Response to an earlier email

I would like to formally address an the email that was sent out earlier because I fear it was misconstrued by some and some feelings may have been hurt as a result. After reading it again I want to first say to Lexi & Emmy; we know you are amazing players and captains and you know we all love and respect you guys and I'm sorry if Taylors email seemed harsh.
What prompted me to ask Taylor to send an email out was I was told (two separate sources) that at yesterdays practice the girls looked unfocused and not in the right frame of mind of a team heading into a very important part of the season, namely State Cup. It was sent to get the team fired up and refocused on the task at hand and to stress the importance of pushing each other and having strong leadership.
In no way was it meant to "throw anyone under the bus" or "call out anyone". The reference to Bailey and Bethany, I believe, was to give a foundation to what was being said and stress that strong leadership is important to help take the team to the next level.

I will personally apologize to the team since I did read it prior to the 'Send' button being pushed and should have used better judgement and tempered it back. I will take full responsibility.

Sorry guys.

GO SODIUM!!



    

What it takes to be a C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N

The following is a excerpt taken from Sasho Cirovski, Maryland Men's Head Soccer Coach.

So you want to be a Champion?



There has never been a better time to be a youngster aspiring to have a career in soccer in the USA.

So then, what does it take to make it! Well, there is no easy answer to that question. However there are some basic truths.

First and foremost, you must be blessed with a certain level of physical ability. Improving your fitness, speed, strength, flexibility, agility, balance, vertical, etc., can all be improved incrementally but unless you have a minimum capacity to perform at your aspired level and the mindset to work hard, then you will struggle. 

Second and most importantly, you must fall in love! That's right ... fall in love with the ball, fall in love with yourself (don't confuse this with arrogance or selfishness), fall in love with your team, and finally, fall in love with this beautiful game. Now, what exactly do I mean by that?
Well, I've had the privilege of coaching some of the best young players our country has produced over the past 10 years. I've also had a chance to observe and follow the careers of many of the best soccer players all over the world. For sure, I've read biographies and autobiographies of many of the great athletes as they achieved their greatness. In all of these success stories, there are many similarities. The best way for me to summarize what they did to succeed and what you can do to give yourself a better chance of succeeding is to live like a champion.

Below is the C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N acronym that I've developed for athletes who care enough and are prepared to work to achieve greatness.

Commitment: Decide if being a great player is important to you. If the answer is yes, don't wait for an environment to be created for you. Don't wait for a coach to make you great. If you are not going out on your own and working on your individual techniques daily -- for at least an hour a day (especially on those days when you are not playing or practicing with a team) -- then you don't have the heart to be a champion!
Remember, soccer is a very easy game to play, but it's an extremely difficult one to play well! In that sense it's a little bit like golf. Do you think Tiger Woods spends at least an hour a day on his technique? I can tell you that Marco Etcheverry does!
Humility: It's what you learn after you "know it all" that really counts.
The great ones all possess this quality that inspires them to get better because they all have the greatest amount of respect for the challenges issued to them daily by the opponents and the special demands of the sport. They are courteous and gracious both in victory and defeat.
Attitude: Remember, you are in charge of your attitude. It is the most important attribute that we have directly in our control. Therefore it's vitally important that you choose to have a positive, optimistic outlook at all times.
Many great athletes never even give themselves a chance to succeed because their attitude is negative, or they spend so much time and energy worrying about things they can't control.
One of my favorite quotes is "whether you think you can or you can't, you're probably right." So every night before you go to bed, look in the mirror and ask yourself how your attitude was today. If it was not positive and inspiring then change it! It's that simple. Make playing a labor of love!
Model the Way: Yes, that's right, you are a role model and you must understand and accept the responsibility that goes along with the goals you've set for yourself of becoming a big-timer.
Once you understand its significance, it can be an internally inspiring force that gets you going on those days you think nobody cares. The great ones understand that it's what you do when you think nobody is watching that's really important. Because invariably there is someone always watching! Accept the challenge.
Pride: Every time you practice or play, you always autograph the quality of your effort with the name on the back of your shirt... your family name.
Also, when you play a game, you represent your team with the name on the front of the shirt. It's absurd for me to think that to give less than 100 percent effort at all times is not possible. "If it is to be, it's up to me" is another one of my favorite quotes.(Remember U12?)
Initiative: Be a leader. Come up with ideas to make yourself a better athlete, a better person and a better player. Go out and buy 10 balls and a ball bag, so you have no excuse not to train. Go to a top college or pro game and actually study the player from whom you can learn something.
Read a soccer book. Watch a soccer video. Continue to log on to websites. You get the idea. Some people dream big and others wake up and realize their dreams. So get going, now!
Overcome: Invariably, it will not be an easy road to your ultimate success. You will face obstacle after obstacle. Your persistence and ability to overcome adversity, frustration and disappointment, and all other obstacles that come your way will determine the heights you reach.
Many times, the actual exhilaration we feel when we accomplish something.
Worthy is directly proportional to the number of obstacles we had to overcome along the way. Make all obstacles your challenges (speed bumps), and go out and conquer them!
Never say never: Never stop believing in yourself (and your team!). Sometimes, we have to change our destinations or the roads we take to get us there, but don't ever quit. Promise yourself that you will always work hard and always persevere to the very end! Quitters never win and winners never quit! Never give up, Never back down, Never lose faith.

