INDOOR REGISTRATION -
A reminder of the October 31st, 2015 Indoor Registration Cut-off.
All forms and fees are due to the SSA Office by November 7th, 2015.
Click here for more details. Contact Nicole Knecht for further assistance.
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Ashley Kambeitz
Former Saskatoon goalkeeper of the SSA provincial programs, HPDC and Centre of GK Excellence program, was named
Mid-South Conference Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week in September after posting her first shutout of the season She is
attending Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee.
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Tyler Redl
On September 29th, Huskies' Tyler Redl was named to the list of Western Canada Athletic Association's Athletes of the week. The Saskatoon midfielder banked
a pair of goals and helped set up another as the Huskies came home from Winnipeg with a win and a tie against the Wesmen.
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Sarah Ochitwa
At the beginning of September, Sarah Ochitwa completed her 3rd National EXCEL ID C
amp in Burnaby, BC.
She was among 26 youth players from all over Canada training in the final camp of the year.
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A big thank you to
SYSI, Regina Soccer Association, Meridian Youth Soccer Association, Lloydminster and District Soccer Association, and all of the volunteers and referees for their time and efforts in hosting the 2015 Soccer for Life Provincial Championships. See everyone in 2016!
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NOMINATE SOMEONE DESERVING TODAY!
2015 SSA Recognition and
Technical Awards
Do you know someone that goes above and beyond, on or off the field?
The SSA extends the invitation to nominate players, teams, coaches, referees, and volunteers that exemplify the Values, Vision, and Mission of the organization.
Share this opportunity with players, coaches, parents, and volunteers in your community and help us to recognize excellence in the game.
Forms are available on our website and nominations are due to the SSA office by December 15th, 2015. Contact
Jen Ellarma for more details.
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Thank you to the below sponsors for all their support in 2015.
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MEET MATTHEW,
SOCCER
AFICIONADO &
NEW SSA PRACTICUM STUDENT
Hello, my name is Matthew Seip and I'm SSA's practicum student working in partner with the College of Kinesiology at the University of Saskatchewan. I'm currently
in my fifth and final year of my undergrad for a BSc. Kin with a minor in Entrepreneurship.
The practicum that I'm a part of has been developed to allow students the
op
portunity to work with organizations and get a feel for the business. As for myself I have be
en playing socce
r since I've been able to kick a ball. Currently I'm still playing soccer, and I'm also had the opportunity to be one of the student trainers with the Huskie Men's Soccer team for both the 2014 and 2015 seasons. After years of playing I wanted to experience the behind the scenes aspect of the soccer in Saskatchewan. I'll be in the Saskatoon office on Mondays for the foreseeable future. For my placement I will be: working with Lara in Grassroots development across the province, helping to organize Annual General Meeting of the members for both the CSA and the SSA, as well as other tasks that arise in the office.
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The City of Estevan will be hosting the 2016 Saskatchewan Summer Games from July 24th - 30th, 2016 and Soccer will be one of many Sports showcased during the event.
The call for District Sport Contacts & Coaches will go out shortly and the Soccer Technical Package is now available.
For more information about the 2016 Saskatchewan Summer Games, check out www.saskgames.ca.
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Concussion Safety
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 2015 First Nations Summer Games
Con
gratulations to all the participants of the 2015 First Nations Summer games which took place in Whitewood, Broadview and
Ochapowace First Nation from August 9th to 15th, 2015
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Special Olympics Soccer Program Inter-Provincial Tournament a Great Success
Submitted by: Samantha Stom-Anthony
Well, the 2015 edition of the Raiders Prairie Soccer Invitational has come to an end. Months of preparation go into the planning and execution of the tournament, and then "poof" within 48 hours it has come and gone, with great memories, beautiful medals and trophies, sore feet, aching muscles and a little sunburn to go along with it. Sixty-eight athletes and 16 coaches fielded teams ready to compete...and compete they did!
The weather on the weekend was gorgeous. Twenty-seven degrees, sunny, with a little breeze. Perfect soccer weather. Thank you God! The Mount Pleasant Soccer Park was a perfect venue for our event. It boasts plenty of trees for shade and a secure location where athletes and caregivers can relax and let the mingling and friendship building commence. This year, both of our Saturday meals were catered right at the park, so transportation requirements for the day were minimal, which, in turn, maximized the athletes' ability to meet and talk with other athletes, parents and caregivers. This also provided plenty of time for DairyAnna, the mascot from SaskMilk to hang out with the athletes. She definitely was a hit! It was giggles galore as the athletes gathered to have their photo taken with DairyAnna.
