Rumor: Funding Allocated for KISD Soccer Program

Sometimes I like to start positive rumors and other times I guiltily like to debunk them as well. Well today I'd like to start a new rumor: KISD approved the funding for another athletics coach which will include soccer for the 2013/2014 year.

Different from other occasions where I expose rumors to be false, I'd like to substantiate today's rumor with facts.

1. I received a call from Ms. Eckert who received an e-mail from the district stating that the funding had been approved for HMS to hire another coach and the soccer program will move forward.
2. ISMS likewise received the same notification from their principal.
3. KMS is checking with their principal

Thank you to those that participated with e-mails, player participation, parent involvement and an overall positive approach in helping to bring back the soccer program to the Keller school district. Your participation this season truly has made a difference and has impacted more than just your own players: it has left a legacy that if managed properly will continue to provide the joy we feel in the sport for generations to come.

Thanks again and congratulations on making a difference!

Cleats and Uni's Put to Good Use

For those that remember the donation request back at the first of the club season, you may be wondering what ever became of those donations and did they actually reach some destination. Well, here's your answer. For those on Facebook, check out https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10201162283276828.1073741833.1162404737&type=1
Thank you to all that participated!!! 
Captions taken directly from Facebook as narrated by the Bishop family.

Moses in his fancy Goal Keepers shirt and new shoes and socks

The team, ready to play

They look really sharp

We tied the game but played really well.

Huskies Soccer Club 2013 Photos

Huskies Soccer Club 2013, a set on Flickr.

Thanks Mr. Hallford for taking these pics and coach Kevin for the use of the camera. Please feel free to download, share and link to any of these photos. They're for your use! Please do request permission to alter them and do not use them for commercial gain.

Letter to the Keller Citizen Editor

Of course I'm a bit biased by the author, but I was pleased to see that one of our club players was published yesterday in the Keller Citizen. Jaden Hanson wrote a heartfelt letter expressing his desire to have the soccer program be brought back as a UIL sport and petitioning the KISD board to approve the budget in tonight's meeting (6/6). Click the link to read more. http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/06/03/4905167/letters-to-the-editor.html?storylink=addthis#.UbABxSNQgCc.facebook

Trophy and Plaque Delivered to HMS

Just a quick update for those wondering what happened to the trophy/plaque. I finally was able to deliver both, a trophy from a donor at ISMS whose husband passed away not long ago. As a part of the legacy her husband left, she has donated funds to help support the middle school club program and has sponsored the 1st annual Magnes Cup, a symbol of his legacy and support for the program.

The plaque was purchased and contains a picture of the team along with the UNDEFEATED season info.

I was told via txt that the team was called down to present both to Coach Stitt. Please ask your son about the experience. Hopefully it was just a small cap on the very excited inaugural season. Looks like we'll know more tomorrow night from the KISD board meeting but likely we're looking at continuing the program onward and expanding the number of teams and schools.

Thanks again for an incredible ride and the best of luck to you all this summer with tryouts, indoor, high school prep and the many other activities you're sure to enjoy!

Relief Solicitation for Moore, OK

Many of you are probably asking yourselves why coach Hanson would be utilizing the Huskies Soccer Club channel of communication to solicit help for the victims of the tornado in Moore, OK? Well, while we have an incredible soccer club, I believe we have an even stronger support group that cares about helping others. I witnessed this when you all joined us in prayer for Ms. Simpson and have seen how you donated cleats and other soccer items to those in Africa.

We now have an opportunity to reach out to our neighbors to the north in Moore, OK. I'm sure that those who go to church will likely have channels to donate. If you'd like a more direct route, I'm heading up to OK this Monday with my family and friends. We're working on getting resources together (food, water, clothing, diapers, essentials) to take with us and we'll be helping on Memorial Day with some clean up. It's not much but it's something and I feel compelled to share what I have with those that now having nothing.

If you'd like more info and/or would like to donate time and/or resources, check out https://www.facebook.com/FortWorthReliefForMooreOk , like it and stay tuned for more details. The more help the better.

