News – Page 5 – NH Soccer Association

NEW APPOINTMENTS TO THE NHSA EXECUTIVE BOARD!

October 2, 2019/in News, NHSA, ODP/by Webmaster

Greetings NH Soccer Community,

I hope all is going well with your fall seasons. I am delighted at the opportunity to go out on weeknights and weekends and see so many happy and smiling faces kicking a ball around, whether its high school, club league play, or one of the many grass roots and recreational leagues in our state, much of my time is spent watching and coaching this beautiful game that our kids enjoy.

The same can be said about the other side of the game. Although very challenging, I do enjoy my role as President of the State Association because of the connections that are made with so many that give so much. The passion we have for the game can only be amplified by our passion for the kids. New Hampshire is full of coaches, referees, administrators, volunteers and parents that sacrifice so much of their time to have a positive impact on the life of a child. Thank you and it is a pleasure working alongside you.

Since the NHSA AGM and elections last March, myself and the NHSA board have been seeking to fill two seats on our executive board. There were many meetings and discussions and I thank those that have expressed interest. I am very happy to announce to you today that these two seats have been appointed by myself and approved by the NHSA executive board. Both have the passion aforementioned and both have the experience to bring NH forward and help define, develop and employ our vision for the future.

Executive Vice President- Trevor Fox

I had the pleasure of meeting Trevor several years ago during a coach’s course. He grew up playing soccer in Vermont and developed from a young grassroots player to the captain of his successful college team. Trevor continued to play as an adult and got involved with coaching through his high school alma mater in Proctor VT before moving to NH in 1993. He continued to play as an adult until taking a new position at work which included regular travel on the east coast.

Trevor returned to being involved in soccer in the early 2000’s when he and his wife had children and began coaching again in the Goffstown area. Trevor coached recreational soccer as well as competitive soccer for Tri Town and later became the Director of Coaching for Goffstown United (formerly Tri-Town Travel). When he heard there was a need for referees in NH, he took the referee course and got certified in order to meet the demand of qualified officials.

Trevor is employed by a facilities management company as a Regional Director and has been a part of the company for over 20 years. He continues to reside in Goffstown, NH with his wife Sheryl, daughter Kaitlyn and dog Milo. Trevor and Sheryl also have a son attending SNHU. Among Trevor’s responsibilities are to oversee the State Registrar, the State ODP Director and the State Director of Coaching. He will also oversee operations at the New Hampshire Soccer Complex in Pembroke.

Vice President of Recreation- Jim O’Connell

I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with Jim at a Center City soccer event in Manchester. Through our conversation it was apparent Jim had a love for the game and a love of community and it’s youth. Jim’s bio is long, he had served on the board of Manchester North Soccer League for 10+ years (president for three of those years), he was Director of British are Coming Soccer Camps for 10+ years, a board member on Manchester Little League, a youth pastor at St. Elizabeth Seton, Bedford and has been CEO and senior management at a number of start up companies. Jim is currently a Community Planning Group member at Manchester Proud, a host on Education Matters, and serves St. Joseph’s Cathedral as lector and Docent. He is also running for a seat on the Manchester School Board.

Please help me in welcoming Trevor and Jim to the team!

Introducing our new USYS ODP Technical Director: John Curtis

September 23, 2019/in Coaching, News, NHSA, ODP/by Webmaster

Date: September 23, 2019
To: Member State Associations
CC: Board of Directors, General Managers and National Office Staff
From: Chris Duke, Midwest Region General Manager- ODP
Subject: Introducing our new ODP Technical Director: John Curtis

It is a great honor and privilege to introduce to you our new ODP Technical Director, Coach John Curtis.

Curtis has been involved in youth soccer as a coach, administrator, director and parent for 25 years. Prior to accepting the position of US Youth Soccer ODP Technical Director, Curtis was employed by the USYS Member State Association, Minnesota Youth Soccer Association (MYSA), where he served for more than twenty years working his way up through the organization from college intern to Associate Director of Coaching and ultimately serving as Director of Coaching and Player Development. In addition to coaching education, player development and ODP, one of Curtis’ favorite roles with MYSA was community outreach, especially his visits to elementary schools in diverse, and often underserved, areas to work directly with kids and their physical education teachers.

