United kicked by Carman in opener - Portage Daily Graphic

BY RYAN DIXON
Wednesday May 25, 2005

SOUTHPORT — Southport United was second on the scene too often in its first regular season game off the year.Carman Kickers (1-0) downed United 3-1 last night at Southport Recreation Centre to lift the lid on the Manitoba Major Soccer League Fourth Division schedule.A goal from 16-year-old rookie Michael Philipot staked Southport (0-1) to a 1-0 lead roughly 10 minutes into the proceedings, but Carman’s Shane Termeer and Peter VanKerkhof each answered back before the first half concluded.“We felt kind of good in the first 15 minutes,” said Carman coach William Hoogerdijk, adding the Kickers were a little rattled by Philipot’s goal, but settled in to allow them to strike back.Hoogerdijk’s troops carried the play for the bulk of the final 45 minutes, before Joel Bilodeau sealed Southport’s fate with a late-game marker.Bilodeau was essentially able to boot the ball into a yawning cage as United keeper Cory Thiessen, who was playing with an injured shoulder, could not collect a loose ball in the 18-yard box and was caught out of position.According to Southport boss Karl Seidlitz, the first Carman score was also a result of some defensive confusion.“A couple of guys missed their assignments and left them standing there, and the ball didn’t get cleared properly,” he stated.Seidlitz said he was definitely able to extract some positives from the game, but the coach made it clear United has got to be hungrier.“They basically were just playing aggressive and our guys weren’t quite prepared for that,” Seidlitz assessed.“(We have) a lot of guys in their first year. It’s a little adjustment (to senior men’s soccer). That was the main thing. They were on the ball a little faster and if you don’t get the ball, there’s not much you can do with it.”Philipot, who found the net after taking a feed from Mark Nunn which sent him in alone on the Carman keeper, said there is a clear distinction between the minor soccer he has grown up on versus the calibre of play a MMSL game offers.“It’s intense out there,” he stated, adding it will take a couple games for everybody on United to get in the flow.“It’s a new level than what I’m used to playing. This is a step ahead. There’s more talking and a lot more action.”Seidlitz called attention to the play of Southport’s Peter Reimer, who shone in the role of shadow despite not being in peak physical form.“This is a guy who is coming back from a knee injury and he’s hurting, and he had (Carman’s) top striker the whole game,” Seidlitz remarked.“He was hammering away at him getting banged around and he stuck with him and never gave up, so full marks to him.”United will look to bounce back on the road against host Kildonan Fusion on Monday night.

Carman ready to kick-off another soccer season - Carman Valley Leader

Carman ready to kick-off another soccer season

By Gene Still
Friday May 27, 2005

The Carman Kickers are busy putting the finishing touches on getting ready for the regular season with their sights set on qualifying for the post season. Pre-season practices for the Fourth Division soccer squad are again under the watchful eyes of head coach William Hoogerdijk. “It’s working out well so far,” he said. “And we definitely want to make the playoffs this year.” Carman is scheduled to start their schedule on the road this Tuesday, May 24 when they face Southport. Their first home contest is Monday, May 30 when they’ll host Ragnarok. Entering his third campaign as bench boss of the Kickers, Hoogerdijk has seen first-hand how the club has fallen just short of securing a post season berth the past two years. In 2004, Carman came close to qualifying for the playoffs but were once again left on the outside looking in as they finished a single point short of qualifying. One of the keys to the club’s success this upcoming season will be continuity when it comes to fielding players. “We’ve had an average of at least 11 or 12 guys showing up on a fairly regular basis for the practices. And that’s what we’re hoping for once the regular season gets going,” Hoogerdijk said. “It’s important to have some sort of team chemistry during the year so the guys can get use to each other because otherwise you’re forced to move players around and have them in unfamiliar positions.” Veterans are backCarman will be led by high scoring forward Lyle Vanveen who is expected to be joined up front by Joel Bilodeau. The defense is in the capable hands of returning veterans Tyson Kamminga, Kendall Ferris and Mike Vandevelde. Hoogerdijk said they’ve also got a number of rookie fullbacks who could make an impression this year and they are: Ian Bergsma, Colin Termeer and Hugo Vaneeken. Goaltending remains a slight concern. The coach said, as of press time, they were looking at Marty Wagman, a goaltender from Winnipeg. But the Kickers had not received a formal commitment from the potential starting netminder. In the meantime, they’ll be going with Rich Vanderveen, who Hoogerdijk pointed out is a talented athlete and other than needing a little more experience, is a very solid goaltender.. However, the coach said he would prefer to have Vanderveen serve as a back-up netminder and instead, play his regular position of sweeper-striker.

