SpringHigh Select Soccer Club

Please check the hotline for the changes to tomorrow’s practice schedule.  The U-19 team will be off, and the U-17 and U-16 teams will practice together with Coach Swan from 4:00 – 5:20 on the larger Coke Field.

Congratulations to the following five (5) SpringHigh players for being selected to either First or Second All-Ozarks Soccer teams:  Lane Chapman; Robbie Curtis; Adam Legg; Justin Rogers; and Kyler Temple.  You can read about it at: http://www.springfieldnews-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080130/SPORTS01/801300414/1002/SPORTS.  Way to represent!

Except for the cold game-time weather, the U-19 team had a wonderful weekend at the Showcase of the South in Little Rock this past weekend.

First, the team played very well, especially during the second half of each game, to go 1-1-1 against three high-quality teams from Indiana and Arkansas (state champion and runner-up for past 3 years).  We first beat the Indiana team 4-3 in a very exciting game.  In the one game lost, to the host Little Rock Futbol Club, we were down 0-2, but we had scored and were coming back when time in the match expired.  Then on Sunday, we tied the Arkansas defending state champs 0-0 in a very exciting game to the very end.  In the words of Coach Bilbao, our team played some of the “best soccer of the weekend.”

In addition, our players made a very favorable impression on several colleges coaches.  In fact, based on comments made by the coaches to Coaches Bilbao and Swan, we believe each of our senior players not yet committed to a college program will be receiving contacts from at least 2 college coaches simply from this weekend alone.

Thanks guys for a great weekend, including great play, great sportsmanship, and great representation of SpringHigh! 

Be sure to check the hotline for the change to today’s practice.  Coach Bilbao has cancelled practice for the U-17 team, so he can have a smaller final practice with the U-19 team in preparation for this weekend’s Showcase of the South.

The U-17 and U-19 teams will practice OUTSIDE tomorrow, 4:00-5:30p.m., at Harrison Stadium next to Drury.  For directions, see Drury’s website (www.drury.edu).

The U-16 practice will remain indoors at Lake Country, from 8:30-10:00p.m. 

Thanks to Steve Olson for showing up at our first practice for the season and taking pictures of the teams!

SpringHigh Players and Parents,

1. Practice

Practice for all three (3) teams begins next Tuesday, January 8, as previously announced.  The U-17 and U-19 teams will practice with Coach Bilbao on the “Coke Field” at the Dome from 4:00 p.m. – 5:20 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  The U-16 team will practice with Coach Swan on the “Futsal Field” at the Dome from 8:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday, and 8:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, for next week.  We will not know if we get the earlier time each week thereafter until the final indoor schedule is completed by Lake Country next week.  I will let you know.

2. Practice T-Shirts

The practice t-shirts for all new players, and former players who ordered additional shirts, will be handed out before practice on Tuesday.  To complete the practice uniform, please wear white shorts and white socks.

   3.  Meeting with the Coaches

In addition to practice beginning on Tuesday, we have also reserved the Lake Country “upstairs conference room” from 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. next Tuesday, January 8, for everyone to meet the coaches, complete the required paperwork, and for all new players to size for uniforms.  In that regard, all new players please bring a check for $240.00 to pay for the uniform at that meeting, since I need full payment before ordering.  In addition, I will try to have the full season tournament schedule ready to hand out at Tuesday’s “informal” meeting.