A huge shout-out goes to the coaches and volunteers who work with these amazing athletes every day. Your dedication, encouragement, support and tireless advocating on behalf of our Special Olympians makes the biggest difference in their lives. Thank you for all you do...on the soccer field and behind the scenes. Your hard work does not go unnoticed!
Now, down to the serious business of the tournament. In the Competitive Division, this year's Champions are the Edmonton Tigers, winning the gold medal game by a score of 5-0. The Saskatoon Fire earned themselves a silver medal, while the host team, the Regina Raiders earned the bronze. The Developmental Division was new this year, so the inaugural first-year Champions are the Moose Jaw Chilli Peppers, based on their cumulative win-loss record. The Humboldt Broncos, a tiny little team of seven fought their way to a silver medal. That left the bronze to be captured by the Regina Raiders 2.0.
The tournament went off without a hitch...and that is due largely in part to the amazing team of volunteers we had helping us pull off this high-quality event. We thank everyone who pitched in and lent a hand over the course of the weekend as we could not have done it without all of you. Thirty-four volunteers came together for this year's Raiders Prairie Soccer Invitational - WOW!!!
Two very special, patient and gentle people who need to be recognized are the officials who worked the entire tournament...each officiating nine games over the two days. Simon Shannon and Dave Claude did an amazing job, not only of officiating, but of teaching our athletes how to perfect their soccer skills. Our athletes learned a lot from them over the course of the weekend.
The "Local Legends" team made an appearance at the tournament, as well as the Regina Police Service team, led by Officer Claudio Serrano. Both teams played games in the tournament that offered the competing teams a fun, exciting twist (that didn't impact their standing in the tournament). Additionally, RPS officer John Turner, measured the speed of the athletes' shots using his radar gun. It was very exciting and the winner was Brent Toner, from the Edmonton Tigers, with a shot speed of 55 kph.
Each coach selected a player from his/her team who best deserved the title of Most Valuable Player. This award was based on: Attitude - on and off the field, Sportsmanship, Game Play, Team Leadership, Cooperation, and Inclusivity of Fellow Players. The winners from each team were as follows: Aaron Cadogan (Saskatoon Fire), Dwight Rieger (Regina Raiders), Tom McLaughlin (Edmonton Tigers), Laurie Carter (Moose Jaw Chilli Peppers), Marshel Huzina (Regina Raiders 2.0), and Chance Miller (Humboldt Broncos).
Our tournament sponsors, as always, were extremely generous, with athlete prizes, monetary support and the donation of new uniforms. Each athlete left the tournament with at least four prizes to take home with them. Thank you to our major sponsors: SaskMilk, Toyota, and the QC United Soccer Organization. Additional supportive sponsors include: Safeway, Big Dog 92.7, Harvard Broadcasting, Anthony Electric, Saskatchewan Soccer Association, World Class Players Sport Inc, LG Fitness, Mark Docherty (MLA), Lonsdale Boxing Club, Sherwood Co-op, University of Regina Bookstore, Regina City Police, School Resource Officer Program, Wolseley Canada, Viterra, Choice Electric, City of Regina, Queen City Sports and Uniforms, Tourism Saskatchewan, Barker's Trophies and Tourism Regina.
Finally, thank you to the Special Olympics Regina organization. Without their support and encouragement, this tournament would not have been possible. Thank you specifically to Mike Penno, Rick Sanden and Abigail Frasz for all they do!
Thank you! Thank You! Thank You! We'll see you next year at the Raiders Prairie Invitiational. Save the date: June 4-5, 2016.
"Let Me Be Brave!" (Regina Raiders Motto)
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Long Time SSA Coach Continues Professional Development
Percy Hoff was accepte
d into Master of Coaching Program before the
summer began.
Already qualified as a Master Coach in the Canadian National Coaching Certification Program, ASTRA Academy and Hollandia Soccer Club Director of Coaching Percy Hoff has been accepted into the American NSCAA Master Coach Certificate Program at the University of Delaware.
