Friday, March 15, 2019

CLUBWAKA MLS Spring 2019 Preseason Preview

SPRING 2019 PRESEASON PREVIEW


Spring has sprung.  I can always tell because as the weather warms, birds start chirping, and flowers bloom, I look down to notice I've gained 5-10 pounds over the winter by being a sloth.  So I honestly can't wait for the season to start next week.  Just excuse the wheezing sound coming from where Ronaldo McDonaldo is playing.

This will be our 3rd season of CLUBWAKA Mediocre League Soccer (MLS) at Ft. Monroe and each season continues our expansion.  Soon we'll be on the heels of the real MLS.  In fact, I think we may have been able to get 18 teams this season, but had decided early on to cap it at 16.  A sellout is never a bad thing unless you're Mark McGrath.

While growth is awesome, one of the things we set out to do when we created this league was to ensure that people were having a good enough time to return and I'd say we've achieved that.  Of the 16 teams we have this season, 12 are returning from last season and one other team was a spinoff from a previous team that folded -- another parallel with the real MLS - a folded team... we'll call them the Miami Fusion or Tampa Bay Mutiny.

Teams Returning: 
All Bark, No Bite (formerly known as Catch Me Offsides)
White Joggers (formerly known as Ibra Kadibra)
Ronaldo McDonaldo
Moat Monsters
Hangover 86 FC
Look Ma, No Hands
Biercelona
Misfits
Hot & Messi
Netkicks and Chill
Oozlekicks
Kick in a Box

At the same time, folks around the league are like retention reschmension, who's the new competition?  Well hold your damn horses, I'm getting there.  We do have noobs, and that is what this preseason blog is for -- introduction, education, and most of all... a hearty welcome to those of you that haven't played before that are in for a real treat.  Let's run down some of the new teams...

All Stars FC - Made up of some ex-Foot Works players and led by Herick 'Eddie' Lopez formerly of Look Ma, No Hands -- there appears to be a lot of talent on the roster.  Will they be able to gel throughout the season and make a run in the playoffs?  I'm thinking so.  Color - Navy Blue

Defenders of the Bridge - OK.  I'll let you in on an a little secret.  I'm most excited about this team joining the league.  A team made up of a rowdy rambunctious Lionsbridge FC supporters prepared to take the league by storm?  I can't wait.  Led by Carl Hanson the President of the Defenders of the Bridge Supporters Club, these cats are going to be crazy.  Color - Orange. 

PKs and IPAs - Definitely my favorite team name in the league at this point although I'm still pretty pleased I came up with Ronaldo McDonaldo.  You appreciate a man of his word.  Erik Halvorsen, captain of PKs, reached out and said, "do you have room in the league b/c I think I can get 12 to sign up pretty quickly".  And sure enough, he did.  Don't have any intel on how many are seasoned soccer players, but have a strange feeling they're going to be sneaky good.  Prepare thy selves.  They're also the first CLUBWAKA Soccer team to sport Forest Green.  Color - Forest

Retired Athletes - Similar to Erik, Hector Ramos reached out and had some guys, but was lacking in the ladies department (aren't we all?).  He did his part and we did our part to find him a few extra free agents to fill out the Retired Athletes roster.  Looking forward to seeing them on the field.  Another candidate for surprise team of the year.  Color - Ice Grey



--FALL 18 SEASON IN REVIEW--

MLS CHAMPIONS: RONALDO MCDONALDO

MLS LEAGUE 2 WINNERS: MISFITS

GOLDEN BOOT WINNER: Michael Machie - Ronaldo McDonaldo (MOST GOALS)

GOLDEN GAL WINNER: Calli Sherrill - Look Ma, No Hands (FEMALE MVP)

HANDS OF GOD: Chris Garcia - Hangover 86 FC (BEST GOALKEEPER)


SIGN UP SIMON WINNER: David Chappell - Hot and Messi
(MOST OUTSTANDING LEAGUE SIGN-UP)

PRESEASON LOGISTICS AND IMPORTANT NOTES

CAPTAINS MEETING

REMINDER FOR ALL CAPTAINS -- We will be meeting at my house the day before the season starts (March 23rd) at 1 PM.  I'll post my address in the MLS Captains Facebook Page to avoid groupies (or protesters depending on how the season goes) showing up at my house.  Captains, if you can't make it please be sure to send a representative.

