The Women’s World Cup is being played this fall in the United States. It was originally scheduled to be played in China but the outbreak of SARS influenced FIFA to switch venues. This is a fantastic opportunity for soccer players to become soccer fans. Many of the games will be televised and everyone that plays soccer should take advantage of this chance to see soccer at the highest level.

Soccer players need to watch and observe several things. Hopefully not to anyone’s surprise players will see these world class athletes using the same techniques that are used at our travel level. The differences are that the players in the World Cup are physically more mature and can perform at a faster speed and with more power and they have mastered the techniques with regards to execution while under pressure. Please observe the form and body movements as a player passes the ball. These should be identical to what your coach is teaching and encouraging you to do. The same holds true for controlling the ball, shooting, shielding and moving to receive passes. Use your observations as motivation to practice more and perfect your abilities.

Try to watch the games with a critical eye also. When a team loses the ball try to figure out why it happened. Was it poor control by the one receiving the ball or was the pass too soft, too hard or slightly off target? Perhaps it was due to very good defense. Watch and see if you notice any wall passes, overlapping runs, players shielding the ball or one touch passes. >When goals are scored and several replays are shown from various angles look to see how the shooter struck the ball. Where was their non-kicking foot placed and which foot did they land on after striking the ball? Learn from these observations and let them make you a better player.

Finally and maybe most important watch to see the moves that players make while dribbling.  Try to figure out what they did and go outside and practice it.  We need players who will observe top level soccer and then practice it on their own.  That is how the level of soccer gets better and better. 

Be a soccer fan and then become a better soccer player.  This opportunity to watch top soccer and see the different players and playing styles from all over the world is one that we really should take full advantage of.  If you can’t watch the games live then put a video tape in the VCR and set the timer. That way you can even slow the play down, watch as many replays as you want and make better observations.

Good luck this season!

More than a slogan or motto, more like a goal or a focus, "Building Leaders - One Goal at a Time" is really what the United Soccer Foundation (USF) is all about.

Formed in 1998, the USF is a co-operation between Portage, River Oaks, Vicksburg and AYSO Soccer Clubs.  Its financial goal is to raise $3,800,000 so that:  The Portage Community Soccer Complex could be built at a cost of $1,500,000, the River Oaks and Prairie View soccer fields could be improved, made safer and added to at a total cost of $2,000,000, and that a $300,000 endowment could be created so that children that would otherwise not have the means to play soccer could do so.

The practical goal for the USF is to build more and better soccer fields in the area so that more children could practice and play on safe and beautiful soccer fields.

USF's unique approach and spirit of cooperation among different soccer clubs caught the attention of government and the business and soccer communities.  They have supported our efforts in a big way!  To date, 83% of the financial goal has been pledged or paid by government, business, the soccer organizations and individuals!

So too, the Portage Soccer Club has given to the campaign. USF's goal for the Portage Soccer Club is $225,000.  To date, 155 of our 400 families have pledged or paid $117,000 (an average pledge of $757!).  The remaining $108,000 will be paid through player fees over the next three years. Each player will pay $90 per season to fulfill this obligation to USF.

The PSC Board of Directors has voted to allow families to pay the $90 with a check payable to the United Soccer Foundation.  In this way, the USF Board will issue a letter acknowledging the contribution and allowing it to be a tax-deductible contribution.

As we go into this phase of the campaign, let me thank you, the Portage Soccer Club families, for your support of the goals and ideals of the United Soccer Foundation. You really are: "Building Leaders - in Portage - One Goal at a Time."

After reviewing the 2003/2004 PSC budget below you’ll notice the player registration fee has been increased from $195.00 to $210.00/year. Also listed is the cost for a half year registration, which only applies to a player joining an existing team for the spring season to fill a vacated position.

The club fee established by your Board is actually an average of what it costs for each age group to play, including high school players who play either the fall or spring seasons. Thanks to PSC coaches and many other volunteers who willingly donate countless hours of their time, PSC offers an outstanding value relative to other competitive soccer options.