The NSCAA MASTER COACH DIPLOMA/UD MASTER COACH CERTIFICATE is the pinnacle coaching diploma for the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). The course is designed for experience and qualified coaches highly experienced and highly qualified coaches who want to achieve mastery in their professional development. The course is designed to prepare and educate coaches to work at the highest level within their profession and to serve as a mentor and educator for developing coaches for the betterment of soccer in the United States and Canada.
The NSCAA MASTER COACH DIPLOMA/UD MASTER COACH CERTIFICATE was created and designed to meet the needs of elite level coaches and it consists of a week-long residential course that includes on-field sessions, classroom lectures, group projects and presentations; a 13 week online component consisting of lectures, discussions and reading assignments; a one-week
apprenticeship at an NSCAA approved location; and with the guidance of NSCAA approved mentor the development and implementation of a required comprehensive project that will contribute to coaches professional growth. In addition to instruction, interaction with other Master Coach Diploma candidates is expected to be a large component of the experience.
Percy Hoff has coached SSA teams every year since 1991 and is currently head coach of both the PSP Stage 2 male program and the Saskatchewan Western Canada Summer games men's team. He is also a Learning Facilitator within the NCCP coach development program and conducts coach development for the SSA, as well as mentorship programs within the ASTRA Centre of Excellence which is the first SSA approved Centreof Excellence. Percy is also Director of Coaching and Player Development for the ASTRA Soccer Academy and the Hollandia Soccer Club in Saskatoon.
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COACH DEVELOPER
CORE
TRAINING OPPORTUNITY
The Coaches Association of Saskatchewan will be hosting Core Training for Coach Developers on
October 23 to 25, 2015 in Regina and
March 11 to 13, 2016 in Saskatoon. These events will provide Master Learning Facilitators, Learning Facilitators, Master Evaluators, and Coach Evaluators an opportunity to complete their Core Training requirements
For more information or to register for the October 23 to 25 workshops in Regina, click
HERE.
For more information or to register for the March 11 to 13 workshops in Saskatoon, click
HERE.
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#PrairieProud
Club Teams From All Over the Province Headed to Club Nationals all over Canada!
Teams from all over Saskatchewan will be headed to all ends of the country for the 2015 CSA Sport Chek National Club Championships. Action gets started on October 7th and will run until the 12th.
Best of luck to all the teams:
U14: FC Regina (girls) and Lakewood Athletico (boys) - St John's, NL
U16: PA Celtics (girls) and QC United (boys) - Surrey, BC
U18: PA Celtics(girls) and SUSC United(boys) - Charlottetown, PEI
Seniors: Hollandia Impact (women) and HUSA alumni (men) - Calgary, AB
MASTERS MEN BRING HOME THE BRONZE; WOMEN FINISH 6TH
Master teams FC Regina (women) and Saskatoon Arsenal (men) represented at the 2015 CSA Western Masters Club Nationals in Vancouver, BC at the end of September. For scores and stats from the weekend, click
here.
SK referees will also be on the sidelines at Club Nationals:
Ethan Bent - U16 Club Nationals in Surrey BC
Chantal Boudreau - Jubilee Cup, Calgary BC
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GET CONNECTED WITH THE SASKATCHEWAN INTERCOLLEGIATE TEAMS
For up to the minute scores, stats, & updates, follow the
Program Website links
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Women's Program
The University of Regina Cougars have started their season with a 1-3-2 record in Canada West competition, and are looking to get back in the win column this weekend as they head to B.C. for matches against the UBC Thunderbirds and Victoria Vikes.
The Cougars have been led on the pitch by Daniela Castro, who has two goals to her credit, and fifth-year midfielder Celia Michaud who has a goal of her own. The Cougars have demonstrated an aggressive offensive attack in the first six games, firing 79 shots towards opponent's goals.
At the other end of the pitch, rookie keeper Savannah Williams has made an immediate impact. The young goalie has started the last four games between the pipes and stopped 23 of the 28 shots she has faced.
Head coach Bob Maltman knows the team needs to make adjustments moving forward to be successful in the competitive Canada West conference.
"As a team we know that we will have to be very disciplined and organized throughout each match and mentally switched on at all times. We are also firmly aware of the necessity to play with confidence in possession to both create and capitalize upon scoring opportunities."
