District Cup Results

Azzurri Eagles took second place losing only to Lincoln 2-1 in the final. The Eagles won all of their preliminary games. and outshot and dominated Lincoln in the finals. Well done!

Practice Schedule for the Association Cup

December 26, 2008, 3-5 p.m. River Bottoms; December 29, 2008, 3-5 p.m. River Bottoms;
January 5, 2009, 3-5 p.m. River Bottoms; January 6, 2009 3-5 p.m. River Bottoms; January 8, 3-5 p.m. River Bottoms.
Practice the following weeks will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays only, 4:30 to 6:30 either at Gray avenue or a High School depending on what is available as long as we continue to move on in the tournament.
Practice schedule cancelled for that day only if there is a steady hard rain at the time we are to begin practice.
You are a good team. Lets all try to become the best team in Northern California for our Class. If you make the effort to attend all the practices, that will be the foundation for that goal. If you work hard to make all of the other team members feel good about their contribution, that will be a strong building block. If you focus on what we are practicing during practice, that will be a significant factor in our working toward our goal.
You played very well in the District Cup. You are a very good team! Lets work together to be the best!

Association Cup

Jan 10, 11, 2009 in Lemoore Soccer Complex, Lemoore, California. Thereafter, sweet sixteen and quarter finals at Morgan Hill, California the weekend of Jan 17, 18, 2009. Game times depend on our standings after the first weekend. Semifinals, January 24, 2009 in MTV on synthetic turf on Saturday at 11 a.m. and finals on Sunday January 25, 2009 at Mustang Cytomax upper at 2:30 p.m. If rainout, we will be moved to the following weekend, so reserve the next two weekends after the January 24, 25th weekend just in case.

Game times in Lemoore: Jan 10, 11:30 a.m. Jan 11, 8:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

District Cup Azzurri Eagles Schedule

The first weekend of the District Cup for under 14 boys Goup B which includes the Eagles will be held at Wheeler Auto Soccer Complex at Riverfront Park December 6 and 7, 2008. The Eagles are the hosts for the opening weekend. Game times for the Eagles are as follows: Saturday December 6, Eagles vs. River City Raptors 8:30 a.m.; Eagles vs. Fair Oaks Flash 11:45 a.m.; Sunday December 7, Eagles vs. El Dorado Hills Heat 10:00 a.m.; Eagles vs. Land Park Thunder 1:15 p.m. Winner of the B group flight A will face the winner of B group Flight B, 6 p.m. Friday December 12 at Woodland CC.

Good finish to the regular season

The Azzurri Eagles outscored their opponnents over the last three games 12-3 but gave up a game winner to Lincoln to lose only their fourth game of the season. (16-4-2) All losses have been by one goal. They finished their last game of the regular season with a 6-0 win. The team is now in preparation for the District Cup in the E-D division. (What is call the B group flight A) They may have an opportunity to overcome two of their opponents that are responsible for three out of their four losses if they continue to work hard and continue to play together as they may get to face both of them in the District Cup. They are planning a scrimmage against the Azzurri Strikers another fine local team, the team that beat them 1-0 in the Peach Classic Tournament Championship Game, Saturday after Thanksgiving at 12 noon in the River Bottoms. With continued hard work and trust in themselves and their teammates they could do well in the District Cup and earn a chance to win their division in the finals December 13 under the lights in Woodland.

The Azzurri Eagles are also registered for the Association Cup the North State class 3 Championship tournament beginning the second weekend in January.

Coach Cooke is the host coach for the first weekend of games in the District Cup for the E-D division and will need help from parents as field marshalls, and from referees to make the experience a good one for all. He is one of three local coaches hosting their opening weekend of District Cup competition.

We have completed registration for The Azzurri Eagles in the Association Cup, the Northern California State Championship for class 3 teams. Subject to being postponed for weather, the dates to save are Jan 10-11 opening weekend, January 17-18 middle level playoffs, and semis and championships the weekend of January 24, 25, 2009. Based on past years, it is not uncommon to be postponed one or two weeks. I offered to host any portion of the tournament at Wheeler Auto Soccer Complex at Riverfront Park. The teams we play against will be drawn the middle of November and we may hear shortly thereafter when and who and where we will play. In order to do well we need to work on our league games the next three weekends. Then we need to work hard and play hard in the District Cup. So for now don't worry about the Association Cup, just save the dates!

