Atlanta Soccer News: Art, Music and Culture: April 2012

Region 6-AA is paired with 5-AA in the first round of the state playoffs next week, and those four games could be the biggest mismatches in any classification.
Region 6, which sent three teams to the state semifinals last year and had both of the teams in the finals , where Westminster beat Greater Atlanta Christian.
This time around, Blessed Trinity hopes to be in the mix. The Titans, who finished the regular season at 15-1-2 after a scoreless tie against Class AAAAA Pope Tuesday night, are ranked No. 1 by Eurosport despite having lost to GAC. Blessed Trinity bowed out in a disappointing first-round loss to North Oconee last year.
“I think the kids didn’t like the way they went out last year,” said Blessed Trinity coach Don Gillig. “North Oconee graduated eight seniors last year and made it to the state semifinal. I had seen them play and I knew they were a really good team.”
While the 2011 Titans were a team dominated by juniors and sophomores, they’re a more experienced group in 2012, led by Rhodes College signee Will Porter, a defender, and goalie John McLeighton, who is committed to play a the University of Dallas, and leading scorers John Collar and Stefan Rizzo.
The Titans have posted 11 shutouts and only one team, GAC, has scored two goals against them.

Greenbrier breezed through the 2-AAAA tournament, beating Glynn Academy Tuesday for the region crown. The Wolfpack’s run was highlighted by a 6-1 win over Ware County in which James Toombs scored five goals …

Dutchtown finished third in Region 3-AAA after defeating Whitewater 5-0 Tuesday night. The Bulldogs’ Judah Goodridge has 21 goals, including 4 hat tricks …

Dalton’s Ramiro Huitanda has scored 29 goals in 17 games, leading the Catamounts toa 14-3 record …

Aquinas’ Matt Moses has posted five hat tricks among his 25 goals scored, and teammate Connor Tierney has 14 total goals and two hat tricks …

1:16 PM

ATLANTA, GA, The newly renovated Comfort Inn & Conference Center Northeast, a leading north Atlanta hotel, offers convenient accommodations to Atlanta Silverbacks soccer games. Upcoming 2012 home pro men's games, which are played at Atlanta Silverbacks Park, include:

- Silverbacks verse Minnesota Stars FC, April 28
- Silverbacks verse FC Edmonton, May 12
- Silverbacks verse Tampa Bay Rowdies, May 19
- Silverbacks verse Carolina Rail Hawks, June 16
- Silverbacks verse Puerto Rico Islanders, June 23

The Atlanta Silverbacks are a second tier member of the North American Soccer League (NASL). They are one of eight North American teams in the NASL. Other teams are located in Fort Lauderdale, Tampa Bay, Carolina, Minnesota, Puerto Rico, Montreal, Edmonton, and San Antonio. Atlanta Silverbacks season began in early April and will run through the end of September. They will play 14 home games and 14 away games.

"Situated less than 3 miles from Atlanta Silverbacks Park, our Comfort Inn Atlanta hotel is a great place for soccer players and fans to stay," explains April Gibson, the Doraville hotel's Director of Sales. "Our guest rooms provide flat screen TV, coffee maker, refrigerator, microwave, sofa sleeper, and whirlpool tub," says Gibson. Suites are also available.

Easily accessible for guests traveling on I-85 and I-285, The Comfort Inn & Conference Center Northeast offers 125 well appointed rooms to choose from. Features and amenities include onsite convention center with 7 meeting rooms, outdoor pool, courtyard, and fitness center. The property also provides free High-speed Internet access and offers a complimentary hot breakfast buffet daily.

For tickets or more information about the 2012 Atlanta Silverbacks, visit www.atlantasilverbacks.com. To book your stay at the Comfort Inn & Conference Center Northeast / north Atlanta hotel, call 770-455-3700 or visit them online at www.ComfortInn-Atlanta.com.