And let's not forget vision. Envision yourself playing your best, giving it all you have. Envision it every time you step on the field. Live it and it will become reality.

I'll never forget the first time that the Houston Rockets won the NBA Championship and a reporter asking Hakeem Olajuwon, "how does it finally feel to be Champion?"
After a few seconds of pause, Hakeem looked at the reporter and said, "It feels great to have won, but I don't need a trophy to tell me that I am now a champion. I feel like every day I am a champion by the way I train, play and live my life."

I thought it was perhaps the best response I have ever heard by an athlete and in part has inspired me to put in perspective what athletics is all about.

I hope this will inspire you to take a more active role in your own future.


This sums it up pretty well Sodium. Are you a CHAMPION? 


NEVER give up, NEVER back down, NEVER lose faith...

If these goals don't get you fired up, nothing will.

Back to work

Welcome back Oregon players from Spring Break! Bon Voyage to the Washington players as Spring break is this week!

Last weekend Sodium hosted a couple games against the Le Bois squad from Idaho. With the help of guest players from Sapphire and Mercury the Sodium team posted a 1-1 tie and an impressive 4-1 win.

A nice Welcome Back for KJ who lead all scorers with 2 goals followed by Mac (1), Easton(1) and Lexi (1).

State Cup Bracket

Saturday 4/3/10

LOSC vs SSC Hotspur @ Lakeridge HS (10:30AM)
    Prediction: LOSC 2, Hotspur 0

Magic vs WSM Venom @ Eugene (10:30PM)
    Prediction: Magic 3, WSM 0

OR Rush vs OC Pioneers @ Eagle Crest (2PM)
    Prediction: Rush 1, OC 0

Notes from the sidelines
LOSC should handle SSC pretty easily. Extreme's offense is just too powerful.
WSM will not be able to score on Sahalie and Magic will keep it's run alive.
OC Pioneers are being touted as the dirtiest team in this years cup. Rush should have no problems but it's the injury factor we should be watching out for. Good ref's should keep them in check.

GO SODIUM!!

The 2010 State Cup Brackets are Posted!

See the NEW FEATURE to the right; it's called PAGES and will feature separate pages for the blog so the front doesn't get so cluttered.

Click the link for the 2010 State Cup Bracket page. I will update every week so everyone can follow the fun!

GO SODIUM!!

Look what I found....!

Did you guys ever realize that Sodium has its OWN message board? I set it up last year and there is actually a link to the right. I went there today and found a great post from a couple of former Sodium team mates;  

[February 17, 2010]
Bethany and Bailey checking in... We hope to reunite in New Mexico... Work hard Girls... Never give up, never back down, never lose faith... -) The 2010 State Champs will be crowned.. Sodium are you ready???


Pretty inspirational. Pretty cool. 