- Submitted by: Andrew Smith
Learn more about the coach -
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Men's Program
The University of Saskatchewan Huskies (3-2-1) hope to position themselves near the top of the conference standings coming off of a split on the road in Winnipeg last weekend.
Strong play from their young players has helped the Huskies to start the season. Second-year Tyler Redl leads the squad with six points on four goals and two assists. Redl was named Canada West second star for his efforts last weekend.
A pair of freshman, Marcello Gonzalez and Avery Michael, have chipped in with three goals and an assist credited to each of them this season.
Goalkeeper Greg Buckley has played an important role between the posts coming up with key saves when needed. Buckley has started all six matches for Saskatchewan.
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Men's Program
The Lakeland Rustlers went 4-2 through the month of September, landing the team 3rd in the ACAC South Division Standings.
Earning a hat trick, Hardi netted two more in the second half and Cukovic got a second.
After splitting the weekend at home in mid-September, the Rustlers have spent most of the month on the road. They are set to face the SAIT Trojans, 2nd in the Division.
The Rustlers' striker, Darko Hardi leads team scoring with nine goals in five games. Midfielder Stefan Cukovic has also netted five goals, over five games.
Moving forward, the team will be working on their interchange of flank play. They will also focus on their transitioning from defending third to middle third, commented Head Coach, Kevin Wagner.
Women's Program
After some hard fought battles on the field, the Lakeland Rustlers (1-2-4) sit fourth in the ACAC South Division Standings.
North Battleford's Brooklyn Cockburn and Saskatoon's Sara Downing have each posted two goals over five games.
Working with a younger team this year, Head Coach, Kevin Wagner has said the team will continue to work on fitness and preparation to compete, and building confidence on the pitch.
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Saskatchewan Western Canada Summer Games Squads Perform Admirably at Competition - 2015 Western Canada Games - Wood Buffalo, AB
The SSA Training to Compete WCSG programs travelled to Fort McMurray, Alberta in August, to compete in a six team tournament that is part of the Multisport Western Canada Summer Games. With tough competition between all of the western provinces and the Yukon and Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan can be proud about the 'gap' we have steadily been closing over the past few Western Games cycles. "Comparing the Saskatchewan population and the geography of our province to that of our neighbors, we are witnessing High-Performance development continuing to move forward." SSA High-Performance Stream Manager Terrol Russell augmented this statement with recognition of the considerable number of female and male athletes who have been identified at higher levels since the High-Performance Stream was conceptualized in Saskatchewan six years ago.
"Developing the High-Performance athlete is more than just scoring goals and winning games. Working within the Training to Train and Training to Compete Stages of LTPD, we have committed to process goals and not necessarily outcome goals. When Saskatchewan athletes enter the Training to Win Stage of LTPD, we are confident the Saskatchewan High-Performance athlete will be well prepared. In addition to the certification requirements for the on-field teachings of our High-Performance Stream Coaches, the integration of certified integrated sport science teams is preparing our athletes within our five developmental pillars. "
Recognizing the performances of both squads, new milestones were reached in the level of confidence portrayed on and off the field and in the attractive brand of football the Saskatchewan athletes always tried to play. This was evident in the play in the second match by the male squad, where they held the eventual silver medalists 0-0 until the last minute of the match, where BC managed to put away an unfortunate rebound off the crossbar. In the girls final match a heartbreak loss was also suffered when they held the eventual Bronze medalists 0-0 until the last minute of play, where Alberta found an opening in front of goal to slot in the game winner. "With Saskatchewan historically being a late maturing province, the results of our squads are quite significant. It will be exciting to see our athletes grow and develop over the next two years and see what program each individual athlete graduated into."
"Credit goes to the staff for their preparation and to the SSA member organizations for the work being conducted in the areas of athlete and coach development." Coach Russell adds that Saskatchewan is starting to make a mark in the country and is soon to reach its 'tipping point'. "Our WCSG programs showed we are on the verge of taking another step closer to reaching the level we know we can achieve as a Province. The more athletes and coaches who are identified, continues driving development down the pipeline. With better development ultimately comes better Provincial results. It is an exciting time to play soccer in Saskatchewan and within the next 5-10 years we will see the hard work eventually pay off.
