October 8, 2024

It was a fantastic turnout for MYSA Night at the New England Revolution! Gillette welcomed nearly 200 MYSA attendees for a beautiful evening of soccer on the pitch.  I hope everyone had a blast at the game, and continues this new tradition in 2025!  Many thanks to both Mike McCarthy and Diana Aniello for all their behind-the-scenes work to make it happen for the entire MYSA family!

Another beautiful weekend on the fields after a brief rainshower blew through in the morning. It’s hard to believe the season is already more than halfway complete, with Week 5 in the books.  No soccer this weekend, of course, due to the holiday on Monday.  Enjoy your long weekend, and we’ll look forward to another great Saturday of soccer on October 19th!

KEY DATES

TOMORROW (10/9) – 7:00 PM – MYSA Night at Marblehead High School Girls Varsity Soccer – Come support the MHS Girls Varsity Soccer team as they take on Beverly at 7:00 pm under the lights! Wear your red & black and let’s cheer on our Magicians!  The Marblehead All Sports Boosters will have the Snack Shed open, and there will be pizza and hot dogs on hand!   All MYSA players will have the chance to take the field for some half time fun! Send your child toward the gate under the scoreboard when there are three minutes left in the first half to participate!

MHS Girls Soccer Clinic / Fundraiser – Save the date for Wednesday, October 23rd!  MYSA athletes – both boys and girls – are welcome to join the MHS Girls Soccer Team for a soccer clinic, followed by pizza.  The event will run from 6-7 p.m. at Piper Field, and is $20 per child (cash or check).

COACHES CORNER

• Are you a G2/3/4 Coach?  Try playing 2v2 scrimmages instead of large ones!  Why?  It gives more kids more chances to score a goal!  More details in this short video interview with the head of Belgium Youth Soccer Development.
• Soccer starts at home!  Make sure your kids are getting outside with the ball!  This is a fascinating video on how the Japanese re-developed their youth soccer program around this idea.
• Have a question about rules?  Download the “Laws of the Game” by IFAB from your respective app store.  IFAB is the official governing body for worldwide soccer.  Or check out the very dense PDF here (definitely recommend the app over the PDF).  Note that ECYSA has some exceptions for G6 and G4.

LINKS

• Coaching 1-pager for MYSA – packed full of links & advice
• How to put away the fields after practice

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October 1, 2024 – Week 4 marks the halfway point of the season… It’s flying by!

MYSA Night at MHS Boys Varsity Soccer is TONIGHT! Show your MYSA pride tonight, while supporting the MIAA Division 2 #9 Ranked MARBLEHEAD MAGICIANS as they take on Peabody at 7:00 p.m. on Piper Field! All current MYSA players who attend will take the field at halftime for a brief bit of fun!  Please send your athlete to line up under the scoreboard near the concession stand when there are three minutes remaining in the first half!

Many families are planning one last getaway for the long weekend, with Marblehead Schools out on 10/3 and 10/4… However, we DO have scheduled games on 10/5! If your child will be out of town on 10/5, PLEASE mark your absence in TeamSnap now so that your coach can plan accordingly! 

I got an invitation for a free webinar on October 3rd at 1:00 pm from Soccer Parenting, and it may be of interest to anyone walking the fine line between being supportive and encouraging while pushing our kids to do their best without putting pressure on them. It’s a tough road… If you are interested, the live webinar, The Champion Sports Parent: Practical Wisdom for Raising Confident, Competitive, Mentally Tough Athletes is led by Dr. Jerry Lynch, a world-renowned Sports Psychologist, and John O’Sullivan, the founder of Changing the Game Project. The link to registration is here, and the topics addressed include how you can:

• Become a more self-aware parent,
• Better understand the complexities of the youth sports journey,
• Teach your child the secrets of winning the inner game,
• Form better relationships with coaches, and
• Navigate difficult conversations and scenarios.

