Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Trip publicity
Here is a link to the story that was published in the Skokie Review for the week of July 27.
http://www.pioneerlocal.com/mortongrove/sports/highschools/1689246,morton-grove-nngsoc-073009-s1.article
Enjoy the press.
Until next time...
Hogie
http://www.pioneerlocal.com/mortongrove/sports/highschools/1689246,morton-grove-nngsoc-073009-s1.article
Enjoy the press.
Until next time...
Hogie
Monday, July 27, 2009
The final whistle
Our time in Europe has ended. The girls played hard, laughed a lot, cried a little, and had an experience I hope they will never forget. We all arrived home after 21 straight hours of travel. This included a 5-hour bus ride and 2 plane flights. I can honestly say the girls hustled their hearts out during the entire trip.
They are great ambassadors of the program and conducted themselves with respect, dignity, and an sense of wonder. We come home knowing that we competed on an international stage, faced challenging conditions, and walk away with our heads held high.
I am truly proud to be their coach.
Until next time...
Hogie
Friday, July 24, 2009
David vs. Goliath
In the biblical story, David defeats Goliath. Unfortunately, yesterday Goliath won. Showing an effort that rivals anything I've seen in our program, the playing of soccer in the 2009 European Tour has come to an end. A 1-0 loss in the first round of yesterday's playoff game means we are hanging up our boots and getting ready to come home.
With only 8 players on the field, your Vikings fought valiantly, but came up short. We held a Swedish team scoreless for the first 20-minutes of the match, despite being down 3 players and having no substitutes. Alas, the dam broke and we let in a goal. I truly could not have been more proud of the girls and the way the composed themselves and handled the challenges on this trip.
Today was a sleep-in day and we spent the afternoon in a town called Hirtsthal and had a picnic on the beach after a short 30 minute train ride. We all went exploring and Meryl, Delilah, and I explored a WWII bunker built by the Germans in preparation for an Allied invasion that never came; it went to Normandy instead. It was truly special for me to explore a piece of history, especially since I teach the subject. According to the literature, Rommel personally inspected the bunkers in December 1943. It's fascinating for me to engage my mind and literally walk on and through history.
I am taking out the girls to dinner tonight at Pizzeria Bambino. Tomorrow we pack and get on our 6 hour bus ride to Hamburg at 11:00 p.m. I can promise you'll have some tired daughters on Sunday afternoon.
Until next time...
Hogie
With only 8 players on the field, your Vikings fought valiantly, but came up short. We held a Swedish team scoreless for the first 20-minutes of the match, despite being down 3 players and having no substitutes. Alas, the dam broke and we let in a goal. I truly could not have been more proud of the girls and the way the composed themselves and handled the challenges on this trip.
Today was a sleep-in day and we spent the afternoon in a town called Hirtsthal and had a picnic on the beach after a short 30 minute train ride. We all went exploring and Meryl, Delilah, and I explored a WWII bunker built by the Germans in preparation for an Allied invasion that never came; it went to Normandy instead. It was truly special for me to explore a piece of history, especially since I teach the subject. According to the literature, Rommel personally inspected the bunkers in December 1943. It's fascinating for me to engage my mind and literally walk on and through history.
I am taking out the girls to dinner tonight at Pizzeria Bambino. Tomorrow we pack and get on our 6 hour bus ride to Hamburg at 11:00 p.m. I can promise you'll have some tired daughters on Sunday afternoon.
Until next time...
Hogie
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Still struggling on the pitch
The Viking struggles continue, as we dropped 2 close games 1-3 and 1-2, respectively. The girls are still not used to the physical play that is allowed here in Europe, but despite this, we have played well. In yesterday's second game, a phantom PK led to us being down 2-1 and then late in the game we ended up with only 10 players on the field due to injuries. Obviously, not the ideal situation, but the girls worked hard.
Unfortunately, my hospital visit streak is still alive; three trips and three hospital visits. We took Elena to the hospital for x-rays on her ankle after she was blasted with a ball on it, which caused her to roll it pretty bad. The good thing was that the x-rays were negative and did not show any signs of a fracture. She's now on crutches and European crutches takes some getting used to. They are the kind that Tiny Tim uses in "A Christmas Carol" so I've taken to calling her Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchit, the Ghost of Christmas Past, and all other characters from the famous story.