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Female Team Coaching Staff:
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Male Team Coaching Staff:
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Jason Jones (Head Coach)
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Percy Hoff (Head Coach)
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Adele Bandet (Assistant Coach)
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Josh Hartl (Assistant Coach)
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Michelle Keene (Assistant Coach)
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Chris Zoller (Assistant Coach)
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Female Team:
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Male Team:
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Claire Abrey (Saskatoon)
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Marcus Baxter (Saskatoon)
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Claudia Erikson (Saskatoon)
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Mekonnen Cridland (Moose Jaw)
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Olivia Fredrickson (Saskatoon)
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Zach Edwards (Saskatoon)
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Jaedan Gardner (Saskatoon)
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Davidson Fadare (Regina)
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Anna Glasgow (Saskatoon)
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Jordan Fiske (Regina)
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Madison Goertz (Saskatoon)
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Thomas Hasal (Saskatoon)
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Cassidy Hayward (Saskatoon)
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Kelly Lowry (Regina)
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Ellyce Kuiack (Saskatoon)
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Faith Marufu (Saskatoon)
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Ally Labach (Saskatoon)
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Nelson McPherson-Krueger (Saskatoon)
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Emmarie Racine-Hallin (Saskatoon)
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Matthew Michasiw (Saskatoon)
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Hayley Mercier (Saskatoon)
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Ahmed Mohamed (Saskatoon)
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Brynn Nash (Saskatoon)
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Nicholas Montenegro (Regina)
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Sarah Ochitwa (Saskatoon)
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Hamza Moustapha (Regina)
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Megan Ripplinger (Regina)
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Taylor Nicolson (Regina)
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Nicole Solie (Saskatoon)
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Tobi Ojo (Swift Current)
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Caitlyn Spurr (Saskatoon)
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Spencer Steele (Canora)
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Claire Stillwell (Saskatoon)
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Tyrell Thring (Saskatoon)
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Hailey Weber (Saskatoon)
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Brad Welch (Saskatoon)
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FOR FULL RESULTS FROM THE 2015 WESTERN CANADA SUMMER GAMES,
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On t
he Grassroots Workshops Road with Lara
The SSA Staff resumed our travels across the province for Grassroots Workshops at the beginning of September and have had the opportunity to meet this month with JJ Soccer (09.01), Moose Jaw Soccer (09.01), Swift Current Soccer Association (09.08), Nipawin Indoor Soccer (09.15), Yorkton United FC (09.21), QC United (09.23), and Ginga Futebol Academy (09.23). I greatly enjoy meeting the Boards of each Me
mber Organization and learning their greatest successes and challenges and how we can bett
er support operations in each MO. We've now conducted 23 Grassroots Workshops and enjoy how it's informing our direction here in the office. Here are some of the things that we're working on which came directly from Grassroots Workshops:
Soccer 201:
this will be a four hour introductory course which will provide fundamental soccer skills and coaching techniques, as well as the basic rules of the game. This course will be useful for parents who want to coach but have limited kno
wledge about the game, or for parents who want to learn to better play with their child.
RSS Feed:
SSA news can now be pushed down to Member Organization sites through an RSS feed and can be added in any of the call out boxes on your MO's home page.
Skills Videos:
we're currently putting the finishing touches on short videos which introduce the basic skills of Dribbling and Turning, Passing, Receiving, and Shooting.
Parent Education Guides:
this series of short guides will discuss why kids play soccer and positive parent behaviour, playing soccer with your kids and the Long Term Player Development model.
Calendar of Events:
these calendars will amass all of SSA's technical and organizational events into one handy document for reference of MOs.
Board Development Templates:
these templates, focused on the board, will include job descriptions, board orientation manual, board meeting agenda, board meeting minutes, etc.
Policy & Bylaw Templates:
these templa
tes will focus on articles of incorporation, bylaws, policies, and procedures.
These pieces are currently in development and will be made available to members as soon as they are ready. Next month, we hope to me
et with Battleford Youth Soccer, Battleford Senior Soccer, Valley Soccer Association, and ASTRA Academy. To stay informed about Grassroots Workshops, click here.
