JASARA GILLETTE JOINS THE STAFF OF THE CYCLONE U-11 GIRLS

Jasara has come on board to help our team make a great season even better. I've been talking to her now for sometime about coming out to help our team. As a coach, she brings so much to our team. Not only has she played at a higher level. She also runs the girls soccer program at Clovis East High School. We are very fortunate to have a coach of her caliber on our staff. The girls respond to her, and they are learning so much. I feel she will make the difference in our run for State Cup Champions.

CVSA CYCLONE ARE CROWNED DISTRICT 7 LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

We came, we saw, we conquered. What more can I say about our Fall Season. With 54 goals for and only 3 against, we showed the Valley what we are made of. During this time the girls continued to develop and get stronger as a team. As I have always said, Trophies and Medals will fade away. The true winners are those players that continue to grow and develop into great soccer players. Don't get me wrong, I love the trophies as much as the next person. Although, as coach of this team I need to make sure our girls are growing as players. Becoming more complete as a player is my main goal for every player on our team. I gotta tell you, I appreciate all the hard work these girls put in. It is not by chance that they won League, they deserved it. Now time to prepare for our upcoming Tournament (21ST ANNUAL CONDORS CLASSIC). This will help us build momentum going into STATE CUP. Again, GREAT JOB CYCLONES.

HUG YOUR CHILD TIGHT TONIGHT

Jonathan (far left) with some of his teammates

On Saturday, November 15th, Santa Clara Youth Soccer and Santa Clara Sporting Club lost Jonathan Manzo Chavez, a very special young player to a tragic traffic accident while traveling home with his family from a soccer tournament in Manteca. Jonathan was a member of Sporting’s Boys Under 10 Team. On that Saturday morning, Jonathan, his mother and two siblings travelled to Manteca for a NorCal State Cup qualifying tournament. Although Jonathan’s father had to leave the tournament early to attend work he still made the drive to watch as much of his son’s games as he could. Jonathan showcased his talents in front of those he loved the most and celebrated the end of a perfect day of soccer by putting one goal in the back of the net. Unfortunately, no one knew this was to be Jonathan’s last goal. As the family was traveling home, a driver made an ill fated attempt to pass another car on a two lane road and hit the Manzo Family’s Minivan head on. Amazingly, it was reported as rescue workers tried to take off Jonathan’s Sporting shorts, he pleaded that they not be cut because he had a game the next day. As rescue workers then tried to cut away his Sporting jersey Jonathan yelled to his mom to come take it off. Prior to being air-lifted to the hospital, his mom removed his jersey and he again reminded her to save it, as he was worried it would get lost or ruined. It’s hard to imagine the love this young man had for the game and his team.

Santa Clara Soccer will never forget Jonathan as he will truly be missed by all those whose lives he touched. Jonathan’s team decided to not continue in the tournament that weekend and before every game on the following Sunday morning every team observed a moment of silence in memory of Jonathan. Jonathan’s mother and older brother have been released from the hospital and are recovering. His older sister is still in ICU and is recovering from surgery.

PLEASE, LET US ALL KEEP THE CHAVEZ FAMILY IN OUR PRAYERS

CYCLONES SHOW WHAT THEY ARE MADE OF

After a sluggish performance the day before against Bullard, I wasn't quite sure what to expect against Los Gatos. We had just played Los Gatos in the Odyssey Tournament 2 weeks ago. During this tournament we had borrowed 3 strong players from the Chivas to hopefully make a run in this Tourney. Even with the added players we lost to Los Gatos 0-3. I knew if our girls would just play to their potential, we could surprise this team. After 10 minutes of play, my heart started pumping a little faster. I saw a CVSA team on the field that could beat this Los Gatos team. With Ryan marking up their best player, it gave the rest of our team the opportunity to settle into their game. Ryan did a fantastic job. She shut this girl down and this girl is as good as they get at this age. GREAT JOB RYAN! We gave up goal in the first half off a deflection from the goalie. Still I felt we were in this game. At halftime, I told the girls that we are just 1 goal away from equalizing this game. I told them to leave everything on the field..not to hold back anything and play with all the passion in the world. In the second half, the girls did all of what I asked and more. We gave all we had, but still came up short losing to a great team 0-1. I was so proud of our girls. They played better without borrowed players. I walked off that field knowing three things. First, we are closing the gap with the top ranked teams. Second, this group of girls can get it done when they want to. And lastly, I am the luckiest coach in the world to be coaching such a dynamic group of girls. Hold your head high Cyclones, you are a great team.

BULLARD BATTLES CYCLONES TO A 1-1 TIE

With all the history we have with Bullard, it was no surprise they came to play on Saturday. I've always said, they have a very talented team and it showed this weekend. We might have taken them for granted or just weren't playing up to par. No matter what it was,this team showed us that they are no push over.
After the game I sternly voiced my concerns to our team. I told them that they warmed up half heatedly and didn't play up to their ability. I reminded them of our game the next day against Los Gatos Elite. Los Gatos is ranked #4 in the State, and if they think they can go into this game the same way we went into the Bullard game, it would be a slaughter. They assured me it would be a different game on Sunday.

