EBSC Labor Day:  2 losses  ...  Piscataway Fall Classic:  0 losses ...  Freehold Frightfest:  2 losses  ...  PDA Spring Kickoff:  0 losses  ...  EPIC:  3 losses  ...  Memorial Day Tournament:  I guess we should do well!!

Speaking of which, MSSL Explosion collapsed in the U9 and U10 girls divisions, so we had to scramble a bit for a replacement tournament over Memorial Day, but have entered the 40th Annual Bricktown Memorial Day tournament.  Maybe we can enjoy some beach time after the games are done.

But first up, we have a little JAGS business.  Barcelona Juniors Mutants are coming to town this Saturday, and we need to show that them what we’re made of.   And don’t forget, Saturday from 9:00-11:00 am we are mentoring the U5/U6 girls players on Field 2.  Wear white jerseys but bring green in case.

Every loss asks questions, but for some there are no good answers and you simply have to throw yourself back into practice and preparation for the next games.  Let’s not overlook the 3-0 win on Friday because of the 1-2 loss on Saturday.

We have three tough matches  this weekend (and if we do well a fourth) at the EPIC tournament. We open up against Jackson Gunners, for our third matchup this season, then play two Pennsylvania teams to get a taste of what their State can produce.   I know the Valkyries will do just fine.

In many ways, our Valkyries played better this weekend against the Jackson Gunners than they did two weeks ago in the PDA tournament, which ended in a 0-0 draw.  Unfortunately, the Gunners played better this weekend as well, finding the finishing that eluded them against us at the tournament, and cementing their deserved victory in the second half.   There were still numerous positives upon which we will continue to build, while also addressing the weaknesses.

• Monday/Wednesday practices as usual this week.
• Friday game at Hazlet at 6:30 pm (see "Directions" to left).   Wear white.  I understand it’s after work and a decent drive as well - please make every attempt to get there 30-40 minutes in advance for warm- ups, but get there whenever you can.  
• Saturday game against Middletown at 3:00 pm on Field 5.  Wear white.  Warmups at 2:20. 

I don’t know of anyone missing either game at this point.  If you are, let me know immediately

  

Taking a pasting like we did Saturday will happen to every player at some point.  We can either use it as motivation to improve ourselves, or we can continue on the same path and know that it will happen again.  All of us need to face up to that choice.

Monday/Wednesday practices as usual this week.  Optional Friday is currently marked tentative, as the last three optional sessions have had no more than 5 or 6 players in attendance. 

Saturday game at 3:00 pm on Field 5 against Jackson Gunners, so it won’t be any easier this weekend.   Wear white jerseys.

It's going to be hot tonight, but we've got a lot of work to do as we head into the middle of our season in the coming weeks - four league games over the next three weeks, with a tough friendly possibly thrown in for good measure.  First up, however, is the STA Sol this Saturday, for our first away trip in JAGS this season. 9:20 am warmups - 10:00 am kickoff - see the link to the left for directions to Morristown.  Wear the white jersey.

Our game against Hazlet has been confirmed for Friday, May 4 at 6:30 pm in Hazlet.   This was the only time/date that could be worked out considering all the factors.   If you need help with transportation, please start making arrangements now.

Also, Cherry Hill Hot Shots is willing to scrimmage us on Sunday April 29, if we are willing to travel to them for a 10:45 am kickoff.  Please let me know by Wednesday evening whether you are available.  They went 2-1 at the PDA tournament in the other bracket, beating PDA Galaxy and World Class.   It would be a tough match-up for us, but those are the types that make us better.

That’s our story and we’re sticking to it.

Yes, we felt we could/should have won the two games on Saturday, but we didn’t overcome the cold and the rain, nor the competition, and settled for the 0-0 draws.  Conversely, we struggled on Sunday, yet remained poised enough to close down the opponent’s attack and come out with the 0-0 draw.   Positives:  no goals allowed and undefeated.  Negatives:  no goals scored.  That’s something we can work on as we head into the Spring break.  In the end, a successful outing at one of the top tournaments in the country for girls soccer.

Three tough, but fun, games scheduled for this weekend in our first tournament of the Spring.  All eyes in the NJ Girls Soccer scene will be on the PDA tournament, where so many talented teams compete, and I know we will represent the Club well.