Thanks again for all of your help, love and support!

10 Game Undefeated Season Realized!!!

Congratulations to the Huskies Soccer Club in pull off a undefeated season. 10 games without a single loss. I'm so incredibly proud of all of you players, fans and all those that made it possible to do what just a few short months ago seemed impossible.

Here's a re-cap as posted on the standings page.

Date	Time	Home	Away	Scores
4/8	5:30 - A 6:30 - B	Eagles	Huskies	1-4 (Huskies) 0-3 (Huskies)
4/22	5:30 - A 6:30 - B	Huskies	Comanches	2-1 (Huskies) 2-1 (Huskies)
4/29	5:30 - A 6:30 - B	Comanches	Eagles	3-1 (Comanches) 2-0 (Comanches)
5/6	5:30 - A 6:30 - B	Huskies	Eagles	4-1 (Huskies) 2-1 (Huskies)
5/13	5:30 - A 6:30 - B	Eagles	ComanchesHuskies	1-4 (Huskies) 2-3 (Huskies)
5/20	5:30 - A 6:30 - B	Comanches	Huskies	0-2 (Huskies) 1-1 (Draw)

In the next few days I'll be ordering a plaque to recognize the efforts of the club and will work with Ms. Eckert on placing it in the school trophy cabinet. More to come!

Congratulations again!!!

Reminder: Final Games Tonight

Just a reminder, though I'm sure you all remember anyway, that tonight are our final 2 games. Kickoff for A-Team is at 5:30, B-Team at 6:30 and both teams play the Comanches. The last matches were close and I'm sure the Comanches are out to win tonight. We'll just have to stop that, score early and bring home the perfect season.

Good luck to both team and GO HUSKIES!!!

Practice Still On - Weather Clearing...?

As far as I can tell, the weather has cleared out and the forecast looks sound enough to practice tonight. If in doubt, go ahead and show up and we'll send your players on to the cars. Thanks and see you tonight!

Practice Still on Today

The forecast is looking good enough to practice this afternoon with possible T-Storms coming in after we break. We're going to go ahead and run practice. If the forecast dramatically changes, I'll send a note into the office and have it announced at school that practice is off as well as send a note to each of you via this normal communication channel. Gotta love TX weather - really only accurate in the moment and that depends on where you are ;)

Thanks for the Prayers

Just a quick note of gratitude for those that participate in today's pre-game prayer. It means a lot to raise our voices in supplication for support and healing for Suzanne Simpson. Thank you for your faith and support.

Congrats again to both teams on the wins. Check out the standings page for a re-cap thus far: just one more match day left - let's bring it home Huskies!!!

Pre-Game Prayers with Eagles on Behalf of Simpson Family

While I like to keep most of my posts upbeat and positive, this one is a bit melancholy as a good friend is in need of our prayers and support. For those of you that may know the Simpson family, their mother, Suzanne Simpson, suffered an aneurysm last Tuesday night after the CHS boys' soccer banquet. She is in stable condition and the family is developing an approach plan with competent doctors. Their son, Chris, is a very talented keeper for CHS and their daughter is the crazy good keeper for the Eagles A-Team.

At the start of tonight's game (yep, game is still on), we're going to hold a special combined prayer between the two teams. Any parents/family/friends that would like to join with us on the field are certainly welcome.

Suzanne has been serving as the Eagles team mom and dedicates much of her time to each of her children's activities and schools. I've worked with her for years as she served as my team mom to my older child's team. The Simpson family could really use our support and prayers and we appreciate the time and sensitivity you're willing to exhibit tonight on their behalf.

Summer Camp Info Posted for CHS

I received the summer camp info from Coach Maher yesterday and have posted the info on the "Summer Camp Info for CHS" tab. Take a moment to check it out and let me know if you have any questions. They always put on a great program. It's worth the time and effort and your players will definitely benefit from the experience. I'm still working on the FR camp info and will post that as well.