About Comfort Inn & Conference Center Northeast - North Atlanta Hotel
The newly opened Comfort Inn & Conference Center Northeast is located just off I-285 at exit 32 near Doraville and is conveniently situated just 14 miles from downtown Atlanta. This north Atlanta hotel was built with features and amenities to ensure you'll truly have a great stay with us including free hot breakfast buffet, complimentary Wi-Fi, meeting and convention space, seasonal outdoor pool and pet-friendly lodging. Guests can enjoy staying at Comfort Inn & Conference Center Northeast by Choice Hotels in Atlanta, GA, participating in Choice Privileges.

For more information visit: http://www.ComfortInn-Atlanta.com

For all media inquiries, please contact:

Allison Reinert
PR & Marketing Consultant
Cardinal Web Solutions
http://www.CardinalWebSolutions.com

1:15 PM

Adult 11-11 Soccer League hosted at Pope High School in Marietta, GA.
This league is a tool used to help raise money to support Pope High School Soccer and provide local adults with a great venue to come together and play on Sunday evenings.

Summer Dates Have Been Scheduled 2013.

Practice/Scrimmage Reservation Dates
Sunday Scrimmage Dates 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM: 5/20, 6/3, 6/24,
Tuesday Dates 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM: 5/15, 5/22, 5/29
Thursday Dates 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM: 6/7
Wednesday Dates 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM: 6/13, 6/20, 6/27, 7/4, 7/11, 7/25, 8/1, 8/8

Sunday Games
7/1, 7/8, 7/22 , 7/29, 8/5, and 8/12.

Facility: Pope High School
3001 Hembree Road Northeast
Marietta, GA 30062-4202

https://sites.google.com/site/popemenssoccerleague/registration

1:12 PM

Comp
Los Gringos vs. Xtreme Reloaded
Hooligans vs. Rovers FC White
Atlanta Ravens FC vs. Red Devils FC
Jamhuri FC vs. Real Pollo

Rec
Clockwork Orange vs. Rovers FC Orange
Fulham X vs. Express Locomotive
International vs. Galaxy
Legends United vs. Cosmos

Masters 30
Ohana FC Thunder vs. Raiders
KOP vs. Vintage Villans FC

Masters 40
Ohana Kekoas vs. Stimulas Package
Fire vs. Rovers FC Green

11:38 AM

Soccer for all in Georgia

By Daniel J. Williams

It is no secret that soccer has seen substantial growth in popularity throughout Georgia and the entire United States. Indeed, soccer is now the fastest growing team sport in the U.S. An even more impressive statistic is that Major League Soccer is now the third most attended professional sport in the U.S. surpassing the NBA and NHL. Nevertheless, the diversity of U.S. soccer participation is still something of a work in progress. Whilst soccer may be firmly embedded in some U.S. communities, it is most notably absent from others. Certainly, there is some truth to the idea that soccer in the U.S. could do more to share the game with the working class, or shall we say those within a low socio-economic status.

In most parts of the world, soccer has long been associated with the ‘working classes’ and being the diverse sport of the people. In fact, the majority of world ‘famous’ soccer clubs, such as Manchester United, were founded during the Industrial Revolution by what can only be regarded as the working class.

In attempting to analyze how soccer in the U.S. has managed to invert the traditional bedrock of the game many observers have cited the substantial costs that are associated with youth soccer programs. It could also be argued that some low-income, underserved populations, particularly in the inner cities, simply lack a culturally rooted passion for soccer. Consequently, there are now a number of programs throughout Georgia and the U.S. that have taken steps to establish a soccer culture by bringing soccer at a low cost to our underserved communities.

Yes, you read that right. There are affordable soccer programs available to kids throughout Georgia! Indeed, several organizations offer out-of-school programs that aim to empower kids who lack opportunity and access to the traditional network of youth soccer clubs and training centers.

Kids from urban areas, lacking constructive after-school options, are often left idle with nothing to do. Many are even prone to the risks of gang activity and other dangers after class. Imagine instead, a soccer program that empowers these kids to lead healthy lives, be engaging students and have the confidence and character to unleash their full potential. Now, here is where America Scores comes in…

The America Scores program was developed in 1994 and annually serves more than 7,500 urban youth in fifteen cities nationwide. American Scores partners with urban schools to provide a high quality, team based program that integrates soccer, poetry and service learning. By the end of the program, participants regularly report increased levels of confidence, self-efficacy, physical fitness and enjoyment of learning. To this end, the program inspires students in urban communities using soccer to engage more in class, perform better academically, and spend more time being physically active.