Elsewhere on the injury front Maggie's knee and Lily's head kept them on the shelf for this morning's game. Despite only having 10 players on the field we played well, but came up short this morning. We still have one more game in group play this afternoon and then on to the playoffs.
It's tough to get a pulse on the girls. They are obviously frustrated with the results on the field, but they quickly are able to get past that soon after the game. Maybe is a gender thing, or then again, it could just be me.
Until next time...
Hogie
Unfortunately, my hospital visit streak is still alive; three trips and three hospital visits. We took Elena to the hospital for x-rays on her ankle after she was blasted with a ball on it, which caused her to roll it pretty bad. The good thing was that the x-rays were negative and did not show any signs of a fracture. She's now on crutches and European crutches takes some getting used to. They are the kind that Tiny Tim uses in "A Christmas Carol" so I've taken to calling her Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchit, the Ghost of Christmas Past, and all other characters from the famous story.
Elsewhere on the injury front Maggie's knee and Lily's head kept them on the shelf for this morning's game. Despite only having 10 players on the field we played well, but came up short this morning. We still have one more game in group play this afternoon and then on to the playoffs.
It's tough to get a pulse on the girls. They are obviously frustrated with the results on the field, but they quickly are able to get past that soon after the game. Maybe is a gender thing, or then again, it could just be me.
Until next time...
Hogie
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Opening ceremonies and early games
The opening ceremonies were truly amazing. We were with 5 other teams from America walking in. The ceremonies began with a parade through the city and then ending by walking into the stadium. The girls got some great pictures and interacted with people from all over the world. A Ugandan team was in front of us and their consistent playing of the drums and their dancing kept a lively beat for the parade. Pictures were taken with teams from Scotland, Philippines, South Africa, Venezuela, Germany, and several other countries. This was an experience that nobody will soon forget.
Our first game at the Dana Cup was early - a 7:30 a.m. kickoff. A questionable handball in the box led to a PK goal for the Norwegians and a 0-1 loss for your Vikings. Despite the early start, we played well and I am sure we'll breakthrough soon. The girls are getting frustrated, as they are at a loss as to why we can't seem to put teams away when given the opportunity. Our second game is later today at 1:30 and I hope that this will be THE one. Only time will tell.
Until next time...
Hogie
Our first game at the Dana Cup was early - a 7:30 a.m. kickoff. A questionable handball in the box led to a PK goal for the Norwegians and a 0-1 loss for your Vikings. Despite the early start, we played well and I am sure we'll breakthrough soon. The girls are getting frustrated, as they are at a loss as to why we can't seem to put teams away when given the opportunity. Our second game is later today at 1:30 and I hope that this will be THE one. Only time will tell.
Until next time...
Hogie
Sunday, July 19, 2009
The Dana Cup adventure begins
We have all arrived at our school in Denmark. The girls are rested, but definitely miss the creature comforts of home. Our class is a little smaller than in Sweden, which means space is at a premium for them. I am in the building next door with coaches and other team leaders who are at the school. Our school only has girls teams staying at it, which is gives me a little peace of mind.
On a personal level, I am invigorated now that we have come to Denmark. I have never been here before and I truly love the opportunities to visit new countries around the world. I hope that the girls feel the same way.
Here is some news hot of the press: We have been chosen to be one of the teams to represent the USA in the opening ceremonies!!! I haven't even shared that news with the players yet. I'm sure many pictures will be taken and I am looking forward to it, as I am sure the girls will too.
Our first game is on Tuesday at 7:30 a.m., which means an early "rise and shine" for them, but we should be ready to play. It looks like we'll get the opportunity to play a friendly against a team from Vancouver that is staying at the parents' hotel.
Keep reading for more updates to come.
Until next time...
Hogie
On a personal level, I am invigorated now that we have come to Denmark. I have never been here before and I truly love the opportunities to visit new countries around the world. I hope that the girls feel the same way.