Budget for 2003/2004 (based on 375 players)

Uniforms                              $ 29,250       $  78.00      $  78.00
USF                                    $ 15,000       $  40.00      $  40.00
WMYSA                              $   8,625       $  23.00      $  11.50
Coaches, managers, ref's      $ 14,625       $  39.00      $  19.50
Field rental                           $   5,625       $  15.00      $   7.50
Administrative Costs              $  5,625       $  15.00      $   7.50
Annual Operation costs          $ 78,750       $ 210.00    $ 164.00

Our focus on PSC volunteers in this edition spotlights some of the people who work behind the scenes.  These are the volunteers who organize the Portage Soccer Classic Tournament.  These volunteers meet once a month throughout the year planning the event and many long hours in the days prior to the tournament.

Beth Kalleward is our hardworking registrar.  She coordinates the design and mailing of the tournament brochure, organizes information packets for teams upon their acceptance, fields numerous phone calls about the tournament, searches for replacement teams at the 11th hour when the inevitable drops occur and on it goes.  Beth is always smiling particularly on tournament weekend when she knows her job is done.

Maria Malin is our tournament treasurer responsible for depositing receipts and paying bills.  Maria also organizes our referee payments - no small task considering over 150 games are played that weekend.  Each game requires a scorecard with the correct teams listed and the proper referee payments.  This last task is a family affair as the entire Malin family sorts and stuffs envelopes.

Vicki Thompson is our referee coordinator.  She recruits referees from throughout the state and beyond, prepares their schedules, staffs the referee tent for two very long days and handles all the problems with a smile.  It is a testament to her hard work that our referees are treated so well at the tournament.

Bob Kucinski is our scheduler.  It is no small task to schedule games for over 100 teams making sure that field usage is balanced and game times are staggered.  This year Bob revised the schedule for us at the last minute so scheduling problems could be eliminated.

Dawn Huczek and Daphne Walker are our volunteer coordinators.  It takes many PSC parent volunteers for a successful tournament.  Dawn and Daphne recruit the volunteers from each team, provide training where necessary and coordinate the volunteer schedule to the game schedule.  This last task is a real challenge to try to schedule volunteers so as not to conflict with their child’s game schedule.  On tournament weekend they change hats and become our official photographers.  The great action and team photos are Dawn’s specialty.

Deb Martin and Deb Jackson (Deb²)are our team operations managers.  They organize the team check-in and train volunteers.  Tournament weekend finds them in the team registration tent handling late arrivals and answering the 101 questions that coaches and managers have.

Thanks to each of these individuals for their dedication and hard work on our behalf.

When teams visit the Portage Community Soccer Complex one of the compliments I hear about is our signage.  The entry sign, bulletin board, rules, wall signs and progress sign for the United Soccer Foundation campaign all convey a consistent theme, colors and styles.  This past spring our signage increased with the addition of the nine field sponsor signs.

What you may not realize is that our signs and the flagpoles at the concession building were all donated.  Mike Williams and Sign Art, Inc. are responsible for the generous donation.  New signs and flag poles are also slated for installation at Prairie View and River Oaks soccer complexes when their construction is complete.

>The PSC is fortunate to be the beneficiary of this generous gift.  Mike is a long time soccer volunteer in our community and was one of the persons instrumental in the installation of lights at both Portage Central’s and Northern’s soccer fields.

The Williams’ connection to PSC soccer goes further than just Mike.  Son Scott who was a standout player at Valparaiso University is one of our PSC coaches.  Together with Jon Kucinski who played at Hope College, this tandem coached our U-14 girls team.

The PSC Certificate Program is an ongoing fundraiser that DOES NOT REQUIRE THE SELLING OF ANY PRODUCTS!  A minimum of 4% is earned on all certificate purchases.  This program provides a simple and convenient way to raise funds to support the new Portage Community Soccer Complex.