Of course, America SCORES is not the only organization to offer high quality programs for kids. Soccer Across America was founded by US Youth Soccer in recognition of the need to ensure that every child has the opportunity to play, regardless of their geographic location or socio-economic status. Focused on bringing affordable soccer to underserved communities, Soccer Across America provides soccer training and administrative guidance to players and organizations who might otherwise not be exposed to the beautiful game.

Programs can be developed by anyone, including your local youth soccer clubs and leagues, Boys and Girls Clubs and parks and recreation departments. This is reflected in the idea that each program is created locally to meet the capabilities of the organization and the needs of the players. In this respect, the local community is in control with Soccer Across America providing the necessary guidance and hands-on technical assistance that is required to ensure each and every program is a success.

It is essential that, at all times, the cost of participating in the Soccer Across America program is kept to a minimum. Therefore, all players that participate in the program benefit from lower annual registration fees that include secondary medical and liability insurance. It should also be noted, that Soccer Across America helps new startup programs find the funding and equipment to begin and then to expand their activities. In the past several years, US Youth Soccer has even donated hundreds of thousands of dollars in financial and material support to programs across the U.S. including the Georgia communities of Atlanta, Brunswick and Monroe.

The Soccer Across America program has many advantages to the underserved communities of Georgia. Whether they are in rural areas or the inner cities, participants receive many benefits, including an increase in self-esteem and awareness of one’s health through their passion for soccer. They learn to build positive social and life skills through participation in an organized and supportive program of enjoyable soccer activities.

Whilst acknowledging the need and benefits of organized, supportive soccer programs many observers, such as Jürgen Klinsmann, have stressed the importance of creating an unorganized street soccer culture. In this vein, it could be argued that Soccer in the Streets, an Atlanta based non-profit organization, addresses the need to establish a soccer culture with their pioneering Street-Box. The Street-Box is built specifically for urban areas and is a free soccer facility located in neighborhoods to give young people an area to play within the vicinity of their homes. In other words, the Street-Box is the soccer equivalent of the local basketball court that you can find scattered throughout our urban communities.

Children play soccer at the Street-Box in East Point, which draws its inspiration
from Europe and Latin America where street soccer flourishes.

Although Soccer in the Streets offers organized programming at its Street-Boxes, the most important aspect of the Street-Box is the ongoing availability of the facility which fosters an unorganized sustainable soccer culture in communities that previously lacked a passion for soccer. As in the rest of the world, where street soccer is common, players will grow up playing soccer-related activities and develop a genuine love of the game.

“The Street-Box is all about creating a soccer culture like they have in Europe and Latin America that will not only better the game here but also make soccer a sport for all regardless of ethnic or economic background that we can then use to help improve people’s lives” says Jill Robbins, the Executive Director of Soccer in the Streets

Children play unorganized street soccer in Latin America.
Where there is some space, there is always a place, to play the game.

However, it is important to emphasize that these self-organized, spontaneous soccer activities need not be reserved solely for the Street-Box, but can take place in your backyard, the playground or the park. In fact, that is what’s required to happen anywhere there is a small amount of space if we are going to have a genuine soccer culture that is comparable with the rest of the world. Of course, as we noted earlier, many U.S. communities have not previously been exposed to the game of soccer and therefore require greater access and opportunities. As a result, the America SCORES, Soccer Across America and Street-Box programs offer valuable contributions to ensure soccer is for all in Georgia!

Georgia Soccer is currently looking for people interested in starting a Soccer Across America program. Please contact Georgia Soccer for more information by using the contact information listed below.

Georgia Soccer
gssa@georgiasoccer.org
(770) 452-0505

6:36 PM

NEW YORK (AP) Liverpool is giving Fox Soccer behind-the-scenes access for a six-episode documentary series.

Fox said Thursday that ''Our Liverpool: Never Walk Alone'' will air this fall in the U.S. and likely will be shown on networks around the world.