Soccer boom continues in Hanover - The Carrilon

Soccer boom continues

With the Hanover Kickers youth and mini-soccer teams already well into their season, the Kickers adult season swings into action this week as the Manitoba Major Soccer League began play.
The Kickers opened their MMSL First Division campaign last night at home at A.D. Penner Park against the Britannia Rovers. Final results were not available at press time. Hanover finished a very respectable sixth in their first season in the First Division last year and player/coach Norman Anderson feels the Kickers can improve on that this year.
"We'll have a pretty good team, we added some new players, I think we could be in the top three this year." Joining Anderson in running the team are player/manager Bob Winkler and player/trainer Jason Moniz. Rounding out the Kickers' 2005 roster are Roy Friesen, Andrew Reimer, Josh Screpnek, Jesus De Leon, Florian Friesen, Eddy Noll, Andreas Bergen, Aaron Reilly, Jake Flores, Daryl Ferguson, Dorian Friesen, Rene Martens, Matt Winkler, Ricky Neufeld, Andy Noll and Ihab Hanna.
The Kickers will play their next home game versus the Winkler Storm on Thurs., May 26 at 7:30 p.m. at A.D. Penner Park.
The Third Division's Hanover Strikers, who were one of the top teams in the division last year hope to keep the momentum going this season and hopefully elevate up to the Second Division next year. The Strikers will open their season on their home pitch at A.D. Penner Park on Tues., May 24 at 7:30 p.m. versus Mundial.
Anderson, also chairman of the entire Hanover Kickers Soccer Club, says there is pressure on the home field at A.D. Penner Park as the Kickers now have four teams in the Manitoba Major Soccer League. In addition to the Hanover Oldtimers playing in the Masters Division, a fourth adult team has been formed due to the growing numbers. They will be known as the Hanover Sting, competing in the MMSL's Winnipeg Division, which essentially is the Sixth Division of the league. The Sting played their inaugural game Tuesday in Winnipeg, losing 5-3 to the Winnipeg Wolves. The Sting will make their home debut on Tues., May 24 at 7:30 p.m. versus Old Boyz at Georgetown Field in Steinbach.
Romania S.C. downed the Hanover Oldtimers 3-1 in the Masters Division season opener May 13 in Steinbach. The Oldtimers also play their home games at Georgetown. The Hanover Oldtimers are in action Friday night in Winnipeg as they take on Lucania Alumni. There are also two Under 16 youth soccer teams (one boys, one girls) competing in the Winnipeg Youth Soccer Association.
Anderson says overall the youth soccer program in Steinbach grew to about 530 players this year. Total registrations with the four adult teams brings the total soccer numbers in the city to more than 600.
There are 48 teams in total operated under the Hanover Kickers umbrella, including 29 mini-soccer teams that compete in a House League and another 15 youth teams compete in the Eastman Soccer League. The other teams are the two U16 regional teams and the four adult teams competing in the Manitoba Major Soccer league.
Anderson notes more and more of the coaches have been getting certified over the winter and that helps the overall strength of the program.
The mini-soccer program is run on eight mini-fields at A.D. Penner Park. There are four full-size fields being utilized in the community, including A.D. Penner Park, Georgetown, Steinbach Bible College and Steinbach Regional School. Although the weather was unseasonably cold the first two weeks as the local soccer program got underway, it still wasn't as bad as last year when a May snowstorm wiped out dozens of games.
Anderson says they may have to cap the number of soccer registrations in Steinbach next year because there are not enough fields. The city has set aside land for a future soccer complex, but those plans have been dormant for over a year. "There are a lack of bodies to get it done, it is difficult to get it going, we are all volunteers," Anderson said. "Soccer outnumbers all other sports, the community needs a sports user survey, and we are trying to work with the City to put together a Sport Alliance."
The Hanover Kickers 2005 Soccer Club board is comprised of president Norman Anderson, secretary Paul Reimer, treasurer Bob Winkler as well as board members Elaine Kalyta, Eugene Yegros, Henry Friesen, Jeff Dyck, Rick Kornelson and Werner Pries