Best,

Karen Philip

COACHES CORNER

Massachusetts Youth Soccer Zero Tolerance Policy – It is the responsibility of all coaches to maintain the highest standards of conduct for themselves, their players and supporters in all matches. Coaches exhibiting hostile, negative, sarcastic, or otherwise ill-intended behavior toward Officials, opposing players, or opponent’s coaches will be subject to sanctions by the match Official. Additional sanctions may be imposed by the coach’s club, the league the match is being played under, or as allowed by Mass Youth Soccer policies after a review of the match report. Please expect sanctions if you are in violation of the Zero Tolerance Policy. With referee shortages, we understand that you may be assigned a referee with less experience than you’d like, and they may make mistakes. Please utilize your game reports to provide that feedback to the Official and to the league. 

Danvers Saluting Soldiers Soccer Festival (DSSSF) – Danvers Youth Soccer is hosting their annual DSSSF tournament on 11/9 & 11/10, open to teams in the following age groups for both boys and girls:

• Grade 2 – Attending 1st or 2nd grade AND born on or after January 1st, 2016 (5v5)
• Grade 4 – Attending 3rd or 4th grade AND born on or after January 2014 (7v7)

Player and coach eligibility is dependent on affiliation and registration with ECYSA and Mass Youth Soccer. Full details can be found here. This event is specifically for the younger cohorts, and all proceeds benefit  Operation Troop Support.

Brookwood Invitational – Brookwood School in Manchester, MA is hosting a soccer tournament in the morning on November 9th, and has invited one G4B and one G4G team to compete in the morning lineup. There are four teams in each gender division. Games will be 7v7, and each team will play 3 games among 4 rounds (20 minute halves). Deadline to register is October 11th. If you are interested, please contact Karen Philip for more information.

MISCELLANEOUS

Anyone 14+ Can Become a Certified MSRC Referee! Have you noticed a shortage of referees? A local referee could pick up a lot of games on the weekend without ever leaving town!  Better yet?  MYSA will reimburse your certification fees if you live in Marblehead and are a MYSA-affiliated family member. How do you become a referee?

• Create an Account at MSRC/Massref
• Enroll in a New Referee Orientation course and an In-Person Field Session. These can be taken separately, with the online Orientation being completed before the Field Session or they can be combined in an In-Person Orientation and Field Session Course. Classes are added all the time, but current offerings on the MSRC Website include:
  • Combined In-Person Orientation and Field Sessions
    • Northampton – October 27th, 2024 from 1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
  • Online Orientation
    • MSRC Website – October 14th, 2024 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
    • MSRC Website – October 26th, 2024 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
    • MSRC Website – November 10th, 2024 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
    • MSRC Website – November 23rd, 2024 from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
  • In-Person Outdoor Field Session
    • Lancaster Outdoor Fields – October 19th, 2024 – 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
  • In-Person Indoor Field Session
    • Haverhill Indoor Field – October 23rd, 2024 – 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
• Create an Account at US Soccer Learning Center, if you don’t already have one as a coach or a former referee, and take the required online US Soccer Learning Center courses, depending on your age.
• Attend the Courses you enrolled in through MSRC – the Orientation and the Field Session, and then complete the Post-Course Test to get your Badge and have your name made available on the lists used by referee assignors!

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MYSA Night at the New England Revolution – Order TEAM or INDIVIDUAL Tickets NOW! Let’s show off our MYSA spirit – together! We’re organizing a special night out at Gillette Stadium to cheer on the New England Revolution as they take on DC United. Let’s make this year even bigger. Join us for an evening of soccer, community, and fun!

Game Date: Saturday, October 5th at 7:30 p.m.

Pre-Game Arrival: 5:30 p.m. (General Parking, Lot #54)

Ticket Price: $28/each ticket

Each interested team can designate a coach or team parent to coordinate how many tickets are needed for the team (players and family), collect the money for their respective team’s tickets, call Dom at Gillette Ticketing to place the order for their teams’ tickets, pay for the tickets, and receive distribution of the tickets. Travel to and from the game can be coordinated by team or planned individually.

TICKETS CAN BE ALSO PURCHASED INDIVIDUALLY OR BY FAMILY IF YOUR TEAM ISN’T ORGANIZING AN EVENT.