• Sat. at 11:00 am:  EB Valkyries vs. Mt. Laurel Pride
• Sat. at 5:00 am:  EB Valkyries vs. Toms River Revolution
• Sun. at 11:00 am:  EB Valkyries vs. Jackson Gunners

All games are on the same field (RV #8) - see the link at the left for directions.  Wear full green uniforms, but you must have your white jersey in your bag (the EBSC white jersey, not the sleeveless jersey).   Bring healthy food for in between games, if you are staying - please do not load players with fried, greasy food before their second game.  Get some rest Friday night, and we’ll see you all down at the fields.

Yesterday’s scrimmage was good to show how much rust we still have to scrape off.  Freehold has always been a good opponent for us, and yesterday was no different.    One loose scrum off a corner kick led to the only goal of the game, for Freehold, when truthfully neither team’s keepers were tested very much.  

Although I hope the grass itself will improve in the coming weeks, we have to be able to adjust to its play quickly, as we are back out there on Field 5 this weekend for our opening match in JAGS for Spring 2012, against a tough training organization, SDFC.

It may be a little early according to the astronomical calendar, but our Spring Season kicks off tonight with the return of full, twice-a-week outdoor training.  And who would have thought we’d be facing 61 degrees at 7:00 pm?

No league games this weekend, but we have a friendly against Freehold Arsenal Blue at 10:00 am on Sunday morning, on Field 5.  Be there 40 minutes in advance for warmups, in full green uniforms.  We’ve faced Freehold twice before, in our first-ever friendly and at their tournament in October.  They are currently playing in the top flight of MOSA.  It should be a good game for us.

Our indoor game is at  2:40 pm Saturday; warmpups begin at 2:10.   Same uniform as usual.

In other scheduling news, our JAGS game against Hazlet has been tentatively scheduled for the afternoon of March 17, 2012.  As soon as I have a confirmed game time, I will let you know.   Depending on the time, we may be short 2 players (and a head coach) - please let me know if anyone else cannot make that afternoon.

I will need feedback this week if you are interested in playing a third tournmant on Memorial Day Weekend or not.  It should fit within the amounts already budgetted.  But I just need to know whether you’d rather play, or take off with your families that weekend.  

With high temperatures expected to be at or around 60 degrees the next few days, it's good to be in the home stretch of our winter indoor league, with three games remaining.   After the weekend off without a game, and the lack of regular practice tonight due to the gym's scheduling, our players will be itching to get back to soccer this weekend, where we will face the Sayreville Shooting Stars for the second time this season.  No doubt, they will be looking to avenge their earlier loss to us, so we will have to be at our very best to come out with another good result against the older U10 team.

Game Time:  10:40 am (arrive by 10:10 am for warmups)

We have off this long weekend (and no practice Tuesday, Feb. 22), to regroup after this weekend's disappointing draw, get healthy, and finish out the last three games of our winter indoor league.  

Let's work our hardest tomorrow night at practice.  It's not like the girls are old enough to celebrate Valentine's Day anyway, right?  Well, if they are, then here's a Valentine they can appreciate:

The Winter leage is half over now.  To recap, we’ve played four out of the five opponents, including all three of the U10 teams.  This weekend, we face the Middletown Extreme Black, another team our own age, which plays in the Monmouth Ocean Soccer Association ("MOSA").   Our girls did nearly everything I asked of them the last time out against North Brunswick, but we still want to work on better combination play this coming Saturday.

After this weekend, we face Hazlet and Sayreville once more, and then depending on how well we’ve kept up our results, we might face Marlboro again in the final match of the indoor season, where we will be looking to turn the tables on them.

This week’s schedule:

• Tuesday practice:  7:30 at Korean Church
• Saturday game:  2:00 vs. Middletown.  Arrive by 1:30 for warmups (warmups are NOT optional - do NOT be late).  Wear same uniform, but bring green jersey in case - Middletown has worn white on occasion, and in case of a problem, we must have our change jersey.

Following our Parents’ Meeting last week, and the input I received afterwards by email, we have registered for the PDA Spring Kickoff (March 31-April 1) and the Eastern Pennsylvania Invitational Classic (May 12-13).  We’ll decide on the third tournament a little later, though the Cherry Hill FC tournament is the leading contender at this point.  Just a reminder - "registration" in a tournament does not mean "acceptance".  Top tournaments often get more registrations than they can accept logistically, though there is no reason to suspect that ours will be rejected. 

We're back on the field this Saturday, kicking off at 1:20 pm against the North Brunswick Wildcats, another U10 team.   Warmups begin promptly at 12:50 pm.  Wear the white sleeveless jerseys, but bring the green jerseys just in case.  Green shorts/socks.

