News for the Week of November 25, 2013

Program notes for the Week of 11/25/2013:

Happy Thanksgiving to all our soccer families!!


Team Academic All-America Award 2013:
There was an academic award announced last week after the awards assembly had taken place that we want everyone to be aware of:

We are very excited to announce that the girls were awarded Team Academic All-America status for the 2012-2013 school year this past week by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). This is the highest academic honor that high school soccer teams may receive in the country. Avon Lake was one of only 224 teams nationwide (about 4 per state) to receive this prestigious award and the team GPA was an excellent 3.44!

Also, Avon Lake was the only Lorain County school to be awarded Team Academic All-America status.

To qualify for the award, a team must have a minimum grade point average of 3.25 for the entire academic year. The way that this award is figured is based on the fact that a number of states play Spring soccer only and in order to include all states the NSCAA waits until after the Spring season is completed to determine the award winners. That is why the award for last year is just being announced in late November of this year. This was actually last year's team that won the award and would include last year's 7 graduated seniors.  This year's team is also on track to receive Academic All-America status again for the current academic year next November. That would mark the 5th year in row that the Shoregals have received this award as we have now earned it in 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, & 2008.

Congratulations to all our Shoregal scholars!!  It is a pleasure to be able to report not only successes on the field but also in the classroom as well.  The girls soccer program has a legacy of achievement that continues with each new generation of players and is truly something to be admired.


Shoregal Alumni in College Update:
The college season has concluded for our Shoregal alumni and let's give an update on how their seasons went:

At Otterbein University, sophomore Dana Strimbu played goalie in all 20 games with 19 starts and was the primary goalie. She had a record of 10-6-1 with 5 shutouts and 55 saves. She allowed only 15 goals the entire season.

Her sister and fellow sophomore Jillian Strimbu started all 20 games.  She was the team's leading scorer with 10 goals including 5 game winners and contributed 2 assists. Otterbein finished the season with a record of 12-7-1.

At Cleveland State, senior Taylor Miller played in 11 games and had 1 assist  for the 8-9-1 Vikings.

At Butler University, sophomore Rachel Gates plays for their club soccer team for which she is a vice-president.   Their record was 2-7-1 and was difficult to find any stats.

It sounds like our Alumni are representing the Shoregals very well at the next level.


Shorty Sez:
We continue with our collection of motivtional sayings coming from the Twitter site called Women Love Sports which may be found at:

https://twitter.com/Women_Sports

Once there, here are some selected examples of tweets over the past week. Hope you find something that inspires you here:

You are successful the moment you start moving toward a worthwhile goal.

Wake up with DETERMINATION. Go to bed with SATISFACTION.

Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it. - George Halas

Use what talent you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best.

Do you know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to play. -Mike Singletary

News for the Week of November 18, 2013

Program notes for the Week of 11/18/2013:

Team Awards Night:
The Shoregals soccer awards night will be held on Wednesday Nov. 20th at 7:00 p.m. in Room 114 at the high school.  Individual awards for both the JV & Varsity teams will be presented.


Lorain County All-Star Game:
A great way to end their high school careers for three of our seniors last Saturday at the Lorain County Soccer Coaches Assn. senior all-star game.  Amy Crooks, Emily Peterson, and Ali Robinson all played for the victorious White team which beat the Purple team by a score of 2-0.  Kayla Zingale of North Ridgeville scored both goals for the winners and we remember her well as she scored the only goal in a 1-0 loss to North Ridgeville this past season.  In goal for the White team was our very own Amy Crooks who ended her career with a game winning shutout!

In other news at the game, Emily Peterson was one of three recipients of a $500 scholarship from the Coach's Association.   Congrats!!


State Championships Results:
The really big news this year was that Rocky River won a Division II State Championship - their first in program history - with a 3-1 victory over Granville.  This was just an amazing team that finished with a 22-0-1 record with the tie coming to an out of state team at an early season tournament.  They scored 128 goals during the season which is an average of almost 6 per game while only giving up 11 goals.   This was a season for them that will live on in legend for years to come.  Congrats to the Lady Pirates!


Shorty Sez:
We are bringing back our collection of motivtional sayings coming from the Twitter site called Women Love Sports which may be found at:

https://twitter.com/Women_Sports

Once there, here are some selected examples of tweets over the past week. Hope you find something that inspires you here:

You get self-satisfaction from pushing yourself to the limit, knowing that all the effort is going to pay off. - Mary Lou Retton

There is one thing in this world that has the ability to change our whole life in an instant... IT'S ACTION.

The Six W's: Work will win while wishing won't

The ones who want to achieve & win championships motivate themselves. -Mike Ditka

Don't count the days, make the days count - Muhammad Ali

News for the Week of November 4, 2013

Program Notes for the Week of 11/4/2013:

Postseason Awards:
We want to continue to announce the numerous postseason awards that were earned by the girls for their performance from the recently concluded season. This week we will feature All-Southwest Conference and All Greater Cleveland. Those girls receiving awards are as follows:

All SWC First Team  Ali Robinson (Sr.)

All SWC Second Team  Emily Peterson (Sr.)

All SWC Honorable Mention Clare Adams (Jr.)

All SWC Honorable Mention  Olivia Siko (Fr.)


All Greater Cleveland Honorable Mention  Ali Robinson (Sr.)

All Greater Cleveland Honorable Mention  Emily Peterson (Sr.)

All Greater Cleveland Honorable Mention  Clare Adams (Jr.)

All Greater Cleveland Honorable Mention  Olivia Siko (Fr.)

Congratulations to these Shoregals on their well deserved awards!



Boys Soccer Update:
The boys team played a well fought game but came up on the short end of 1-0 score to Medina in a Regional Semi-final game last Wednesday. Every team's season except for the state champions end with a loss, but that does not diminish the outstanding season the boys team had.  Highlights would include a second place finish in the SWC, the first District Championship since 1998, and a 11 game winning streak.  Congrats to the boys on a great season!!


SWC Update:
There have been more changes to the lineup in the Southwest Conference for the 2015-16 school year.  Brecksville has now decided to drop out of the SWC to join the Suburban League in 2015.  That created an opening which will now be filled by North Ridgeville. The new SWC will field 10 teams in Fall of 2015 as follows:

Amherst
Avon
Avon Lake
Berea-Midpark
Lakewood
Midview
North Olmsted
North Ridgeville
Olmsted Falls
Westlake

Looking at this new lineup for girls soccer, it should be a very evenly matched conference and one that Avon Lake should be in a position to compete for a conference championship every year.


Shorty Sez:
We are bringing back our collection of motivtional sayings coming from the Twitter site called Women Love Sports which may be found at:

https://twitter.com/Women_Sports

Once there, here are some selected examples of tweets over the past week. Hope you find something that inspires you here:

Don't compare yourself to others. Compare yourself to the person from yesterday.

It is not how big you are, it's how big you play. -Unknown

Win or lose you will never regret working hard, making sacrifices, being disciplined or focusing too much.

Life isn't about finding yourself, it's about creating yourself

In this life, you don't have to prove nothin' to nobody but yourself. -"Rudy"

The 3 H's for Athletes: 1) Hard Work 2) Heart 3) Hustle

 

News for the Week of October 29, 2013

Program Notes for the Week of 10/29/2013:

Equipment Turn-in:
All equipment (equipment bag, warm ups) and uniforms (w/ the exception of the socks which are yours to keep) will be collected on Wednesday, October 30th between 3 PM and 5 PM in the locker room hallway (between the practice gym and locker rooms). ALL equipment must be returned on this date. No exceptions.

Please wash all uniforms and warm ups, bundle the uniforms together (home jersey and home shorts rolled up and banded with a rubber band) w/ number showing, and bring with you in your equipment bag. Each player will be checked individually so allow for some time to complete the process. We will not accept "dropped off" items. We will check the equipment against the contract you signed upon receipt of the goods in August.

If any parents are willing to assist, I would be appreciative. Jessica is unable to assist, due to her condition, and Sarah has other coaching obligations to attend to.


Postseason Awards:
Over the next several weeks, we will be announcing the numerous postseason awards that were earned by the girls.  This week we will feature All-Lorain County. Several Avon Lake girls soccer team members were awarded All-County status recently by the Lorain County Scholastic Coaches Association for their performance from the recently concluded season. Those receiving awards are as follows:


All Lorain County First Team   Ali Robinson (Sr.)

