team photo

To view and download more photos from our Spring soccer season, click here.

Click on the photo, and above the photo you'll see "All Sizes." Click All Sizes and then click Original at the top. You can then click Download the Original and save it to your computer.

Email me if you have questions at michelle@mleephoto.com.

Game 8 (May 24)

Hi Everyone,
So sorry I could not make Saturday’s game. I’m sure John did an excellent job subbing in as the coach though.
No real write up this week since its not first handed. But, it sounded like we were up against a pretty tough team, but the kids kept at it. They do have such stamina at this age. Kudos to them all – especially since we were short handed by a few players and I’m sure they were all hot and exhausted.

The season is winding down. Only two practices and two games left in our season. Wow did it go fast!

If you haven't done so already, please let me know if you will be attending the soccer party/carnival on the 31st. It should be fun for the entire family. Get your rock wall climbing shoes ready!

See you all at practice tomorrow.
Coach Jamey

Game 7 (May 17th)

What a great soccer game last week! Despite the fact we were short two players due to illness (Riley who stayed home and Drake who managed to sleep through the game) our team really had a wonderful showing.

Connor had an amazing game! He was hustling and shooting (and scoring) on offense as well as really working on defense stopping those shots on our goal! He really is an intense player and has tremendous focus on the ball. He also did a great job recovering from some minor disappointment in a very short time — well done! Always remember the Blue Jackets #1 Rule of Soccer! HAVE FUN!

Lauren did an awesome job of handling the ball and taking it down the field. She took shot after shot and really pushed the other team to stay on their feet! Despite the heat, she was always willing to run her hardest and spent little time on the side lines (she filled in for everyone). Excellent job keeping at it for the entire game. Great team spirit and always a delight!

Conall did a terrific job passing the ball this week! He’s also got a nature talent for getting in there and taking the ball away from the other team and stopping their forward momentum. Excellent job of controlling the ball while taking it down field and shooting from center field. Conall continues to impress me with his focus at the games and practice. Nice job!

Avery was phenomenal! She played her heart out the entire game. Every time I looked at her bright red face I wanted a drink of water! She had great hustle during the entire game and was willing to get back in the game on a moments notice. Terrific job on keeping in the action, taking shots at the goal and going after the ball. Let’s keep driving that ball down field – you do it in practice, let’s see it on Saturdays!

Gabby was also sick (but recovering) and did an amazing job of staying with it and going after the ball. She did an excellent job of taking the ball down field and shooting at the goal. Nice control with the ball and working to get it centered for shots even though its tough sometimes. Its always much easier to shoot a goal head on, than from the side, so keep it up! I look forward to that smile and cheers at each game!

Thanks Mark for running around in the hot weather and sharing the referring duties with me and bringing your tent for us all.

Also much thanks to Stuart (Lauren’s Dad) who juggled three kids in the blazing heat for 3 hours, helped me lug my stuff from one field to another and then helped set up our tent too! Now that’s dedication!

IMPORTANT NOTE: If Morgan Hill is covered in smoke and ash due to the fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains and the game is cancelled, I will let you know via email and phone by Saturday morning.

See you on Saturday (Hopefully)
Coach Jamey

Game 6 (May 10th)

Special thanks to all the kids for doing an exceptional job of making the game fun for everyone! Your positive outlooks, willingness to adapt to all situations and eagerness to allow the other team to have a fun day of soccer truly touches me. You are all great, exceptional kids with kind hearts. Thanks for listening to coach and making soccer fun for us all.

Since we jumped ahead by 4 points very early on, we all practiced kicking with our left foot and passing the ball a lot. Then, when Riley scored again with his left foot seconds later, I implemented the no shots on goal rule. For the record, I am about as competitive as they come. Don’t try to play me in backgammon or Yahtzee – as you will be sorry as I’m a poor loser and an ungracious winner. (I even work myself into a frenzy playing solitaire!!). But I’ve tried to abide by the non-competitive spirit of this league as I think 3,4 and 5 year olds just need to have fun. I strongly believe at this age there should be no losers. What transpired at the end of the game was shocking with the other coach blurting out they won 7-6 due to their positive attitudes. Honestly, I do not keep score at any the games (but I was aware when we went up 5-0 at the beginning which is why we pulled back so strongly and quickly – considering their kids were actually crying on field). I did speak with the coach and reinforced U5 do not keep score and explained to him how our kids pulled back and his comments were not appropriate. I’m not sure he cared, or believed me – but at least I let him know and was able to get it off my chest (I did not fall asleep until 4:30 am that night though as I was dwelling – I’m telling you, I am VERY competitive.)

I hope we can all let it go and not change our team sportsmanship and overall spirit of the game. If we are up by 4 or 5 points and it is clear we need to pull back, I will do it again. Its really the only way to ensure all kids have fun. I realize not all the coaches are as actively promoting this sort of behavior (I know we got creamed one week and the two star players of the team never came out) but we can only control what our team does and the rules this coach follows. I hope everyone supports these decisions for future games.

I do not know what the correct final score was for our game (It sure seemed like we scored more than 6) but I guess it doesn’t really matter. Either way, our kids were winners!

