Saturday, December 30, 2006

What is the NCAA III?


As I recruit for Maranatha, I hear this question alot. I thought I would post a little information about the league in which we participate. The NCAA Division III is made up of over 450 public and private colleges nation-wide. In D III, all athletes are non-scholarship. Some athletes receive scholarship money, but the scholarships are tied to to academics or courses of study. There are many players who have had opportunities in D I or D II, but have chosen to attend a DIII school. I estimate that there are 10 to 20 players in the Northern Athletics Conference alone who could have competed at the DI level. Some of those players have played at Maranatha. Why would a player who is being scouted by D I teams chose to play D III? Here are some reasons:
- commitment to a particular course of study
- commitment to earn a Bible college education
- the opportunity to dominate rather than sit the bench
- sometimes the costs are the same, even with a scholarship at a bigger school
- an athletic scholarship comes with a high price tag: TIME - most D I teams have 20 hrs of workouts every week, even in the offseason
- relationship with the coaching staff
- proximity

Here are a couple of interesting stories about soccer players who are in the NCAA DIII:
Banghart Plays for the U-20 National Team
Harrison Tries Out for the Crew

At Maranatha, we seek to provide rigorous academics, consistent discipleship and high level athletics. Are you up for the challenge? - C

Soccer Camp Brochure


Here is our first ever Soccer Camp brochure. This is the first time that we have been able to design one that is only for soccer camp. If you would like a hard copy mailed to you - feel free to contact me. - C

Monday, December 25, 2006

Merry Christmas from C, Mrs. Coach and E's!

Here is the Christmas letter that we sent out this year. I was lazy and just posted the one that Sarah wrote. I want to wish all of you a Merry Christmas from the Maranatha Soccer family. I am excited about what the coming year will bring as you grow in the Lord. - C

Dear Friends and Family,
This past year has been full for our family. The Lord has been abundantly gracious to us, and has blessed us beyond what we could ever deserve.
Josh is still working at Maranatha Baptist Bible College, now full-time as the Assistant to the Director of Development. Although we are thankful for the benefits and stability of this position, his heart is still on the soccer field. He also coaches both the men's and women's soccer teams, and thoroughly enjoys the opportunity to impact his players' lives.
After staying home with the girls for the past few years, Sarah was offered a position as a part-time 2's/3's teacher at a small daycare. She is able to take the girls with her, and still get home in time for naptime. :-) It is a wonderful addition to our income--and allows Josh to be home more often!
Elise just turned four this month, and is slowly starting to grow up. She loves attending preschool, and is improving in many areas. She thinks she is Cinderella, and loves all things "girly". Eliana is 2 1/2 and definitely in the "terrible twos". She has a hilarious personality, and makes us laugh (most of the time). She stays busy trying to keep up with her older sister. They will be joined in March--Lord-willing-- by a baby brother. We are all excited about the addition of a boy to the family!
We had a busy summer, full of travel and soccer camps. It was nice to be together as a family--the girls are good little travelers. We were able to visit Florida, as well as many of the states in between here and there. In November, we made a trip to Idaho, to visit with Sarah’s family. Christmas time will be spent with Josh’s family in Wisconsin.
The new year holds many changes.... We are thankful for a God that lovingly guides and protects us every day. We pray that each of you will know the joy of following Him in 2007! Keep in touch.
Love--Josh, Sarah, Elise & Eliana

Sunday, December 24, 2006

NCCAA II All-Americans


I received a pleasant surprise earlier this week. Two players from the women's team were named to the NCCAA II All-American squad - Angela Fenstermacher and Melissa Nichols. Both players are very deserving of the honor. They are both domininant players in their positions. Angela was named a player of the week during last season when our defense held the opposition to one goal in three games. Melissa commands double teams everywhere she goes on the field. Even though she struggled with injury this season, she scored 7 goals and led the team with 7 assists. Angela and Melissa were also named Northern Athletics Conference All-Conference Honorable Mention. I believe that both of them deserved to be on the first team. We hope to add a recruit or two who can take attention away from Melissa so that she can really become a force on the pitch. -C

