GOODBYE SUMMER!

Well Selects Fans, it's been a fantastic summer season.  We are now well on our way into the indoor season with pre-season practices and tryouts right around the corner.   

To send our summer season off with a bang here are a few more pictures to remember the time we had in Anaheim.  See you all on the indoor pitches soon!

A special thank you to all the Selects FC fans out there.  Keep the Blue Strong!!!

Coach Preston

Click on the photos to see

larger versions.

THANK YOU BELOW THE BELT

The team and the Mill Woods Selects want to again thank all our sponsors and especially Below the Belt as our primary sponsor.  This company gave us a tremendous amount of support in the way of team hoodies, t-shirts  jeans, Umbrellas, cash and much more.  

Thank you all so much for supporting our team!

MORE TEAM PICS

Here are a couple more pictures for our fans!  Thank you for all your support! Click on them to see larger versions.

THE TOWER OF TERROR

Over the next week I will be updating the blog with a more detailed account of the trip.  Most of us are back now with the last to arrive home in the next couple days. 

For now I thought I would share our AWESOME team picture on the Tower of Terror.  Please watch the blog over the next week or two to read details of the trip. 

SELECTS ON THE TOWER OF TERROR!!

SCREEEEEEEAM!   Click picture to see larger version.

SUNDAY UPDATE

Today the team played a game in the morning to see if we get to go to the gold medal game and we lost.   Thats the breaks in soccer. You win some and you lose some.

No matter the end result of the tournament everyone here is a winner in our eyes.  We had an AMAZING first season as a team and achieved way more success than people predicited we would.  Everyone should be very proud of the accomplishments we achieved in less than a year.

I know the coaches are all looking forward to how we will continue to grow as a team and players in the next indoor season.

After some pictures and a few other team housekeeping duties the entire team and parent group hit Disneyland in a serious way and had a TON OF FUN!   We managed as a group of 60 people to hit many rides such as Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountian, Indy, Big Thunder and of course the Tower of Terror.

Everybody had a great time at the park and for me it was especially fun seeing the smiles on the faces of the girls at the park.  So much fun!

Over the next few days we will be collecting our pictures and posting some on the blog.   A bunch of us are also heading to Vegas in the next couple days too so more updates will come from there.

Thank you all for following us in this adventure over the past 11 months.  Watch the site for the next few days for more pics soon.

Coach Preston

SATURDAY UPDATE

The past 24 hours have sure been interesting and fun.  After two games one which was a loss of 1-0 and the other a win of 3-0 we are currently in second place.  As it stands right now if we win this mornings game we go to the medal match.  If we lose and the PCSC team beats Fullerton this morning we go to the medal match.   It just goes to prove that tournaments are always just crazy!

The teams down here are very good with ball handing and working together. We knew that we would see this here however I will say the teams here have awesome strikers.  Our keeper was tested alot in the first game but she kept us in it.  They snuck a weak goal on us though and thats just soccer....  As far as we are concerned the team is doing great, playing well and competing with teams that are considered Silver and Gold level down here.   Way to go girls!

Whatever happens today the coaches and parents are proud of you all girls!

DISNEY

Today will be the first Disney day as a team. We are heading out there this evening to have some serious fun , get some pictures and bond more as a team.


Watch for more updates and pictures to come.

FRIDAY UPDATE

Today was an awesome day for everyone on the team. We had a practice in the morning which was in a word, hot...... During our practice a fella from Anaheim FC was at the field checking for debris and we starting chatting with him for a while.  Southern California is apparently the soccer mecca for the US. He had lots to talk about and share ( what self resprecting soccer person doesn't  right?)
and we got a few pointers about how the teams play down here in SoCal.

The rest of the day saw the girls doing some pool activities, beach, sight seeing etc.  A bunch of us went down to Huntington Beach for the afternoon and it was Amazing!  The sun was bright, a nice wind from the ocean was there to cool you off and the waves were HUGE!  I even got in the ocean and did some wave jumping with the girls.  It was great!

After the beach 8 of the families went to a local Mexican restaurant called ElTorito.  It was a great time with good food and visiting.   Then we met up with the last five families due to arrive and got ready for the next day.

Tomorrow is the first day of our tournament so cheer on the girls as we go for the gold!

EAT AT JOES!

Today was a big travel day for the team. Many more girls came into Anaheim today and only a few more coming tomorrow.  Some of us went over to Joes Crab Shack for dinner tonight and had a great time. The girls we're a little worried if they would become the meal though as you can see below!  LOL

After dinner the girls invaded the pool and played games until the very last minute.  Everyone is so excited and ready to have fun.  Tomorrow we have a short practice in the morning and then many of the families are doing a beach day.