All Lorain County First Team   Emily Peterson (Sr.)

All Lorain County Second Team   Olivia Siko (Fr.)

All Lorain County Honorable Mention  Clare Adams (Jr.)

All Lorain County Honorable Mention  Kellie Norris (Fr.)


In addition, the following Seniors were selected to play in the Lorain County All-Star game on November 16th which will be hosted by Avon Lake in Memorial Stadium:

Amy Crooks

Emily Peterson

Ali Robinson

Congratulations to these Shoregals on their well deserved awards!


Boys Soccer Update:
Congratulations to the Boys team on their District Championship victory 1-0 over Westlake on Saturday.  It was their first district crown since 1998.  Next up for the Shoremen is Medina on Wednesday 10/30 at 7:00 p.m. at Nordonia High School.  Best of Luck to Shoremen Soccer!    


Shorty Sez:
We are bringing back our collection of motivtional sayings coming from the Twitter site called Women Love Sports which may be found at:

https://twitter.com/Women_Sports

Once there, here are some selected examples of tweets over the past week. Hope you find something that inspires you here:

To be successful, you must decide exactly what you want to accomplish, then resolve to pay the price to get it.

It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret. -Jackie Joyner-Kersee

If you are going to be a champion, you must be willing to pay a greater price. -Bud Wilkinson

Every moment is the right one to be kind.  
Discipline is the fuel of achievement.

News for the Week of Oct. 21, 2013

Program Notes for the Week of 10/21/2013:

Equipment Turn-in:
All equipment (equipment bag, warm ups) and uniforms (w/ the exception of the socks which are yours to keep) will be collected on Wednesday, October 30th between 3 PM and 5 PM in the locker room hallway (between the practice gym and locker rooms).  ALL equipment must be returned on this date.  No exceptions.

Please wash all uniforms and warm ups, bundle the uniforms together (home jersey and home shorts rolled up and banded with a rubber band) w/ number showing, and bring with you in your equipment bag.  Each player will be checked individually so allow for some time to complete the process.  We will not accept "dropped off" items.  We will check the equipment against the contract you signed upon receipt of the goods in August.

If any parents are willing to assist, I would be appreciative.  Jessica is unable to assist, due to her condition, and Sarah has other coaching obligations to attend to.  

District Update:
Westlake defeated Amherst by a score of 4-2 and Magnificat beat North Olmsted 3-0 to advance to the District Championship game on Sat. 10/26 at 3:00 p.m. at Rocky River.


Game Recaps:
Here are summaries of our two playoff games against Elyria and Magnificat:

AL vs. Elyria 10/14/13

AL 2  Elyria 0

Goals:
AL - Kayla Kress, Olivia Siko

Elyria - None


Assists:
AL - Kellie Norris, Ali Robinson

Elyria - None


Goalies:
AL - Amy Crooks - 4 saves

Elyria - Jessica Gogan - 20 saves


Game Summary:
Even though it was the 17th game of the season, it was still a night of firsts for the Shoregal soccer team. Kayla Kress scored her first goal of the season after missing most of the year with injuries, Ali Robinson and Kellie Norris got their first assists of the season, Amy Crooks got her first playoff shutout and win, and most importantly Avon Lake won its first playoff game in 4 years by a final of 2-0 over Elyria. Coincidently, the Shoregals last playoff win was also against Elyria back in 2009 by a score of 6-0 which was the last time these two teams met.

It was a classic playoff matchup where it is “win or go home” and teams employ specific strategies to beat an opponent that you will not see during the regular season. Such was the case with Elyria who employed five and sometimes six girls in a flat row on their back line to create what is known as an offside trap to prevent Avon Lake from being able to set up for shots close to the goal. It is a very effective strategy when run properly and for a while it did work against the Shoregals as they were whistled for 9 offside penalties during the match.

Although Avon Lake was struggling with the offside trap, they still managed to dominate the game offensively with 22 shots on goal to only 4 for Elyria and 7 corner kicks to only one for Elyria. The Shoregals finally broke through the trap with 14 minutes remaining in the first half as senior Kayla Kress, with her back to the goal, took a crossing pass from freshman Kellie Norris and flicked it with the outside of her foot towards the Elyria net. The ball took an unusual hop and bounced by the Elyria goalie for what would turn out to be the game winning goal. Avon Lake carried the 1-0 lead into halftime.

In the second half, the Pioneers became more aggressive as they were searching for the game tying goal. Just a few minutes into the second half, Elyria sent a crossing pass that traveled across the mouth of the AL goal just out of reach of the feet of several Pioneer players for one of their best scoring opportunities on the evening. The Shoregals put the game out of reach with 26 minutes left as freshman Olivia Siko took a pass on the right side of the field from senior Ali Robinson and moved through several Elyria defenders to send a shot just inside the far left post to give AL a two goal advantage. From there, the Shoregal defense took over to cement the final score of 2-0.

It was a total team effort for the Shoregals as 19 girls contributed to the victory. The 22 shots on goal barrage was led by Olivia Siko with 6; Ali Robinson with 4; Emily Peepers with 3; Molly Maloney, Kayla Kress, & Bri Carlin with 2 each; and Karen Krause, Lauren Anthony, & Lindsay Butler chipped in with one each.

The defense was anchored by starters Emily Peterson, Rada Zunich, Kellie Norris, and Maggie Moore supported by subs Esther Killius, Natalie Quintero, and Mae Quinn.

In goal for the Shoregals was senior Amy Crooks who made 4 saves on the night for her 3rd shutout of the season. For Elyria, senior goalie Jessica Gogan was kept busy on the night as she made 20 saves to keep the game close.


AL at Magnificat 10/17/13

AL 0  Magnificat 4


Goals:
AL - None

Mags - Natalie Coury - 2, Alyssa Baumbick, Catie Corrigan


Assists:
AL - None

Mags - Jaycie Brown


Goalies:
AL - Amy Crooks - 15 saves

Mags - Kaleigh Piscioneri - 0 saves


Game Summary:
The Avon Lake defense held Magnificat, which has been ranked as high as 4th in the state this season, scoreless for nearly 64 minutes of this Sectional championship game.  But then fatigue and tremendous pressure from Mags wore down the Shoregals resulting in an eventual 4-0 loss.  Senior Amy Crooks finished her career with Avon Lake by making 15 saves during the match.

News for the Week of Oct. 14, 2013

Program Notes for the Week of 10/14/2013:

Schedule for the Week of 10/14:
Tuesday 10/15 ~ Film (3:00PM~5:00PM) in Room 114 at ALHS.

Wednesday 10/16 ~ Training (6:00PM~7:30PM) at ALHS Stadium under the lights.

Thursday 10/17 ~ Game vs Magnificat at 8:30 p.m. at Rocky River HS


Game Recaps:
Here are summaries of our 15th & 16th games against Brunswick and North Olmsted:


AL vs. Brunswick  10/7/13

AL 0  Brunswick 5

Goals:
AL - None

Brunswick - Macey Juguilon - 2,  Miranda Alzarraq - 2,  Gabby Maslowski
                   
Assists:
AL - None

Brunswick - N/A

Goalies:
AL - Amy Crooks - 4 saves; Elise Duvall - 1 save

Brunswick - Erin Calhoun - 4 saves

Game Summary:
Brunswick begins with a B, but they more closely resembled B-52’s as they played the role of long distance bombers in a 5-0 victory over Avon Lake on Monday night.

Junior Macey Juguilon got the scoring underway for the Blue Devils with a missle from about 40 yards out that deflected off the crossbar and into the goal for a 1-0 lead. Juguilon would strike again less than two minutes later with another rocket off a free kick from about 45 yards out to make it 2-0. Next up was junior Gabby Maslowski with another long distance blast and fellow junior Miranda Alzarraq finished up the first half scoring as Brunswick took a 4-0 lead into halftime.

The Shoregals hauled out the anti-aircraft guns in the second half and played a significantly more competitive second stanza. They held Brunswick to one score as Alzarraq netted her second goal of the game for the only scoring by either side.

From our bomb shelter, we noticed that Brunswick goalie junior Erin Calhoun made 4 saves enroute to the shutout. Avon Lake goalkeeping duties were shared by sophomore Elise Duvall with one save and senior Amy Crooks who had at least 4 saves in the match.