Friday, December 22, 2006

All-Conference Freshman



This year, two young men made the All-Freshman team in the Northern Athletics Conference: Mike Knepp and Brett Hollenbeck. Mike is from Pennsylvania and played for a strong soccer program at Pocono Mountain East HS. Mike is one of the most physically gifted players that I have ever coached and I am excited about his future in our program. Brett is also from a strong soccer program here in Wisconsin - Faith Christian School in William's Bay. Brett surprised me this year, because I didn't think he possessed the physical characteristics to have great success at this level. However, I underestimated his skill with the ball and he adjusted to the speed of play very well. Both players are a part of an outstanding 2006 freshman class that includes Zach Rabenstein (Muncie, IN), Joel Smith (Salisbury, MD), Dan Campbell (Bolingbrook, IL) and several others who will contribute in the future. I also have high hopes for the 2007 class. I believe that many of them possess the talent that when combined with the experience of the rest of our squad, could make us a contender in the coming year.- C

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Jules


Please pray for Julie Muse. She had surgery to correct a problem with her heels earlier this week and is stuck in the house for quite a while. Pray that her pain is not too great and that she will make a full recovery as soon as possible. Julie has been an integral member of our team for the past two seasons. She has had 12 goals and 11 assists in her first two seasons, been a soccer camp counselor and was a member of our mission's trip to Germany. If you get a chance, give her a call, send an email or just leave a comment on this post. - C

Sign Up for Soccer Camp!

Details for the 2007 Maranatha Soccer Camp are now online. Plan to register as soon as possible! The price for this year's camp has been raised to $220, however if you register before June 1st you will receive a discount of $30. Lord willing, instructors for 2007 will be Jennifer Adam, Tim Ashton, and Andrew Swift. The addition of Swifty will allow us to increase our focused goalkeeper instruction. Campers will receive instruction in conditioning, core strengthening, technical skills, finishing, defending and decision making. Our camp format also makes discipleship a major focus of the week.

We strongly invite coaches to attend our camp. It is a bargain $50 - for the entire week - room and board. We only ask for a little "crowd control" from time to time. We have an informal coach's symposium already in operation during this week. Eventually, we would like to include more formal instuction. Coaches have access to our staff during meals and rest times and are able to observe training sessions up close. Our staff seeks to be a resource for coaches, especially Christian school coaches. Coaches will also have access to our college library that holds current books, periodicals and DVD's designed to help improve soccer training abilities.

You can view pictures of soccer camp in the July/August archives of this blog. If any campers have any additional pictures from camp that they would like me to post, please send them to jcaucutt@mbbc.edu. - C

Friday, December 15, 2006

2006 Women's Photo Album

Here are pictures from the women's season. If any of you would like electronic copies for your own files, just email me. 2006 Women's Soccer - C

2006 Men's Photo Album

Photos from the 2006 Men's Soccer Season have been posted at Men's Photos
-C

2006 NCAA DI College Cup

I was able to attend the Men's Soccer NCAA DI Final Four in St. Louis this year. It was a great trip even though the weather was pretty bad. I was able to attend a coach's symposium for the NSCAA that was going on in conjunction with the games. The matches were outstanding. Here is a picture that proves I was there:
Can you find me? Hint: I'm not the goalkeeper. - C

End of the Year

The end of the soccer season is always a disappointment. It is so much fun to spend time with the teams in practice and games. Many of the players enjoy the extra time for homework and work, but after a couple of days with no practice, they are ready to get back on the field.

In each of the last three years, we have held an End-of-the-Year Reception. It is just an informal time to look at pictures from the past year, hand out gag awards and gives me a chance to talk about the players one last time. This year, Justin Martinez, who was injured in a motorcycle accidenter early in the season was able to attend. It was a great blessing to see him back on his feet.