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SSA Funding Opportunities - DEADLINE - OCTOBER 31, 2015
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Referee Development Grant
The Saskatchewan Soccer Association (SSA) offers funding, under the Membership Assistance Program (MAP) for Referee Development in Saskatchewan in the following areas:
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Female Development Grant
The Saskatchewan Soccer Association (SSA) offers funding, under the Membership Assistance Program (MAP) for female participants in SK in the following areas:
- Community Coaching Courses and Clinics
- Referee Courses and Clinics
- Coaching and Referee Developmental opportunities
For more information,
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Coaching Development
The Saskatchewan Soccer Association (SSA) provides funding under the Membership Assistance Program (MAP) to registered Saskatchewan coaches looking to improve their coaching proficiency through professional development opportunities.
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RESPECT IN SPORT FOR ALL MEMBER ORGANIZATION AND ENTITY COACHES, MANAGERS AND TEAM PERSONNEL
Respect in Sport is REQUIRED...No Exceptions!
And WHY?
- Provincial-wide MANDATE from SaskSport Inc., to all Provincial Sport Governing bodies for ALL sports, ALL TEAMS in Saskatchewan - FAQ about the RiS Provincial Certification Initiative
- Everyone deserves a safe, abuse-free, and bullying-free environment
- Reduce the risk of liability for YOU, as a volunteer - Education is power against instances of negligence, abuse, and harassment
Your RIS number must be provided upon registration with your member organization.
All Coaches and Team Personnel must possess Respect in Sport (RIS) certification prior to participating in their first soccer related activity, therefore, please note that participation in local games, tournaments, and access to travel permits is prohibited without RiS.
Certification is FREE and only takes approximately 3 hours.
Click here
to begin.
Contact
Udo Baecker for further information regarding RiS Certification.
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2015 Soccer For Life Seniors and Masters Provincial Championships
The Saskatchewan Soccer Association (SSA) Soccer 4 Life Senior/Masters Provincial Championships took place in Lloydminster in August. The SSA would like to thank Lloydminster and District Soccer Association for hosting the event, doing a great job assisting with the competition and providing volunteers to make the event a success. Thanks to the teams who traveled from all corners of the Province to attend the Provincial Championships.
Senior Mens
- Gold: Eclipse Rangers
- Silver: LRUSP - Lakeland United
- MVP: Scott Malek, LRUSP - Lakeland United
- Fair Play: LRUSP -Lakeland United
Masters
- Gold: Saskatoon Arsenal
- Silver: Arauco FC
- MVP: Todd Frederickson, Arauco FC
- Fair Play: Saskatoon Arsenal MFC
The format for the S4L Outdoor Senior/Masters Provincial Championships included the Most Valuable Player (MVP) category. This is determined by the coaches ranking the top two opposing team's athletes in each game; the player highest ranked receives 5 points and the second highest receives 3 points. At the end of the tournament, the player with the most points is the Tournament (age group) MVP. A Fair-Play Award is also given out. The Award is based on the votes of the officials on the conduct of the players, coaches and fans of each team.
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High-Performance Development Centre
High Performance Stream Update
Saskatchewan HPDC Develops Partnership with Swansea City Football Club Elite Women's Program
Opportunities to play abroad are a rare commodity for players wishing to extend their experiences and knowledge of the game. For members of the High Performance Development Centre (HPDC), dreams and aspirations come in many forms and can lead players along different paths of development, even across the pond to Wales. Through the efforts of Coaches Terrol Russell and Huw Morris, long-time coach and SSA Life member, along with their counterparts in Swansea, Wales, players have now been given the chance to work with an Elite Women's team on their own turf.
In August, three senior HPDC athletes - Taylor Bubnick, JJ Altrogge, and Keara Quinn - spent twelve days training with Women's Head Coach Ian Owen and the Swansea Football Club's elite women's program. In addition to their training regimen, these athletes were provided special dispensation to participate with the Club at the prominent Nottingham Cup presented by New Balance. Not only did this allow the athletes the opportunity to showcase themselves in the tournament, but each athlete played an integral role in helping the squad to win the Gold Medal as tournament champions.
In addition to their inclusion in training sessions and organized matches with the squad, one of the highlights was the opportunity to watch a professional match between Reading Ladies and Chelsea. With many of the England World Cup Bronze Medal Winning team members on show, the experience was another eye opener for the athletes.
When asked about how the athletes fit in and performed with the Swansea program, Coach Owen was very complimentary stating, "these girls are fantastic. Their attitude towards everything we do is first class. The girls have great technical and tactical ability and their work ethic is right up there. They have been involved in both evening and morning sessions and bonded well with our players. Our players and staff are learning from them also..."
