Download the letter from the Coaching Director to find out more about the program philosophy and mission, coaching objective, pay and requirements. To download you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader. Get it here.

7 pm Saturday, April 2nd at Kezar Stadium

Brazilian National player and California Storm stat Sissi will join the WPSL's San Francisco Nighthawks in leading a free pre-game skills clinic for youth players.

The SF Nighthawks of the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) and Golden Gate Women's Soccer League (GGWSL) in conjunction with the San Francisco Parks and Recreation Department are hosting a benefit soccer match between the Nighthawks and the GGWSL Mad Hatters.

The featured game hopes to raise awareness and funds to update uniforms and equipment for the Mission Youth Soccer League (MYSL) and Horace Mann Middle School soccer programs. At halftime, San Francisco City Supervisor Tom Amiano will be presented with a special honor from JC Chivas USA thanking him for keeping Horace Mann Middle School's after-school soccer programs open.  Rose Dennis from the San Francisco City Parks and Recreation Office of the General Manager will speak about raising awareness and resources for soccer programs in the Mission District.

The pre-game skills clinic will feature former Brazillian National Women's National team, WUSA CyberRays and WPSL  California Storm of Sacramento star Sissi in conducting a free pre-game skills clinic for youth players.

Admission is $8 for adults ($1 off if wearing a team jersey) and children under 14 get in FREE.  All proceeds go directly to the SF Parks Trust to be allocated to Horace Mann's after-school soccer programs. Donations to the trust may also be sent Attn: Patricia Ivanicich, McLaren Lodge, 501 Stanyan, San Francisco, CA 94117.

For more information, contact Nighthawks Manager Jill Lounsbury at 415-661-1942 or jillprod@yahoo.com

Download the flyer and pass it along to friends and family who might be interested. To download you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader. Get it here.

Sunday May 1st at Cox Stadium

10 years running this has been the premier 7v7 classic.
We would like to invite you to attend this year and try and put your name on the CUP!!

10 Teams of 11 players, cost is 180.00 per team
Reserve your spot NOW!!

Contact Head Coach Joe Hunter at:
hunterj@sfsu.edu or jhsfsusoccer@aol.com

Or mail in your fee and roster to the following address:
SFSU Men’s Soccer Program (ck. Can be made out to this)
c/o Athletic Dept. Office 144
1600 Holloway Ave.
SF, CA 94132

WE Look Forward To Seeing YOU!!
 

Click here to download the flyer.
To download you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Get it here.
 

From the U.S. Soccer Communications Center:

U.S. Will Open Group B Play Against Cuba and Canada at Qwest Field in Seattle
Before Moving to Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., to Face Costa Rica

CHICAGO (March 2, 2005) – The United States Men’s National Team has been drawn against Costa Rica, Canada and Cuba in the first round of the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup. The final groups and match schedule for the eighth Gold Cup, which will be held across seven cities from July 6-24, were announced today.

The U.S. will open Group B play against Cuba on Thursday, July 7, at 7:30 p.m. PT at Qwest Field in Seattle, before meeting Canada two days later on Saturday, July 9 at the same venue, the match slated for a 1:30 p.m. PT kickoff. The U.S. will travel across the country for their final group match against Costa Rica on Tuesday, July 12, at 7 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass.

This will be the third time the U.S. will face Cuba in the first round of the Gold Cup. The U.S. defeated Cuba in their two previous meetings, a 3-0 victory in 1998 in Oakland, Calif., and a 1-0 win in 2002 in Pasadena, Calif. The U.S. also met Cuba in the quarterfinals of the last Gold Cup in 2003, running away with a  5-0 victory behind four goals from Landon Donovan in Foxboro, Mass.

The U.S. has only met Canada once before in Gold Cup play, and never in the first round. The only meeting between the two border countries was in the semifinals of 2002, the U.S advancing to the finals by winning 4-2 on penalty kicks after finishing regulation play in a scoreless draw.