RULES

I highly encourage every player to read the rules prior to the start of the season as there are some differences from your normal 11 v 11 league.  Rules are located here.  You don't want to be showing up week 1 like this...
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That being said, I know how lazy I am about these things.  I thought it would be good to give a few quick bullet points highlighting some of the rule differences:

  1. Physicality: We have spoken with the head of referees and instructed him to call the game much more like futsal than your normal outdoor league.  We understand soccer is a physical sport but knowing we're adults, have jobs, and the priority is fun, we thought it best to limit physicality.  For those that haven't played futsal, it's 5 v 5 indoor and physical contact is called very tightly.  Also to note: there is absolutely no slide tackling. If you slide with no one in proximity to save a ball, fine.  But if there's a player relatively close, prepare for the ref to blow the whistle.
  2. *(!&%&$*:We're all adults and we all shank shots over the goal from the 6 from time to time.  Shouting expletives to the skies will not result in a card unless it's excessive.  Shouting expletives at the ref or other players will result in a card.  We'll reiterate this a million times throughout the season, but this league is about enjoying the fun of the game.  This isn't the World Cup.  
  3. On the field: 7 players and at least two must be females.  You can play with 5 to avoid a forfeit, but 2 of them must be females. If you have less than 2 females or less than 5 total players, it results in a forfeit.  If a team forfeits two or more times during the season, they will be ineligible for the playoffs.
  4. Free Kicks: All free kicks will be direct.  All my free kicks will be direct...ly over the goal.  If you're in the box and commit a foul that would normally be indirect, in this league it would result in a PK.
  5. Safety: SHINGUARDS ARE MANDATORY TO AVOID INJURY.  Unfortunately b/c some people cannot be adults, referees WILL do a shinguard check.  If you're not wearing them, you're off til you get them.  If you get caught a second time without them -- red card city, sweetheart.  If you get kicked without shinguards, my guess is you will not be playing fakey snakey peek-a-boo like someone I know.  
    via GIPHY
  6. Offsides: This one is easy. No offsides.
  7. Goal celebrations: Encouraged as long as they do not take a good deal of time.  However, if I see anyone flossing or dabbing, automatic red.
  8. Substitutions: Subs are on-the-fly meaning you can sub at any time. Subs MUST be made from half field so consider the midline to be a door and you have to enter and exit through it.  There will be a couple of cones there.  Think of it like hockey.
  9. Goalkeepers: No punting or dropkicks.  Only throws or kicks from the ground.  No throw or kick should go past the midline in the air, but a ball put on the ground and kicked can go past the midline.  If it does, it's a free kick for the other team.  The goal is to not have any Doug Flutie goalkeepers chuckin hail marys to cherry pickin' strikers. 
  10. Playoffs: Playoffs will be played over two weekends at the end of the season.  There is a MLS Cup bracket for the top 8 teams and there will be a MLS League Two Bracket for the bottom 8 teams.  

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SCHEDULE

A reminder to all players and captains that the website will always have the most updated schedule on it.  Schedule is available here.

JERSEYS

I will have jerseys at my house for the Captain's Meeting and for those that aren't picked up, you can get them at the fields week 1.  Jerseys are required, so do not show up sporting your 1988 York County Parks and Rec shirt of the same color.  As there are some team colors that overlap, we did purchase reversible CLUBWAKA pinnies this year that I'll have on the fields for these situations.  That being said, if you don't want to have to wear pinnies and switch out sweaty ones when subbing (depending on how many players you have), I would suggest coordinating with the other captain wearing alternate shirts or if you played a previous season and switched colors - wear your 'alternate kit'.

VOLUNTEERS
Ryan O'Donnell (captain of Kick in a Box) has volunteered to help me as field manager this season so he or I will be responsible for setting up the fields each week.  Thanks Ryan!!  I owe you some beer.

If anyone else would like to volunteer to do something to make the league better - trashperson, vlogs, interviews, Brewery Hypeperson, etc... hit me up.  We strive for fun whether it's on the field or off.  Plus I can use all the help I can get.

REFRESHMENTS
As I did last year, I will be providing old school refreshments week 1.  We'll see if I go Capri Suns or whether I try to wrangle some Hi-C juice boxes.  And you never know whether orange slices show themselves or whether I just go straight Lil' Debbie snacks.  Obviously I can't provide these for 250 people, so they're available until they're gone.  i.e. don't be taking a handful of Zebracakes, Jay Coble.