We want to see crisper passes this Saturday, and more combination play.   Let's follow up the good win last time out with another good performance against an older team.

It was an intense, yet well poised team that managed the victory Saturday against an older, more experienced Sayreville squad.  Our ability to quickly close down on their forwards restricted their ability to get off as many of their powerful shots, and our excellent keeper made some wonderful saves on those that got through.  That defensive pressure, coupled with a more controlled transition to attack, is what allowed us to take the early three-goal lead into halftime.  It was a pleasure to watch, and knowing how this team improves from game to game, it's sad that we have this weekend off.  Maybe if it's warm enough, we could do something up at Heavenly Farms.

Practice Tuesday, 7:30 pm.  Wear grey tshirts.

Going up against a top 10 MOSA team in an age bracket above us is always going to be a challenge, and it is the challenge that our girls need at this point, not the win.  Also, after the opening flurry of pressure in the first 6 minutes or so, our girls settled down and held onto a much more even game.   This winter is our chance to experiment with positions and lineups, as we did yesterday, and to otherwise play outside our comfort zone (as we are against older teams) - we will undoubtedly end up on the short end of some games.  But the payoff will be this Spring, and after, when our girls play all the better for it.

Can't wait for the next game - we face another top 10 MOSA team in the U10 bracket (they finished a single point ahead of Marlboro) in Sayreville Shooting Stars.  Kickoff is at 2:40 - arrive by 2:10 for warmups.    

It was fantastic seeing the team play together again this past Saturday.  They looked really good - especially having had only one practice since before Thanksgiving!  The fast pace was a great test for the girls, and we're looking for them to continue respond to it as well as they did against Hazlet, getting the shut-out victory.

Next up, we face a really tough challenge in the Marlboro Comets, a U10 team.

• Saturday, January 14
• 2:00 pm kickoff - arrive by 1:30 for warmups
• White sleeveless jersey, green uniform shorts and socks (bring green jersey just in case)

I know it seems like we are still just getting out of holiday-mode, and with only one practice to get the girls’ feet back on the ball it seems too early to think about gameday.  But we’re diving back into competition tomorrow against the Hazlet Swarm, who will likely be one of our regular-season opponents in the Spring as we move to JAGS, so let’s hit the ground running tomorrow!

The game kicks off at 2:40 pm on Saturday, January 7, but arrive by 2:10 in case we find space to warmup.    The Fields Sports Complex, 8 Cornwall Court, East Brunswick.

Wear your white sleeveless jerseys from last Spring, along with the official green shorts and socks (and bring your green jersey as a backup, just in case).   Grass or Turf cleats will work.

Thanks so much to everyone for coming over on Sunday - it was wonderful to see all of you again after a few weeks off.  I hope that each and every one of you will continue to enjoy this blissful recuperation period before we start up practices and games the first week of January.  Enjoy your holidays, the time with your families, and enjoy the rest.

It is still difficult to realize that we do not have practice tonight.  That the season is over.   That we’ve come so far, in less than four months.

This weekend proved again that the more we play, the better we play.  Following up the previous weekend’s two successful games, we topped the performance with two more games this past weekend, each ending in identical 4-0 wins, as the East Brunswick Valkyries finished out our inaugural season on a happy and proud note.   One of only two teams in Flight 1 that was new to travel, with the other nine teams all having an entire year’s experience of travel under their belts, we nevertheless managed to take our prior individual skills, build something incredible out of them since August, and put together a 9-1 season of which each member of the Valkyrie family - coaches, trainers, players or parents - should be proud.  The girls have grown a great deal, but it is their eagerness to grow so much more that makes us most happy.

(photographs courtesy of Carolyn Caroselli and Tom Hayes)

I hope each of you will enjoy resting over the next six weeks before we begin our winter training - you’ve all earned it - and may each of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with family, friends and loved ones all around you.

Proving once again that the more they play, the more they thrive, the Valkyries erased the memory of their loss to Somerset Hills following an empty weekend, and played two games this past weekend with great success.   Travelling first to Bridgewater on Saturday, they uncharacteristically gave up an early goal, but locked down tight their defensive third after that and made the keepers’ job easy.  At the other end of the field, though not as quick or precise as when they are playing their best, they still managed four quality goals and dominated the amount of possession for most of the game.