Aeros blast off in opener - Portage Daily Graphic

BY RYAN DIXON
Thursday May 26, 2005

SOUTHPORT — The second half was Southport Aeros’ time to shine.After a scoreless opening frame, the Second Division Aeros took flight over the final 45 minutes of their game with IPAC Ukraine, earning a 2-0 victory in their first Manitoba Major Soccer League game of the year last night at Southport Recreation Centre.Striker Rob Gemmell finally broke through for Southport (1-0) in the game’s 60th minute, rolling a ball into the left side of the cage.“Jake (Stecher) put a nice ball through the middle and I just one-timed it and picked the corner,” Gemmell explained.“I was a bit lucky. I didn’t hit it as solid as I would have liked, but a goal’s a goal.”In this case, it was more than a goal, as Gemmell’s tally seemed to loosen up an Aeros bunch which appeared to be frustrated by its inability to cash in on the chances its tenacious attack was affording.But just one minute after Gemmell’s goal, Southport struck again, as Stecher snuck a ball inside the left post.That marked the high-point for Stecher, who had to leave the game before the ensuing kickoff because his calves were cramping up.Southport continued to pressure Ukraine (0-1), rattling a few more posts before the final whistle blew.“We had lots of chances,” Gemmell stated. “We could have had six or seven tonight, really.”Southport co-coach and midfielder Danny Brooks said some halftime adjustments, which included moving Stecher up to striker, paid off for the club after the Aeros battled through a somewhat tentative first half.“We pretty much controlled the play in the second half,” Brooks remarked.“We were pushing the ball around, getting the ball down the wings.”According to Brooks, the defining difference in Southport’s game during the second stanza was the Aeros’ ability to identify and cover their respective checks.“I thought we marked up better in the second half, for sure,” he assessed.“I think that was the difference right there, marking up a little tighter.”Ukraine coach Jerry Ochrymowicz said his team, which is playing in Second Division for the first time in several years, will require some more games before it starts to gel.The coach thought Southport’s aggression and knack for controlling the middle of the pitch played a crucial role in their win.“We lost the middle, then we lost the game,” Ochrymowicz stated.Brooks said he knew smothering Ukraine’s players would yield positive effects.“I said right from the start, these guys, they don’t like pressure,” he noted.“Get on them, be first to the ball and a lot of times, they’ll just quit.”The Aeros host Spitfire F.C. on Monday at 7:30 p.m. in Southport.