New Game Added to Schedule - Monday we Play

In a bizarre twist of fate, an opening was made for this Monday for the Huskies to get in another game. The Comanches have a school wide awards night 5/13 and can't make the match against the Eagles. We certainly don't want to short change the Eagles and we were asked to come out and play again. I politely accepted. And to add to the incentive, Coach Maher from CHS will make the 2nd half of A-team's game (hopefully I can convince him to stay a little longer into B as well).

So, after all of the communications yesterday, back and forth on whether there is a game, there is now definitely a match. See you on Monday at ISMS, not at HMS.

Correction to the Last Post

Thanks to the Gunns, I just saved us from showing up on Monday for a game we're not playing. Sorry for the mixup but we'll have practice this Monday/Wed and a game on 5/20 as previously scheduled. See you Monday!

Unanimous Vote to Continue with After School Workouts

Yep, you read that right. The club teammates unanimously voted (or so it seemed) to continue with practices on Mon/Wed even after the final match this coming Monday. I had to laugh when one of the players suggested it was in my contract since I'm being paid. When he found out it's a volunteer gig his mouth dropped with surprise. Priceless moment!

Their enthusiasm for the sport is exhilarating and refreshing. It's obvious they love their craft and share a unique bond with one another. I'm so grateful, along with both of the other coaches, to have had the honor in working with each player and having a great time doing so. In keeping their energy alive, we'll hold 2 additional workouts: Wed 5/15 and Wed 5/22. You might be wondering about Mon 5/20. I would encourage the players to come out to the Comanches vs. Eagles last match and cheer on whomever they'd like. I'll be there to close out our club season - may even get on the pitch and ref a bit.

Anyone interested in a 5/25 Champions League viewing party? If you are, comment in the blog for a group discussion or send me an e-mail for a private thread. We've talked a lot about the goings on of the tournament and it would be fun to enjoy the final together for those interested.

Thanks again for contributing to the club experience. Your timeliness on rides for practices and games, cheering during the matches, positive energy and kind words via e-mail have been very much appreciated. I hope your players enjoyed the experience as much as I have.

See ya Monday and GO HUSKIES!!!

Reminder for Tonight's Matches

Sorry this is coming so late but it's been a pretty hectic weekend. Gratefully we're back on the pitch again with a rematch against the Eagles tonight with A-team playing at 5:30 and B-team playing at 6:30. Of special note, Coach Kevin has volunteered to take the player's pictures tonight. So that we have a decent looking crew that isn't completely sweaty, please have all players to the fields by 5pm for a group picture. Thanks again for a wonderful season and see you tonight. GO HUSKIES!!!

Quick Update - Comanches Win against Eagles

Just wanted to provide a quick update on yesterday's match up between the Comanches and the Eagles. I'm told that A-team walked away with a 3-1 win while B-team remained scoreless up until the last 10 minutes when the Comanches overtook the Eagles with 2 unanswered goals.

For a look at the re-cap of games and win/losses, check out the Standings tab above (I keep it as current as possible).

Looking forward to re-match against both teams starting this coming Monday night against the Eagles.

GO HUSKIES!!!

Practice Reminder - Bring Water

It's beginning to get into the warmer period for Texas weather and while it's unpredictable, please be sure your player is prepared. As we're having practice today (the reminder), please make sure they have an adequate amount of water. Wed looks sketchy on the weather so please stay tuned for more updates there.

Today

Apr 29

87^°F

63^°F

Sunny

CHANCE OF RAIN:

10%

 

WIND:

S at 15 mph

Details

Tue

Apr 30

86^°

65^°

Mostly Sunny

CHANCE OF RAIN:

10%

 

WIND:

S at 20 mph

Details

Wed

May 1

82^°

49^°

Isolated T-Storms

CHANCE OF RAIN:

30%

 

WIND:

SSE at 14 mph

Details

(above snapshot taken at 10:00am on 4/29/2013)

For those interested, the Eagles (ISMS) and the Comanches (KMS) are matching up tonight for their first time starting at 5:30 and 6:30 for A and B matches respectively. Our practice runs up to 5:30 but for those interested in checking out their play, head on over.