In JV action, Avon Lake unleashed its own version of shock and awe in a 7-0 blitzkrieg of the JV Blue Devils. Freshman Mila Zunich led the way with 3 goals and sophomores Emily Herman, Addy Poole, Casey Baughman, & Nichole Nally all chipped in with one goal each. With this win, the JV Shoregals reach an impressive 10th win on the season and it was also the tenth shutout of the season for goalkeeper Elise Duvall. The JV Shoregals record now moves to 10-1-4 on the year.


AL at North Olmsted  10/9/13

AL 0  NO 4

Goals:
AL - None

NO - Madison Johnson - 2,  Erin Schloss,  Jennifer Janosek

Assists:
AL - None

NO - Nicole Dembie,  Madison Johnson

Goalies:
AL - Amy Crooks - 2 saves; Elise Duvall - 3 saves; Esther Killius - 4 saves

NO - Emily Patterson - 2 saves

Game Summary:
It is always very difficult to beat a team on the road on its Senior Night. The emotions are so amped up for the home team to win the game for the outgoing seniors. Such was the environment that the Shoregals found themselves in on Wednesday night as they lost to North Olmsted by a score of 4-0.

North Olmsted wanted to win this game badly and came out with an unusual formation of 7 attacking offensive players to flood the Shoregal defense in hopes of scoring goals. Avon Lake was able to fend off the Eagles for the first 7 minutes and then NO broke through on a goal by junior Erin Schloss off a crossing pass from senior Nicole Dembie. A minute later NO struck again as senior Jennifer Janosek scored off of a corner kick from sophomore Madison Johnson. After this, the Shoregal defense tightened and NO carried the 2-0 lead into the intermission.

In the second half, it was the Madison Johnson show as she scored the only two goals of the half. The first coming as she gathered a loose ball close to the AL goal and fired it past the goalie and the second on a header from a free kick. The Shoregal offense was very limited on this night as it managed only two shots on goal by Clare Adams and Bri Carlin.

In goal for North Olmsted was sophomore Emily Patterson who made two saves to earn the shutout. For Avon Lake, three girls were called into duty in the nets for the match. Starter Amy Crooks was injured in the first half diving after a loose ball and made two saves. She was replaced by soph. Elise Duvall for the rest of the first half who stopped 3 shots. Because Duvall had played both halves of the JV game, by rule she was only allowed one half in the Varsity game. That forced AL to call upon emergency goalie Esther Killius to play the entire second half and she did so admirably making 4 saves.

In the JV game – what else but a shutout as Avon Lake and North Olmsted battled to a 0-0 draw. The JV Shoregals impressively recorded their 11th shutout in 16 games this season as they finished with a 10-1-5 record having lost only to the Brecksville JVs. It was also the 11th shutout of the season for soph. goalkeeper Elise Duvall. We look forward to a number of these girls moving up to the Varsity next year.


Cudos Corner:
Thanks to the following parents for working the concession stand during the Brunswick game - Cindy Adams for the JV game and Renee Duvall & Christy Lemanowicz for the Varsity game.

News for the Week of Oct. 7, 2013

Program Notes for the Week of 10/7/2013:


Schedule for the Upcoming Week
Monday 10/7 ~ Game vs Brunswick (Home); JV 5 / V 7

Tuesday 10/8 ~ Training @ Troy (3:30pm~5:00pm)

Wednesday 10/9 ~ Game vs North Olmsted (Away); JV 5 / V 7

Thursday 10/10 ~ Training @ TBD (3:30pm~5:00pm)

Sunday 10/13 ~ Training @ TBD (3:00pm~4:30pm)

Monday 10/14 ~ Playoff Game vs Elyria (Home); V 7


Game Recaps: Here are summaries of our 13th & 14th games against Padua and Olmsted Falls:

AL at Padua  9/30/13

AL 1 Padua 1

Goals:
AL - Clare Adams

Padua - Taylor Jamison

Assists:
AL - Kayla Kress

Padua - Kayla Jancewicz

Goalies:
AL - Amy Crooks - 1 save

Padua - Ava Willoughby - 8 saves

Game Summary:
“Finish what you started” is an old saw that people would use to get someone to complete a task or finish a job. The Shoregals soccer team might want to take this phrase to heart as they once again dominated the offensive stats against an opponent, but were unable to come away with a victory. In this instance, Avon Lake played to 1-1 draw against Padua on Monday night.

Avon Lake had the advantage in shots on goal 10 to 2, shots in total 13 to 5, and corner kicks 5 to 4, but could not “finish” with another goal to win the game. Even though Padua had only 2 shots on goal for the match, they made one of them count on a nicely executed corner kick by freshman Kayla Jancewicz which was headed into goal by senior Taylor Jamison. The goal gave the Lady Bruins the lead eleven minutes into the game which they carried into halftime.

In the second half, the Shoregals were able to get the equalizer eight minutes into the half as junior Clare Adams took a pass from fellow junior Kayla Kress and raced through the Padua defense to finish her strike right into the back of the net. The teams battled in a rather physical contest the rest of the half, but Avon Lake just could not find the game winning goal. Taking shots on goal for the Shoregals during the match were Cara Dannemiller, Emily Peepers, Clare Adams, & Olivia Siko with two each and Rada Zunich along with Kayla Kress chipped in with one apiece. In the nets for AL was senior Amy Crooks who made a lone save on the night and for Padua, freshman Ava Willoughby stopped 8 shots in the match.

The JV game was almost finished before it got started as the Shoregals scored early and often on the way to a 6-1 victory. Scoring for Avon Lake were sophomores Emily Herman with two goals, Nichole Nally, Mae Quinn, and Casey Baughman with one each. The Padua JVs also managed to put one in their own net to complete the scoring. In goal for the JV Shoregals was soph. goalie Elise Duvall. After this win, the JV Shoregals move to 9-1-3 on the year.


AL vs. Olmsted Falls  10/2/13

AL 1 OF 0

Goals:
AL - Ali Robinson

OF - None

Assists:
AL - Molly Maloney

OF - None

Goalies:
AL - Amy Crooks - 4 saves;  Elise Duvall - 1 save

OF - Leah Walchanowicz - 9 saves

Game Summary:
It was a Senior Night to remember for the 9 Avon Lake seniors as they led the Shoregals to their first victory of the season 1-0 over SWC foe Olmsted Falls. It was a special night as ALHS stadium was transformed into a real soccer park with balloons, banners, picture posters, and even the AL pep band was present to salute the seniors who presented their farewell thoughts to the crowd.


The Senior class of 2014 is made up of goalkeeper Amy Crooks; defenders Cara Dannemiller, Molly Jeffries, Emily Peterson, & Natalie Quintero; midfielders Karen Krause, Emily Peepers, & Ali Robinson; and forward Molly Maloney.

Once the game started, it was all Avon Lake as they held the advantage in all the offensive categories with a 10 to 5 edge in shots on goal, a 15 to 10 edge in total shots, and 5 to 3 in corner kicks. Shots on Goal for AL were recorded by Cara Dannemiller, Karen Krause, & Molly Maloney with two a piece and Emily Peepers, Ali Robinson, Lauren Anthony, & Marisa Dzwonczyk chipped in with one each.

After controlling the action for most of the first half, the Shoregals finally broke through with a little over 2 minutes left when senior Molly Maloney had a corner kick that she put into the air in front of the Olmsted Falls goal and fellow senior Ali Robinson was able to head it into the goal for the eventual game winner.

The second half saw numerous chances by both teams as the AL defense was able to hold on to preserve the victory. The Shoregal defense was once again terrific in recording the second shutout of the season. The defensive rotation included Emily Peterson, Natalie Quintero, Maggie Moore, & Rada Zunich as the starters and they were backed up by Esther Killius, Kellie Norris, & Addie Poole. In goal for Avon Lake was senior Amy Crooks who recorded her second shutout with 4 saves and sophomore Elise Duvall subbed in and recorded one save. For Olmsted Falls, senior Leah Walchanowicz was credited with 9 saves in the match. Avon Lake continued their mastery of the Lady Bulldogs as they have now won 16 of the last 17 matches.

In JV action, the two teams battled to a 0-0 draw. This was the ninth shutout of the season for the JV Shoregals and goalkeeper Elise Duvall. The JV Shoregals record now moves to 9-1-4 on the year.


Cudos Corner:
Thanks to the following parents for working the concession stand during the Olmsted Falls game - Amy Kress & Patrice Dzwonczyk for the JV game and Julia Caputo & Colette Lubertozzi for the Varsity game.