DOMINTATING WEEKEND FOR CYCLONES

We first came out on Saturday to play a very feisty Kingsburg team for League Play. Although we played this team before you never know what to expect. Our girls played strong from the start and finished the game with 6-0 Win.
Then on Sunday we had our second State Cup preliminary game. The Lodi Cougars came to us to play this game. We dominated from the beginning. With the state cup games you have to win decisively. So we did, with a 10-0 win.
The girls played well this weekend. We are definitely building momentum for State Cup.

CYCLONES HAVE SUCCESS IN ODYSSEY TOURNAMENT

First, I want to thank the girls from South Valley Chivas for being a part of our team this weekend. They helped us see what a couple of more strong forwards would do for our team and that goalkeeper is she amazing or what. It really takes us to the next level.
With 1 win and 2 loses I still feel we had a lot of success this weekend. We came out strong against Livermore #15 in the state, with a 4-0 win. Then we played the #2 team in the state Santa Clara Sporting Green to a 0-2 loss. Although, I wasn't at this game. Understand, it doesn't get much better than them at this age. Then our last game against the #4 team in the state Los Gatos Elite was a 0-3 loss also. We had our opportunities with Los Gatos, we just couldn't find the net. I hope all the parents and players see that we are a very talented team. We played some great teams this weekend and we competed with them. I am very proud of all the girls and very happy with the weekend. Trust me, we are headed in the right direction.

CYCLONES SET TO PLAY IN CLOVIS CHALLENGE CUP

The tournament will truly be a challenge. We get to play some of the top teams in the State. I am very excited about this weekend. It will tell us exactly what kind of team we are at this point in the season. Our success this weekend will not be measured on wins and loses, but on the quality of play we have. Usually with a higher quality of play comes wins. Honing our skills in league play has really been a challenge. Still we have had great training sessions and a quality tournament at the end of September. I am very pleased on the girls development. Get ready Cyclones we have some soccer to play.

CYCLONES TO HELP CHIVAS IN THE SURF CUP

With a very strong team in place, South Valley Chivas have asked some of our players to guest play for them in an upcoming Tournament. This will make their team even stronger. It is an honor to be asked as a player and a coach. If you weren't one of the ones that was asked, don't feel bad. Whenever a coach borrows players from another team, it's usually because he's trying to fill spots of players that aren't going to be able to make it from his own team. Next time you might be asked and not another. Either way it is always good when we can help out a Valley team. In return, coach Curtis has opened up his roster to us if we ever need a player or two. I had a long meeting with Coach Curtis and his assistant. We are all very excited about the future of both our teams. Make us proud Cyclones, who knows coach might just show up to watch.

ONE OF COACH'S PREVIOUS PLAYERS IS MAKING IT AS A SINGER/ACTOR

In all the years I have coached soccer I have had the privilege of coaching many great girls. They all had their certain talents other than soccer. I started coaching BRIANNA DE ALBA at 10 years old. She sent me a link to her sight. She just signed with a label and thinks she might be the next Hannah Montana. Whatever she becomes, I know she will be very successful. I'm glad she still remembers her coach. I can't wait to see what becomes of the great group of girls I am coaching now. Hopefully they won't forget coach.

CYCLONES TAKE 2nd PLACE IN VISALIA

Although it wasn't the outcome that we were hoping for, the girls still had a great tournament. Matching up with South Valley for our first game on Saturday help set the tone for the weekend. I think both teams knew we would probably meet up again on Sunday. With a 1-1 tie it made the possibility even more exciting. Our girls took care of Madera with a 4-0 win. Then Sunday morning they beat Odyssey 3-0. This took us to the Championship game against South Valley. Both teams played hard, at the end of it all South Valley won 1-0.
All the girls played fantastic. I will by the end of the week send out a personal email to each player, expounding on their weekend play. I just want to say good job. We scored 8 goals this weekend and only 2 were scored against us. This is in part due to Dominique. She has come on to this team and fit like a glove. With losing a player like Danielle, one always wonders if she can be replaced. Well Dominique you have not only filled those shoes, but you also bring so much as a field player. I think we were all amazed when you buried that ball in the back of the net from outside the 18. We are very happy you came along to join an amazing group of girls. Yes, they are amazing. Great Tournament Cyclones

FOR THE SAFETY OF THE PLAYERS

Before I Blog about our recent tournament I need to address an area of concern. It is not by accident that many of our girls got injured this weekend. Some of which are still nursing these injuries. As a coach I am pretty laid back for this age group. I feel there shouldn't be so much pressure put on young players. So I overlook players late to practice, because I know that parents do have busy schedules. Something I've overlooked lately, but will not any more, is players being late to scrimmages or games. When players come to practice I don't do a lot of stretching. This is because these girls are at school all day running and jumping. By the time they get to practice, their muscles are warmed up. Games are a different issue. Most players wake up eat breakfast, and move around very little before their parents drive them to the game. They need to stretch and warm up their muscles. If not, they will get injuries. This is what happened this weekend. Very few girls were at the fields at the designated time, and it only got worse on Sunday.