A continued thanks to the refs that have been volunteering, especially from within the families of the Huskies! We certainly appreciate the earnest efforts and volunteer spirit you provide to make this club program function. And thanks to the parents/fans for supporting them with exceptional sportsmanship.

House Keeping Items

Just a few house keeping items to request of you and your players.

Water

For games and practices, please make sure your player has a sufficient amount of water, especially as the weather turns warmer. I've noticed that a few players either don't have water or an insufficient amount and are turning to other player's source of water to keep them hydrated. Not only is this unfair to those that are prepared, it poses a health risk that I'm sure no one wants among our club. As an example, my older brother's team "waterfalled" from squirt bottles (likely just drank directly from them) and passed around their saliva to the point he ended up with mono and was deathly ill for quite some time. Let's avoid this extreme risk by helping our players to be prepared.

Missing Ball
A few practices ago a player's ball went missing from practice. It was last seen in the hands of another player. I'm sure it was a mix up. It would be wonderful to have the missing ball miraculously make a reappearance.

Timeliness
Practices have been really good lately and I really appreciate the communication by each player when they're not able to attend or need to leave early. I especially encourage players to miss practice when catching up on homework. A simple note or face-2-face communication is greatly appreciated.

Plan to be on time rather than rushing to the games

As for games, yesterday was a little stressful as a good percentage of our A-team showed up right before the match, or shortly thereafter. Not only does this make planning of the match difficult for the coaches, it places a greater burden on those that show up early. The warm up period is an essential part of the game experience to keep players healthy and able to perform at a sufficient level of play. Please help you players to be on time (i.e. 30 min prior to the start of the game) or otherwise drop me a note and let me know of the circumstance in order to better plan the event.

As always, I'm open to suggestions and appreciate all of your support for our players.

Go Huskies!!!

No Practice this Wed - Time to Relax during STARR Tests

With yesterday's battles and a two great wins, I'm going to call off practice for tomorrow, 4/24 and hope to reduce stress a little during the STARR testing. We'll be back at it on Mon/Wed next week in prep for our 5/6 re-match against the Eagles from ISMS.

Congratulations to both teams for pulling off 2-1 victories over the Comanches. The coach of the Comanches approached the referee crew after the match to thank them and one of the first things he stated was, "while I hate losing, I hate losing even more to Coach Greg." Of course he chuckled while he said it and he's really good natured about the competition, I know it probably burns him inside.

Thanks for making my job as coaching your players an enjoyable experience. We're off to a great start and at the mid point having a perfect record is a wonderful position to be in. It also puts a huge target on our backs but I want the last two matches to keep the opposition right there, watching us from behind.

Congratulations again and see you on Monday!

Lineup for 4/22 Game against Comanches

Here's the lineup for today's game. Sorry for the late notice.



Name Suggested Placements
Ariohn (AJ) Gunn -  stopper
Cameron Coy - mid (wing)
Matthew Nuss -  mid
Jonathan - front
Jamire Virtue - mid (if healthy)
Colton - wing
Alexie - mid
Ryan Halford - defender
Mitchell - defender
Jackson - front
Calum - mid
Daniel - mid
Bryce - keeper
Shawn - front
Julian - sweeper/defender


Alternates

Matt
Dillon

B Team 

Conner Sampley - front
Sean Pham - mid
Quinton Bailey - defender
Jose - defender
Dillon Ogle - mid
Kevin Leiva - defender
Robert - front
James - mid
Kade - defender
Ryan Sickler - defender
Jason Tinoco - wing (pending clearance for concussion)
Kyle - front
Matt - front/mid
Bryan Ventura - defender
Alberto    - keeper

Injured List

Jaden Hanson

Practice Reminder & CHS Playoffs

Hopefully you've been enjoying a little downtime since the matches on Monday though if you're like me free time tends to get gobbled up quicker than people food left in front of dogs. We have another couple of practice this next week in preparation for the Comanches (KMS). I hope everyone is healthy and ready to keep moving forward.