For the past 16 years, Curtis has been involved with USYS’s ODP Midwest Region as a Staff Coach and U13/14 Head Coach. As a Regional ODP Coach, Curtis had the honor of coaching youth who have since gone on to become national team or professional MLS players, including: Michael Bradley, Darlington Nagbe, Ray Gaddis, Ethan Finlay, the late Kirk Urso, and many others. This past spring, Curtis was named the Girls’ Head Coach for the USYS ODP West Region.

“I am honored and excited to join US Youth Soccer as their ODP Technical Director and to continue my work with ODP on a national level,” Curtis said. “ODP is something I have been passionate about at both the state and regional levels because it provides valuable development opportunities for players from all backgrounds and gives them access to resources needed to reach the highest level in the sport of soccer. I am grateful for this opportunity to serve our ODP youth nationally and I look forward to continued collaboration with many of the top coaching talents in youth soccer.”

“John understands the landscape on the boys and girls side of soccer in this country,” says Chris Duke, Midwest Region General Manager- ODP. “John will bring tons of experience and knowledge to USYS and our Olympic Development Program (ODP).” “I am extremely excited to have him on our team and I look forward to working with him to help grow the USYS ODP.”

Curtis brings a wealth of professional relationships, experience and knowledge with him to this new role. From 1997 through 2010, he served as the Assistant Men’s Soccer Coach at St. Olaf and Macalester College, both Division III colleges in the MIAC Conference, working alongside esteemed head coaches, John Leaney and Ian Barker. Since 2016, Curtis has served as part of the US Department of State, Sports Diplomacy and Outreach making several goodwill trips to Haiti with United Soccer Coaches and The Sanneh Foundation to train coaches and players. From 2017 to 2019, he held the elected position of Technical Chair for the Midwest Region’s State Directors of Coaching. Curtis holds his USSF “A” license, National Youth License, Talent Scout License, Grassroots Instructors License and his United Soccer Coaches Premier Diploma. Curtis serves on the national staff for U.S. Soccer, US Youth Soccer and the United Soccer Coaches instructing advanced coaching license courses for coaches across the country. Additionally, Curtis is an active U.S. Soccer Scout working to identify both girls and boys for youth national teams.

“John Curtis is uniquely qualified to assume the role of USYS Olympic Development Program (ODP) Technical Director,” said Ian Barker – Head Coach Boys’ USYS ODP Midwest and Director of Coaching Education, United Soccer Coaches. “In addition to his breadth of knowledge in the technical direction of ODP, he has innovated advancements in providing low or no cost programming to make the program accessible to all players,” says Barker. “As ODP evolves into a relevant and powerful tool in the ongoing identification of young soccer talent and supporting that talent in the development pathway, John Curtis will be a strong leader. In his national role, he will be well placed to support all USYS states and regions collaborating to build a still stronger nationwide program.”

Family is a top priority for Curtis. He and his wife, Jeanne, have two elementary aged children, Evan and Molly. According to Curtis, “We are all excited for this next chapter. My family knows how much love I have for ODP and throughout my career, they have supported my ODP commitments and the time away that it requires. I wouldn’t be able to do this without their unwavering support.” When he is not traveling, Curtis enjoys spending time with his family relaxing on the lake, playing soccer or hockey, roller blading, biking, and skiing. “We definitely make the most of our time together.”

Please join me in welcoming John Curtis!

Sincerely,
Chris Duke
Midwest Region General Manager- ODP US Youth Soccer

US Youth Soccer’s Pro Soccer Player Appearance Request is Now Live!