LET ME BE CLEAR: When we start Warm ups
League games: 45 before the start of the game
Tournaments: 1 hour before the start of the game (unless I make adjustments)

If players are not there at the designated time. We will play short on the field until the late players have a decent time to warm up. I cannot risk player injuries. If this results in a loss for our team, no one suffers except the girls. Please be prompt with the times. Thank You

CYCLONES BREAK TOP 20 IN STATE

Well here it is, we have finally been ranked in the State. It took long enough (just kidding). All the girls and their families should be very proud. We have been ranked number 19 in the State. This is a good starting point for us. Take a look at the rankings. We have played many of these teams competitively. Work hard this weekend girls. A good showing in the upcoming Tournament will push us up the chart.

click this link http://www.nationalsoccerranking.com/california_north.htm

FINISHING DRILLS PAYOFF BIG

After a tough loss last week against Lamorinda, I finally decided to focus totally on finishing this past week. It's something I've tried to work into practice more often, but I always seem to run out of time. This time I was determined. There are a few games that stick out in my mind, that if we had been better at finishing, we would have dominated those games. So with a great week of practicing finishing, I knew we would match up well against Bullard. Our girls played unbelievable. They took control from the start, and never looked back. With Keagan finding an early goal, it set the tone for the rest of the game. Isabella, who worked hard at Saturdays finishing practice, found the back of the net twice. Evy finished off the day to make it a 4-0 win. I was pleased on how well all the girls played. I might not give the defense all the accolades they deserve, it's just that they get it done so well. Only 2 shots were taken on our goal the whole game. Way to go Defense. Big Tournament this weekend in Visalia. Get Ready CYCLONES we've got momentum.

THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY: WHAT A WEEKEND

THE GOOD: We beat Kingsburg on Sunday morning to keep our undefeated record in CYSA. The Kingsburg team came out strong, but in the end we were to much for them. All the girls played well. Although Keagan really step up her game. I told her after the game that she became a better player that morning.

THE BAD: Danielle decided to leave our team and play for the Odyssey U-12 team. We will miss Danielle and we hope the best for her. As a coach I always support what a family feels is best for their child. I wish she would have seen out her commitment for the season, but in the end it's a family decision. Like I told all the girls on the team. This isn't the first time a player has left our team, and it won't be the last. Kennedy, Anissia and Daniella are all girls that use to play for us but have gone on to play with different teams. It's always good to see these girls on the field and I always wish them the best. My hope for every player that I have coached or ever will coach, is for them to love the game of soccer. Wherever that is, it's up to them. I reminded our players that when we see Danielle we should treat her with respect, and nothing negative should ever be said about her. I truly enjoyed the Rodriguez family on this team. They will be missed.

THE UGLY: Our second game on Sunday was Ugly. I know the girls were a little tired from the morning game. But it just seemed like we couldn't get any breaks. 2 hand balls and a missed penalty kick didn't help either. There is no blame to any individual player on why we lost the game. We win together we lose together. It's just unfortunate that we lost to a team that I feel we are much better than. But in the end, they got the win. Remember these first 3 state cup games are just for placement in state cup. We will rebound from this game and be just fine.

Back to work today and Thursday. Then Bullard this Sunday. Get ready girls Bullard always plays up for us. Work hard this week CYCLONES. It will pay off on Sunday.

CYCLONES WIN OPENER IN CYSA

Although the competition wasn't as strong as I would have liked, the girls played well. They dominated from the beginning by scoring in the first 40 seconds. As a coach I realized how bad this could have got, so I pulled 2 player and played short 15 minutes into the game. This is how I usually handle a game like this. The only problem with this game was the refs. They decided not to call fouls against our opponents. And call every little foul on us, even yellow carding Pauline for a foul that should have just been a warning. Then there were players on the other team that were not only cursing at our girls but telling them they were ugly. After the intentional foul on Danielle with no penalty call, I had enough. I realized the only way to end this mess was to totally destroy this team. I went back to 11 players and I told the girls to take care of business. They did, and this took care of it. Sometimes I might take it a little too personal when it comes to my players, but I have daughters and these little girls are close to my heart. Great win Cyclones. To set the record straight, we have the most beautiful girls on any u-11 team in the State.

WELL PLAYED--------CYCLONES

These words put it best. What more could I have asked for as a coach. The girls played hard and fast. Even though we were missing a few girls, I knew the rest of the team could compete with the Bullard u-12 team. I've got to hand it to Bullard, they moved the ball around very nicely. We could take a lesson from them when it comes to ball control. This is something we will be working on, along with finishing in the coming weeks. All the girls played well, although there was a few standouts. Cassidy, made me proud as a coach. I've been struggling with where to play Cass on the field lately. I talked to Angela (the coach from Odyssey) she knows Cass. She suggested that I try her as a stopper. With certain girls missing in this game, it was the logical place to play her. WOW, that's all I can say. Cassidy made very few mistakes in the game, and the ones she did make, happened only because she second guessed herself. Great game Cass, you played awesome. Our defense got a little sloppy but just like always they pulled it together and held down the back. Ryan had a lot to play for since a classmate of hers plays for Bullard. Ryan held down the middle and played a passionate game. Our outside mids struggle a bit in the first 2 periods. I got on them and sternly told them to get it together. That was I all I needed to say, and they did. Great penalty kick Emiko. Our forwards progressively got stronger as the game went on. We need to start playing stronger from the start of the game...FORWARDS. Dominique and Jurnee shared the goalie duties. Dominique played strong the first 2 periods and in the final period Jurnee played remarkable. It was a wonderful game to watch. Ending at a 1-1 tie.

