Lander Strikers

Can a team tie one game and lose two and still call it a good weekend? Absolutely!  It was a VERY good weekend of Striker soccer for the U12 boys.  We’ve always said that we would coach and play to win, but that we wouldn’t measure ourselves by wins and losses, but rather how we play as compared to our potential…not the other team.  During the Gillette game, and moreover during the Sheridan game there were spans of time when we hit that potential.  I had a number of coaches tell me that we move the ball around nicely.  That’s the best compliment a TEAM can ask for.  Further, recall that we played at the highest level in the Gold division.  We could have easily played in the Silver and Bronze divisions, but it’s proven in soccer that the best way to grow is to challenge yourself against the best. The 3 goal comeback on Sheridan was a gutsy performance and the style of play was our best this season.  I think it speaks for itself so I won’t add any more to that. Strikers owned the middle of the field in the Gillette and Sheridan games.  Where we need to challenge ourselves is in front of both nets.  That’s not to say goalie, but the entire defense of a penalty box and the entire attack within their penalty box.  We allowed some easy goals and we weren’t scoring the goals we needed to convert.  The good news is that those are easier areas to address as compared with midfield play, ball movement and winning the 50/50 balls.It was a good weekend of soccer, and everyone should feel good about it.  Reflect on it and commit that good feeling to memory.

The U-14 Strikers continue to roll.  We now stand at 8-0 on the year.  This weekend we defeated Heart Mountain and a co-ed Sheridan team.  I was impressed with both of these new teams.  Every player on their squads gave 100% every minute.  We will now re-group and re-focus.  We will continue to work on our essentials in addition to focusing on fitness and speed to get us ready for the MARS Cup.

The girls had a busy weekend. The Casper Jamboree was a good outing for the girls. They Tied Sheridan, 1-1, beat Cody 1-0, beat Casper 1-0 and beat Buffalo 1-0. A great defense and an attack that began to take hold proved effective for the day. On Sunday, the girls played at 9am. They woke up earlier than Laramie, or went to bed earlier, scoring their first goal 30 seconds into the match, eventually winning 5-1. At the 11 o’clock game the Lady Strikers found a very aggressive and persistent Gillette team. Both teams scored 2 in the first half. In the second half Gillette found the back of the net on a slow roller to the far post, losing 3-2. On Wed, 4/21 the girls played a friendly with the Tiger JV squad and had an excellent outing. The girls are continuing to work hard and look forward to this league weekend in Riverton where they play Riverton at 8am and Casper at 10:30 am. Overall with all the friendlies the girls are 8-2-1 with 26 goals for and 9 goals against.

What a great weekend of soccer to start off the season.  The Lander U-14 boys started off strong with 4 victories in the Casper Jamboree.  This included hard fought wins over very strong teams from Sheridan, Buffalo and Riverton.  At the start of league play we defeated a young, but talented Casper team 6-1 and a strong Gillette team 5-1.     We have strength, talent and speed on the field in many positions.  And we all come with a desire to get better, have fun and win games.

http://education.auburn.edu/news/2008/june/flipflop.html

2008 Auburn study links the overuse of Flip Flop footwear to leg pain and why it happens.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNzKj_MoIuo&fmt=18

Exerpt from UNMC thoughts on flip flops.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9l-MJKpneU&fmt=18

From the University of Nebraska Medical center, when to Ice and how and when to add heat to an injury.

The U-14 Girls had two friendlies on Sunday, April 11, 2010. Thank you to the Riverton and Jackson teams for making this happen. The girls played with 11 girls, no subs, two games and had a great outing. While they were very tired the last game they persevered. Lander 4 Jackson 1 and Lander 1 Riverton 0. Great job girls.

The U12 boys are starting to pull together a winning style of soccer.  Today, they moved the ball around the pitch and hustled to every loose ball during three scrimmages.  The boys scrimmaged the always classy Worland Sidewinders and the Riverton Gold and Silver teams.  U12 boys wish to thank their Riverton hosts for a great day of scrimmages on freshly mowed and cleanly lined fields.  Also, big thanks for the coolers of donated drinks.

Another highlight:  At Subway and chatting with U14 girls from Jackson that had just finished playing our U14 girls.  They were impressed with the hustle and high level of passing the Lander U14 girls possessed.  Great work girls!