id2 Regional Training Camp

We are honored to have two Sodium players be invited to id2 Regional Training Camp in Frisco, TX.

Congratulations are extended to:

Lexi Frey
Jadyn McMillan

Also invited to this years camp from Oregon;

Chloe Bell - LOSC Extreme [Great job Chloe!]
Hadlie Plummer - OR Rush [Awesome!]

These young athletes will represent Oregon well.

If anyone knows other players from other Oregon teams that were invited please leave me a comment and I will include them as well. This is such a big honor that I would love to recognize all who were invited. Thanks.

Welcome to the WWF!

Wow, I never thought at this age level that I would see a game like we had Tuesday night against OSA Inferno. These girls were big and not afraid to throw down! Literally within the first 3 minutes an OSA forward leveled our middle defender. She wasn't going for the ball in any way. It was a knee driven into the thigh and a hip-check as Taylor brought the ball to her right. The whistle blew, yes. But a card should have been drawn. This particular player racked up at least 3 whistles herself. Unbelievable. Couple that with one of the worst officiated games I have seen all year (and yes, it was bad for both sides) and I am really surprised no one got seriously hurt.
The scoring was highlighted by Emmy Owens splitting the defenders and easily beating the Inferno keeper to put the Sodium squad up for good 1-0.
I thought it was going to be more when Jadyn McMillan had a clean break in the box but was taken out from behind by an OSA defender. No whistle. The crowed went nuts!
I will say I owe the fans around me an apology because that is when I had had enough and told the ref I thought he was horrible. I apologized to most people around me but if you were in earshot, sorry. I will say though, I stand behind my assessment of the officiating. Turns out that coach Tom has had numerous (over 60) emails regarding how poor the officiating has been. AND it turns out, this was the same official that oversaw the SSC Hotspur vs ESUFC Arsenal game that had all kinds of controversy. I will stand by my assessment.

So, here is how it shakes out:

Bracket "A"
LOSC has 18 points (4 goals for, 0 against) plays OSA Inferno Friday night. Regardless of outcome #1 spot.
THUSC Sodium has 18 points (6 goals for, 1 against) no games left. Takes Spot #2


Bracket "B"
ESUFC Arsenal has 22 points (5 goals for, 1 against) and takes #1 spot. No games left.
EMFC Magic and SSC Hotspur are tied all across the board. The winner will take spot #2.

Next weekend; (unofficial)
Semi Finals
LOSC Extreme vs. Bracket "B" #2 11/15 @ 10:30AM REC Field #1
ESUFC Arsenal vs. THUSC Sodium 11/15 @ 10:30AM REC Field #2

Championship
Winners of above games 11/15 @ 6:00PM REC #1

So, from a very competitive standpoint, I would love to meet LOSC in the Championship for another epic battle!!

But, we'll see what happens!

GO SODIUM!!

Expect Excellence

I was watching MNF last night and they were interviewing a coach from one of the games Sunday.
The coach said a couple things I thought were important and thus will share them.

He said that each of his players expects excellence from themselves. The individual players work their butts off so they can better themselves as players and contribute to the best of their abilities to the team. They push everyday to improve. By one second, by one step, by one inch. Does this sound familiar? Remember when Tom said it's not about the name on the back of the jersey, but the club patch on the front?

He went on to say that his players expect excellence from each other. That no one is above improvement. Whether they are in the weight room, the practice field or studying film, they expect each of their team mates to be there, be on time and to work on making gains to improve.
They hold each other accountable for improvements. The coaches will never tell a running back his time in the 40-yard dash. They tell the other running backs. Not only is it motivation for them to improve, they will push that individual until they improve.

Have you improved this week? Do you hold your fellow players accountable? Do you expect excellence from them and they from you?

During the game, if an individual takes too many touches and loses the ball, do they give everything they have to get it back? or do they give up in frustration? Do you notice anyone taking a ‘break’ during a game? If players are yelling for a rotation and it’s not happening, do you get in that players face? If you’re open towards the goal and can’t get a pass, do you remind that player it’s their job to get you the ball? Are you first to the ball? If you see someone loafing at practice, do you remind them why they’re here?

The coach also said that part of expecting excellence is expecting to win. Every time his team takes the field they expect to win. They don’t care whether that team is 0-10 or last years Super Bowl Champion, they expect to win. They are prepared to win, know what they need to do to win, and expect to win.

When Sodium takes the pitch against LOSC, Rush, SSC or Arsenal, are you expecting to win? Or are you thinking; “Oh, these guys are good” or “They beat so & so last week”. I would certainly hope not. You are a talent stacked team with a solid reputation and great coach. There is not a team in Oregon that you couldn’t beat. Every time you step foot on the field of battle, remind yourself of the hours of preparation you have put in and the sweat you have left on the field. You deserve nothing less than victory.

Expect excellence from yourself and from your team.

See you on the pitch tonight.

GO SODIUM!!

Sodium Blog Proves To Be On Cutting Edge

The video we posted below was featured tonight on Fox's The O'Reilly Factor!

They were as blown away as we all were at this blatant display of unsportsmanlike conduct.

GO SODIUM!!

