NEW TEAM BLOG!

For all our fans who followed our adventure to Anaheim we have a new blog in place.  This new blog will chronicle our time from the 2013 summer season and forward.  

Watch for our upcoming Disney adventure and all the other SELECTS FC action in between. 

CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR NEW BLOG NOW

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!