Final game of Fall Season!

Game 8 vs. Slow Motion
We have come a long way! The difference between week 1 and week 8 was amazing! Goal for goal we have were within 1 goal from winning. We also scored more goals this game than we had any game the entire season! And as many goals in this game as we did all 7 games previously! Kudos and hurrays for Scott, Nate and Todd!

We also saw the triumphant come back of Tyler and his un-exploded spleen! Go Tyler! We missed you on the pitch! Protect that spleen between now and spring!

Post game team celebrations
I think we found our tavern! The Overtime Tavern was amazing! They gave us money for the juke box, 2 pitchers on the house and then to top it all off was the banner on the wall with the quote I had not known I made.

"It was brutal, but it was a good time" Nancy

I think that the Grass Kickers and the Overtime Tavern were meant to be! Ian and Nate also finally joined us our Wednesday outing for the first time and we were so glad to have them!

End of Season/End of Year BBQ
After a rather confusing array of answers, the date and location has been chosen. Sunday, November 13th we will have our big end of year blow out, and it will be hosted by me, your humble manager. Details will be going out via email soon. But save the date people! Take the day off, take the next day off, line up your baby sitters and get ready to have some fun!

And in honor of the holiday at hand...


Heather being the amazing fun and awesome generous person she is had an amazing Halloween Party. Fun was had, rugs were cut (Mark there is a video floating somewhere that I must locate), and NATE CAME OUT!

From left to right: Mark, Nate (in the Burger King mask), Heather, Myeshia, Me, Andrea, Olivia and David!

Week 7 vs Doodles

Practice Notes
This past Tuesday's scrimmage was canceled on short notice due to a miscommunication between Alfredo and the Willamalane people. But we are on for this coming up Tuesday. These scrimmages/practices have been a really helpful and I think everyone who goes will agree that they have improved in their skill/conditioning from it. So again, 8pm this Tuesday, Willamalane.

Game Recap
The game was well played and we really made them work for it for every goal. Myeshia gained some confidence by her amazing dribble through 3 people! Good job Myeshia! This past Wednesday was also Bre's birthday, and we as a team sang her an embarrassingly loud and off key happy birthday song at the end of the game. The happy birthday activities continued onto the Wetlands. The highlight of the post game fun was when some of the team burst into sing along when Journey came on which was punctuated by David hitting the high note when he thought no one was listening. Way to go David! we did not know you has such range!

End of Season Party
Earlier this week I sent out a survey on the date and location of when we want to have the end of season BBQ, based on the responses I have received so far it looks like the 12th or the 13th of November at my house. If you haven't responded please do so, I would like to make so that as many people as possible can come.

Coming Up....


Tuesday
This Tuesday the scrimmage/practice is on, i have double checked and confirmed

Last Game of the Season!
This Wednesday will be the last game of the season! We have grown so much as a team and how perfect that we will be playing for our last game the same team we played our first game. Perfect chance to show how far we have come!

This will be the first time we are playing at this location, so once again, if anyone needs a ride please let me know! or refer to the carpooling info I had sent out earlier in the season.

As it will be the last game of the season, of course we will all go out and celebrate. I would advise that if you can, plan a late start to Thursday! The game this week will be at Churchill High School which has left us at a loss as to where to go. After some research I have decided we are settling on  Overtime Tavern (I know we had discussed Sam's Place, but apparently this upcoming Wednesday night would have been their monthly Cigar Club gathering and I didn't think our non-smoker players would like that much). Map at the end of the post.

Off Season
After discussing it with Alfredo the manager of the Taz Devils and Jennifer the manager of Dam United, we have decided that we will attempt to hold a weekly friendly scrimmage through out the off season. Winter season does not start until January, and 2 months is a long time with no soccer! I will be sending out a survey soon to everyone for us to pick dates, we are right now guessing that it would only be about 5-10 bucks per person for the entire off season. Also depending on how things go we can perhaps keep it going into Winter Hat Draw so that we can keep playing together in the wait for the Spring season.

Tuesday night practice and After Game Plans

Don't forget tomorrow night
8pm Willamalane, 250 S. 32nd, Springfield.

Get some practice and also meet some new people, tomorrow night we will have some players from Dam United, another co-ed team joining us! Lets make a good show!

Also for the post game hijinks of Wednesday we will hit the Wetlands, 922 Garfield Street, Eugene, OR


Map Below as always. 

Sunday Practice... yeah...

There are really just no words...

And just in case you didn't get the best look....yes that is our Illustrious Captain Ian on the left.

another look 

And finally for the first practice since the season started, and the amazing star from Friday night...

The Essentials - Come Dance Your Ass Off!!!! and other assorted updates.

Lets see, recap first I guess?

Game vs. Legal Thunder

We were awesome as usual but special kudos and props to Josh our amazing lightening quick goalie, and Linsey "The Wall". We kept them from scoring for the entire first half and they really had to earn the ones that they did get in the second. We made them work for it and gave them a good run for their money!

We were down Ian, our illustrious captain due to the evils of Physics homework, as well as Mark due to injury, but thanks to Jason (the wonderful husband of Andrea) we had a great game!

We were all very happy and gratified to see our teammate Tyler show up to cheer us on, even though illness has taken him out for the last few games. We wish you well Tyler and strength to your spleen (which apparently might explode upon errant ball contact, hence no playing). Josh was also back from the pits of ick and reminded us all of how much we missed and needed him both on the pitch and in the goal.

David and Oliva returned from the chaotic marsh of the "In-Laws" with David debuting for the first time this season outside of the goal. Good job Scullys!

