.

Technical ability is extremely important and will be the key to our player’s future success. These skills will translate to a full size, 11v11 field seamlessly, and the improvement will be undeniable in all Mad River players involved this coming fall.

For additional information on the 6v6 Spring League check out www.MRYSLcom or contact the MRYSL office.

New Addition to Mad River United Coaching Staff

This spring there will be a new face on the sidelines coaching the u12 girls. Kelsey Gomula is a former standout defender for the Humboldt State University and finished her playing career this past fall.

Coach Gomula played at HSU from 2004-2009, a career that included a sophomore medical red-shirt season, after starting all 20 games as a freshman and being named to the All Great Northwest Conference Team.

After recovering from a knee injury Coach Gomula went on to earn All California Collegiate Athletic Association Honors and lead the Jacks as captain her junior and senior seasons. Coach Gomula finished her career starting an amazing 80 out of 81 games played.

Coach Gomula not only has an impressive resume as a player but also is well acomplished as a coach. For the past 5 years Coach Gomula has spent her summers working at the Northwest Soccer Camp in Seattle Washington surrounded by some of the best coaches in the country and the world. 

MRYSL Director of Coaching, Sean Connors, had the following thoughts about Coach Gomula:  

“Kelsey Gomula is a fantastic addition to our coaching staff. Not only is she knowledgeable about the game of soccer, but she has the passion and desire to pass her knowledge onto youth players. Coach Gomula is a role model for our female players and they will be better players because of her coaching abilities."

New Mad River Director of Coaching

MRYSL is excited to announce the hiring of Sean Connors as the Director of Coaching for the competitive soccer program.  Coach Connors will be instrumental in the development of the coaching staff, forming teams, developing an academy curriculum, and implementing competitive programs and ideas.

“The development of a club-wide curriculum, The Mad River Method, was one of my immediate priorities when I took the position. This will keep every coach on the same page and develop continuity within the club. The Mad River Method will benefit players as they develop because each coach will be able to build on the skills taught in the previous year. By focusing on technical and tactical skills all Mad River players will be equipped to play at any level.”

Connors has spent the past two years as an assistant coach for St. John Fisher College in Rochester NY and only this past fall relocated to Humboldt County.

Having a well-trained coach lead the competitive soccer program will lead to great development among both the players and coaches. By bring new ideas and excitement to the club, having Coach Connors as our Director of Coaching is a step forward and will lead to only greater successes in the future!