I have shared some thoughts on the Club Soccer scene in Eau Claire in an earlier post. With two clubs in the Chippewa Valley, Eau Claire United and Chippewa Strikers, we have an opportunity to develop great soccer players. Club Soccer is the natural transition from recreational soccer (AYSO and Park & Rec leagues) and a great bridge to High School soccer. There is much debate at the National level if Club Soccer should be year round and replace High School soccer for the top players if the US is to develop into a world power in soccer. Club Soccer dominates the rest of the world with the worlds best teams having their own Academies to develop talent. Strange, I know, no other country has a focus on high school sports like we do in the US. It will be interesting how Club Soccer continues to develop over the years.
Having coached and had kids participate in Eau Claire United for the past 13 years, I am a big fan. Why club Soccer:
Top Level Coaching. ECU requires licensed coaches thru the US Soccer Federation. All coaches hold at minimum an E License and many of our club coaches hold a National D License. The D license requires 36-40 hours of training as well as already holding an E License (24 hours of training). The focus is on Principles of Play, Laws of the Game, Training Principles, and Player Development. Currently, ECU has coaches in our club who also are Head Coaches or Assistant Coaches at Memorial, Regis, Altoona and North. As well, we have coaches with experience coaching at the college Level at UWEC. For players who are looking to develop, ECU offers the best coaching in the area.
Player Development. ECU focuses on Player Development. Throughout the Summer and Winter, ECU offers training programs designed to improve player skills. As well, ECU sponsors Winter Leagues to continue the player development process. A consistent focus is placed on allowing players to build their skill set and improve their confidence playing the game.
U14 Girls Season Wrap
I had an opportunity to spend some time watching one of the ECU teams this past fall, the U14 Girls team, and wanted to share with everyone their season story. This team is a great example of the power of ECU and the focus on coaching and training. As the coach of the U15 Girls I have always had a small connection to this team. We have shared players over the years as teams have changed and also had guest players from the group in previous years. There has always been a great core of talent for this team. They have solid fundamentals, they have excellent soccer skills and they are a focused group who love soccer. The only thing missing from this group was sustained success. They had flashes of success but never seemed to get rewarded for their effort and talent over the course of the season. Early in the season, we conducted a scrimmage against this team and you could sense that day that this year things felt different. The energy they were playing with, the confidence in their tackles, the crispness of their passing, the communication and shape all felt improved.
Fall League Results. No surprise when I checked out their season and found they had finished in the top spot in their League for the Fall. I don’t have all their results over the years, but I am not sure if they have ever finished first in MYSA East Girls League. Always competitive, but not sure about finishing first. Well done! Here are the league results for Fall 2017.
Eau Claire United 5-0-1
Woodbury 3-3-0
Hastings 2-3-1
Hudson 1-5-0
Tournament Results. As well as league, the team found some success in their Tournament play this fall.
Woodbury Fall Classic. Tournament Champions. 2-0-1 on Pool Play and a big win the the Finals.
ECU 2 Red Cedar 0
ECU 5 Tonka United 3
ECU 1 Force Soccer 1
Finals: ECU 2 TC Storm 0
Way to Go ladies! Back Row. Coach Eze–Tessa Ross–Leah Nelson–Ava Berg–Ava Paulmier–Charley Zacho–Reese Bredl–Kylee Calchera–Lydia Potter–Ella Herman–Nora Berg–Coach Gorres. Middle Row. Abbey Liddell–Sarah Lester–Claire Shinners–Halle Steinmetz. Front Row…right in the center of attention…..of course….Mara Effinger! What a great shot. Congratulations!
Reddan Ice Age Classic. I had the chance to watch portions of all three of their games and the team was very competitive. The competition was excellent and the girls stepped up to the challenge. Soccer can be a funny game. You do not always get rewarded for your play. They suffered a tough loss in Game 1 against a very good team – FC Wisconsin. A questionable offsides goal put them in a hole but they fought back with two goals and were pressing for the tying goal late but just could not find the net. Game 2 against Capital East Soccer they were the better side, had more possession and shots on goal, but just could not find the winning goal and had a tie. Game 3 found them playing the eventual Tournament Champion…Genesco Soccer. They played them really tough, had some chances, but in a rain shortened game, came up on the short end of the score. I was really impressed with their fight and determination. There was not much separation in the quality of the teams, just one of those games. I had a chance to capture some video and a few photos I wanted to share from the Reddan Tournament.