September 18, 2019/in News, NHSA, NHSL/by Webmaster

FRISCO, Texas (September 18, 2019)– US Youth Soccer, the largest youth sport organization in America and the leader in youth soccer, in July of this year announced an exclusive partnership with the National Women’s Soccer League Players Association (NWSLPA). The partnership is aimed at developing programs focused on growing the game of soccer and increasing awareness of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and its players while cultivating the personal development of participating NWSL players. Through this exclusive partnership, US Youth Soccer became the recognized “Official Player and Personal Development Partner of the NWSLPA.”

This first element of this partnership, creating opportunities to further connect professional female soccer players with the various communities in which they were raised, live and compete, is now live! Through networking opportunities, clinics, camps, and speaking engagements, participating players from the NWSLPA will continue serving as positive role models within their communities as they encourage younger players.

To learn more, and to request a professional player appearance, please visit the USYS Player Appearance website and submit a request!

###

About US Youth Soccer: US Youth Soccer, the largest youth sport organization in the country, is on a mission to make soccer the preeminent youth sport in the country. US Youth Soccer registers 3 million players annually, ages 5 to 19. Through its programming, resources and leadership, US Youth Soccer is advancing the game for its 55 Member State Associations, 10,000 clubs and leagues and nearly 1 million administrators, coaches and volunteers. US Youth Soccer connects families and communities to the power of sports and its shared love of soccer. US Youth Soccer provides a path for every player, offering programs that provide a fun, safe and healthy environment for players at every level of the game.

For more information on US Youth Soccer and its programs, visit www.USYouthSoccer.org. Connect with US Youth Soccer on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

About the NWSLPA: The NWSLPA serves as the primary voice and advocate of the NWSL players, aiming to foster the most positive career experience and professional environment for our members while championing the continued growth of the league and women’s game. The organization serves as a communication pathway among players, clubs, and the league leadership in order to maximize the quality and professionalism of working conditions, with player longevity in mind. The NWSLPA also supports the careers of players off the field by helping to secure opportunities for professional development, continuing education, and building their personal brands. For more information on the NWSLPA, visit nwslplayers.com, @nwslplayers (Instagram and Twitter), or email nwslplayers@gmail.com.

###

US YOUTH SOCCER AND TIPEVO JOIN FORCES TO REIMAGINE YOUTH SOCCER

August 15, 2019/in News, NHSA/by Webmaster

FRISCO, Texas (August 15, 2019) – US Youth Soccer, the largest youth sport organization in America and the leader in youth soccer, is proud to announce an exclusive partnership with data-solutions company,TiPEVO. The partnership will promote TiPEVO-powered online information platforms that will help players and parents game plan all aspects of their youth soccer experience – including the new official US Youth Soccer Club Directory to be launched in the coming weeks.

“With TiPEVO’s help, our goal is for youth soccer to harness the power of technology as US Youth Soccer continues to lead by example, raising the bar for other sports to follow,” said Chris Moore, CEO of US Youth Soccer. “Improved access, understanding, and clarity align perfectly with our mission of making soccer the preeminent youth sport in the United States and our vision of providing the path for every player.”

TiPEVO’s advanced data technology will provide US Youth Soccer the opportunity to redefine the way information is discovered and communications occur throughout youth soccer. At the heart of the platform is a totally re-engineered US Youth Soccer Club Directory that will serve as a centralized platform to discover accurate and comprehensive information about every club and program in the country whose teams and players participate in US Youth Soccer programs, events, and competitions. Elements of the platform include transparent consumer reviews and a safe communication tool to be used between parents and clubs.

The unique ability of TiPEVO to integrate verified, independent, crowd-sourced reviews of clubs and programs brings a whole new dimension to the youth soccer landscape. The existence of enhanced transparency will help stimulate well-informed decision-making by players and parents, facilitate connections directly with club administrators, and ultimately help promote increased program quality.

“The combination of rich data complemented by shared consumer experiences has revolutionized many industries – now it’s the time for youth sports to take advantage,” said Dan Conte, Founder & CEO of TiPEVO. “Soccer is one of the most robust youth sports landscapes – partnering with US Youth Soccer is a magnificent opportunity to showcase the power of TiPEVO and its value in providing players and parents a voice and outlet through which they can make informed decisions about their sports experience. Why should it be easier to research a hotel or a restaurant than your kid’s youth soccer program?”