Here is some news hot of the press: We have been chosen to be one of the teams to represent the USA in the opening ceremonies!!! I haven't even shared that news with the players yet. I'm sure many pictures will be taken and I am looking forward to it, as I am sure the girls will too.
Our first game is on Tuesday at 7:30 a.m., which means an early "rise and shine" for them, but we should be ready to play. It looks like we'll get the opportunity to play a friendly against a team from Vancouver that is staying at the parents' hotel.
Keep reading for more updates to come.
Until next time...
Hogie
Friday, July 17, 2009
Winding down in Sweden
Today was an off day and the girls spent the day at Liesberg, the local amusement park. Tomorrow we will be winding our Swedish adventure, as we leave on Sunday morning on the ferry for a 2-hour trip to Denmark.
Tonight we celebrate a couple of birthdays, as two of our players will have them during our time here. Two cakes are on order and it should be a fun time.
Tomorrow we will be taking the canal tour of Gothenburg and then packing in the evening. Hopefully we may get the opportunity to play a friendly tomorrow, but it won't be a total loss if we don't. The rest is a welcome part of the trip.
The girls have done their laundry and we are looking forward to our next stop.
Until next time...
Hogie
Tonight we celebrate a couple of birthdays, as two of our players will have them during our time here. Two cakes are on order and it should be a fun time.
Tomorrow we will be taking the canal tour of Gothenburg and then packing in the evening. Hopefully we may get the opportunity to play a friendly tomorrow, but it won't be a total loss if we don't. The rest is a welcome part of the trip.
The girls have done their laundry and we are looking forward to our next stop.
Until next time...
Hogie
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Niles North and penalty kicks are oil and water
Penalty kicks are a cruel mistress for the Vikings here at the Gothia Cup. In what seemed like deja vu all over again (my apologies to Yogi Berra), we lost our first playoff game on the 6th pk - very much reminiscent of 2007. We played well today and tied 0-0 in regulation, but the girls can definitely use a few days off to recover. They have tired legs, but their spirits are high. We are hoping to get a friendly in before we leave, but nothing is set yet. Tonight we will be watching a professional soccer game and sometime over the next couple of days we will be taking that canal tour of Gothenburg.
I think the team will be taking a lot with them from this trip, especially away from the soccer pitch. With out a doubt, we are having a successful adventure. I have always said from the beginning that I don't care if we win every game 9-0 or lose every game 0-9, the key is to have fun, play well, and experience all this trip has to offer. They are definitely taking advantage of that.
Until next time...
Hogie
I think the team will be taking a lot with them from this trip, especially away from the soccer pitch. With out a doubt, we are having a successful adventure. I have always said from the beginning that I don't care if we win every game 9-0 or lose every game 0-9, the key is to have fun, play well, and experience all this trip has to offer. They are definitely taking advantage of that.
Until next time...
Hogie
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Second, but not quite second
Our group play has ended and again, we played a great game. Lily scored our first goal in Europe by finishing off a great ball across the box, which was sent in by Tiffany. Like yesterday, we played better than the other team but today we ran out of gas late in the game, as we gave up the tying goal with about 5 minutes to play. With the tie we finished tied for second in our group with 2 points, however, due to goal differential we move on to the consolation bracket. The real frustrating part is that we were clearly the second best team in our group. However, this may actually prove to be a blessing in disguise, as we would have had to play again just 3 hours if we would have made it to the playoffs. We clearly need the rest. We now play at 9:50 a.m. tomorrow morning.
It will be interesting to see how we fare in Denmark, as we will be playing 2 games a day in the group stages.
Tonight is a free night, as we get ready for the consolation playoffs beginning tomorrow.
Until next time...
It will be interesting to see how we fare in Denmark, as we will be playing 2 games a day in the group stages.
Tonight is a free night, as we get ready for the consolation playoffs beginning tomorrow.
Until next time...
