Coyote Soccer Fades into Sunset

Coach Art has left the Building....

After 7.5 yrs of coaching youth soccer...the Coach is hanging up the cleats.

Maybe I will be back after a hiatus...maybe not...

Until then and Unless then....Via con Dios!

~Coach Art

Aggressive Coyotes End Slump

Team Coyote ended the long slump on Saturday morning beating the Warriors by a score of 4-3.  The team was much much more aggressive on the field yesterday, going after the ball, attacking it, and keeping offensive pressure on the opposing team all morning long.  It appears that the offensive drills that we practiced the last couple of weeks paid off.   The Coyote strikers drove the ball downfield and were taking plenty of shots on goal, and the defense also did a great job attacking the ball, breaking up Warrior drives, and stopping most of their shots on goal.

The Coyotes scored first in an evenly matched game before the Warriors tied the score with a goal of their own.  Just before the end of the period, the Coyote strikers found the back of the nets one more time to take a 2-1 lead.

Both teams battled hard in an action packed 2nd quarter, but neither team could manage to score.  The two defenses bent, but did not break as the goalies and midfielders did a great job on both teams keeping the ball out of the goal despite several shots on goal by both teams.  The half ended with the Coyotes holding on to a tenuous 1 point lead.

The Third period saw the Warriors score two goals to take a lead over the Yotes, but the Coyotes answered with a goal of their own to tie the game at 3-3 by the end of the quarter.

In the fourth quarter, the Coyote defense again stood up and blocked every shot on goal taken by a feisty Warrior team, and finally Devin broke away, dribbled the ball down field and scored, putting the Coyotes up by 1 with just a couple minutes to go.  The Coyotes held on...and when the final whistle blew, the Coyotes chalked up victory #2 to move their season record to 2-4.

Last week, the game with the Tornados was rained out, and the make-up game will take place on Wednesday night.  The Tornado team is aptly named...they are tough, fast, disciplined and aggressive.  If the Coyotes come out Wednesday being aggressive like they were yesterday, there is no doubt in my mind that we can not only give the Tornados all they can handle, but we stand a good chance of taking away another win!

Great job yesterday Coyotes!  Keep it up...stay aggressive, attack the ball, and don't quit!  Keep up the offensive pressure and the great defensive work as well!  I see no reason that we cannot win a few more games before it is all said and done if we continue to play like we did yesterday!  Coach Joseph and myself are proud of the way ALL of you played yesterday! 

Here are the stats for yesterdays game:

The Strikers

Akil.....................................3 shots on goal, 1 goal
Kendrick.............................3 shots on goal, 1 goal, 1 assist
Matt....................................4 shots on goal, 1 goal
Devin..................................2 shots on goal, 1 goal
Rebekah..............................1 shot on goal

Midfielders

Devin..................................3 tackles
Rebekah.............................4 tackles
Kendrick............................4 tackles
Nick...................................6 tackles

Goalies

Akil...................................4 saves 
Nick..................................5 saves
Tyler..................................3 saves

Although the stats don't reflect it, Brock and Callie also contributed to the team effort yesterday from their Striker positions!  They were both attacking the ball, dribbling down field, but just could not get in close enough to take a shot on goal...but their efforts truly helped keep offensive pressure on the Warriors!  Great job!

Keep  it up, 'Yotes...let's look to try to improve each and every time we hit the field for the rest of the season!  One day, this could be YOU!

 

Coyotes Slumping ; Shut Out Three Times In As Many Weeks

Team Coyote continues to suffer a losing streak that began back in Week 2.  At the midway point of the season, the Coyotes are nursing a 1-4 record.

The problem is a simple one:  The 'Yotes are simply not attacking the ball and being aggressive.  They are kicking the ball down field and stopping...not following it up...and the results are that the other team is picking up the ball, driving downfield, and scoring at will. 

I will be looking to find drills that hopefully will teach the Coyotes to go after the ball and be more aggressive in the coming weeks.  Parents..please encourage your young 'Yote to follow ball and to attack the ball...don't wait for the ball to come to you and then just kick it downfield and stop....go after the ball, attack it, and follow the ball downfield . 

Last week, the Reds took it to the Coyotes as they dropped their second consecutive game by a score of 4-0.  In that game, the Coyotes actually showed some spark and were "in" the game for most of the game,but just could not find the goal.  Again...it was simply because the Coyotes were not attacking the ball and being aggressive offensively.

