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The Pulse! No. #43
COVER STORY & LATEST HEADLINES:ODE TO EDMONDS~55!!!**This week the Pulse wanted to start out it's "Ode to Ed" from his special rival/friend**I considered him the biggest @$$ when I first "heard" him on Standings Plus. Dynamo was the greatest team at U-whatever and EFC sucked he would say. I would spend hours looking at GFs and GAs and point out how Dynamo crushed all the bad teams and couldnt beat anyone their supposed equal. Man did that ever backfire when the Dynamo crushed EFC at a tourney in Tacoma, a game that made me cringe and made Eddie beam with delight.LOL
For two years I listened to him say how EFC could never beat them.And they couldnt!! But finally when EFC did beat Dynamo in a semifinal game at SammamishHS, I wanted so badly to razz him. But I watched as he and young Ben walked away despondent, heads down off the pitch and I didnt have the heart to say anything mean. I had never met him before but there was a calm despite his disappointment that belied his demeanor on SP and then WPS. I felt somehow that he was actually an OK guy even though we had crucified each other over 2 years!
Wow did we have some great "debates" though. EFC would be known as the "Kings of Over the Top" and "hackers" while Dynamo played "the Beautiful Game". God I hated him at times as I screamed at the keyboard in frustration at his wit, his ability to be so damn sarcastic yet so damn funny.He would rearrange my TopTens and I would laugh at his songs. Yeah there were times he went way too far (as did I), but beneath the bs, there was a rivalry born of mutual admiration!
One of the darkest days for my son was the day he was cut from EFC at U14. Our friend told us that Dynamo was having their final tryout and so we raced to Lynwood where who should I see first but Eddie. He looked at me increduously and said "Lee cut your son? Was he out of his %$#@ing mind?" That was something I would never have expected having thought he would chortle at our plight. An EFCer becoming a Dynamo could not happen I figured hed think. Nothing was farther from the truth!
Well my son was not picked that day by Viet as well. Viet said he liked him but didnt need another mid. And off he went to EFC B for the next few months. In August I received an IM from Eddie. Did my son want to come to Canada for the weekend and guest with them at SuperY he asked? Again I was incredulous. Here was another olive branch, from Eddie? So strange. Well my son went and scored a goal to win a game. And Viet asked him to join Dynamo.And Ben took an immediate liking to my son as they talked the latest boots and soccer and life. so cool I thought. And Brian was at hte bottom of it all...
Coming to a new team as a parent is always weird. All the quirks and dynamics are difficult to sort out.Especially after being so entrenched at EFC. I felt like I was going to the enemy LOL
I learned early that Eddie was a member of a 3 man posse, whose boys had been the stars of this team for years. They would often hold court against the chain link fence discussing what they saw and did or didnt like. Despite that clique, Eddie immediately came up to me at the games and would praise my sons play even if he did not shine. Always supportive, encouraging, thoughtful.And we began to stand next to each other at games.
We stood on the sidelines together urging on the Dynamo for 1 year, swearing at refs, at EFC, and especially at Stuart Lee LOL! we second guessed everything on the pitch! we shared talk about baseball, hoops and soccer...and life. Hell we even shared an umbrella in a downpour! And we ganged up on Soccermama on WPS (Sorry about that!) even though Dynamo now could not beat EFC!! LOL wow did we share some laughs and some tears.
I came to know Eddie as a warm, caring man who deeply adored his son!He was passionate about many things as well as soccer. I learned that he often sent many political Letters to the Editor!
He was a proud man and felt that people should live up to their word. He was distraught that Ben did not secure a position on the Nationals last year feeling that size was winning out over talent. He did have a few other choice words that I wont repeat !And he was as mad at the coach as I had been at Lee. I felt for he and Ben. I tried to get in touch but to no avail. He became invisible on WPS for a while and we all missed him. When he came back everyone was happy. His son was playing again for Viet on the Heat and doing well! so things were good for him. And they were even better when Heat beat the Nationals in the Cup this year.LOL He hammered me but not as in the past. Far less personal and more friendly I thought. But he got his digs in, some not so subtle.LOL
Ben came to Nationals tryouts this year but was not selected. I spoke with Brian that day and he was philosophical. He was unsure what Ben would do as he was having a hard time getting Ben down to practice. It would have been so much easier if he had made the team. My son was pissed. He thought Ben was good enough. He liked him and missed him as a mate. I missed Brian as well!
