Norcal is excited to present to you – the coaches, managers, Directors of Coaching and other key Norcal Club officials -  the 2008 Norcal Premier Soccer Programs. We appreciate your support in helping build a progressive soccer structure for US Club Soccer sanctioned Norcal Soccer Clubs. The core programs of Norcal Premier Soccer are Coaches Education, Player Development Program, Norcal Premier Leagues and the Norcal State Cup(s).
 
Norcal has one ultimate purpose – helping Clubs develop stronger players.

We know from the experience of Soccer Clubs – worldwide – that to bring about this improvement, Northern California must expand the base – the grassroots - of players. We need more young players who are “inspired” to play our wonderful sport at an increasingly higher level.
 
This takes time and commitment, but the benefits can be enormous – including the good physical health that comes from an active life style; and the emotional satisfaction that comes through leaning difficult and challenging skills – well.
 
Out of this “grassroots” will develop an increasing number of “elite” players. For these reasons, we believe, soccer clubs must expand their grassroots programs for players ages 5-10. Both Danville Mustang and Pleasanton Rage, the only two Northern Californian Clubs chosen by Soccer America for their top #25 Clubs in the US, are in charge of their grassroots program!
 
At this time, the Norcal Board of Directors – all working coaches - would like to highlight a few of the changes we will introduce this spring and programs that will continue from 2007 into 2008.

Director of Coaching (DOC) - Each club must name a Director of Coaching for 2008 - in order to compete in any Norcal Premier event. During 2008 they do not need to have a license but by 2009 they will need to have a certain license level. This level will be decided shortly. The DOC will be the primary conduit for us to pass on coaches education information and Player Development Program information.

Director of Coaching Committee - We have asked each club to name a DOC for this year. Once we have compiled this list we will assist in forming a DOC Committee. The aim of this committee will be to assist in the development of soccer and to give a voice to the Directors of Coaching. In circumstances such as the incident with Jeff Baicher versus CYSA  or other such incidents the DOC Committee could lend its support when justified or necessary.  This committee will be separate from Norcal Premier Soccer.
 
Year round calendar – After wide consultation with the major Norcal Clubs we have completed year round calendars for each age group. These calendars have been proposed to 30 - 40 coaching directors and together we have made changes based on the consensus of these club leaders. We believe this will assist everyone in planning their upcoming 2008 – 2009 season. Click to view calendar.
 
More local divisions of play – Our goal has always been to provide more local competition when enough teams have registered to play.. In the past, we have been able to do this in many divisions of play. This year, if there are enough teams in an age/gender division, we will continue to do this in every division from Premier to Bronze. Our challenge is to balance the desire to compete on a more local level while still offering quality games with varied opponents.
 
Here are a few examples of possible schedules based on the teams that enter:
 
Scheduling Example #1 – U11 Boys – 2 groups of six: We will form two groups based on location. After 5 matches of group play the top two teams will go into a group, the middle two into a group and the bottom two teams teams will go into a group of four. Any teams having to travel too long of a distance might play at a central site – such as Manteca. Teams will play five group matches and three final group matches – 8 matches in total.
 
De Anza Force          
Burlingame Ajax (Ajax)     
FC Alliance Hornets (Hornets)
Santa Rosa United Barcelona        
DVSC Black           
SCA         
 
 
Stanislaus United     
MERCED ATLAS GOLD (MERCED GOL)       
California Odyssey Red (COSC)
Sacramento United FC
Placer United
San Juan        
 
Scheduling Example #2 – Three groups of four: Teams will play each other once. The top four teams (group winners and highest second) will move into a group to play three matches. The next two second place finishers and two highest third will go into the next group and the final four teams will complete the final group. Teams will play 9 matches – 6 local and three travel.
 
Modesto Ajax United Elite     
Placer United Prestige '
Davis Legacy Shock (Shock DAV)          
Sacramento United
 
 
Lamorinda United
SCA
Marin FC
Vallejo Strikers
 
Santa Clara Sporting
Livermore Elite Shock         
MDSL Velocity
Hayward CyberRays
 
 
Changing the Scheduling Process – Overall, the 2007 Spring League scheduling worked very well.  However, this year, Norcal will be immediately involved in any request to change a “settled” schedule and will not authorize changes unless it is an emergency situation. Teams needing to make non-emergency changes to a “settled” schedule will need to consider forfeiting that game.

