Richmond Kickers Youth Soccer Club Newsletter

06/29/05

We wish everyone a great 4th of July Weekend!

Check out our NEW – “Ask the Sports Medicine Experts Section” Sponsored by Chippenham Johnston Willis Sports Medicine!!! Question concerning a pulled hamstring answered below.

LOOKING for a volunteer to help re-paint the Richmond Kickers/Pocoschock information board located at Providence Elementary School. If interested please e-mail Tim Krout at

CLUB UPDATE

COME JOIN US!!

July 2, 2005 - 7:00 PM ET
Richmond Kickers vs. Puerto Rico Islanders
University of Richmond Stadium

OPEN CUP HOPES COME TO AN END FOR KICKERS FUTURE
PDL Team Defeated by USL First Division VA. Beach Mariners in 2nd Round

RICHMOND, VA – (Wednesday, June 29, 2005) – The Richmond Kickers Future (PDL) ended their 2005 undefeated run tonight, but more importantly were knocked out of the 2005 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup competition with a second round defeat at the hands of the Virginia Beach Mariners (USL1). The match took place at the Virginia Beach SportsPlex in Virginia Beach, VA where the amateur Kickers side was defeated 3-0 by the professional Mariners. Go to: http://richmondkickers.com/home/102711.html

Super Y

*No Super Y matches this weekend.

For the Super Y standings go to: http://supery.uslsoccer.com/schedules/index_E.html

Look under “South Atlantic”

Super Y Teams of the Week

Richmond Kickers U15 Boys- Our U15 boys improved to 5 -0 with a 3-0 victory over Triangle FC and a 4-0 Greensboro Dynamo this past weekend. The team has scored 12 goals on the season while recording their 5th shutout. Well done!

Richmond Kickers U13 Girls- Our U13 girls improved to 3-2 with a last minute goal that delivered an exciting 2-1 victory over the Greensboro Dynamo. Congratulations Ladies!

Special Goal Keeper Training Sessions Announced for Super Y League Keepers Only!

Richmond Kickers announce goal keeper training times and date for this years select Super Y League players. The Kickers have an outstanding goal keeper trainer in Ronnie Pascale (Professional Player). The purpose of this additional training it to provide position specific training to our goal keepers! For complete Schedule: http://richmondkickers.com/youth/SUPER/101889.html

TRAVEL SOCCER

Player Registration and Uniforms for Fall 2005

For player’s who were unable to attend any of our registration nights. It is very important that you contact the team manager of your child’s team as quickly as possible so that we can complete the registration process. Please understand that we can not roster a team until all the correct information and documents are collected from ALL the players. If you do not know who your team manager is please contact us at 804-644-5425 ext. 310,311, or 313.

If your child is a new player to RKYSC and you have not yet ordered a uniform for the Fall 2005 season. Please contact Tim Krout immediately at to place an order.

A Few Travel Player Positions Available!
RKYSC has select openings for the 2005/2006 travel season. Contact for more information.

Openings exist:

North: U12 Boys,

Central: U 9 Boys, U15 Boys

South: U14/15 Girls,

RECREATIONAL SOCCER

Richmond Kickers/Pocoshock Valley

For information on the upcoming Fall 2005 season contact us at the office at 644-5425 ext. 310, 311, or 313

To download a paper application go to:

http://www.richmondkickers.com/docs/youth/recreational/PocoshockRegistrationFormFall2005.pdf

Then send to:

RKYSC

2320 West Main St. Richmond Va. 23220

New uniforms this year!!! RKYSC/Pocoshock/MYSL has obtained an outstanding agreement with SCORE to provide 2 jerseys, 1 pair of shorts, and 2 pair of socks for a minimal price. This uniform "kit" is for each player to keep and re use as long as he/she is with our club (and it still fits!!).

Amazingly, SCORE will provide each coach with a coaching kit with equipment which will benefit all of our teams! This equipment must be returned to the club after each season for future use. For a picture of the new uniform go to: http://richmondkickers.com/youth/recreational/101599.html

Midlothian Youth Soccer League

For Information on the upcoming Fall 2005 season go to www.mysl.com

Ashland Youth Soccer League

Information on the upcoming Fall 2005 season go to www.aysl.org

Player’s

Technique and Fitness

http://www.finesoccer.com/finesoccer_drill_28.htm

Coaches Corner

Animal Ball

Animal ball is a game that works on aggressiveness, winning balls in the air, passing, defending and finishing. It can be done with as few as 8 players or as many as 18.

http://www.finesoccer.com/finesoccer_drill_170.htm

Parent Corner

WHAT ABOUT ME?

A child’s perspective in an adult world

by David P. Hillgrove

What about me?
The father hugged his son, as they readied for his first game.
Shoes intact, uniform baggy, number proudly displayed.
The seven year old boys and girls were fresh and peppy that day. The parents encouraging and supportive. The coaches helped; the ref smiled. Few cared who won.
And it was good.

Several seasons passed. The game began to look like a soccer match, with players passing and dribbling and even the parents and fans beginning to know what they should be looking for.

Sort of.

But the team Mom wanted to give the boys a special juice for their post game drink; they wanted water because it tasted better when they were thirsty.
And she complained that she felt that she wasn't doing enough for the team by just giving them water. So she brought this juice. And wrapped each can up with little ribbons and name tags, with smiles and hearts all over it.
But the players didn’t want all of that. They wanted water.
And the little boy asked "What about me?"

Soon the boys and girls grew, and a special "select" team was formed. It was to travel afar, to sights as yet unknown, to play unnamed teams.

It was to be good for all.

So the coach set up some tryouts. And he tested each player for skills and for desire. He tried to make them fair so that all had a chance.
One little boy did not want to play. He only tried a little and did not run fast. He wanted to stop playing so he could read more, and draw pictures with his friends.
But his daddy said "I will have none of that. No son of mine will sit around idly while other men's children play sports."
And the little boy asked "What about me?"