Practice is going to start getting warmer. Please make sure your player stays hydrated and brings a bottle they can fill up at the school. While it's only an hour, they'll be sweating it out and dropping a bit of water. I want to keep each player in good health and have no concerns through the season.

If anyone has a decent camera (DSLR), would you mind letting me know if you'd be willing to take some photos, especially team photos that we can distribute to each player?

Keller Central’s Moses Gonzalez does a kick flip

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/03/30/4737985/keller-central-overcomes-arlington.html#storylink=cpy

For those following CHS boys soccer, they play their semi-final regional match against Coppell tonight at the Birdville ISD stadium - 6pm start time. For those attending CHS either next year or the year after, it might be a good thing to go show some support for the program you'll be entering into, maybe even get a chance to cheer them on to victory and show Coach Maher and the boys your support and excitement.

Lastly, I do have a little extra cash and I plan on putting this towards practice pinnies. If anyone has any objections, please drop me a note or call and we'll discuss. You can see the running total spend posted here.

Have a great weekend and see you on Monday.

Exciting Opener

Congratulations to both A and B teams with wins in their opener against the Eagles. What an exciting night: new uniforms, domination on the field and a surprise visit by Principal Eckert. Thanks to all of the parents that made it out in support of the Huskies.

While the refs don't read this blog or receive the e-mails (although I'm sure some parents will be able to forward this on), I want to thank them for supporting the middle school program and donating precious time and energy in such a selfless manner. The games were controlled by talented and experienced referees and it made a huge difference from previous middles school programs!

Where the ball was placed for the Huskies most of the night

One of the best things about coaching at this age is there is little coaches need to verbalize during match play and last night exemplified this as the Eagles were rocked by the communication, the skill, the drive and overall depth of our squads. As I coach with the Eagle's head coach, the assistant coach and formerly the other assistant coach, I know their tendencies and mannerisms. The frustration build up was evident at 3-0 in the A-team match when the head coach, grasping for anything, starts snipping away about hands and arms knowing those trivial advantages don't make or break a game. I was sincerely grateful to be on the dominating side of the match.

Thank you to Coaches Jeremy and Kevin for leading the B-team on to victory. Despite a single yellow card for dissent (a little more serious than just arguing a call), I'm told the match was equally as engaging and certainly satisfying with a shutout win. Congratulations to both teams.

Lastly, I received a quick note from the KMS Comanches head coach later on in the evening in which he conceded the talent and depth of the squads. I think he was a little blown away. He's not one to hold his cards tight to his chest so I believe this is a good indication of success to come. As long as we stay humble, work together and continue on in the current structure pattern, we're going to have a great season.

Team Prayer Before Each Game

I did forget one thing in my last note and wanted to give everyone a heads up regarding a tradition and practice I hold important for my teams. Regardless of religious affiliation, I encourage my teams to pray and to pray vocally before each game. While this may seem odd considering the diversity of denominations and religions around, I have found the act of praying as a team to be a strength and unifying experience. As the club is technically not a UIL sponsored organization, I don't see there being any conflict in continuing forward with this practice. And if it were a UIL sponsored organization I would cite the high school soccer teams organizing themselves in prayer before matches, the football teams kneeling in prayer this season and other organizations that offer up similar acts of reverence.

I personally am a Christian and will pray accordingly but others not of my faith and belief have participated with my teams. I've enquired of those of the Muslim faith whether they would be offended by such a practice and was assured that participation would not be an issue and they would likely join in. Those without faith were confused at first but decided to participate as a team member and it helped to unify the team. Individuals of all faiths and non-faiths are encouraged to participate though are not required.