The U.S. will be familiar with their final group opponent as they will meet Costa Rica in the Gold Cup a little more than a month after facing them in final round qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup on June 4 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The U.S. has defeated Costa Rica all five times they have met in the Gold Cup, downing the Ticos twice in the first round (1991, 1998), once in the semifinals (1993), once in the final (2002) and most recently in the Third Place match in 2003, when Bobby Convey’s strike provided a 3-2 victory.

In Group A, Colombia was announced as the second guest team and will join Honduras, Panama, Trinidad & Tobago in Miami as the four teams will play all of their group matches at the Orange Bowl.

In Group C, four-time champion Mexico will join Guatemala, Jamaica and guest South Africa for two games in the Los Angeles area, opening at The Home Depot Center before moving to the L.A. Memorial Coliseum for their second match. The teams will travel to Houston for their final group matches, closing out the first round on July 13 at Reliant Stadium.

The top two teams from each group and the two best third-place teams will advance to the quarterfinals in Foxboro and Houston on July 16 and 17, respectively. Giants Stadium will host the semifinal matches on July 21 and the Gold Cup Final on July 24.
 
The U.S. won the inaugural Gold Cup tournament in 1991, following up an inspired semifinal upset of Mexico with a victory over Honduras in penalties (4-3) after playing to a 0-0 draw in regulation in Los Angeles.  After watching Mexico win the next three titles in 1993, 1996 and 1998, and Canada upset the field to take home the 2000 crown, the U.S. regained their crown in 2002 by defeating Costa Rica 2-0 in Pasadena, Calif. Mexico won their fourth Gold Cup when they won the most recent tournament in 2003.  

The eighth edition of the tournament features a record number of games in more cities than ever before, as 25 games will be played in seven cities across the U.S. Previous editions of the tournament have been held in up to three different venues.

2005 CONCACAF GOLD CUP
Group A
Honduras, Panama, Trinidad & Tobago, Colombia

Group B
USA, Costa Rica, Canada, Cuba

Group C
South Africa, Mexico, Guatemala, Jamaica

MATCH SCHEDULE
FIRST ROUND
Group A
No.    Date     Teams                           Venue                                           Time (local)
1      July 6      Colombia vs. Panama    The Orange Bowl; Miami, Fla.         7 p.m.
2      July 6      T&T vs. Honduras        The Orange Bowl; Miami, Fla.         9 p.m.
9      July 9      Panama vs. T&T           The Orange Bowl; Miami, Fla.        7 p.m.
10    July 9      Honduras vs. Colombia  The Orange Bowl; Miami, Fla.        9 p.m.
13    July 11    Colombia vs. T&T         The Orange Bowl; Miami, Fla.        7 p.m.
14    July 11    Honduras vs. Panama    The Orange Bowl; Miami, Fla.        9 p.m.

Group B
No.  Date     Teams                            Venue                                        Time (local)
3      July 7    Canada vs. Costa Rica    Qwest Field; Seattle, Wash.         5:30 p.m.
4      July 7    USA vs. Cuba                Qwest Field; Seattle, Wash.            7:30 p.m.
7      July 9    Costa Rica vs. Cuba       Qwest Field; Seattle, Wash.            11:30 a.m.
8      July 9    USA vs. Canada            Qwest Field; Seattle, Wash.            1:30 p.m.
15    July 12  USA vs. Costa Rica       Gillette Stadium; Foxboro, Mass.    7 p.m.
16    July 12  Canada vs. Cuba           Gillette Stadium; Foxboro, Mass.     9 p.m.

Group C
No.  Date     Teams                                   Venue                    Time (local)
5      July 8    South Africa vs. Mexico        The Home Depot Center; Carson, Calif.  7 p.m.
6      July 8    Guatemala vs. Jamaica           The Home Depot Center; Carson, Calif.  9 p.m.
11    July 10    Mexico vs. Guatemala         L.A. Memorial Coliseum; Los Angeles     12 p.m.
12    July 10    South Africa vs. Jamaica      L.A. Memorial Coliseum; Los Angeles    2 p.m.
17    July 13    Guatemala vs. South Africa  Reliant Stadium; Houston, Texas              7 p.m.
18    July 13    Mexico vs. Jamaica              Reliant Stadium; Houston, Texas             9 p.m.   