Congratulations to the Azzurri Eagles under 14 boys on winning first place in the PUMPKIN KICK Tournament! You scored 14 goals while allowing none. Good Job! Well done!

Interested is seeing a Cal Stanford Women Soccer game?

We have an opportunity to go to a Cal Stanford Women's Soccer Game at Cal, Saturday November 8 at 2 p.m. if I can change our game time in Sacramento. All team members get in free. Please tell me if the team would like to go.

Practice Schedule change

Beginning November 2, 2008 we lost an hour of daylight. We will still practice during the week Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays but for only an hour and a half from 4:30p.m. to 6 p.m. beginning November 17, except on November 27 (Happy Thanksgiving) and on November 29, a Saturday when we will practice from 11 a.m. 2 p.m. We plan to Scrimmage the Strikers with the game to begin at 12 noon. We will practice Tuesday or Wednesday during the Thanksgiving holiday week depending on the weather forecast. Because practice is shortened, try to be on time dressed and ready to go. Please also arrange to have your ride to go home at 6 P.M. We have applied for other scrimmages and practice under the lights at time to be announced.

District Cup

We have entered the District Cup to be played the weekend of December 6 and 7 and December 13. The location is yet to be determined but we have offered to host the group we are scheduled to play with. Please save the dates!!!

Pictures

There may be a photographer available to take individual and or team photos today or Thursday. Please bring both uniforms to practice even if you do not want a picture.

Pumpkin Kick Tournament

Orangevale Blaze vs. Azzurri Eagles Saturday Oct 25 10 a.m. Operating Engineers Field #8

Azzurri Eagles vs. Azzurri Scorpions Saturday Oct 25 2:30 p.m. Builders & Developers Field #7

Cal Rush Rangers vs. Azzurri Eagles Sunday Oct 26 9:00 a.m. Operating Engineers Field # 8

Consolation and Championship game time Sunday Oct 26 2:00 p.m.

Peach Harvest Classic Tournament

The Azzurri Eagles played in the peach Harvest Classic Tournament August 16 andf 17, 2008.
The boys played well. Against the Davis Galaxy, Eagles won 3-2. Against the Sierra Gold Rangers the Eagles won 5-1. While missing a penalty kick and then giving up a penanty kick that was successful to the Vacaville extreme, the Eagles came back to win 2-1 hold off the extreme's heavy pressure at the end.
The Eagles lost to the Azzurri Strikers in the chanmpionship game 1-0 in a hard fought game. Congratulations to the Strikers. Congratulations to the Eagles for second place.
Players of the game recognitions went to Thomas Mehler, Alex Martinez, Jose Mendoza and Mariano Gallaga.
The Eagles also played well in their seeding tournament winning four and tying one. 2-1, 2-1, 2-1, 3-0, and 1-1. They were moved into the "E" bracket.
Practice schedule:
Practice will continue the next two weeks from 6-8 p.m. Monday Tuesday and Thursday but will begin at 5 and go to 7 beginning September 2, 2008 (no practice labor day).
Coach Cooke 8-18-08

CRYSTAL HUNTING

Uniforms

April 10, 2008

Azzurri team players can now go to our uniform supplier and get their uniforms sized.

Our supplier is Soccer City in Yuba City 637 Plumas Street. They are open 7 days a week from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

When going in for sizing, identify the team you are playing for, the age group and coach so they can match up the orders with the teams. Eagle Players, please try to get in this month so we can get our uniforms ordered and start playing in tournaments as soon as they arrive.

Azzurri Eagles practice schedule

Updated 4-08-08

Members of the Azzurri Eagles from 2007 and new members of the Azzurri Eagles met at Coach Cookes backyard field for a 3 on 3 tournament and barbeque with their families Sunday April 6, 2008 from 1-5. Parents and siblings participated in the tournament.

Practice for the 2008 team commenced April 7, 2008. Practices to be Monday and Tuesday nights 5:30 - 7:30 until May when we will also practice Thursday nights. Practice will be held on the Wheeler Auto #10 Soccer field Riverfront Park until the until the Steel Field is open again afrter reseeding is completed.

How to prepare for practice: Run 3 miles 3 times per week. Work on dribbling and faking skills with the ball while running. Do 100 juggles with the ball at least 3 times per week.

