June 10 -- Playing through the regular season in the Suburban Friendship League’s (SFL) 2nd Dvision, the two BRYC squads finished  with disappointing records, but there’s always a chance for redemption in the SFL’s season-ending tournament, formatted to pit teams with similar regular season results against each other.  It gives everyone an equal chance at finishing the season with a victory or two.  Both squads of BRYC boys did better than that!  Indeed, after finishing the regular season with only two wins between them, Heyer’s and Ramirez’s boys each went 3-0-0 in the two day tournament to win Championship trophies.  Congratulations to both coaches and all the boys for ending the season on such a high note.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coach Heyer, his U19 Boys, and their families

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coach Ramirez, U19 boys, and their trophies

Meanwhile Coaches Bob Brennnis and John Kelleher’s U19B "Strykers" played in the SFL’s highly regarded 1st Division, and finished the regular season with a record of 7 wins against just 3 losses to finish 5th of 21 teams.  They had to play in a tournament division that included the four teams who were ranked above them, including a powerful squad from Soccer on the Hill (SOTH) who had finished the regular season with a record of 7-0-0, outscoring their opponents 28-4, and a squad from Annandale (ABGC) with a record of 6-1-1 who had lost only to SOTH, plus a couple of squads from Prince William (PWSI) with equally impressive records.  

After falling to SOTH by a final score of 2-4 on Saturday morning (only the second team all season to score two goals against them), the BRYC boys came back strong in the afternoon with their most powerful offensive performance of the season to thrash one of the Prince William teams by a score of 7-0, setting themselves up for a match against Annandale on Sunday that could determine who would take both first and second place trophies.  Sadly, the second team from PWSI failed to show up for their game against SOTH.  Annandale, who had lost to SOTH during the regular season by a score of 1-0, the toughest win of the season for the undefeated team, desperately wanted to play them again. 

Coaches Brennis and Kelleher magnanimously deferred, and watched Annandale go down to a 0-2 defeat in a very physical and confrontational game.  Nonetheless, by virtue of their close loss, ABGC took second place, SOTH took first, and BRYC was only left to ponder what might have been, but nonetheless finished the SFL season with honor and with an impressive record of 8-4 going into the FPYC tpurnament the following weekend.

Congratulations to all three of the U19 Boys teams for their season-ending successes.

September 6 -- Honduran children love soccer, but are often too poor to buy real soccer shoes. For the past three years, Midlife Men on a Mission from Fairfax Presbyterian Church (FPC) have collected used soccer shoes at various FPYC tournament sites. This year the numbers were down, so BRYC told them we’d attempt to augment the numbers by collecting shoes at Uniform Night.  And it worked.

Midlife Men will be thrilled to receive forty pairs of used soccer cleats (some that look almost new, and not to speak of a handful of shin guards) contributed at BRYC’s Uniform Night.  The group will be conducting their annual mission trip to Honduras in November, taking the shoes to a small town outside San Pedro Sula, Honduras’ second largest city.

In additrion to the used cleats, former BRYC Tournament Coordinator Ralph Schuetz, who had built up quite a collection of surplus All Star jerseys over the years, previously donated more than thirty assorted royal blue All Star jerseys which Stephen Wade, who coordinates the program for FPC, said would be a big hit with the boys. 

 

 

June 20 -- "You know... some coaches understand that when kids FEEL like a team... they PLAY like a team.  Megan clearly gets it."  That high praise for Megan Kipp comes from BRYC’s Co-Training Director Joan Sullivan, another coach who clearly "gets it".  If you can judge coaches by success on the pitch and the devotion of players and parents alike, Megan and Joan are two of the best. 

A recent BRYC recreational and travel soccer player herself, Megan loves the beautiful game, and loves coaching girls!  She holds a USSF/VYSA D License. She is the Woodson High School JV girls assistant coach.  She has been a member of the Positive Coaching Alliance since 2007. She is also the recipient of the 2008 Champion of Character Sportsmanship Coaching Award from Fairfax County.  BRYC is lucky to be able to tap her talents and love at tournament time.