More updates to come soon!

ONLY HOURS NOW!!!

Practice tonight was a little light indeed with a good chunk of the team gone or going to Anaheim right now and over the next 40 hours.  Ten of the girls showed up for the practice only to have it seriously cut short by yet another evening storm.  The good part is they got to visit with each other tonight and I have to tell you all they are all PRETTY EXCITED!!

We also received our schedule today.  Our opponents this weekend will be (in no particular order):


1. Anaheim FC 98
2. PCSC White
3. Fullerton Rangers White

Win or lose this weekend we know that it's going to be fun, exciting and well worth the experience!  How much better does a trip like this get?  The girls get to travel with their friends, play in another country and go to Disneyland together!

Let's finish off strong girls.  We are all proud of everything you accomplished so far this year and no matter what happens this weekend you are all golden in our hearts!

It's going to be STUPID HOT!

Well it's official sports fans, this weekend is going to be a scorcher.  Check out the weekend forecast:

With temperatures like that the ball is going to MELT on the field.  LOL!    Thank goodness we sent our canopy down to Anaheim already!    

More to come....

IT'S GOING TO BE HOT!

Wow!  Am I ever glad that this summer has been hotter than normal in Alberta.  We had a look at the long range forecast for next weekend and the prediction is +38 Degrees Celsius during the day and +27 at night!


This tournament is going to be a hot one girls.  Bring your sunscreen!

WASN'T THAT A PARTY!

Our Team had our end of season / Pre-California party yesterday and what a blast it was!  The party went until 2 AM that night!  Almost the whole team showed and enjoyed the pool, badminton, fire pit, food, late night laser dance party and a bunch of other games.   Everyone had a great time visiting and talking about the upcoming trip. 

Many thanks to everyone for pitching in to
make this years party the best ever!

SPECIAL ANAHEIM PACKAGE FOR THE TEAM

 

The girls also received a special California package during the party courtesy of Below The Belt.  Each girl received a gift bag worth $250.00 that included a Roxy Canada Hoodie banded with the Selects Logo, Jersey number and initials, a Silver brand T-Shirt, a Roxy Canada T-shirt, a gift certificate for a pair of Silver Brand Jeans, Lanyards, Lip Gloss and much more.  Thank you Crystal for arranging this awesome package for the girls.   

A very special thanks to Below the Belt this year. This company is our main corporate sponsor for our trip. Everything your company and staff have done for us is greatly appreciated.  Thank You!

One step closer to our Cali Adventure!

WHAT A TEAM!

As promised here is a picture of the Gold Medalists!   Girls it has been a fantastic journey this past year with all of you.  Every moment is special and we cherish them all!    Two weeks away from Anaheim now.....   GO SELECTS!!

Stop the Violence in Sport

During our last game this season we had a player seriously injured on a play that happened right in front of our bench.  This play was a deliberate attempt by an opposing player to hurt our player which unfortunately succeeded. The hit was to the neck and head area with her elbow resulting in the player not getting up with pain and numbness to the right arm.  Two doctors on the field examined her and EMS was called. The end result was the player being taken off the field in traction and taken to emergency at the hospital. 

Thankfully there was no broken bones in her neck however this player now has possible nerve damage which time will determine and a very sore neck.  Thank God nothing worse happened.  These kind of hits in soccer are unwarranted and unnecessary. 

VIOLENT PLAY IN SOCCER NEEDS TO STOP! 

We have noticed a MARKED increase in unnecessary roughness in the game over the years and we believe its time to put this trend in check and make an effort to stop it.    Coaches start teaching your kids to play fair, play smart, use their skill and have fun.   These are kids!   Let them be kids and enjoy playing a game they love.   

IT'S UP TO US COACHES TO SET THE EXAMPLE AND TEACH SPORTSMANSHIP!

Do a Google search on "stop the violence in sport" and start reading everyone.  It is becoming an epidemic in all sports all over North America.   This is not sport, this is not skill, it is hooliganism. Winning at all costs is NOT what youth sport is about!   We are developing not only athletes but young and impressionable people. These young minds look up to their coaches as mentors and guides not only in sport but in life lessons through competition. For this to be a healthy experience for our kids the competition needs to be a clean and positive experience.  Teams and coaches that "GET IT" are the ones that time and again will beat the over aggressive team in the long run. Why?  Because they are taught skill WITH fortitude.  

