Spring Coed Soccer Update

Our Coed Soccer Coordinator, Dr. David Khorram, has sent out the latest update.

Man, I think a person needs a degree in probability and statistics to get all these combinations together! My brain got kinda foggy doing this, but it looks like it all came together.

We have about 60 players, so all teams have 14-15 people, with equal distribution of men and women, and pretty even distribution of skill level, and miraculously, all teams have an average age of 35 years. Each team has two A players who, along with the B players, will help guide the C and D players along. If you were a member of a group that was requesting to all be together, it worked insofar as I was able to keep clusters of you together, but the teams would have been too warped in terms of skill levels to keep the entire groups together. I was able to get everyone on a team with people they know.

There are four teams. I'm assigning each a letter for now, and a team coordinator, who will organize the team. I chose the coordinators fairly randomly, so if you're not an organizer type, and you've been designated as such, get someone else to do it, and let me know who it is. The role of this person is just to get things going. Identify a couple of experienced players to serve as co-captains during the games.

I was going to try to do most of this stuff, but I'm overwhelmed by all the organization involved, and so I'm asking the teams to share in taking care of the details.

Each team will collect it's own registration forms, liability release forms (this one is important - it protects us all from suing each other if we get hurt), and team dues. Liability insurance would have covered us against losses if a "third party" -- a spectator -- got hurt. Since it would have added an extra $15 to the cost, and the risk is low, I decided to skip it. So the dues are only $15. About $8 will go towards your shirts, and the rest will go towards paint to line the field ($35 per week), and a small amount to pay refs ($10 per week). If you gave your registration form and $ to me, I'll pass it on to the team (and the few people that have already paid will be getting $10 back).

Teams will be responsible for the following:
1. Ordering your shirts. I'll set it up with Island Apparel, but you need to get the sizes and numbers finalized and take them down to the shirt place with the money to get them ordered. I"ll send the spreadsheets out later this week.
2. Collecting the dues and forms.
3. Assigning a responsible and trustworthy person on the team to manage the funds.
4. The home team will always be responsible for arranging and paying the referee. Coordinate this with Dean Tenorio who can connect you to the refs.
5. The Monday home team will be responsible for lining the field each week. I'm told ACE Hardware has special cans of spray paint available that spray upside-down. They cost about $6-$8.50 per can, and it takes about 5 cans to line a field. Have one of the A-players help with this the first time. After that, there should be lines visible that just need to be highlighted each week.

The season is 10 weeks long, starting on February 9. Games start at 5:15 PM sharp. WIth 15 players per team, there may be difficulty at times fielding 11 players. If so, just play 9x9 or 7x7 or whatever works. We're here to play and have a good time. Each team plays once a week, and if you can get together another time for a practice, it makes the games more fun.

I'll get the rules and the schedule out this week.

Here are the teams. Coordinators, please get in touch with your team members. If you can't figure out their email from the names above, then send me an email and I'll get the particular email address to you. I'm attaching the registration form and the release of liability form again for those who haven't turned them in already. Take them to the field next week to your team coordinator, along with your $15.

A - Green Team
Rob Epley - Coordinator
Allen Mijares
John Duenas
Michael Deary
Albert Dean
Rob Jordan
Jaime Saiki
Peter Prestley
Linda Anastacio
Louise Oakley
Abi Robinson
Autumn Breechler
Jennifer Lesosek
Veronica Saures

B - Blue Team
Jeff Elliott - Coordinator
Jersh Angeles
Mike Hall
Greg Elliott
David Khorram
Mara Khorram
Kevin Carey
Mieko Carey
Rebekah Yost
Hee Jae Lee
Jimmy Pua
Daniel Lamar
Sami Birmingham-Babauta
Summer Palacios
Amanda Armstrong

C -- Red Team
Dean Tenorio - Coordinator
Jerry Tan
Jung Gon Jun
Fran Castro
Catherine Anderson
Ken Imaya
Laura WIlliams
Krista Hawley
Rob Schultz
Jing Hui
Meihua Rengiil
Mark Robles
Becky Covarrubius
Hazel Tudela