As always Dusty, thanks for doing more than your share of running around on field. I should get this off today! (But might need to pull it out for sympathy later ;-)

Thanks also to Riley’s Parents (Adrian and Katy) for bringing the great bench seating! It worked perfectly! The kids all sat together and paid attention to the game. Where did you get it??

See you at practice!

Coach Jamey

Game 5 (May 3rd)

What a game!! The balls were flying so fast in both directions I could not keep track. It was very evenly matched and all the kids played a great game of soccer. Connor stepped up with some great ball handling and defense. He managed to drive that ball down the field with amazing control and took some excellent shots. Avery really charged the ball and got aggressive. You may have even heard a growl or two out of her, something we worked on in practice. Conall did a terrific job really going after the ball and not waiting for it to come to him. We’ve been working on that in practice and it paid off. Riley did a fantastic job of driving the ball down field and taking shot after shot at goal. Gabby did a great job at defense and really taking control of the ball from the opposing team. Also, what a recovery after taking a pretty hard shot to the head - WOW was I impressed! Drake did a great job sitting with his teammates and watching the game as well as playing a bit in the first half. We continue to get him more actively involved without forcing him. Lauren was an exceptional ball handler at the game. Nice controlled kicks and good hustle down field. Great game everyone!



The blanket on the field was a big success. It worked great to keep all the kids together as they paid attention to the game when not in play. Let’s do it again next week!





Big thanks to coach Mark for running his heart on the field while I yelled instructions from the sidelines – just two more weeks hopefully!

Game Four (April 26th)

We were a bit short handed with poor Connor getting sick and Drake deciding soccer was just not his thing that day. So, we shuffled 5 very tired kids in and out of a very competitive, aggressive game with some real little soccer super stars. Although we don’t keep score it’s always tough when goal after goal is made by the opposing team. I must admit, Coach Jamey was getting frustrated and stressed about where I’d gone wrong.

But, to sit with my team during half time, and see their smiling, happy faces, not worrying about the goals scored or anything other than the delicious strawberries in front of them brought me to my senses. Their laughter and positive attitudes reminded me of why we put our kids into sports so young — so they can have fun, learn the importance of sportsmanship and working as a team, and maybe learn the basic rules of soccer.

Big shouts out to Lauren, who continually amazes me with her energy and ability to move the ball down the field. To Riley, who attacks the ball every chance he gets. To Gabby who takes shot after shot at goal without losing confidence. To Conall who plays defense like no other. To Avery who gets into the action of the game and can somehow hear coaches directions from the sidelines. To Connor, who tried his hardest to get there, even though he must have felt terrible in the car. And to Drake, who shows up to his brothers soccer games at 8:30 am and somehow manages to hold it together after being at the soccer field far too long for a 3 year old (thanks to Mom not being able to drive!)

I am extremely proud of all my players and the fantastic job they did sticking with it and never giving up. But, most importantly for following coach’s #1 Rule of Soccer – HAVING FUN!! (even when she didn’t follow it herself at first.)

See you all tomorrow.
Coach Jamey

Game Three - Gilroy (April 19)

Our last Gilroy game is behind us (PHEW!) The rest of the games are at PA Walsh. Thanks to all the parents for driving down to Gilroy and being on time! We’ve had 100% turn our to every practice and game so far. I know its tough to juggle the many parenting responsibilities so I just wanted to say - great job and thanks!
Once again, the kids all did a fantastic job of listening, passing, handling the ball and most of all having fun! I had both Riley and Gabby practicing with their left foots again to slow down the number of goals towards the end of the game. Although this is a difficult skill to master, especially during a game, they both did a great job utilizing their less dominate foot. Plus, when they had had enough, they let me know about it! This is something we will be practicing on Wednesday and more in games too. All the kids will thank me when they are playing Pro Soccer somewhere.

Avery continues to charge the ball and challenge herself with getting aggressive within the action. She’s really learning to control the ball and take it down field.

Connor and Drake both did an excellent job of rooting for their teammates and listening to directions from the sidelines when not in play. Connor also is very aware of where the ball is at all times and actively tries to stop goals and take control of the ball from the opposition. Drake brings a positive attitude as he tries to get involved in the action during the game and is learning to be less timid.

Lauren did an excellent job of breaking free from the “bunch” and bringing the ball down field to attempt shot after shot. She also is great at passing the ball to her teammates.

Conall does a great job of blocking the opposing team (careful with pushing) and getting into the action. He is also fantastic at passing the ball and making teammates aware of when he is open.

“Eyes on the Game” special mentions: Gabby, Riley, Lauren and Connor. Very nice job! Keep it up!

And many, many thanks to Dusty who did a wonderful job of refereeing and coaching on the field (both teams). I can’t thank you enough and my ankle can’t thank you enough.

See you all at practice.