Fortitude is a much different thing than aggressive dirty play.  It is a strength of mind that enables a person to encounter adversity with courage.

Dirty play shows up even more in desparation when a team is behind. We have seen it in youth sport time and again and we all see countless examples of it in professional sports on TV all the time.  Our kids see this and think its alright.  IT'S NOT!  It is our responsibility as youth mentors to tell them its wrong and show them what's right.   

When we as a coaching collective have the TRUE COURAGE to teach our kids what's right then we can make a positive difference not only in their individual lives but to the sport overall that we love so dearly. 

I challenge all my fellow coaches to find your courage. 

You will find the rewards to be much greater than whether or not you win or lose a game at all costs.

GOLD IT IS!

Our regular season is over and the Selects are Golden again!   Way to go girls!   It has been a great season and I know we are all looking super forward to Anaheim in only TWO WEEKS!

Even before the last game we had already won the gold but kept it quiet.  The final result was number one in our division and undefeated in our regular league round. Excellent job  girls!  You have all played above and beyond all expectations!

For those of you following the blog we will post our gold medal pictures as soon as we can.  We could not take pictures after the last game due to a serious and intentional injury done to one of our players.  

Please watch the site in the next few days for picture updates.  Now that we are getting closer to the final tournament in California we will be posting more frequently.  

More coming soon!

GOING FOR GOLD.... (Again) .... and more...

THE GOLD IS NEARLY IN OUR GRASP

 

Wow!  What a season!   We are now one game away from regular season gold!   The girls have not lost a game in the past 8 games and we are currently commanding first place in our league tier.   WAY TO GO TEAM!    For all our fans out there make sure you come to our last game and cheer us on.

 The Selects are on a tear!   GO TEAM GO!

GETTING CLOSE TO ANAHEIM

It is now just over three weeks to the Summer Showcase in Anaheim and everyone is getting super excited.  We just received our CANADA / SELECTS branded hoodies yesterday and they look super awesome.  Many thanks again to Below the Belt for the most generous donation.   

Once we are in Anaheim we will endeavor to update this blog daily with game updates, pictures and of course details of the action packed team activities.  

BOTTLE DRIVE SUCCESS!

It feels so awesome to be getting closer and closer to our trip to Anaheim.  We had our final fundraising event this weekend and it was a great success! The team pulled together to raise the final amount of money needed to put us OVER our goal.   Many thanks to all the parents and players for pulling together all year to raise the money needed to send our team on this incredible journey!

Way to go team!  Another success story on our way to ANAHEIM!

SHOOTOUT GOLD!

Way to go girls!  The gold medal match was a nail-biter for sure.  The game was fast and furious with a side of Rain, Wind and hard hitting action.   After a 1-1 regular time and a 5 player each shootout the game went into a SUDDEN DEATH Shootout!    Our keeper made an amazing save and the girls zipped it up on the 8th shooter!   What a win!   

Next up will be the SUMMER SHOWCASE in Anaheim. Enjoy it girls, you deserve it!

GOING FOR CAMROSE GOLD!

After two more games today of which we won both of them, our team is the point leader after round robin play!   Our second game tonight was completely in the rain and the girls had an AWESOME time.  I have never seen the girls so excited for a game. Great job team!

We are in the Gold Medal game tomorrow morning.   Let's get the fires burning and go hard tomorrow. 

GREAT JOB SELECTS!

CAMROSE NIGHT CLASSIC

Another weekend and another fun and action packed tournament!  This weekend we are attending the Camrose Night Classic.   Most games are held at night with fields lit up with portable generators.   We played our first game last night and it was pretty cool.   

The game was tied 2-2 at the end but man we just couldn't buy goals last night.  We spent 90% of the second half in the other teams end and had SOOOO many chances!     

Regardless of the outcome the girls had a really good time and continue to grow as a team.   We play two more games today with one of them being at night again!   Let's hope the rain stays away.

More to come as the tournament goes on!

GO GIRLS!!

GOLD IT IS!

What a tournament!  The girls got Gold and a full tournament Shut Out to boot!   WOW!   Great job to all the girls and coaches for a fantastic win this weekend!   Let's do it all over again in two weeks at the Camrose Night Classic!

GO SELECTS!

GOING FOR GOLD!

What a tournament so far!   SIMPLY AMAZING!  The girls game play this weekend has truly reached a new level.  We are seeing tremendous strides in game play, aggressiveness, problem solving and more.  Its really starting to come together and all of the coaches are VERY proud right now.  

