The kids are havin' fun (and workin' hard)!

some of the "week 2 crew"

above: 'sling shot man'
keeping them connected!

not all fun and games...Coach Mario offering some pointers

Week two has been fun (so far) we'll have to see what the coaching staff has in store for the players on Wednesday! 2 hours of Comptons followed by 'the belts' then a break and back to the fields for another couple of hours! Action packed!

If you are looking for another camp consider Braefoot's Camp with Nico! details here: www.braefoot.ca

Boot Camp

Quote of the Week

Sunderland keeper Craig Gordon says players look forward to five-a-sides as boss Roy Keane joins in and the squad see it as a "chance to kick the manager". (Daily Mirror/BBC Sport)

may this never happen 2 u

summer training has begun!

above, Coach Pasta keeping an eye on the indoor session prior to the afternoon field session

above, more agility training with Zeke and Kat

danke for the memories....

Austria and Switzerland hosted a great Euro2008! The Spanish deserved their first major football title in 44 years and now its Lakehill '96ers time to see what they can accomplish in Kelowna and Italia! Good luck to all the Lakehill Boys who have been selected to the Zone6 teams and to the Italia team! Also: the Gold team announcements are being made, Silver teams to follow .... Stay tuned! PS: Mario is holding two soccer camps in July there is still space available, let him know! These are going to be great camps with 2 hours of endurance training daily along with plenty of field +ball time!!

Spain shoots better Penalties than Italia!

Looks like Mario is buying Robert lunch ;)

Euro - Upset!

The EURO2008's are getting interesting! Turkey upsets Croatia, Germany upsets Portugal and now the stunner Russia upsets heavily favoured Netherlands! Wonder what Italy will do on Sunday?

source: www.bbc.co.uk/sport

Only way to get closer to the action is to play...

Sitting in my Hotel room here in Orlando watching the EURO2008 on ESPN2 I saw this great commercial from Nike! Great 2 minute mini-video

deGroot 3 - pecorelli 0 ;)

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/

Hey TD did I make the team?

Good news!

Everyone who has attended a Lakehill u13B assessment and lives in-district has made a Lakehill team! anyone not living inside the Lakehill boundry will be placed on a team in accordinace with the Lakehill and LISA policies on team formation as per Article 13 of the www.lowerislandsoccer.com web site policy guide..

So far so good but did I make the Gold team?

Ah, we thought you'd like to know.. so here is what we've been told.. Coach Pasta aka Mario the Lakehill Technical Director has added up the scores and has assembled a list of players *but* it will be communicated via email to the players familes during the next two weeks (yes it could be that long) so stay tuned, if you are worried you can email HERE but you may not be able to get the final info just yet.. as soon as we know we'll get the word out.

Don't forget, the off season is just a training season.. keep up your running and fitness and ball skills!

At the Early Assessments

Great turn out for the final u13B 'early assessments' at Braefoot Park! Now the technical staff will review the scores and rank the players..don't expect to learn details of the teams till much later as there are still spots available on the u13 teams, instead the technical staff will meet to review and probably conduct another session in August so if you did not register you still can!

Always under the watchful eye of the clubs technical director!

'and where do you want to be?'

now parents this is what we are looking for so be prepared for when it is your turn!

Would you want to be struck by a close range Matteo shot? I wouldn't! ---

oh, it was a pass ;)

missing photos

more to follow!

EPL : ManU-v-WHAM

In todays EPL match the game seemed to be decided in the span of 5 minutes..here are the events as posted on www.bbc.co.uk/sports ...amazing!



1315: GOAL Manchester United 3-1 West HamOne of the goals of the season from United target Dean Ashton, who scores a quite brilliant overhead kick into the top corner from 12 yards after Wes Brown fails to clear a cross into the United box. Phenomenal effort.
1313: GOAL Manchester United 3-0 West HamParty time. Carlos Tevez cuts in from the left, skips past a couple of defenders and thunders in a rocket from 30 yards that swings about seven different ways in the air and flies past a flailing Robert Green. Even some West Ham fans are clapping. That was a touch of genius from the Argentine.
1311: GOAL Manchester United 2-0 West HamAn absolute gift, it's number 40 for the season and number 30 in the Premier League for the great Cristiano Ronaldo - but it's probably the easiest he's scored all season. Owen Hargreaves sends in a cross from the right and the West Ham defenders let it drop over their heads, the ball appearing to fly in off Ronaldo's thigh. Game over.