SPRING 19 PLAYER SPOTLIGHT #1
David Chappell - Captain, Hot & Messi
1. Not often do free agent teams turn into a franchise. Why have you stayed together the past three seasons?
Season one Hot&Messi was a full squad of Free Agents. We had so much fun we wanted to come back for more. During the off-season several players were recruited, we loaded up our roster of 18, and eventually asked for an additional spot to add the 19th person to our team. Season 2 was nothing like season 1 for our team. Thanks to the addition of new and returning players we made our way up the rankings, solidified our spot as a team to not take easy, and had even more fun. Season 3 brings yet again a host of new and returning players (More on that later) to one of the best social/soccer leagues I have been a part of in my short 44 years of life. Why are we back, because of this league and those that have worked so hard to put it together. The strict no contact rules make it safe, the have fun first mentality keeps it fun and exciting, and the other players in the league have made this so much more than just a Sunday Soccer game.
2. What are some of your other hobbies?
-Outside of my mediocre at best soccer skills that have faded over the many years, I am a father of two young ladies (ages 9 & 11). I find it super important that they see their parents actively pursuing ones passions. They enjoy coming to the games and talking trash to me for all of my mistakes on the field. Additionally I still play guitar in a three piece skate punk band with Jason Bryant (also another Hot&Messi original and yes we both still skateboard often) called Backside Slappy. As a band we play shows once if not more a month locally and are currently working on yet another album. Music and sports have always been a driving force for my life and I am glad that I continue to do both as middle age creeps in!
3. Can you talk some about your roster this season and any changes you’ve had?
Welcome all newbies to Hot&Messi -Irene V. Sarantakos From Williamsburg and dubbed the Colonial Beast, she will bring her many years of expertise to the field. - Alan Dawkins By day he increases your financial statements, on the field he increases our Goal Differentials. -Brittany Thomas she maybe all smiles but that’s only on the outside....Deep inside she is plotting her next goal. -Joseph C. Milosevich he’s tall and handful in the goal box....plus he plays drums..... -Deidra Reynolds according to her records, she may seem like sugar and spice, but is full of Sarcasm and Profanity... She will fit right in on our team -Carlos Grimaldo don’t let his love of fishing confuse you, this man in uniform prefers balls in the back of the net as well. -Christina Race elementary school teacher during the week and giving lessons on the field for an hour on Sundays. Yes she will give you additional homework if you need it -Rachael Brewer another teacher during the week and she helped lower the collective age of H&M by a decade... Be careful her legs are young and she won’t wear out -O'neill Vergara a man of mystery, will he defend, will he lock down the mid-field, will he win the golden boot....doesn’t matter he’s on Hot&Messi and we are glad he is on our side. Returning Fools (I mean Players) -Joe Connors Jr. not only does he control the goal, the D, but the man can score as well. Solid all around player and good guy to know. (Thanks for helping recruit man) -Che Henderson he moves like hot knife through butter, just feed him the ball and pull out your phone and film the free clinic. -Chad Donnell don’t let this quiet guy fool you, he controls the goal and D like no other. -Jamie Eastham Mr Nice guy has one hell of a foot. To many goalies have felt his wrath. Plus he’s one step and few months away from fatherhood. He maybe looking to make this the season he gets that big MLS contract. -Gennie Jrayson she is small, explosive, and full of attitude in a good way. Always a threat to opposing teams. -Marla Schuchman known for taking the ball coast to coast with no help, Marla is smooth and lethal -Marvin J Arboine Best back from a season of rest and ready to get them fancy feet back on the dance floor, Marvin the Magnificent will amaze the harshest of critics -McKenzie Smith a defensive giant...Watch the closely if your trying to score, she will make the ball just disappear right before your very eyes. -Jason Bryant he’s nice until it’s time to not be nice...so you be nice until it’s time to not be nice.. You won’t know when it’s time to not be nice but he will tell you! AKA Dalton, the best cooler in the business -David Chappell the captain of this aging ship and yes I may have been drinking a beer waiting on my car to be repaired while I typed this out. Just wanted everyone to know something about everyone else before we get this season started. -Kim Merritt it’s crazy to think I played kickball against this guy for years to only end up on the first team of Free Agents together. He has hung up is cleats for now and we ROCK the pink for this Old School Punk Rocker!!! Come have a beer with us after a game or two man!
4. What do you love most about the league?