The tradition I've started with my teams follows the pattern of a coach leading the team for the first game and encouraging others to vocally pray on subsequent games. Please talk with your players about this experience and for those who may desire to lead the team in prayer, please have them speak up. I will never guilt or volunteer someone into praying as it is something very personal. I would expect others to treat individuals who do pray with respect as well.

If you have any concerns over this practice, please, as always, reach out to me personally and let's talk through it. As always, I'm hear to serve your players and do so with respect both as soccer players and individuals.

4/8 Team Lineups and a Few Reminders

As promised, here are the lineups for games tomorrow night. For alternates, Matt and Dillon, please, if possible, be to both A and B games. Depending upon attendance, groove and other considerations, I'd like to fill in some extra time on A as well as giving you majority time on B.

Please remember to have players to the Indian Springs Middle School main competitive football field no later than 30 minutes prior to the match. Tomorrow is especially critical as we need to distribute the jerseys.  All B-team players are encouraged to come out and support the A-team and A-team are encouraged to stay after to support the B-team. Just another reminder, black shorts and black socks along with the regular equipment (shin guards a must, and cleats). Please stock your player with sufficient amount of water. Transportation is not provided by the school so each player will need to be driven to the fields.

Tomorrow's games will be exciting and certainly not disappointing. Each player has worked hard to get to this point and the teams are really coming together in such a very short amount of time. Unfortunately, I'll not be in attendance for the B-team match as my older daughter has a match up in Lewisville for which I'll need to leave just after the A-team match. Thank you to coaches Gunn and Sickler for covering and supporting these teams.

As a courtesy and reminder, refs are to be treated with respect. Although we're not a UIL backed organization, please treat the referees as though
they are your own kids. Tomorrow night we'll have grade 8 and 9, USSF certified refs out on the field who are volunteering their time to support the program. They've been through the middle school program before and each have played at Central HS and one currently refs at the high school level (TASO ref core). Your support of their calls will also help show your players how to appropriately treat officials while maintaining the spirit of the game and helping to achieve the goals of the club.

I'm very excited for tomorrow's match. I met with the Eagle's (ISMS) coach tonight to get the jerseys, we talked some about players and how we're both very excited to get this underway. The field was being painted as we talked and everything is coming together. We certainly couldn't do this without your support so thank you for taking the time to support the club and your individual players. Hopefully we'll see that same support at the games cheering these players on.


Name Suggested Placements
Ariohn (AJ) Gunn -  stopper
Cameron Coy - mid (wing)
Matthew Nuss -  mid
Jonathan - front
Jamire Virtue - mid
Colton - wing
Alexie - mid
Ryan Halford - defender
Mitchell - defender
Jackson - front
Calum - mid
Daniel - mid
Bryce - keeper
Shawn - front
Julian - sweeper/defender
Alberto    - keeper

Alternates

Matt
Dillon

B Team 

Conner Sampley - front
Sean Pham - mid
Quinton Bailey - defender
Jose - defender
Dillon Ogle - mid
Kevin Leiva - defender
Robert - front
James - mid
Kade - defender
Ryan Sickler - defender
Jason Tinoco - keeper
Kyle - front
Matt - front/mid
Bryan Ventura - defender

Injured List

Jaden Hanson

Monday's Game

Thanks again for helping to support this club venture and helping our players move in the right direction towards their HS career in soccer. As you know we have our first game coming up and I don't know about you but I'm terribly excited. All games will be played at ISMS (see map below) with A-team starting at 5:30 and B-team starting at 6:30 (give or take a few minutes).



View Larger Map

Please have your player to the field no later than 20 minutes prior to the game in order to warm up, check in with the coaches (to reduce coach blood pressure and anxiety) and be ready to start on time. As this week each player will be receiving their jersey for the first time (be grateful it doesn't look like the one below), add in a little extra time.

For B-team players, I would encourage you to come early and take in the A-team match for the following reasons: 1) it's good to observe other's play and how they handle certain scenarios (like school work but more fun), 2) you may be playing on A-team soon, 3) having fans is cool and 4) who doesn't like more soccer. Same goes for A-team if you don't have to scoot off to club practice.