(pictures courtesy of Tom Hayes)

Heading right back on the road to Branchburg on Sunday, the Valkyries were in full stride, playing possibly the best game of their careers. With terrific distribution coming out of center midfield, our forwards and wings were constantly getting the chance to run on to throughballs. Our backs were able to release balls quicker to the midfield, and the overall speed of play from all players was superb.  Players beating defenders with moves, rather than mere speed or size, was a real bonus in this 5-1 win.

With next weekend supplying another two games, we can only hope for the level of play to continue at such a high level. Let’s finish out the season well, Valkyries.

• Monday 11/14 Practice - 6:30 on Turf B
• Wednesday 11/16 Practice - 6:30 on Turf B
• Saturday 11/19 Game - 11:50 in Monroe (white jerseys)
• Sunday 11/20 Game - 12:20 against Scotch Plains Fanwood on Field 3 (green jerseys)

It’s not that we played very poorly, yesterday - we just didn’t play at all well, and our speed of play was simply too slow. There was effort, but a lack of focus to find the reward to that effort. And at this level, that’s the difference between the team that finds success on the field and the team that does not. Now, with that experience to draw on, we need to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and get our heads into practice tonight to prepare for this weekend. We can forget yesterday’s result, but let’s not forget the game - we need to learn from it.

This week’s schedule:  

• Monday, Nov. 7 - Practice at 6:30 on Turf B
• Wednesday, Nov. 9 - Practice at 6:30 on Turf B (we’ve been told football will no longer be using Turf B - if that’s incorrect, then Turf A)
• Saturday, Nov. 12 - Game @ Bridgewater - arrive by 12:20 - green jerseys
• Sunday, Nov. 13 - Game @ Branchburg - arrive by 12:20 - white jerseys

We’ve cancelled the Friday night optional practice these last two weeks, as we have Saturday games and I want everyone rested.

Also, we’ve confirmed our practice times for winter training with Lissette Brandao, starting January 3:  Tuesdays from 7:30-8:30 - see Schedule for details.

With the surprising snow in October, both our weekend games were cancelled.   Let’s hope the next three weeks see better weather, as we will quickly run out of opportunities to make up games if we have to cancel anymore.

This weekend, just the single Sunday game at home against Somerset Hills, who are one of the tough veterans from last year’s U8 campaign. Valkyries will need to bring everything they’ve got to do well in this match, especially after sitting out all of last weekend and last night.   Let’s all make sure the girls are 100% focused in practice Wednesday and Friday.

And don't forget that Sunday morning we set the clocks back an hour!

Judging by the laughs, it looked like everyone had a great time at the Freehold Frightfest Saturday, regardless of the results.   Losing both games, especially the second one on a last second PK, may not have seemed fun, but was good for all of us.   We need to keep seeing how far we still need to progress, and then put in the effort to get us there.  The Monmouth Coast team especially presented a nice comparison, crystallizing some of our weaknesses.  Our players still put in a lot of hard work, Saturday, and some players had exceptional performances at times - we have to remember that any view of our performance has to be taken in light of our opponents' abilities as well.  

After that Frightful Day of the Dead, though, our girls got right back on track in Millburn, where they opened strong and never looked back.  After going up 3-0 very early, we were able to use the remainder of the game to test players and different positions, test different formations, and push players to work on specific skills and tactics that weren't necessarily going to get us more goals.  Millburn never gave up, though, and put us under a lot of pressure in the final 10 minutes.  But even out of position, our girls remained difficult to beat, holding on for the 4-1 win.

This weekend, we head to Monroe on Saturday to play the Sparks, and to Bridgewater on Sunday to play the Charge.  Both games should be excellent challenges for our girls, who will have to show their consistency and focus, as well as their skills, to play well.   The weather looks to be turning colder - make sure they have on their coldgear, or other warm layers as needed.

We'll be wearing White to Monroe, but Green to Bridgewater.  Always bring the change jersey in case, though.

We are all set to play two teams from MOSA (Monmouth Ocean Soccer Association) this weekend.   In the morning, we face the Monmouth Coast Storm, and in the afternoon Freehold Arsenal Blue, both of whom will present a terrific challenge for our girls.   Both games are being played at the Jackson Mills complex, on the Witches' Cauldron field  - click Directions to the left.

Our opening game kicks off at 10:00 am, which means we start warming up at 9:20, but the costume committee has requested that all players arrive in costume at 8:30 am to receive face and hair painting.  You've already recieved your white hat and white shorts.   Blue jerseys should be handed out tonight - if you don't get yours, please coordinate with Paula Simpson or Debbie Brancato.  White socks are also necessary (and remember, if they are not true soccer socks, they still have to adequately cover your shingaurds) - see Debbie Brancato if you need any.