A new day, a new team
What a difference a day makes. We earned our first point in group play after earning a 0-0 tie with Swedish club Sokors IF. It wasn't a fair result, as we played outstanding yesterday and should have won!!! This was just one of those games where we completely dominated the entire match. We only gave up 2 shots on goal, maintained at least 60% of the possession, played 85% in their half of the fields, hit the crossbar, had a bad bounce on the back post, and forced the keeper to make a kick save to prevent a goal. This was on top of the other 8 or 9 shots we had on goal. After the game spirits are definitely high and they know that they can not only play with teams here, but can and should beat teams here. I hope that this carries over into today, as we play another Swedish club, AIK. With a victory we catapult in to second place in the group (assuming the English team beats Sokors, which they will) and a spot in the playoffs. That should be enough motivation alone.
Last night was dance night. The girls went to the Gothia Disco, a discoteque, as they call them here in Europe. Club Gothia is a teenage dance club that is set up by the organizers of the tournament. The club got mixed reviews from the girls. Some would go back, some wouldn't. They may have the opportunity to do so later this week. It all depends on our game schedule.
Thanks for reading. Until next time...
Hogie
Last night was dance night. The girls went to the Gothia Disco, a discoteque, as they call them here in Europe. Club Gothia is a teenage dance club that is set up by the organizers of the tournament. The club got mixed reviews from the girls. Some would go back, some wouldn't. They may have the opportunity to do so later this week. It all depends on our game schedule.
Thanks for reading. Until next time...
Hogie
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Day 4 in Sweden
The Gothia Cup is officially open, as the opening ceremonies took place last night. We had amazing seats, as we were in rows 2 &3. The parade of nations was an artists palette of colors and costumes. All in all, 61 nations entered the stadium, representing their country. Countries such as Morocco, Kenya, Malaysia, Congo, United Arab Emirates, and India are all here. There were dancers, singers, and chances for the crowd to get involved. The ceremony ended with a display of fireworks that invigorated sight and sound alike.
The girls got a wake-up call to European soccer. The team from England that we played was quite good. A physical team, the girls were a little surprised at the physical nature of the international game, although they won't tell you that themselves. Now that they know that they can get away with much more, I think they're looking forward to testing that out in today's game. We lost the first game 0-6, but spirits are still high. We play a team from Sweden today at 2:40 local time. Hopefully a better result will ensue.
On Wednesday we will be taking a canal ride through Gothenburg and Thursday we will be watching a professional soccer game. Everyone is great and enjoying the time of their lives.
Until next time...
Hogie
The girls got a wake-up call to European soccer. The team from England that we played was quite good. A physical team, the girls were a little surprised at the physical nature of the international game, although they won't tell you that themselves. Now that they know that they can get away with much more, I think they're looking forward to testing that out in today's game. We lost the first game 0-6, but spirits are still high. We play a team from Sweden today at 2:40 local time. Hopefully a better result will ensue.
On Wednesday we will be taking a canal ride through Gothenburg and Thursday we will be watching a professional soccer game. Everyone is great and enjoying the time of their lives.
Until next time...
Hogie
Monday, July 13, 2009
Game on Monday
Our first game is later today at 2:40 local time. The weather here has been quite dreary; it's been quite cloudy, chilly, and misty. Hopefully things will clear up for our games. Hopefully we can emerge today with a win.
More to follow...
More to follow...
Sunday, July 12, 2009
First days in Sweden
Well, everyone arrived safe and sound. Our travels went quite smoothly and we even arrived early. Everything is running quite smoothly.
Today we visited the Nya Allaborg Fortress that was built in the 1600s to protect Gothenburg and its harbor. On the ground of the fortress are the prison cells, cannons used for defense, and the living quarters used by soldiers, officers, and their families. On the ferry ride back to the harbor we had special guest drivers, as Elena and Amanda both had the opportunity to steer the ship. Elena is now using nautical terms like port and starboard and she thinks she's a sailor. Watch out U.S. Navy, here she comes.
Our school accommodations are what one would expect. Thirteen girls and a coach in one room can make for cramped quarters. I'm glad that I'm staying in the office across the hall; it affords me some private time and allows the girls to take a break away from me.
We've started out eating in style, as our first real meal that we had was dinner on Saturday night at the Hard Rock Cafe. I really don't hope that they think that all our meals will be gourmet meals. Later tonight we start having cafeteria food at Ugglumskolan, the school where we are staying. On Monday we will be taking a canal ride of the city, learning more about the city. At night we will be at the opening ceremonies.