I never spoke with him again expecting to run into him at a game this summer. When I got the news of his passing from my wife who had just heard from my son, I was shocked. I was numb. A friend told me of his death during surgery, surgery for a heart condition that he had confided in only a few I guess. What a terrible twist of fate. A man who worked in cardiac medicine would succumb to a condition that he had helped make better countless times in his work! Such a tragic shame to have a man still soooo alive, pass away so young without others able to say "Goodbye"! To wish him well on his journey to a place we will all go...To never see his young son Ben continue to play the game he so loved...
I am not very good at expressing my emotions when it comes to this sort of thing...never really know what to say.
But from the bottom of my heart...
Brian ,you were once a foe and then a friend.I learned much from you in our short time together! I cherish that as I think of how intertwined our lives became because of this great beautiful game we call soccer and because of WPS!!!!
...I will miss you immensely! RIP
Vin, aka pvms
TOP 10 Things I swear I heard Edmonds55 say on the sidelines in the rain...10)I don’t create controversies. They’re there long before I open my mouth. I just bring them to your attention.
9)The trouble with officials is they just don’t care who wins.
8 )I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people’s accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man’s failures.
7)The difference between the old ballplayer and the new ballplayer is the jersey. The old ballplayer cared about the name on the front. The new ballplayer cares about the name on the back.
6)The rules of soccer are very simple, basically it is this: if it moves, kick it. If it doesn’t move, kick it until it does.
5)In football everything is complicated by the presence of the opposite team.
4)If a tie is like kissing your sister, losing is like kissing your grandmother with her teeth out.
3)The New England Journal of Medicine reports that 9 out of 10 doctors agree that 1 out of 10 doctors is an idiot.
2)I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered.
1)Half the lies they tell about me aren't true.
HEADLINES!EDDY IN HIS OWN WORDS (SONGS)!**What better way for us to remember Ed55, then revisiting some of his best posts/songs...and now, here he is; "in his own words":**Nice work, but how about this great song from the Monkees, once known as "Daydream Believer" and now retitled, "Eastside Deceiver". Here is Davy Jones and the Monkees.......
Eastside won't deny, indeed they are the cream.
Everybody knows what game they do bring,
The soccer world is on their knees,
Eastside Pink, oh what a prize,
Wipe out players before all eyes,
Eastside breaks someone's nose and then they wink
Cleats up, Eastside preens
We blast the small and lean,
We're the Eastside deceivers,
a nightmare to all other teams......
It's better to give than to receive,
hit'em high and make them bleed,
Eastside's motto to all other teaaaammmmms;
Oh why bring up then,
the things they can't defend,
Cause Sumo Soccer Eastside their game so depends.
Cleats up, Eastside preens,
Yes, one may lose their spleen,
We're the Eastside deceivers
a nightmare to other teams....
Cleats up, Eastside preens,
get a goal, you'll taste some green,
Cause we're the Eastside deceivers
a nightmare to all other teeeeammmmss........ how about a little something from the late great John Denver with his new rendition of Sunshine on my Shoulder now know as Sumo Soccer Eastside......
Sumo soccer Eastside ain't too shabby,
Sumo soccer Eastside won't make you cryyyyyyyy
Sumo soccer Eastside isn't that ugly,
Sumo Eastside, the Dynamo do denyyyyy.
If they had a play, that they could do
they'd prove to you a play sure to go astray,
When they do it wrong, well they have no clue,
The Dynamo take their wrongs and get up a goal or two
Sumo soccer Eastside some may be flabby,
Sumo soccer Eastside that's no lie
Sumo soccer Eastside can it be lovely?
Eastside pretty soccer, yeah when pigs flyyyyyyy
If they start to wail, they will tell you,
they only wail, when the Dynamo start to smile,
If they seem beguiled, and are captivated,
the Dynamo play a game sure to fascinate and tantalize.
Sumo soccer Eastside ain't too shabby,
Sumo soccer Eastside won't make you cryyyy.
Sumo soccer Eastside ain't that uglyyyyyyy,
Sumo soccer Eastside every time the Dynamo do deny,
Sumo soccer Eastside can it be lovely, yes every time, when those swines do fly
Sumo soccer Eastsidddddeeeeeeeee. to honor the Dynamo and their great season and the upcoming holiday's here's "The Dynamo Christmas Song"
The Dynamo toasting by an open fire,
Eastside just picking at their nose,
Statewide seedings looking better this year,
and all the teams glad they won't meet the Dynamo.
Everybody knows the Dynamo
play the game so beautiful and brighttttttttt....
