⚽ Give & Go Newsletter

February 2021

In this Issue:

Spring Recreational Soccer
The FCR Advantage
TECHNE Update
Staff Spotlight
"Beyond the Game"
CCL Contract with Chesterfield
Camps & Training Opportunities
Travel, PDP & Rec News

Calendar of Events

Week of February 22 Travel team spring training begins

March 6-7 Jefferson Cup U11-U15 Magic Elite

March 13-14 Jefferson Cup - U12 & U14 Mystx Elite

March 15 Spring recreational soccer begins

March 19-21 Jefferson Cup U15-U19 Mystx Elite

March 26-28 Jefferson Cup U16-U19 Magic Elite

Spring Recreational Soccer

Spring Recreational Soccer registration is open and in full swing! Teams are forming now. Join in on the fun! Interested in being a volunteer coach for your player's team?

Contact Elizabeth West for details

recreation@fcrichmond.com

The FC Richmond Advantage

What is the FC Richmond Advantage? It's many things: like being the only Richmond, VA club who is a member of the Club Champions League (CCL) in Premiership, Championship and Pro 23 divisions; it's that our size enables our Directors of Coaching to be involved at every level of our travel program, and get to know all our travel players; it's our player development pathway that begins at our recreational level and goes all the way to our CCL Pro 23 players; it's our milestone trips that are way more than just soccer trips. The FC Richmond Advantage is all of this and so much more. Follow our social media and website over the next few weeks to learn all about The FC Richmond Advantage and why YOU want to be part of it!

Techne Update

Calling all travel players! You will now see "updated weekly challenges" and "assignments" on your TechneFutbol app. Log back in and see what's new! Accept the weekly challenges and be the best on your team or the best in the club for 2021. Good luck!

CONGRATS to Brooke Bingenheimer from the U16 Mystx Elite for crushing it and leading the entire Club for 2020!
CONGRATS to Patrick Neely from the U12 Magic Elite for coming in 2nd for the entire club for 2020!
ALSO: NEW On the TechneFutbol App. (update the app)
"Physical Performance Training" Increase your strength, speed and explosiveness
Core work
Functional Strength training
Plyometrics

Staff Spotlight

We are excited to spotlight Trip Dunville, our FC Richmond Assistant Director of Coaching and current U12 Magic Elite and U15 Mystx Elite coach. Trip’s soccer career began in his backyard when he was 8 years old. He was playing with a family friend who showed him how to dribble, shoot and do a few tricks. He found that he was outside every day trying to do the tricks that his friend showed him and eventually, he was hooked! He then played in the Richmond Summer Soccer League (founded and run by Dave Amsler).

Trip loved the beautiful game from the very first time he played. He had some very good coaches along the way but was very fortunate to be coached by Dave Amsler, FC Richmond's founder, his mentor and eventually his stepfather. In his early years there was very little, if any, competition so most of his games were out of town. Trip recalled some of those games saying, “We would get crushed the majority of the time, but we always played the game properly and with style. We became quite a good little team and began competing with those bigger and stronger players up north. I remember the respect we got because of how well we played and eventually started winning games. Other clubs knew who we were!”

Some of Trip’s fondest soccer memories were of the trips he took with teammates that he is still in touch with today. Trip describes them saying, “I remember going to England on my first soccer trip at age 11. It was amazing, seeing the sights, meeting new and different people, eating different food and playing on some of the most beautiful soccer fields I have ever seen! We didn't stay in hotels, but with British families, so we could get the true and full experience! We ended up going back to England a few years later and many other trips including Canada and Bermuda. These trips changed my life.”

