Get your kicks Saturday...if you want

So it was an even split on practice participation. So, with that said, practice times will be set at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Atlantic fields. I'll post a poll mid-week that can guage interested parties, and then people can decide if they want to show based on the responses (I would say there would probably need to be a minimum of 5 or 6 to make it worth your while).

With that said, who wants to practice this weekend? Respond in the poll to the right. And feel free to use the comments section to leave more detail about your participation.

What better place than to be Indoor in the New Year

Who's interested in starting up the indoor season this coming January? Let's get a head count, then determine if we have enough for one, or two teams. Raise your hand in the comments section.

Train Wrecks FC = Victory

Actor. Director. Editor. Commentator. Diego. Thanks.

Are you a spring chicken?

Some news and notes from the outdoor league, courtesy of Laura. Please respond in the comments section about your interest in the Spring 2008 season:

• Spring Season will kick off Sunday March 2, 2008. 15 weeks of play, 14 official games, friendlies on Memorial Day, May 26. June 8, end of spring season.
• Team deposit of $600 due Jan 4, 2008.
• Need to know as soon as possible who is playing next season, so we can collect deposit from players.
• Roster has been extended to 25 players from 22.
• A possible third division may be created for teams who consistently finish at the top of Div 2 and bottom of Div 1.
• There will be a league social get together on February 17, 2008 at 5 PM at Pyramid Brewery.
• If the new Gilman fields are open by then, we will also be playing there. The Berkeley league has received the following playing days and times:
  
  Gilman North - Sun 1 to 10 PM, Tue 9 - 11 PM, Fri 7 - 10 PM
  Gilman South - Mon 7 to 9 PM, Thu 7 - 9 PM
  

• There maybe be Monday night games next season as well.
• Gabe Catalfo fields closed Nov 26, 2007 to March 1, 2008

Note: if you aren't able to use the comments section, respond to the post notification email and I'll pass the information on to Laura.

Gobble gobble

Happy Thanksgiving Train Wrecks!

No events scheduled for this weekend. Which brings up a question...do we take a break from regularly scheduled practices for the holidays and start back up in January? Use the poll to the right capture your interest [[editor note: poll has been closed and deleted]].

Cue up Queen, because...

we are the champions my friends. Even without our fearless leader, the Wrecks scraped and scrapped to a 3-1 victory to sew up top position in Division II.

Interestingly enough, if we look over Thomas's checklist of things to do that are also signs of a champion, we might only find a few things we did well in this game. Defense seemed to make the right plays at the right moment, and...perhaps...and...well at times we did some of the other things too.

Diego was on point for the first goal to take the Train Wrecks into halftime up 1-0. At the break, Andrew gave a brief vote of verbal confidence with a don't let up in the first 15 minutes speech.

It worked. The second goal came courtesy of a great set up by Brad, leading Amy to put in a cooly struck ball into the back of the net. After the Meerkat's pulled one back shortly thereafter, the two-goal lead was restored when Madelyn sent in lobbing shot that pounced over the keeper and off of Diego's foot. And all was good.

The Train Wrecks ended up with nine wins and two losses (with one of those losses to the top team in division I, who hasn't lost a game all season). It may not be the championship of the world, but we are the champions my friends.

Where's my cigar?

Last call

Outdoor game this week
Sunday @ 3:00 p.m. at Gabe West @ Meerkat FC.

Last game. With a win, the Train Wrecks would win Division II. Thomas won't be at the game but had a few words of inspiration to build off last weeks victory. See his post below.

Practice this week
Saturday @ 2:30 p.m. at the Atlantic fields.
Indoor players not playing outdoor are welcome to kick the ball around as well.

Scrimmage on November 25th?
The Dragons would love to get an informal scrimmage going for 3pm the Sunday after Thanksgiving 11/25. Are the Train Wrecks interested?

Join in. Use the comment section to indicate which events you will or will not participate in.

The coach's corner

A word from Thomas:

Trainwrecks, well done. From my unique vantage point in the back, I beheld the most team-like outing from our squad of the entire season. Because to a person we had such an exceptional game and managed to do so many things right, I’d like to touch upon a few things that I thought worked especially well so you can all visualize doing them going into the season’s final match.

There is absolutely no doubt that if you play like you did last night, you will win the season’s final match. Remember that one mark of a champion is consistency!