News for the Week of Sept. 9, 2013

Program Notes for the Week of 9/9/2013:

Game Schedule for the Week of 9/9:
Monday 9/9 ~ Game at Strongsville (5:00 PM JV, 7:00 PM Varsity) at Foltz Industrial Pkwy.

Wednesday 9/11 ~ Game vs. Westlake (5:00PM JV, 7:00PM Varsity) at ALHS

Saturday 9/14 ~ Game at Sylvania Northview  (1:00PM JV; 3:00PM Varsity) at Timberstone Junior High School


Game Recaps:
Here are summaries of our 4th & 5th games against Berea-Midpark and Wadsworth:

AL vs. Berea-Midpark  9/4/13

AL 0  Berea-Midpark 4

Goals:
AL - None

B-M - Sarah Scheel - 2, Natalie Dignan, Katie Bainbridge

Assists:
AL - None

B-M - Katie Bainbridge

Goalies:
AL - Amy Crooks - 4 saves, Elise Duvall 1 save

B-M - Taylor Sasak - 2 saves

Game Summary:
A new chapter was written in a series that has gone on for over 20 years in girls soccer between Avon Lake and the former Berea and Midpark high schools. Over the past two decades the series has been decidedly in Avon Lake's favor, but the recently merged Berea-Midpark high school flexed its new found muscle in a 4-0 victory over the Shoregals.

The Titans opened the scoring about 13 minutes into the first half on a shot by freshman Natalie Dignan. It looked as if the half would end this way until a deflected shot from senior Katie Bainbridge fell to the feet of sophomore Sarah Scheel who pounded it home with 1 minute remaining in the half.

In the second half, the Titans added goals by Bainbridge and Scheel for her second score of the match. Avon Lake was able to muster two shots on goal both by freshman Olivia Siko, but could not find the back of the net.

In goal for Berea-Midpark was senior Taylor Sasak who recorded two saves and for Avon Lake senior Amy Crooks made 4 saves and sophomore Elise Duvall chipped in with one save.

In JV action, the Shoregals overwhelmed the Titans by a score of 10-0 for their third win in 4 matches.


AL vs. Wadsworth 9/7/13

AL 0  Wadsworth  3

Goals:
AL - None

W - Leah Runkle - 2, Hannah Studenic

Assists:
AL - None

W - Helena Carlson

Goalies:
AL - Amy Crooks - 9 saves, Elise Duvall 0 saves

W - Hannah Centea - 5 saves

Game Summary:
When you bring together an experienced senior laden team and mix in some of the best Track athletes in the state, that will make for a potent combination and that is exactly what Avon Lake ran into in a 3-0 loss to Wadsworth. The Grizzlies feature several players who were state qualifiers in the 4X400 & 4X800 relays as well as defender Sarah Berger who ran a 5:04 mile as a junior last year at the State meet.

Wadsworth wasted little time getting on the board as they scored their first goal less than 3 minutes into the game. Leah Runkle received a ball with her back to the net and made a terrific turning shot which would prove to be the game winner. Runkle is an All-Ohio first team soccer player as well as a state qualifier in the 4X400 relay. The Grizzlies would score again with 10 minutes remaining in the first half on a hard shot by junior Helena Carlson that was deflected by Shoregal keeper Amy Crooks and kept rolling towards the goal. Sophomore Hannah Studenic rushed in to tap it over the end line and into goal to give the Grizzlies a 2-0 lead which they carried into half time.

In the second half, Runkle added her second goal of the game on a ball she dribbled through the Shoregal defense and finished with a hard shot to the left side of goal. Avon Lake had its best chance to score in the first half when Olivia Siko took a strong free kick which was stopped by the Wadsworth goalie. In all, Siko had 4 shots on goal during the match for Avon Lake. In goal for the Shoregals were senior Amy Crooks who made 9 saves on the day and sophomore Elise Duvall who came in but did not have a save opportunity. For Wadsworth, senior Hannah Centea recorded 5 saves.

In JV action, Avon Lake won a thrilling game 1-0 as sophomore Casey Baughman fed fellow sophomore Nichole Nally with a beautiful pass which Nally drilled into the net for the game winner with only 9 minutes remaining in the contest. For the Shoregals, soph. goalie Elise Duvall recorded the shutout.


Cudos Corner:
We want to recognize and say thanks to the those parents who worked in the concession stand for the Wadsworth game. During the JV game, Colette Lubertozzi and Erica Petras manned the stand and in the Varsity game it was Mechele Nally.

News for the Week of September 2, 2013

Program Notes for the Week of 9/2/2013:

Game Schedule for the Week of 9/2:
Wednesday 9/4 ~ Game at Berea (4:00PM JV, 6:00PM Varsity) at Dora Lee Payne Park

Saturday 9/7 ~ Game vs. Wadsworth (1:00PM JV; 3:00PM Varsity) at ALHS Memorial Stadium


Game Recaps:
Here is a summary of our third game against Brecksville:

AL vs. Brecksville 8/28/13

AL 2  Brecksville 4

Goals:
AL - Ali Robinson, Olivia Siko

Br - Chauntel Houk - 2, Annie Morgan, Abby Lydey

Assists:
AL - Cara Dannemiller

Br - Abbie Andrews, Annie Morgan, Dana Dosen

Goalies:
AL - Amy Crooks - 2 saves

Br - Jennifer Farwell - 5 saves

Game Summary:
This game was a story of two mirror image halves in which Brecksville scored two goals in each half while Avon Lake mustered a single tally in each half that resulted in a 4-2 victory for the Lady Bees in the SWC opener for both teams.

Brecksville led off the scoring just 4 minutes into the contest on a goal by junior Chauntel Houk on a pass from sophomore Abbie Andrews. The Shoregals tied the game on a shot from senior Ali Robinson for her first career Varsity goal with 14:00 minutes left in the first half. Then less than 3 minutes later the Lady Bees struck again as senior Annie Morgan scored off a free kick 25 yards out from the Avon Lake goal. Brecksville carried that 2-1 lead into halftime.

In the second half, just like in the first half, Brecksville scored about 4 minutes into the half as Chauntel Houk scored again for her second goal of the match off a deflected shot by freshman Dana Dosen. Seven minutes later the Lady Bees scored their fourth goal off a shot by senior Annie Morgan that deflected off the left post and freshman Abby Lydey was right there to knock it in the back of the net. Avon Lake scored the final goal of the contest on a breakaway by freshman Olivia Siko for her first Varsity goal which was set up from a long pass by senior Cara Dannemiller.

In goal for Brecksville was sophomore Jennifer Farwell who made 5 saves on the evening and for Avon Lake senior Amy Crooks recorded 2 saves. With the win, Brecksville continued its dominance of the all-time series with a 8-0-1 record.

In JV action, the Shoregals fell 3-0 to Brecksville for their first loss of the season against two victories.


Video of the Week:
We are going to continue with what looks to be an interesting collection of soccer videos presented on YouTube by The Soccer Essentials. I will put a new one up each week and their website may be found at:

www.the-soccer-essentials.com

This week's video is entitled "How to Pass a Soccer Ball with Power and Accuracy"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=oxsO41Izfd0


Cudos Corner:
We want to recognize and say thanks to the those parents who worked in the concession stand for the Brecksville game. During the JV game, Margie Maloney and Amy Quintero manned the stand and in the Varsity game it was Marianne & Dave Sanders.

News for the Week of August 26, 2013

Program Notes for the Week of 8/26/2013:

Schedule for the Week of 8/26:
Monday 8/26 ~ Training @ Troy (3:30PM~5:00PM)

Tuesday 8/27 ~ Gauntlet / Training @ Troy (3:30PM~5:00PM)

Wednesday 8/28 ~ Game vs Brecksville (5:00PM JV, 7:00PM Varsity) at ALHS Stadium

Thursday 8/29 ~ Training @ Troy (3:30PM~5:00PM)


Game Recaps:
Here is a summary of our second game against Lake Catholic:

AL vs. Lake Catholic 8/22/13

AL 0  Lake Catholic 1

Goals:
AL - None

LC - Vikki Martinis

Assists:
None

Goalies:
AL - Amy Crooks - 5 saves
         Elise Duvall - 3 saves

LC - Marissa Brannon - 3 saves

Game Summary:
When you are without your star player, it is considered a long shot to win a game.  Instead Lake Catholic took a long shot to win a game against Avon Lake by a score of 1-0.  With All-Ohio player Bella Osborne on crutches, Lake Catholic used a 40 yard shot by senior Vikki Martinis to net the only goal of the game. Martinis gathered a free ball in the middle of the field and sent a high arching shot which went just under the crossbar and turned out to be the game winner just 4:00 minutes into the first half.