The weather should be nice on Saturday, though it will be a bit chilly early in the morning, so dress appropriately for the time before warmups and the long break between games.  Don't forget to bring lunch.

After a week off, it was good to get back onto the field, on a sunny Autumn afternoon, and play the game.    Our Valkyries did some things very well, and some things which still need a bit of work, but overall they are coming along nicely.  Seven goals by seven different players shows that we have a balanced, multi-dimensional attack, and as the scoreline increased and we started imposing certain limitations, the players responded well and adjusted their play to meet those new challenges.  Our back line also proved stable for the most part, staying composed and taking the time to control the ball to work it out from the back rather than simply clearing it to no one in particular.    Some areas we still hope to improve:  having all of our wide midfielders stretch the width of the field more; having our backs provide closer support to the midfield when we go forward; and having an awareness to show for the ball quicker when a teammate is getting into trouble.   Those concepts are all higher order thinking, though, and at this age will continue to take a back-seat to technical work.

(pictures courtesy of Carolyn Caroselli)

Due to Saturday games, and Friday evening school activities, we are cancelling Friday night optionals the next two weeks.

I can’t wait to see all the great work being done by parents to prepare costumes for the players this Saturday, as we head to Freehold for the Frightfest tournament.  They are late with their schedule, but we’ll update you as soon as they post it.

On Sunday, we’re back on the road, as we head to Millburn to play the Mystics.  This will be a very tough road match, against an experienced team that has a history of getting results.   Valkyries will definately need their rest Saturday night after the tournament, in order to make a good showing against Millburn.

I hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend away from soccer, and for our Valkyries I hope they feasted to celebrate Leif Erikson Day yesterday!  It’s good to take the occasional break, and our Valkyries have been working hard for ten straight weeks.   In fact, they have already attended twenty practices and fifteen games and scrimmages.  From here on out, we get back to work and try to finish out the season as strong as possible.  We have seven more league games, and two tournament games, so there is still plenty of soccer to be played.

This week, we have practices Monday and Wednesday at 6:30, with an optional practice Friday at 7:00.  On Sunday, Oct. 16, we face the Greater Flemington Sparks on Field 3 at 2:30 pm.  Arrive at 1:50 for warmups.  Wear the all green uniform, but bring white just in case.  Please also note that on Sunday Dunhams Corner Road will be closed in the area of Crystal Springs up past Church Lane for an EB Road Race, so you need to approach the fields from the Cranbury Road side.  You might also want to give yourself a little extra time in case of traffic.

The Freehold Frightfest Tournament has not yet posted schedules, but they have released the accepted teams.  There will be twenty-six U9 Girls teams competing, in three competitive brackets.  We have been placed in the top flight, with five other teams, though we will only play two of those teams on Oct. 22.  Our potential opponents could be the Watchung Hills Strikers (from MidNJ), or the Middletown Extreme White, Freehold Arsenal Blue, Monmouth Coast Storm or the Manalapan Fury (all from MOSA).

Also, we have formally registered for the MAPS Winter League at The Fields, in East Brunswick.  We are in the Girls U9/U10 division, and will be playing some tough competition.  Games are 8v8, held Saturdays from January 7 to March 10, and are likely to take place between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm.  Since this is out of season for soccer, participation in this league is optional.  If any players do not wish to participate, that is perfectly understandable - but please let me know either way ASAP so we can formalize our roster with the league, and budget the cost between whichever families are participating. 

The Valkyries enjoyed many different tastes of soccer this weekend, all of which added up to a wonderful weekend.   First, they showed up early on Saturday morning to work as assistant coaches to the U5/6 girls teams, getting the chance to inspire the younger players, and maybe get a hint of what coaching is like.    EBSC develops long term - creating coaches today for the next generation of players in 25 years!

After that, half the team enjoyed another couple hours of hanging out together, including attending a Girls U8 Rec game to cheer them on, then off to the High School to catch the Girls Varsity game against Bridgewater/Raritan, which the Bears unfortunately lost 2-1 despite having better possession throughout most of the game.   There were good lessons there for the Valkyries in attendance:  that chances have to be finished, and mistakes can cost you a game you should otherwise win.