Eastside thoughts with their mouths mime oh no!
will find it hard to sleep in peace these nights.
They know the Dynamo are in their way,
they're loaded with ODP players that play the game the right way,
and all the Eastside mothers are gonna cry
when the Dynamo really fly by the Eastsiddddeee......
and so we're passing out the Dynamo soccer spirit
from our 91's and all our 92's,
all told we won 6 and EFC one out of sevennnn....
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas
came early to youuuu.....
They know the Dynamo are in their way,
they're loaded with ODP players that play the beautiful game....
and a certain Eastside mommy is gonna deny,
when the Dynamo really take it to Eastsidddddddeeeee.....
and so we're passing out the soccer spirit
from our 91's and all our 92's
all told we won 6 and EFC one out of sevennnnn.....
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas
tooooo oooooooo yooooooouuuuuuuuu. Here's STYX
and a revised version of their classic, "Come Sail Away" retitled Play the Beautiful Game.
We're playing the game,
playing the beautiful game, the way it's meant to be;
Dynamo have to succeed,
Three will suffice, but no less than three,
They want to be the champions,
they must be bold,
There aren't any tomorrows, yes that's for sure,
And they'll try....oh lord they'll try......
to get it done.........
Dynamo have to dig deep,
Inspection from inside,
utilize their expertise,
Great passing, team plans,
Don't want it to end, oh the dreams they have.....
they've practiced forever,
as the year unfolds,
It's the time of the Olympics,
Dynamo want their gold,
And they'll try.... for all national fans....
to get it done..........
The inspiration, the work, the sweat,
playing with their heads,
the soccer game as they've been taught,
and this is what was said,
they said;
Play the beautiful game,
Play your game,
the way it's meant to be....
Play the beautiful game,
Play your game,
the way it's meant to be....lads
Play the beautiful game,
Play your game,
the way it's meant to be.....
Play the beautiful game,
Play your game,
the way it's meant to be.......lads
instrumental.......and then finale
Dynamo reached down within themselves,
and showed more than some,
they raised a trophy above their heads,
and the State Cup was the prize......
Play the beautiful game,
Play your game,
the way it's meant to be......
Play the beautiful game,
Play your game,
the way it's meant to be.....lads Here's Sheryl Crow and The First Hill is the Steepest......
For Bigyouth whereever we may find him/her...........
We would have given him all or part....
yet he's someone whose blown it from the start,
and we've taken it all we're not mad....
But if Bigyouth wants to try love and win
Bigyouth there's no sin loving the Dynamo......
The first hill is the steepest...
Bigyouth and Dynamo....
the first hill is the steepest.......
but when it comes to quenching insatiable thirst,
when it comes to finding his soccer sabbatical search.
we don't mind if you're on our side.....
we can help you send your fears bye, bye, bye........
and we're not gonna let you deny....
that you want to try to love and win, trrrrryyyyyyy...
Bigyouth there's no sin loving the Dynamo
The first hill is the steepest.....
Bigyouth and Dynamo....
the first hill is the steepest
but when it comes to quenching insatiable thirst,
when it comes to finding his soccer sabbatical search..
guitar solo.................
We don't mind if you're on our side,
we can help you send your fears bye, bye, bye,
and we're not gonna let you deny,
that you want to try to love and win, try to love and win, try to love and win............
Bigyouth there's no sin loving the Dynamo......
The first hill is the steepest.....
Bigyouth and Dynamo.......
the first hill is the steepest......
but when it comes to quenching insatiable thirst,
when it comes to finding his soccer sabbatical search.....
The first hill is the steepest.....
Bigyouth and Dynamo.....
the first hill is the steepest......
Bigyouth finds how to love and win............ WHO GOT DUFFERIZED THIS WEEKEND?!?!?!?Let's take a look at the people/kids who got "dufferized" this weekend!!!
...poor kid never saw it coming!
...omg! A whole darn Timbers team!
...a long time poster gets a "new nose"!
...another poster feels the wraith of duffer!
...proof that not only people get dufferized, but also cars with "corny" vanity plates! LOL
...even little babies were not safe from being "dufferized"
Upcoming Coaches Clinics!!!**this starts ASAP...so get Hot coachs!!** The Puget Sound Premier League, in conjunction with Starfire Sports, has initiated plans for a series of training events for coaches and will be hosting the first two Coaches' Clinics in the next 2 weeks.