Are you UP for this challenge Sodium? Do you believe........we do. Your loyal parents, fans and coaches believe. The time is now to fan the flames lady warriors. The time is now to remember the lessons, the sweat, blood and tears of the games leading up to this point. To funnel the energy of the sacrifices made and the battles fought into a final series of games. The passion and desire burns hot in Sodium. We have something to prove after last year. The 2010 State Cup can be our State Cup. Sodium's State Cup. 

Keep the focus and keep the faith. As B&B said; "NEVER give up, NEVER back down, NEVER lose faith.


Team on 3...


GO SODIUM!!

Fun in California!

After the victory against Arizona, Sodium paused to catch their breath under the palms.

GO SODIUM!!

Premier Gold Bracket Final

Here is what went on in bracket play when Sodium was down in Cali;

Saturday 3/13/10

Hotspur 1 vs FC Portland 2
ESUFC Arsenal 0 vs USA Hotshots 0
Sherwood Force 0 vs LOSC 3
OR Rush 3 vs EMFC Magic 0

Sunday 3/14/10

Sherwood Force 0 vs FC Portland 4
LOSC 1 vs Hotspur 0
EMFC Magic 2 vs USA Hotshots 1

How the bracket ended up;

Team	Points	W-L-T	Diff	Goals:	For	Againt
#1 LOSC Extreme	34	10-2-4	12		22	10
#2 THUSC Sodium	29	7-1-8	12		16	4
#3 OR Rush 95G Nike	28	7-2-7	12		19	7
#4 EMFC Magic	25	7-5-4	8		22	14
#5 ESUFC 95G Arsenal	20	5-6-5	0		13	13
#6 FC Portland A - 95G Platinum	17	4-7-5	-8		15	23
#7 United SA Hotshots	16	3-7-6	-4		11	15
#8 SSC Hotspur	12	2-8-6	-7		12	19
#9 Sherwood Force	10	2-10-4	-25		7	32

I will post the State Cup Bracket as soon as it is published.

GO SODIUM!!

Sodium posts a win against AZ.

Sodium hangs on against Scottsdale Blackhawks to take home a win and end the Irvine Spring Classic with 1 win, 2 ties and a loss.

Now a nice relaxing plane ride home and some rest. Nice job ladies.

A special thanks to guest players;

Natalie Higgins, Bailey Hall and Bethany Hall from West Coast FC for playing for Sodium this weekend. Hope we get a chance to play again the future! Thanks.

GO SODIUM!!

vs Scottsdale Blackhawks 2

Lexi Frey deep in the AZ box gets mugged resulting in a PK. Jadyn McMillan slams it in for a 2-1 Sodium lead!

Stay tuned.

vs Scottsdale Blackhawks

Sodium came out hot and took an early 1-0 lead on Natalie Higgins (guest player) goal. Blackhawks counter with one of their own to make it a 1-1 contest at half.

Go Sodium!

Sodium vs Carlsbad Lightening Red

Sodium has been shooting the lights out this morning sending 3 off the frame as the lady warriors head into half time with a 0-0 tie.

Knock 'em in girls!

Final: Sodium 0, Carlsbad 0

GO SODIUM!!

PVSC outlasts Sodium

The lady warriors brought their 'A' game for 68 of the 70 minutes but 10th nationally ranked PVSC proved just, and i mean barely, too tough in the end as they pulled out a 1-0 win.

All reports indicate the Sodium squad gave everything they had and should be nothing but proud of their efforts and walk proud.

Heads up Sodium, if you can play withese guys, you can walk through Oregon State Cup.

Have a fun night tonight and get ready to do it all again tomorrow!

GO SODIUM!!

Irvine Update

Second half underway PVSC out hard with a score to make it 1-0. Sodium playing there hearts out, all are bringing their 'A' game tonight baby!

Irvine Update

Sodium lead the entire game until, with 30 seconds left, Barcelona scored to tie it up 1-1.

Second game against 10th ranked PVSC tied at half 0-0!

GO SODIUM!

Cali Team Breakdown

Our crack team of investigators (aka Kristina Cook) has uncovered information about a few of the teams Sodium will meet this weekend;

Game #1 vs AMFC Barcelona - ranked #247 nationally (Sodium is around 200). They finished 3rd in WC league behind the Bailey & Bethany Hall's team and they were a finailist in the West Coast Classic tournament this year.