The team was chosen.
They played their games and they won a few.
But they did not win enough to make some mommies happy. Later one would learn that very little would make these mommies happy.
These “ladies” yelled at the coach and talked behind his back, because he let all of the boys play in every game.
He even gave them each a "start" because he had confidence in them.
But that did not matter, it seemed.
The boys loved their coach because he was so friendly and helpful.
But he was told to leave, by the parents.
And the boys asked "What about me? What about us?"

The new coach hollered and screamed all of next season. Whenever the boys did one thing well, he wondered why they didn't do two.
He called them names and taught them to hold jerseys and kick players in the shin.
But they won.
Sort of.
They won games, anyway.
But the mean ole fat coach who had never played soccer, did not make it fun. Not like before.
And the mommies said: "But we want to make sure that you win so that you have fun".
And the little boy asked "What about me?"

Soon a rival league began to invite players to play on their select team.
They called the parents at home and wrote them letters, and had all of them meet in one big room. The parents listened to these words and promises, and they talked between themselves.
The moms and dads wondered if they would be as happy in the new league.
The old league leaders got angry and complained.
Then they pleaded with the parents, and told them how bad it would look.
But no one asked the boys, even throughout all of the planning.
And the little boy asked "What about me?"

The games went on, all across the land.
Everywhere one could see, there were goals and nets and lined fields and practices.
And boys practiced hard so that someday people would notice how good they are.
And parents went to games, but not to cheer. They shouted and hollered at the opposing players, even at players on their own team.
They cursed and kicked during the day, and discussed how good recreational sports were for children at night. They learned to yell at refs; and the boys learned too.

The high school rule makers and administrators all met in one big room one day.
They smoked cigars and ate big sandwiches.
They laughed and told jokes, and wrote some rules down. They talked about some of them, and wondered which people would disagree with their rule changes.
But they never called to speak with any coaches. Or parents. Or players.
And they all asked "What about me? What about us?"

The young men became good; some played for one team, some played for another. Soon their high school coach invited them to play on his team.
They said "That is good. Now we play for two teams. We will become better for this!"
And the coach said "No, that would not be good for you. We must take care of you and teach you what is good for you. We must tell you that you cannot play for both teams, only ours."
And the young man, thought awhile and asked " What about me?"

The NCAA met in a city by a big river, where the music was good.
They spoke with news reporters, and were seen on TV. And they passed rules that changed the college team's seasons.
College soccer team's seasons.
Because they had seen so many problems in football. And basketball. At big schools. With big programs.
So now all the sports had to suffer.
And the teams asked "What about me? What about us?"

The bells tolled and the birds chirped and a new day arose.
He earned his diploma and returned home.
He worked and married, but what he most liked was to coach.
Because he could work with the young, and teach them to try, and he learned a lot about himself.
He did not know who scored the most, or who was going to play the most.
He laughed a lot. He had fun. They had fun.
And they liked him.

And it was good.

Ask the Sports Medicine Expert- Sponsored by CJW Sports Medicine

This is your opportunity to ask the Chippenham Johnston Willis Sports Medicine experts any type of sports medicine question.

Questions should be sent to:

Questions will be answered in future additions of our newsletter.

Last weeks Question:

For a hamstring pull/tear, how long should I take ibuprofen and ice the injury? When/if should I apply heat? When should I resume regular athletic activities? Is is alright to play if it still hurts some? What are some good stretching and warm-up exercises to avoid this injury in the future?

Thanks,

Patrice Richman

Answer:

1) I would not put heat on it at all..... usually heat is reserved for chronic overuse type injuries, not muscle injuries, you run the risk of increasing bloodflow to early and causing it to swell and greatly lengthen the time to return to play (RTP).

2) Be careful how long you use ibuprofen, especially if under 18. Stomach problems could develop. No longer than 10 - 14 days in a row is the general rule then only if sore.

3) Ice and stretch below and after exercise. Ice and stretch another 2 - 4 times each day until RTP then stretch 2 - 4 times a day until full painfree range of motion (ROM) is achieved.

4) The key to any muscle injury is

a. regaining full pain-free ROM

b. Next gaining full equal bilateral strength

c. Next equal bilateral muscular endurance.

e. And finally working to gain proper muscular balance between the opposing muscle groups.

The problem with reinjury with this type of problem is that most athletes return after step (a) and maybe regain step (b), but never take steps (c) and (d) from above. They might "survive" for a period of time only doing steps (a) and (b) but the injury will return and

possibly far worse if steps (c) and (d) are not completed.

5) Playing with pain is a subjective thing, some people tolerate more than others, but it should NOT hurt at all before activity!! It might be "sore" after, but the icing and stretching should take care of that, if it is still sore in the morning, it is too early to

return to play.

6) I do not have the exercises online to e-mail you, but if you supply an address, I will mail you some information.

Again, all four steps must be completed to reduce the chances of reinjury. Very often, the injury occurs because there was a muscular strength difference between the hamstrings and the quads... the balance should be 2 to 3 hamstrings to quads, in other words, if you can hamstring curl 40 pounds with one leg hamstring curls you should be lifting 60 pounds with quad extensions. Many people the quads are far stronger than the hamstrings and this imbalance is the actual cause of the hamstring pull. So, full painfree ROM, equal strength in both hamstrings, equal endurance in both and then a 2 to 3 strength ratio between the hamstrings versus the quads. NEVER stop stretching!!! BEFORE AND AFTER exercise!!

Hunter L. Durvin, MEd, LAT, ATC
Manager, Outpatient Rehab. Services
CJW Medical Center
Chippenham Sports Medicine Center