For the rest of the match, the Cougars used a skilled possession game to take another 8 shots on goal as part of 21 shots overall launched against the Shoregal defense.  Avon Lake was able to muster 3 shots on goal, but was never able to mount a serious scoring opportunity.

In goal for LC was junior Marissa Brannon who recorded her second shutout of the season in as many games with 3 saves.  For Avon Lake, senior Amy Crooks made 5 saves and incurred an injury which brought sophomore Elise Duvall into the game for her first Varsity action and was credited with 3 saves.

With the loss, Avon Lake drops to 4-8-0 in the all time series against Lake Catholic.  However, over the last six meetings the Shoregals have posted a 3-3 record against the Cougars.

On the JV front, Avon Lake scored early and often en route to a 5-0 victory over the Lake Catholic JVs. The win pushed the Shoregals record to 2-0 on the young season.


Video of the Week:
We are going to continue with what looks to be an interesting collection of soccer videos presented on YouTube by The Soccer Essentials. I will put a new one up each week and their website may be found at:

www.the-soccer-essentials.com

This week's video is entitled "How to Receive a Soccer Pass Tutorial"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=enYvjqmanY4


Cudos Corner:
We want to recognize and say thanks to the those parents who worked in the concession stand for the Lake Catholic game.  During the JV game, Kim Peepers and Suzanne Krause manned the stand and in the Varsity game it was Tracey Jacob.

News for the Week of August 19, 2013

Program Notes for the Week of 8/19/2013:

Schedule for the Week of 8/19:
Monday 8/19 ~ Recovery Day

Tuesday 8/20 ~ Camp Carey @ Troy (7:30AM-9:00AM)

Tuesday 8/20 ~ Conditioning Session (Coach Lyons) @ Troy (3:30PM-5:00PM)   Bring running shoes as well as soccer boots/shin pads.

Wednesday 8/21 ~ Gauntlet & Training @ Troy (3:30PM-5:00PM)

Thursday 8/22 ~ FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
Games vs Lake Catholic @ ALHS Stadium (5PM JV, 7PM Varsity)

Friday 8/23 ~ Recovery Day

Saturday 8/24 ~ No Practice

Sunday 8/25 ~ No Practice    


Game Recaps:
Another season is underway as we led off with the annual "Golden Shoe" game against Avon:

AL vs. Avon 8/17/13

AL 0  Avon 1

Goals:
AL - None

Avon - Regan Betts

Assists:
Avon - Emily Joyce

Goalies:
AL - Amy Crooks - 4 saves

Avon - Rachel Grudzien - 2 saves

Game Summary:
It was a day for Juniors in the season opening girls soccer game for both Avon and Avon Lake as a trio of Avon juniors led the Eagles to 1-0 victory over the Shoregals. Junior Regan Betts gathered a crossing pass near the far post from junior Emily Joyce to score the only goal of the game with 1:41 left in the first half.

The two teams played a scoreless second half although the Eagles had several solid scoring opportunities while the Shoregal offense struggled to find quality shots. In goal for Avon was junior Rachel Grudzien who made 2 saves and for Avon Lake senior Amy Crooks recorded 4 saves.

Avon Lake leads the all time series which started back in 2000 with a record of 7-4-4. However, in the last six meetings Avon sports a 3-0-3 record against the Shoregals.

In JV action, Avon Lake fell behind early 1-0 and then fought back to earn a 2-1 victory with the winning goal coming with under 4 minutes remaining.


Video of the Week:
We are going to continue with what looks to be an interesting collection of soccer videos presented on YouTube by The Soccer Essentials. I will put a new one up each week and their website may be found at:

www.the-soccer-essentials.com

This week's video is entitled "How to Beat Defenders in Soccer"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMSES_bw_dQ&feature=player_detailpage


Cudos Corner:
We want to recognize and say thanks to the many individuals who have manned the concession stand during our scrimmages and one regular season game.  These people include Ann Siko, Maureen Hall, Christy Lemanowicz, Anita Braye, Eva Zunich, Sandy Herman, Jackie Butler, Chip & Merri Killius, Renee Allemeier, & Ann Stonecipher.

News for the Week of August 12, 2013

Program Notes for the Week of 8/12/2013:

Schedule for the Week of 8/12:
Monday, August 12th ~ Scrimmage vs Magnificat 5PM~8:30PM

Tuesday, August 13th ~ Training 3:30PM-5:00PM @ Troy

Wednesday, August 14th ~ Training 3:30PM-5:00PM @ Troy

Thursday, August 15th ~ Scrimmage vs. Bay @ALHS 5PM JV & 7PM Varsity

Friday, August 16th ~ Training 5:00PM - 6:30PM @ ALHS

Saturday, August 17th ~ 1st Game vs. Avon at home - JV 1:00PM; Varsity 3:00PM

Sunday, August 18th ~ Off day


Youth Camp Pics:
At our recent youth camp. Elise Duvall took a whole bunch (952) of pictures which may viewed on Shutterfly at:

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AbOWLJi3at2jig


Video of the Week:
We are going to continue with what looks to be an interesting collection of soccer videos presented on YouTube by The Soccer Essentials. I will put a new one up each week and their website may be found at:

www.the-soccer-essentials.com

This week's video is entitled "How to Get Ready to Play Soccer Games"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r79PHmInqac


Shorty Sez:
We are going to continue presenting motivtional sayings coming from the Twitter site called Women in Sports which may be found at:

https://twitter.com/Women_Sports

Once there, here are some selected examples of tweets over the past week. Hope you find something that inspires you here:

Big shots are little shots that kept shooting. -Christopher Morley

When you fail you learn from the mistakes you made and it motivates you to work even harder. -Natalie Gulbis

Those at the top of the mountain didn't fall there.

What you think, you create. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you become.

Nobody's a natural. You work hard to get good and then work to get better. -Paul Coffey

 

STRENGTH doesn't come from what you can do. It comes from OVERCOMING the things you COULDN'T -Rikki Rogers

Shoregal Website:
Don't forget to visit our Shoregal website at:

www.alshoregalsoccer.org

There you will find more in depth stats and stories than we can fit on our blog.

News for the Week of August 5, 2013

Program Notes for the Week of 8/5/2013:

Schedule for the Week of 8/5:
Monday, August 5th ~ Scrimmage vs Midview 5PM~8:30PM

Tuesday, August 6th ~ Training 3:30PM-5:00PM @ ALHS Stadium

Wednesday, August 7th ~ Scrimmage vs Nordonia 5PM JV & 7PM Varsity

Wear Maroon Away kit.  Bus departs at 3:00PM from the south parking lot.  Please arrive by 2:45PM at the latest.  Seniors and Freshmen need to arrive early to ALHS to arrange to get a water cooler from the trainer.  The trainer will be available from 6:30AM to 1:00PM on Wednesday.  All players should bring a water bottle to fill up during the game.  (We are going "green" and eliminating the use of paper cups on the sidelines).  Captains for the season will be announced before the game.

Thursday, August 8th ~ Team Photos

Our time slot is 9:45AM at ALHS Stadium.  Wear White Home kit.  Arrive by 9:30AM with your completed Player Bio form.

Thursday, August 8th ~ Training 3:30PM-5:00PM @ ALHS Stadium

Thursday, August 8th ~ Mandatory Fall Sports Parent Meeting at 7:00PM @ ALHS PAC

The program specific meeting will be held immediately following the ALHS meeting.  Each player must have a parent present.  Players should also attend as we will be discussing program expectations.

Friday, August 9th ~ FREE DAY!

Saturday, August 10th ~ LCSCA Preview @ Vermillion High School

Sunday, August 11th ~ FREE DAY!


Shorty Sez:
This week we are going to feature some thoughts from Coach Daegen that he calls "Mental Toughness":

Some food for thought . . .


Strong Desire to Succeed

*  Do I know where I am going and how I am going to get there?
*  How badly do I want it?
*  Am I prepared to make the sacrifices to get there?
*  Pride - Personal responsibility in delivering excellence.