D -- Yellow Team
Maria Orness - Coordinator
Glenn Smith
Angelo VIllagomez
Laurie Peterka
Rachel Rounds
Peter Bosner
Glenn Jewel
Jeff Warfield
Scott Hayden
Adam Miles
Jennifer Backhaus
Tawny Barcinas
Ericka Frink
Rachelle Miles
Kathleen Herrmann

With best regards,

David

If you are still interested in playing in this league, contact us at nmifacoed@gmail.com

Spring Coed Soccer Registration

The soccer gods have spoken and they say that we are going to have more coed soccer starting in January. Interested? Drop me a line so we can get an idea of our numbers. Here is the story in today's Saipan Tribune:

The Northern Mariana Islands Football Association will be kicking off the 2009 season with the NMIFA Co-ed Soccer Spring League at the CPA Field.

“The co-ed soccer league is starting in January as a non-competitive recreational league to provide the opportunity for adults who are new to soccer, people who are out of shape, or people who are getting creaky, to have an opportunity to learn and to play the world's most popular sport. The main purpose is to have fun and to learn the game.” said David Khorram, who is organizing the league along with Jaime Saiki and Angelo Villagomez.

Khorram added they are looking to start the event on Jan. 5 with one game to be played in each playing day. Games will be played every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and will start at 5:15pm. But Khorram said schedules are tentative.

An “Intro to Soccer” camp will be held on Jan. 3 to teach participants drills on dribbling, passing, shooting, and other basic skills.

Khorram is inviting interested individuals, especially those with no prior soccer experience to join the camp and the league.

“I've had a great time with the past two summer co-ed leagues. There are lots of opportunities for the island's talented players to be involved with soccer year-round. For those of us with less skill, the co-ed league is the place to be. We're looking at having it run for many more weeks of the year, and drawing only a limited number of the talented players,” Khorram said.

Players joining next month's league will be classified into three categories. A players are those with the ability to play in the men's or women's league, or have significant experience playing soccer. B players have some soccer experience and with moderate stamina, while C types are those new to soccer, or completely out of shape.

“The league will limit the number of 'A' players per team, and the role of these proficient players will be to teach and to support the development of the less skilled players,” Khorram said.

Each team will be composed of 11 players.

If interested to play or for more information, contact Villagomez at 285 6462 or email angelovillagomez@gmail.com.

NMIFA Men's League Finals

The end of season tournament for the 2008 Fall Men's league is this Sunday, November 16th at Ada field.

The format of the tournament is a seeded team format. The teams' records during the regular season will determine their seed.

Games will consist of tow 35 minute halves with a single 5 minute half time. If regulation ends in a tie, there will be two ten minute overtime periods, and a shoot-out if still tied after overtime.

Schedule:

Game A 11:00 AM Independents v. MPU (2nd v. 3rd place)

Game B 1:00 PM Inter v. MFC (1st v. 4th place)

Consolation 2:30pm loser A v. loser B

Final 4pm winner B v. winner A

The winner takes home the NMIFA Cup. Trophies will be presented at a ceremony across the street on the beach.

Standings after regular season play:

1. Inter 6-0
2. Independents 3-3
3. MPU 2-4
4. MFC 1-5

2009 Coed Winter Soccer League

Psssst.....

There is going to be a coed league starting up in January. Pass it on.

Link to the Friends of the Monument blog

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The federal workshops on Saipan are just over one week away! There are ways that you can help to support the monument. Click HERE for more information.

Tournament Schedule

8 am: Cap't Morgans v. Sureshanks RIO (Devil)
9 am: GMF v. Devil's Advocates DEAN'S PICK(Dean)
10 am: C. Morgans v. Gil Fever PETER L. (Sure)
11 am: Devils Advocates v. Deaniacs GREG (GMF)
12 pm: Sureshanks v. Gil Fever NICK (Captain)
1 pm: GMF v. Deaniacs JASON (Gil)
2 pm: Third Place Final (Champ game team)
3 pm: 2nd Place Final (3rd place team)
4 pm: Championship (2nd place team)

USA is Gold, Gold, Gold!