Then the Penalty Kicks: Jurnee jump in the Box ready to stop anything. I had 8 girls volunteer to take the shots. I could only pick 5, as much as I wanted to pick all 8. We made 3 of our 5 shots, all good shots. Kylie, Isabella and Ryan buried their shots in the back of the net. Bullard made 2 of their 5 shots. So at the end of a great night. CVSA prevails a win against a very talented Bullard u-12 team.

BULLARD SCRIMMAGE SET FOR AUG. 28

I'm very excited about tomorrows scrimmage against the Bullard u-12 team. This team is very talented and they move the ball around very well. This is the team Katrina's sister plays for, Marissa. This team will push us physically as well as mentally. I feel this is a team we can compete with. We need to be at the top of our game. Let's come prepared to battle 60 minutes. I expect nothing less than everything you've got. Don't leave anything out of this game. Let's give our all and see where we stand at the end. This game will be a good measuring stick on where we are at right now as a team. Make me proud CYCLONES

LET ME SUM UP THE MONTH

I thought the San Luis Obispo Tournament was a huge success. Although we didn't win the whole thing. We took a lot of good things away from the weekend. 2 wins 1 loss, and the loss came to a team I felt we should have beat. Don't worry we will see them at the end of September. Overall the girls played fantastic. Every player and their parents should be proud.

Practices have been great since the tournament. Now that we have everyone healthy, we can begin to prepare for league play and State Cup Qualifying games. That will start Sept. 6th with Fresno Monarchs. Every practice needs to get more intense, we have a very busy schedule and I plan on this being our best season ever.

THE GREATEST SOCCER PLAYER EVER....

DIEGO MARADONA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PIB40HPPHU

4 DAYS UNTIL SLO TOURNAMENT

With only four days left until the San Luis Obispo Tournament, I feel like we need to concentrate on finishing. With two good scrimmages this past weekend, it seemed like we can generate shots, just not finish them. I'm very excited about this tournament. It's a tournament I feel we can win. Although it's not going to be easy. With Evy out, this will put the responsibility on other girls to step up their game. It's always unfortunate when a player of this caliber is kept out of a game because of an injury. The upside, is that girls that have been waiting to prove that they also have what it takes, get the chance. So let's look at Evy's injury as a positive. Players are going to rise to the occassion and play better than they ever have. Then when Evy is back 100%, we not only have Evy, but the girls that pushed themselves to become better players due to this injury. Let's push ourselves the next couple of practices and go into the tournament the Awesome team I know we are. GET READY SLO..........HERE COMES THE CYCLONES

CYCLONES LOOK STRONG IN VISALIA

After a great week of practice. CVSA went down to Visalia to take on a great u-10 boys team from SVU and the u-11 girls team out of the same club. The girls played strong against the boys, coach couldn't be happier with their performance. Although they fell short to lose 4-5. The game gave the girls momentum for their next game. They came out strong and took it to SVU girls 4-0. With coach trying a new formation, the girls adapted well and only allowed 3 shots on goal. A big shout out to our Keepers. Jurnee who always does a fantastic job, and Kylie who stepped up when coach needed a second half keeper. Kylie made 2 great saves. Don't worry Kylie, Danielle will be back soon, but coach really appreciated you stepping up when we needed someone. We are on the right track for the upcoming tournament. Another scrimmage tonight against the CVSA boys team. This will be a barn burner. Our girls always play strong against Nick's teams.

GOOD SCRIMMAGE/GREAT PRACTICE

The scrimmage on Monday night was a good start to the second half of the season. Although Fresno Metro wasn't as strong as I expected. They still played a very physical game. This game gave our girls a chance to get back into the routine of practices.

Tuesday practice was great. The girls worked hard and showed that they are ready to get stronger as players. Great drills, great scrimmage. Although Danielle did get her calf bruised during the scrimmage. Looks like she will be out 1-2 weeks. Just in time for the San Luis Tournament. Get better soon Danielle, we need you.

Just a reminder. We will be practicing 3 days a week until school starts Mon, Tue, and Wed. Make as many Tuesday practices as you can. I know we usually don't practice on Tuesdays, but I promise you it will make a difference.

RECAP: THE LAST MONTH & A HALF

Since coach has been a real slacker concerning the blog site, let me get caught up. The Girls went on to win their final league game and go undefeated in league. League Champions Cyclones, you are awesome! We played South Valley in a scrimmage and it was a good win. Emiko and Cassidy played for South Valley because they were short players. This gave a chance to look at some new players trying out for our team. Tryouts went great, coach feels like we added strength to an already strong team. Walnut Creek 6v6 was bittersweet. At the end of it, we were the best u-11 team out on the fields that day. We brought home 3rd place medals and our entry fee. Overall we had a great time. The Final team was put together by the end of June. Keagan, Kylie, and Evy were added to our team. These girls came from the Odyssey Club. We are glad they decided to play for us. July 1st through July 20th was our summer break. It might have been a little long, but we really needed to break. We had our End of the year soccer party during the break. Great time at Bounce U. All the girls and their siblings had a great time. Well, that's pretty much it. A lot of fun, a lot of success. Now it's time prepare for the second half of the season!