Regressing back to Team Rule #1: HAVE FUN!!, I want to stress the fact that the kids seem to be having fun...and that is very important.  At the same time, they also have expressed some frustration.  I want to encourage them to keep their heads up and keep on fighting...and keep on having fun.  If they are having fun, the rest will fall into place in due time.

This  week, it was the Tigers turn to shut out the struggling Coyote team 6-0.  It wasn't even a contest.  The Tigers took the ball and ran up and down the field...keeping the Coyote offense reeling and virtually non-existent.  We did manage to take 7 shots on goal yesterday (compared to only 4 shots on goal the week before), but that is not nearly enough.  The lack of aggressiveness has put a lot of pressure on the Coyote defense, and there is just no way to stop a team that is constantly running the ball downfield.  Our offense has got to find a way to be more attacking....and that will slow down opposing teams.

I have been keeping a new stat for our Midfield position the past couple of weeks, tabulating the number of "tackles" our midfielders make during a game.  That is an important stat, because for every tackle made on the ball by the Midfielders, that is one less shot on goal taken by the opposing offense.

Here are the stats for Games 4 and 5

The Strikers:                      Game 4                  Game 5

Devin                                   4 shots on goal         1 shot on goal
Matt                                     0                             3 shots on goal
Rebekah                               0                             2 shots on goal
Callie                                    0                             1 shot on goal

Midfielders:                       Game 4                   Game 5

Brock                                  4 tackles                  0 tackles
Nick                                    6 tackles                  0
Tyler                                    3 tackles                  1 tackle
Akil                                     0                              3 tackles
Devin                                  0                              5 tackles
Callie                                  0                               1 tackles 
Kendrick                            1 tackle                     0

The Goalies                     Game 4                    Game 5

Akil                                  8 saves                         2 saves
Brock                               2 saves                        4 saves
Addison                           2 saves                          0
Tyler                                 3 saves                         0
Kendrick                          0                                  2 saves
Nick                                 0                                  2 saves

The stats truly tell the story for the past couple of weeks!  Our offense is not showing up!  In two games, we have only taken 11 shots on goal (while our opponents have taken at LEAST 35 shots on goal)

Defensively...we are overburdened (due to a lack of offense), as our Midfielders have combined for a total of 24 tackles, and our goalies have combined for 25 saves.

And so, as the 2nd half of the season kicks in, let us hope we can find a way for our offense to kick in again as well.  Coach Joseph and I will be looking for some drills that will hopefully bring it out, and that will get the kids to attack the ball.  Please encourage your Coyote to go after the ball, attack it, and don't give up fighting for the ball...and to HAVE FUN....If we can find a way to do that, we will pull out a couple more wins before it is all said and done!

Don't give up, Coyotes!  Let's get out there and give it a good fight for the rest of the season...one week at a time, beginning this next week.  I am not sure of which weeks they are, but I know that we have at least 2 more tough,  well coached teams to play.  It doesn't matter when that is...let's just take it a game at a time and get out there and play hard.

Parents..please try to instill in your Coyote's mind the importance of paying attention during practice.  Introducing new drills can get confusing (especially at this age), so it is imperative that they pay attention so that they can understand what it is we are trying to teach them.  And most importantly...encourage your kids to keep their heads up, play hard, and have fun....if they are learning the game....and are having fun doing so, that is what it is all about.

Panthers Maul Coyotes 13-0

It was billed as a Cat and Dog fight:  Panthers vs Coyotes.  It turned out to be a Cat mauling...the Coyotes did not have a chance.  They were outgunned, out ran, and out manned all day long.  The Coyote offense was virtually nonexistent, and the defense was porous and stunned.

It was an unusually hot day (considering it was the last day of March), and the game did not kick off until noon.  The heat and the late start might have had something to do with the Coyotes play...but that is no excuse...it was hot and late for the Panthers as well.


The Panthers simply overpowered the Coyotes and dominated them from the opening kick to the closing whistle.  You know you had a bad day when all you could manage was 9 total shots on goal for yourself, and allowing the opposing team to take shot after shot on goal all day long.  You know you had a rough day when, despite 12 saves by the goalies, the Panthers managed to score and find the back of the Coyote nets 13 times. You know you have been soundly beaten when you come away empty in the score column and you can't seem to find an answer to stop the bleeding.