"It has been many years in the making but at last our HPDC development pipeline is almost complete", says Coach Terrol Russell in reference to the recent success achieved within the SSA's High-Performance Development Centre. "These three athletes have set a path for the future, as this opportunity is now available on a yearly basis to hard-working HPDC athletes entering their grade twelve year. Although no promises can ever be made, overseas Collegiate and/or Professional opportunities are now a step away," added Russell. Due to the philosophy and framework that the HPDC program is built upon, along with the on and off-field athlete preparation, opportunities such as these are showcasing Saskatchewan's High-Performance female athletes to many varying levels within the game.
With a final note by Coach Owen stating these three athletes "were a joy to coach" and that "they [the team] were sad to see them leave," Coach Owen recognized the athletes for their ongoing professionalism and to the HPDC environment for producing three athletes that can step in and compete directly at this level.
Coach Russell also wishes to recognize the work the athletes put in throughout the year and to the staff working behind the scenes to help the HPDC athletes acquire success at this level. Recognitions go to Coach Huw Morris for initiating this project two years ago, to all members of the Technical Staff and the Integrated Sport Science Team, and to the members of the SSA Administrative staff. "With the support of the team of people working together to continually refine and deliver a world class program, the athletes are able to focus solely on their training and preparation" Coach Russell mentioned. He added, "participating in an environment where every aspect of training is designed around scientific principles and driven by certified and educated coaches and trainers, alongside the thousands of touches each athlete gets on the ball each week, dedicated HPDC athletes are now reaching and exceeding their individual goal(s)."
For more information about the HPDC program, visit the
SSA Website.
Want to know more about the Swansea City AFC Women's Program, click here.
For more information about the Centre of Excellence initiative and the High Performance Development Centre, check out the SSA Website or contact
Coach Terrol
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Technical-Tactical-Physical-Psychological-Social
The HPDC 5 Pillars of Development
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OF THE DIRECTOR OF SOCCER OPERATIONS
Hello SSA Members!
For those that I don't know, my name is Dave Nutt and I am the Director of Soccer Operations with the Saskatchewan Soccer Association. In this role, I am responsible for the overall technical direction of the SSA and the many technical programs and services that are delivered by the talented and dedicated SSA technical staff and instructors. As a new feature of the Soccer News, I will be providing regular reports on the activities, outputs, outcomes and initiatives of the SSA from a technical perspective. In addition, these reports may include thoughts and perspectives on soccer "hot topics" as well as links to information and articles that may be of interest to the soccer community. As this is the first edition of this feature, I would welcome your thoughts and feedback, as well as requests for topics to be addressed in future editions.
As with most soccer organizations, summer is the busiest time of the year for many SSA programs. For those interested in the many highlights, outputs and outcomes, we encourage you to visit the SSA website regularly and keep an eye out for the Soccer News.
In addition to the many programming initiatives, much work has been completed this year as a part of the planning process for the Competitive Stream. I am most thankful to the many Member Organizations and Entities that have provided their valuable insight thus far in the process and look forward to continued discussions as we develop the "desired future state" of competitive stream soccer in Saskatchewan.
In case you missed the information that has been distributed regarding the Competitive Stream planning process thus far,
click here
to catch up on the overall process and communications that have taken place to date.
What I'm reading...
One of the fundamental principles of the Long Term Player/Athlete Development Model is that of developmental or maturational age. It is reasonably well accepted that children and youth develop at different rates and that those of the same chronological age (i.e. born the same year) are not necessarily the same developmental or maturational age (think of the variety in stature and development of youth players on the same team). What is more challenging is translating this knowledge in to practice for competition. Southampton FC, a progressive Premier League club from England, is attempting to tackle this challenge through operation of what is claimed to be the "world's first bio-banded tournament". Follow the link to learn more about it.
Another hot topic in both soccer and sports circles involves the importance of scores and standings in youth sport. Many equate game result with competition and; therefore, if there is no recorded result, there must be no competition. This same thinking leads us to believe that the important life lessons that are taught by winning and losing, such as sportsmanship, responding to defeat, and acting graciously in victory, are lost without recording scores and tracking results in the form of standings.