Session 1:
Zonal Defending Friday, May 30th, 2008
6:30-8:00
Starfire Sports, Tukwila
Field 8 (Grass field on the left nearest to the softball fields)
Session 2:
Developing the Playmaker Friday, June 6th, 2008
6:30-8:00
Starfire Sports, Tukwila
Field 8 (Grass field on the left nearest to the softball fields)
This will be a unique opportunity for coaches to develop and increase their understanding on these specific topics as they relate to coaching players in the U11-U13 age groups. The sessions will be somewhat casual and interactive, with subject teams being from the PSPL.
We are excited to present Paolo Mottola as the instructor for Sessions 1 & 2. Paolo is the coaching director for South Hill Revolution and a USSF A licensed coach. He has an extensive soccer background, playing in the mean streets of Naples, Italy then on to the Naples Youth Academy before coming to the states. Paulo has coached college, high school and top youth club teams winning several state championships, including two with the former Royals. He combines old-world knowledge of soccer with modern training methods of American athletes and is known as a coaching innovator who thinks outside current soccer orthodoxy. He is very approachable and is keenly interested to share his love of coaching and his passion for the game with everyone playing in the Puget Sound Premier League.
Each field session will run from 6:30pm-8:00pm. Immediately afterwards, coaches are invited to informal open forum question and answer session with Paulo. There will be free pizza and plenty of beverages of your choice.
There is no cost for the clinics, and we encourage you to share this invitation with other coaches who may want to attend. Just let us know by email (
pspl@x308.com) if you are attending so that we can plan accordingly for refreshments.
TALES IN BLACK & YELLOW PART 15!!!The Road to Hawaii/Arkansas #15
Soccer is a Riddle The past weekend I had the privilege to referee at the Manchester United Nike Premier Cup in Beaverton, Oregon. This year the tournament was expanded from the top 20 boy and girls to the top 32 of the boys and girls teams in the 14/15 age group (quirky age to meet the international criteria) in the country. I was one 53 referees from Washington (19), Oregon, Arizona and Oregon to officiate the games. Washington also sent three staff members for support as coach/mentors. One of the coach/mentors also spent part of his time as an AR on the Portland Timbers vs. Vancouver Whitecaps match. The best part of the experience was the training provided by a national instructor Nassar Safaraz from Cal South (State Association). Nassar, in fact in a round about way, has provided the subject for this week’s article.
Upon arrival last Thursday the training began. I’ve mentioned before that when one referees in their home territory there is familiarity with referees. When one ventures outside of their normal surroundings it can often become a crap shoot with the referees that you meet and work with; even at some high caliber tournaments. A referee of a certain grade and experience varies from state to state. As an ice breaker we had a pre-planned assignment to supply information on our home town, experience, grade, best moment as a referee, silliest moment as a referee and what law would we change within The Laws of the Game. We were told to sit with a referee that we had never met before and share our information. We were then told as a pair to find a different pair of referees that we didn’t know and share our new information. It didn’t make any sense at the time but it does now.
The goal in every game that I work as a center referee or as an assistant referee I try to give the best effort I can. It is much easier to do so when I’m comfortable with the people I’m working with. When I’m with referees that I know and trust, all I have to do is work the game. When I’m with referees that I’m unfamiliar with I have to not only figure out what each team is going to do, I have to figure out the ability of the referees as well. The icebreaker at the initial meeting brought forth a comfort level with people (many that I had never met) that allowed for a quicker transition with gaining trust with new referees that would work by my side.
Referees were put together in groups of five that would work either a morning or afternoon shift on Friday and do the opposite on Saturday. A coach/mentor was assigned to each group to provide feedback to the lead assignor for placement of referees in the “knockout stage” of the tournament come Sunday and Monday. We were assigned to both boys and girls games, in five game shifts. Referees each had one game off during a shift along with being scheduled to work as a game a center referee, AR1, AR1 or as a 4th Official. The games at the Manchester United Nike Premier Cup are fast and furious. The games are only 40 minutes long with a lot on the line. The girl’s winner gets an all expense paid trip to Sweden to the Gothia Cup. The boy’s winner gets an all expense trip to Manchester England for the international version of the competition. Remember a few years back a Crossfire team finished 8th in the international event in Hong Kong.