''I come from a background where the more supporters get to know the inside workings of the club the more they are interested in the club itself,'' said Liverpool chairman Tom Werner, also chairman of the Boston Red Sox. ''I am not fearful of showing some behind the scenes look at what's going on because it will only increase awareness of the players.''

While Liverpool is an 18-time English champion and five-time European winner, it has fallen behind Manchester United and Arsenal in U.S. interest. The Reds haven't won the league title since 1990 and are eighth this season at 12-12-10 with four games left. They did win the League Cup and will play Chelsea in the FA Cup final at Wembley on May 5.

''I hope this proves to be such a success for Liverpool that other teams will open their doors and a project like this will not be seen as being so unique that it becomes part and parcel of every team,'' Fox Sports chairman David Hill said.

The series sounds similar to Showtime's ''The Franchise,'' which focused on the San Francisco Giants last season and the Miami Marlins this year. Liverpool was bought two years ago by the parent company of the Red Sox.

''I think we are interested in raising revenues so that we can be as competitive as possible with Manchester United and Arsenal and Chelsea with the other clubs,'' Werner said. ''And I see this as a mechanism to increase the club's popularity.''

Fox said it's the first time cameras are being permitted in Liverpool's locker room at Anfield, its home since 1892. Scott Boggins, formerly of HBO's ''24/7,'' is executive producer.

With his thick Scottish accent, Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish could be hard for some viewers to understand.

''We probably will have to do a tad of captioning for Kenny,'' Hill said.

He holds out hope Fox one day could televise a similar series about Manchester United and manager Alex Ferguson.

''I would love to see Sir Alex do that,'' he said. ''If people could see the real side of Sir Alex, they'd see what an incredibly bright person he really is.''

And the odds of that happening?

''At this stage, 100-1 against,'' Hill said.

---

AP Sports Writer Rob Harris in London contributed to this report.

6:32 PM

Evaluating and Selecting a Summer Soccer Camp

By Jacob Daniel, Georgia Soccer Director of Coaching

Soccer Camp sounds fun, but there are a billion out there to choose from. These tips and considerations are helpful for determining which camp is best for your player.

Does your child want a residential camp or does he/she prefer a day camp? Some kids might get homesick if they stay at a residential camp. Is your child mature enough to stay at an overnight camp?
Are you looking for an intense camp for the serious player or are you just interested in a fun camp with a soccer theme? Intense camps will likely have 3-4 sessions per day with an early rise and games in the evening. Fun camps will likely include activities other than just soccer, such as swimming, movies, evening fun leisure non-soccer games, etc.
Are you sending an entire team to camp or are you looking to send your child on his/her own? Will he/she make friends easy if going alone or is it better to go with one or two teammates.
How far are you willing to send your child? In the same city? Within driving distance? Flying distance?
If it's an older child (14-17 year old) and he/she wants to experience the college life, a residential college camp might be best.
If it's a young child (5-8 year old), a local club or YMCA camp is probably best.
Even at the age of 9-12, kids are still too young for an intense camp and should attend one that has a variety of activities.
Will the Camp Director be at camp the whole time or will the director be traveling all over the camp locations and delegate? This might be an important consideration if you are looking for exposure to a specific director or college coach. How effective is the director at imposing his philosophy on staff and monitoring the staff? Is there a curriculum?
How many coaches are nationally licensed at the camp? A large number suggests a quality camp. A large number of non-licensed coaches or college players acting as coaches suggests emphasis on quantity over quality.
Are the facilities well maintained? How is the quality of food and accommodations?
Do they have Athletic Trainers, first aid kit and medical emergency plans? Is the equipment and field safe?
Are you looking for natural beauty outdoors type of environment or can it be an urban camp environment?
How much are you willing to spend? Day camps can range from $100 to $300 per week. Residential camps could range from $500 to $1,000 per week.
When do you want to send the child to camp? If you are using a camp as preparation for an important tournament or another high level camp, be careful not to schedule the preparation camp too close to the important tournament. A week long camp in the summer is very draining. Space the events at least one week apart.
If you are playing in a summer league, don't combine a day camp with the club summer league. Spending all day at camp and then rushing to a club practice in the evening and then driving to a league game on the weekend is too much soccer.