Stay Positive in the Face of Challenge and Pressure

*  Competition is a continuous presentation of challenges and problems.
*  How good are you at staying positive under pressure?
*  Do you love the challenge of tough competition?
*  How well do you deal with adversity?

Control the Controllables

*  Do you worry about uncontrollable factors?
*  Focus on things you can do something about.

High Commitment ~ Balanced Attitude

*  Demand more of yourself than others demand of you.
*  Maintain balance.
*  Do I give 100% in training as well as competition even if things are not going well?
*  How committed am I?

High Level of Self-Belief

*  Ability to refocus and come back strong.
*  Can you maintain your self-belief when you are performing poorly?
*  Is confidence under stress one of your strengths?
*  Never give up even when it looks like it is all over.


Video of the Week:
We are going to continue with what looks to be an interesting collection of soccer videos presented on YouTube by The Soccer Essentials. I will put a new one up each week and their website may be found at:

www.the-soccer-essentials.com

This week's video is entitled "Best 3 Soccer Moves to Beat a Defender"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJ_e00KgZa0&feature=player_detailpage

Shoregal Website:
Don't forget to visit our Shoregal website at:

www.alshoregalsoccer.org

There you will find more in depth stats and stories than we can fit on our blog.

News for the Week of July 29, 2013

Program Notes for the Week of 7/29/2013:


Schedule for the Week of 7/29:
Busy week ahead for the Shoregals.  Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday will be spent with Avon Lake youth players at our annual camp which many of the girls are working at.  Then the season gets started on Aug. 1st with two a day tryouts on Thursday and Friday.  On Saturday will be our annual Teambuilding outing and tryouts and scrimmages will resume next Monday. Always a stressful part of the season - good luck to all!!


Shoregals around the World:
Ever wondered what happens to old Shoregal uniforms?  Well, in the case of some recent uniforms they ended up in Uganda. Coach Daegen working with Bob Barnes, the Head Coach of Ohio Weselyn Univ. arranged to make a donation to a youth soccer club in Uganda.  See the attached picture:

I have some more pictures which are unfortunately too large to down load into this blog, but if you could you would see a group of young Ugandan boys playing soccer in the old uniforms.  Uniforms that they would not be able to obtain without donations from the U.S.  Glad to see that the old uniforms are going to good use!

2013 Alumni Game:
We would like to post a team pic from this year's Alumni Game - great looking group of Shoregals!!

Video of the Week:
We are going to continue with what looks to be an interesting collection of soccer videos presented on YouTube by The Soccer Essentials. I will put a new one up each week and their website may be found at:

www.the-soccer-essentials.com

This week's video is entitled "The Top Five Soccer Skills Players Need"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqIVj9fCwNM


Shorty Sez:
We are going to continue presenting motivtional sayings coming from the Twitter site called Women in Sports which may be found at:

https://twitter.com/Women_Sports

Once there, here are some selected examples of tweets over the past week. Hope you find something that inspires you here:

Losers say what they’ll do; winners do without saying.

Pain is weakness leaving the body.

If you want it, work for it!

Desire is the most important factor in the success of any athlete. - Willie Shoemaker (jockey)

Never let your head hang down. Never give up and sit down and grieve. Find another way. - Satchel Paige (Cleveland Indians).

If you still look cute at the end of your workout, you didn't train hard enough.

Shoregal Website:

Don't forget to visit our Shoregal website at:

www.alshoregalsoccer.org

There you will find more in depth stats and stories than we can fit on our blog.

News for the Week of July 22, 2013

Program Notes for the Week of 7/22/2013:

Schedule for the Week of 7/22:
After a week of two a days in 90+ degree heat and the Strongsville Showcase, the girls will have the next 10 days off before tryouts start.  Rest up, heal up, but keep up with conditioning.  See below for a training video of drills that you can do on your own.


Adidas Strongsville Showcase:
The girls did a nice job at the Showcase as we played some tough teams and were able to be competitive.  All the girls got plenty of playing time and ample chances to work on their skills.  The most pleasant surprise of the weekend took place in the Top Flight Freshmen game where Olivia Siko was selected to take part in the game. 

The Top Flight game featured 58 of the best incoming freshmen from the entire state of Ohio spread over 4 teams that played in a tournament format. Olivia played forward on the Red team. In her first game Siko scored 3 of the 4 goals and assisted with the other goal in a 4-3 win by her team. The last of her goals in that game was a header off a corner kick that proved to be the game winner with less than 4 minutes remaining. She received MVP of the game and was interviewed by Ohio Sports Net. Siko's Top Flight team then moved onto the Championship game. The game ended in a 3-3 draw with Olivia scoring one goal and assisting on the other 2 goals. It then went into a penalty kick shootout which also resulted in a tie, including the 5th PK made by Siko. After 2 more rounds of sudden death, her team finally won the game and championship! 

Said Olivia after the game, "It was an honor to be a part of this game and a challenge to play with such talented players. I couldn't help but smile when I heard my Avon Lake teammates cheering me on and supporting me!" Avon Lake soccer fans will be smiling as well knowing that such a talented player will be taking the field for the Shoregals this fall.


Video of the Week:
I just came across what looks to be an interesting collection of soccer videos presented on YouTube by The Soccer Essentials.  I will put a new one up each week and their website may be found at:  www.the-soccer-essentials.com
This week's video is entitled "5 Soccer Drills Every Soccer Player Must Practice to Improve"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Xtrl26_HBQM&list=PL8917422FE6904AA0


Shorty Sez:
We are going to continue presenting motivtional sayings coming from the Twitter site called Women in Sports which may be found at:

https://twitter.com/Women_Sports

Once there, here are some selected examples of tweets over the past week. Hope you find something that inspires you here:

The 4 A's of Success:
1) Academics.
2) Athletics.
3) Attitude.
4) Achievement.

Don't compare yourself to others. Compare yourself to the person from yesterday.

There are no mistakes in life, just lessons.

The most rewarding things you do in life are often the ones that look like they cannot be done. - Arnold Palmer

The difference between excellence and mediocrity is commitment.

Success — is how high you bounce when you hit bottom ▼

Shoregal Website:
Don't forget to visit our Shoregal website at:

www.alshoregalsoccer.org

There you will find more in depth stats and stories than we can fit on our blog.

News for the Week of July 15, 2013

Program Notes for the Week of 7/15/2013:


Schedule for the Week of 7/15:
Coaches Contact days:

Mon.  7/15 - 7:30 - 9:00 am and 1:30 - 3:00 pm at Troy

Tues. 7/16 - 7:30 - 9:00 am and 1:30 - 3:00 pm at Troy

Weds. 7/17 - 7:30 - 9:00 am and 1:30 - 3:00 pm at Troy; High School Summer League Games vs Berea at Troy  5 pm (JV) & 7 pm (V)

Thurs.  7/18 - 1:30 - 3:00 pm at Troy

Fri. 7/19 - Strongsville Showcase (check your schedules)

Sat. 7/20 - Strongsville Showcase (check your schedules)

Sun.  7/21 - Strongsville Showcase (check your schedules)


Strongsville Showcase Schedule:
Please find the schedule for this weekend's Strongsville Showcase at the link listed below.  Due to our injury situation, many of the girls are playing on multiple teams.  Know your team number and look carefully for the game time.

https://www.anss.us/teams/2013girlsschedule/

Good Luck to our Shoregals!!


2013 Alumni Game:
Well, the 13th proved to be unlucky for the Alumni as they fell by a score of 2-1 last Saturday in the annual Alumni Game.  A total of 15 Alumni came back for this year's game and Bridget Lyons tallied the lone Alumni goal to keep them in the contest after the HS girls scored the first two goals of the game.  The Alumni had many great scoring opportunities, but just could not connect on this day while our Shoregals moved the ball around nicely to set up their scoring chances.  The day turned out to be sunny and bright and proved to be an enjoyable afternoon for all.  We will post some pictures starting next week.

The Alumni squad was made up of the following:

Alana Bilancini - Class of 2008

Jamie Bush - Class of 2008

Sammy Harris - Class of 2008

Rachel Shuki - Class of 2008

Sammy Stuart - Class of 2008

Bridget Lyons - Class of 2010

Mary Donegan - Class of 2011

Melanie D'Angelo - Class of 2012

Paige Glasser - Class of 2012

Annie Lyons - Class of 2012

Taylor Nedrich - Class of 2012

Jocey Spitz - Class of 2012

Dana Strimbu - Class of 2012

Jillian Strimbu - Class of 2012

Kailey McClain - Class of 2013


Kudos Korner:
A major event like the Alumni game cannot be put together without a lot of help from our parents, so we would like to thank the following:  Mechele Nally for coordinating the day along with Mark Siko who also manned the grill with Rick Anthony.  Ann & David Stonecipher and Dawn & Mike Carlin also helped with many behind the scenes tasks.