Megan is a player’s coach in the best sense of the phrase.  Currently coaching the VISTA X-plosion in WAGS Division 5, one line from their web page says a lot about her coaching style:  "Our goals are to have fun, train hard, and have a great time together."  That the Galaxy did!  Here’s Megan’s description of the weekend, sent to her team but too good not to share:

Wow! What a tournament! U-10 Galaxy went undefeated this weekend scoring an impressive 21 goals while conceding only 2. Our success was certainly a team effort with 7 girls scoring! Bridget O (Lightning) Bridget C (Bee C), Olivia (Sassafras), Mya (Puma), Sarai (Bananas), Willow (Starburst) and Emma (Moo) tallied our goals, while Jordan (Hummingbird), Abby (Wildthing), Aine (Warrior), Kate (Ninja) and super keeper Brianna (Bumblebri) held down our defense!

Two decisive wins on Saturday against VYSA and Reston resulted in Galaxy needing only a tie against an undefeated PWSI on Sunday to move on; win they did, with an impressive 2-0 victory. The girls then played against a talented Mclean team in the finals. Mclean scored first. With tons of team spirit, Galaxy rallied back to tie it up. Two overtimes came and went with the score still tied. Galaxy had practiced PKs during our practices and our shootout lineup did exactly what we practiced!

What a great weekend with a talented group of girls and an amazing group of parents. Big thanks to travel players Claire and Kelsey for helping coach and pass on their love of the game! WELL DONE GALAXY!!!

If one of your goals for the kids is to have fun and have a good time together, there’s not much doubt that Megan succeeded, as a final picture or their post-tournament ice cream break, shows.  But if there is any doubt, a note to the All Star Coordiantor from Monique Burgos, (Banana’s Mom), tells the story:

The experience was one [my daughter] will treasure for a long time. The very next day, she said "I miss All Stars". I know by that she meant the coaches, the girls and the positive experience it was for her. From day one of practices Coach Megan began the process of bonding the girls and friends as a team. From the drills, to the cheers, to coming up with nick names for each player, to the All Star party that included Team Tank Tops, making signs and a motivational CD for each girl that they listened to on the way to games (and lots of other things)!! It was the total experience that helped the girls want to give it their all on the field. I can’t say enough...."

 

Megan is far from the only BRYC coach who gives his/her all for their regular season and All Star squads.  Thanks to all of them for their dedication and commitment to the kids.  They are what makes BRYC one of the most respected recreational programs in the area.  There would be no program without them.  If you want to have a really positive influence on your kids like Megan Kipp, Joan Sullivan, and more than 100 others, why not think about volunteering next season?

June 10 -- In what the league hopes will become an annual event, a hearty bunch of almost forty coaches from the recreational season took to the pitch to see if they had the skills they’d been teaching their teams all season, as the boys coaches took on the girls coaches in a serious, but fun, competition.  It must have been more fun than serious, because there was no report of a final score! 

Thanks to event organizers and BRYC Training Coordinators Joan and James Sullivan for their work all season long in support of all the recreational coaches and players, not to speak of coaching their own U14 Girls squad in the Middle School League, and currently coaching the U14 Girls All Star squad.  Joan must be a mean pastry chef and cake decorator as well.

 

By: Joan Smith Sullivan

On Sunday, June 10, the BRYC Coach’s met at Lake Braddock Lower to see who wanted it more... the Girl’s Coaches or the Boy’s Coaches. In the First Annual Spring Coach’s Challenge, the boy’s coaches wanted it more. They walked off the field the winners by a score of 5-2.

The girl’s coaches were led by Deanna Saracino, VP of Golden Boot. They came out and took an early 2-0 lead (Julia Smith and Deanna Saracino scored). But the boy’s coaches, led by Tamir Linhart, President of Golden Boot, would have none of that. They came roaring back with 5 straight unanswered goals, including one by Tamir.  Whether you were on the winnning or losing side mattered little.  With family on the sidelines cheering them on, the coaches got the chance to play the game we all know, love and teach. Some coaches brought a lot of skills to the pitch... ALL brought a lot of heart... and they all came with a spirit of fun and camaraderie.  After the game, everyone shared pizza and cake... and bonded over a game well played.

Congratulations and thanks to all the BRYC coaches on another great season and for all your hard work. We’ll see you all back in the fall, when we’ll come back and try it again... (only THIS time the girl’s coaches will show no mercy to the boy’s coaches... and will SURELY walk off the field the winners.) (SURELY.)

Have a GREAT summer!!!