I will try to keep up with blogging, it's good for the team

Coach Dennis

CYCLONES GET STRONGER AND CLINCH LEAGUE TITLE

With a strong tournament and a great week of practice the girls brought their A game on Saturday. The first time we played Odyssey was at the beginning of the month. At that time we beat them 4-0, but their coach told me they were missing 4-6 strong players. So I figured with time and their whole team together, we would have our work cut out for us. Well, with a 6-0 victory over Odyssey, I think the score says it all. I don't know if we ever played better. Great job girls. With the win over Odyssey, we have clinched League Championship. One more league game Cyclones, let's end this season on a strong note.

TOUGH TIME IN TRACY FOR CYCLONES

What a tournament. After all was said and done, I see this weekend as a very successful part of our season. The girls took care of business early by beating TPSC 4-0. Then came the Alliance, who I thought we dominated the whole game. With very little time left the Alliance scored to win 1-0. This was a tough loss considering we played on their side of the field most of the game. Sundays game was against probably one of the top 5 teams in the state Sacramento Storm, the girls played hard but came up short in a 2-0 loss to this great team. Overall the girls played strong and smart. The Alliance went on to win the whole tournament and Sac Storm won the consolation game. So like Eric Rodriguez told me "Coach, I truly believe that we are not to far away from being able to consistently beat the tougher teams." I believe this to be true. Keep your heads up Cyclones, we are only going to get better.

SOUTH VALLEY BATTLES CYCLONES TO THE WIRE

After a dominating performance by CVSA against South Valley on Saturday, South Valley came back on Sunday ready to win. Our girls had a great game on Saturday with a 4-1 win over South Valley. Pauline had a great game by burying 3 goals in the back of the net in the second half. Then came Sunday, not only was coach a little late (a little?) but the Coach from South Valley regrouped from Saturday's game very well. They came to play, and they had a game plan to beat CVSA. Little did they now: WE DON'T GIVE UP. All the girls played their hearts out, and I couldn't have asked for more. A tough battle that was finally settled with a goal from Isabella in the second half. Both teams played great. It's always good to play a team of that caliber. On a side note, Coach Neal from South Valley might be borrowing some of our girls for a tournament in July. This is the way teams should work together; helping each other when we can, and not worrying about someone trying to steal players. Coach Neal also offered us some of his girls if we ever need them. Great battle by two great teams. Way to go Cyclones & South Valley......good soccer!

GREAT PICTURES FROM STANFORD

RED & WHITE TEAM BEFORE THE BIG MATCH UP

CHISOM GETTING IT DONE ON THE FIELD

SOMEONE CALL THE WEATHER MAN,

THESE TWO CYCLONES LOOK DANGEROUS

thanks for the great pictures Darren

TOUGH COMPETITON SET FOR THE TRACY TOURNAMENT

Well the schedule is set for the Tracy Soccer Tournament (The Orange Bowl). Tough competition in both brackets. Some teams we have seen before and others with great club names. Either way, it is going to be a rough and tough weekend. The nice thing is that our first game on Saturday is at 11:00am. This means we don't have to meet on the field until 10:00am. So if anyone wants to drive up that morning, it would be fine. Our first game Sunday morning is at 11:00am also. We appreciate when clubs cater to the out of town teams. Here is a link to the schedule for the tournament. www.tracyfc.com/tfc/index_files/2008OrangeBowlSchedule.pdf Oh yeah, we are on the roster as CBSA Cyclones. Get ready Cyclones, this tournament promises to be a battle.

CYCLONES PULL OFF WIN AGAINST A DETERMINED CENTRAL TEAM

After a fast start of moving the ball around and taking shots on goal by the Cyclones, Central sent a long ball to get a quick goal making it 1-0 with 15 minutes left in the half. Although we dominated the game with passing and shooting, Central still was making a game of it. The Cyclones finally found a goal before half was over to equalize the game. I explained to the girls at half time, that we don't play a kick ball game, and to settle the ball down and start passing. It's tough at this age for the girls not to get caught up in it, and they did. With Katrina having an outstanding game, I moved her to the middle to see if she could spark the offense. Within minutes she created enough for our girls to score. With a final score of 2-1 over a very determined Central team, we are now 2 wins and 0 losses in league. We have a lot to work on this week to prepare for South Valley. Great win Cyclones and great play Katrina (our captain for the week)!

CYCLONES DOMINATE AT STANFORD CUP

WHAT A WEEKEND! Who could have imagined what this weekend was going to bring?! First, a great win over Odyssey on Saturday. Then, both the Red and the White team going undefeated in their opening brackets at the Stanford Cup. In the morning games, it seemed like the Red team might have been a little stronger than the White team. They cruised through their morning games without a hitch. Although the White team also went undefeated, it seemed it took them longer to find the back of the net and finish off their opponents. We were then re-bracketed for the afternoon, and both teams ended up in the top bracket. Sure enough they put us against each other the first game. I will tell you this, it was the best game of the day. Both teams fought hard and wouldn't let up. At the end the White team prevailed with a 4-2 victory and went on to be the U-10 CHAMPIONS. The Red team brought home the 3rd place trophy and just missed 2nd place by 1 goal. All the girls played awesome and I couldn't be happier with the day. It was a great time to get more familiar with other parents and it let the girls be kids. We will take tomorrow off and get back at it on Thursday. Big game on Saturday against Central. Now that we have momentum, let's continue to press on strong. See you Thursday, CYCLONES!