The U.S. Women’s Olympic Soccer Team put together a near perfect defensive performance to hold powerful Brazil scoreless for 120 minutes while getting a goal from Carli Lloyd just six minutes into overtime to record a historic 1-0 victory and earn the gold medal.

This victory marked the third gold medal for the U.S. women in four Olympic Games. The USA also won gold in 1996 and 2004 while taking the silver in 2000.

The match was played in front of a raucous crowd of 51,612 on a field made slippery by rain that fell during the entire day and for the first part of the match.

The winning goal came on a shot from outside the box from Lloyd, who took advantage of a nice piece of possession in the U.S. attacking half that saw the ball go from substitute Lauren Cheney to Lloyd, who one-touched it to Amy Rodriguez. The speedy U.S. forward played a cheeky back heel to an overlapping Lloyd, and she took a touch forward before blasting a low left-footed shot into the lower left corner of the goal.

“What an amazing match,” said U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage. “I am so proud and I am enjoying the moment.”

The game was a rematch of the 2004 gold medal game that saw a similar result with the USA winning 2-1 in overtime off a game-winning goal from Abby Wambach.

Hope Solo played a super match in the U.S. nets, catching several dangerous crosses, stuffing Brazilian star Cristiane on a mini-breakaway, denying FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year Marta on an almost-point blank shot and parrying away a terrifyingly dangerous cross near the end.

The U.S. team played Brazil even during the first half, with both teams producing only a few scoring opportunities, but the Brazilians picked up the pace in the second half. That’s when the U.S. defense shined the most, riding a spectacular defensive performance from center backs Kate Markgaf and Christie Rampone and outside backs Heather Mitts and Lori Chalupny to keep the Brazilian strikers off the board despite several close chances.

After a scoreless 90 minutes, the teams entered the overtime period with Brazil getting the nod on scoring chances, but the U.S. defense and Solo would not break.

Solo’s best save of the night, and possibly the biggest of her career, came in the 72nd minute, after Marta got around two U.S. defenders and into the six-yard box. Marta had a clear shot from point-blank range, but Solo reacted with lightning-fast reflexes to block the well-struck shot with her right hand to keep game scoreless.

The Brazilian attack of Marta and Cristiane was dangerous throughout the night, using their dribbling runs at the U.S. defenders to create chances. In the 31st minute, Cristiane got in behind the American back line, but Solo came off her line to smother the ball, sending the Brazilian forward flying into the air. Three minutes later, it was Marta who danced around Markgraf and Rampone, but her low driven ball hit the side-netting at near post.

In the 41st minute, the U.S. turned a half-chance into a great opportunity. Heather O’Reilly made a quick turn near the right touchline and lifted the ball up in the air toward the penalty box. Hucles was there to run onto it and hit a half volley, but her shot went wide.

Solo was called upon to make another big save in the 54th minute, after Cristiane and Marta combined again to get Marta down the end line. She cut in toward the goal and hit a shot from a difficult angle that Solo snared and held onto as other Brazilian attackers crashed in for a potential rebound.

At the other end of the field, the Americans pressed forward late in the game as they looked to win the game in regulation. Brazilian goalkeeper Barbara was called upon to make her best save of the game in the 86th minute when Hucles ripped a one-timer that seemed destined for the side-netting, but Barbara dove to make the save and keep her team in the game.

Just before the end of regulation, Rodriguez found herself in alone on goal as a ball skipped past the Brazilian defense. The 21-year-old striker saw Barbara slip and tried to chip her, but the Brazilian ‘keeper was able to recover and knock the ball down.. With the final regulation chance, it was Rodriguez again who received the ball in the center of field, turned and ripped a low driven shot right to Barbara.