June 6 -- It was a month ago, on a weekend in early May, that BRYC held its "photo day".  The wedmaster was there, camera in hand, to capture the excitement.  Then he got distracted, and all those photos have languished on his computer until now...but at least they’ll decorate the web page for the summer when there isn’t much other news.

Watching the three Olsen photographers coax those smiles out of the kids was a joy! One of them, in particular, was truly a master of the art, with such a radiant smile of her own who could help but smile back.

But the best part of photo day?  It was watching the unrestrained excitement of the youngest players in particular as they posed for their individual photos and then the team shot.  Who wouldn’t want to recall the season with a photo of Coach Eileen Porter’s "Angry Birds", Coach Andy Seamans’ "Psycho Wolves", Coach Mark Keithley’s "The Other Guys", Coach Anthony Pagano’s "Deadly Unicorns:, Coach Tom Mastal’s "Rockin Penguins", Coach Dave Diaz’ "Deadly Donuts", Coach Gretchen Brown’s "Havoc", or Coach Matthew Baker’s "Golden Lightning Dragons" (his U5 team must have had a tie vote!).  The webmaster’s favorite?  Coach Willy Llamosa’s "Mighty Mighty Tigers" featured below. 

  

June 25 -- Pulling together six girls from the two highly successful FPYC Tournament teams coached by Fred Welther and Tom Mastal, who had each won Finalist honors in that tournament just a week...

     

March 15 -- The BRYC spring 2012 pre- season coaches meeting tonight at Kings Glen ES saw a rousing turnout of BRYC volunteers including the EXCOM, League Directors, and, most especially, coaches!  After welcoming remarks from Commisioner David Knight, emphasizing goal safety; from BRYC President Charles Osborn (noting his BRYC beginning as a recreational soccer coach); and a presentation from our new DC United representative Mikael Tigrett, the meeting got down to business with reports from various members on the Executive Committee. 

Co-Training Coordinator Joan Smith reported that the league will be trying a few exciting new things this season.  (Coaches can soon go to the "Coaches Corner" page for complete details.)  Fields Coordinator Trish Moxie humorously reported that field assignments are as tight as ever this season.  (We’ve lost Kings Park ES due to construction.).  Ralph Schuetz noted that All Stars is advancing the calendar to give all BRYC kids and coaches an extra opportunity for scrimmaging prior to team selection and then Sunday practices starting after regular season week five.   Referee Director John Davis emphasized the point that coaches are responsible for not just their own conduct but that of their players and parents...noting that they are always to be the "adults" on the field.  Uniforms Coordinator Kim Thomas noted a few hiccups in the process but had most of them there for the coaches to give to the players who ordered them..and the rest would be ready before the season starts.  And former Rec Soccer Commissioner Mac Squires gave a well-received presentation on player protection, safety, sportsmanship, and risk management.

The meeting ended with coaches actually receiving their rosters, equipment, jerseys, and practice field assignments.  Registered players should expect to hear from their coaches in the next week or so, with BRYC’s regular practice fields (or, in some cases, temporary fields through the end of March) available for practices beginning as early as Monday, March 19.  The first games of the season will be on Saturday, March 31.

     

March 7 -- On the heels of a most successful winter soccer program dubbed "Friday Night Lights" in which up to 70 players showed up at Wakefield Park on any given Friday night for some friendly compeition, orgnizers John Kelleher and Bob Brennis have gone a step further and formed a new adult club to be known as "Braddock FC" which will be participating this spring in the Northern Virginia Soccer League (NVSL). Far from "pickup" matches, NVSL is a well organized competitive league with three divisions (not unlike European "football") in which teams move up and down from season to season based on their competititive results.

The establishment of an NVSL club is not taken lightly, requiring a significant financial commitment from each of the players, not to speak of regularly scheduled pratices and matches. But with moral support (and a limited financial guarantee) from the BRYC Rec Soccer Executive Committee, and after the success of Friday Night Lights, John and Bob determined that there was enough interest among "over 18" players to pursue the opportunity and extend themselves a bit further...and they were right. Approximately twenty players, mostly alums of "Friday Night Lightts" and the BRYC Recreational Soccer program, have signed up for the squad for the spring season.

Kudos to John and Bob for their commitment to BRYC, which is proud to offer its support, and their commitment to the group of young men, some of whom they have been coaching for a number of years as U16/19 players, who will carry the Braddock banner. (Don’t be fooled by the fact that they will be wearing red jerseys!)