1. We played 360 degree soccer, playing backwards as well as forwards. The use of drop passes was notable.
2. We let the ball do the work, staying in relative positions on offense so that we kept the field open so we could make key passes to each other. We also moved the ball quickly and set team mates up for opportunities.
3. The passing was excellent, with the right amount of accuracy, touch, pace and timing to be highly effective. Lots of good crosses out well in front of the goalie, where it’s dangerous.
4. We pushed forward and collapsed the field. Additionally, we supported each other by moving towards our team mates to support them. Pass, then move…
5. We controlled the middle of the field. Halfbacks played both offense and defense. Fantastic.
6. Our defense was solid and did what it needed to do. Attacking or judiciously giving ground as the occasion called for. We played as a flexible unit (and Alex was amazing!).
7. We played with calm, cool, collected poise. People took the time to look up and make quality passes.
8. We attacked free balls aggressively. This is so important! That really helped us gain an advantage at key points in the match.
9. Lastly, we managed to get off a number of shots. Good or bad, some of them were the type of shots that we haven’t been taking previously. Making a shot happen even when the conditions aren’t perfect lead to goals. Continue to take them when decent opportunities arise.

The only thing that I think we could still work on as a team is to communicate more on the field. Some people talk, most don’t. It helps to communicate, whether verbally or by physically.

I hope you all play your hearts out against the Meerkats. I have not the slightest doubt that we are the better team!

Slip sliden' to the top

It was mud-gate 2007 on the ol' pitch. If one was sliding one way, they'd be sliding the other the very next moment in their attempt to latch on to the spinning ball. Not to mention there was a capable opponent on the field trying to do the exact same.

And despite all this, the Train Wrecks still managed to come out on top, 4-1. Two mud bricks to the back of the net by Brad, and two by the "loco"motive known more commonly as Gustavo. Meanwhile, Steve managed the nets, as his foot was deemed too lethal in field.

He dove left.
He dove right.
And all but one ball were stopped for the night.

So where does this leave the Train Wrecks with one game remaining to play in the season. Well it leaves on top of the table by one point because the Unicorns lost their match vs. the Galacticos.

Job well done Train Wrecks.

Train Wrecks FC Youth Team in development

Congratulations go to Elizabeth and Robert K. who are proud to be newly expectant parents.

Who's sporting [other than yourself]?

A couple of league notes. First...

The league is accepting nominees for Best Sportsmanship Award Team now. Anyone can nominate a team, as long as the nomination isn't your own team. I've set up a poll, in addition to the weekly game-recap poll where you can submit your votes. Submit votes by [Laura, please provide a deadline].

Though, you may want to wait until we've played our last two games to vote.

Second...

This reminder: November 18 is the last official game for fall. Nov 25, 2007 is the last day that the league can use Gabe Catalfo fields. Arrange scrimmages or friendly games amongst yourselves. Only registered members/players with BCSL are allowed to play for liability reasons. Gabe fields will be closed Nov 26 and will not reopen until spring 2008.

Elimination weekend

Train Wrecks games this week
Outdoor: Sunday @ 7:00 p.m. at Gabe East vs. San P's.

Important game this week, as the loser probably will be eliminated from contending for first place in the league. Only one game remaining after this one.

Practice this week
Saturday @ 2:30 p.m. at the Atlantic fields (note change in field location).

Hit the field. Use the comment section to indicate which events you will or will not participate in.

Testi-goals!

So Train Wrecks win again.

It was 2-0 against the Berkeley Jets when I had to leave. And luckily I still had 2, instead of nothing, when I left the field after what we'll deem as a "groin" injury. I think what this means is that all the Train Wrecks left with a pair to be thankful for.

Gustavo and Oreste fired through for the Wrecks.

Good game overall, as the Andrew was never really tested (other than almost needing to call in some night-vision goggles towards the end). Check out some of the action captured by America's steady eye.

On a side note, the first place team in the division (as of last week), the San P's, lost 3-1 to TCU (no, not the Horned-frogs of Texas Christian Univiversity. Twin Castle United.). The San P's are next up on the schedule for the us.

Soccer Comedy

A little light-hearted fun for the blog.

And down the stretch they go

Train Wrecks games this week
Outdoor: Sunday @ 3:30 p.m. at Booker T. Washington vs. Berkeley Jets
[note: time change for this game due to the end of day light savings time]

The Berkeley Jets are currently in 9th place out of 12 teams. But don't let their record fool you. The team supports only a -4 aggregate goal difference, with 17 goals for, and only 21 against in the 9 games they've played.

Stick around after the game. Since we're playing in the last game of the day at Booker T., we're in charge of taking the goals down and storing them before we leave.

Practice this week
Saturday @ 2:30 p.m. at the Coast Guard fields (will be moved to Atlantic if they're available)

Get out of the gate. Use the comment section to indicate which events you will or will not participate in.