One of the most important awards that we hand out each year is the Four Year Player award. I traditionally give a jersey with their name to every player who has been a part of our soccer program for four years. It is a great accomplishment to play soccer at this school for four years. The academic rigor, the financial challenge and the physical toll discourage many, but those who make it through are some of the toughest people around. If anyone out there is looking for a faithful employee who has a positive attitude, demonstrated creativity and is self-motivated, the first place they should look is on the list of four year players for Maranatha Soccer. Here is this year's list:

Steven Dow

Erik Eloe

Sarah Beardslee

Angela Fenstermacher
- C

Sunday, November 19, 2006

End of the road for Dominican

The last remaining Northern Athletics Conference team has lost in the "Elite Eight" of the NCAA III tournament. Dominican lost 2-0 to Ohio Wesleyan. Dominican outshot Wesleyan, but was still saddled with the loss. http://www.ncaasports.com/soccer/mens/recaps/d3_1119_0201/2006

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Okay, Okay, I'll Post Again

I apologize for not posting over the last month or so. I plan to start again. You can look for news and stories relating to the men's and women's soccer teams. I will post end of the year reviews and keep everyone up to date. Last week I spent on the road in Ankeny, IA; Kansas City, MO and St. Louis. Ankeny was a trip for the Development Department, but I was able to stay with Charlie Ellis, the missionary that the men's team ministered with this summer in Germany. In Kansas City I was able to do some recruiting for the college as well as speaking in two teacher's workshops having to do with athletics and Christian schools. The final stop in my trip was as the NCAA III representative at a tournament playoff game between Washington University in St. Louis and Loras College. I was the women's rep for the weekend, but I was also able to watch men's playoff matches between Wheaton, Wash U, Redlands and Fontbonne. Wheaton and Redlands won the first round and Wheaton upset Redlands (ranked #4) in the second round. I was also able to meet Wheaton's Hall of Fame coach, Joe Bean. Coach Bean is retiring after this season so it was a great opportunity to see his team play. - C

Friday, September 22, 2006

Mount Mary

Over the last few years our matches against Mount Mary have been lopsided but fun for our players, especially those who do not get a great deal of playing time in closer games. When our soccer program began in 1997, we had four games - two against NBBC and two against MM. MM beat us pretty badly in both games and we defeated NBBC both games for a record of 2-2. In 1998, we lost to MM at their place and then when they came to our field, we beat them for the first time. It was one of the most exciting games I have been a part of and I remember how excited all of the players were. Julie, Melissa, Colleen, Vianne, Kelly, Tsunami, and all the rest worked very hard for that win.
Today's game was a little different as we coasted to an 11-1 victory. Several players scored their first goals of the season and everyone got to play. Here is a link to the stat page for this game http://northernathleticsconf.com/sports/soccer_women/statistics/2006/mb07.htm. Now we can turn our focus to our conference match on Saturday at Lakeland. Please pray for a number of key playes who are nursing small injuries. Pray that they do not become more serious. We had a great answer to prayer as one of our players with financial difficulties as God provided a way for her to meet her obligations. - C

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

North Central

The men's team bounced back from a string of bad defeats to defeat North Central College from Naperville, IL. We have had some wild matches with this team over the past few years. Several years ago, before I was the coach and during a game in Naperville, Maranatha scored four goals in the first half and then NCC scored three goals in the second half with MBBC barely holding on for the victory. I think Greg Wright scored all of the MBBC goals. I believe that we also played a match against this team in which three penalty kicks were called. Maybe if Ben or Greg Wright happen across this blog they can help out my memory. In 2004 we defeated NCC at home in a 2-1 game where NCC dominated, but couldn't put the ball in the net. NCC's Nick Aguilar unleashed shot after shot that Andrew Swift barely deflected each time. We had played a women's match that afternoon, so the game was started late. It was so dark that I wasn't sure if Swifty could even see the ball. In 2005, NCC won down in Naperville in a hard fought contest. Stephen Roby scored on a free kick from almost 40 yds and hit the post on another. NCC's second goal of the contest was one of the hardest hit balls that I have ever seen.
Coming into the 2006 match, both teams had been struggling lately. NCC scored first on a own goal, the ball was spinning a great deal and the wind also affected it's flight. I don't think the NCC player was even shooting. We scored on a nice hustle (does he score any other way?) goal by Mark Scally to even the score at half-time 1-1. I thought we would end up with another 2-1 game when Mike Knepp scored with a nice shot from the righ side of the goal. Unfortunately, NCC scored again less than a minute later. This game was not over, however as the men increased the pressure and Joel Smith was able to find the net twice in the last 20 minutes.
Overall, I was very happy just to get the win and to score a few goals. Our attack was much stronger than it had been of late and our defensive intensity was greatly improved. I am a little concerned with our attacking and defensive shape, but we have a couple of days to work on it. We resume conference play on Saturday against Lakeland College. - C