Game #2 vs Palos Verdes Soccer Club Exile - ranked #10 nationally (gulp) and has the most impressive tourney resume. They were 1st place in West Coast league play for 2009 (Hall's team was 2nd). They were Orange County Tournament of Champions finalist, Legends Cup champion, and Mustang Tournament finalist (just a few of events they entered)

Game #3 vs Carlsbad Lightning Red - ranked #217 nationally. They were champion of their own Carlsbad Cup, finalist in Labor Day Cup and they finished 3rd in Presidio Soccer league play. They appear to have been in the fewest tourneys.

We are working on the 4th team but there may have been a typo on the master schedule so hang loose until we can figure it out.

Lets make sure we strap it on, lace it up and are ready to play! Oh, and have fun too!

GO SODIUM!!

Sodium invades Irvine

The lady warriors will ascend on Irvine California this afternoon to take part in the Irvine Spring Classic tournament. Several Sodium players will be unavailable for the trip so we have extended the invitation to two former U12 Sodium players, Bailey and Bethany Hall, and their team mate, Natalie Higgins. All of whom currently play for West Coast FC.
A sincere THANK YOU goes out to these great players for helping out on one of the few weekends they have free.

The Schedule
Now, I know nothing about the teams Sodium is to face in Irvine other than their names;
3/13/10 vs AMFC Barcelona @ 11:45AM
3/13/10 vs PVSC Elite Black @ 3:30PM

3/14/10 vs Carlsbad lightening Red @ 9:15AM
3/14/10 vs Scottsdale Blackhawks @ 1:00PM

Consolation & Championships in afternoon.

I have all the chaperone's wired to send me updates & photos for me to post so keep checking back.

Have a great time, be safe and.....GO SODIUM!!

Notes from the sidelines

I wanted to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU to the loyal Sodium followers and readers of the blog. With your help we are just visitors away from reaching 20,000 visits. Frankly, I never dreamed it would happened. Of course if I would have talked more SMACK I suppose I could have gotten there sooner! :) LOL! But that's not really what were about these days. I wanted to take the blog and use it more as a venue to promote the team, what they are doing, experiencing and how they are developing. It has been a wild ride these past 3 years and it's only going to get wilder! I don't get as theatrical or lofty with my posts as I used to. I try to keep more to the facts and inject some humor here & there. If you want the theatrical stuff visit the U12 and U13 blogs, there you find the emotional roller coaster that was the Sodium blog. Too funny. Anyway, Thanks.

Now, on to more important things; The Team!

Since we are done with bracket play I would like to point out a few things I believe are important;

1) Sodium has secured no less than a second place finish in the Premier Gold bracket.
2) Sodium had only 1 loss, the fewest number of any other Gold team.
3) Sodium currently has the highest goal differential with 12. (This could change next weekend)
4) Sodium allowed only 4 goals in 16 games, the fewest goals of any Gold team. Nice job defense! Even with Lexi, Andrea & Taylor M missing a couple games due to illness, ODP & id2 or whatever, the other 2 Taylor's with a host of others was still able to hold down the fort and only allow 4 goals. Outstanding job!

Against the best;
Against LOSC Extreme, OR Rush & EMFC Magic Sodium had 0 goals allowed and 3 for. Had 2 victories and 4 ties. It certainly wasn't for lack of trying. I believe we certainly had superior time of possession and shots on goal, but you have to score to win.

So, as you can see, even though we probably won't be number one in the bracket, we played very well and had some great individual and team efforts.

GO SODIUM!!

Desire | Commitment | Team

The following post is re-posted from the U13 blog just before Sodiums State Cup quarterfinal game. I thought is was relevant to post before we embark on this years State Cup.

This will be the last post prior to the first Quarter Final game.
I want to take this opportunity to address what it means and what it takes to be, not only a Championship caliber, but any, team. These are the opinions of a former coach and athlete.

Desire The player wants to be there. Period. You will never develop an athlete who's parents pushed him/her into a sport. They have to love it and desire to be the best and contribute to the success of the team. This desire will push them to give 100% in practice and thus, perform at that same level during the game. You play like you practice. A player with this desire doesn't complain that the coach is pushing them too hard, that they had to run an extra lap or another flight of stairs. Players with this desire push themselves and their teammates because they know it is for their own good, It will make them faster, stronger, better.