Despite the mauling, our young Coyotes held their heads and tail high, displayed great sportsmanship, and never stopped trying.  They gave it their all, and they played with great heart and spirit.  It seems that every time the 'Yote offense showed a glimmer of fire, the Panthers were there to quickly extinguish the flame.  Matt kept trying..taking 5 shots on goal, but the Panther goalies were on their game.  Actually...3 of Matts shots got past the goalie...but they bounced off the goal frame....try as he may, he just could not find the back of the nets.

All of our Strikers played hard...but at times lacked aggressiveness.  I was very pleased to see Addison go after the ball (it was the first time she ever played in the Striker position), and Rebekah, Brock, Akil, Nick, Tyler, Kendrick and Callie also did well playing at that spot.

Defensively, Nick was a wall back there...making 4 tackles on the ball...Rebekah and Addison also combined for 5 more tackles from the Midfield (or Defensive) positions.  The trouble was simply that the Panthers were constantly on the attack...and they slipped by our defense more than we were able to stop them.

One of the Panther players was big for his age...and he had the speed and the power and the skills to go along with his size.  He was simply unstoppable.  And while it would have been more sportsmanlike for the other coach to put him in a defensive position in the 2nd half instead of letting him continue to run up the score (I am guessing he scored at least 95% of the Panther goals) when it was obvious the 'Yotes were not going to mount any kind of a comeback, would have been nice.  But, the other coach did not pull back his offense at all.  Despite that...our team kept their cool and their heads...and just played the game.  This coach is proud of the gamesmanship and sportsmanship displayed by Team Coyote!  Great Job 'Yotes!

Next week, Team Coyote will face another well coached team.  I have complete confidence in the skills and abilities of our team to match up with them completely.  We have got to find a way to get more aggressive on the ball...attack it constantly and don't back off.  We were able to do that in week #1...so I know it is possible.  Defensively, we have got to get our young Midfielders to also be more aggressive and attacking the ball whenever it ventures past the center line.  Our goalies are doing an outstanding job thus far...keep up the good work!  Our Strikers especially need to attack the ball more..not just kick it down field and stop...but kick it, dribble it, pass it, and take power shots.  We will try to work on that this next week in practice.

Ok, 'Yotes...lick your wounds this week..rest up...and let's come out on Saturday and be aggressive and relentless.  Let's go against our next opponent and show them what Coyote soccer is all about! We got beat...but we aren't done yet!  Next week is a new game!

Here are yesterdays Stats:

Strikers:

Matt..............................5 shots on goal
Rebekah........................2 shots on goal
Brock............................1 shot on goal
Callie.............................2 shots on goal

Midfielders:

Nick.............................4 tackles
Rebekah.......................3 tackles
Addison........................2 tackles

Goalies:

Akil..............................3 saves
Brock...........................3 saves
Callie............................3 saves
Tyler.............................3 saves

The mauling by the Panthers left the Coyotes with a 1-2 record on the young season...with 7 games left to play, there is plenty of time for the 'Yotes to come out with a decent record.  Let's hope it starts next week!

GO COYOTES!




 

FireBalls Burn Coyotes

After coming out the the gates swinging and taking care of business by icing the Polar Bears in week 1, Team Coyote got burned by the FireBalls in their second outing of the season.

It wasn't pretty.  The Fireballs came out and immediately took it to the Coyotes, scoring a quick 3 unanswered goals by the end of the 1st period.  The FireBall team was quick, running up and down the field, and gave the Coyotes a taste of their own medicine, as they kept the 'Yotes off balance and reeling back on defense the entire quarter.  Last week, the Coyotes didn't get a lot of work on defense, this week, it seemed the whole game saw the Coyote "D" tested constantly.

On a good note, the Coyote "D" made some great plays on the ball, from the Defensemen and the Goalies, or the score might have been much worse.

In the second quarter, the 'Yotes defense tried to stop the bleeding, and were successful at slowing down a hot FireBall team, despite the fact that the Fireballs were still dominating on offense, keeping the pressure on the Coyotes.  The Fireballs found the Coyote nets one more time in the 2nd period, to take a 4-0 lead into halftime.

It was midway into the 3rd quarter before the Coyote Strikers could find the back of the FireBall nets.  That is not to say that the 'Yotes were not trying....they gave it a valiant effort, and began to pick up the pace in the 3rd quarter as the offense started showing signs of life, while the 'Yotes defense continued to frustrate a hot FireBall squad by blocking most every shot they took on goal.  On a beautiful breakaway play, Kendick and Akil dribbled the ball through the Fireball Defense before Akil took a shot the slipped past the Fireball Goalie, and the 'Yotes were back in the game, down 4-1.