On Sunday, the experienced and talented Watchung Hills Strikers came to town to play the Valkyries, but our players were ready to play.  Despite leaving several chances unfinished (... still need that lesson to sink in, apparently ...), the Valkyries wree fortunate to put in five goals, by five different players, only conceding one late goal to the visitors who never gave up and continued to press their attack with numbers until the final whistle.  The girls had been asked to focus specifically on their first touch this game, and it was evident that they were remembering to do so, which enabled them to make some wonderful runs, and terrific passing interplay.  I spoke to a lot of the parents afterwards, so I can say without hesitation how proud everyone was, and how much improvement we’ve all enjoyed watching since coming together on August 1.

Still enjoying the after-glow from the victory, the Valkyries re-assembled at the Perez household for a wonderful party that went long into the late evening, with several fun-filled volleyball matches for both kids and adults.  So much thanks to George and Jeanette for hosting a fabulous event, which continued to cement the great friendships we are building within the team, both for players and their families.

Valkyries are all ready to pitch in and mentor our Girls Superstars program tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 1, from 10:00-11:00 am.   Wear your white EBSC jerseys, and some old green tournament shorts and socks, and bring a big smile.  Please arrive at 9:45 am at the Concession Stand inside Dideriksen Park.

At 2:30 pm, the EB High School Girls Varsity will be hosting Bridgewater/Raritan.  Last week, 4 of our players showed up to support the EB Bears in their win over South Brunswick, and I know they’d like to see even more of us out there this weekend.  Please come if you are able - wear the same outfit as for mentoring earlier in the day.

Great opportunities for our girls to teach a little of what they have learned to the little players, and learn a lot from the big players.

The Valkyries had a successful outing last night in Westfield for their first road victory, overcoming certain unique challenges along the way.  We are most happy with the way the team adjusted as the game went on, playing a more patient game, looking for the open player, maintaining close control of the ball, to counteract the quick-playing old-style rug turf that tended to carry the ball away from players.  We hope the players also noted that they had 100% success rate when putting moves on defenders to get around them, rather than the 10% success rate of trying to dribble straight through them.  We were also very pleased that the players on the field completely ignored the trains that came through a mere thirty yards away.  

We still have a good bit to work on:  despite Friday’s practice, few crosses were finding the forward or far winger, instead looking like hopeful shots on goal from very difficult angles;  there need to be earlier balls played out to the wings where the opponents were conceding lots of space; and still too many aimless balls upfield to no one in particular.  

This weekend we play the Watchung Hills Strikers at home, who were one of the best teams in MidNJ Flight 1 at the U8 level. Our schedule was just posted, and we will play at 1:00 pm on Field 3.  Arrive by 12:20 on Field 5 for warm-ups.  We will be wearing our GREEN jerseys, but bringing our white jerseys in case.

In the meantime, we’ve got training Monday at 6:30 on Turf B and Wednesday at 6:30 on Turf A, then optional practice Friday at 7:00 pm on Turf A.  Also, our team will be providing mentoring this Saturday at 10:00 to the girls Superstars teams - more details to follow.   And if the girls want to spend more of Saturday together, the EB High School has another home game Saturday afternoon at 2:30 pm.  I’m sure they would be happy to have us come out and support them again.  Saturday's uniform for Mentoring and EBHS, if you are attending, is WHITE EBSC jerseys and warmups, if needed.

Sunday evening will be our first road game, against the Westfield White Falcons.   Westfield has a large girls' program, producing three travel teams at the U9 level, and should present a difficult challenge for our Valkyries.    The game will be played on Turf, not grass, so we should be able to play rain or shine.

Westfield will be wearing navy blue, so we are going to wear our White EBSC Jerseys (but always bring the other jersey just in case).  

Kickoff is at 5:30 pm.  We will begin warm-ups at 5:00 pm, so please arrive by 4:50 pm.

The Valkyries kicked off their season today with a great 3-1 victory against a terrific side, the Livingston Lasers.   Prior to facing our Valkyries, Livingston had a record of 25 wins, 4 losses and 7 ties, scoring 128 goals and only allowing 30, so our Valkyries should be very proud of the win.  It sets a great tone for the whole season, but there are still so very many things the girls need to work on in order to be where they could be at this stage.   Each week, the coaching staff has seen the improvement, and we fully expect to see more in the coming weeks. 

Can’t wait for the next game, Sunday, September 25, 5:30 pm, at Westfield, NJ.     See the Schedule and Directions links for details.

See you tomorrow night at 6:30 on Turf B for training.