Commitment To be an effective part of any team, all players need to be committed. Committed to the success of the team. If that means getting physical & rough at practice because that is the type of opponent you face, then so be it. There should never be a question. Your opponent will never back down from you, your teammates shouldn't either. Commitment means being to practice on time and working your behind off while you're there. Commitment means practicing good nutrition and getting plenty of sleep because if you don't, you run the risk of not playing to the level you need to be at and the team expects. It means doing whatever it takes. A player who is not willing to commit 100% to the team, should not be on the team.

Team [taken from July 1st, 2008 post titled: Team]

~ noun

1. a number of persons forming one of the sides in a game or contest: a soccer team.
2. a number of persons associated in some joint action: a team of players.
3. a number of persons joined together in unison to achieve a common goal: to win.
4. a number persons committed to their coach and each other, giving 100% to be the best they can, day after day, game after game: Sodium.

To be part of a team is a great achievement. To be part of a championship team is an outstanding accomplishment. What that means is that you have fought together, sacrificed together and won together. You have developed a bond that few realize and even fewer recognize. These are your sisters. You are solders doing battle on a field of green. When you step onto the field this weekend look into your teammates eyes and see the look of a warrior. A Lady Warrior. Sodium.

Your fans will be screaming our heads off; GO SODIUM!

So as you head towards California keep in mind the task ahead of you when you return. Remember you are there in preparation for Oregon State Cup. Work hard to improve. Watch and learn from the California players.

Most importantly though....have fun! :) Best of luck and we'll see your smiling faces when you return.

Weekend Recap

This weekend Sodium brought to close the U14 Premier Gold Bracket play with a pair of victories.
Saturday Sodium faced the always tough USA Hotshots. Play was physical as always between these two teams as the score was deadlocked at 0-0 as the first half concluded. In the latter moments on the second half on what was really a routine play, Jadyn McMillan launched a throw in to Aliyah Chance on the left side. Aliyah turned, one touched and lofted a perfect shot in the upper right corner of the net! The stunned crowd erupted! It was a great shot that no one really expect! (except Aliyah that is!) The game ended shortly there after giving Sodium a 1-0 victory.
Sundays game pitted Sodium against SSC Hotspur, the team that knocked them out of the 2008 State Cup. A fact they have a hard time forgetting.
Sodium came out fast & furious as Tom had the team press up and apply pressure right from the opening whistle. As the midpoint of the first half approached Sodium again was pressuring the SSC box. A midfield pass was deflected perfectly by Mac Kearney to Lexi Frey who was streaking down the left side. Two touches drew the keeper out and Lexi punched the shot past her and into an open net. With teeth just beginning to chatter slightly from the cold the crowd cheered!
The second half found more of the same as both teams battled for control. Solid mid play again produced an impressive lead pass that Easton Kawawaki took to the house! She flat out beat the defender in a foot race and ripped the second and final goal past the keeper! Both squads exchanged runs as the final whistle blew ending the 2009 OYSA League play for Sodium with a 7 win, 8 tie and 1 loss record. The victory solidified no less than a second place finish for the lady warriors.

Around the bracket
Sherwood Force 1, ESUFC Arsenal 2
OR Rush 0, FC Portland 1
USA Hotshots 0, LOSC Extreme 2

Notes from the sideline
Sodium ended the league with 29 total points. The most any other team can earn is 34 and that is LOSC with 2 games remaining. With the remaining games the most any other team can earn is 28 so Sodium will have sole possession of second place assuming LOSC wins their remaining games.
In the shocker of the century FC beats Rush. One blogger says FC dominated, others say it was pretty equal. I can't really say having not been there but as I have said in the past, FC will always make a late run, Maybe it's starting now?

Next Up
Trip to Cali for the Celtic Cup then back home for a very brief R&R and then, STATE CUP!!

Best of luck in Cali ladies! Please don't forget to email/text me the results so I can get them on the blog!

GO SODIUM!!

A couple sayings to take into the weekend...

