FEDERAL WAY UNITED SOCCER CLUB

General Membership Meeting

November 8, 2006

Meeting Called to order at 7:40 P.M.

No quorum was achieved. The approval of the October meeting minutes were postponed to the December meeting.

OFFICERS REPORTS:

President - Jesse Hamashima:

· Met with a number of other board members and parents of a FWU district rec ream to discuss this board’s decision to have the team play in the Commissioner’s Cup versus the President’s Cup. District 3 overturned this board’s decision. FWU needs to more clearly communicate its overall mission and expectations to all teams especially with regard to the rules of team formation.

· Met with other board members and a coach on the latter’s behavior towards a referee.

· Discussed the issue of the referee shortage with others in assessing the next season’s supply of field officials. This shortage may be especially acute with the strong possibility of not compensating those under 14 years of old as in the past.

Vice President - Perry Woodford:

Started some work on the by laws. If anyone has ideas of what needs revised please send to Darlin’. I attended the PDL committee meeting on 26 October. Next meeting is planned for December 20^th. If you have comments please send to me and CC Rob Walker.

Lots of discussion and some work on registration, state cups, and budgeting.

Started conversation and plan to attend a meeting with the referees on game coverage. There are more games not being covered this year. This is not just a Federal Way issue. Game coverage is being discussed in clubs around us and state wide.

District 3 Report:

· December meeting agenda: Of the year vote & 2006-2007 Budget approval.

· 3 open positions on exec board.

· FWSA owes 100 dollars for fall league. Is this for Presidents Cup?

· Approved 500 plus help at a top soccer event for Darren's A license registration fee.

· Pressured to provide venue for one or more age group. Or provide volunteers to host at Starfire. Dates are November 18-19.

· Top Soccer is holding an event at Starfire November 11-12. Please come by and see what is happening.

· Reviewed proposed document on Academy program policy. Need to get back to D3 by December 4^th.

· Stu scheduled a president forum for 9 to 1 on 11November.

· The PDL Committee meeting was held October 26^th. The next meeting scheduled for December 20^th at Starfire or State office. The Committee came across with the opinion that things are going well for the first year. Please send me any comments to provide the PDL committee in December.

· Gerd discussed his goal of merging referee and game schedule data. One game number would be use by referees and D3 teams. Coaches would see time, location, and how many referees signed up for game. He is working with eastside ref data. Eastside applies team id number in ref database. This makes it easy to connect between club and referee data bases.

Secretary - Cynthia Anglesino: Not Present; No Report.

Treasurer - Darlin' Boudreau: Not Present; No Report.

DIRECTORS REPORTS:

Director of Coaching - Rob Walker:

Summary of Activity

The table below details monthly activity on the field and in the meeting room from mid-October through mid-November. Additionally, there is office work (phone calls and e-mail) that is done on a daily basis and several planning meeting with FWU Board members noted in the table below.

Date	Activity	Details
10/14/06	FWU Fire 95 Game	Attended Games, Observed Teams in action
	Reign 95 Purple Game
	Storm 95 Green Game
10/15/06	Reign 95 Black Game	Attended Games, Observed Teams in action
	Storm 95 White game
10/16/06	FWU Academy	Organized, supervised and coached Acad. Session
10/17/06	FWU GK Training	Conducted a session in GK Skills and Decision Making
10/18/06	FWU Reign 94 Wht Tng	Trained team GK, met with staff to support team issues
	Mtg with 94 Staff
10/19/06	Storm 92 Green Tng	Conducted team training session
10/23/06	FWU Academy	Organized, supervised and coached Acad. Session
10/24/06	FWU GK Training	Conducted a session in GK Skills and Decision Making
10/26/06	Storm 92 Parents Mtg	Met with parents to discuss team / club issues
10/27/06	Bd Mtg to discuss U-11's	Met with bd members to discuss transition to U-11’s
10/28/06	Storm 92 Green Game	Attended game, supported coach
	Storm 93 Wht Game	Observed team in game
10/30/06	FWU Academy	Organized, supervised and coached Acad. Session
10/31/06	FWU GK Training	Conducted a session in GK Skills and Decision Making
11/1/06	Reign 92 Wht Tng	Conducted training session with team
	FWSA Bd. Mtg	Attended Monthly Board Meeting
11/2/06	Storm 92 Green Tng	Conducted team training session
11/4/06	Reign 94 Purple Game	Attended Games, Observed Teams in action
	Reign 94 White Game
	Storm 92 Green Game
11/5/06	Storm 92 Green Game	Attended game, supported coach
11/7/06	FWU GK Training	Conducted a session in GK Skills and Decision Making
11/8/06	FWU Planning &Bd Mtg	Met to continue U-11 programming & monthly meeting

Tasks, Projects & Issues

Fall Academy Program

At the end of the month, we completed the first U-9 and 10-player Academy for players. Over the course of seven sessions (we met weekly) we worked on core soccer skills and used small-sided games as the major teaching component to each session. Our staff observed a marked improvement in the application of the kids’ dribbling, passing and receiving skills from the first to the last session of the program. The Academy used staff from our Storm and Reign teams and the local soccer community. We had a nice blend of coaching talent on hand each week. The kids’ attendance was exemplary each week. The last week of the program (which was a chilly evening) we still had 90% of our attendees participate. Our weekly attendance bore this same participation rate, which is usually a good sign of a quality program.