But the FireBalls were having none of it...and took the 4th quarter to add two more goals against the Coyotes, while at the same time keeping the 'Yotes from adding any more points against them.  When the final whistle blew, the Coyotes found themselves on the losing end of a 6-1 thrashing by a good, tough FireBall team, to even the season record at 1-1.

Next week, the Coyotes will again face another seasoned team, but I feel that if they come out to play hard and fast, they stand an excellent chance of winning their 2nd game.  Despite the loss yesterday, the Coyotes DID have some great plays...especially on Defense.  Nick, Akil, and Tyler all did a GREAT job at the goalie position, combining for a total of 13 saves!  Tyler, Rebekah, Brock and Callie also broke up several plays by the FireBalls from their Defense positions. Matt and Kendrick did an outstanding job at winning the ball away from the Fireballs, taking a combined 12 shots on goal between them, but just could not get the ball into the nets.  Our big problem yesterday was a lack of offense early on (and that is why we found ourselves in a hole that was hard to climb out of), and at times, a hesitancy to go after the ball.  I think we need to work on being more aggressive and also work on making some passes as we go down field.  All in all, the Coyotes played a good game....it was just our turn to take it on the chin.  But, hold your heads high, Coyotes...there will be days like that...it happens!  We just gotta regroup and come out harder next week!

Here are the Stats for Week #2:

The Strikers:

Akil.................................1 shot on goal; one goal
Kendrick.........................7 shots on goal
Rebekah..........................1 shot on goal
Nick................................1 shot on goal
Matt................................5 shots on goal

The Goalies:

Akil..................................5 saves
Nick.................................6 saves
Tyler.................................2 saves

Hand it to the FireBalls...they blocked 14 of 15 shots on goal by the Coyotes, while keeping their own offensive pressure on our team.  Next time we play the FireBalls...we are gonna bring a couple of Fire Extinguishers!

********UPDATE: Due to an overlook error on my part, I completely missed Matt's stats at the Striker position.  Matt had 5 shots on goal yesterday, but unfortunately, none found the net...but several did come close, or were saved by the FireBall goalie.  My apologies to Matt for omitting his stats....these old Coyote eyes ain't as keen as they used to be sometimes......

The stats above have been corrected to reflect my oversight error.  Great job Matt!

Coyotes Ice Polar Bears in Season Opener

On a beautiful day for soccer down at Heartland Soccer Park, Team Coyote emerged from their winter dens ready to rumble.  The first game of the season found the Coyotes matched up against the Polar Bears, and it looked as if the canine pack caught the snow bruins still groggy from winter hibernation....or...do polar bears hibernate?  Whatever the case, the Coyotes looked fresh and ready, while the Polar Bears looked disarrayed and caught in the headlights.

Even the newest members of Team Coyote got into the game and played well...given that 3 of the young 'Yotes had never before played a game of soccer!  Addison did a great job at the Defense position in the first quarter, getting her leg on a couple of balls, stopping the Polar Bears from advancing down field.  In the 4th Quarter, Addison did a good job of protecting the goal as Goalie...even though the team kept the Bears from taking too many shots on goal.

Tyler and Brock both did great jobs on defense, and both did very well at the Striker position in the 3rd quarter...given that neither of them had ever played the positions before yesterday.  GREAT JOB young Coyotes!  You were tested early, and proved you are ready to learn the game....and with more practice and experience, there is no doubt in this coaches mind that you will all do great this season!

The Polar Bears were seen licking their wounds after the game from the good old fashioned whooping that the Coyotes laid on them.  The first quarter started off tentatively for both teams as they felt each other out and got into the flow of the game.  The two teams traded punches, but neither one could find the goal ending the quarter 0-0.

As the 2nd quarter got underway, so did the Coyotes...as Rebekah, Kendrick, and Matt began dominating play from their Striker positions, keeping the Polar Bears totally on defense as the 'Yotes peeled off 5 unanswered goals to take a 5-0 lead into the halftime break.  The downside was that our young defensive players didn't get a lot of action or opportunity to block any shots on goal, as the Bears were unable to get into position to even attempt any shots on goal!  The Coyote offense was tenacious and unrelenting, constantly attacking the ball and preventing the Bears from even crossing the center line for most of the quarter.