2:29 PM

Silverbacks Host Defending Champs

Posted on Wed, Apr 25, 2012

The Atlanta Silverbacks will welcome the NASL’s defending champions, Minnesota Stars FC, to Atlanta Silverbacks Park for the first time this season on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
The Silverbacks (0-3-0) are coming off a dramatic 1-1 draw at home against the Tampa Bay Rowdies last Saturday, with forward Reinaldo Navia earning the Silverbacks a point with a game-tying goal in the 87^thminute. The Stars (1-2-0) are fresh off their first victory, which came on the road against FC Edmonton this past Sunday in a 4-3 thriller.
Missing five key players to injuries and red card suspensions last week, the Silverbacks struggled to find their way against the Rowdies. The team is far better off this week, however, with midfielder Danilo Turcios and defenders Rilla and Willie Hunt returning from their absences last game.
Navia proved to be the hero for the second straight week for the Silverbacks, scoring his third goal in just 188 minutes played this season. The Chilean has scored a pair of important goals in the team’s last two games, both proving to be game-tying goals that earned the team important points each time and keeping the Silverbacks undefeated on the season.
The Stars had somewhat of a coming-out party against a porous FC Edmonton defense on Sunday, scoring four goals after going scoreless in their first two games. Midfielders Neil Hlavaty and Kentaro Takada, defender Kyle Altman, and forward Devin Del Do were all on target, with the latter notching the game-winner in the closing seconds of the game.
Unfortunately for the Stars, Altman, the team’s captain, was sent off on Sunday for bringing down FC Edmonton’s Yashir Pinto during a clear goal-scoring opportunity. The veteran defender played every minute of every game last season, which means the Stars will have an unfamiliar absence in their back line in Atlanta on Saturday.
The Stars and Silverbacks have been similar in the attacking department this season, with each team putting up a four-goal performance in one game and experiencing relatively stagnant offense in their other two.
Stars goalkeeper Matt Van Oekel has recorded two shutouts this season, while Daniel Illyes of the Silverbacks holds one, which he recorded on opening night against the Scorpions.
The Silverbacks had an especially tough time with the defending-champion Stars last season, dropping all four contests by a combined score of 9-1. The Silverbacks will throw their new-look squad at a Stars team that returns virtually every key player from last year’s team in 2012.
The two teams will get to know each other very well over the next two weeks, with the Silverbacks traveling to NSC Stadium in Blaine, Minn. on Saturday, May 5 to face the Stars for the second straight game.
To purchase tickets for this weekend’s game at Atlanta Silverbacks Park, which will also double as Asian Heritage Night, click here or call 404-969-4900.

2:24 PM

With Chelsea beating Barcelona, Its all set up for Real Madrid to win tomorrow against Bayern Munich and then win the Champions League against his old team (Roman A.) to complete an ultimate "Kick-ass"

5:32 PM

Lazers Start Fire -- Head to Nationals.

By Jennifer Johns

Though we’ve had qualifying teams each year, Georgia hasn’t sent a team to National Cup Regionals in 6-7 years… because it's a huge commitment by the team. But the Atlanta Lazers, members of the Atlanta Fire Soccer Club, are heading to Houston on Memorial Day weekend, and they’re looking to bring home some hardware.

The team, comprised of 19 athletes from ages 18 to 37, all come from diverse backgrounds and none knew each other before joining the team. Their Coach, Frank Chillemi, who has been with the club since its beginning in 2000, states that this team has come together like none he’s had in the past. “They genuinely like each other and play for each other. There are no attitudes… it’s a great team feeling.”

Coach Chimelli moved from New York in 1996, having coached boys and men for 20+ years. In 2000, when his sister approached him to help the Lazers, the team had just been destroyed in a massive 7-a-side loss. He took on the team management soon after, and has remained through their growth to full 11’s … even when they weren’t that good. Frank says the difference in coaching women is that they listen more. Chillemi says,” Teenage boys and men always think they know it all… the women are less individualistic and it's a good team-oriented feeling. I’ll never go back to coaching men.”