QUARTERFINALS
No.  Date       Teams                    Venue                                             Time (local)
19    July 16    A1 vs. B2              Gillette Stadium; Foxboro, Mass.     1 p.m.
20    July 16    B1 vs. 3A or 3C    Gillette Stadium; Foxboro, Mass.     4 p.m.
21    July 17    C1 vs. 3A or 3B    Reliant Stadium; Houston, Texas      2 p.m.
22    July 17    C2 vs. A2              Reliant Stadium; Houston, Texas      5 p.m.

SEMIFINALS
No.   Date     Teams                                  Venue                                                  Time (local)
23    July 21    Winner 19 vs. Winner 20    Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.    6 p.m.
24    July 21    Winner 21 vs. Winner 22    Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.    9 p.m.

FINAL
No.  Date        Teams                                Venue                                                  Time (local)
25    July 24    Winner 23 vs. Winner 24    Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.    3 p.m.

GOLD CUP HISTORY
Year     Champion     Runner-up     Venues
1991     USA         Honduras     Los Angeles, Pasadena (USA)
1993     Mexico         USA         Dallas (USA); Mexico City (Mexico)
1996     Mexico         Brazil         Anaheim, San Diego, Los Angeles (USA)
1998     Mexico         USA         Oakland, Miami, Los Angeles (USA)
2000     Canada     Colombia     San Diego, Miami, Los Angeles (USA)
2002     USA         Costa Rica     Pasadena, Miami (USA)
2003     Mexico         Brazil         Foxboro, Miami (USA); Mexico City (Mexico)

By Jeff Tipping, NSCAA Director of Coaching Education

The goals a coach sets for the players in practice can have a great effect on the focus of the practice. Coaches may set different kind of goals and the following are some suggestions: 

1. Dribble the ball over a line. 
When players score a goal by dribbling the ball over the line the coach emphasizes possession play, changing the point of attack and accelerating the attack. Obviously when the players have to dribble the ball over the line they do not have the option of shooting the ball at a goal, which would give them an early release. If they coach puts a “sweeper” defending the line the players will have to be aware of the sweepers position and will have to change the point of attack once the sweeper has swung to the side of the field where the ball is.

 

2. Two goal games.
When players can score in two goals which are set up on the same goal line approximately 40 yards apart they classically develop swivel vision and change the point of attack from the side where one goal is to the other side of the field in response to the movement of the defenders.

 

3. Driving the ball to the goalkeeper.

The players score a goal by driving the ball in the air to the opposing goalkeeper. This goal emphasizes the following important coaching themes.
I. Defending. To prevent opponents driving the ball in the air defenders are forced to put pressure on the opponent.
II. If the coach is working on playing out of the back with Team A he will require Team B to score a goal by driving the ball to Team A’s goalkeeper, hence Team A keeps getting the ball back all of the time.

 

4. Four-sided central goals.

This exercise is a good one for teaching shooting. As the goals are basically a square made up of four corner flags with two goalkeepers operating inside the goals. Team A can score in the goals North/South, Team B can score in the goals East/West. The two goalkeepers together defend all four sides of the goal. Team A and Team B are not allowed inside the goal but rotate around the outside. Lots of shots are produced and the players have a lot of fun.

 

5. The ball as the goal.

This is a classic exercise played in the 1v1 format where both players have a ball. One ball is stationary and the players play with the other ball. The players score if they ricochet their ball off the stationary ball. This is obviously a good exercise for teaching 1v1 attacking and defending, especially the skill of shielding the ball. Whenever very small goals like a soccer ball are used a good deal of shielding normally takes place.

Dear Parents, Coaches & Friends,

We, as a league (TPSL), want to let you know about a fantastic new soccer tournament coming this May 7-8th:

U.S. Sand Soccer Championships; the first ever sand soccer tournament for both kids & adults in the Western United States!

Organized by our own coach, Aleks Carendi and two other local coaches, this coming Cinco de Mayo weekend, over 1,000 youth and adults will play soccer right below the famous Santa Cruz Boardwalk on the beach! This includes several Special Olympic and cancer patient athletes.