Coach Jamey

Practice and Future Games

Although we survived the heat Saturday, I did not survive walking from my kitchen to the family room when I tripped and fractured my ankle Tuesday morning. I am currently in a CAM Caste and see the Ortho Surgeon on Thursday (hoping for the best - and status quo for 6 weeks in a caste). I still enthusiastically want to be the coach of the Jackets and know I can do my job without much change. I do however, now need help at each practice. So I am looking for practice volunteers to run around and help. Hopefully we can find 3 or 4 volunteers that can alternate so one person doesn't have to do it each week. My husband John (U8 coach) can continue to help at games, but his practice is at the same time as ours. Dusty and Mark (Gabby's parents) also are available for game help.

Now is the chance you've been waiting for - being involved as a coach as much as you want, without having to commit to being at 100% of the games and practices. Please let me know who is interested. No experience necessary ;-)

Thanks for all your help and support for practice and games.
Coach Jamey

Game Two (April 12)

Hello Jacket players and fans! (A bit of a novel, but worth it I hope!)

We survived the 90 degree heat and had another fantastic game last Saturday. Although, I would like to apologize for the time mix up. Somehow coach Jamey got confused during the second half of the game and thought the 3rd quarter was the 4th quarter and ended the game 8 minutes early. I blame the heat (but it could have been my lack of sleep considering I just returned from a business trip on a 6 am flight that morning!) I know we all drove to Gilroy, and I hope my mistake didn't cause anyone any inconvenience. On the positive note, the kids looked hot and tired so it seemed like they had had enough. It will not happen again though ;-)


SPORTSMANSHIP:
I am amazed at how well the kids are all doing in all areas of the game so early on - especially team sportsmanship and camaraderie.

I was astonished by all the eager volunteers willing to play for the Green Gators who were short on players. At this age, it was fantastic to see how many kids were willing to help out the other team. Its hard enough getting to know your own players and coaches so early on, let alone move to another team for the day. I recognize some of the kids were stepping outside of their comfort zone with this and they all did a fantastic job!! Special shout-outs to those who wore green - Riley, Avery, Lauren, Gabby and Connor (I hope I didn't miss anyone!)

GAME PLAY:
The kids all continue to learn the basics of the game - kick-offs, throw-ins, corner kicks, etc. As you can tell, my coaching style is to let the kids play ball as much as possible, and not be a stickler about all the rules of soccer at this stage. As the weeks progress, we will get a bit more structured, but never 100%. If we did, there would be a lot of standing around waiting and that's just not fun for 4 & 5 year olds. We do however always want to stress the safety factors in the game. The only rule we enforce whenever we see it happen is "no pushing". Each week we add a
rule and stress it to the kids:

Rule #1 (The most important thing) - HAVE FUN!
Rule #2 - Listening
Rule #3 - No pushing

Ask your kids these rules to see if they know them. They work equally as well in life as they do in soccer!

PLAYER Shout-outs:
Riley did a terrific job stealing the ball on defense and controlling the ball back to his goal for shots. He also has done a fantastic job of bouncing back after small disappointments during the game and speaking up when something bothers him. I can't encourage this enough for all the players. Gabby comes to the field with smiles and laughs during games and practice. She's a wonderful cheerleader for everyone and is doing a fantastic job of controlling the ball down field. Lauren always has her head in the game. Her ball concentration is amazing. She's tough and aggressive with the ball, but never a ball hog. Conall goes after the ball with enthusiasm. He is eager to get into the game and does a great job passing the ball and encourages everyone to pass the ball as well. Drake continues to work on getting into the action. He is focused on the ball and ready and waiting for his chance to steal it away on a miracle
break out soon!! Avery is enthusiastic about soccer and follows the ball throughout play. She does a wonderful job of controlled dribbling and taking it down the field. She's also one tough cookie as I saw her go down a few times last game and bounce back up. Connor does a great job of listening when given instructions on line-ups, throw-ins, etc. He is eager to practice passing to teammates and can take that ball away from offensive players to defend our goal. All the kids are fantastic listener for coaches from both sides! KUDOS to everyone again!

Game One (April 5, 2008)

All the kids did an awesome job of listening, passing and most of all having fun! Since we were scoring quite frequently and we wanted the Dark Blue Dragons to have fun too, I was having all of the kids do extra passing and some of the kids practice kicking with their less dominate foot (LEFT for everyone on the team). Although it was tough to remember at first, Connor, Lauren, Gabby and Riley all did an EXCELLENT job of practicing this skill. I could actually see them start to kick with their right foot, then stop and use their left foot. It was a tough drill but they each did a great job with it.



Conall did a fantastic job of getting into the game and going after the ball as well as an exceptional job of listening and following directions at the kick-offs and throw-ins. Avery did a terrific job of passing the ball and taking shots at the goal from a distance. And Drake did a great job of focusing on the game and paying attention to the coaches.




All the parents did a wonderful job of enthusiastic support and encouragement from the side lines. I know the kids love those positive encouraging shout-outs “Great pass, nice try, good shot”– so keep them up! Special thanks to Dusty for running around first half refereeing and coaching. I don’t know about you but my legs were sore! All in all, great game last week! Hopefully we can keep that kind of enthusiasm all season.

See you all at practice today – as long as it doesn’t rain.
Thanks,
Jamey