I think the girls are looking forward to getting on the pitch and kicking a soccer ball around.
Until next time...
Hogie
Today we visited the Nya Allaborg Fortress that was built in the 1600s to protect Gothenburg and its harbor. On the ground of the fortress are the prison cells, cannons used for defense, and the living quarters used by soldiers, officers, and their families. On the ferry ride back to the harbor we had special guest drivers, as Elena and Amanda both had the opportunity to steer the ship. Elena is now using nautical terms like port and starboard and she thinks she's a sailor. Watch out U.S. Navy, here she comes.
Our school accommodations are what one would expect. Thirteen girls and a coach in one room can make for cramped quarters. I'm glad that I'm staying in the office across the hall; it affords me some private time and allows the girls to take a break away from me.
We've started out eating in style, as our first real meal that we had was dinner on Saturday night at the Hard Rock Cafe. I really don't hope that they think that all our meals will be gourmet meals. Later tonight we start having cafeteria food at Ugglumskolan, the school where we are staying. On Monday we will be taking a canal ride of the city, learning more about the city. At night we will be at the opening ceremonies.
I think the girls are looking forward to getting on the pitch and kicking a soccer ball around.
Until next time...
Hogie
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Stress is starting to rise
When I tell people that I am taking 13 teenage girls half-way across the world, I usually get a reaction that either I'm a saint with the patience of Mother Theresa or I'm just nuts and belong in the looney bin. In all honesty, it's probably somewhere in between.
Well, with just one more day to go, I can feel my stress level start to rise. Just trying to make sure all my ducks are in a row can make me feel frantic. I would say I have a slight case of OCD and then it gets to the point where I double, triple, and quadruple check things and by that time I've seen something so much I don't know if there are any mistakes or I'm missing something; I only see what I think should be there, not what really is there.
I think it's great that I have an assistant coach and two parents coming with me. They will most certainly help me and relieve the stress that comes with organizing and being responsible for such a trip.
The next time I'll post I will be on the other side of the Atlantic.
Safe travels.
Well, with just one more day to go, I can feel my stress level start to rise. Just trying to make sure all my ducks are in a row can make me feel frantic. I would say I have a slight case of OCD and then it gets to the point where I double, triple, and quadruple check things and by that time I've seen something so much I don't know if there are any mistakes or I'm missing something; I only see what I think should be there, not what really is there.
I think it's great that I have an assistant coach and two parents coming with me. They will most certainly help me and relieve the stress that comes with organizing and being responsible for such a trip.
The next time I'll post I will be on the other side of the Atlantic.
Safe travels.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Excitement in the air
The meetings have been held, the puffy t-shirts made, and the packing has begun. With only a few more days until we leave, there is definitely an excitement in the air. The girls are definitely looking forward to the trip. As they were making t-shirts and dying their hair with a splash of purple it was obvious that a bond and camaraderie was there, if only in the early stages. I don't know how many of these girls hang out together outside of soccer, but there was much laughing and good-natured ribbing going on between everyone. That's always good to see.
Our Europe practices have been going well. It has been great in combining Europe practice with summer camp. This has allowed the girls going to Europe a chance to practice together in game situations, since when combined with camp, there are always between 20-25 girls there.
One of the great aspects to this trip is that it gives me a chance to get to know the girls away from the soccer pitch. Sure, there will be a lot of soccer, but since we will be together 24-hours a day for 16 days, it is impossible to remain 100% about soccer. It really gives the girls a chance to open up and be themselves. I'm sure the same goes for me also. The girls get a chance to see me outside of being a "coach" all the time.
One of the true benefits of a trip like this are the friendships that can be formed. When we played in Barcelona in 2005 there was a team in our hotel with which we became close. This team was from Stockholm and when we played in the Gothia Cup that year a few of the players traveled 5 hours by train to come and watch us play. That evolved into one of the players getting the opportunity to be an exchange student in Indianapolis and staying in contact with our team. Just last week the exchange student was in the Chicago area and got in touch with a former player of ours. Who could have imagined that this strong friendship would have formed because two teams happened to stay in the same hotel for one week??
