Mercer Island FC Newsletter
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 April 2017  

Tonight - MIFC Night at MIHS Boys Soccer MatchMIFCnightatMIHS
Special events planned for MIFC players in their jerseys...

The annual Mercer Island FC night with MIHS Boys Soccer is tonight. Don your MIFC gear and come out to support the boys as they push for a Kingco title and a berth in the state playoffs. They are currently 11-1 with a 2 game lead over Lake Washington for the KingoCo regular season title with 4 games remaining. State playoffs start May 13th.

Special activities are planned for boys and girls wearing their MIFC gear, so make sure to wear your jersey!


Want to keep up on the Islander boys as they make their run towards the state tournament? Follow them on their booster club web page or on their Facebook page
Micro Soccer (U6-7) and Recreational Soccer (U8-19) MIFCRegistration Registration Now Open
Register NOW to secure your spot on your returning team or get placed on a team

It may be hard to believe, but the  time to register for Mercer Island FC Fall Recreational and Micro soccer is here. With our registration system having opened on April 3rd, you can go to the MIFC website registration page and sign up for fall soccer.
 
"Why so early" you ask? Well, there are several reasons -
  •  With over 1200 kids in MIFC programs, we need time to get players assigned to teams across U6-U19 age groups. We start with returning players being assigned to their previous team, then fill out rosters with new players.
  • We target to have rosters completed and distributed to coaches in July.
  • The leagues our MIFC teams compete in start working on their schedules early in the summer. So they need member clubs like MIFC to have an idea of how many teams we'll be fielding that they have to plan for.
  • A lot of work goes into planning the practice time slots and game schedules for the 100+ MIFC teams for the summer and fall.
  • Finally, we know Mercer Island families are busy and are already beginning to plan their summer and fall activities.
You can now register for Recreational soccer, Micro soccer or any of our program offerings on the club website at  www.mercerislandfc.org and selecting the tab on the left-side labeled "Registration". 
 
Have questions? Email  miysc-registrar@live.com  
Coaching Micro, Recreational, or Select Teams Coaching
Interested, but not sure what's involved?

Mercer Island FC is a volunteer run organization. That's true for our board positions and our coaching roles. The club provides a bunch of support to help our volunteer coaches be effective, from Professional trainers to run the practices at the younger ages to a complete training curriculum and practice plans for all ages developed in conjunction with the Seattle Sounders FC. We are looking for moms and dads who would like to work with their kids and the satisfaction of having a positive influence on their development.

Experienced Volunteer Coaches
MIFC Recreational soccer is run by a cadre of dedicated volunteer coaches with an average of 19 years playing experience and 8 years coaching experience. Additionally, 20% of our coaching staff hold US Soccer Federation Coaching Licenses. But prior coaching or playing experience is not required, just a genuine desire to work with kids. MIFC will provide the structure, support and assistance to prepare you to coach a team. MIFC reimburses coaches for the cost of on-line or attendance based coaching license courses. 
Clinic Style Professional Training for Ages U6 through U9
We employ clinic style training using Professional trainers for ages U6-U9. Coaches participate in the training sessions to observe the skills being taught and assist the professionals as appropriate. The coaches are responsible for coaching the games.
Coaching Format for U10+
Starting at U10, the coach is responsible for training but is given practice plans through U11. At U12, there is still a curriculum, but coaches may develop their own practice plans. The coaches are dedicated and experienced by the time they're dealing with U12+.

Select Coaching
The majority of our Select teams are coached by a parent with a dedicated Professional trainer assigned to the team to run practices. In some cases, based on their schedule and how many other teams they train, the Professional will also coach the games. Select coaches are often parents who started out coaching in our Micro or Recreational programs and enjoyed the challenge and satisfaction of working with the young players. The Select coach works with the professional trainer on the practice plans, typically manages the parent communications, and makes decisions on summer tournaments and post-season play. 

