~ OUR SEASON ENDS ~ 
Champions of District Cup and Runners Up on League Division

Thank you guys ~ You should be proud!

District Cup Champions 2013

Dear friends:

this past Saturday April 6 our boys played their final game of the 2012-2013 season. We played Peninsula Bolt for the championship game of the District Cup. The boys played well, worked hard and earned a strong win with a final score of 6-0. It was an amazing way to end a season that had some lows but many highs.

As we have now come to the end of the season, I thought I'd give one last comment to each boy with regard to this season. Some of you have probably heard me say this, but I thought I'd write it here for us to keep forever.

Aaron Acker-Cavalcanti: without a doubt, no team can be successful if they do not have a good goalkeeper. There is a lot of pressure on that position. Goalies can carry teams and often do. It is here where I believe Aaron was phenomenal. As the season wore on, he began to show more and more leadership, confidence and desire. Aaron already had the fundamental skills to be a great goalie, but through his increased confidence and work ethic, he has developed into a fantastic goalie, one that is being sought out by high caliber teams. Your future is bright Aaron ~ don't sit on your laurels though, keep working hard and cease it. Well done Sir!

Pierce Colpman: this year this young man again showed why he is so respected. His demeanor was always one based on respect, not only to his coaches, but also to his fellow players. Pierce showed his love for his team through his work. No fancy moves, no crazy outbursts, just hard and dedicated work. You ruled the back of our defence and if you continue working hard to improve on your great sense of the game, you will find success. Coaching you was a pleasure. Top marks Pierce!

Tyler David: another young men whose defensive efforts were at times simply amazing. What Tyler did this year was become more attack minded. This, combined with his great defensive prowess and speed, turned him into an incredibly versatile player who ended up playing several different positions this year. His corner kicks and free kicks were a stamp in every game. You contributed incredibly Tyler and I cannot overemphasize how much you meant to this team - plus, shutting down a fast moving tank is no easy task ; yet, you did it. You had an awesome season Ty ~ continue success!

Brandon Clarkson: this young man came to us from Lakehill. At first, he did not know many of the players. But that soon changed - a testament to his commitment in becoming a strong member of the team. Brandon's tenacity (and yes, some pretty crazy nice goals) also catapulted him into a player that everyone respected and loved having on the team. Keep working on your touches and I guarantee that you will end up playing high caliber soccer for a long time to come. Cheers!

Marcel Petruzzelli: when it comes to most improved defenders, I think we must all give Marcel a lot of credit. Marcel, like Tyler, also become more attack-minded. But what made a big improvement in his game was his mazey runs which can be proven by his goals and assists. Perhaps what Marcel will be most remembered for though is his incredible ability to bounce back despite being hit so much, so often, and so hard almost every game. That my friends, is guts. But let's not forget about his skill and fluidity ~ he is gifted in that respect. I applaud you in a great season Marcel ~ keep going, the sky is the limit.

Jonathan Sudul: so how do you define reliability? Well, in my view, it is the ability to count on a player's decisions being well thought-out and on the fact that the player will always make such decisions. This is what Mr. Sudul was for this team. Jonathan is gifted in one area that many of us can sometimes struggle with: he keeps his cool under pressure. Rarely does he give the ball away and when he did, he fought hard to get it back. I feel it is necessary for all of us to acknowledge this young's man determination to be the best, game in and game out, throughout the entire 6 months that our season lasted. You have a great future ahead in soccer Jonathan ~ rugby may have to wait! Cheers!

Hamish Vaughn-Wimmer: when the season started, I could tell that Hamish was hesitant about his role in the team. But I have to say that this did not last long. By the time we were in the middle of the fall, Hamish was contributing: playing in basically any position we asked him to play; by creating opportunities, setting up goals and yes, scoring some beautiful ones. There is no doubt that Hamish has great control and can be very creative. I hope that this season served you well in understanding some of the intricacies of the game but also serve you as a basis to progress to an even higher level. You have tons of talent Hamish ~ so use it in combination with your new knowledge. If you do this, I foresee great things for you too. Cheers!

Gabriel Arnold: ok, so I know what you are all thinking:  "Yes Roberto, Gabriel is fast, fast, fast." You are right, he is fast (very very fast) but what else does boy have? Well, I'll tell you. He has a reserved personality that allows him to join teams without running into arguments, conflicts and issues. He listens well and in my view, improved his game vastly by understanding that he needed to become more defensive minded. The player with the most assists in our team, Gabriel's work rate improved more and more as the season went on.  If you continue to apply this knowledge, you also have an amazing future ahead - Cheers!

Mathew Sutherland: there are some players that you just look at and say "this guy's got it". Mathew is such a player. Although he missed a lot of the initial part of the season due to injury, Mathew still managed to score a lot of goals and make many assists. His skillful style and fluid mobility made him a defender's nightmare and a fellow player's dream. A natural winger, Mathew did well in center mid and striker positions. Most impressive in attack, he demonstrated a greater understanding of his defensive duties and by the time the season ended, he was surpassing his own high standards. Always a top player, Mathew did not disappoint.  It was my pleasure to watch you develop Matty ~ keep working hard, the results are greater than you expect.