The 3rd Quarter started with the Coyotes fielding 2 of our newer inexperienced players in the Striker position, with the more experienced 'Yotes in the Goalie and Defense position, so the newer players could get exposed to offense.  As I pointed out above, those newer players did a GREAT job, and got right into the flow of the game, attacking the ball and again, keeping the Bears confused and dazed.  The Polar Bears did manage to slip one past the 'Yote defense and Goalie and the quarter ended with the Coyotes holding on to a commanding 5-1 lead.

In the 4th Quarter, the Coyotes continued the pace as they took shot after shot on goal, but the Bears defense continued to stiffen, keeping the Coyote kicks out of the net.  Again, the Polar Bears found the back of the nets one more time, but it was too little too late...as the Coyotes held on to a dominating win 5-2 over the Polar Bear team.

Overall, this coach is proud of our team!  They came out kicking and attacking and did not let up, keeping the pressure on the Bears all game long.  GREAT job, Coyotes!  All that being said, we still have lots of room for improvement, and we will work on some things in practice this coming week.

Here are the Stats for Game 1:

Strikers:

Akil................................1 shot on goal
Kendrick........................4 shots on goal, 1 goal, 1 assist
Matt...............................8 shots on goal, 3 goals
Devin.............................1 shot on goal
Rebekah.........................3 shots on goal, 1 goal
Nick..............................1 shot on goal, 2 assists
Callie.............................2 shots on goal

Goalies:

Callie...........................1 save

You can clearly see from the stats how dominating our Coyote offense was yesterday!  I don't think the Polars Bears managed to take more than 5 shots on goal, 3 of which went wide and out of play.  GREAT JOB COYOTES!!!  Keep it up....next week, we play a more seasoned team, and so we need to keep on top of our game and practice hard to prepare.  Both Coach Joseph and I are proud of the way you ALL played yesterday, and look forward to a good practice this week.

Welcome Back Coyotes!

Welcome back, Team Coyote!  Coaches Art and Joseph have been recently seen sitting atop the hills overlooking Heartland fields, eagerly awaiting and calling for the return of the Coyotes to the playing fields.

This Spring, the team returns 6 Coyotes from last season and previous seasons:  Rebekah, Akil, Devon, Nick, Callie, and Matthew.  New to the Pack are Tyler, Brock, and Addison!  We are glad you are all on our team, and look forward to another fun sesaon of Coyote soccer.

As usual, the team rules are very simple:  Have FUN!, be GOOD SPORTS (Coyotes as well as parents), and do NOT confuse the old Coyote!

For you new Coyote parents,as well as you returning parents, let me assure you that YOUR child's safety and security is always  first and foremost in my mind.  We will NEVER post a child's full name on the blog or the web.  And, when I email you, I use the BCC feature to protect YOUR

privacy as well.  If you want to give your email address out to others, that is your business, not mine.

My philosophy of coaching at this level is very simple....first and foremost, I want the kids to have fun.  I also want to teach them the basics of the game and help prepare them to move up to the upper leagues.  I stress good sportsmanship and fair play, and try to instill the teamwork concept in their young minds.  We are a TEAM...and I try to teach the kids to play as such.

Coach Joseph (see photo at the left) and I also try to keep accurate stats on all the games.  This is a "Rec" league, and scores are not officially kept...however....the KIDS all know the score, and I like to keep the stats to help me to decide what position a child best plays at.  Each team member will play ALL positions throughout the season, so that they will be exposed to each position of the game.

Last season (Fall), the young Coyotes experienced a tough season.  It was the first season for them at the U6 level, and we were one of the newest teams at that level.  We played several "seasoned" teams last Fall....and we played hard and well.  It was a learning experience for Team Coyote, and hopefully, those lessons will be carried over this Spring season as the now experienced Coyotes take to the fields.

Coach Art (seen in the photo at right) has been on the hunt in the offseason, and is ready to rumble.  I hope that you all have fun and enjoy being part of Team Coyote!  Feel free to comment to any post on the blog (of course, I do retain "editing" rights).  I try to keep the blog updated at least once a week during the season, and will always notify you via email when it has been updated. 

Our first practice of the new Spring Season will be held this coming Saturday at 2 pm...and Coach Joseph and I look forward to meeting all our new players and parents, and welcoming back our returning players and parents!  

GO COYOTES!