After my morning shift on Friday we had referee training on what happen during the morning set of games. Those who had the morning shift on Saturday had a similar training session. During the session Nassar Safaraz would give us scenarios and ask questions dealing with what should a referee do? I’ve mentioned before that even though it is one game, it varies based on age, sex and level of play. Thus the Laws of the Game can be massaged depending on what type of game we have in front of us. That’s when I figured out that the game of soccer is a riddle. By using this method of training, Nassar was trying to help us train our minds to answer the many riddles that we referees come across in each soccer game that we work. Soccer is a riddle for the referees. Soccer is a riddle for the coaches. Soccer is a riddle for the players. Soccer is a riddle for the fans. The game is full of riddles at every aspect of the game
Referees:Who is playing? What level are the teams? Should a foul be called? Should advantage be called? Should a yellow card be issued? Should a red card be issued?
Coaches:What players should I select at tryouts? Who should be in the starting lineup? How should I divvy up playing time? What tournament should the team play in? Who should be on the field for Kicks from the Mark?
Players:What team does a player tryout for? What shoes to buy? Pass, shoot or dribble? Should I go left, right, strait ahead or backwards?
Fans:Boo or cheer? Should the Laws of the Game be read prior to watching a match?
I have to tell you where the last riddle comes from. In a match I centered between FC Barcelona vs. Oregon Rush; FC Barcelona is up 1-0 with two minutes left in the contest. Oregon Rush has a corner kick from the right corner with nine players in the penalty area and their goal keeper at the halfway line; I’m standing at the intersection of the “D” away from the corner kick. Oregon Rush takes the kick. The ball is cleared by FC Barcelona past all of the Rush players who were in the box. Two Barcelona players are off to the races as the Rush goal keeper retreats to her goal. As the two attackers reach the center circle I’m running like crazy to catch up to them. I catch them at the top of the penalty area with the ball now between me and my AR. The player with the ball slows ever so slightly allowing her teammate to pass her by. The ball is passed “forward to the teammate who taps the ball in the goal. I blow the whistle and raise my hand to call “offside”.
The father of the player who tapped the ball into the net goes ballistic. Yelling and screaming as he walked toward my AR. From my vantage point, I thought he stepped onto the field. To protect my AR (18 year old) I yelled at the father (6’3”/230lbs +) to sit down and leave my AR alone. When the game ended instead of meeting with the AR’s near the center circle; I sought out the “father”. I let him know (as I looked up at him) that his actions could have disqualified his team from the tournament. Another referee who is not a crazy as me would have just terminated the match and reported the incident to the tournament committed. The team would have then been at the mercy of the committee if they could continue or not. By winning the game they advanced to the knock out stage of the tournament.
While I was talking to the father the leader of the Washington contingent (who was the coach/mentor of the game) was standing by my side. I thought to myself oh shoot (you know what I really thought) I hope I’m not in trouble. Thank goodness when I later asked the question the response was, I beat him to the punch. I later had a conversation with Nassar Safaraz about the incident. His response is was that sometimes we have to teach people about the game one person at a time. Nassar must be able to see into the future. The obnoxious father found me the next day an apologized for his actions. He told me that he didn’t mean any harm; he just didn’t understand the call that was made. My advice to him; when you don’t understand a call by the referee crew it’s alright to ask a question after the game if not done in a threatening manner.
Another incident that occurred happened during an offside call during a tight 3-2 match up between PDA from New Jersey and the Chicago Wind. As a Chicago player headed the ball into the net the AR’s raised his flag to signal an offside infraction. I happened to be fairly close to the play. For some reason a slight wiggle of the backside accompanied a verbal announcement of offside (a nightclub move of sort). As this was happening I made eye contact with the referee tent that was near the end of the field where the infraction took place. They all laughed at my actions. I swear that it was not premeditated; it just happened. I did hear later that one of the National Coach/Mentor’s commented that my offside call was not one that was recommended by USSF. I did my best to avoid him prior to getting my check and heading home later in the day. A day later I remember back to when Brian Hall (the man in charge of the MLS Referees) paid us a visit at Super Saturday and he told us that our personality may now be the most important tool that we have as referees.
My riddle now becomes; “How much of my personality should I use in my game?” Hopefully I can find a happy medium to keep myself out of trouble.
Ray Moffatte, Jr.
Grade 6 RefereeWHAT THE HECK IS ZVEZDA???*As the Pulse promised last week...we will now find out who Zvezda are!* :mrgreen: ZVEZDA combines European and Latin American exuberant tradition of, on the one hand, treating soccer like a major world religion and, on the other good old American grass-roots activism and self-reliance.
ZVEZDA is a virtual team unaffiliated with any club or organization. There is no office, no bureaucracy, no bank account and very little expenditures by the parents.
