Monash Super League players Matthew Gordon and Tom Green have made the last 20 of the U13 Victorian Metro State Squad. The squad will head to the Friendship games in NSW during the July school holidays to play the best state metropolitan and country region representative teams from around Australia. Both Matt and Tom will be hopeful of being selected for the final touring party of 16. The 4 players that miss out from the 20 become emergencies. Best of luck to both players and well done.

The Club would like to thank Coach Rick Larson for his three week guest appointment to take charge of the U11 Kangaroos. Rick contacted the Club a couple of months ago to seek involvement and was generous enough to take the players while regular coach Dave Bennett attended a family wedding in the UK through the second half of February. Rick signed-off with the players in impressive style guiding them to an 8 - 2 thrashing of Ashburton last Sunday at the Darebin International Sports Centre. His assessment is that Australian kids are very skilful and technical for such a young age and he is learning much about our sports culture to take back to the USA.

Rick is Head Coach of Men's Soccer at Schoolcraft College in Michigan. He is currently on study leave based in Melbourne and is actively recruiting up to 4 international players (18 to 24) to take back to the USA on a sports scholarship. He has been in discussions with coaches of the FFV and Victorian Institute of Sport and attended the A league Grand Final to watch Melbourne Victory's historic win. Although Rick has attained the North American Soccer Confederation 'A' Licence, Rick will next head to Canberra to participate in the new Asian Confederation 'B' licence course to continue knowledge building and networking.

Rick will be around at various Victorian Premier League and U21 Reserve games to continue scouting over the next couple of months. We thank Rick for his valuable contribution to our U11s and wish him the best of luck into the future with his career.

Congratulations to our U8, U9, U10 and U11 representative sides that did exceptionally well at the annual Melbourne Knights pre-season tournament. The event is held each year usually for all junior age groups but due to water restrictions only U8 to U12 ages could be accommodated this year. Invited club sides are placed in two groups of three. After two group games on the Saturday, the winners of each group return Sunday to play in the grand final.

The U8s in their first tournament as a new squad did not quite qualify for their grand final but enjoyed their experience as new football players.

The U9s won both group games 5 - 0, but were defeated in the grand final 2 - 1 by Avondale heights. Coach Steve Andrejic commented that his players did not have time to adapt to the larger and more physical style of players, but the experience was invaluable for the players to help them develop against physical opposition over the coming years.

The U10s also won their group convincingly but similarly wen down to went down in the grand final 4 - 1 to a more direct and long-ball orientated Essendon Royals side. Coach Manni Katakis was able to assess the development needs of the players, particularly coaching young defenders to adapt and position themselves to defend direct and long-ball tactics, and then to play the ball out as a team with composure.

The U11s won their grand final in a nail biting penalty shoot-out against Melbourne Knights. Coach Dave Bennett said the win was poetic justice after they were denied a certain wining goals in the last second. With the score locked at 1 - 1, the Monash striker rounded the Knights goal-keeper, but amazingly the referee blew the full-time whistle before being allowed to slot the ball into an empty net. The U11s have consolidated well over the pre-season and Coach Bennett commented he will have to make difficult selection decisions to trim the final squad to 14 players later this week.

A great effort and perfect preparation for the season ahead.

Monash City JSC will be hosting four Coerver skills development Programs during each school term throughout 2007 for kids aged 4 to 7 years (born between 2000 and 2002), Each Program runs for 8 weeks and is held on Saturday mornings for 1 hr between 9 am and 1 pm.

Sessions will be held in our Indoor Football Centre at Argyle Reserve, Kinrade Street, Oakleigh.

Program 2 starts Saturday 28th April 2007. Each session will take a maximum of 12 players to ensure maximum attention to individual skill development. Coaches will group players by their age and/or physical ability. All players born between 2000 and 2002 are encouraged to enrol in this program to prepare them for their football career.

The cost for each 8 week Program is $115. Please contact Steve Andrejic (Sun-junior Coordinator) on 0410 175 341 or email info@monashcityjuniorsoccerclub.com.au

About Coerver Coaching

COERVER Coaching is program for all levels of youth players (boys and girls). COERVER coaching stands as the premiere youth soccer coaching program in the world, designed and developed to improve individual players in small sided groups, in small-sided games and at home through soccer homework.

A systematic coaching development program COERVER® combines a step-by-step coaching techniques with the "moves" of the world's greatest players and creates a unique coaching experience for players and coaches involved with youth soccer.

The pyramid of player development represents our new curriculum. It consists of six building blocks. Each building block has dozens of exercises and games associated with it. Ball mastery is the foundation of player development and is essential for progress in the other building blocks.

Benefits

• Improves co-ordination, balance and flexibility
• Improves all aspects of ball control (technique)
• Helps confidence
• Develops more effective players (game intelligence)
• Gives a coach many exercises (variety)
• Improves speed (starting, sprinting, reaction)
• Encourages good sportsmanship, work ethic and behaviour (personality)
• Can be adapted to suit players of all levels and ability
• Enhances vision in games
• Promotes exciting attractive football
• Allows players to work on their own, as a form of soccer homework
• Provides coaching resources

http://www.coervercoachingvictoria.com.au