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

MSOE


Saturday was a great day for soccer at Uihlein Soccer Park in Milwaukee. The women played first at 1 pm and won a hard fought victory. Emily Kutz scored the only goal of the contest on a great hustle play where she stole the ball up front and then beat the keeper. The main story of this game was our defensive effort. Jenny Harley, Shasta Mikolowski, Angela Fenstermacher, Deborah Hale, Carrie Rauba, and Holly Meissner all played major minutes in the back to help goal keeper Autumn Byers tally her second straight shutout. Our midfield also played a large role in effort with Abby Kalschuer winning almost every loose ball in the middle third during the second half. All this, on a day when we were without the services of senior captain Sarah Beardslee who is planning to be back in action on Thursday against Mount Mary. We are now 3-3 on the season, 1-1 in conference and Angela Fenstermacher was named the player of the week in the Northern Athletics Conference

http://www.northernathleticsconf.com/releases/2006_09/20060919a.html

The men did not fare so well as we lost to MSOE 5-1. We consistently give up an early goal and we are struggling to find the answer to that problem. Fortunately we are only 0-1 in conference and with 9 conference games remaining, we have a great opportunity to turn things around. - C

Saturday, September 16, 2006

Benedictine

The ladies came into the match with Benedictine on a 3 game losing streak - furthermore a streak where we had lost every game by one goal. Unfortunately the match had to be played off-campus at Brandt-Quirk Park about a mile from Maranatha, but we made the best of it. We controlled most of the game, but we are still having trouble getting the ball in the net. Losing Sarah Beardslee probably had something to do with that. Our team is really starting to possess the ball well. Some of our freshmen - Emily Dow and Emily Kutz are learning the game very quickly. Karen Beardslee has also developed into an outstanding passer. Of course, Angela Fenstermacher had another great game, shutting down Benedictine's best player and leading the defense to a conference shut-out. Melissa Nichols had a great performance at center mid, putting great shots on goal, but the Benedictine keeper did a very nice job to hold us to only two goals. Final score 2-0. - C

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Dominican University

This was the first conference match of the season for both teams. Conference matches are like the playoffs. The tension is greater and typically both teams play their best matches with the conference record on the line.
The men's match began at 2 pm and was a little complicated by our missing an exit on the way down. Turning the bus around while traveling the Illinois Tollway is not an easy thing. . .Dominican came into the game as the 14th ranked team in NCAA III http://nscaa.com/seniorRes.php?it=152. There are over 400 teams in NCAA III. We thought we had a good gameplan in place as we entered the match, but Dominican backed up their ranking quickly. At half-time we changed our tactics and had a little more success, however, the score was still a lopsided 8-0. I would have to check to make certain, but I think it is the worst loss by the men's squad since I have been coaching. Dan Kaminiski actually had a good game in the net. He made several very nice saves in poor conditions. Andrew Solarek, Mike Knepp and Brett Hollenbeck also played well. We are certain that we can play better against teams of this caliber and we are looking forward to MSOE on Saturday.
The ladies gave a good account of themselves yesterday, holding the top goal scorer in NCAA III in 2005 to one goal on the afternoon. Unfortunately that goal was the difference in the match. We had several good opportunities to get on the board, including a breakaway in the first half, but couldn't convert. This is our third one-goal loss in a row. This weekend we play a conference match on Friday night against Benedictine and a non-conference match against MSOE on Saturday.