The team is comprised of women who have played their entire lives. Seventeen of the 19 played college soccer, or the equivalent level abroad. They can often be found playing together on additional 7-a-side teams or indoor squads. Due to that experience and unity, the Lazers, in their 3-5-2 lines, are formidable.

This season, they took on all-comers in Division 1 of the ADASL – the only women’s adult league registered with the state. Therefore, winning this league automatically qualified them to represent Georgia, playing against the 13 teams of (the Southeast) Region III in the National Cup. They decided this February, after winning a Mardi Gras tourney in New Orleans, that they’d give the National Cup a try. If they succeed, they are all committed to heading to the National Finals in Chicago this July.

The two co-captains are fire and ice. Claire Delmastro, a 37 year old mother of three, who played college ball at University of Michigan, runs marathons and plays competitive tennis when off the field. Chillemi calls her the fittest of the team; she plays up front as one of two strikers. Her calm, quiet leadership is reminiscent of Chriristine Lilly.

In the back is co-captain Samantha Jones, who at 25, spent her early days playing club soccer for the Roswell Santos before attending West Georgia University. Now, back in Atlanta as head soccer coach at Roswell High School, she anchors the defense at center back and is the more vocal director on the field. She also brought to the team her fiancé, Tony Carter, who is the team’s assistant coach.

Bea (bay-ah) Landa, 31 , at center midfield, is considered the best woman playing amateur soccer today. Her touch and vision on the field, and soccer decision-making, are the keys to the Lazer’s attack. Bea played semi-pro soccer in her home country of Spain, and brought not only her talent, but also her work ethic and her heart to the Atlanta Lazers.

In goal, Kathleen Blake is fearless. At 26, she is a tremendous athlete who, just by her presence, has been a key difference maker on the squad. When she joined the team a little over a year ago, she raised the Lazers to an entirely new level. Blake played ball at Catawba College in South Carolina, and in addition to many honors, was third all-time with a .98 goals against average.

Currently the Lazers’ youngest player at age 23, Jamie Robertson is probably the most technically skilled on the field. She is a center midfielder who provides a toughness and defensive presence on the line, and who is also gifted with a booming shot offensively. Jamie moved to Alpharetta from Germany less than 2 years ago.

Over the years, great players have come from local colleges to the Lazers. Specifically, Chillemi’s cousin Dominic Martelli was the head coach at Georgia State, and put his graduates in touch with his cousin at the Lazers. The Lazers are now returning the favor. Martelli is currently head coach at Georgia Gwinnett College and is building a brand new women’s soccer program. One of his players starting in the fall is Dacula native Kristen Moore. She joined the Lazers 10 years ago when she was 17, but has two years of eligibility left and has chosen to play for Martelli. The second-longest tenured player on the roster, Kristen has worked hard and has gone from being a mediocre forward to one of the Lazers’ top 4 defenders.

The list goes on… including all makes, models and professions. Marta, a 27-year-old from Spain, is a professional model. Victoria Slevin from Suwanee is the longest reigning member (since 2001).

Financial support for the team has been an off-the-field challenge. The Lazers committed to raise $10,000. They have held cookouts outside of an Alpharetta Kroger, hosted a soccer party (ticketed event) at a restaurant in Suwanee, and they have led soccer clinics for youth girls teams.And this weekend? A garage sale. These combined events have totaled $7500, which covers their airfare, but they still need to raise money to offset the cost of the hotel and ground transportation. What if they advance to Nationals in Chicago? Coach Chimelli answers,” Well, we will raise what we can and we’ll shoulder the rest. We are all in this 100% to take this as far as it goes.”

May 12, 2012 the Lazers will be playing an exhibition game against the Georgia Revolution, the new team from Atlanta that will be competing in the Women's Premier Soccer League. The game will be at 5:30 pm at the RYSA Soccerplex, home of the Revolution.

Support and contributions for the Lazers can be made via paypal by CLICKING HERE.

12:41 PM