That's right, soccer on the beach for EVERYONE!

All Ages: U9-U19 boys & girls, men & women, Over 30, Over 35, Over 40, Coed, high school and College. All Levels: Recreational and Competitive.

No player cards required, so you can play with ANYONE you know!

Don’t miss out on this great opportunity for you, your friends and families to enjoy beautiful Santa Cruz, have A TON of fun, and play soccer on the beach.

For details and how to register, please go to www.ussandsoccer.com or call

415-383-KICK (5425)

It's about Fun, Sun and lots of soccer on the Sand! 

From the U.S. Soccer Communications Center - March 11, 2005
Memorial Weekend Game Will Be Broadcast Live on ESPN2 at 2 p.m. CT; U.S. to Use Historic Match to Prep for June 4 World Cup Qualifier vs. Costa Rica

CHICAGO (March 11, 2005) — The U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team will face England for the first time since 1994 in a Memorial Weekend match-up at Chicago’s Soldier Field on May 28 at 2 p.m. CT, in a match being broadcast live on ESPN2. The meeting between the two quarterfinalists at the 2002 FIFA World Cup comes amidst the qualifying schedules for both nations as they aim for a spot in the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.

Tickets ranging in price levels from $28 to $95 go on sale starting Thursday, March 31 at 10 a.m. CT through ussoccer.com, by phone at 312-559-1212 and at all Ticketmaster ticket centers throughout Chicagoland (including Coconuts, Hot Tix, and Tower Records stores). Also starting on March 31, groups of 20 or more can call U.S. Soccer at 312-528-1290 or obtain a group order form at ussoccer.com.

The teams last met at famed Wembley Stadium in London on Sept. 7, 1994, a 2-0 win for England that came just one hear after the USA’s memorable 2-0 win at Foxboro Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., in the build up to the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Of course, the teams are best remembered for the historic match-up 55 years ago at the 1950 FIFA World Cup in which the United States provided one of the sports biggest upsets ever with a 1-0 win in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

"England are one of the better teams in Europe and the match will serve as great preparation for our World Cup qualifiers against Costa Rica and Panama," said U.S. manager Bruce Arena, who has a 5-9-3 record vs. European teams, including a 2-1-3 record in matches played at home. "The game will generate a lot of excitement and we look forward to a great atmosphere in Chicago."

By the time Memorial Day Weekend rolls around, the U.S. will have completed three of their 10 final round qualifying matches in the CONCACAF region. Following a 2-1 victory in Port of Spain, Trinidad, on Feb. 9 in the opening game, the U.S. will travel to face Mexico in Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca on March 27 at 1 p.m. ET (live on ESPN2 & Telemundo) and then host Guatemala in Birmingham, Ala., on March 30 at 8 p.m. ET (live on ESPN2 & delayed on Telemundo). Following the match vs. England, the U.S. gets right back into the thick of qualifying as they host Costa Rica on June 4 at 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2 & delayed on Telemundo) at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah.

England also has a pair of World Cup qualifying matches in late March, and through four games in their six-team group they have already earned 10 points to sit in first place, one point ahead of Poland in Group 6 that includes Austria, Wales, Azerbaijan and Northern Ireland. In late March, England is home to Azerbaijan and Northern Ireland. After their trip to the U.S., they will resume qualifying in early September at Wales and Northern Ireland. There are eight groups in European qualifying, with the top team from each advancing as well as the two best second-place teams. The six remaining second-place teams will vie for the final three spots in a European playoff.

This will mark England’s sixth visit to the United States, with England posting a convincing 4-1-0 record state-side, including a 29-6 advantage in goal differential. England’s victories included 6-3, 8-1, 10-0 and 5-0 decisions in 1953, 1959, 1964 and 1985, respectively. The U.S. finally turned the tables on June 9, 1993, in Foxboro, Mass., with their historic 2-0 win behind goals by Thomas Dooley and Alexi Lalas.