So, I don’t know all the players…but a nice aggressive dribble into the box by Claire Shinners and I think a nicely taken goal by Lydia Potter, maybe Tesa Ross? Great action. Very unselfish of Claire, the right pass at the right time leads to a goal.
Here is another nice example of ball movement and passing and unselfish play (Kylee Calchera). The ball eventually finds Reese Bredl who calmly takes a touch to the right and buries it upper 90 into the back of the net. Nice goal!
Had to put one in for a player I coached a few years, Mara Effinger. She makes a nice touch to clear some space and just doesn’t get enough power on the shot. I am thinking the shoulder and knock down impacted her shot a little 🙂 Keep shooting kid.
I wanted to drop this one in to just show the fight and tenacity of the girls. It starts with a really energetic and aggressive step by Lydia who fights and wins a ball, heads for the corner of the 18 and almost finds a great goal. But then, when the play could have just ended….it didn’t. The girls continue to press, win balls, make passes, put passes into the box, press again, win balls again and finally a cross in the box. I love it! Keep fighting girls.
I was also really impressed with the coaching and the connection that the coaches have developed with the players. A big part of soccer is confidence. Trusting your coaches and taking what you learn on the practice field and applying it to the game. Sometimes it is just simple things you notice. Like in the quick video below. The focus on the pregame huddle is on TEAM. Sometimes with girls teams you can get some pretty exotic pregame cheers. I kind of like the simplicity of…1.2.3 TEAM.
So this is kind of interesting. Do you ever notice how a couple over time starts to look like each other and act like each other. I suppose that also works for coaches. Eze and Tom have spent a few years together coaching soccer. So not sure if this was planned or not. Do you think they set out their clothes the night before and planned it out? I mean really, who does that! Regardless, there they are in all their glory. Same pants, same shirt, same arms folded…left over right, watch on the left wrist….same look on their face as the watch the second half. Just sayin….kinda freaky!
I included the shot below so I could share a story on the two coaches. Just before this picture….bummed I didn’t get a shot of it…the halftime talk had just ended. The two coaches were walking back to the sidelines. Tom on the left with his left arm wrapped around a player’s shoulder, letting her know it was no big deal she let in a goal before half. Eze on the right side, walking with his right arm around a player’s shoulder, giving her some support for her first half play and encouraging her to keep working hard. The picture below is just at the end of that walk. You can tell the two coaches are committed to the girls. Not just developing skills but building confidence. It was a nice moment. Moments that parents don’t often see from their side of the field.
I also wanted to share the information below. I have a quick little questionnaire I like to ask coaches when doing a piece on their team. A little insight into them.
Why do you love coaching?
Eze -Because of the end result. Watching the players get better and improve their skills.
Tom– I enjoy coaching soccer to not only build skills but to hopefully make a positive influence on youth lives and help them build skills and confidence that they can carry on throughout their lives.
What are your favorite memories coaching?
Eze– So many of them I love them all. Eze has been a successful player rising to the 2nd Division in Mexico, has coached for many years, started a training Academy and coaches High School in Altoona. He is probably right, too many to consider.
Tom– There have been many “favorite” memories but two stand out. The first goes back a few years when I had the opportunity to watch my daughters play in the US Club Soccer National Finals. They made the championship game and finished runner-up. It was an amazing experience. Second, is the memories made with an awesome group of young ladies that Eze and I had the opportunity to coach this past fall. Despite the lack of sustained success as a team in the past, they came together as a team playing for a “couple old, odd guys” and won not only their first league championship but their first tournament championship as well. Their growth in self-confidence and belief in their teammates was an amazing thing to see and be a part of.
Nike or Adidas-What brand to you prefer?
Eze– Classic Eze answer…whichever brand will sponsor me or my teams.
Tom-Tom took the easy way out. He is a Nike and Adidas guy. Nike footwear is tops, but Adidas pants are unbeatable. With Tom you may also see quite a bit of Under Armour as well. No brand loyalty. Not sure what to think of that!