Finn Barker: if you want to see an exciting player, you have to see Finn. When he is on, he attacks, defends and sets the tone on any game. His skill is undoubtful and his ability to break defenders down is unquestioned. Finn improved this year by understanding that no matter what attacking position he played he had defensive responsibilities that he had to follow - and by the time the season ended he did so. He also improved in creating plays, assisting and letting go of his own scoring chances all for the team. Finn, you are great ~ your skill is gonna take you far, but it is your willingness to do all you can for the team that will solidify you as a coach's dream ~ keep going Mr. Baker, the sky is the limit!

Justin Clark: so Justin had this one thing: he did hold on to the ball sometimes for too long. Yet, let's remember a few things: when under pressure, he defended incredibly; he never gave up no matter our score; he was immensely supportive to his teammates, even he was not playing (he was never negative); he always displayed great skill and amazing foot work; he showed great stamina and most of all he helped carry this team to its position every game in and out. Justin was one of the most skillful and dedicated players in our team; he paired up with Koby quite well in the middle and he never questioned our directions. This players deserves accolades for demonstrating a fantastic work ethic and dedication for his team ~ what makes you amazing is your work rate: insurmountable! Keep working and keep learning: when your effort and skill combine, you will be an even greater force to be reckoned-with my friend - well done!

Ben Keep: a young man with great skill and a quiet demeanor. When Ben joined this team, we had one position for him. Yet, as the season wore on we saw that he could play in different positions. His endurance improved and by the time the season ended, he was showing the same exact dominance that he showed when he made this team. Ben's most amazing trait though was his ability to play wherever and whenever he was asked to play. He never complained but rather took instructions and applied them well, no hesitation, no questions. His adaptability, combined with his skill, allowed to become more and more influential, so much so that by the end of the season he was playing at the back with no issues at all. Benny, it has been a pleasure to have you on board ~ keep going son. Basketball is great, but soccer loves you too!

Thomas Horan: what can you not say about this player: subtle in games but influential when he wanted to be, Thomas rose through the ranks fast and furious. He scored some of the best goals of our season proving that his understanding of the game was getting better and better. By the time the season ended, Thomas had taken us all by storm ~ yes, he did struggle in some games but who didn't. What I loved the most about this boy was his spirit and know-how when it came to scoring for our team. Delicate and passive, Thomas showed all of us what a striker should do. I just hope that you enjoyed this season because even though there were games that you wanted to play more, when you did, you did amazing ~ that is a sign of a true player. Keep that up Thomas ~ the sky is the limit.

Robbie Alberto: as a coach, it is always hard to give accolades to your own son. Balance is key. Thus, I will start with this: there were games when he looked great but there were others where he looked tired. But there is one thing that in my view has to be recognized: he is a goal scorer. Robbie's intuition is right when it comes to positioning - his fellow players acknowledge that. He read the game very well and once he is able to combine that with an even better effort, he will score even more. Robbie, you have a nack for scoring - 17 goals in the 21 games you played is quite impressive. I hope that this season showed you that it is not only how many goals you can score, but also who you score those goals against: the combination of skill and hard work are what will take you to the level you want and allow you to score against big opponents. Keep working papito ~ if you want it, you also have a bright future ahead.

 

Koby Greaves: our captain, a young man with a lot of passion and grit. As we finish our season I cannot emphasize enough how good he was. Skill, grit and desire - all belong to Koby. However, it was not all happiness. There were times when he was so upset that he did not even want to follow instructions. Yet, halfway through the season he changed. Koby became a leader and showed that to be a leader one needs to be positive and inclusive. After that, he passed the ball with greater accuracy to all players - he trusted them. He talked more and most of all he brought the team up; he led. A leader not only speaks but most of all demonstrates with actions.  Koby, I really do hope that no matter what your future in soccer holds that you will learn from this season and that you will become what you are meant to be: one of the best soccer players this city has ever seen. Keep going Koby ~ if this continous, you will be living the dream!!!!!

Last, I want to say thank you to all of you. To Kim Colpman for being a great manager; to Mark Sudul and Jim Petruzzelli who always helped even when all they wanted was to watch their boys play; to all the parents who brought chocolate milk and goodies for the boys; to Toni Sudul who always took the time to take pictures for our blog; and of course to Darcy Greaves whose input and passion for the game helped me so much.

I want all of you to remember one thing: this season is not the final say on your boys' soccer life. It is a step in the right direction. Titles are great, but remember: four years from now, you won't care whether we won a League title or not. All that will matter is whether each of the boys has learned how to be a better soccer player. In my view, they all did.

Congratulations to all ~ as I sign off I leave you with a little quote from Jesse Owens, the famous track and field black star who participated in the Olympics in 1936 in Germany which speaks to how to make the dreams you have into reality:

We all have dreams, but in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self discipline and effort.

Keep dreaming and working hard boys ~ if you do, your dreams will become reality.


Thank you all ~ take care.

Roberto