As for the lineups, I'll have the first game team break down by Sunday night so please check back.

Have a wonderful weekend, stay healthy and see you on Monday! GO HUSKIES!!!

Practice Canceled for Today - 4/3

With the amount of rain we've received over night, and the forecast showing rain in a high percent throughout the day, I'm going to take a stab at the field conditions and safety concerns and cancel the practice for today. Enjoy the day off and we'll see you on Monday.

Weather Policy

I'm sure many of you have looked at the forecast and have wondered, "Will Coach Greg really have practice tomorrow?" I haven't shared my policy on weather and how I arrive on cancellations so here goes.

• Inclement Weather: - defined as lightning in the area. As Hillwood and other middle school facilities lack lightning detectors, the policy is taking cover inside of the school or parent's (authorized carpool parents included) cars upon seeing a lightning strike. For most cases, thunder doesn't always justify a delay in either practice or a game but it's a good indicator. If we have lightning in the area (up to 10 miles away), we'll call the practice/game or wait the requisite 30 minutes from the last lightning strike.
• Rain: - I'm a Seattle boy (yep, northerner) so a little bit of rain doesn't faze me. However, most fields here in north Texas aren't equipped to handle a ton of rain without some time to settle, run off and dry. The root system is shallow and playing on the fields after hard and plentiful rains (or during) can cause field damage and lead to future player injuries. Also, most player's don't have sufficient "mudders" to allow them to play safely in these conditions. Heavy rains = practice cancellation whereas light rain = play on.

Communicating cancellations is tricky since I'm not with your players during the day as the athletic coaches are. I'll look into some sort of communication via the office and announcements as Ms. Eckert has been very accommodating thus far and since it's a safety concern I think she may be able to help. If in doubt, SMS me (please send me a separate e-mail to get my mobile as I don't really want to post it here).

Also, there is a free SMS service that allows me to group message anyone I set up in the group. If you'd like to be included in that group, please send me any numbers you want added to the group and I'll set this up this weekend. Please indicate whether the number is a student number or a parent number. I can set up a group with up to 50 participants so I may need to create 2 groups, 1 for parents and 1 for players. This is an opt-in only group message system so if you don't wish to receive messages, you don't have to do anything.

Lastly, I'm looking over tomorrow's forecast and it's looking pretty dismal. As with Texas weather, it's hard to estimate if it will blow over of dump on us. I'll make a decision on tomorrow's practice by tonight so please check your e-mail/this site tonight. If I haven't posted anything, please check back in the morning to be safe.

Practice and Jersey Update

Just a reminder that we have practice today from 4:30 - 5:30pm. Thanks to all that have been regularly attending practice in preparation for our first game in 1 week!!! I'm so very excited to take these players into their first match and let the huskies loose; should be a howlin' good time (pun intended).

As for the jerseys, they have arrived back from the distributor and are now at the printer. Unfortunately I don't believe we'll get these back before Wed's practice so I'll need to distribute them at that game on Monday night. There is a chance that the printer may not have them back by Mon. In the event they are late, please have your player wear the Hillwood athletic jersey (contingency plan). Please remember to have your player dressed in black shorts and black socks along with their regularly worn shin guards and cleats. The ISMS field will be painted on Friday so we'll have the game field prepped and ready to play with new nets as well.

Financial update: the cost of the printing will be roughly $100 so with the jersey cost along with the field paint, we're sitting just above $450. We have some extra funds along with some donations. I am leaning towards picking up a couple of game balls and some practice pinnies. If anyone has a strong preference on how the remainder of the funds should be distributed for costs and or rebates, please drop me a line to discuss.

Finally, thanks again to Coaches Jeremy and Kevin for helping out with practices. It's wonderful to see the teams come together and the coaches are putting in a significant amount of time. Stay healthy everyone, and avoid the situation below ;)