I also want to share Eze’s philosophy on soccer. “Futbol is a sport that discriminates against no one. Futbol is a game that doesn’t require choreography and can be played anyplace, anytime, or anywhere by anybody. All that is required is passion, a ball, some space and a big heart to enjoy the beautiful game of Futbol.”
Sounds like a great Fall season for the U14 Girls. Great players, great parents, awesome coaches and a wonderful experience. Sounds like ECU Club soccer at its best!
So…just had to drop in one more photo. My U15 Girls team just happened to be at the same Reddan Tournament. We played 4 really quality teams and managed to win all 4 games and the Tournament Championship. Plus we provided the fans some excitement as we won the title on PK Shootout. I am pretty sure the heartbeats and nerves were peaked during the shootout…not the players….the parents!! Some really high quality soccer by a great group of girls. Congrats to them as well.
So, I have been focusing my posts on high school soccer so far as I attempt to chronicle Cooper’s last year of high school soccer. It has been a fun ride so far for Memorial and I hope they can keep it going. Of particular fun for me is the number of boys that came up thru the Club program in the area…and the number I had the good fortune to coach…either a little…or in some cases, a lot. Memorials roster has a large number of seniors and almost all have come up thru Eau Claire United with a few also moving to St. Croix Academy over the years. I think 7-8 of the current starters on Varsity all played together back as U10 and U11 players. Great that we have a local club to help develop these kids and get them off on the right path. Many of Cooper’s best friends are also his soccer teammates from all these years. Very cool!
So, what is Club soccer and how has it progressed in Eau Claire. We have a few ways for kids to get exposed to soccer in Eau Claire, the two main are Parks & Rec sponsored by the city of Eau Claire and also AYSO, the worlds largest youth recreational league. If you have driven by Soccer Park on a Saturday in the Spring or Fall, then you know all about AYSO. Parks & Rec keeps Soccer Park busy all summer with recreational games. The rec leagues are similar. Good Sportsmanship, Fair Play, Equal Playing Time, Have Fun and enjoy the game. They are awesome programs and serve our community well. In 1995 a local group of parents got together because they wanted something more for their kids playing soccer. A more competitive experience to develop their skills and to push their game to a higher level. Competitive leagues were started in Minneapolis in the early 70’s and earlier in Wisconsin in the Milwaukee and Madison areas.
Eau Claire United (ECU) was founded with the following Mission Statement. “The Eau Claire United Soccer Club is committed to teaching fundamental soccer skills, instilling confidence and building a love for the game of soccer, while developing players to their highest competitive level.” Over the years ECU has had 300-400 players in their club, hovering around 300 for the past few years. Teams from U9-U18 are formed and play teams in Western Wisconsin and the eastern part of the Minneapolis area. Kids looking to advance their game and who want to make soccer a primary sport, generally gravitate over to ECU around 10-11 years old. Club soccer offers players excellent training, a great experience in leagues and tournaments, and offers a path to high school soccer for the serious player. As well in our area is another Club…Chippewa Strikers. They offer a similar experience to ECU focused on players in Chippewa Falls and surrounding communities on the north side of town. A bit smaller than ECU but providing a similar opportunity for the serious soccer player
Why Club Soccer. As a participant in club soccer for 15 years, it really is about the opportunity to advance the skills of serious players while providing a great experience for the kids to develop work ethic, teamwork, friendships and a love for the game. Eau Claire United has taken a serious approach to their training and coaching. They require all coaches to be licensed, generally an E License, and also have made a push to get more coaches licensed at the D level. This is a serious training program and ensures the coaches are prepared to build excellent soccer players. No grabbing mom or dad on the first day of practice to coach….No Will Ferrell coaching tactics from “Kicking and Screaming”.