The following certificates are available:

Meijer                    $ 25 Certificates

Harding's                 $ 50 Gift Card

Kohl's                    $ 25 Gift Card

Applebee's                $ 10 Gift Card

Godfather's Pizza         $ 10 Certificates

Big Apple Bagels          $ 10 Booklet

To purchase certificates, simply contact the Certificate Program Coordinator nearest you.

Kathy Brown        372-2240           Colony Woods

Beth Elliston      375-1817           Amberly / Colony Woods

Judy Hayes         372-9072           West Middle School Area

Jennifer Schatz    321-8345           Woodbridge Hills

Sharon Wenglinski  323-2672           Austin Lake

Please share this information with your relatives, friends, neighbors and co-workers.  Thank you!

The Portage Soccer Club and AYSO Region 74 families are being offered an opportunity to make a "lasting impression" at the Portage Community Soccer Complex with personalized bricks.  Just imagine your family name or the name of your favorite soccer player(s) permanently displayed at the new complex!

The engraved bricks will be installed on a first-come first-serve basis.  Your message may contain three lines (maximum) with up to 15 characters per line (including spaces).  The price per brick is $50.  All proceeds will benefit the new Portage Community Soccer Complex.

A special thanks to the families who participated in this program.  The first group of 50 engraved bricks are installed in the concession area.  Ten bricks are still required to complete the second order.

Please consider making your "lasting impression" today.  Visit portagesoccer.com to obtain an order form or call Kathy Brown at 372-2240.

Those of you who are students of American history recall the Revolutionary War and Betsy Ross.  Betsy Ross was the Patriot woman who is credited with sewing the first American flag.  Well the Portage Soccer Club has our own Betsy Ross in the person of Daphne Walker.

About ten days before the Portage Soccer Classic Tournament, we noticed that the corner flags on the soccer fields were showing their age.  Tattered, torn and faded from the elements, the flags needed to be replaced.  How to do it and at what cost?

Daphne, who is a seamstress of some renown, stepped forward and in the span of less than a week sewed 36 corner flags for the fields.  She donated her time and all materials at no cost to the club.  Thank you Daphne for a job well done!

The spring 2003 season found the area high schools compiling impressive records.  Portage Northern finished with an impressive 21-3 record including the SMAC conference championship, and district and regional championships in Division II.  In Division I Portage Central finished with a fine 16-2-2 record.  Players from both schools were accorded post season honors.

All Conference

The Annual General Meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday September 17 at the Portage North Middle School Library.   In addition, The Portage Soccer Club Board meets at 7:00 p.m. on the first Sunday of each month unless that Sunday is part of a vacation or holiday.  Below is a list of currently scheduled Board Meetings during the 2003-2004 playing season.

September 7

October 5

November 2

December 7

January 11

February 1

March 7

April 18

May 2

June 6

July 11

August 1

Before you write next year’s checks to USF to meet your pledge, did you know Pfizer will begin matching gifts to qualifying organizations, such as USF, effective January 1, 2004? To make your gift go further, download the matching gift form from your company Intranet (also conveniently available at portagesoccer.com).

Thanks to the efforts of Silvia and Dan Salemka, our club has a web site where you can find much useful information, including-

1.  Names, phone numbers, and email addresses for coaches and board members

2.  Game schedules (what time do we play this weekend?)

3.  Field assignments (what field do we play on this weekend?)

4.  Maps to fields (how do I get to the Michiana Echo field?)

5.  Links to weather forecasts (what should I wear this weekend?)

6.  Concession stand schedule (when is my team scheduled to work?)

7.  Information for managers, including forms and procedures.

8.  Information about the Portage Soccer Classic tournament.

9.  Links to other cool web sites.

10.  This and previous editions of The Keeper.

11.  Much, much more.

Drive safely - 15 mph max.

No pets allowed

Pick up litter.

No glass containers.

Supervise your children.

Practice good sportsmanship.