Clubs entering teams should be sure they have enough available fields; and procedures to send a substitute coach in case of conflicts. Furthermore, teams must understand that Norcal is a Saturday League with games played on other days only at the convenience of both teams.
 
Standards for Clubs  - The 2008 Norcal Premier Programs will be open to all teams that belong to a US Club Soccer Club. New Clubs will need to be approved by the Norcal Premier Board of Directors before their teams will be accepted.

All clubs must meet the following requirements; and are willing to follow Norcal Rules and Directives.
 
* Quality – Clubs and their teams must be committed to striving for excellence as concerns play, sportsmanship, fields, referee's and the total soccer experience.
* Clubs must have a named Director of Coaching listed on the Norcal Premier website with a working email address. The Director must be willing to remain abreast of their team’s involvement in the Norcal Premier Soccer Programs.
* Clubs must have at least one high quality field (5 time slots) per 8 teams. Teams traveling long distances deserve to play on decent fields! Newer clubs or those that have had difficulty providing decent fields must submit proof of fields before their acceptance in the league. Teams may ask that they play all away games.
 * Clubs must have enough licensed referee’s available to cover their teams entered in competition. Newer clubs or those who have had difficulty providing licensed referee’s must submit proof of fields before their acceptance to the league.
* Clubs must have a Norcal Premier Administrator responsible for helping teams maintain their club and team information, including contact information, on the Norcal web site. Newer clubs or those who have had difficulty with their organization must provide an administrator with working contact information and attend a pre-season meeting before their acceptance to the league.
* Clubs must be in good standing with Norcal Premier League.
 
During the past seasons a few Clubs have been expelled from future Norcal competitons and others have been placed on probation. There is a very strong feeling among the Norcal member Clubs that there should be “zero tolerance” for players, coaches, and parents who either break the rules governed by Law 12; or behave in a manner that causes problems for other Clubs.
 
Coaches Education is an area in which we believe it vital that Norcal  support our member clubs. If we improve our coaches, we will improve our teams and our players. If our teams improve we will not need to travel as far for competition or showcasing and our areas players will become more highly regarded by college programs, professional and national teams. Finally, if our coaches improve we will insure our players will probably enjoy playing soccer more and our soccer culture will become more vibrant and healthy.
 
In 2007 we offered, using fees generated by the league and cup, free to all Norcal Premier Coaches, clinics featuring:
∙           Frans Hoek – Polish National Team Assistant Coach, former FC Barcalona           Assistant Coach
∙           John Owens – Liverpool Football Club Director of Youth
∙           Peipijn Linders – FC Porto Skills Coach, Former PSV Eindhoven Skills    Coach
∙           Gerrit Boerman – KNVB Coach – Dutch Soccer Federation
∙           Molon Giorgio – Calcio Padova Coaching Director
∙           Grandini Gualtiero – Calicio Padova Youth Coach
∙           Jaime Parijito – Head Scout Chivas Guadalajara
∙           Dennis Te Klose – Director of Youth Chivas USA – MLS
∙           Jefta Bressa – Skills Coach PSV Eindhoven

In addition, we are providing to each Coaching Director of 75 - 100 Norcal Clubs, a subscription to Soccer Coaching International and Success in Soccer – two of the top coaching magazines in the US.

More coaches are attending these invaluable Coaching seminars, but the number is still only a small percentage of Norcal coaches. Norcal looks forward to the day when the attendance will be in hundreds rather than in the dozens.           
 
The Player Development Program is another program provided free of charge to our players. Last summer, using fees generate by the leagues and cups, we hosted 100 players at an overnight training and scouting camp. We had three Italian coaches, the Chivas Guadalajara Head Scout and the Chivas USA Youth Director run sessions over three days for the players. We paid for their room, board and provided each group with three trainings, by the guest coaches, and a game.

In addition, to the summer program we began to develop our Girl’s PDP program and we began to organize sessions around the state for these players.

In December, we provided sessions by Pepijn Linders, to PDP players in Sacramento, Danville, Palo Alto and San Francisco.
 
Both of these “education” programs are in their formative changes, but have been very well received by the participating coaches and players. It is an urgent Norcal goal to increase the participation of players and coaches.
 