Oh man… you must watch this movie if you are a soccer fan…so funny. Get the ball to the Italians!! I have seen a few coaches like that, played against a few and that is NOT the philosophy at Eau Claire United. I plan to write more on club soccer but will leave you with this thought. We have a ton of players in the two rec leagues in Eau Claire. How can we get them exposed to ECU and Chippewa Strikers for those serious players who want to develop. Most parents of young kids 6-8 years old, know nothing about ECU. Must be a way to fix that. As well, feels like there could be some opportunity to get our two Club programs more integrated. Both Clubs tend to have success from U9 thru U12, but when they hit U13, and team rosters go from 14 to 18 both clubs tend to struggle to field top-level teams that can compete against the best teams in Minneapolis. To the point where many of the best players from our area are leaving our clubs to go play in St. Croix in order to experience the highest level of competition.
Eau Claire United U15Girls
I also wanted to share a bit about the current team I coach, U15 Girls at ECU. I have been fortunate to coach for ECU the past 10 years and have had a great group of young ladies the past 4 years. What an awesome group of players, and families. They work so hard in practice, play so hard in games, show wonderful character and sportsmanship and by the way, are pretty good as well. Over the years we have had some good success, winning our share of tournaments and finishing high in league. The past year was more difficult as we played at the highest competitive level in our league (C1) and did not get many positive results…but did win two tournaments!. We really developed as a team, but this age group is where ECU struggles a bit more due to our size.
We played a tournament recently and I wanted to share a few images and videos . A tough weekend as far as results, but we played really hard and I was proud of the effort and quality of play.
An early morning game and trying to get the girls ready. 8:00 games are tough! Especially on Day 2. Ellie, Grace, Kendrah, Shelby, Greta, Nevaeh, Teagan, MJ, Emily, Marissa, Josie, Molly and……..Addison…where are you?
What is better than getting new shoes! Look at those smiles. I am an Adidas man myself, so I must give a shout out to Grace for her fine selection of boots. Molly and Greta…Nike…really! And those colors, oh my. Grace had the smarts to pick an awesome color, Kentucky Blue!! More playing time for Grace coming soon.
Here is the money shot! Regardless of the score of the games, and whether we won or lost…this is my lasting memory from the weekend. How fortunate to have a chance to coach wonderful young ladies, so respectful, such hard workers, so talented. Can’t wait to see them in high school, giving it their all. Thanks for your hard work ladies! Parents..you should all be very proud of your girls!
And now a few highlights. One request for the players…can you score when we are on our half of the field so I can get more video please. Missed a great PK from Greta.
A nice corner that turns into a cross.
Good build up play and attempt form the left. Keep shooting!
Well, if that had gone in…it would have been the goal of the tournament.
I learned it is hard to get video when you are coaching. Need to figure that one out. We have another tournament in October and are training hard to get ready. I have a feeling our results will improve. We got our tough luck tournament out of the way, right ladies!
I love soccer. I am not sure how it happened, but it did. Maybe because my kids started to play and I started to coach. Then they wanted a new challenge so we moved from AYSO to Eau Claire United club soccer. Then one day while channel surfing, it happened…my son (#2) and I were watching a soccer game from the English Premier League. Chelsea vs. Liverpool. Starting left back for Chelsea was Ashley Cole. He was left footed, wore the number 3, played left back and was really good.
My son was left footed, wore number 3, played left back and I hoped one day would be really good. I was hooked (along with my son) and we became huge Chelsea fans and started our lifelong ritual of watching the Premier League every Saturday. I have two sons who play and I have been coaching for over 15 years in various capacities but now coach at ECU (Eau Claire United). I hope to share my passion with you….the soccer fans in the Eau Claire area and the greater West Wisconsin region.
The plan is to include info on the recreation leagues, Club soccer, High School soccer, College soccer and maybe some professional soccer updates as well. It will be too tempting not to discuss Chelsea! I have son #3 playing at Eau Claire Memorial so for now, that might get some extra attention. I have had 8 years of kids playing for Memorial and have a love for Old Abe soccer.
I hope you will check us out occasionally and will find the posts fun and informative. Not trying to be too serious, just want to share some of my thoughts with the hope of building more crazy soccer fans as well as helping people discover soccer opportunities in the area. It’s a great game and I hope you have a chance to experience it with your kids and will discover the same passion as me for the perfect pass, the incredible dribbling, the unbelievable shots and skill of the modern game. I am just a dad who loves the game so thanks for letting me share it with you.