To obtain tickets, please call Dominic Scutti at Gillette Stadium Tickets (dominics@revolutionsoccer.net) by phone at 508-384-9248. If you have any questions, please contact Mike McCarthy via call or text at 781-883-8518, as he’s graciously offered to be the point of contact for this fun event!September 17, 2024

September 24, 2024 – “I’d keep playing. I don’t think the heavy stuff is gonna come down quite awhile.”

The weather luck couldn’t hold out another week. Week 3 was wet, windy and cold! We did manage to get all but one game in – so only one rainout to reschedule! This week, I wanted to clarify weather guidance, as I know there were questions. Hope this is helpful! 

• As long as it is safe to do so, we play in the rain. If you haven’t heard that soccer is canceled due to rain, you can assume that we are planning to play on. 
• Travel teams playing on a turf field get optimal drainage – minimizing any risk of standing water and injury. Assume your game will proceed as planned.
• Travel teams playing on a grass field may be subject to a rainout cancellation. We are required to make those decisions more than 2 hours before scheduled game time to avoid opponents traveling to Marblehead only to be sent back home. If you haven’t been notified of a cancellation 2 hours prior to your scheduled game, assume your game will proceed. If a rainout is required, MYSA leadership will notify your coach, who will communicate updates through TeamSnap, as she/he works with the opposing coach for rescheduling the match. 
• Intramural teams play on grass fields, but we have more flexibility to monitor field conditions prior to game times. If Marblehead Recreation & Parks closes all town grass fields, we will cancel IM immediately (sometimes this is short notice). If we see standing water or any risk to athlete safety, we will cancel IM. If there is thunder/lightning, we will cancel IM. MYSA Leadership will notify you through TeamSnap as soon as that determination has been made.
• Clinic has the most flexibility. Our Kindergarten & 1st Grade athletes tend to have less patience with rain and a little more encouragement (larger fan bases). So, we tend to err on the side of comfort, with the goal of ensuring positive first experiences with sports! You will be notified of Clinic cancellation through TeamSnap as soon as that determination has been made, as well.

It sounds like many may be planning to get away one last time for the long weekend, as Marblehead Schools are out on 10/3 and 10/4… We DO have games on 10/5! If you are planning to be out of town on 10/5, PLEASE mark your absence in TeamSnap now so that your coach can plan accordingly.

COACHES CORNER

The master practice schedule has been updated to include the dates when the JV teams will be using Upper Village, Lower Village, and Seaside.   Make sure your practice start times are not going to be delayed by a conflict with a JV game.

Please read this document on how to put away the fields properly when you are done with your practices & games.

Field-space CRUNCH – we are very short on field space and it will get worse with the loss of daylight.  Here are some options to consider – and if you want to switch to any of these, please email Ramsay at rkey@marbleheadsoccer.net to make it official:

• Take a look at Brown school on Tuesdays/Thursdays which is a good field and wide-open.  You can get on it at 5:30 too which is handy as we lose daylight.  
• We also still have an open slot on Tower under lights on Monday 8-9PM
• Green St. has a number of slots open under the lights, although the field is not in great condition.
• Bud Orne has some space on Tuesdays.  You can get it on at 5:30 or even earlier as we lose daylight.

Travel Coaches – Laminated rosters are on the porch at Andy Bentley’s house (64 Bubier) just waiting for your pickup.  Also, If you have not yet picked up your sweatshirt from the Sports Shop, it is ready and waiting for you! Just swing by and give them your name for pickup!

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Fall 2024 – Week 2 in the Rearview

We got lucky with another beautiful day on the fields for soccer on Saturday! It was wonderful to see all our young athletes together, enjoying the game and learning valuable life skills along the way. The enthusiasm and dedication from both players and coaches is infectious. If you haven’t thanked your coach for generously giving so much of their time, energy, and passion – there are still four more days in the week to get it done!

Quick reminder that there is a very serious zero tolerance policy for hostile sideline interactions with referees, players, or opposing coaches. Thanks to the good behavior of all of you, we can happily report that MYSA has not had any incident reports of this nature! There have already been a few instances around the league, so always good to keep in mind.  

Don’t forget to mark your child’s availability in TeamSnap for this weekend’s games! If you expect to be absent, it’s important to mark that now so that your coach can plan accordingly! Thanks, in advance!