Shorty Sez:
We are going to continue presenting motivtional sayings coming from the Twitter site called Women in Sports which may be found at:

https://twitter.com/Women_Sports

Once there, here are some selected examples of tweets over the past week. Hope you find something that inspires you here:

Trust your coach. Trust your team. Trust yourself.

Act like it's impossible to fail.

If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. It's the hard that makes it great. - Tom Hanks

Strength doesn't come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn't.

Success isn't something that just happens - success is learned, success is practiced and then it is shared. - Sparky Anderson (baseball manager)

Excellence is not a singular act but a habit. You are what you do repeatedly. -Shaquille O'Neal

Shoregal Website:
Don't forget to visit our Shoregal website at:

www.alshoregalsoccer.org

There you will find more in depth stats and stories than we can fit on our blog.

News for the Week of July 8, 2013

Program Notes for the Week of 7/8/2013:

Schedule for the Week of 7/8:
Weds. 7/10 - High School Summer League Games vs Magnificat at Troy
5 pm (JV) & 7 pm (V)

Fri. 7/12 - Coaches Contact days 7:30 - 9:00 am and 1:30 - 3:00 pm at Troy

Sat. 7/13 - Coaches Contact day 7:30 - 9:00 am at Troy;  Alumni Game at 4:00 pm at Walker Rd. Park


Shorepals Meeting:
We have our next Shorepals meeting scheduled for Thursday July 11th at 7:30 p.m. at Las Cazuelas in the Landings. We need to take care of last minute details for the Alumni Game, review progress with the Shoregal Yearbook, and review the remainder of the summer events. Hope to see you there!!


Alumni Game:
A reminder that our annual Alumni Reunion Game & Picnic will be held on Saturday July 13, 2013 at Walker Rd. Park.  The game will kick off around 4:00 p.m. with the picnic at 5:30 p.m.  As of right now, we have 19 alumni attending and there is plenty of room for more to come out and play.  Please pass the word to your former teammates through text, Twitter, Facebook, etc.  We hope to see you all on July 13th for an afternoon of soccer, fellowship, and of course - food!


Shoregal Website:
Don't forget to visit our Shoregal website at:

www.alshoregalsoccer.org

There you will find more in depth stats and stories than we can fit on our blog.

News of the Week of July 1, 2013

Program Notes for the Week of 7/1/2013:


Schedule for the Week of 7/1:
With the July 4th holiday this week, this is pretty much an open week on the calendar.  A time to rest and recharge the batteries.  The only event will be:

Sunday 7/7 ~ 5PM (JV) & 7PM (V)
High School Summer League Games @ Bay


Alumni Game:
We are pleased to announce that our annual Alumni Reunion Game & Picnic will be held this year on Sat. July 13, 2013 at Walker Rd. Park. The game will kick off at around 4:00 p.m. with the picnic at 5:30 p.m. Please pass the word to your former teammates through text, Twitter, Facebook, etc. We hope to see you all on July 13th for an afternoon of soccer, fellowship, and of course - food!


Alex Morgan article:
Please see the attached article on a rising star in US women's soccer - Alex Morgan.  Especially notice near the end of the article the part where Pia Sundhage former U.S. Women's National Team coach talks about how the girls improved when they started watching English Premier League and Champions League games on a regular basis.  Something our girls should consider doing also.

http://si.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1207893/1/index.htm


Shorty Sez:
We are going to continue presenting motivtional sayings coming from the Twitter site called Women in Sports which may be found at:

https://twitter.com/Women_Sports

Once there, here are some selected examples of tweets over the past week. Hope you find something that inspires you here:

Mental toughness can take you to the top, and mental weakness straight to the bottom. - John Schiefer

In order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, & effort. - Jesse Owens

Limits like fears are often just an illusion - Michael Jordan

It's amazing what happens when you just won't give up.

It's hard to beat a person who never gives up. - Babe Ruth

A thousand disappointments in the past cannot equal the power of one positive action right now. Go ahead & go for it.

Shoregal Website:
Don't forget to visit our Shoregal website at:

www.alshoregalsoccer.org

There you will find more in depth stats and stories than we can fit on our blog.

News for the Week of June 24, 2013

Program Notes for the Week of 6/24/2013:


Schedule for the Week of 6/24:
Monday 6/24 ~ 8-9:30AM Conditioning @ ALHS
Road Run & Strengthening

Tuesday 6/25 ~ 5-6:30PM College Coaching Session @ Troy
Coach Lewicki of Urbana University

Wednesday 6/26 ~ 8-9:30AM Conditioning @ Troy
Camp Carey

Wednesday 6/26 ~ 5PM (JV) & 7PM (V)
High School Summer League Games @ North Royalton High School

Thursday 6/27 ~ 5-6:30PM Open Play & ACL Injury Prevention @ Troy

Sunday 6/30 ~ 5PM (JV) & 7PM (V)
High School Summer League Games @ Troy Intermediate


Alumni Game:
We are pleased to announce that our annual Alumni Reunion Game & Picnic will be held this year on Sat. July 13, 2013 at Walker Rd. Park.  The game will kick off at around 4:00 p.m. with the picnic at 5:30 p.m. Please pass the word to your former teammates through text, Twitter, Facebook, etc.  We hope to see you all on July 13th for an afternoon of soccer, fellowship, and of course - food!


Shorty Sez:
We are going to continue presenting motivtional sayings coming from the Twitter site called Women in Sports which may be found at:

https://twitter.com/Women_Sports

Once there, here are some selected examples of tweets over the past week. Hope you find something that inspires you here:

A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, and works his tail off to develop them into skills.

You can't put limits on your goals, the more you dream, the farther you will get.

Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence.

To be successful, you must decide exactly what you want to accomplish, then resolve to pay the price to get it.

You can do more. You can always do more. - Dan Marino

Shoregal Website:
Don't forget to visit our Shoregal website at:

www.alshoregalsoccer.org

There you will find more in depth stats and stories than we can fit on our blog.

News for the Week of June 17, 2013

Program Notes for the Week of 6/17/2013:

Schedule for the Week of 6/17:
Monday, June 17  8AM-9:30AM Conditioning @ ALHS

The Seniors have a Road Run planned.  Wear your running shoes.  If time allows, we will work on sprints and abdominal / core strength.

Tuesday, June 18  5PM @ Troy - College Training Session

Wear your boots and shin pads and be "ready to play" as a college coach will run you through a college level training session

Wednesday, June 19  8AM-9:30AM @ Troy  Conditioning Camp Carey Style

Wear tennis shoes or cleats

Summer League Games at 5 and 7 pm (according to the schedule online)

Thursday, June 20  5PM @ Troy  College Training Session

Wear your boots and shin pads and be "ready to play" as a college coach will run you through a college level training session


Gino Strippoli Memorial Scholarship:
This scholarship honors the memory of long time Avon Lake coach, referee, and volunteer Gino Strippoli who died while refereeing a game in 2006. Two $1,000 scholarships are awarded annually to deserving high school seniors who exemplify the spirit of Gino's dedication to soccer and community.

This year's female recipient was Claire Jones of ALHS. Congrats to Claire!!

Past recipients are as follows:

2012 - Jocey Spitz
2011 - Sarah Hudson
2010 - Bridget Lyons
2009 - Laura Rickey
2008 - Sammy Stuart
2007 - Sarah Lyons


Kudos Korner:
We just completed yet another busy Father's Day weekend and we are appreciative of all who volunteered to take one or more shifts during the weekend.  Special mention goes to Mark Siko who coordinated the Duck Tape Festival workers and also assisted with obtaining ice, Dawn Carlin who coordinated concessions at Learwood, Sydney Peterson who coordinated concessions at the high school, Jill Quinn who purchased our food items, and Erica Petras who helped us get ice from the high school.  Once again, thanks to all!

Shorty Sez:
We are going to continue presenting motivtional sayings coming from the Twitter site called Women in Sports which may be found at:

https://twitter.com/Women_Sports

Once there, here are some selected examples of tweets over the past week. Hope you find something that inspires you here:

Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.