Letters from Player Development Program Attendee's 

-Thanks for setting up a pretty impressive play day. The trainers today were top notch. I am much more impressed with PDP than I was with ODP. My experience with ODP was very disappointing. The coaches and the whole process was a waste of time. From what I saw and heard today, I think PDP is headed in the right direction. I'm looking forward to the next play day and I'm excited to see how PDP evolves. Thanks again for a great day for the girls.
Don .....

-What went well....
    - Your communications are very good
    - Pepijn did an excellent job.  Having top quality trainers is great!
    - Facilities (Sycamore Valley park in Danville) with all-weather turf was excellent
    - Parent session at the end to help us know what's going on and meet the people involved
> What could be improved....
    - Move advanced notice - this allows us to get it on our calendars
    - Longer sessions (min half day - 4 hrs) - this makes the 2 hour travel time more affordable
> Other comments....
    - We know the other girls in our club that are participating.  If there is any way to know the know the other girls in the area (Sacramento) - we could possibly arrange for more car pooling.

-My daughter is Courtney,#4 DVSC Black 93/ SP Samba.  She had a great time and learned a lot!  The only request that I would make is that the girls are asked to split up into groups not to include more than one other teamate.  I think that they would focus more and challenge themselves also, if they were practicing/learning with girls they are not so comfortable with.
 

-Emily M. had a great time. The information you sent was both
timely and informative; my only suggestion would be to encourage every
coach to fill out the recommendation forms at each NorCal game day (and
maybe send a reminder the Friday before game weekends).   The date was
perfect (obviously with such great attendance).   Emily would be very
interested in high level tournaments with the group because her team
(Alpine Menlo Pumas) will probably not be accepted to play in that type
of event in the next year or so (although they continue to steadily
improve).  Please let me know if our club (or I) can be of assistance
to you.

-My daughter enjoyed the instruction and attention to individual skill training!
Jackie C.

-Thanks for your and other's effort to organize this great event for our girls.  This is great and my daughter , Melissa, really enjoyed it.
In addition, I would like to suggest the program to organize a mini camp (a long weekend, three days) for this pool before the evaluation, which can give the top coaches enough time to work with the players to identify more coachable and potential players.  As a parent, I would like to pay for the camp for the top coaching since we pay other coaches anyway.  In this way, you will not only give the players who have not expose to high coaching in their own teams or clubs a true opportunity but ensure that coaches have enough time to work with each player to observe their performances in a real game and small group training.  

-Just wanted to say that my daugter Jessica had a wonderful time. She
has been going on and on about it.
Thanks so much.
Bobbie S.

-Thank you for inviting my daughter Emily (Duff) to this week end training. Emily came away from the training excited and thought the training was fantastic. When we got home she went upstairs and I could her practicing all the moves she had learned earlier. She thought all the instructors explained everything clearly. She is looking forward to further training through the program.
My thoughts as a parent with four daughters playing soccer, one daughter playing in college now and another playing college soccer next year the importance of proper training. Good high quality training that blends the fundamentals along with the additional tools to be a better soccer player is good for the game. The type of training being offered by the program is a huge step toward bringing quality soccer to our area. Saturdays training was put together well, no down time which is important to keep the girls interest and wanting more. Keep up the good work you are doing for the youths and the game of soccer.
 
-Thanks my daughter had a great time. I enjoyed watching the training especially the European way of no stretching and no water breaks just working all the way threw,and no one died so I guess that’s ok. The 1 v1 training was great and my daughter has been trying the moves all day and has taught one of her teammates already. Thanks for the time to set this up and we look forward to more evens like this as the one PDP day has been more benifical then any ODP we have done so far.


-Appreciated the opportunity for training especially in the company of other competitive players from the NorCal region. For those of us whose clubs are not particularly strong, the PDProgram enhances training and challenges players who want to improve and excell. Excellent day of soccer-valuable information well taught and well organised-positive , experienced knowledgeable coaching staff-convivial atmosphere. Would highly recommend this program.

-I just wanted to say thanks for the great event! The training was Excellent, the girls were excited to be there, and it was just an all around positive experience. My daughter Haley really enjoyed it and learned a lot, as she did at id2 also. Keep up the great work!