The table below reflects the general organization of topics and emphasis from week-to-week:

Session #	Technical Topic	Small-Sided Game Focus
Week #1 9/18	Dribbling: possession, spin turns	3 v 3: shape of triangle, how not to give the ball away
Week #2 9/25	Dribbling: penetration, 1 v 1 dribbling	3 v 3 street soccer (no gk’s) taking players on
Week #3 10/2	Dribbling: penetration, 1 v 1 dribbling Repeat	3 v 3 street soccer (no gk’s) taking players on
Week #4 10/2	Short passing and 1^st Touch	4 v 4: how to create a shape to support
Week #5 10/9	Review Previous topics	Play 4 v 4
Week #6 10/16	Defending: 1 v 1 and 2 v 2	4 v 4: “collective defending”
Week #7 10/16	Passing & Support	Playing SSG

A quick glance at the table shows an emphasis on core skills: possessional and penetrating dribbling, passing and receiving and defending. A clear path in soccer shape (playing in triangles and diamonds) in small-sided games complemented the skill training.

Looking forward, we may want to schedule a spring complement to the fall program. Continued training gives us an opportunity to work with future FWU players and helps lay out a road map for development for players (and coaches) who participate in the program. Additionally, as many of our kids play other sports in the spring, an Academy in February and early March might give these kids a soccer opportunity they might forego.

Dealing with Issues

As the season rounds the bends towards the end of the season, the competitive nature of “game-day” can cause normal behavior to “boil over.” In many circumstances our teams are involved in promotion and relegation battles in their divisions, which can cause tempers to flare up as well. Knowing that games played between now and through February and March in the state cup will bring out a wide variety of emotions, it’s probably wise to remember a few key points:

· Adults are role models, the younger the player, the harder it is for him / her to discern why it might be acceptable to have a coach or parent lose their temper with an official or opponent and hence, act out the same behavior themselves.

· When the competitive juices flow, anxiety levels --a state of uneasiness and apprehension, as about future uncertainties--normally rise. Having a rehearsed plan to deal with a situation can be helpful in dealing with the situation.

· There is always a line between two types of behavior: assertiveness and aggressiveness. Being assertive in a situation may be the better strategy as aggressiveness can turn into confrontation (which can have judicial bearing by soccer officials or on occasion local law enforcement).

· One of the big keys when our temperament gets “on the boil” is to remember to breathe….sometimes very deeply.

It is important that we recognize that we need to behave in acceptable manner. Our relationships within the team, with our opponents and with officials are at stake. It’s important to have clear and positive values in this area of the game.

Transition to 2007

As we move forward into the new year, members of the board and I are working on details for programming and team formation for next year. In a short time, we will send out general programming information for our U-10 parents outlining their options for play at U-11, which is always a big transition for players coming out of an association run program and into a wide variety of possibly playing situations on the non-select and select levels.

As a “full-service” club we have a wide constituency with an even wider lists of soccer needs. We will have written information and community meetings to project our program and articulate our objectives. Along the way, we will be interested in hearing feedback, wishes concerns etc. from our membership. Hopefully, we will have meeting time to discuss issues for the long term. In any event, I welcome direct communication from the membership: coaches, parents and players. I can be best contacted at robbosays@comcast.net.

I have included a one-pager that specifies the beginning of our U-11 program for next year. We distributed this piece at the close of our FWU Academy. There will be definitely more said and done in the weeks and months ahead.

Respectfully submitted,

Rob Walker

FWU Director of Coaching

2007 Federal Way United U-11 Program Information

New Direction

In April 2006, Federal Way United hired Rob Walker as its first Director of Coaching. Rob was a lifelong resident of Washington until 2000, when he was hired as a DOC for the Mountain Brook Soccer Club in Birmingham, Alabama. Over the years, Rob has worked as an instructor at state and national licensing levels, run grass roots soccer programs and worked at the top-level in US Soccer’s National Team Program. Rob will be working with the U-11 program in 2007. Rob will be putting together a rounded program of coaching and player development. Most of these program services will be available for players participating in the select and non-select divisions within Federal Way United. Rob looks forward to working with coaches, players and parents in the upcoming year.

Quick Facts

· 9-a-side is the official game for U-11’s in Washington state.