CYCLONES WIN OPENER WITH DECISIVE WIN OVER ODYSSEY

To be honest, I stood a little taller after the game against Odyssey on Saturday. I couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. Maybe because the girls just beat the top club in Fresno. It also could have been that they played a great controlled game and only allowed 1 shot on goal. Maybe just knowing the coach and some of the parents on the other team made me feel like a proud parent. Whatever it was, it was a great feeling. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I am so proud to be the coach of this team. These girls work harder than any group of girls I've ever coached. Now with the first game of the season out of the way, we can look forward to the Stanford Cup tomorrow. We have two strong teams competing in separate brackets. This day we not only be a good day of soccer, but a chance for players and parents to bond. Way to go, CYCLONES!

4 DAYS UNTIL FIRST LEAGUE GAME

It's crazy, I'm very excited and also very nervous about our first league game. The girls have been working hard at practice and seem focused for the game. We've only been working on a few things to prepare for the Odyssey game. Things that the boys team exposed when we played them. This game will set the tone for the year. Make no mistake, Odyssey will come to play. We have got to be at the top of our game and really make a statement about who we are and what we bring to the field. Remember Cyclones, We Play to Win. Nick and I marked out the field today in the basin, and it looks great. We will need help from some of the fathers to move over the goals from Granite. When that's all done, we will have a top notch field for top notch players. Go Cyclones

OUR BIG FAT YARD SALE WAS A TOTAL SUCCESS

Thank you to all that participated in the yard sale this weekend, we earned over $600. Due to the timing and still more stuff to sell, we will have another yard sale this weekend. We need all who can to get involved with this and all the fundraisers we do. Keep in mind this money goes into the general fund and is used for all areas of the team. This is how we keep the cost so low for our families. Some clubs charge fees that are astronomical. I feel if we keep the fees minimal and do a couple of fundraisers, everyone is happy. I myself have never been a big fan of fundraising, but I've gotta give a big shot out to Adela (Ryan's mom) for coming up with some great fundraising Ideas. Just think after this second yard sale we should have raised almost $1000, and we got to clean out our closets and garages. Way to go Adela. Let's do the car wash tickets next, my car is filthy. Way to go Cyclones, everthing we do is 100%

SPRING LEAGUE SET TO START MAY 3RD

So it's etched in stone. Our first league game will be against Odyssey Red. This will be a good first game of the season for us. The Odyssey Club always puts together very talented teams. This gives us two weeks to prepare for this game. After evaluating our play against the boys on Thursday, there is just a few things I am going to concentrate on for the May 3rd game. I know if the girls work hard the next two weeks, good things will happen. Also, Nick said the boys would scrimmage us again before our first game. This will be a big weekend for us, don't forget we have the Stanford Cup on May 4th. We will be split into two teams for that tournament. I'm very excited about the month of May!

HARD WORK PAYS OFF FOR CYCLONES

What a game, I'm still feeling so proud of our girls. I told the girls before the game, that they were the most talented team I had ever coached. I also told them that I expected nothing less than a well played game at top speed. They delivered, just like they always do. If you parents haven't figured it out yet, we have something very special here with this group of girls. It's all coming together for them as players. The new ones are blending right in with the returners and helping us to the next level. We had six goals from four different girls. They had one shot on goal in the first half and that was it. Although I thought Madera Red Stars had some talented girls on the field (especially Anissa and Daniella) they just couldn't seem to get anything going. I have a feeling this team will get better with time. It was good to see Anissa and Daniella, they haven't lost their touch. A special shout out to our Captains of the game, Jurnee and Cassidy. They lead this team today, just like captains should. Jurnee played striker and held her position well, and also shared goalie duties with Danielle. Cassidy ran the defense like no other. Way to go captains. Way to go team, because this win was truly a team effort. Gooooooo Cyclones

FIRST SCRIMMAGE OF THE YEAR

OK, the scrimmage is set. Next week we'll be taking on Madera Red Stars. This game will be the first test of the season for us. Since we are playing 11 on the field, this will be new for most of our girls. I'm very excited about the game. I have an idea where to play the girls, but you know how that can change. I'm told Madera is a very good team, with a lot of passion. I also hear they have two hot shot girls (Anissa and Daniella) Grrr. I knew we would see those girls sooner or later. We know how talented both of those girls are. So I think we are in for a battle. I expect nothing less out of our girls than 100%. If we play to the best of our ability, then we can walk off that field heads high. You girls have worked hard up to this point. Let's go into the game like we ended the game in Manteca, pounding their goal with shots. Eric (Danielle's dad) setup this scrimmage up for us, and is talking with South Valley and Odyssey to set up more scrimmages. Thank you to all the parents that do the extras, I couldn't do it without you. I truly believe I'm blessed to have such great parents and players. GOOOOOOOO CYCLONES