Want more information or have questions? 
For Select, contact MIFC VP of Select Greg Snyder at mifc.select@outlook.com  or  greg.snyder@comcast.net

For Micro and Recreational, email  miysc-registrar@live.com  
Mercer Island FC Select Tryout Schedule Set SelectTryouts
U10-11 tryouts kick things off on May 2nd 

The first 3 weeks of May will be busy with Select tryouts for boys and girls ages 10-19 (Boys 16-19 were held in February before the start of the MIHS boys soccer season). Complete tryout schedule and information on the MIFC website "Tryouts" page 

B'02 MIFC Heat Select team won their division of the North Puget Sound League this past fall 

MIFC's Select program provides an opportunity to develop and play at the highest level of soccer within the local community while maintaining a balance between school, family life, and other interests. Select soccer is the middle tier of competition and commitment between Recreational and Premier. MIFC provides Recreational and Select programs to our community, and most Mercer Island players who are interested in Premier join our partner organization,  Eastside FC , that draws talent from the greater Seattle area. MIFC's Select program is also designed to help prepare athletes to play high school varsity soccer.

If you have a player interested in trying out for Select soccer, register now for tryouts on the MIFC Select Tryouts page. The tryout schedule for May is listed and updated on the club website here.
 
Have questions? Email  miysc-registrar@live.com  
Mercer Island Boys & Girls Club Spring Soccer BGClubSpringSoccer Registration Under Way

The Mercer Island Boys & Girls Club is once again offering their spring soccer season this spring. Practices start the week of March 20th, with games running from April 22nd through early June. Teams are based on grade levels, and MIFC fall teams can enter the league intact. Games are on Mercer Island and in Bellevue against other teams from the two Boys & Girls Clubs. 
 
Registration is open on the Boys & Girls Club website at 
 
For more information on Boys & Girls Club programs, go to  www.positiveplace.org, email miathletics@positiveplace.org, or call  206.232.4548


For more information on the Boys & Girls K-1st grade program, check out this flyer

For more information on the Girls 6-7-8th grade program, check out this flyer 

Mercer Island FC coaches or families that have questions about MIFC teams registering for Boys & Girls Club Spring Soccer can email MIFC Registrar Mindy Rowe at  miysc-registrar@live.com
Colin's CornerColinsCorner

Welcome to "Colin's Corner". Colin is the head coach for Mercer Island High School Boys soccer program. He is also the Technical Director for EYSA, the parent association to the local Recreational, Select and Premier level soccer clubs on the Eastside. Colin's success as the MIHS coach comes from years of MIFC and Eastside FC developing our youth soccer programs on Mercer Island. Colin will be giving a monthly comment on what is going on with soccer on Mercer Island, around the State, country and world. 

We're re-running Colin's recent letter on tryout preparations as we head into May Select tryouts...
-------------------------- 
Hello Mercer Island soccer faithful. 

We are headed into soccer tryout season here on Mercer Island. Not only are players preparing and trying out with their club teams, but our MIHS boys soccer program held their tryouts last week.
 
Tryout season has a really big impact on players and families so I thought I would take a few minutes and talk through a few things to think about as you prepare for your tryout. 
 
You want to use the tryout period to show off your strengths, attitude and excitement to be there. 
 
The first thing to think about is how you show up. Make sure you are wearing appropriate clothing and athletic gear (look the part). Being that this is the sports version of an interview, you want to bring a winning, fun, and competitive attitude.  Finally, you want to show off your strengths. Soccer players come in all shapes and sizes, each person has their own strengths that should be highlighted during the tryout process. I can tell you that as the high school soccer coach, I look for creative and intelligent players who make educated decisions with the ball and look for ways to make an impact when they play. I like players that are calm under pressure and can play out of compact spaces.
 
What do coaches notice at tryouts? We are looking for those players who listen and have the right attitude. We like the players who express their passion and effort. We look for players that fit the positions and the style that the team plays. Understand that the coaches will be spending their time teaching, educating, and advising the players; so they want players who will treat them with respect. The coaches are also responsible for tactically preparing the team, so they will be looking to fill specific positions or styles of play. 
 
Parents, family members, and supporters of your player...understand that this is can be a stressful and challenging time for young athletes. They want to know that you are there for them regardless of the outcome of the tryout. They know what they are going into, so just support them and keep things positive. The best thing you can express to your athlete is "I like watching you play" 
 
I wish you the best of luck with your tryouts this year and remember, "show up"! 
 
Go Islanders. 

Colin Rigby
Coach, Mercer Island HS                                                                                
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