We have always stressed game play over winning as the most important goal of our team.  With proper skills and play the winning will come and it sure has this weekend.   Our first two games this weekend at the Kick Off Classic were both Shut-Outs which automatically advances us to the Gold Medal match tomorrow!   Fantastic work girls, you have earned it and keep it up!    LET'S GO FOR THE GOLD!

KICK OFF CLASSIC TOURNAMENT

This weekend our team will be participating in the Annual Mill Woods Kick Off Classic Tournament.  This long running tournament is one of the premier events in the month of May for Tiers 1,2,3,4 and Adult Competitive soccer.  

Good luck to the team and go for the GOLD girls!

Click here for more information on the Tournament. 

Selects Kick Off Party!

Last weekend the Selects held their very first season Kick Off Party!   This event was a huge success with approximately 300 players, parents and siblings attending!  The food, fun, games and dancing were enjoyed by all.   Many thanks to the organizers of this event.  We look forward to the next one. Way to go Selects!

The girls had a great time at the event! 

Games Start Today!

Pre-Season is finally over!   Yayyy!   Our first regular season game is against Camrose tonight in Beaumont.  Should be a good game and this team is completely unknown to us. This season EMSA is going with an 8 game seeding round to determine who plays in Premier A and B and then play down to provincials.  Where we are going to end up is anyone's guess.  We do know one thing however, we are going to give it our best at every game!  Work hard girls and have fun!

Getting ready for our new season - Knee Fit

Well the past few weeks have been interesting to say the least for practices.  Amazingly with the crazy weather we have managed to get in six practices so far.  The team is looking pretty good and our new additions for outdoor are fitting right in with the girls. Great job girls!

One of the newest things we have brought into the team this season is the Knee Fit program.  This excellent program is designed to reduce ACL injuries dramatically and as a side benefit it builds core and leg strength at the same time.  We completely believe in this program.  Keeping our athletes safe and strong is only going to benefit the team as whole for many years to come.

Check out the Knee Fit program by clicking here.  Thank you to Sherwood Park Sports Physiotherapy for working with us and our Selects teams with this wonderful program! 

Silent Auction a Smashing Success!

What a fantastic night! Our team Silent Auction tonight was absolutely amazing.  The place was packed with people and there was TONS of great items to bid on!   A special thanks to the Silent Auction committee and all their helpers.  Your hard work leading up to and during tonight's event made it a smashing success!

The team is now one more big step forward to reaching our funding goals! 
Great work!

Silent Auction Tonight!

Please join us for our team Silent Auction tonight at the The Canadian Brewhouse in Ellerslie 9538 Ellerslie Rd starting at 7 PM. 

All proceeds from this fundraising event goes to our California Trip! Come and support the team, visit with soccer fanatics and have a refreshment or two. 

Hope to see you all there!

Gotta Love Alberta Weather!

You would think that we would all be used to it by now.  Snow when you least expect it in Alberta.  HA!  This winter has seen one of the driest and warmest seasons in decades.  Now when we want to get on the field to practice what happens.....   yup.... LOTS of White stuff!  I think this is the most snow at one time all season.  Thank goodness for gym times!  Thank you Angie at the MW Office!

The snow is melting fast so maybe next weekend we can get on a real field.  We have alot of work to do as this will be our first season of 11 v 11. Let's keep our fingers crossed! 

Try-Outs are Done!

Well Duane and I had a really hard time making picks for this seasons outdoor team.  All of the girls were so good on the field that it made choices quite difficult. 

We are very happy to say that all of the existing team made it this season!  Great job girls!  We also want to welcome three new additions to our team:  Kaitlin, Sydney and Claudia.  Welcome girls, we are looking forward to working with you this season!

Now that Try-Outs are completed for the Outdoor season the team will be going into high gear for the upcoming Summer Showcase.  Hold onto your hats, the fun is about to go into overdrive!

Indoor Season is Done!

Wow! What a season!  So many great things happened this season.  The team did so much better than expected and the girls have bonded better than anyone could hope for.  We achieved some great things for a team that was formed just 7 months ago.  We are totally looking forward to the upcoming try-outs and outdoor season.

Of course we are also super-stoked about the Summer Showcase too.   Being the Disney junkie that I am this trip is extra special for me as I get to have my whole soccer team at one of my favorite places in the world!

Good luck to all the girls in the upcoming try-outs! Work hard Girls!

Mill Woods Selects 1999 Girls Team - Welcome to our team blog!

We are very excited about the launch of our new team blog.  This site is dedicated to our upcoming adventure this year, The Anaheim FC Summer Showcase.  Please follow us on this journey to international soccer competition, Disneyland and more!