It is ultimately a group of very real – not virtual - players that are highly dedicated and very skilled. They all play full time for classic and premier soccer clubs in OR and WA.
What unites ZVEZDA players (most are girls) and their parents is the firm belief that a young footballer in her formative years aspiring to become a soccer maestro can not be limited to the structured environment and the limited dosage of soccer provided by just one club and one set of teammates. Each of the girls is looking to play extra, with unfamiliar teammates, different coach or no coach at all, exploring different positions on the field. The focus is on the player – not on team formation or tactics. Player is expected and encouraged to express herself, to try new moves in real-game situations, to have a license to creative, exuberant soccer where she does not need to worry as much about scoring at all costs.
One of the major principles that we go by – short roster. We hardly ever play with more than 2 subs, and on several occasions played with no subs at all, sometimes even short-sided. We feel strongly that parents take the time out of their busy lives and drive their expensive SUVs to the field across town NOT to see their daughters sit on the bench – but to see them play. This also assures that players perform at the limit of their ability and endurance. Essentially it recreates the age-old pattern of street soccer played around the world – “we play not till the whistle blows, but until we have strength left, and then some”. Goalkeepers play for ZVEZDA free of charge in all the tournaments.
The name ZVEZDA means STAR in Russian, Serbian and Bulgarian. The name projects the international aspect of the game and is maverick enough to set the team apart from countless Cougars, Tigers and Eagles.
However, what really sets the team apart is its style of play. We try to play fanciful, creative, highly technical soccer. We shun away from mindless athleticism. Winning is not the utmost goal. Individual player creativity is. To accomplish that, we continuously sign up to play in short-sided tournaments like Coerver Cup, Corvallis 6v6 Indoor, Tigard Baloons 6v6 festival.
We place a high premium on playing futsal which is an invaluable tool for fostering high-end technical skills, bursts of situational speed and game intuition. Starting last fall until now, ZVEZDA played 3 futsal sessions in a row, including the last one against all-boys teams.
ZVEZDA played in Christmas futsal tournaments and indoor tournaments, either winning them or making it to the finals. We have also played in indoor autumn and winter leagues in Tualatin Indoor Soccer arena.
Even at the height of the club season, players participate in short-sided scrimmages every Sunday, and they make life difficult for themselves by laying down restrictions on what each has to do. For instance, you can not pass the ball to a teammate, unless it is a heel-flick or a cruiff, or unless you make a highly technical move first.
We take every opportunity to play 11v11 scrimmages – often against teams of Latino boys. This assures us that we are competing against strong and fast, yet technically accomplished opponents who are not hacking and whacking.
Our most recent experience – winning GU-15 bracket in Coerver Cup in Camas 5v5.
We had 8 players – Jessica, Anisa, Aleana, Vanessa, Kallina, Megan, Alexa and Anastasiya – from such diverse clubs as OSA, FC Portland, Southside, Timbers and FC Crush.
Now – how do these diverse players from totally different clubs co-exist with each
other ?
The answer is – very well on the field, and in separate universes off it. We have different schools, friends, hobbies and sets of friends. We come together as a team to worship the god of soccer – and we respect each other for what we can show in skills and creativity on the field. What happens after the game is of no consequence. We do not care about “bonding” – that is a distraction from the real thing. If a player’s technical skills are suspect – no amount of bonding with teammates will help her gain their respect. So players try to work as much as possible individually to improve and impress their on-again, off-again teammates.
Why do it – you will say? Well, I can not think of a better adage than the one provided by a British connesseur of the game: “They say sometimes that playing soccer is as important as life or death. Actually – it is more important than that!”
WPS FAMILY CIRCLE FOUNDATION!!!
Well there is no tragic story this week, but....Would still love to give a shout out to #10 of CB United 95 for playing through the pain, sweat, and tears! You are a champion! :mrgreen:
AND
Last week we talked about "Little Gabby" and her "nothing but nets" fundraiser...well it seems we got the address wrong, so here is the correction:
Donations should be sent to~
10311 Chamber Creek Road West, University Place, 98464 Remember, each week we would like to help anyone in need, please send info to the Pulse for the WPSFCF! :mrgreen:
BRAT JR'S "YOU TUBE FUN"!!! WPFC vs NWN
Boys RECAP CRAZY!!!PASTLots of great action this weekend at the Rainier Challenge, SF Memorial, and Viking Cup!
Squash even made special links for a couple of them~
Here are the link to the special sections for recaps:
VK-