On the contrary, regardless of the publication of scores and standings, children will compete and understand that there is a winner and loser in every game. To illustrate this, think of a self-organized children's game at recess. Will those young "athletes" know who had the most goals at the end of the play period? Absolutely! The need to reduce the emphasis on results at young ages in organized sport is actually to guide adult behaviour, not diminish the desire to compete, which is inherent to most children. Game results, standings and trophies for the winners place an undo emphasis on result, often at the expense of development and experience. Coaches adopt win-first strategies like limiting playing time for less developed or skilled players and punishing the mistakes that are necessary for young people to learn, which creates a highly pressurized environment that is not conducive to development. Parents can get wrapped up in the "importance" of the game result or playoff race and lose sight of what is really important to their child. The elimination of scores and standings at young ages is not about eliminating competition, it's about enhancing the experience of the players, after all, isn't that why we sign our children up for sport in the first place?
The next link provides some additional thoughts on this complex topic as well as many links to arguments on both sides of the discussion:
Thank you for taking the time to read this report "from the desk of the Director of Soccer Operations" and I look forward to using the forum as a tool to engage with the SSA Membership on a more regular basis moving forward.
Yours in soccer,
Dave Nutt
Director of Soccer Operations
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A Summer Full of Workshops for SSA Members and More to Come this Fall!
As a part of the
Grassroots and Recreational Stream Plans, the SSA is committed to Growing Capacity through Education & Training opportunities. Aligned to this outcome and following the successful launch of this program with the delivery of workshops focused on Injury Care and Prevention and Return to Sport Following Injury in April, the SSA, in conjunction with the Sport Medicine and Science Council Saskatchewan (SMSCS), delivered another sport medicine workshop on Saturday, September 19, 2015 in Saskatoon. Led by Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame member,
Al Bodnarchuk, the Sport Taping Workshop was a 7-hour practical workshop with content that dealt with types of soft tissue injuries, cycle and mechanism injuries, stages of healing, assessing and return to sport guidelines, knowing when to tape versus not to tape, ankle wrapping, ankle taping, wrist taping, thumb & finger taping, hip wrap, and tensor bandaging.
The workshop was provided by the SSA, free of charge, to registered coaches and team personnel and is one of the component
s of the SMSCS 'Sport Safety Certificate of Completion'.
The second component of this certificate will be delivered in November in Regina as follows:
Workshop: Sport First Aid
Date: Saturday, November 28/15
Time: 9:00am-5:00pm
Location: Crown Room at Travelodge Hotel and Conference Centre Regina
4177 Albert Street South, Regina, SK S4S 3R6
Consultant: Scott Anderson
For more information on this opportunity, click here.
There is still space to attend this workshop, to register,
click here
.
The SSA would like to thank the participants for attending, as well as both the instructor and the SMSCS for their support in delivering this workshop. The SSA is committed to supporting development through equipping coaches and team personnel with new knowledge to support athlete participation and development. With few teams within the Grassroots, Recreational and Competitive Streams having access to sport medicine support on a regular basis, these workshops provide coaches and team personnel with a foundation to support athletes under their care during the playing season.
Another element of the SSA Grassroots and Recreation Stream Plans under the Growing Capacity pillar is Education & Training for Technical Leaders. In addition to ongoing working to certify technical leaders from around Saskatchewan as Learning Facilitators with a goal of imbedding community coach training and certification within Member Organization and Entity structures, the SSA also offered the first technical leader training workshop on Sunday, September 20, 2015 in Saskatoon. Led by Paul Varian, Principal of Capitis Consulting, who has extensive not for profit sport management experience at the national, provincial and club levels, this workshop focused on providing "Business Skills for Technical Leaders".
With components targeting governance and board of directors interaction, policies and procedures, revenue development, marketing and communications and finance and risk, this workshop aimed to inform technical leaders in the core areas of business skills and position them to "broaden their skill set so they can work with their Board, parent groups, sponsors and non-technical staff as effectively as they do with their players on the training ground".
The SSA would like to thank the technical leaders from throughout the province who make the time to attend this workshop as well as Paul Varian for his expertise and insight in delivering it.
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SEND US YOUR PICTURES!!!
From the sidelines, at the end of a game, to the finish of a great practice, we want to share your pictures and stories! Submit yours today to
[email protected]
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