OPL starts with a split

Saturday
Sporting the new uniforms for fall the lady warriors broke open the 2009 OPL Tournament with a scoring barrage against PCU Impact.

Following a rain-out [vs. OSA Inferno] at PCC Rock Creek the game originally slated for 7:30pm, against PCU, was moved up to 4:30pm and move to the REC Center.

The lady warriors came out a little sluggish as the rain soaked field proved to be slow and muddy. The first half scoring was lead by Jill Farley who popped one in from about 20 yards out to give Sodium a 1-0 lead heading into half-time.

Second half ends scoring drought!

The second half proved instrumental in getting Sodium's balanced attack back on track.
Emmy Owens split two defenders to rip the net for a 2-0 lead. Literally two minutes later Emmy was in the box again avoiding a sliding PCU keeper and tallying her second of the day off the right post.
Following that act was KJ. In a fierce battle for control in the box KJ rifled the 4th goal passed the Impact keeper to the cheers of the crowd! With under 5 minutes of play Eli Beard brought the ball in tight from the left where she chipped it just over the outstretched arms of the PCU keeper! Mac Kearney and Marisa Reid were there to make sure the ball was going nowhere but in! Sodium notched a solid 5-0 victory to start the OPL.

Sunday
Between showers the lady warriors took on cross town rival LOSC Extreme at Tigard HS for the second OPL Tourney match.
Play, as always between these two teams, was fast, physical and a battle. Although Sodium had many more shots on goal LOSC capitalized on a break in rhythm after a 6 player substitution by Sodium and scored the game winner with just over 6 minutes remaining in the match. Despite several more attempts, the Sodium forwards just could not break the plain against LOSC's outstanding keeper and the match ended 1-0. I am confident we will see these guys again before the tournament is over.

Bracket A Standings
LOSC [18 pts] [4 goals for] [0 against]
THUSC [10 pts] [5 goals for] [1 against]
PCU [4 pts] [0 goals for] [8 against]
OSA [4 pts] [0 goals for] [0 against]

Next bracket matches;
THUSC Sodium vs. OSA Inferno - Tues. 11/10 @ 7:00pm at PSU
LOSC Extreme vs. OSA Inferno - Fri. 11/13 @ 7:30pm at REC #5

Notes from the sideline
As parents we are a little perplexed on the substituting 6 or more players at a time tactic. It worked against the lesser PCU Impact team but not so much against a top notch LOSC squad.
It seemed, just before the sub, that Sodium had made several good runs at the LOSC goal. Just after the sub there was apparent confusion because the talented LOSC forward penetrated and scored. It left some of us scratching our heads.
Even though Sodium had many more attempts, you have put the ball in the net to win. Period. LOSC did it, Sodium did not.
We are looking forward to a rematch next weekend that produces a different outcome.

See you on the pitch Tuesday night.

GO SODIUM!!

Rough Play At The Collegiate Level.

OK folks, you think Sodium plays rough once in awhile? Check out New Mexico's defender vs BYU.




THE OUTCOME

New Mexico player banned, apologizes

ESPN.com news services

New Mexico women's soccer defender Elizabeth Lambert has been suspended indefinitely after engaging in rough play -- including hauling an opposing player to the ground by her pony tail -- in the Lobos' 1-0 loss to BYU in the Mountain West Conference semifinals.
Lambert is prohibited from taking part in practices, games and conditioning, coach Kit Vela announced Friday.
"Liz is a quality student-athlete, but in this instance her actions clearly crossed the line of fair play and good sportsmanship," Vela said.
Video footage of the game shows Lambert, a junior, committing a series of excessively rough plays, including kicking, tackles, a forearm shiver to the back -- in response to an elbow to the ribs -- and yanking BYU forward Kassidy Shumway to the ground by her hair.
Lambert was assessed a yellow card during the 76th minute, apparently for tripping.
On Friday, Lambert apologized for her actions, saying she was "deeply and wholeheartedly regretful."
"I let my emotions get the best of me in a heated situation. I take full responsibility for my actions and accept any punishment felt necessary," Lambert said. "This is in no way indicative of my character or the soccer player that I am. I am sorry to my coaches and teammates for any and all damages I have brought upon them.
"I am especially sorry to BYU and the BYU women's soccer players that were personally affected by my actions. I have the utmost respect for the BYU women's soccer program and its players."
The Mountain West said it endorsed New Mexico's discipline of Lambert, saying her actions violated the conference's sportsmanship policy. The conference said it would continue an internal review of "the overall dynamic involved in the match" and said it would not comment further.
"Liz's conduct on the field against BYU was completely inappropriate," said Paul Krebs, New Mexico's vice president for athletics. "There is no way to defend her actions."
BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe, in a news release, said Krebs had contacted him after the incident.
"It's an unfortunate incident that occurred in the game Thursday afternoon," Holmoe said. "The University of New Mexico and the Mountain West Conference have reviewed the situation and have acted appropriately ... I am pleased with his immediate response to the matter."
New Mexico (13-5-3) was the No. 4 seed in the tournament. Top-seeded BYU (17-2-2), ranked No. 17 in the NCSAA/adidas College Soccer Women's Top 25, advanced to the tournament final against San Diego State with the win.
The Cougars scored the game's lone goal on a Carlee Payne header off a direct kick in the 31st minute.