For more information about this partnership visit US Youth Soccer https://www.usyouthsoccer.org/TiPEVO/ and Tipeveo.com https://www.tipevo.com

NH Referees attend Advanced Training from National Referee Staff

August 12, 2019/in News, NHSA, NHSL/by Webmaster

US Soccer Director of Referee Development: Rick Eddy

August 10-11 (Derry, NH) – As is typical for the New Hampshire US Soccer referee community, the second weekend of August serves as the annual advanced referee training (A.R.T.). Each year, the State Referee Committee (S.R.C.) plays host to a National Referee Coach from US Soccer who spends the weekend working with referees on a variety of topics including, but not limited to:

Changes to the US Soccer Referee Program:
- New Referee Grade System
- “What is a Grassroots Referee?”
- Registration & Recertification Changes
Understanding changes to the Laws of the Game (LoTG)
Review updated LoTG interpretations
The Role of the Referee, Referee Mentor, Referee Coach, and the SRC.

This year, referees were lucky to have Rick Eddy, Director of Referee Development for US Soccer, be the lead instructor. Rick is a New Englander at heart, even though he currently resides in Chicago working for US Soccer. Rick spent two days working with our referees and the State Referee Program. New Hampshire is lucky to have such a great resource who understands the New England soccer enviornment and can assist referees naviagate the ever changing waters.

Saturday:
Saturday begins with the Regional Referee Fitness test for referees who currently hold (or seeking upgrade to) the “Regional” Referee distinction. This test is two parts which include the “Sprint” Test and the “Interval” Test.

The Sprint Test is a series of sprints in which the referee has 7 opportunities to complete six (6) 40 meter sprints in no more than 6.4 seconds. If a referee does not complete this test, they do not get to advance to the Interval Test.

The Interval Test is a series of intervals in which the referee must complete 40 intervals that include a 75 meter run and a 25 meter walk. The 75 meter run must be completed in 17 seconds and the 25 meter walk must be completed in 20 seconds. Referees will complete a series of 40 intervals at this pace. Referees are only allowed 1 missed interval before failing the Interval Test.

After the Regional Referee Fitness Test, those referees will join the grassroots referees for a classroom session which spans from 9AM to 4PM.

During this session, referees receive instruction on the latest changes to the LoTG as well as changes to interpretations of current Laws. This year, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) has made many changes to the LoTG. Referees were able to get clearity on all of these changes and ask supporting questions to ensure full and total comprehension.

After lunch, referees were able to take part in Video Clip analysis. Referees used the FIFA Considerations to come to conclusions baised on current LoTG and interpretations. This is always good for referees to not only see how the LoTG are supposed to be interpreted but also ask questions baised on their own experiences.

Sunday:
Current and future Referee Mentors & Coaches returned to work with Rick again as well as Professional Referee Organization’s (PRO) Erich Simmons who is currently a Development Group Referee Coach for referees in the country’s highest levels of soccer. This second day of training focuses on the “Role of the Referee Mentor & Coach” as well as instructional practices that will have the greatest impact with officials.

The Referee Mentors & Coaches collaberated on preparing video analysis training by using FIFA’s “Sequence for a Presentation of a Video”. Referee mentor, Cullen Madden, said “This training really helps us, as mentors, to see the many different ways that utilization of video/technology can benefit an official as well as their peers when used properly.”

The training provided all in attendance the opportunity to not only see best practicies but demonstrate what they learned as well.

A big thank you goes out to US Soccer’s Director of Referee Development, Rick Eddy. This weekend of training will serve the referees in New Hampshire well and allow many to pass the torch of knowledge to other referees across the State of New Hampshire.

A thank you also goes to Erich Simmons for taking the time to Coach our Referee Coaches and Mentors.