You can't let praise or criticism get to you. It's a weakness to get caught up in either one. - John Wooden

Just keep going. Everybody gets better if they keep at it. - Ted Williams

• Train harder. • Run faster. • Dream harder. • Aim higher. BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE.

You are successful the moment you start moving toward a worthwhile goal.

Shoregal Website:
Don't forget to visit our Shoregal website at:

www.alshoregalsoccer.org

There you will find more in depth stats and stories than we can fit on our blog.

News for the Week of June 10, 2013

Program Notes for the Week of 6/10/2013:

Schedule for the Week of 6/10:
Monday, June 10 - 8AM-9:30AM Conditioning @ ALHS
The Seniors have a Road Run planned.  Wear your running shoes.  If time allows, they will work on sprints and abdominal / core strength.

Tuesday, June 11 - 5PM-7PM ACL Injury Prevention / Open Play @ Troy
The Seniors will run you through the PEP ACL Injury prevention program for the 1st hour followed by small sided games and an 11v11 scrimmage (numbers providing).  Wear your boots and shin pads.  Shin pads are a MUST!

Wednesday June 12 - 10AM-11:30AM College Training Session w/ OWU Coach Rob Barnes
Wear your boots and shin pads and be "ready to play" as Coach will run you through a college level training session along w/ players from Avon and Bay High Schools.

Thursday June 13 - 5PM-7PM ACL Injury Prevention / Open Play @ Troy
The Seniors will run you through the PEP ACL Injury prevention program for the 1st hour followed by small sided games and an 11v11 scrimmage (numbers providing).  Wear your boots and shin pads.  Shin pads are a MUST!


Shorepals Meeting:
We have our next Shorepals meeting scheduled for Tuesday June 11th at 7:30 p.m. at Las Cazuelas in the Landings. There are many last minute details that need to be finalized for the Father's Day tournament. We will also be discussing the rest of the upcoming events throughout the summer.

 Hope to see you there!!

Video of the Week:
This week we will be featuring another JV game. This game was against Strongsville and the Shoregals came out on the short end in this one by a score of 1-3.   We only have a very abbreviated version to show with only about half the game - but enjoy anyway.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz6j-jW5q1L07LGK7jPj6VRlja13g0eaU


Shorty Sez:
We are going to continue presenting motivtional sayings coming from the Twitter site called Women in Sports which may be found at:

https://twitter.com/Women_Sports

Once there, here are some selected examples of tweets over the past week. Hope you find something that inspires you here:

• BE STRONG — when you are weak. • BE BRAVE — when you are scared. • BE HUMBLE — when you are victorious.

Champions aren't made in gyms. Champions are made from something deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vison, a goal.

Remember, if you are not playing your heart out, someone else is. And when you meet her, she will win.

If you're trying to achieve, there'll be roadblocks. I've had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. - Michael Jordan

NO ➔ Shortcuts NO ➔ Quick fixes NO ➔ Blaming others NO ➔ I'll do tomorrows NO ➔ EXCUSES !!!

Today I will do what others won't, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can't. - Jerry Rice

Shoregal Website:
Don't forget to visit our Shoregal website at:

www.alshoregalsoccer.org

There you will find more in depth stats and stories than we can fit on our blog.

News for the Week of June 3, 2013

Program Notes for the Week of 6/3/2013:

Schedule for the Week of 6/3:
Monday 6/3 - Concussion testing - 9:00 a.m. - meet in the Commons
Monday 6/3 - Camp Carey 3:30 p.m. at Troy

Weds. 6/5 - Conditioning 8:00 - 9:30 a.m. at Troy


Game Change:
There has been a change to the schedule for the upcoming year - the Amherst game which was originally scheduled for Sat. 9/21 has been moved to Weds. 9/18 at 5:00 p.m. for JV and 7:00 p.m. for Varsity.  9/21 is now an open date without a game.

Enrollment Figures for 2013 - 2015:
The Ohio High School Athletic Association recently posted the enrollment figures that will be used to determine divisions for the next two years. Let's see how Avon Lake compares to other SWC schools and selected neighboring schools:

Avon Lake                               434 girls
Brecksville                               591
Amherst                                  587
North Olmsted                         560
Westlake                                 546
Olmsted Falls                          443
Berea - Midpark                     To be determined, but it will be large - maybe the largest in the SWC

Avon                                      444
Magnificat                              586  a number of our better hometown girls are now playing for Mags.

As you can see, we are a very small Division I school, in fact the smallest school in the SWC and smaller than almost all of the surrounding schools.  For us, that means that we need to work harder than ever to keep competitive with these bigger schools. 


Video of the Week:
We are back this week with videos from the past season and this week we will be featuring another JV game. This game was against Midpark and the Shoregals came out on top in this one by a score of 5-0. Goals were scored by Molly Maloney as she dribbled through about 6 defenders at the 14:10 mark of Part 1.  Sam Stonecipher at the 16:00 mark of Part 1.  Addy Poole at the 11:40 mark of Part 2 and Molly Jeffries scored twice at the 3:30 mark of Part 3 and again at the 5:00 minute mark of Part 3.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz6j-jW5q1L2SCY5_SOu-JzEouv9cFMwA

Look forward to us adding more games in the coming weeks.


Shorty Sez:
We are going to continue presenting motivtional sayings coming from the Twitter site called Women in Sports which may be found at:

https://twitter.com/Women_Sports

Once there, here are some selected examples of tweets over the past week. Hope you find something that inspires you here:

You can have RESULTS or excuses NOT BOTH.

(DO)n't qu(IT).

The spirit, the will to win, & the will to excel are the things that endure. -Vince Lombardi

The price of excellence is discipline. The cost of mediocrity is disappointment. -William Arthur Ward

Don't play just to play. — Play with purpose. — Play to WIN.

At first, they’ll ask you why you’re doing it. Later, they’ll ask you how you did it!


Shoregal Website:
Don't forget to visit our Shoregal website at:

www.alshoregalsoccer.org

There you will find more in depth stats and stories than we can fit on our blog.

News for the Week of May 20, 2013

Program Notes for the Week of 5/20/2013:

Shorepals Meeting:
We have our next Shorepals meeting scheduled for Thursday May 30th at 7:30 p.m. at Las Cazuelas in the Landings. We need to make plans for the Father's Day events and get volunteers for the various committees along with starting to work through to do lists for those committees. Hope to see you there!!


Shoregals Updates:
From time to time we like to update everyone on some noteworthy accomplishments by our soccer girls. In this issue, we have the following to report on:

Track and Field:
Six of our Shoregal soccer players run Track in the Spring as follows:

Claire Jones – Senior – runs a variety of sprint events along with long jump & high jump

Marisa Dzwonczyk – Soph. – she participates in numerous sprint events.

Kayla Kress - Soph. - she also participates in numerous sprint events.

Esther Killius – Soph. – she is a distance runner who has clocked a 5:47 1600 meters already this year.

Lindsay Butler – Fresh. – she is primarily a 400 meter runner.

Emily Herman - Fresh. - her main event is the 100 meter hurdles.

Great job by these girls and best of luck for the remainder of the season.


Northern Ohio Girls Soccer League Scholarship Winner:
We are thrilled to report that senior Claire Jones will be the recipient of a NOGSL scholarship in the amount of $2,000. The scholarship is based on academics, activities, community service, leadership, and an essay on the subject of your most memorable moment playing in the NOGSL. This makes three consecutive years we have had Shoregals receive this scholarship as Claire joins Annie Lyons from last year and Maddie Bernard from 2011.


Shorty Sez:
We are going to continue presenting motivtional sayings coming from the Twitter site called Women In Sports which may be found at:

https://twitter.com/Women_Sports

Once there, here are some selected examples of tweets over the past week. Hope that you find something that inspires you here:

I've failed over & over & over again in my life & that is why I succeed. - Michael Jordan

Wake up with DETERMINATION. Go to bed with SATISFACTION.

(G) get

(R) ready
(I) it's a
(N) new
(D) day

Champions are dreamers who never give up.

In every contest, there comes a moment that separates winning from losing. The true warrior understands and seizes that moment. - Pat Riley

Energy and persistence conquer all things.

Shoregal Website:
Don't forget to visit our Shoregal website at:

www.alshoregalsoccer.org

There you will find more in depth stats and stories than we can fit on our blog.