“We wanted to play these matches as close to the end of the season as possible, rather than using the World Cup qualifying dates in early June, to ensure that the players have the chance to rest properly over the summer,” said England Manager Sven-Goran Eriksson. “Playing the USA in their own country is a big test. They are an excellent team who have made enormous progress over the last ten years or so, and were very unlucky not to make the semifinals at the last World Cup. They have some very good young players like Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley, and we have also seen in the Premiership that they have a choice of top-class goalkeepers."

England will be the second European power to visit the U.S. in Chicago in the last year. The U.S. men played their first game in Chicago since 1993, hosting Poland on July 11, 2004, in the return leg of a two-game series. A boisterous crowd of 39,592 saw a late header from former Chicago Fire defender Carlos Bocanegra earn a 1-1 tie. This will be the fifth match the U.S. has played in Chicago, and the fifth different European power to come to the Windy City as an opponent. The U.S. has a 1-1-2 record in Chicago since 1993 versus the likes of Portugal, Italy and Germany in addition to the aforementioned Poland match-up in 2004.

Following their match with the United States, England will travel to the East Coast to take on Colombia at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., for a game on May 31 at 4 p.m. ET. That match-up is part of a double-header that concludes with the MetroStars hosting the Chicago Fire at 6:30 p.m. ET.

The U.S., along with Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama and Trinidad & Tobago, is competing in the 10-game round-robin Wold Cup qualifying format through Oct. 12, 2005, with the top three teams automatically advancing to the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. The fourth-place team will compete in a two-game playoff to be held Nov. 12/13 and Nov. 16 against the fifth-place finisher in Asian qualifying.

In addition to the live ESPN2 broadcast of USA-England, fans can also follow the action online via ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker, presented by Philips.

U.S. MNT 2005 Schedule
Date            Match                                           Venue                                                                      Result/Kickoff/TV
Feb. 9         Trinidad & Tobago vs. USA     Queen’s Park Oval (Port of Spain, Trinidad)     2-1 W
March 9     USA vs. Colombia                       Titan Stadium (Fullerton, Calif.)                          3-0 W
March 19   USA vs. Honduras                      University Stadium (Albuquerque, N.M.)         2 p.m. MT / HDNet & Fox Soccer Channel
March 27   Mexico vs. USA *                       Estadio Azteca (Mexico City, Mexico)               12 p.m. CT / ESPN2 & Telemundo
March 30   USA vs. Guatemala *                  Legion Field (Birmingham, Ala.)                          7 p.m. CT / ESPN2
May 28      USA vs. England                         Soldier Field (Chicago)                                          2 p.m. CT / ESPN2
June 4        USA vs. Costa Rica *                  Rice-Eccles Stadium (Salt Lake City, Utah)       5:30 p.m. MT / ESPN2
June 8        Panama vs. USA *                       Estadio Rommel Fernandez (Panama City, Panama)    –
July 7         Cuba +                                           Quest Field (Seattle, Wash.)                                 7:30 p.m. PT     
July 9         Canada +                                       Quest Field (Seattle, Wash.)                                 1:30 p.m. PT
July 12       Costa Rica+                                  Gillette Stadium (Foxboro, Mass.)                        7 p.m. ET
July 16       Gold Cup Quarterfinals +^         Gillette Stadium (Foxboro, Mass.)                         1 p.m. ET or 4 p.m. ET
July 21       Gold Cup Semifinals +^              Giants Stadium (East Rutherford, N.J.)                 6 p.m. ET or 9 p.m. ET
July 24       Gold Cup Final +^                        Giants Stadium (East Rutherford, N.J.)                3 p.m. ET
Aug. 17     USA vs. Trinidad & Tobago *   TBA                                                                          TBD
Sept. 3       USA vs. Mexico *                        Columbus Crew Stadium (Columbus, Ohio)       7:30 p.m. ET / ESPN Classic & Telemundo
Sept. 7       Guatemala vs. USA *                   Mateo Flores (Guatemala City, Guatemala)          –
Oct. 8/9     Costa Rica vs. USA *                   Estadio Ricardo Saprissa (San Jose, Costa Rica)    –
Oct. 12       USA vs. Panama *                        –                                                                                  –
* FIFA World Cup Qualifying Match   + CONCACAF Gold Cup   ^If necessary

By Jeff Tipping, NSCAA Director of Coaching Education

Players in midfield and at the top of the opponent’s penalty box constantly receive the ball under pressure. Sometimes the players cannot receive the ball and avoid being tackled unless the player uses a fake prior to the first touch to freeze the opponent or to make the opponent think the player is going to take the ball in a certain direction. A couple of moves players need to master who play in midfield positions are the “lunge” and the “scoop” moves.  

