December 20, 2016
Hello Panther/Rush Families,
As we are wrapping up the 2016 year, I want to take the opportunity to thank all of the families for all that you do. The feedback you all provide is integral to the success of our club. Please continue to reach out when you feel there is an issue that needs to be addressed or a success needs recognition. Our coaching staff is busy preparing for the upcoming winter training season as well as the spring season (see attached snapshot for the winter season). In order to maximize the development of each individual, we are evaluating team placement within the leagues as well as individual placement within each team. As you are aware, players develop at different stages throughout their playing career. We want to place each player in an environment that will maximize their growth potential. During winter training, we will continue to evaluate and monitor the players. If there are any adjustments that are deemed necessary, those changes will be communicated prior to the start of the spring season. Enjoy the holiday season.
John Thurow
Director of Coaching
Panther Soccer Club / A Chicago Rush Soccer Affiliate
October 16, 2016
Parents,
As we head into the winter season, we as a club would like to make some changes to our normal schedule, and explain why this is for the best interest of your child. Historically we have played in local leagues where we play games that have been one sided, either in our favor, or against us. We have played at inconvenient and unrealistic times that is not conducive for a 7-10 year old, we encounter last minute game changes, and now we are missing players because the new time doesn’t work.
We as a club, with support of our DOC’s and coaches are now going to have all of our teams from u8-10 play in house futsal. For those of you who are not aware of futsal, its a 5v5 game, played on a plastic surface, with a weighted ball, that encourages speed of play, good first touch, and controlled shots. The sessions will start with a skill based warm up, followed by futsal games against Rush PSC players from u8-10. The coaches will still make the environment competitive, with the added bonus of the coach being allowed to make stoppages during game time so players can understand there and then, what they can do next time to improve on their spacial awareness.
We will not keep score, have no referees, and change the teams up each week. It will be ran as a regular training session with the emphasis on skill training through futsal games. If we feel that the level of play isn’t challenging, then we will seek outside teams from our Rush affiliates to make this as a competitive environment as we can for all of our players.
Key points
- Controlled coaching environment – coach can freeze play, and make coaching points
- Set days and times – great for consistency in schedule
- Skill based warm up before every game
- Elements of free play, to increase creativity
- Futsal ball helps with first touch and increasing speed of play
- Local facility
- Opportunity to bring in some rush affiliates to increase competition level
Oswego Futsal - 1509 Mitchell Dr, Oswego, IL 60543
Schedule January 7th – March 11th
- u8 Boys & u8 Girls - 9:00 –10:00am
- u9 & u10 Boys – 10:00 – 11:00am
- u10 Girls – 11:00am – 12:00pm
Thank you.
Michael Cockroft
Executive DOC Panther Soccer Club / A Chicago Rush Soccer Affiliate
October 4, 2016
Parents / PSC Players
As we head into our winter season to continue the great work our coaches and players have put into the fall season, we are happy to provide further training based off of our pool play system for the month of November and December.
As we know, all of our training will be in the Aurora Dome and with the limited space and premium cost, we are running pool play sessions that will be conducted by our directors. This gives our players some exposure to a new voice and at the same time it gives multiple coaches a different perspective and evaluation on our players.
The sessions as always will have an emphasis on skill based training, and now having access to our new bownet goals, we can run sessions specifically for shooting and finishing, with multiple goals available.
We are excited about using the new dome facility and challenging all of our players over this period, which is a vital time to further their development.
With the limited space, we unfortunately can't use November and December as open play practices. If you do foresee a major conflict with your son or daughters winter schedule please reach out to your coach directly, who can raise the concern with the directors.
Thank you.
Michael Cockroft
Executive DOC Panther Soccer Club / A Chicago Rush Soccer Affiliate
September 26, 2016
As we head well into our fall season, its a good time to reflect, and remind everyone on the meetings we had way back in the new year, and how the the calendar year would impact our players. For some teams, its been a seamless transition, for others, not so much!
As I have watched games early on this season, I see the biggest impact on our players aged 2006-2003, and for those still getting used to the calendar year, that’s our u11 – u14 age group. For the most part, this tends to be the age where we start seeing our children develop a lot quicker than others, and in a lot of cases, huge changes physically, and mentally.
How does this affect our teams?
We have some teams, where we had to add age groups together so that we can continue developing players in our club, and give players an opportunity to play within their own community that they wouldn’t have had if we kept them at their appropriate age because of the low numbers, or not enough for a second team. With that make up, we now see players almost playing against girls 2 years older, and at an early age, seeing a 10 year old to a 12 year old for example, is a huge difference developmentally.
This frustration isn’t just going on within our club, but across the whole country, and unfortunately the federation (USSF), who mandated the changes, really don’t see the direct impact that its has on players, and teams.
What can we do?
Our coaches are supported with curriculums, and ideas that continue to develop your son or daughter the correct way. Practices will always be focussed on maximum touches on the ball, in a enjoyable, safe, learning environment, using positive and innovative coaching. Games will always be encouraged playing out from the back, and trying to find our target player, even though some games will continuously be in our own half. Coaches will continue to praise and encourage the minor improvements, such as connecting passes, making a first touch into space, or getting a shot on target.
These small steps are key to the future development. While these, ‘bigger kids’, who are faster, quicker stronger, maybe standing out right now, will eventually plateau, or at least be caught up, and be asked the question, 'Can you control the ball from the air (resulted from their keeper punting a long ball over the top), can you take a first touch to space, do you know where to stand at a particular phase of play’?
So while I know its really frustrating right now, and you can’t see the end in sight, trust us as coaches, and a club, that we will continue to offer the best support to your players, and encourage and make it a positive experience, knowing that the longer term goal is around the corner.
Please let me know if you have any questions, or would like to talk to me specifically about incidents or issues you may have. We as coaches and directors are in place for you as the parent and player to get the best possible soccer experience.
We are driven by soccer, but united by community!
Michael Cockroft
Executive DOC Panther Soccer Club / A Chicago Rush Soccer Affiliate