GO SODIUM!!

Fall league complete, bring on OPL!

With the much anticipated Keizer game rescheduled until Spring, the fall season has come to a close for Sodium. It did end on a high note with the decisive defeat of the Sherwood squad. Remember, the Spring league will be the one that counts towards State Cup standings and placement!

Starting 11/7/09 with a doubleheader, OPL League!

With games against OSA Inferno [1st place, Division 1 bracket] and PCU Impact [5th place, Silver bracket] on Saturday, the lady warriors should break out of the gate hot and take the momentum right to LOSC Extreme on Sunday. Sodium is anticipating a semi final match at Sunset HS on 11/15 but can never take their opponents for granted. Hard work, conditioning and plenty of rest will be needed to ensure they will bring their "A" game to the pitch.

Looking forward to a great weekend of soccer!

The Details;
Saturday 11/7
Sodium vs OSA Inferno @ 1:30pm - PCC #2
Sodium vs PCU Impact @ 7:30pm - PCC #2
Sunday 11/8
Sodium vs LOSC Extreme @ Noon - Tigard HS

High atop the stands Sodium faithful will be screaming; GO SODIUM!!

Week 8 Recap

This week in the U14 Gold bracket we found a a little more action. More goals and a couple surprises.

Recap;

Saturday
LOSC Extreme 2 vs. FC Portland 1
SSC 95 Hotspur 1 vs. OR Rush 1

Sunday
ESUFC Arsenal 0 vs. OR Rush 1
Sherwood Force 0 vs. THUSC Sodium 4
SSC Hotspur 0 vs. USA Hotshots 0
FC Portland 0 vs. EMFC Magic 3

Game notes;
Saturdays games were puzzling to me. I would have thought that LOSC would have posted a few more goals against last place FC Portland and I would have loved to see the Hotsur, Rush tie. I bet that was a heck-of-a game. Sunday found the always improving Arsenal squad giving Rush all they can handle and the now revitalized Magic pounding FC Portland. Sodium took care of business against Sherwood [more on this later] and another SSC game I would have liked to see, a tie with Hotshots.

Bracket Standings
OR Rush [17 pts]
THUSC Sodium [13 pts]
EMFC Magic [13 pts]
SSC Hotspur [11 pts]
USA Hotshots [10 pts]
LOSC Extreme [10 pts]
Sherwood Force [6 pts]
ESUFC Arsenal [5 pts]
FC Portland [4 pts]

Bracket Notes;
With only 2 weekends of play left and 2 teams finished, here is my prediction for how the top 4 will shake out. Keep in mind, my opinion and very unscientific.
#1 - OR Rush 95G Nike
I am assuming they will have no problems with Sherwood and based on how both teams are playing, will give them the nod and the win over LOSC.
#2 - THUSC Sodium
The lady warriors have really started coming together in the last games. With a confidence builder this weekend, they will take this momentum into the last game.
#3 - This is where it is going to get tough. But sticking with the predictions I have already made, I am going to give this spot to EMFC Magic. I had Hotshots tied here as well but since they play Sodium and then Arsenal [who they tied 10/25] I am going to have to give it to Magic on points differential.
#4 - USA Hotshots [See above]

Notes from the sidelines;
Sodium really brought to FC Last week [unable to finish] and to Sherwood this week. It is really fun to watch the patience, the communication and the attack when they are firing on all cylinders. The Sherwood keeper did a great job of keeping Sherwood in the game, it could have easily been a much higher score.
The attack built up from the opening whistle. A slow methodical start as each team was getting the feel for the opponent. Towards the end of the first half Lexi Frey penetrated the Force defense from her left back position. Lexi lofted a shot that glanced off the cross bar to where a waiting Hannah Lautenbach punched it in for the first score! Welcome back Hannah, you were missed!. Several shots later the whistle blew and half-time ascended on a beautiful November morning.
After the half the lady warriors came out hot and began an relentless attack. Shot after shot as the Sodium defense and mids controlled the tempo, and the game. Marisa Reid drove the ball into the box, ripped a cross where a hustling MAC Kearney took the deflection and found the far post for a 2-0 Sodium lead! The bundled up crowd went nuts! As they have been instructed, the Sodium team was not about to let Sherwood back in. Lexi again found herself driving the ball deep down the left side, this time she checked off the defender and launched a bar to the far post where Jadyn McMillan was waiting to head it in!! The stands went wild! Sodium was really beginning to ignite! With minutes left the never selfish team player Jill Farley drove the ball in left, crossed right where Jadyn ripped a left foot into the net for her second and a 4-0 Sodium win! This was a break out game for Sodium, they needed to this one to build confidence as we start OPL league play 11/7. Let's keep up the momentum ladies and have a great showing at OPL!

Next up:
DOUBLEHEADER!!
11/7 - PCC Rock Creek. 4:30pm vs USA Hotshot & 7:30pm vs PCU Impact [OPL]

Rest up Sodium, it's going to be a fun night!

GO SODIUM!!