The American momentum carried into the first overtime period and the U.S. Women got the game winner just six minutes after the restart.

Both teams made substitutions after the goal as Sundhage brought on Natasha Kai for O’Reilly and Brazil countered by subbing in Rosana.

The South American side ratcheted up their attack looking for the equalizer and almost got it in the second overtime period. Following a quick restart, Marta got around two defenders on the dribble and hit a hard shot that went just high of Solo’s net.

Minutes later, she took a dangerous-looking free kick from outside the penalty area that took a bounce near the far post before skipping wide of the goal, just out of reach of a crashing Renata Costa.

With Brazil pressing forward, the U.S. took advantage of the counter attack, almost doubling their lead. Kai ran down a ball in the corner and played it across the top of the box, where Lloyd took it on the run and battled through a few defenders before hitting a shot that caromed off the right post and away.

With time running out, Brazil earned three straight corner kicks and the third almost leveled the score. Marta’s corner from the right side swung to the far post for Renata Costa, who got her head on it, but her shot hit the outside netting of the goal. The last chance of the game belonged to Brazil as Renata Costa lofted the ball into the box for Cristiane. She was able to get a head on it and drive the ball low, but Solo was there for the save.

Following the 2008 Olympic Games, the U.S. Women’s National Team will take on Ireland in a three-match tour, hitting stops on the East Coast and Midwest shortly after their return from China. The Fall Tour gets underway on Saturday, Sept. 13 in Philadelphia at 8 p.m. ET at Lincoln Financial Field, and continues on Wed., Sept. 17 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. The last of these three games will be played on Saturday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. CT at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill.

Match-up: USA vs. Brazil
Competition: 2008 Beijing Olympics – Gold Medal Match
Venue: Worker’s Stadium; Beijing, China
Date: August 21, 2008; Kickoff – 9 p.m. local / 9 a.m. ET
Attendance: 51,612
Weather: Rain – 68 degrees

Scoring Summary:
1 2 E E F
USA 0 0 1 0 1
BRA 0 0 0 0 0

USA – Carli Lloyd (Amy Rodriguez) 96th minute.

Lineups:
USA: 18-Hope Solo; 2-Heather Mitts, 15-Kate Markgraf, 3-Christie Rampone – Capt., 17-Lori Chalupny; 9-Heather O’Reilly (6-Natasha Kai, 101), 7-Shannon Boxx, 11-Carli Lloyd, 5-Lindsay Tarpley (12-Lauren Cheney, 71); 8-Amy Rodriguez (14-Stephanie Cox, 120), 16-Angela Hucles
Subs not used: 4-Rachel Buehler, 10-Aly Wagner, 13-Tobin Heath, 18-Nicole Barnhart
Head Coach: Pia Sundhage

BRA: 12-Barbara; 2-Simone (18-Rosana, 104), 4-Tania, 5-Renata Costa, 16-Erika; 6-Maycon, 7-Daniela (15-Fabiana, 77), 8-Formiga (13-Francielle, 106+), 9-Ester; 10-Marta, 11-Cristiane
Subs: 1-Andeia, 3-Andreia Rosa, 17-Maurine, 14-Pretinha
Head Coach: Jorge Barcellos

Statistical Summary: USA / BRA
Shots: 10 / 15
Shots on Goal: 7 / 6
Saves: 6 / 6
Corner Kicks: 3 / 15
Fouls: 11 / 15
Offside: 0 / 6

Misconduct Summary:
USA – Heather Mitts (caution) 37th minute.
BRA – Rosana (caution) 106+.
BRA – Erika (caution) 108.
USA – Natasha Kai (caution) 114.

Officials
Referee: Dagmar Damkova (CZE)
Asst. Referee: Maria Luisa Villa Gutierrez (ESP)
Asst. Referee: Hege Steinlund (NOR)
4th Official: Christine Beck (GER)

Sierra Mist Woman of the Match: Hope Solo