Early summer greetings! Rest up, enjoy the heat, and take advantage of mother nature’s annual gift to your weary legs and never-ending taxi servicing. Another chapter in the novel entitled, The North Soccer Club is about to conclude. Kick up your feet, grab the remote control and buckle-up for the 98-99-season finale newsletter.

The Tradition Continues

What about the Foxboro Cup? 16 NSC teams! Weather superb. Lots of familiar faces. Lots of cheering. Face painting, sandbox playing, tadpole hunting, colorful patches, all part of the annual Memorial weekend charm. From all reports the weekend was a complete success and yes the soccer (and the food) was awfully good.

See You There

Don’t forget about the world cup games that are coming Foxboro stadium way in late June and early July. Even though the Club did not acquire any tickets, we expect to see a large North Attleboro contingent during the three weekends. If you want tickets, call the stadium ASAP. The general admission tickets are on sale now.

Club Notes

Did you enjoy the banquet? Did you like those different momento plaques? A loud cheer to Kim O’Connell who was the mastermind this year. Also, the team administrators really pitched in and collected those nice gift certificates that were the envy of many.

Remember to turn in your jerseys after the spring session is over. Your coach or team administrator will gladly take them off your hands. Please give it a wash (and a sew if needed) and pass it your teams’ way. Leaving it in your closet as a soccer remembrance doesn’t seem to help the other kids out.

A Fond Farewell

Mark Flaherty, the U-12 Rowdies’ striker; his mom, team administrator Thelma; and family are taking their act on the road. The Flaherty’s are relocating to a new home in Southboro. We wish them the best and are sorry to see them leave North Attleboro.

Change in Policy

The NSC has implemented a new policy for U-12 play. From here forward these age groups will play 6 v 6. Dan Ellis notes this follows strong recommendations from USYSA and MYSA Associations. "U-12 children get more touches of the ball on a smaller field with less players. The larger fields and teams are more adequate for the older, stronger players, U-14 and above."

Soccer Corner

Have you checked out the soccer corner at the City’s library? Yes, it has been stocked with loads of soccer materials. Enclosed in this newsletter is an insert that explains what soccer books are available at The Richards Memorial Library. However, please think of others and avoid stripping the shelves completely.

Summer Agenda

Looking for more soccer? The NSC has distributed information on a MLS camp they are sponsoring from July 26 – 30^th at the high school. If you missed the flyer please contact Marty Grealish @699-7113. Also there are plenty of summer tournaments. Scan the various soccer magazines that must find their way to your mailbox and stay in contact with your coaches. If you want action, rest assured the choice is there!

Upcoming Meetings

Write down the following dates, especially the peanut gallery. There will be a NSC policy meeting on June 10, 1999. Rumor has it the officers will be discussing changes to the by-laws. The hot topic includes who should vote for officers. The time is 7:30pm at the High School. A coaches and administrators meeting is June 17, 1999 regular time (7:00 pm). There will be no meetings in July.

In Search Of…..

Do you want to directly help the Club? If you have the time, the Club has opportunities for you. On July 15, 1999 at 7:00 pm, the Club will be holding annual elections. As noted elsewhere in this newsletter, there are several soon-to-be vacancies so we are encouraging your interest and enrollment. Please notify Bill Edwards @ 695-4320 or Joe O’Hear @ 695-7605 and they will get your name on the ballot. What better way for you to help the children of the NSC program flourish in the future!

Kids Day Cometh

North Attleboro’s Kids Day is coming. As usual, the Club will be hosting a soccer booth challenging all participants to strut their stuff and bury the ball in the hole. The Club will be looking for volunteers, so please participate if your schedule allows. Marty Grealish and Doreen Paquin may come a calling.

Fans Beware

The zone of no tolerance. No, it’s not when the kids aren’t listening. It’s the official rule of Massachusetts soccer from here onward. Simply stated, the ‘no tolerance zone’ rule says that a parent or coach during the play of a game should not address soccer referees. No abuse, maybe a whimper of praise, but better yet no remarks from the sideline supporters. If you don’t want to heed this directive, than the coach can be dismissed from the premises and it is hoped that he does not leave empty handed. Don’t embarrass yourself, the team or your coach by intimidating the referees.

Congrats!

Speaking of referees, how about a hand for those NSC affiliated individuals who place their credentials on the line each week. The Club is proud of the contributions of notables such as Joe O’Hear, Carol Cheek, ‘Buffy’ Hastings, Doug Weldon, Dan Ellis and most likely several others who have been overlooked. Next time you see them, tell them what you really think. We know your comments will be complimentary.

1998-1999 Remembrances

The 1998-1999 NSC program was a special memory for several reasons.

