The Coach's Challenge is ALL about celebrating our coaches and their families. And the KIDS getting to cheer their parent on (for a change)! The 4th Annual Spring event brought 38 coaches and their families to Woodson West for a full 90-minutegame and in the end, the Coaches of the Girl's Teams came out victorious over the Coaches of the Boy's Teams  with a score of 5-1.

For a complete story of the event and a major photo spread, click here to go to the Coaches Corner page.

Under the able direction and mentorship of BRYC veteran coach John Kelleher, recipient of Fairfax County's "Champion of Character Award", who’s been with the organization since some time about the...

BRYC Thunder, a team primarily composed of fifteen year old boys, opened their season with eight consecutive losses against more experienced squads, all but one of them to teams with a winning record...

As part of its community outreach efforts, the Washington Spirit “adopts” about forty teams in the area each season, drawing names from a hat and sending one of their players to run a training...

Each season, BRYC's all star coaches hold an "Open Scrimmage" for players in age grouops U8 through U14.  The purpose of the Open Scrimmage is to allow players who are interested in playing on an all...

It's the Friday evening before Photo Day and we desperately need help tomorrow.  This season Photo Day has been compressed to just a single day, Saturday, May 9, with four teams simultaneously...

Five of the six BRYC ODSL teams entered in the prestigous PWSI Icebreaker Tournament reached the finals in one of the area's most competitive pre-season tournaments. 

Referee Director John Davis asked if BRYC U13G United Coach John Decker might get a photo of the three referees for his game on April 19 against Winchester U13G United.  John explained that Referee Mark Gorak and AR Danielle Chesky are both National Referees while AR Rob Chamberlain is a National Referee Candidate and that would be one of the most experienced group to ever referee a BRYC match. 
Coach Decker did one better, capturing both teams before the start of the game in their "World Cup" like formation.  (Oh, and BRYC Lightning beat United by a final score of 3-1.)

It was a long wait since last season's exciting run to the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) semi-final match, but the Washington Spirit dididn't disappoint the crowd of over 4,100 when they opened their home season on Saturday night, April 18.  After giving up a goal early in the first half, Christine Nairn quickly leveled the score at 1-1 with a deftly placed shot to the upper right corner. The score remained tied at 1-1 until second-year player Crystal Dunn found the back of the net in the first minute of the second half.  Nairn struck again off a direct free kick midway through the period.  Meanwhile, USWNT goalie Ashlyn Harris (right) didn't give up another goal the rest of the way, thwarting Kansas City's high power offense with nine saves. Indeed, in the first half of the game, total shots were 14-3 in KC's favor, with 6 of KC's shots on goal. Kudos to Harris for keeping the Spirit in the game.

The Spirit's regular season continued the following weekend with a 3-1 road win vs. New Jersey's Sky Blue FC.  After two more road games over the next two weekends the team returns to Maryland for their next home game on May 16 vs. Sky Blue FC. This season BRYC Recreational Soccer has made an advance purchase of 70 Spirit unreserved seat ticket vouchers with a face value of $25 which we are making available to BRYC families at just $10 each! (There 's a strict limit of four $10 tickets per family for the first four games. Email BRYC's Washington Spirit Liaison, Ralph Schuetz, to request your tickets and arrange for pickup. Cash or check only, payable to BRYC.) Additional unreserved tickets may be purchased on the Washington Spirit web site for just $20 each.  Click on "Tickets", then "Individual Game", select the game of your choice and use the Discount Code "BRYC-2015" before completing your order. (Coaches should also inquire or check the Spirit web site regarding the Spirit's opportunities for participation in pre-game or half-time activities.)

The Spirit have just this one and two more more Saturday night home games this Spring, before the end of the school year and the BRYC Rec Soccer season, including May 16 vs. Sky Blue FC; May 30 vs. the Portland Thorns; and June 6 vs. the Boston Breakers. After the Womens' World Cup in Vancouver in June, the Spirit will return for six more matches this summer, five of them on Saturday nights. Check the Washington Spirit's home page for the complete schedule and plan to attend one of more games this summer at their beautiful Clarksburg Maryland facility.

Over two very chilly weekends in late March, before the start of the regular soccer season, five of the six BRYC ODSL teams entered in the prestigous PWSI Icebreaker Tournament came home with medals around their necks, emblematic of having reached the finals in one of the area's most competitive pre-season tournaments.  Playing alongside travel teams from BRYC's own Elite  program not to mention over 450 other teams from all over the area, one squad, the BRYC Gunners (pictured at right), a U12 Boys teams coached by Mohamed Diaw, came home with championship honors, undefeated and untied in four matches.