CAPTAINS AND MANTECA TOURNAMENT

Sorry for being such a slacker on the Blog. This is my busiest time of year (not an excuse). Captains last week were Gabriella and Emiko. Both girls have really stepped up their game. I am so proud of these two returners. I know the other girls look to them as role models and I look to them as leaders. Great job girls.
Great time at the Manteca Tournament. I thought the girls played top-notch soccer. Taking away nothing from the first team we played, but I thought we out played them the whole game (but they did put more in the goal than we did) I think we all saw what great potential our team has. Although all the girls played great. We had two standouts who are also our Captains for this week. Lucy played very consistent this weekend like she always does. The only difference is that she was matched up against our last team's toughest player. Not only was the girl talented but she looked like she was twice the size of Lucy. Stopping every one of the girls attacks, Lucy took care of business and then some. Chisom, who is new to the team, surprised us all. On the surface Chisom is quiet and nonthreatening. On the field she is fierce and a little speedster. She gave us so many opportunities to score and played with our returners like she's been playing with them for years. Great job girls or should I say Captains

NEW PRACITCE LOCATION. COMING SOON

Although Granite Park use to be a great place to practice, recently it has gone down hill. Not only are the fields in rough condition. We also have to put up with other teams from who knows where. We are currently in the processess of getting a new practice location. Right now it looks like we will be practing at Selma Lane Park (Shepard and Maple) starting in July. Until then we are trying to acquire the rights at Robinson Park (Fresno between Bullard and Barstow). Both these fields will be better places to practice. Info coming soon

NEW WEBSITE IS UP AND RUNNING

The website address is www.cyclonesoccer.org This is going to be a great resource for our team. Monthly calender for families to plan ahead. Schedules for league games and tournaments. Links to mapquest to any unknown area. Record area to see our progress during the season and even an Album area for us to upload pictures so every family can share in on the memories. Go check it out. If anyone is interested in keeping this website updated, let me know. I will do it if I have to, but would rather someone else take the responsibility. Oh yeah, on the website if you click the team photo it will take you to this blog site. It is here that I will give my weekly comments on the team.

CAPTAINS HAVE BEEN CHOSEN

Our first captains of the season have been chosen. Captains will be chosen on a weekly basis. They will be chosen from the girls performance from the previous week. Whoever is chosen for the week will be captain at all practices for that week and any tournaments on the weekend. The following week there will be two new captains chosen . Sometimes, the same girl or girls may be chosen . Coaches will evaluate weekly and make that decision.

Our first captain is Cassidy Crouch. I've never seen Cassidy so focused at practice. She's pushing herself on every drill and working hard on the 1v1 games. After the first week of practice, Cassidy has me thinking that she has more to her game than just defense. Can't wait to see what she brings to the Manteca Tournament. She is maturing very nicely into a leader on this team.

Our second captain is Isabella Naranjo. Isabella has always been a hard worker. Although last week she showed the coaches that she is ready to learn more. Every technical drill we do, I see Isabella pushing herself to do it right. Rarely talking during practice, shows me she is trying to get everything out of practice. I've been talking about Isabella lately to people. I keep telling them, I can't wait to see what kind of player she is in three months. Isabella is like a slab of marble if I can work on it very carefully, I feel that at the end she will be a work of art, with soccer.

AWESOME FIRST WEEK OF PRACTICE

I couldn't be happier about our first week of practice. I felt as a team we worked on the things that will benefit us in the long run. Right now, my main concern is building a good foundation for the rest of the year, and it starts with technical skills. Some of our girls do very well with the technical part of soccer. Although most of the girls struggle with feints and moves. These things could give them such an advantage against the opponent. Think about it, Paulene has such good size and speed. Put with that some moves and feints and she would be unstoppable. I look at a player like Isabella, who might not have all the speed in the world, but who is very smart on the field. Give her some moves and feints and just think how her game would open up. I have thoughts about all the girls and how this technical training is going to benefit them so much. On that note, if there is any player that feels they need a little more work on these things, I will always be at practice 1/2 early to work with any players. I am very proud of how hard all the girls are working.

STANFORD CUP 4v4 TEAMS:

I am very excited about the Stanford Cup. We had such a great time last year, this year will be even more fun. I split the girls up into two teams. I feel the teams are equally as strong. Here are the rosters for the Stanford Cup. Our age group will be U10 girls. Sunday May 4, 2008

BLACK TEAM

Ryan Uribe
Paulene Scanlan
Gabriela Watson
Mary Hang
Bethany Lucio
Morgan Cruce
Danielle Rodriguez

RED TEAM

Emiko Kubose
Chisom Okereke
Katrina Thompson
Cassidy Crouch
Jurnee Fernandez
Isabella Naranjo

READY OR NOT, HERE WE GO.

With the team in place we are ready to start practice. Exciting news about the first two weeks of practice. We will be joined by Sandy Sinner, a former Pacific player who will help us get this season off on the right note. She comes highly recommended, I'm sure the girls will enjoy her. Our website is almost finished and it's looking great. Don't worry there will be a link to this blog. This is where I will keep you updated on the most current info and just my thoughts on weekly things going on with our team. The website is more for schedule of practices, tournament schedules and maps, League schedules, and a calendar so you can plan stuff months ahead of time. We have registered for the Manteca Tournament so we should get a reply on that shortly. Next week will will register for the Stanford Cup 4v4. In Stanford we will split up into two teams. I will split the teams up as evenly as possible. I will post the teams and the players on them on this blog. See you Monday at 5:30 GOOOOOOOOOOOO CYCLONES

THE TEAM HAS BEEN CHOSEN

We just want to thank all the girls who tried out for the CVSA U-11 Girls soccer team. It was a tough decision, but here is the Final Roster.