I am looking forward to experiencing what this adventure will bring.
Our Europe practices have been going well. It has been great in combining Europe practice with summer camp. This has allowed the girls going to Europe a chance to practice together in game situations, since when combined with camp, there are always between 20-25 girls there.
One of the great aspects to this trip is that it gives me a chance to get to know the girls away from the soccer pitch. Sure, there will be a lot of soccer, but since we will be together 24-hours a day for 16 days, it is impossible to remain 100% about soccer. It really gives the girls a chance to open up and be themselves. I'm sure the same goes for me also. The girls get a chance to see me outside of being a "coach" all the time.
One of the true benefits of a trip like this are the friendships that can be formed. When we played in Barcelona in 2005 there was a team in our hotel with which we became close. This team was from Stockholm and when we played in the Gothia Cup that year a few of the players traveled 5 hours by train to come and watch us play. That evolved into one of the players getting the opportunity to be an exchange student in Indianapolis and staying in contact with our team. Just last week the exchange student was in the Chicago area and got in touch with a former player of ours. Who could have imagined that this strong friendship would have formed because two teams happened to stay in the same hotel for one week??
I am looking forward to experiencing what this adventure will bring.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Dana Cup schedule is in
We got our parings for the Dana Cup group stage. We are in group 6, with 4 other teams, 2 from Norway and 2 from Denmark.
Here's the link to our schedule: http://mail.danacup.dk/grundspil.aspx
Go to: Girls-17 and then to the bottom of the page under category G17-06.
We've got some early games on tap, our earliest being a 7:30 a.m. kickoff. We will play two games per on Tuesday (July 21) and two games on Wednesday (July 22). Hopefully our fitness will be such that it won't be an issue.
Until next time...
Here's the link to our schedule: http://mail.danacup.dk/grundspil.aspx
Go to: Girls-17 and then to the bottom of the page under category G17-06.
We've got some early games on tap, our earliest being a 7:30 a.m. kickoff. We will play two games per on Tuesday (July 21) and two games on Wednesday (July 22). Hopefully our fitness will be such that it won't be an issue.
Until next time...
Nothing like a challenge in the Gothia Cup group stage...
Well, I was doing some research on the teams we will be playing in the Gothia Cup and I was able to find out some info. The first team we play is Colchester United, from England. This is a professional club with some history at the Gothia Cup. Last year their U-19 women's team won the whole enchilada. Not to shabby, considering there are about 40 teams in that division this year and I assume it was pretty similar last year.
Our final game in the group stage is against a Swedish team AIK. This professional club also has quite a history in the Gothia Cup. In 2007 their U-14 girls' team won the Gothia Cup. There are just over 80 teams in the U-14 girls' division this year.
I haven't yet been able to find any information on the other team in our group, Sorfors IF. If anyone can find out anything I would love to get some info on them.
Our division is the second largest girls division in the tournament with 100 teams. The largest girls division is U-15 with 121 teams participating. The majority of boys' divisions are insanely larger. The U-16 boys division has 187 teams. The group with the most number of teams is the U-15 boys with 216 teams in that division alone!
Unquestionably, our group is a tough one and our work will be cut out for us. There is no doubt in my mind that we will be able to compete with these teams and I am definitely looking forward to meeting them on the pitch. However, let's not kid ourselves. It's not like we're playing Brownie Troop 207 and the Campfire Girls. I am confident that we can rise to the challenge.
Until next time...
Our final game in the group stage is against a Swedish team AIK. This professional club also has quite a history in the Gothia Cup. In 2007 their U-14 girls' team won the Gothia Cup. There are just over 80 teams in the U-14 girls' division this year.
I haven't yet been able to find any information on the other team in our group, Sorfors IF. If anyone can find out anything I would love to get some info on them.
Our division is the second largest girls division in the tournament with 100 teams. The largest girls division is U-15 with 121 teams participating. The majority of boys' divisions are insanely larger. The U-16 boys division has 187 teams. The group with the most number of teams is the U-15 boys with 216 teams in that division alone!