Coaches Corner

42nd Annual Natick Fall Classic Tournament – Natick Soccer Club has reached out to invite any interested MYSA coaches and teams to their Columbus Day Tournament. Full details on the tournament, registration, FAQs, and hotel information are available here. The registration deadline is September 22nd – so you’ll need to act fast if you’d like to participate!

REMINDER!  Bring your current, fall 2024 coaching credentials printed IN COLOR to each and every game.  You also need the laminated, color version or your roster, or a color printout of your approved roster with player passes.

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September 8, 2024

Only Forward…

Hello MYSA community! As we kick off the Fall 2024 season, I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to be your new President. This season marks a new chapter for MYSA, and I am both excited and optimistic to see all that we can accomplish together. I’ve been amazed by the countless of hours of work that go into making our league a success. From creating rosters, to scheduling games and organizing equipment, our dedicated volunteers have been instrumental in ensuring as smooth a start as possible.

I want to express my sincerest THANKS to everyone who has contributed to MYSA’s success. Your time, talent, and support are invaluable. You could see it on the face of all our athletes — small and tall — taking the fields on Saturday! As we move forward, this Leadership Team and I are wholly committed to providing the best possible youth sports experience for Marblehead’s youth. Together, we can build a stronger and more vibrant MYSA.

Marblehead High School Varsity Sideline Assistants Wanted!  Our MHS Varsity Teams are always looking for assistants on the sidelines hunting down stray balls, throwing in balls when a new one is needed, etc. The kids get to spend some time with some local soccer heroes, and it’s a real win-win for both the high school players and MYSA players assisting!  Sign up here!

Dates to Remember

10/1/2024 – MYSA Night at Marblehead High School Boys Varsity Soccer

Come out to Piper Field to watch the MHS Boys Varsity Soccer team take on Salem under the lights. Game time is 7:30 p.m. Wear your MYSA gear and come out to the game to support your Magicians!

10/5/2024 – MYSA Night at the New England Revolution – Order Tickets Now!

Let’s show off our MYSA spirit – together! We’re organizing a special night out at Gillette Stadium to cheer on the New England Revolution as they take on DC United. Last year, we had a blast with nearly 150 MYSA athletes and families joining us. Let’s make this year even bigger. Join us for an evening of soccer, community, and fun – in our own designated section!

     Game Date: Saturday, October 5^th at 7:30 p.m.

     Pre-game Arrival: 5:30 p.m. (General Parking Lot# is TBD)

     Ticket Price: $28/each ticket

Each team will designate a coach or a team parent to coordinate how many tickets are needed for the team (players and family) and collect the money for their respective team’s tickets. Designated coach/parent will then call Dom at Gillette Ticketing to place the order for their teams’ tickets, pay for the tickets and receive distribution of the tickets. Travel to and from the game can be coordinated by team or planned individually.  

To obtain tickets, please call Dominic Scutti at Gillette Stadium Tickets (dominics@revolutionsoccer.net) by phone at 617-955-7552.  If you have any questions, please contact Mike McCarthy via call or text at 781-883-8518, as he’s graciously offered to be the point of contact for this fun event!

10/9/2024 – MYSA Night at Marblehead High School Girls Varsity Soccer

The MHS Girls Varsity Soccer team will take on Beverly at 4:00 p.m. on October 9^th, and it’s MYSA Night supporting the Girls! Be sure to wear your black, red, and MYSA best to support the Magicians!

Coaches Corner

• If your coaching credentials are still outstanding, please work to complete the required steps early this week. We need to ensure all coaches are allowed to coach for their respective teams with valid credentials this weekend! If you have questions, reach out to Jessica Katz, our VP of Risk Management at jessicakatzmysa@gmail.com. 

• Please make sure you have submitted your game reports from Saturday, 9/7/2024. Be sure you document anything that could be considered an incident in your game within your report, and alert Andy Bentley. In his role as Travel Director with Essex County, it is important that he is aware of any issues and can speak to them on our behalf as early as possible.

• Be in touch with your Age Group Coordinator with regard to any Player Passes you may need as early in the week as possible!