Perennial soccer powers warming up for season - Winnipeg Free Press

Lucania, Sons of Italy head for exhibition series

Sat May 21 2005

By Allan Besson

THE Manitoba Major Soccer League season is barely a week old, but things are already beginning to heat up between perennial Premier Division powerhouses Lucania and the Sons of Italy Lions.
Lucania, under new coach Patrick Di Stefani, is 1-0 after a 3-0 victory over AFF, while the Lions' first game was rained out, as was a planned May 7 exhibition game between Lucania and coach Larry Ladobruk's Lions.
The Sons of Italy are off to Minnesota to play a trio of exhibition games against university squads this weekend, while Lucania is heading to Thunder Bay, Ont., for a tournament Di Stefani says will be an excellent test for the new system he has introduced from his coaching time in Europe.
"All the teams here try to play 'Don't hold onto the ball,' " said Di Stefani, who replaced Kevin McKay, who resigned. "So what we are trying to do is play that system, but on top of that we are trying to create movement. This is something that is not taught here because it is not a culture.
"It will be a challenge, but I believe that as an athlete you should be able to adjust in order to learn new things."
Returning players such as midfielder Rob Gale, who played English soccer for Fulham, and Damian Rocke, another midfielder in his seventh year with Lucania, are likely to help make the transition to the new system easier. "It may be something that Patrick is comfortable with," Rocke said. "We have definitely played a variation of what he is teaching us. The reality is that you try to maximize all your players' abilities, and that is what Patrick is trying to do. This weekend will really test the system.
"What we need is to push ourselves and see what mistakes we make and what we can do to correct them."
Gale said there's no reason Lucania can't adapt.
"These guys are big enough, ugly enough and old enough to deal with anything thrown at them," he said.
One of Lucania's brightest prospects is Ted Simeonides, a midfielder who has signed a pro contract in Greece for next year. However, he'll be with the team for only a few months before leaving for the pros.
The Lucania hype doesn't scare Ladobruk, whose Lions have won the MMSL Premier Division title the last two years and the national championship in 2002. "We are probably as strong, if not stronger than last year," he said. "We probably have the two best goaltenders on our team in Steve Sawatzky and Kevin Krause. Steve is coming off a knee injury from last year, but both are healthy now."
Moreno Alberti, a member of the Northwest team that represented Manitoba at the nationals last year, will help strengthen them at the striker spot, Ladobruk said. "He'll play behind Nolly Sanchez, who was the top striker last year, breaking the record for scoring with 32 goals. Nolly is the best finisher in the league."
The Premier Division is the cream of the MMSL crop of 93 teams that are broken up into six divisions of 12 teams each (except for the fifth division, which has 13). Each year, the top two teams in each division move up to the next division, while the bottom two squads in each division are relegated to the next division down.
The MMSL also has two recreational leagues -- the Winnipeg Soccer League (13 teams) and the seven-team Masters league, which is for players over 35.
"We have just under 2,000 registered players," said MMSA spokesman Rick Moreira, adding the league is in its fourth year since the Central Soccer League and the Super Soccer Alliance merged. Each team plays at least 22 games and as many as 30 if they make the MSA Cup and playoffs.
A complete MMSL schedule can be found at the league's website, www.manitobamajorsoccer.com.

Preparing for another kick at the post season-Carman Valley Leader

Preparing for another kick at the post season

Coach William Hoogerdijk is back for another season with the Kickers.

By Gene Still
Friday May 13, 2005

Carman Valley Leader — Snow and rain hasn’t been able to dampen the efforts of the Carman Kickers or their head coach William Hoogerdijk. Training camp practices got under way for the Kickers at the end of April. And they’ve continued their workouts despite some poor weather such as snow and occasionally heavy rains. But coach Hoogerdijk said they’ve approached their practice schedule just like they would the regular season – with a few rare exceptions, you always play the game, or in this case, practice. “If you’re playing in that type of weather – you may as well practice in that weather,” Hoogerdijk said. The number of soccer hopefuls who have come out for practices so far has been averaging from between 20 to 25 players trying out for the 2005 squad. That’s down as compared to 30 who competed to be part of the 2004 version of the Kickers. But while the numbers are smaller, the coach has been impressed by the level of overall talent. Returning veterans like high-scoring striker Lyle Vanveen, fullback-sweeper Tyson Kamminga along with versatile swing man, Kendall Ferris, are among the core returnees. They do have some question marks, such as in goal where Carman is going – at least as of press time – with Rich Vanderveen. Hoogerdijk noted that while Vanderveen is a talented athlete, he would prefer to find another regular goalie that would free-up Vanderveen to play his regular position of sweeper-striker. “Rich is a very good athlete and he just needs to get use to the position,” Hoogerdijk said. “But we would like to use him elsewhere and have him available as a back-up, but for now, this is how we’ll be going.” Another area of concern, is much like 2004 – keeping the opposition offense in check. “Defense hasn’t always been our strong point – not because of lack of effort – but in the past we’ve had to move guys (forwards) back there to play defense,” he said. However the coach has seen some encouraging signs during the pre-season. “We’ve been working on defensive coverage and technique,” he explained. “And all around, we’ve been executing pretty well, with the forwards coming back to help out.”