We’re just about 48 hours away from kickoff in Mid-New Jersey Flight 1 league play, and everyone I talk to is excited for the start of a great season.  Pre-season tournaments and scrimmages were great, but they were just pre-season preparation.  The real deal starts Sunday, against one of the top teams playing in last year’s U8 Flight 1, the Livingston Lasers.   It will be a thoroughly tough test for our EB Valkyries, but no matter the result, I know they are going to play fantastic, and love every minute of it.  Bring your extended family, your friends, your neighbors, your classmates, and especially bring your cowbells - but let’s make sure our girls know they are supported.  Let’s give them a real home field advantage!

• Photo Session: 1:50 pm on Field 4
• Warmup: 2:00 pm on Field 4
• Kickoff: 2:30 pm on Field 5

The weather was cool, the drive was short, the facilities allowed us to warm-up and set up tents, and playing up an age group provided us with some good competition.  Through it all, the girls got stronger and stronger from game to game, and made all of us, coaches and parents, very proud.  2 wins, 2 draws, 7 goals for, 2 goals against, and plenty of valuable lessons learned.   Still have a very, very long way to go, but have truly hit the ground running.   Well done, Valkyries.

photos courtesy of Craig Iskowitz

I hope the girls liked their introduction to true travel tournaments this past weekend at the EBSC Labor Day Tournament!  We’re very proud of the girls, considering that as a team they’ve been together for just one month, whereas a lot of the opposing sides have been together playing travel competition for at least one year or more.   Naturally, there is a tremendous amount to work on, and as we have repeated, this is just the beginning for the girls.  We have two more weeks of training, and another four games this weekend, before we even open league play.  And even then, it is not about the wins or losses, but about their ability to play better each match.    For example, even though we won our final game against Manalapan, we played rather poorly compared to the extremely tight and aggressive defensive performance earlier in the day against Hamilton in a losing effort.  I was happier with the loss to Hamilton, than the win against Manalapan.

A reminder that we have practice on Turf A tonight from 7:00-8:30, then again tomorrow on Turf A with Lissette from 6:30-8:00.  

This weekend, we are all set to play a handful of U10 girls teams in Piscataway.  As I mentioned Sunday, this was a collective decision between Lissette, Eric and me, looking at both groups of possible opponents and the various tradeoffs.  We each felt that playing in the older U10 age bracket would benefit our development, and prepare us for league play, more than remaining in the combined U8/U9 age bracket.

Saturday at 2:00 pm vs. Piscataway Jaguars, Field 14

Saturday at 4:00 pm vs. Cranford XTreme, Field 14

Sunday at 2:00 pm vs. Monroe Fire, Field 14

Sunday at 4:00 pm vs. Clark Angels, Field 14

For all games - be at Field 14 forty minutes prior to kickoff.  

Wear:  white sleeveless jersey, uniform green shorts and green socks; bring green uniform jersey

Due to liklihood of lightning, and heavy rains, practice has been cancelled for this evening, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2011.

This was what I submitted.  No idea how the reproduction in the book turned out so poor.

In about 24 hours, the players will be getting their first real taste of Travel competition, as we host teams from New Jersey and Pennsylvania in our first outing at the annual EBSC Labor Day Tournament.   Our Valkyries are more than ready for the test, and will make us proud of the way they play, no matter the result.

We will be facing:

Saturday:  Old Bridge Express (MOSA, Flight 1), FC Pocono Elite (?)

Sunday:  Hamilton Wildcats White (SJGSL, Flight 1), Manalapan Magic (MOSA, Flight 7)

Please remember the points emailed to you about our schedule, as well as rest, nutrition and hydration, and I look forward to a great experience for the team.

Tonight:  Sayreville has confirmed that fields (and access roads) are open and in good condition, so our scimmage is on:  Tuesday, August 30th at 6:30 pm at the Sayreville Rec Complex, field 5B.   Warm-up begins at 6:00 pm.  Wear official green uniform jersey, green shorts, green socks.   See "Directions for Away games" as needed.  

Due to field closures, we will not be scrimmaging against South Brunswick on Monday.  Instead, we will hold practice on Turf A from 7:00-8:30 pm.

Tuesday's scrimmage against Sayreville is awaiting confirmation as to the status if their fields.

If there's a storm in the air, that must mean the Valkyries were riding hard tonight!   Hurricane Irene has nothing on our girls, as they continued to improve their game and blew out the Monroe Sparks in their first away scrimmage of the season.  Four different keepers kept a clean sheet, with a solid back line providing the cover and balance we've worked on.   Going forward, we kept better width and maintained longer stretches of possession, moving the ball around with good control, even after taking a player off to keep the score from getting any further out of hand.