Great soccer site (MLS focus)

http://wvhooligan.com/

Spring League Schedule (Team NAVY)

....on the Hampton Park Turf field

OOOPS..we are being Challenged in Sr A ... now thats a challenge! But to your credit you passed the ball better than those 14 year old players! And only lost 1-2! Well done lads!

please arrive early to pick up your uniform, if you do not yet have your USS *Admiral* uniform wear your Lakehill shorts and white socks tonight!

technicals...

TOUCH ON THE BALL: Does the player have control over the ball with both feet? Can he/she make the ball do what he/she wants while in possession? Does the player look comfortable with the ball under pressure?

BALANCE: Is the players in control of his/her body? Is the player able to change direction in a controlled manner with the ball?

TECHNICAL SPEED: How fast does the player control the ball and play it? Does the player have the ability to use good skill quickly?

COACHABILITY: Can the player carry out a directive from the coach? While many young players are tactically weak, a good player will be coachable, and therefore have the ability to develop good habits?

WORKRATE: Is the player willing to push him/her self to the limits? Does the player attack and defend?

AWARENESS: Does the player see good opportunities to pass/dribble/shoot? Does the player have vision of what's happening on the field or does he/she make the game difficult?

REACTION TO FAILURE: How does the player respond to a bad call or a mistake? Does failure result in a drop in performance?

LEADERSHIP QUALITIES: Does the player communicate to others? Does he/she demand the ball? Will they take charge when the game is on the line?

PHYSICAL SPEED: Is the player fast? Does the player have enough speed to be effective without being exploited by opponents?

SIZE & STRENGTH: Is the player physically able to play with bigger opponents? Is the player's size the reason for his/her success (especially at younger ages)?

As you can see, there are many components, which can go into making a "gold" soccer player. Different positions call for different requirements in players' abilities.

source: Michigan State Youth Soccer ODP

2008/9 Season Registration now open

Early bird discount in effect till 1.June *ONLY*

u13Boys team assessments for 2008/9 to begin this month!

Braefoot Park field 1 or 2
Wednesday 16 April

CANCELLED DUE TO AGM

will be rescheduled
6 :50pm-8 :00 pm

Braefoot Park field 1 or 2

Tuesday 22 April
6 :50pm-8pm

Braefoot Park field #3

Saturday May 10
3pm-5pm

You must be registered to attend!

GHSA Game 1 photos

many more photos will be posted all weekend long!

*GO LAKEHILL GO!*

Gordon Head Full Field Tourney

U 12 Boys April 11-13 Schedule

Boys Competitive Pool

United DSA Vancouver

Phantoms Peninsula Saanichton

Nanaimo 96'ers NDYSA Lantzville

Lakehill F.C. Dragons LSA Victoria

Point Grey Spitfires PGS Vancouver

GHSA GAME SCHEDULE

GAME 1

PENINSULA Phantoms U12 Gold

4/11/2008 5:45 PM Doug Day field

GAME 2

NDYSA Nanaimo 96'ers U12 Gold

4/12/2008 1:30 PM Doug Day field

GAME 3
PGS Point Grey Spitfires U12 Gold

4/12/2008 5:15 PM Beckwith 1 field

GAME 4
DSA United U12 Gold

4/13/2008 2:45 PM Braefoot 3 field

newcastle fans...

STADIUM CHANT OF THE WEEK

"When we find ourselves in times of trouble,

Kevin Keegan comes to me.

Speaking words of wisdom,

Geremi! Geremi,

Geremi, Geremi,

Geremi.

There will be an answer.

Geremi!"

Newcastle fans to the tune of The Beatles' Let It Be.
(source BBC.com/sports)

A great Festival team!

Thanks Mario! Thanks lads! Thanks Dragonets!

u12 Festival Photos

click on photo to enlargen!

LISA u12B Photos

will be posted this week!

Recent English Football Stadium Announcements

"And the scorer for Plymouth is number 36, Jermaine 'have a nice' Easter!"
Plymouth announcer after Jermaine Easter scored on Easter Saturday.

"If you want to know the half-time scores then you'll have to read the scoreboard, as I've been asked by little Liam not to read them out as he wants to watch Match of the Day tonight."
Stadium announcer at Ipswich v Charlton.


"Goalscorer for Radcliffe Borough, number 3.... may as well stop celebrating and look to the left, you're offside."
The young tannoy operator at a recent non-league game.

"All Change at Crewe for number 36, Dean Morgan, who is replaced by number 7, Steven Schumaker."
Walsall announcer goes train spotting as he announces a substitution for Crewe on Bank Holiday Monday.