February 23 --  In a sure sign of spring, Saturday morning saw six workers for our field partners from Annandale Boys and Girls Club (ABGC) remove the turf blankets at Chapel Square field where they’d been warming and protecting a complete and costly overseeding of the field since late November.  With the milder than normal winter, Chapel Square was a sight to behold, with lush, deep green grass awaiting the return of the Canadian geese, the AHS lacrosse team, and the start of the soccer season in March.

Sadly, even before the geese arrived on Sunday morning and the AHS lacross team on Tuesday, a thoughtless person couldn’t resist some unnatural urge to drive a car out onto the field and tear it up, leaving tire marks and gashes that will remain throughout the season as a reminder of his disrespectful act.  Why anyone would take pleasure in driving a vehicle onto a soccer field, heedless of the time and effort it takes to maintain a field and ruining if for others, is a mystery. 

February 17 --  As the winter weather continues to cooperate, Friday Night Lights soccer at Wakefield Park continues to attract the crowds...growing from good-sized turnouts of 40 or so in December to an almost unbelievable (and new record) 75 players this Friday night.  Even splitting the field into thirds and playing 9v9 can't accommodate everyone at once.  But the good spirit and good sportsmanship on the field, and cameraderie on the sidelines as well, each Friday night is something to behold.

Thanks for head organizer Coach John Kelleher, assisted by fellow U16/19 Boys coaches Bob Brennis and Ricky Ramirez, for their continued organization.  What started out as as a loose-knit fill-in between seasons has obviously filled a need and turned into a major event each and every week for a group of boys including a mix of current and former BRYC U16/19 players, joined by various guests recently including a contingent from the Robinson and Woodson High School teams.  The photo below was taken at one of last month's gatherings of close to forty boys.  Imagine twice that many!

Coach Kelleher invites anyone who hasn’t yet participated to join the group, and has started a BRYC Soccer Alumni Group that anyone can join, already boasting over 90 mimbers.  Simply click on this Facebook Link for more information

February 17 --  As the winter weather continues to cooperate, Friday Night Lights soccer at Wakefield Park continues to attract the crowds...growing from good-sized turnouts of 40 or so in December to an almost unbelievable (and new record) 75 players this Friday night.  Even splitting the field into thirds and playing 9v9 can't accommodate everyone at once.  But the good spirit and good sportsmanship on the field, and cameraderie on the sidelines as well, each Friday night is something to behold.

Thanks for head organizer Coach John Kelleher, assisted by fellow U16/19 Boys coaches Bob Brennis and Ricky Ramirez, for their continued organization.  What started out as as a loose-knit fill-in between seasons has obviously filled a need and turned into a major event each and every week for a group of boys including a mix of current and former BRYC U16/19 players, joined by various guests recently including a contingent from the Robinson and Woodson High School teams.  The photo below was taken at one of last month's gatherings of close to forty boys.  Imagine twice that many!

Coach Kelleher invites anyone who hasn’t yet participated to join the group, and has started a BRYC Soccer Alumni Group that anyone can join, already boasting over 90 mimbers.  Simply click on this Facebook Link for more information

Sunday May 6 Showing of "Rise and Shine" SOLD OUT!

BRYC is obviously pleased with the response, but regrets to advise you that the Sunday, May 6 showing of "Rise & Shine" is completely sold out.  Anyone who asked to be put on the waiting list has been accommodated, but there are no more tickets.

For those of you who were fortunate enough to request and secure your tickets early, don’t forget about event, and the opportunity to turn the evening into a “dinner and a show.” Two restaurants immediately adjacent to the theatre are making special offers to BRYC (and co-sponsor SYC) families. Mamma Lucia’s serves great pizza, pasta, and other Italian fare. They’re offering a 10% discount to any individual or family wearing a BRYC or a SYC soccer jersey.  Also for kids showing up in a BRYC or SYC jersey, The Old Country Buffet is offering their parents $3 off the price of the adult dinner. (Children 11 and under already get reduced prices!)

As a further treat, The Soccer Post, 13401 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway in Chantilly (www.soccerpostd.com) will be providing door prizes, with a grand prize drawing for tickets to the DC United match vs. FC Toronto on Saturday, May 19, offered by BRYC. 

We look forward to seeing close to 300 folks at the theatre on May 6.  We’re sorry there wasn’t room for everyone.