NSC Goes On-line

The North Soccer Club is now on the Internet!! Thanks to Bill Mendes, father of two NSC players, Kerry and Christie, the Club now has a web page. At a recent DARE graduation ceremony, the graduates were asked who had a computer at home? Just about every single child raised a hand. In keeping with the technology of the 90's, Bill volunteered his time to set up the NSC site. It features some interesting news about the Club, some Links to some other soccer sites, game schedules, a copy of the Introduction to the North Soccer Club, jacket ordering information, order form and pictures of various items available, current newsletters, important notices and maybe some practice schedules for the Spring season. There are links to Major League Soccer, the New England Revolution and some other neat soccer sites. You can also sign the guest book, leave your comments and suggestions and even send us a message.

Check us out at:
http://www.midnightltd.com/nsc

The North Attleboro DARE site is at:
http://www.napddare.com

Number of Teams Grows

The Clubs will be sponsoring 15 BAYS League teams this Spring. This is up from the original five and only eight just two years ago. Interest has certainly grown since our first spring season. Before the Club was formed, there were no spring teams here however, spring is the big season for youth soccer with State Tournaments being held for Divisions 1 and 2. This year we will have Under 8 Boys and Girls teams playing in a lower Under 10 Division, up through the Under 17 Division for high school boys and girls. Games will be held at Kelly Field, AMVET Field and Rose Field. The field at AMVET Boulevard School was originally a poorly kept patch of grass but was manicured, fertilized and cut by a group of parents and is now a decent 6v6 field. There is now a second field there, an intermediate size field for the Under 12 6v6 teams. The AMVET and Rose Fields are maintained by the North Soccer Club. Practices this year will be scheduled at AMVET and Rose Fields.

New England Revolution
Opening Day Double Header

The Club has arranged to buy 100 tickets for the Opening Day double header at Foxboro Stadium. On Sunday, April 20, 1997, the US National Team will meet Mexico in a World Cup qualifying match for the 1998 World Cup to be held in France. Then the New England Revolution will take the field for their 1997 MLS opener against the defending Eastern Division Champion Tampa Bay Mutiny. The Revolution will be led by last years Coach of the Year, Thomas Rongen.

Revolution home games will be played on weekends this year (except for one game) which should make it easier to get to games and hopefully the Club will arrange for more group nights at reduced rates.

Sign up sheets have already been provided to each Coach for these tickets. Please let your Coach know if you are interested. Tickets will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. Last year we sold out the first 100 tickets and then 19 more that were available. As this is being written, we are trying to arrange for transportation to the stadium which will save a few dollars for each family.

Presidents Letter

The the Parents and Members of the North Soccer Club:
"What a Year" this has been. When I look back at what we were and where we are now, all I can say is "WOW." It's all thanks to you, our parents and our hard working VOLUNTEERS. At this time, the Club is financially healthy and our fields are in pretty good shape. Our players are continuing to develop and develop well! The big "BUT" is that we must continue to improve in advanced player development and in advanced coaching development.

"WE NEED MORE BODIES TO BE VOLUNTEERS." We have the players, now we need the support system in place in order to continue with their development. Did anyone notice during your busy schedule that we did not have a Parent Appreciation Dance nor was there a Big Breakfast this year? These events are morale boosters for the parents and the players but without enough volunteers to help, we are not able to offer these functions. This year we are going to change the structure of how we have done things in the past. Each team will now be responsible for a given task. So as parents you should approach your Team Administrator and say "What can I do to help?"

Our teams have come a long way and our original goal of supplying the High School teams with qualified, experienced players has been very successful. These are All Our Kids, so lets "All" pitch in.

Over the years I have been to many coaching clinics and symposiums, etc. Last year I attended a meeting on Volunteerism. The number one reason for people not volunteering is the fear of what the job entails and the length of the task. Every Board member and coach already put in many hours per week. It's only fair that the parents pitch in a little time each week so everyone's job becomes easier. "MANY HANDS MAKE SHORT WORK." I hope everyone gets the point I am trying to make.

The North Soccer Club is regarded very highly among the soccer community of Massachusetts and several other associations from other states. Our players have represented the club and our town very well and we have much to be proud of.

Let's continue to show our children how proud we are of them and of how well they are doing.
Thank you.

Danny M. Ellis , President

Jacket Orders

Jackets may be ordered at any time for special occasions. It takes about four weeks to get orders for single items. It takes less time to get large orders as the factory ships them out immediately. The players jacket (pull-over), Coach's jacket (snap front) and winter jacket (Varsity jacket wool with leather look sleeves) are readily available. The warm-up suit is no longer a Reebok suit; it has been replaced by a good looking suit of similar quality so that we can maintain the excellent price we are getting. Order forms have been distributed along with instructions. The forms are good all year and may be copied. The order form is now on our web site available for you to copy.

Volunteers

The North Soccer Club is run by volunteers. As the Club has grown from 80 to over 250 players, the need for volunteers has also grown. We need people to serve as Team Administrators, newspaper reporters, event coordinators, etc. Put your talents to use. Tell your coach or a Board member that you would like to help. The Officers will also be looking to identify additional Board members for the coming year.

1996-97 Banquet

Plans are being made for the 1996-97 North Soccer Club Banquet. As in the past, there will be two nights for all of the teams to be recognized. The first night will be for Under 8, Under 10 and Under 12 Girls. The second night will be for Under 12 Boys and all older players. Tickets will be available once all of the details have been finalized. We will be in a new location this year as Theodore's Landing has closed. All players will be recognized for their efforts with the Club this year.