On the bright side Daniel has once again made it through a game injury and blood free, however, our Amazing Andrea took one for the team and this time in the eye! Thankfully we found her some "medicine" post game (see below).

This game also marked the first official time we had planned and coordinated team wide post game shenanigans. A very confused country bar was invaded by The Grass Kickers directly post game, and it was awesome! Everyone loved the chance to socialize off the pitch and there was laughing and camadrie all around.

Andrea icing her black eye with a beer!

Tuesday scrimmage/practice

We didn't have enough people for a scrimmage on Tuesday but we did have enough to get some great practice in. We did a few different drills to work on skills and we also did some circuits and conditioning. It was a great practice and I really felt that it helped me in my quest to be a better player.

See you all on Sunday and/or Tuesday. Remember Practice makes Perfect!

Off Season and Winter Season

As you all know we are nearing the end of the season, 2 more weeks to go! Also for winter, the city will be doing only co-ed hat draw (this means that everyone signs up as individuals and the city then divides the pool into teams). Me and some others from the team are interested in still having a practice/scrimmage at least once a week after the season ends and into the winter season so that 1) we do not get totally out of shape and 2) we get to still see each other! So here are some ideas. We can meet on sundays still during the day so  that we don't have to worry about lights. Also we can work something out where we each pitch in a few buck and rent a field with lights. Let me know what you all think or if you all have any ideas and suggestions.

Also I am interested in trying to put together a co-ed team for indoor for the winter season. I will post more details on that as soon as i figure it out.

Finally, Ian and I have talked about the idea of having an end of year party with the team. Any thoughts and suggestions are welcome for this as well.

Tonight, 10pm, Oak Street Speakeasy, THE ESSENTIALS - Featuring MYESHIA!

Finally most importantly of all, tonight come out and support your teammate and also have a great time! So grab a sitter, grab your dancing shoes and get down to the Speakeasy. If you think that this girls is amazing on the pitch just wait till you see her on the stage!

The Essentials

915 Oak Street, Eugene, OR in the Basement

Week 5 - Yeah I am late again...crap

Game 5 vs. Masters of None

For the first time we had enough girls but not enough guys! Our men did awesome even playing with no subs! Way to go guys, great job digging deep and really pushing it!.

Our dynamic duo of Ian and Todd once again came through and worked together to score our goal of the night! Good team work guys!

Thank you Scott and especially Micah for being great goalies, giving all you got! David, our usual keeper of the goal has injured his arm and was not able to attend, and at least for one more game he will be out of the goal.

I was glad to have Myeshia and Linsey back from illness. We missed you!

Overall we are playing much better as a team, and its not just me that thinks so. We are working together much better and communicating. Just remember to spread out and use your teammates!

Finally, don't forget, tomorrow night we will be going out to Shooters (2650 River Rd) after the game to do some off the pitch socializing! Oh and I have also been informed it will be taco wednesday! Below as always is my super helpful map with the extra bonus of showing where we will be playing and the post game fun!

Scrimmage Tonight!

Once again we will be doing scrimmage tonight at 8pm at Willamalane. This is a great way to practice both in terms of just getting some touches in and also learning to play your position. For those that are worried, the scrimmages are not as intense as games, they are much more friendly and we play shorter halves. I did both the scrimmage and our usual wednesday game last week and it was not bad at all.

Also, this is a great time to bring any family/friends that you know who either wants to play but couldn't get on a team, or is interested in seeing if they want to play. The more the merrier! I hope to see you all there!

Week 4 Recap - games, practices, scrimmages Oh My!

Man, I have been awful of late to update my blog but oh well "C'est la vie" as they say!

So lets see....

Game 4 vs. La Mano de Dios

This game was rough but I think we played very well. As far as I am concerned we had 2 goals (though the ref called it as out...*grumble grumble indigant foot stomp*) which is the most we have had in a game! We were pretty short handed this game due to Rosh Hashana and also illnesses and though we missed those who couldn't make it, those who did play gave it their all! Great job to Andrea for really working on the communication while on the pitch and making sure we spread out and stay with our mark. And hurray to Daniel for not getting too hurt or bleeding.

As a team we need to work on spreading out on the pitch, playing our positions and communication. Too often we end up bunched up around an opponent with the ball and when they pass there is no one to intercept it. Also we need to be better about talking on the field, letting each other know when we are open, giving them the information they need to pass or play through. Finally communication will help us avoid being bunched up as sometimes there is some confusion on who has the ball. So again, if you are confused on the terms please revisit that post which tells you what the calls mean.

But I think we can all agree that we are getting better as a team and everyone's skills are improving. Just remember this is our first season together and we are learning each other's strengths, playing style and how to work together. Also some of us are still learning the game! We are playing against teams that have been together sometimes for years and so all things considered I think we are holding our own and getting better with each game.

Practice - Rain or Shine

On sunday we had our first practice in the rain and it was great! I actually really liked playing in the rain and I think everyone else did too. For sundays I think we are fine staying on campus and we will do it regardless of weather. If there are time changes it will be done before practice day so make sure to check our teamcowboy website to RSVP and see if there are any changes.

I am not a hundred percent sure what is going on with the Tuesday practices at this point, i honestly haven't seen the campus since school started to see what it is like on a Tuesday...perhaps someone who is on campus at that time can check it out and let me know? Also maybe we should move the time up to 6:30?

For this Tuesday, tonight we will be doing the scrimmage against the Taz Devils (see previous post). Wish us luck!