Trip’s most impactful soccer experience actually originates from a challenging time when he broke his leg. He was playing for FC Richmond's Senior team and competing in the National Open Cup. A nasty tackle broke his tibia and fibula. After going through many months of being in a cast and then many more months of surgery and another cast, he was healed enough to get back to playing. It was the toughest thing Trip has ever had to deal with and unfortunately this finished his college playing career. He needed a change so he moved to St Thomas, USVI. He got back in shape and ended up playing for the USVI National team for their 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign. Trip said, “It was a fantastic experience and helped reinvigorate my playing and coaching. I did a bunch of camps in the islands and ended up helping start the St Thomas Youth Soccer Association. We grew from 20 to about 250 players. I happened to speak with my mentor, Dave Amser, about what I was doing and he asked if I would consider coming back and coaching. I couldn't think of a better opportunity then to come back and get involved again with the club that I love, FC Richmond. It just goes to show you that when you are down or a door closes for you, with perseverance, hard work and a little luck, another opportunity may come your way!”

Trip has always thoroughly enjoyed coaching, except perhaps for his very first coaching experience when Dave threw him out there at the young age of 15 and said, "go have fun with them...just play and paint them a picture." Trip was petrified but he did just that and started coaching. Trip says, “What I enjoy most about coaching is seeing the smiling faces from players when they successfully do something we have been working on for the very first time! They conquered a weakness or a fear that they had. Seeing these individual developments and the growth in players, to me, is worth more than anything.”

Trip shares his advice to young players saying, “If you just want to play for fun then just play every chance you can and enjoy this beautiful game. If you have a desire to play at the next level, then practice, practice, practice! Take ownership of your improvement and growth. Your coaches, directors and parents cannot do it for you! The next level takes additional commitment! 1.5 hours, three days a week with your coach is not enough. It is a must to get out there on your own and work on different skills. Don't ever hesitate to ask your FCR coach what you can work on to improve. Also, watch the game of soccer! Whether you watch on TV or live, there is much to be learned."

When Trip has a few minutes of free time, he enjoys spending it with his beautiful wife and amazing boys. “We all love to be together doing lots of activities including being outdoors and going hiking or walking around or kicking a soccer ball in any of the parks nearby. I spend as much time as I can with the boys as they are growing up fast!”

"Beyond the Game" with the Junior Board

The Junior Board of Directors contributes to the community by helping the FC Richmond family go “Beyond the Game''. The 2020-21 board members, Quinn Pikunas, Zach Overstreet, Nate Broughton, Jake Bennett, Dylan Overstreet, Abbey Horvath, Colin Flood, Erika Johnson, Jackson Cherry, Kendall Baly, and Sam Escorcia have been working to make a difference in our club. These members have been developing their leadership skills by working in tandem to conduct interviews, write engaging informational articles for our newsletter, and update our social media platforms to keep FCR families and players informed. They have also organized parent and player workshops with qualified speakers to help players reach their full potential. Additionally, Junior Board members recognized our volunteer coaches, created programs and articles to promote a healthy lifestyle among our players and families and planned several outreach events. Some events planned by our Junior Board throughout this past year include Volunteer Coach Appreciation Day where the Junior Board recognized the hard work and dedication of our volunteer coaches by providing coffee, donuts, subs and other treats along with holding a drawing for gift cards to Dick’s sporting goods. Another event sponsored by our Junior Board was the Angel Tree Program where our teams came together to make another child’s holiday a little brighter by adopting an angel through the Angel Tree Program. FCR was able to deliver several car loads of gifts to the Angel Tree warehouse. Our Junior Board has and continues to work to come up with new initiatives and ideas to help work around COVID restrictions to help the club and players keep a tight sense of community.

Story by Jr. Board Member, Abbey Horvath

Club Champions League extends contract with Chesterfield County through 2024

Chesterfield County will continue to host several of the Club Champions League’s (CCL) major soccer events through 2024, with the third multi-year contract signing between CCL and Chesterfield.

According to a Monday release, the recently renewed contracts were facilitated through Richmond Region Tourism, bringing four major events to River City Sportsplex, Mary B. Stratton Park, and Horner Park.

CCL is the largest, club-based youth soccer league in the U.S., according to its website, with more than 15,500 participants, and over 100,000 registered youth soccer players across nine states and Washington, D.C.