March 1st Tryout

The NAHS Girls Basketball team played a tournament game on Saturday night when our tryouts had been scheduled. The High School does have first rights to the school, however, no one told us that the gym would not be available in time to call everyone.

Historical Note

As the Club grows and many new children and families join our ranks, we need to look back at where we have come from in just five years. The youth soccer program in North Attleboro before the North Soccer Club consisted of the fall Recreation Department League, which is a wonderful program and a lot of fun. There was no competitive youth program, only a few teams playing indoor soccer at the John Smith Center at the Glenellen Country Club (not Milford). Some years earlier the North Attleboro Soccer Association ran the fall program but that organization was hampered by a lack of volunteers and was in danger of closing. The fall program was saved by the YMCA and Recreation Department. The program grew and the Instructional Program (Cub Club) was added. But still there was no competitive program available.

The quest for a separate organization to sponsor indoor soccer and travel teams in the spring and fall began about seven years ago. It took a while to get the idea going and funding was found to get the new group off the ground. The organizers made the decisions right down to a name, colors, uniform, coaches, fund raising, fee policy and goals and objectives. Only three of the original five Club founders remain on the Board of Directors. Dan Ellis, Phil Leahy and Steve Dailey were among those sitting around the kitchen table many nights putting together the organizational pieces and teams that formed the North Soccer Club with it's six original teams The process started slowly and took close to two years before the first players hit the indoor floor in their red, white and black uniforms which remain the same after five years. The Under 10 Boys Sidekicks, Under 12 Boys Blast, Under 12 Girls Storm, Under 14 Boys Hurricanes, Under 14 Boys Express and Under 16 Boys Aeros were the first teams to play, joined shortly thereafter by the Under 16 Girls Strikers. The Hurricanes were the original team of boys who played three seasons before the start of the Club. (All of the teams are named after professional soccer teams except for the Ladybugs). Now there are 22 different indoor teams and 15 Spring outdoor teams.

"Club Teams"

As our travel program has developed, our players skills have improved and our players are being seen by coaches in other towns and other regional clubs. The North Soccer Club Ltd. is considered a "town association" in spite of the name as we only draw players from North Attleborough. "Club teams" may be regional or be formed to play in "MAPLE" (Mass Premier League). Some clubs are for boys only or girls only. Players on NSC teams have been invited to tryout for these other club teams. Your child may play on those teams and the North Soccer Club however, YOU MUST TELL YOUR CHILD'S COACH THAT YOUR CHILD IS DUAL ROSTERED. We must disclose this on our travel team roster forms. Failure to disclose dual rostered players may subject the team to forfeit or disqualification.

Please review the policies, costs and time requirements for the club team you wish to join. There is quite a commitment to these programs. Also make sure that your child will be MYSA registered with any other club or group in order to be covered by the MYSA insurance. Also remember, too much of a good thing can cause burnout.

Dual Rostered Players

As noted above, you must tell your child's coach if your child is playing on another outdoor travel team. The BAYS League does not allow players to play on two BAYS teams during the same season. High School players may play on BAYS and/or indoor teams and a high school team as long as they do not play or practice on more than one on the same day according to MIAA rules. (North Attleborough follows these rules for the Junior High School basketball program run by the School Department.)

Summer Camps

This year we will again sponsor summer camps for the soccer players of North Attleboro. The John Smith Camp will be held on July 21-25 and this year will be held from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM rather than in the morning. Some years ago the camps were held late in the day and more people were able to attend and parents could watch more of the camp. The John Smith Camp is geared for the recreational level player.

MLS Camps will return on August 4-8 with their camp for the more advanced travel players. This camp will run from 9:00 am until 12 noon.

Promotional flyers will be mailed out for these camps. The cost of the Smith camp is $ 95 with a $9.00 discount for additional players from the same family. This includes a camp T-shirt and a ball. The cost of the MLS camp is $85 with discounts for additional children. The MLS camp cost includes a T-shirt but no ball this year.

Spring Playing Fields

This spring we will be playing on AMVET Blvd. School Fields (AMVET 1 &2), Rose Field and some games on Kelly Field at the High School. We have not received our permit for the use of Kelly Field yet but it is expected soon. The construction of the new school has held up the permits. The field is expected to be available after March 16th. You will not be able to park on the road since it is now only one lane. Parking will be available in lots on the right hand side just past the field. Entrance to the field will be by the road down from the parking lot. The road down to the field is being rebuilt to provide access during the construction. After April, the new 4 lane entrance to the site may be opened but access to Kelly Field will only be from the parking lot. More spaces are being added to those lots.

New Soccer Fields

A few years ago there was one full size soccer field in North Attleboro, Kelly Field. Before that, the High School teams played on the football field or on Community Field. The Rec. Dept. program played on the field behind the high school. Before Kelly Field was built, no Rec games were played on a regulation size field. The BAYS book always listed us on Field 1, for one and only one! The Club has added the AMVET Fields and Rose Field. Construction is underway on a new playing field at the former Girl Scout Camp off Cushman Road. This will be a baseball and soccer field when completed. The Corps of Engineers should return shortly to complete the ground work. The field should be available for use in 1998.

The School Building Committee for the new school has awarded the contract for a new soccer field to be built behind the high school on land already owned by the School Department. This field is being built to handle the additional 1300 students who will start attending school there in 1998.

Coming soon...

Third session indoor fees are now past due! Spring playing fees are due no later than March 27th. Fall soccer preregistration will be in April. Sign up are necessary in order to register the proper number of teams. Foxboro Cup and John Smith Tournament information has been provided to Coaches.