Back to the Championship winning Gunners, they scored 11 goals while giving up only 1, before entering the championship match vs the Patriots of the Alexandria Soccer Association, winning that match by a final score of 6-3.  Over the past several seasons the Gunners have won both tournament championships and ODSL sportsmanship awards as they continue to be a committed, hard-working bunch of boys, giving their absolute best as they play the game they obviously love.  Congratulations to the Gunners and all of the BRYC finalists for their great tournament showing.

On the evening of Wednesday, March 11, with the Kings Park Community Meeting Room filled to capacity, Braddock Road Youth Club President Charles Osborn reported on the organization's sucesses in past year and the fiscal health of the organization...a small operating surplus on gross expenses of $1.7 million for all of the sports activities sponsored by the organization.

Then, in elections to three year terms, four members of the Recreational Soccer Executive Committee (EXCOM) were voted onto the board of the parent club. Two of them, former Rec Soccer Commissioner and BRYC President Dane Merkel, along with Rec Soccer's Referee Director John Davis, are incumbent members continuing their long service to the organization. Two others, Rec Soccer's budget coordinator Elizabeth Giuliani and Deputy Commissioner/ODSL Representative as well as All Star Coordinator Anthony Pagano, were each elected to their first terms on the board.

Congratulations to the four of them and thanks to the many supporters of "the beautiful game" who attended the meeting to show their support for the candidates and BRYC's Recreational Soccer program.

          

                       John Davis                      Elizabeth Giuliani                  Dane Merkel                       Anthony Pagano

Just days ago, when the view of Chapel Square field looked like the picture on the left, it was hard to imagine that in just a few short weeks it will be time for Spring Season to begin.

The snow has now melted, the turf blankets have been removed, the Canada geese have returned to feast on the lush green grass, and at the Coaches' Meeting on March 19, coaches received their game and practice schedules, their equipment, and most inportant, their rosters. All players registered for the spring season should be hearing from their coach within a week to ten days at the latest.  Call or Email your League Director if you haven't. 

Before the season begins do you need a complete uniform or perhaps just a pair of gray socks?  Uniform night is scheduled on Thursday, April 9 from 5:30-8:00 PM at Little Run Elementary School, your first, last, and ONLY opportunity to purchase whatever you need (or exchange something that doesn't fit) before the season starts on April 11.

After a lackluster 2013 season, the Washington Spirit came roaring back in 2014, going all the way to the conference semi-finals before falling to the mighty Seattle Reign who went on to win the conference championship.  The Spirit will have two home matches against the Reign in the upcoming 2015 season and at least one game against each other team. Unfortunately, just four Spirit games are scheduled before the end of the school year (one in April, two in May and one in early June, just before the break for the Womens' World Cup), but they are all on Saturday nights. 

Thanks to the Spirit for their donation of the team's 2015 season scarf, won at the coaches' meeting by by first-year U10 Girls Coach Barbara Barata, pictured right. And special thanks to the Washington Spirit's Head Coach and General Manager Mark Parsons (shown far right with BRYC's Spirit Liaison Ralph Schuetz) for his attendance and memorable presentation at the meeting.

In support of the Washington Spirit, and as an incentive for BRYC families to take in a match at the beautiful Germantown MD facility, BRYC Rec Soccer has purchased 70 game tickets which it will make available at the significantly reduced rate of just $10 each!  There will be a limit of four (4) tickets per BRYC family, or twelve (12) tickets per recreational team attending as a group, at the reduced rate.  (Additional tickets will be available for $20 each.) Why not check out the Spirit's schedule and plan to take in a game, either as a family or encouraging your team to attend as a group. Anyone who has attended a game in the Spirit's first two seasons will tell you what a great experience it is to be up close to the action at the Maryland SoccerPlex.

For more information or to place an order for your tickets, email the BRYC Webmaster at brycstars@aol.com.

Celebrate the opening of the spring season on Saturday, April 11 and Sunday, April 12, with a frozen yogurt treat at Zinga!, located between Hunan West and Peet's Coffee (and right next to the entrance to the BRYC Clubhouse) in the Kings Park Shopping Center. 

Zinga! generously offers 10% off to BRYC clad patrons at any time, but in recognition of the opening of the spring season, Zinga! has doubled the discount to 20% off all purchases made by BRYC families who arrive for a treat any time that day (they’re open from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM) wearing a BRYC jersey or spirit wear.  Come with your family or gather together with your coach and your teammates and cool off (we can only hope it's warm day after the past few months!) after your first game of the season.  Just be sure to wear your BRYC blue (or gray!) and remind them to note that you’re a proud member of the Braddock Road Youth Club.

Thanks to Zinga's Owner/Operator Joy Higbie for her generous supporty of BRYC!