· Players can play on select or non-select teams during the seasonal year.

· Tryouts for select teams are in late February /early March.

· Non-select teams are formed in the late spring and early summer.

· Select teams begin training and informal league play during the spring months, while non-select teams begin training and playing during the summer months (July, early August).

· Travel for both select and non-select teams involves travel outside of Federal Way for “away games,” with most away games in the central Puget Sound area.

· Formal league season begins in September and ends in November or December, and normally play in a state cup that takes place in December or January / February.

Program Emphasis

· Players will be guided in important training to develop essential skills and small-group tactics.

· Players need a wide-variety of soccer experiences in training and on game day to reach optimal potential in future years: playing in different roles and positions and against a variety of opponents is an important element .

· The U-11 player has special needs and our coaching staff will work to develop the potential for all players.

· At the heart of any experience for the U-11 player, playing on a team should be fun.

More Information Upcoming

In the next few weeks and months, Federal Way United will be communicating with soccer families in the community. We will have information at fields, hold program meetings and have program details on our website: http://federalwaysoccer.com.

2^nd VP of Recreation - Jammie Hair: I am dealing with two coaches on Referee abuse. I am also part of the team trying to meet with the incoming U11 parents and coaches to help with the transition.

2^nd VP of Administration – Darlin' Boudreau: Not Present; No Report.

Boys Registrar – Katherine Hinkle: Not Present; No Report.

Girls Registrar – Susan Stanton: Not Present; No Report.

Storm Coordinator - Vacant

Reign Coordinator – Debbie Frazier: Not Present; No Report.

Boy’s Coordinator – Kevin Wilburn: I am part of the team trying to meet with the incoming U11 parents and coaches to help with the transition.

Girls Coordinator – Sharon Woodford:

I have not met with any of the GU10 teams to explain the process for next year. We are still not prepared with a flyer and no one wants to hang around after their game in the rain to discuss. We are looking at other options, like a parent’s night and maybe a soccer kick-a-round before tryouts.

Fields Coordinator – Sandy Bjork: Not Present. George reported that Celebration Park closed on November 1^st. The school levy failed so lighting Decatur is now a high priority. The field improvements at Sacajawea are on hold.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None Reported.

NEW BUSINESS:

Webmaster: The new website is finally coming together. Eben Designs and I have finally agreed on the revised website architecture and they are busy working on the site. Once they have created all the pages and links I will have to add all the data. I have printed some of the website pages.

State Cup Rep: There have been many changes this year.

1. I am the FWSA State Cup Rep this year. All questions concerning the State Cup should be sent to me, not WSYSA (except for registration questions which should be directed to Diane Jaber).
2. WSYSA has made specific rules about who may enter which cup. There are some questions being raised about whether it is wise to make all U11 PDL teams enter the Challenge Cup.  It was decided at the FWSA November meeting that FWU needs to place their teams in the Cup appropriate to their skill level.
1. Championship Cup

U12-U19:  PDL, CYL, WSPL 13, WSPL Division I & II

2. Challenge Cup

U11-U19:  PDL, CYL, WSPL 13, WSYDL, & WSPL Div III

3. Commissioners Cup

U11-U19:  CYL, District & Association teams.

3. WSYSA has condensed the schedule.
1. Commissioners & Challenge Cups: January 6^th – February 25^th

Draw: by December 11^th (and possibly as early as December 4^th).

2. Championship Cup: January 27^th – March 25^th

Draw: by December 22^nd (and possibly as early as December 18^th).

4. All three Cups (Commissioners Cup, Challenge Cup & Championship Cup) will require player passes this year. However, current league player/coach passes may be used. Diane Jaber will print out needed player cards after she gets all the teams registered for State Cup.

Of the Year Nominations: Because there was no quorum, we took “Of the Year” nominations and will do the voting by e-mail.

• Boy’s Coach:
• Darin Pool
• Cheryl Wilson
• Girl’s Coach:
• Steve Harris
• James Cecil
• Shannon Qualls
• Kevin Hall
• Administrator:
• Darlin’ Boudreau
• Volunteer:
• Lisa Ziccarelli

FOR THE GOOD OF THE GAME:

Juan Rangel reported that he has become the owner of a Harley Davidson motorcycle custom painted in Alaska Airlines colors and motif for a very reasonable price. He is willing to sell it to the Club (at his cost) to use as a raffle item to raise money for the scholarship funds or field funds. It was noted that the raffle money would have to be collected through an outside source. There was also some discussion that we could pair this raffle with the offer we had earlier in the year from a gentleman offering to donate the building of a deck to help raise money. The discussion was positive but no firm agreement was made.

Meeting Adjourned at 9:14PM

Minutes respectfully submitted by Sharon Woodford, Girl’s Coordinator

Next meeting scheduled for December 13, 7PM @ Round Table Pizza