Monday, September 11, 2006

North Central




This game has been a great match-up for our ladies for the past five years. Our game with North Central College are always close - unfortunately we have ended up on the losing end more often than we would like. NCC is from the tough CCIW conference in Illinois that includes Wheaton, Elmhurst, Illinois Wesleyan and a number of other schools that are powerhouses in NCAA III women's soccer. Here are our all-time scores against NCC:
2002 L 0-2
2003 L 0-1
2004 W 2-1 2OT
2005 L 0-1
2006 L 1-2 1OT
This year was no different. NCC scored early on a shot to the "upper 90", but we quickly settled in and played well. Julie Muse had a great chance on a break-away, but the NCC keeper made a nice 1v1 save on the ground. Late in the second half, Sarah Beardslee who has always been one of our greatest players under pressure, took a header from Emily Dow and stuck it in the net to even the score at 1-1. We then went to OT. The game was fairly even at this point, but I thought that our attack was stronger than theirs. Unfortunately, we were unable to score early and we committed a foul in the box that led to a penatly kick that ended the game - a tough way to lose a close match. Overall, I was pleased with the level of effort and intensity that the ladies played with. We definitely have some work to do in the area of possession. - C

Lake Forest




We knew we were going to have our hand's full against the Foresters. They are a team that is often in the regional rankings and play in the Midwest Conference. It was a pretty nice day for soccer, a little chilly and cloudy, but not much wind. We did not match up well with their team speed and they were consitently splitting our defensive double teams. We gave up our typical early goal and then played pretty steady the rest of the match. Mike Knepp was able to get us on the scoreboard with a nice free kick from about 25 yds out. Even though we were defeated, some positives came out of this match:
1) We showed that we can play with top teams for short periods of time.
2) We are closer to finalizing our line-up and formation.
3) This game was great preparation for NAC play that begins on Tuesday.
Tim Reinert had one of his better games this season. Kirk Riffel has really developed into a top defender at this level. Justin Monge's goal kicks are some of the best that we have had on this team over the past few years. Please continue to pray for Justin. - C

Friday, September 08, 2006

Dubuque University

Once again we made the long trip to Dubuque, Iowa for the second time in four days. We only had a men's game this time, so we took two of the school vans. For some reason, we did not allow quite enough time for travel and so our warm-ups were more rushed than usual. I thought the men were ready to play and the conditions and field were in great shape. Unfortunately, we started slowly and never really recovered. Dubuque spread the field well and consitently found attacking space in our defense. Brian Oliver had a great game in the back and Mike Knepp hit another nice penalty shot for our only tally of the match. The score was 4-1.

Clarke College

Both teams suffered disappointing losses on Labor Day. The players concern for Justin did not help our mindset.
The men gave a great deal of effort, but we did not adjust well to the weather conditions. We had several strong attacks in the second half, including a header by Mike Knepp that was probably over the goal line. We need to focus on not giving up early goals. The score was 3-2
The ladies played a solid game overall, but we are still having trouble working together. Some of that is because I haven't finally settled on a line-up. Emily Dow had a very good goal near the end of the match and we really put some pressure on the net during the last 10 to 15 minutes. The score was 2-1.

