THURSDAY PRACTICE CANCELLED

Due to bad weather conditions, today's practice is cancelled.  Weather permitting, we will meet again at Murray Street Friday for another practice scrimmage in prep for Monday's home game against Amsterdam. Uniforms will be handed out tomorrow as well.

Monday's game:

• Team dressed and on Murray Street field by 3:45 pm
• Kickoff 4:30

Thanks...rest up, and I will see you all tomorrow!

Coach Ford

MURRAY STREET TOMORROW!

We will practice at the new field tomorrow, rain or shine.  Thunder and lightning will be our only cause for cancellation..so stay tuned for updates in the afternoon.  Our new field is big, so come knowing your positions and ready to run and put into practice what we reviewed today.

• FIELD POSITIONS AND STRATEGY
• CONTROLLING THE BALL
• PASSING AND STOPPING
• CORNER KICK STRATEGY REVIEW (near post)
• AGGRESSIVE SOCCER, CHALLENGES AND TACKLES
• WE ARE THE SMSA TEAM...we are not a club, we are not doing this just to pass the time...we are representing OUR SCHOOL, OUR TEAMMATES, OURSELVES.

See you tomorrow...LET'S GO KERRIES!

Coach Ford

Monday: Meet at School, NO FIELD PRACTICE DUE TO WEATHER

We will be meeting in room 1002 at SMSA immediately following school.  No soccer clothes necessary.  Team will be finished and ready to leave by 4 pm.

Thanks,
Coach Ford

Three New Games Confirmed!

October 18th: Home against Christ the King, Rutland, Vt.
October 21st: Home against Glens Falls modified girls
October 25th: Away against Christ the King, Rutland, Vt.

We now have a total of 7 games scheduled.

As always, please check the calendar above for the full schedule, updates, and details.

Thanks!
Coach Ford

Practice #3 FIELD POSITIONS

Great long practice today team!   Every player achieved a strong workout.  Most importantly,  today we got started on what I believe will be the key to a more solid understanding of the game: defense, and field position strategy.








The following is our current roster with field position assignments:

THOMAS AUSTIN -- GOALIE
NATHAN MARKWOOD -- Center Fullback/Alt Goalie
JENEE SMITH -- Left Defensive Halfback
JACKIE HOGAN -- Left Fullback
AMANDA MCCARTY -- Left Offensive Halfback
TIM DALEY -- Left Wing
BECCA CASTONGUAY -- Right Defensive Halfback
MIDGE LOISELLE -- Right Wing
MELODY ASHLINE -- Right Fullback
AUSTIN FORD -- Right Offensive Halfback
LIZ MIELE -- Striker
CATY BARTON -- Center Fullback
KERIENNE FITZGERALD -- Right Fullback
TJ HARROLD -- Left Defensive Halfback
GILLIAN HISCOX -- Left Defensive Halfback
JACOB TENNER -- Left Fullback
ALANNA BELANGER -- Left Fullback
VALIAN ENGLERT -- Left Offensive Halfback
KIT BRUEN -- Left Offensive Halfback
PJ FISHER -- Right Defensive Halfback
BRENDAN BETTE -- Right Defensive Halfback
DUNCAN PERSONS -- Center Fullback/Right Wing
OLIVIA CEFALU -- Right Fullback
ANDREW VALENZA -- Right Offensive Halfback
ANNA KAISER -- Right Offensive Halfback
CAMILLE VALENZA -- Right Offensive Halfback
ANTHONY FULTON -- N/A


No practice tomorrow, see you at Crandall on Friday for practice 3-4pm.

Coach Ford

Update!

Two newly scheduled games pending confirmation for 3rd week of October with Christ the King school in Rutland.  One home, one away.

This Monday 9/27 I will be lining the newly mowed field at Murray Street playground, and I am hopeful that we will practice and play on that field for the rest of the season beginning that afternoon!


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Practice #2

Another beautiful day on the field.  Today we talked less, ran more, and did some critically important drills.  I can already see the team developing in just two days, and I couldn't be happier.

Skills today:

• Team line laps with ball: work as a team, dribbling, conditioning
• "Dribble across the square": dribbling, control, eyes up, turning
• "Dribble around cone and pass": dribbling, control, turning, passing
•  Competition: all drills had winners, and tips were given to all

☆ Congratulations to our first chosen team co-captain Liz Miele.  The team will be voting on co-captain #2 on FRIDAY.

***Update: Two new games have been booked with St. Mary's school in Amsterdam NY...please check on the calendar for dates and times. 

See you tomorrow for the 90 minute Wednesday practice!

Coach Ford

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twitter account: smsasoccer

First Day of Practice

Great first day everyone!  There was a lot of prep stuff to cover, and a lot of listening, but it will all serve a great purpose as we move ahead with our season.  I was really impressed with everyone's attention, respect, and soccer abilities.  We have a fantastic group this year and I'm proud to be your coach.



As a reminder we covered the following:

• team philosophy and outlook for the season
• stretch 1st..then condition
• field positions
• dribbling skills (look up and around, keep ball close, low center of gravity)
• smart soccer (don't just run after the ball, play your position, pass to open space, anticipate)
• know your teammates
• each soccer match is made up of hundreds of "little matches" on the field...settle the ball and control the play

Tomorrow we will begin working on skills and drills that will start to get us organized and competitive with first touch, ball control, and passing.

***Congrats to today's merit badge winners...please remember to bring them back to practice tomorrow!

Also...remember these every day---> WWCBS (Water, Warm outerwear, Cleats, Ball, Shin guards)

See you tomorrow!

Coach Ford

Welcome to the 2010 Soccer Season!

Hi soccer stars. I was lucky enough to assistant coach many of you last year, and am looking forward to seeing you again! Additionally, I really look forward to meeting the new 7th graders!  We should have a great team.

A big reminder that physicals are due prior to practice, so if you are not up to date I will not be allowed to have you participate until I get the green light from Nurse Bachman.

Please keep an eye on this site. I will keep the calendar updated daily, and practice details will be included. I also plan to have news and pics and team roster info on here as well!

Regarding the upcoming season: Be prepared to work on basic skills, teamwork, conditioning, and having fun participating in the greatest team sport in the world. We will focus much more on strategy, positions, and ball skills using the entire field this year, so paying attention and truly focusing in practice will make it a much better experience for all. For my special goof balls, I have purchased a nifty little "reward prize" this year which I am sure will take the wind out of the most persistent soccer clown on the field ; > Go ahead, make my day.

Seriously, I hope to have a team with great depth, and greatly improved skills this year, with everyone getting time on the field during games. I also hope to have a decent amount of matches...which are still being booked at this moment.

Some great late-breaking news!!! Josh Milton from the Glens Falls Recreation Department has been working with me to secure the Murray Street field as our very own SMSA soccer home. We will be mowing, lining, and we even have Dr. Robert Hogan generously taking the time to build us brand new regulation soccer goals! Please make sure to give him a big thank you and a pat on the back when you see him!! By the end of the 1st practice week in Crandall Park, we should be ready to move over to our new field.

That's it for now. Let's Go Kerries!

Coach Ford