Source: www.bbc.co.uk/sport

Game Schedules

March 29th/30th LISA Full field festival!

The Dragons are team #8 while Team Urgo is team #22 on the schedule!

----
Dragons play: Saturday March 29 at 1pm and 3pm ! The opponents will be strong so let's prepare for these games!
----
Team Urgo plays Sunday at 10am vs PLSC and 12 noon vs PSC (any one wanting to play extra games let Mario know)
----
our Gordon Head Tournament shedule is starting to appear online HERE
first game is vs the Phantoms!!!!

Funny (soccer) Quote of the Week

STADIUM ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE WEEK

"And now the Olympiakos teamsheet...wish me luck!"

Chelsea announcer before reading out a list of players including Zewlakow, Patsatzoglou and Djordjevic.

(Chelsea Boy, England: source BBC).

Quote of the Week

"Football is like fighting a gorilla - you don't stop when you're tired, you can only stop when the gorilla is tired."

Coventry boss Chris Coleman after QPR's defence makes a monkey of his strikers in their 0-0 draw.

2nd to last u12B league game this weekend....

Saturday March 8th

8.30am kick off

on Braefoot#2West

Seems like it was just a few weeks ago when Coaches Mario and Peter where selecting their 'AllSports Dragons' 2007/8 team..at that time I remember a 'tune up game' between LakeHill and Prospect Lake at Beckwith Park... thats when the lads still played on grass! Since then the Dragons have had a great season of soccer development and played many memorable games (and a few where the Cylinders did not fire up)..but all that comes to an end this weekend when the official Super8 season ends as the Dragons play PLSC! Should be entertaining!

(coaches have one more game lined up..stay tuned)

(hopefully the last 8.30am start we will ever see at Braefoot Park ;)

Are you a 'World Cup Player" ?

Space is still available in this always popular weekend of 6v6 soccer. Players register individually at $45/player and will play 4 games. Players are assigned to play on for a 'country' with players that are usually on competing LISA u12 teams! It's a weekend of fun !

Not to late to register HERE

Next up: CBSA

Braefoot Park March 1st 8.30am

followed by the Indoor Skills and Drills 1pm-2.30pm at Oak Bay Rec Turf

Soccer Quote of the week

Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas says he has become more team-focused in the last year after admitting that he used to "want to show more of his own stuff" and was guilty of playing as an individual. (bbc.co.uk/sports)

full field ahead.....

Well done Dragons!

10-0 over the "guest" u13B Silver team

2-1 over the "home" u14G Gold team

Watching the play last night there was some very nice 'crisp' foot-to-foot one touch passing plays! Well done!

Spring League

Talk with your coaches if you want to be 'part of the team'

Spring League?

The coaches are looking to put in one or maybe even two teams at Spring League this year.

Spring League is played at Hampton Turf and runs starting the last week of April for 10 weeks. At $80/player its a bargain as you get a full uniform you can keep! The focus is on the quick game and is a great way for the players to supplement their Italia training with an intense weekly hour against other players from various clubs!

let Mario know if you are interested!

BIG GAMES this Saturday on TV

set your video recorders!

Quote of the Week

"Believe you me, if that ball had gone in the net, it would have been a goal."


Willie Miller (Aberdeen Director of Football) commentating on the Dundee United-Hibs game for Radio Scotland. (www.bbc.co.uk/sport).

u12B indoor skills & drills

Marios Assessment:

Good Effort, Strong Skills, Always room to improve- come out to Dev Night!!!

a juggle here, a volley back...

looks like we have a backup keeper!
kinda like these special diadora balls!

we will replay this event March 1st 1pm-2.30pm back at OBR!

GHSA match *CANCELLED*

The morning match has been CANCELLED BY GHSA DUE TO FIELD CONDITIONS! Sorry....

http://www.ghsa.bc.ca/ for field conditions (its looking wet right now!)

Is that pitch playable?

We all know that the main LakeHill and Gordon Head fields are suffering from wear and tear right now and as a result a number of games have had to be cancelled so we thought..what about in the United Kingdom? British weather is not much better than ours and they have lots of players on their grounds especially if they are one of the many smaller clubs. Have a look at this BBC video (click here) to see how a PITCH INSPECTION is performed! of course we just need to take one look at Braefoot to know the answer at our park!

Game is a GO for Saturday

as of 7am on Saturday Feb 2nd the Gordon Head Fields are OPEN for todays Dragons game!