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Justin Martinez



Please pray for one of our team members, Justin Martinez from Schaumburg, IL. Justin was involved in an accident on his motorcycle on Sunday night. He was severely injured and is in critical, but stable condition at a hospital near Milwaukee. A number of his teammates witnessed the accident.
Justin is a young man who attended a number of our soccer camps over the years and who had just played his first collegiate soccer game on Friday night against Ashford. Our team will miss him a great deal over the next few weeks. I have always enjoyed Justin since I met him at soccer camp in 2004. His number has been in my phone for over a year now and I always looked forward to hearing how his soccer matches were going and how he was doing. As most freshmen, Justin was having a little trouble adjusting to the college game, but he was improving quickly and was always willing to do exactly what I asked him to work on. We are hoping and praying to see him back on our sideline by the end of the season. - C

Saturday, September 02, 2006

Ashford University

The first game of the season is always one of the most exciting of the season. We really did not know what to expect from Ashford, and NAIA school from Iowa. Both of the men's and the women's programs had been up and down over the last couple of years. Their new coach seemed to be building some momentum, however and it looked like it would be a quality match.
The Ashford women's team had some very athletic players who never quit the entire match. I have been worried about our ability to possess the ball this season after Laura Frazee, Kim Gavitt and Christine Yogerst graduated, however we did reasonably well in this area. Abby Kalscheur continues to improve and Melissa Nichols carried over her strong shooting from a year ago. Abby had a great hustle goal in the second half and Sarah Beardslee had a shot that went through the keeper's legs for the two goals of the game. As a team, we had put several outstanding shots that hit the post, so it was kind of ironic that our only scores were "pick up the trash" goals. I would also like to recogize Angela Fenstermacher for another strong game. She has been our most consistent player for the last 3 years and this game was no different.


I expected a strong game from the Ashford men's team, it would be a real test for our young team. We started three freshmen: Mike Knepp, Brett Hollenbeck, Joel Smith; three sophomores: Andrew Solarek, Kirk Riffel, Brian Oliver; three juniors: Dan Kaminski, Tim Reinert, Mark Scally and two seniors, Steve Dow and Justin Monge ( two year player). Ashford came out strong and it took us a moment to adjust to the speed and level of physical play. The first half ended with a 0-0 tie that included several outstanding opportunities for us and a save on the goal line by Monge.


Our first goal in the second half was a hustle goal all around, while giving the assist, Andrew Solarek sustained a pretty good hit that took him out of the game for 15 minutes. Mark Scally took Solarek's pass in front of the net, but managed to get the ball in the net even while his feet were being grabbed by Ashford's goalkeeper. Mike Knepp then scored on a beautiful header off of a free kick by Brian Oliver. Our next tally was an own goal that was forced by the play of Tim Reinert and the final goal was on a great header by Oliver off a corner kick. The men played a great all-around game and we were able to get every one into the match. - C

Monday, August 21, 2006

Preseason!

Today is the beginning of preseason at Maranatha. This is one of my favorite weeks of the entire year. All we have to worry about is soccer for an entire week. Meeting many of the recruits for the first time is like opening a Christmas present. Practices have so much energy. Everyone is looking forward to the season. I will be sharing some preseason thoughts as well as a few pictures in the next few days. - C

Sunday, August 20, 2006

Soccer Camp in Miami

Sorry that this post has taken to long to get on the site, but two weeks ago, my family and I drove down to Westwood Christian School in Miami for a soccer camp with the kids down there. We had a good number out for the camp and I am excited about the potential of both their men's and women's soccer programs. If you want to read a little more detailed account of our part of the trip. See http://www.toddlerworld.blogspot.com/ or Sarah and the E's on the right. Here are a few pictures.

Working with Danny on goalkeeping skills. Elise was a big help.

Coach Myers and some players getting ready for the Saturday morning scrimmage.


Coach Nick and others before the scrimmage.

I would like to thank athletic director Melissa Osle and boy's soccer coach Dave Myers for the opportunity to come to Westwood. - C

Saturday, July 29, 2006

More Pictures from Soccer Camp 2006

Here are some more pictures from Maranatha Soccer Camp. . .

Liz and Kayla

Everyone helps to move practice goals.

Justin always finds time for the ladies.

Premier working on their goalkeeping skills.

Willie shoots during a game of "knockout".
Serie A taking a break. Serie A working hard.