This league is full of some of the kindest, coolest, and most generous people I have ever met in any sports leagues I have played in over the years. Second to Waka Wed night Kickball league that I was part of for many seasons as well, the Waka 7-7 league offers something special. Brad and Brent have done a fantastic job dealing with all of the unforeseen issues that have surfaced during the first 2 seasons and I am excited to be back for a 3rd. I know for me, I will keep coming back based on three things: The league keeps it's back to work on Monday have fun on Sunday mentality, the players stay cool, and my body doesn't give out (at 44yrs old that's probably the thing that will sideline me). All in all, to those that return this season I can't wait to see you on the field and share a beer after the games (Bailey I promise to stay on the opposite side of the field from you!). For those new to this league, Welcome to one of the best decisions you have made in your soccer career. As always, a special thank you to Brad and Brent for all the behind the scene work you two do each week so we can have a little fun on Sundays.

SPRING 19 PLAYER SPOTLIGHT #2
Carl Hanson - Captain, Defenders of the Bridge


1. Tell us a little bit about Lionsbridge FC and how the Defenders of the Bridge team came to pass.

Lionsbridge FC is a local team from Newport News. In their first year(2018) they played in the PDL (Premier Development League) The team led the Eastern Conference in attendance with nearly 1,400 fans. finishing 3rd in a dominating conference. This season (2019) Lionsbridge FC will be playing in the USL league 2. Home games are played at Pomoco stadium on the campus of Christopher Newport University. All home games begin 2 hours early with a festival atmosphere including a beer tent, bounce houses, and food trucks.

The Defenders of the Bridge came to be in the opening weeks. We knew that we were given something special for the community when Mike Vest made the announcement. We are a group of hard core supporters who bring our love of the game to the stadium. We employ the use of drums, noise makers, flags, and our enthusiasm to every game. We have grown from 4 founders to over 15 paid members. Our mission is to spread the love of soccer to all. Defenders of the Bridge is striving to become a civic organization with non-profit status. We volunteered to ring the bell for the salvation army. we also did a toy drive for the CHKD. We are now in the process of hosting a benefit dodge ball tournament to benefit Camp Kesem. Our main mission is to be able to send kids to the soccer camps that are run by Lionsbridge FC. We will be soon looking for 50 kids to put through. 50 kids who would otherwise no have the ability to afford the opportunity. We not only support local but state wide sports organizations. We travel to many games: Richmond Kickers, VCU, JMU, ODU, DC United, William and Mary and many more. 2. What is your soccer playing experience? Did you play growing up? I myself never had the opportunity to play organized soccer. I was born in Stuttgart Germany and then moved to a small island in North Carolina. I did enjoy many tough pickup games growing up. I started coaching an all girls team in the 90's. I took a couple of years off and then picked up coaching at Temple Soccer. in all i have roughly 18 years of experience coaching.
3. What are you most excited about for the season? This season I am most excited to see the fan base grow. I am optimistic that Lionsbridge FC will finish on the top of the table making the playoffs in just their second year. I'm also excited to bring more families into The Defenders of the Bridge. Getting out and helping spread the word about our local team.
4. Favorite Player: My favorite player as well as my daughters is Zlatan Ibrahimovic. His gritty upbringing in the slums to his outstanding ability has made him a world star. From his time at Malmo to Ajax and finally Manchester United he brings 150%.

5. What was your favorite moment of the first Lionsbridge FC season? My favorite moment of the inaugural season was running the flag along the stands and getting the response i got. It was an awesome feeling to be so involved with a major club from the build up. Mike Vest and coach Whalley are such tremendous people to work with. Another favorite moment was getting the crowds rowdy. The kids are also so amazing to work with. actually every moment of every game was the best for me.

And that's are blog for the week!  If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me at bkirby@kickball.com.

REMINDER THAT WE'RE HAVING A PICKUP GAME THIS SUNDAY (3/17) AT BOULEVARD PARK NEXT TO RIVERSIDE - 3 PM - BRING A BLACK SHIRT AND WHITE SHIRT.

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