The Lunge
As the ball is traveling toward a player, and it is clear that a defender is closing the player down quickly, the player can make valuable space and time by lunging toward the ball as if to take it with the front foot and then quickly stopping to allow the ball to run to the back foot. As the ball runs past the front foot, the player pivots and opens the hips in order to receive the ball with the back foot. The lunging motion freezes the defender momentarily and creates a split second of time to move away in a different direction with the ball.  

The Scoop
Another good move for both midfield players and forwards is to master is the scoop move. The scoop move most frequently occurs when two players are simultaneously going for a loose ball. The player who arrives there fractionally before the other fakes to block tackle but actually flips the ball over the opponents foot with a scooping movement and then moves away at speed.  

These kinds of moves should be practiced with no opposition initially and then can be practiced in 3v1 or 4v3 type of environments in a small space when the attacking players are constantly under pressure.

The Brisbane Sports Academy is currently accepting signups for the new season.

Registration is now open for teams to participate in the Spring 2005 season April 2, 2005 through May 22, 2005

Click here to download the flyer for more information.To download you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader. Get it here.
 

Dear Potential Players & Sponsors,  

This letter is being written on behalf of the San Francisco Nighthawks and Club Marin Soccer. A year and a half ago, our two clubs chose to combine our over three decades of soccer experience in an attempt to foster a more vibrant, European style soccer community in the Bay Area. The continued success and advancement of this vision depends upon the financial support, both monetarily and through donation of goods and services, of our larger community. We are writing to ask for your support.

For those of you unfamiliar with our two clubs, the San Francisco Nighthawks consist of former and current women college soccer players. They compete in the Women’s Professional Soccer League (WPSL).  Since the recent collapse of the women’s professional soccer league, or Women’s United Soccer Association, the WPSL is now considered the highest level of women’s soccer in the country. The WPSL is comprised of teams from San Diego, Los Angeles, San Jose, Sacramento, Denver, Dallas, Houston, Boston, Chicago, New York, and Maryland. To find out more about the Nighthawks, please visit our web site at: www.sfnighthawks.com.

Club Marin men’s soccer competes in the 102 year old San Francisco Soccer League. The league is comprised of five divisions, from the 3^rd Division up to the Premier. Club Marin’s ‘A’ team has just been promoted to the top division, the California Premier Soccer Alliance. Club Marin seeks to model itself after the great Soccer Clubs of Europe. In addition to our Premier Division team, we also have a number of lower division Men’s teams, and are in the process of reestablishing a competitive youth program. To find out more about Club Marin please visit our web site at: www.clubmarin.org  

Since both teams are only semi-professional, fundraising is essential to our continued success, as it helps defray the cost of travel, training, coaching, uniforms, fields and referees. During the month of April we will be hosting the 1^st ANNUAL CLUB MARIN SF NIGHTHAWKS GOLF TOURNAMENT at San Geronimo Golf Course. Proceeds from this event will be used to help pay our league fees and other expenses. A portion of the proceeds will also be donated to “Soccer in the Streets,” a youth soccer program for inner city children. Participants will receive a round of golf, a cart, a box lunch, dinner, 2 drinks from the beverage cart and entertainment. Prizes will be awarded for 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place, and players will have a chance at a million dollar hole!

We are currently looking for businesses or individuals who are interested in making donations to help make this event a success. Both teams thank you for your time and consideration.

Attached is a list of sponsorship opportunities for this tournament.

Sincerely,

Jill Lounsbury (Manager of the Nighthawks)
Tighe O’Sullivan (President of Club Marin)

Click here to download the sponsorship information and the tournament application. To download you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader. Get it here.

Click here to download the camp information and application.
To download you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Get it here.