MBBC Soccer Camp 2006

Marantha Soccer Camp 2006 is over and we are excited about next year. We had a perfect amount of rain to keep the fields soft. The weather was hot and humid, but everyone stayed hydrated. We had no heat related illnesses during the week. I would like to thank all of the staff this year. They did a great job with their enthusiasm and willingness to work hard. Our staff included instructors Jen Adam and Tim Ashton. Counselors included Julie Muse, Abby Kalscheur, Emily Dow, Emily Kutz, Brett Hollenbeck, Justin Martinez, and Andrew Swift. I would also like to thank Rob Cronin and Angela Morris for their spiritual challenges during the week. Here are some pictures from the camera of Sandy Hagan. I want to thank her for going out of her way to take them and get the CD to me as quickly as possible.

Coach Ashton working hard.


Not sure who won this battle. . . my guess is Elise, but Jen would probably differ.
Jon, earning his Camper of the Week award.
Bundesliga receiving instruction
Andrea wasn't really hurt, Sam and Lysh just wanted her out of the way so we could keep playing.
A little barefoot soccer improved technique and gave feet a chance to "air" out.

Sunday, July 16, 2006

One More Week Until Soccer Camp at Maranatha!

During the coming week I will be traveling down to Rochelle, Illinois every day for a soccer camp for the local high school in that town. Please pray that I keep my energy level high, that I stay awake on the road and that gas prices go down. . .
Next week marks the beginning of our soccer camp here at Maranatha. This is promising to be one of our largest camps in several years. I am also excited about the staff who will be instructing this year. Jennifer Adam was a standout player for the Maranatha women's team from 2000-2004. She has since become a college assistant for the last two years and the head coach of the Maranatha Academy girl's team for the past three seasons. Timothy Ashton was also a standout player for the men's team at MBBC. Tim was a former soccer camper at Maranatha and has been a staff counselor for several years. Myself, Jennifer and Tim will be the main instructors for camp this year. We will also have a couple of sessions for goalkeepers put on by Andrew Swift. Others who plan to help with camp this year are freshmen Justin Martinez, Brett Hollenbeck, Emily Kutz and Emily Dow. Sophomores include Abigail Kalscheur and Julie Muse. I hope to find one more upperclassmen to help as a counselor on the men's side. It is not too late to sign up for camp - just click on the MBBC link at the right and go to the camp page. - C

Monday, July 03, 2006

Tri-City Soccer Camp

The Tri-City Soccer Camp went well. We had about twenty high school soccer players for three and a half hours in the morning and then a dozen or so elementary age players for two hours in the afternoon. The emphasis for this week was on possession and attack. We only spent about half a day on defense. (Note to players: this will not happen during preseason.) Battle Ball with two goals close together and teams try to score close together and Big Dog were two favorite exercises.
It was not all fun and games however as we spent time on core strength and agility exercises and in learning to use angles and changes of speed to move the ball up the field. End Zone keep-away and 3v7 keep-away were also effective.
I enjoyed talking to Todd Campbell the athletic director at Tri-City and being a part of the ministry there. I want to thank the church and school for the hospitality they should me and my family.
I still hope to finish a post that focuses on the ladies side of the mission trip.-C

Saturday, June 24, 2006

Transition

This blog was started as a result of the Maranatha men's and women's soccer team missions trip to Germany. We enjoyed our ministry there and I am thankful that God saw fit to use us in this way. I may continue to share anecdotes and photos from our trip, but in the coming months, this site will start to reflect more of the happenings of the Maranatha soccer program. I hope to communicate with prospective athletes, recruits and current players. I also hope to share my itinerary as I work in several soccer camps this summer and thoughts about the 2006 season. Please pray for my family as we travel to Kansas City, MO tomorrow for a 4 day soccer camp for high school boys in the morning and elementary boys in the afternoon. Hopefully I can post from KC. I'll let you know when we get there! - C

A Few Reasons to Come Home

Two reasons.
Daddy always buys things too big - the women's soccer team would agree.

A little backyard soccer with new Germany kits!

Daddy gets "megged".

The best reason. :) It is good to be home.

Since the US was ousted from the World Cup this week, we have chosen to root for Deutschland. - C