From Mia Hamm;

* "I'm building a fire and everyday I train, I add more fuel. At just the right moment, I light a match."

* "The vision of a champion is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion, when nobody else is looking."

* "I am a member of a team and I rely on them, I defer to it and sacrifice for it. Because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion."

And from the documentary "The long green line" about an Illinois high school cross country coach who took his team to 25 State Championships;
* "Don't waste all those months of training, hard work & sacrifice by not giving it everything you've got."

Think about these when you take the field this weekend Sodium. Give it all you have, you are champions.

GO SODIUM!

Weekend BME Wrap Up

Wow, a great weekend of soccer. Teams, fields, weather. Really great.
The tourney started out against a tough Montana ODP squad. With the lady warriors pounding the box at every opportunity it was good to see newcomer Easton Kawawaki making such an impact. Her deflected shot was finished by Emmy Owens for the first score and again she was instrumental as she lofted a cross that finished by a flying (literally) Marisa Reid to bring the final tally to 2-0.
The second game pitted Sodium against the Moses Lake team, CB United Navy. It was a grinder. Very physical with little action at either end, mostly confined to the midfield. This team a little dirty and their classless fans brought them down even further with their taunting of the Sodium players. Unbelievable display of blatant idiocy. Late in the contest, as Sodium began to ware the CB United squad down the action began to happen. The last 5 minutes of the match saw headers off the crossbar or over, shots going wide or off the post. The lady warriors dug deep to provide a constant onslaught of shots that was cut short by the closing whistle with final tally 0-0.
Sunday brought a whole new team, 3RSC Dodson (Rage). Touted as the toughest team in our bracket the Rage was coming off a 4-2 loss to Magic and was ready for revenge. Couple the screaming from the coach with outright horrific officiating, (ask me later about this :) ) and we had ourselves a ball game! Rage scored first but the Sodium squad had been here many times and knew what it needed to do. Even though they weren't playing quite there 'A' game, Sodium methodically plugged away at the 3RSC squad until late in the second when Marisa & Easton paired up again. This time it was Marisa who lofted a high cross where Easton planted at the far post for the header and the tie! The fans went nuts as the girls mugged their team mates. Time wasn't on our side as the match ended with another tie, 1-1.  

Now the drama begins.....

EMFC Magic was solidly in first place, Sodium was barely hanging onto second spot by one point. Magic was scheduled to play third place SSC Elite out of Spokane right after Sodium. So, if Magic could shut out SSC Elite then they would play Sodium for the championship. If Magic tied or lost to SSC, they have a rematch with them for the championship. So, you can imagine all the support Magic was getting from Sodium players, fans and parents for that game! Magic never let the momentum down from the previous games and just blew SSC Elite out of the water with a 3-0 clobbering. Now the stage was set for the 2:30pm championship game; Sodium vs Magic, OR vs OR, friend vs friend. It was awesome.

You can imagine how exhausted these two teams were; this would be their 3rd game of the day. The weather was now in the 70's. These teams had both met a couple VERY physical teams and Sodium was banged & bruised, I can imagine Magic was too. What I know for sure this; this was one of the best, most hard fought, well matched games I have seen in this 2009 season. Both Sahalie Doe and Taylor Luty were called upon time & time again to make incredible saves at keeper. The mids, defenders and forwards all gave everything they had and left it all on the field. Emmy Owens severely rolled ankle cause her to leave the match late but the forwards all rallied to keep the heat on. When the final whistle blew these exhausted warriors knew what was before them; 2 periods of 5 minute over-time! At the end of the OT's the score remained locked at 0-0.
Every players nightmare (and fans and coaches...), PK's!!

What a fitting end. Putting the players who had showcased their talents in the box all day, Sahalie & Taylor, out in center stage. A crowed had gathered to watch for they knew, these were the true warriors.






To be honest, in the end, it didn't really matter who won. What mattered is what was left on the field. What mattered is that these two Oregon powerhouses met in the Championship of a Washington Tournament. What mattered is that Magic had swept the bracket with dominance which helped their Oregon sisters get to the Championship.

What mattered is in the end, they all hugged......

THAT'S what mattered.