Unquestionably, our group is a tough one and our work will be cut out for us. There is no doubt in my mind that we will be able to compete with these teams and I am definitely looking forward to meeting them on the pitch. However, let's not kid ourselves. It's not like we're playing Brownie Troop 207 and the Campfire Girls. I am confident that we can rise to the challenge.
Until next time...
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock
Well, only 10 more days until we're in the air and on our way. It's been great having the vast majority of girls able to make it for practices. I think it will help get them focused and prepared, at least soccer wise, for the trip.
It's also good for me to see where I can position them in order for us to be most successful. I think this will be our biggest challenge, as we only have 13 players. Two subs does not a confident coach make. Naturally, my biggest concern is injuries. In the two trips I organized in previous years I've had: a concussion, broken ankle, and a cut above the eye. The ankle and eye have required hospital visits, ironically enough, to the same hospital in Barcelona. Maybe it's a Spanish thing and the jinx will be broken now that were not going there again. With regards to formation and player fitness, at least the game times are drastically cut. We will be playing 2 x 25 min. halves for the group stage and 2 x 30 min. halves in the playoffs. That will give us plenty of time for sightseeing and other things. It's also nice that we don't play our group games until either 1:30 or 2:40. That'll allow the girls to sleep in a bit and be rested while still having plenty of time after games for fun.
For those of you who would like to follow us, here is the link to the Gothia Cup website that has our group standings:
http://spelprogram.gothiacup.se/index.php/grupp?id=276
We're in the Girls 17 (G 17) division in Group 9.
Until next time...
It's also good for me to see where I can position them in order for us to be most successful. I think this will be our biggest challenge, as we only have 13 players. Two subs does not a confident coach make. Naturally, my biggest concern is injuries. In the two trips I organized in previous years I've had: a concussion, broken ankle, and a cut above the eye. The ankle and eye have required hospital visits, ironically enough, to the same hospital in Barcelona. Maybe it's a Spanish thing and the jinx will be broken now that were not going there again. With regards to formation and player fitness, at least the game times are drastically cut. We will be playing 2 x 25 min. halves for the group stage and 2 x 30 min. halves in the playoffs. That will give us plenty of time for sightseeing and other things. It's also nice that we don't play our group games until either 1:30 or 2:40. That'll allow the girls to sleep in a bit and be rested while still having plenty of time after games for fun.
For those of you who would like to follow us, here is the link to the Gothia Cup website that has our group standings:
http://spelprogram.gothiacup.se/index.php/grupp?id=276
We're in the Girls 17 (G 17) division in Group 9.
Until next time...
Monday, June 29, 2009
Practice begins
Well, practice begins today for our trip. I hope to see a lot of girls out there so we can get ready for the trip. It's great to see that many (if not all) of them are playing in the summer league. That will help them get used to playing together in preparation for the trip, as there will be a whole new dynamic than what was there during the season. It'll be good for them.
Until next time...
Until next time...
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Introduction
Hello and welcome,
I am excited to present this blog to you. The Niles North H.S. girls soccer program is on its biannual summer soccer trip. This year we are off to Gothenburg, Sweden and Hjorring, Denmark. Thirteen players, two parents and two coaches are looking forward to this adventure. We leave in 13 days.
This is the second such trip I've organized. In 2007 our program went for two weeks to Barcelona, Spain and Gothenburg, Sweden. It was such a success that players wanted to be a part of another trip. The plan is to organize a trip every other summer, so that way at least everyone in our program will have the opportunity to go at least once in their high school career.
While I will keep up the blog during our adventure, it is my hope that some of my players will add their own posts as well. Thanks for reading.
I am excited to present this blog to you. The Niles North H.S. girls soccer program is on its biannual summer soccer trip. This year we are off to Gothenburg, Sweden and Hjorring, Denmark. Thirteen players, two parents and two coaches are looking forward to this adventure. We leave in 13 days.
This is the second such trip I've organized. In 2007 our program went for two weeks to Barcelona, Spain and Gothenburg, Sweden. It was such a success that players wanted to be a part of another trip. The plan is to organize a trip every other summer, so that way at least everyone in our program will have the opportunity to go at least once in their high school career.
While I will keep up the blog during our adventure, it is my hope that some of my players will add their own posts as well. Thanks for reading.
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