Whether we get to play our scrimmages Monday and Tuesday, we'll have to wait and see.  But for now, rest well after a great effort, and everyone stay safe this weekend.

• Friday, August 26 at 6:30 pm - warmup at 6:00 pm
• Thompson Park, in Monroe (see the "Directions to Away Games" link to the left)
• Wear sleeveless white jerseys, green shorts, and the green tie-dyed or regular green socks
• The Monroe Sparks played up an age-group last year, in MidNJ’s U9 Flight 5.  This year, they are playing in their own age group, and are currently set to join us un U9 Flight 1 (though they have appealed that decision, asking to play in Flight 3).  This will certainly be a tough match for our girls, as the Sparks have the experience of playing against tough competition all last year.

• Monday, August 29 at 6:30 pm - warmup at 6:00 pm
• Dideriksen Park, Field 3
  
• Wear sleeveless white jerseys, green shorts, and the green tie-dyed or regular green socks
• The South Brunswick Cyclones are, like us, a new team, and we don’t know what we will be facing.  Expect us to try a few different things.

• Tuesday, August 30 at 6:30 pm - warmup at 6:00 pm
• Sayreville Rec Complex, in Old Bridge/Sayreville (see the "Directions to Away Games" link on the left)
• Wear official uniform - green jersey, green shorts and green socks
  
• The Sayreville Shooting Stars are a U10 girls team playing in Flight 2 of MOSA this season, and this scrimmage was arranged through our trainer, Lissette Brandao, who hopes to be in attendance.  The challenges presented by this match-up will put our girls on the right footing for the upcoming EBSC tournament.

IMPORTANT NOTE:  For all three of these scrimmages, please keep tabs on your emails and this website - the arrival of Hurrican Irene may mean unacceptable weather or field conditions, which could cause any of these scrimmages to be cancelled.

Don't forget, we had to move the time and location for tonight's practice: Wednesday, 8/24, at 6:30 pm on Field 6.

While our practice is going on, feel free to walk over to Field 3 and cheer on the U9 Synergy, who are scrimmaging against Marlboro, or to Turf A to cheer on the U12 Revolution who are also scrimmaging - I know they would love the extra support.

Weather permitting, just three more practices and three more scrimmages before we host our first Labor Day Tournament (and please remember that all families must be available for volunteer duty during the tournament).  

Check the "Schedule" to the left for times and locations of the practices and scrimmages.  As for finding the away scrimmages (and throughout the season for away games), check the link on the left for "Directions to Away Games".

See you tonight on the Turf at 7:00 pm.

Due to significant lightning (and hail, and winds, and rain) we are cancelling practice for tonight.

With the setting sun shining hotly for the first time in a while, our Valkyries had a great showing last night against the visiting Manalapan Fury, who will be playing in the top six-team flight of MOSA this Fall.   Although going down a goal after 15 minutes on a defensive breakdown, the Valkyries were able to hold off the visitors’ attack and even tie the game up before the half.   In the second half, with a re-shuffled lineup, the home side dominated possession, scored two more, and had several more chances go begging.   

Although we have lots of work to do, individually and collectively, the girls already corrected several of the problems we suffered on Monday evening, and we are excited to see the progress from practice to practice, match to match.    Players are trusting their teammates more, and giving them their space, and also covering for them when they are out of position.  Intelligent possession in the offensive half improved greatly from Monday, and we’ll continue to work on linking our backs to our midfield.

Three more practices, tomorrow, Monday and Wednesday, before our next scrimmage on Friday, August 26, when we travel to Monroe.  For tomorrow night - practice starts at 7:00 pm sharp on Turf A.  Dress for possible rain.

Last night, the Valkyries kicked off for their first competition, scrimmaging against what is probably the 6th ranked team in the Monmouth Ocean Soccer Association ("MOSA"), the Freehold Arsenal Blue.  Although the scoreline didn’t reflect it, the game was very close, and the Valkyries created as many, or more, chances than Freehold.   We will continue to experiment with players in various positions over the coming weeks, seeing where everyone is most comfortable, and which players work best next to one another, using these scrimmages and the upcoming tournaments to prepare for league play, beginning in September.  We are very proud of the way the girls performed last night, and are very excited to build off that start.

We are still on for tonight, August 15, on Field 3.  Wear your white sleeveless jerseys, green shorts and green socks, and be ready to warm-up at 6:15 pm sharp.