First and foremost….the kids. It is the club’s hope that each child’s soccer skills, ‘99 style, are further developed than those observed way back in 1998. Also, it is desired that their knowledge and love of the game have grown dramatically in the past year. If any of these are true, it has been a successful 98-99 adventure.

And then there are the fans. Yes…the moms, the dads, the grandparents, brothers and sisters, other relatives and friends… of that special child. The never ending juggling of the calendar and schedules, the relentless laundry, the ‘did I do good today?’ questions…it’s all worth it when you reflect on the good times. Reflect on those moments, when the score doesn’t matter, but what counts is the smile on the face, the satisfied looks on your ‘hero’ that says, "thanks, I was glad you were there, That was FUN! "

And the coaches. It’s their passion. Not to win but to teach. Not just teaching the skills but also providing direction, structure and the ability to accept a defeat. To them we send a sincere ‘thank you’ for lessons well taught.

How about the team administrators? Behind the scenes they are pulling the levers that continue to bring a highly coordinated and organized season. They give of themselves so that the children (and their extended family) know what is planned and are greeted with fewer surprises. To them we say……well done!

Of course there are the North Soccer Club officers. The endless dedication and countless hours of planning that they have contributed, all with the intent of raising the skillset of soccer and providing children with the opportunity to enjoy this wonderful sport.

A legacy is passing. At the end of this session Dan Ellis is stepping down as the Club’s president. It all began with Dan. He has been the guiding light championing the charge for a competitive soccer option for our children. Not only spending numerous hours planning events, schedules and other logistics, he has been the coach of several NSC teams. He has taught the fundamentals on the fields and in the arenas that many of our children will take with them forever. He always has enjoyed a soccer discussion, and has accepted good-natured criticism that comes with any position entitled ‘president.’ He has set the standard for future officers. We wish Dan well and wonder what Debbie is going to do with him now that he is going to be hanging out at home more often. Can a senior soccer club be far behind?

And another legacy…Bob Preston. Bob is also retiring from the ranks of NSC. Bob will always be remembered as one of the forces behind the development of Rose’s Field. If you want to see a success story, stop by this field and see how it went from weeds to seeds to a quality soccer field in only a few years. For this and all his other on and off-field contributions we say thanks. Rumor has it that his next job will be as greenskeeper of the new PGA golf course over in Mansfield. (just kidding!)

Where would the Club be without Mr. Dependable, Doug Weldon? He is also stepping aside. As equipment manager he (and Fran) have been the ones for several years who have coordinated the Clubs’ apparel and the other Club assets. They must spend half of their waking lives browsing the sport shops in Southeastern Massachusetts. Their cellar resembles Filenes Basement in December. A sincere thank you, Weldons, for your continuous efforts. Although you may leave your NSC official duties behind, we are glad that you will continue to share with this town your coaching talents.

Also moving on to other life challenges is Susan McCutchan. To the disappointment of many of us, the days of lost or aged checks ended. Susan devoted herself to establishing a financial accounting system that was current, accurate and accountable. What a comforting feeling hearing her confidently speak about the club’s fiscal health. Many thanks, Susan, for providing that energy. Bill VandeVenter has successfully assumed the financial reigns and we applaud his thoroughness and financial vision.

And there’s our Irish import, Marty Grealish. A true gentleman always echoing the reminder that the clubs’ major focus is the kids. We thank Marty for finding America, especially North Attleboro, and the innumerable hours he spent training our coaches.

Let’s not forget our female development director, Doreen Paquin. She possesses an abundance of energy. She not only coaches but is an active member of North’s ‘Over 29’ female gang. Couple that with her officer duties and her daily challenges as a working mom and one is exhausted just thinking of her schedule. Maybe she can share her geritol secret with the rest of us.

Where would we be without Kim O’Connell? The document expert who somehow keeps straight the endless administrative tasks that go with a club that numbers 400 strong. Thank you for keeping the records straight and bringing some order to the chaos caused by others who don’t like to organize the details.

Finally, the Club can’t live without that ‘bashful’ peanut gallery. The ones who keep the officers on their toes. Yes, these are those parents who faithfully attend the Board meetings giving counter arguments on certain issues. They supply not only comical relief but provide valuable adverse opinions to the Board officers. Some honorably mentioned in this category are Bill Edwards, Bob Hagen and John Harding. The Club needs to continue to value diversity and encourage differences of opinion in order to continue growing.

Apologies are extended to the team administrators who submitted articles on their team’s success throughout the year. Unfortunately due to the volume of other news they were left on the cutting room floor. We appreciate your continued inputs.

NSC Information

The North Soccer Club, Ltd. is a Massachusetts non-profit corporation and is tax exempt under Internal Revenue Code Section 501 (c)(3). Donations to the Club are tax deductible. Fees for programs, equipment, merchandise, and camps are not tax deductible.