Team members are invited to play at Kingwood Park, Yuba City, on Wednesday evenings 6-6:30 show up time to dark, and Saturday mornings 10 a.m. show up time for a couple of hours. This is a fun voluntary opportunity.

AZZURRI SOCCER TRYOUTS AND SIGNUPS FOR 2008

Updated March 21, 2008
Who: Boys & Girls
Ages 14-18 as of July 31, 2008

Dates: April 19, 20; 26, and 27, 2008

Time: 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. for registration
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for tryouts

Location: Riverfront Park Soccer Complex

The Azzurri Soccer Club offers competitive soccer within the state. Entering tournaments and playing on Saturdays with other competitve clubs, September - November, Class 3.

If there is enough interest in any one age group and we have willing sponsors and coaches, they will sponsor a Class 1 Competitive Team that may travel out of state and make may compete in the State Cup.

The Azzurri Soccer Club can connect players with tutors and with Olympic Development Teams for interested players.

Notes from the 2008 CYSA Soccer Expo, Oakland, California.

There were useful field demonstrations that had immediate practical use in coaching kids. There was a presentation on working with goal keepers, a presentation on increasing kid’s reaction time and speed to the ball, a demonstration of useful warm-ups and helpful passing drills and a discussion and demonstration of using four fullbacks.

SPEED DRILLS FOR SOCCER

The following activities were included in the program on speed training as a warm up to get the kids speeding up their thinking and getting their bodies active. In a limited area everybody was “it” and had to tag everyone else on the back. Players were asked to go for a minute or up to three minutes at a time. They were asked to keep score. They could block the tag if they could. The idea was to get them running and using their upper body and eyes in an active and quick game. That game then changed to tagging on the back and the knee with special emphasis to avoid bonking heads by bending at the knees to get low to tag at the knee and again encouraging the players to block the tag if they could. While this game appeared to be organized chaos, the kids appeared to be active, be running, and stayed active and running in this game. Again, they were asked to keep score on the number of tags that were successful. The time limit was from one to three minutes depending upon how well they are doing. This game was then expanded to several players being in a limited area and players trying to dribble the ball through the area without getting tagged either on the back or the knee. If the players were able to go through a corner of the area, they would get one point; they could go all the way through the middle without getting tagged, they could get two points; if they were able to go through and tag one of the people in the middle on the back, they could get five points. If the ball was kicked out of the area by one of the players in the middle, they lost all their points and had to restart. That game was run for one to three minutes, changing up the number of players in the middle.

As we know, the points really don’t matter and it is just whatever the coach wants to do with it.

After the kids are warmed up there is, of course, a period of stretching. As part of the running the kids were then encouraged to begin running by leaning and using gravity and teaching the kids to run with their chest forward and leaning as they start to use gravity to save energy and to get a quicker start encouraging the players to use short fast arm strokes what he called, “alligator arms,”(pumping the arms forward and backward at elbow and fist moving forward and back quickly with short strides) and when they got up to speed using high fast arm strokes going from eye socket to hip pocket or cheek to cheek as it were. The development of the arm stroke can be incorporated in the agility ladder when having the kids run through the ladder getting their upper arm working with their lower bodies, the emphasis being getting the upper arms working with the lower body, allows them to move faster.

I would think a coach could experiment as to how fast they run in a 40-yard dash before doing the agility and speed training and then seeing if they increase their speed over a 40-yard dash with these techniques.

The use of the agility ladders was to have the kids go through them forwards, backwards, side to side, deciding how many steps they want in; whether they want cross over steps going through from side to side; they can be used for any practice of fakes but again the emphasis is getting the upper arms working with the lower body to increase quickness.

PASSING DRILLS

Passing drills were demonstrated with 4 players in a line and having the players immediately split off to opposite sides upon beginning of the pass so that they are no longer in line and they could pass backwards; they could pass through the middle in a z form; they could make a long pass, drop back to the middle and back to the beginning; they could do a z pass with a player on the end then running back and using a player to pass to on a give and go; they progress these passing drills into games of 6 on 2 and 5 on 3. Passing drills were also started with 2-touch and then moved to 1-touch, pace of the ball was hard and the players were required to trap the ball within a foot based upon the level of skill. It was easier for the older players to do that than the younger players but obviously those were the things they were working for.