Cassidy Crouch
Morgan Cruce
Jurnee Fernandez
Mary Hang
Emiko Kubose
Bethany Lucio
Isabella Naranjo
Chisom Okereke
Katrina Thompson
Ryan Uribe
Gabriella Watson
Paulene
Danielle Rodriquez

Congratulations girls, you deserve to be on this team. It's going to be a great season. Tina Kubose will be calling all the parents for a team meeting this weekend. See you then. Goooooooooooooooo Cylones.

CENTRAL VALLEY SOCCER ACADEMY SOCCER TRYOUTS

CLICK THE AGE MATRIX ABOVE TO ENLARGE. TO FIGURE OUT APPROPRIATE AGE

Finally, The dates are set. Spread the news, we are going to have a great program this year. All tryouts will be at Granite Park.

U-10 GIRLS February 16th, 9 to 11am: February 17th, 1 to 3pm

U-11 GIRLS February 16th, 9 to 11am: February 17th, 1 to 3pm

U-12 GIRLS February 16th, 9 to 11am: February 17th, 1 to 3pm

U-10 BOYS February 16th, 1 to 3pm: February 17th, 3 to 5pm

U-11 BOYS February 16th, 1 to 3pm: February 17th, 3 to 5pm

U-12 BOYS February 16th, 1 to 3pm: February 17th, 3 to 5pm

MINIMUM AGE FOR TRYOUTS IS 8 YEARS OLD AS OF AUGUST 1, 2008

JUST IMAGINE

Just Imagine!

Just imagine for a moment Youth Soccer organized solely for the benefit of the development of children

Where coaches’ desires of living out their Soccer managerial fantasies were non existent

Where parents sporting ambitions were not being lived via their children

A system of sports development that did not focus upon winning over development

Where the improvement of a child learning to kick a ball with his weaker foot was heralded as much as the top goal scorers latest hat-trick (or a 40 yard screamer)

Parents smiling on the touchline, non-judgmental, win or lose

Referees enjoying their duties as official, due to the genuine thanks and respect they receive from players, parents and coaches

Soccer designed for children and not for mini adults

An environment and culture that cultivated a respect for your opponents

Training programs that stretched and motivated children of ALL abilitiesYouth Soccer matches played in a competitive but aggression free environment

A structure of Soccer that catered for the specific and changing requirements of youngsters as they mature to prevent the drop-out in the early teens

Coach education that maximized the potential in our youngsters

Just imagine! For without imagination great goals can never be achieved

With imagination, belief and resolve We can teach our children “The Beautiful Game!”

Just imagine

CHECK OUT COACH'S NEW WEBSITE

Ok I'm pretty excited about my new website for my side business. Check it out, just click the link at it should take you there.

www.dennisvargasphotography.com

See you all soon.
Coach Dennis

WHO ARE THE CYCLONES?

For the next few weeks the posting will be for all those that might be interested in becoming apart of CVSA girls soccer Under 9, Under 10 or Under 11 teams, or just want to know a little more about us. The posting area here, was started back in September 2007 after our first league game. Although our history as a team goes back to March of 2007 or was it April? It all happened so fast that I'm still not quite sure when it all began. Some of the girls today were not even here from the beginning, and still there are some that were here but had made prior commitments to play league with other teams. We sure miss those Madera girls (Daniella and Anisia), they where very talented. We hope that they will tryout this year. Then there was Kennedy who was such a dynamic player, another one that we hope will come to tryouts. All of these girls we missed and wished they would have stuck around. But with them leaving also made room for players that we might have never picked up. So at the end of the day the team was formed to play Under 10 Class 1 Club Soccer. With 14 players on the rooster, maybe a few more than a normal team should carry, but we were no normal team. We had 6 players that were still eligible to play Under 9 and 8 players that were true age at under 10. This is why the team will split this year. With two strong cores at two separate age brackets, we are looking for players to fill vacant positions and help continue with the success of the CVSA Class 1 Youth Program. Tryouts will be at the end of February. Time and location will be posted soon. My next posting will go more into the Coaching staff and their philosophy.

NEW YEAR..............NEW BEGINNINGS

Well here we are in 2008. Much doesn't seem different, but what lies ahead of this team will change our lives forever. The break is nice, but I know many of the girls are having a hard time staying away from the game. Some are playing indoor with other teams. A few are doing private training, and others are just kicking it around with family and friends. All these things are great. We will be back at it before you know it. Us coaches have been busy also. Looking at new curriculum from the Mustang Soccer Club has been very insightful. The Mustang Coaching Staff has gone above and beyond to help us out. This is the way coaches should get along. We are also looking to put together a Futsal League for March and April which is an eight week session that will help out our technical skills tremendously. The coaches will be traveling to the Bay Area for a look at a very successful Futsal Program. We are also still trying to set in on a date for tryouts. It looks like it will be at the end of February, but we are still waiting on a few things. Hey, that's only seven weeks away ! Good things coming for CVSA.