Numero uno
Posted by Jai on Tuesday, May 19, 2009
This is supposed to be about the ongoing trials and tribulations of coaching in the minor leagues. A place for me to vent hoping that things will change in how we train and develop young players, so that one day Canada might make it into the World Cup. Unfortunately the season just ended so I will have to settle for talking a bit about myself.
I have always been involved in the game, I played soccer as a young boy and spent my teens as a referee. I remember going with my dad and family to watch Carl Valentine and the old Whitecaps. I just wish I had started collecting cards back then. I've always been a fan of our Vancouver team (soon to be in the MLS), but my first steps into the global game we call Football, was when Greece won the euro cup in '04. Since then I have been hooked on watching games, following stats, and buying soccer swag.
In terms of coaching that has only happened since I had children. And with 4 the odds are one would eventually play. I love the challenge of coaching and am thankful for the YMCA was great in letting me coach for free. Other leagues charge you $100 to go to their coaching clinic before you are even eligible. I agree that having quality is important, and thankfully we had a good coaching staff when I was younger. However, commitment and willingness to learn should not be tossed out the window because of financial concerns. ( I wonder how many children go without playing because of the lack of teams available, which is really due to the lack of coaches).
During the '06 World cup my family hit a snag. Canada did not qualify. Nor did Ireland. It was decided that we would all pick our own country and see what happened. i was not allowed to cheer for my wife's team, Germany. And my son liked Brazil, so my choice was one of the African teams. Ghana it was.
These coming World cup in 2010 will be tough for me. My loyalty is, and always will be to Canada and then the Irish. Northern first and then the Republic. Both look like they might squeeze into the first round. Next I will cheer for the African teams. But there is a new twist. I had to pick again a team other than Germany for the '08 Euro cup. Nederland won me over after there brilliant display in the first round. I actually feel that they would have won had they not thrown the game which caused them to be eliminated.
Something you can't see in the photo is my screen saver of the "Jose +10" Adidas poster that came out for the last world cup. And of coarse my wife had to be in it because I love her and I love watching football with her.
There are 3 1/2 impostors shirts in the group. First is my sons Schweinsteiger (Germany) jersey. The other two are my wife's blue Ballack (Chelsea) shirt, and the Beckham (LA Galaxy) shirt that she is wearing. The 1/2 is the German national teams practice kit. It's mine to wear but only because Dawn likes seeing me in it
I have always been involved in the game, I played soccer as a young boy and spent my teens as a referee. I remember going with my dad and family to watch Carl Valentine and the old Whitecaps. I just wish I had started collecting cards back then. I've always been a fan of our Vancouver team (soon to be in the MLS), but my first steps into the global game we call Football, was when Greece won the euro cup in '04. Since then I have been hooked on watching games, following stats, and buying soccer swag.
In terms of coaching that has only happened since I had children. And with 4 the odds are one would eventually play. I love the challenge of coaching and am thankful for the YMCA was great in letting me coach for free. Other leagues charge you $100 to go to their coaching clinic before you are even eligible. I agree that having quality is important, and thankfully we had a good coaching staff when I was younger. However, commitment and willingness to learn should not be tossed out the window because of financial concerns. ( I wonder how many children go without playing because of the lack of teams available, which is really due to the lack of coaches).
During the '06 World cup my family hit a snag. Canada did not qualify. Nor did Ireland. It was decided that we would all pick our own country and see what happened. i was not allowed to cheer for my wife's team, Germany. And my son liked Brazil, so my choice was one of the African teams. Ghana it was.
These coming World cup in 2010 will be tough for me. My loyalty is, and always will be to Canada and then the Irish. Northern first and then the Republic. Both look like they might squeeze into the first round. Next I will cheer for the African teams. But there is a new twist. I had to pick again a team other than Germany for the '08 Euro cup. Nederland won me over after there brilliant display in the first round. I actually feel that they would have won had they not thrown the game which caused them to be eliminated.
Something you can't see in the photo is my screen saver of the "Jose +10" Adidas poster that came out for the last world cup. And of coarse my wife had to be in it because I love her and I love watching football with her.
There are 3 1/2 impostors shirts in the group. First is my sons Schweinsteiger (Germany) jersey. The other two are my wife's blue Ballack (Chelsea) shirt, and the Beckham (LA Galaxy) shirt that she is wearing. The 1/2 is the German national teams practice kit. It's mine to wear but only because Dawn likes seeing me in it