SGU NEWSLETTER

FALL 2013

www.southgaunited.com

From: Lee Blenman, SGU Director of Coaching Subject: Chris Pelkowski South Georgia United Soccer Club sadly lost one of it’s founding coaches, Chris Pelkowski on Aug 10, 2013. Chris has been an SGU coach for many years; first our academy program and most recently with our U15B select team. His son Luke has been a big part of the club since he was 7 years old. His daughter Olivia has played in the SGU South recreation program for the past few seasons. This fall SGU will be collecting donations for the Pelkowski Family to help them at this time. All the proceeds taken from the SGU Friendlies on August 24-25 and subsequent donations taken at the Tifton concessions stand will be passed along at the end of the fall season. Please continue to keep wife Kim, son Luke, and daughter Olivia Chris in your thoughts and prayers.

The U15B’s observe a moment of silence prior to

each game to honor Coach Chris

Matthew Deese, Karyl Dawson

Memorial Award Recipient 2013/14.

Matthew is one of those players that makes

coaching fun and easy. He has a natural talent

for soccer and he will do anything to keep

improving. This young man has a bright future

in this sport and I look forward to watching

him excel through soccer. Nominated by Nick Jenkins, SGU Academy Director

Parker Morgan, Madison Stokes

Memorial Award Recipient

2013/14.

Parker is a very dedicated soccer play-

er. She hardly ever misses practices or

games. Even when she has an injury

she still wants to play. Parker is

always looking for an opportunity to

play soccer. Her enthusiasm and love

for the game is very obvious. She is

always encouraging her team mates

and stays extremely positive. Parker

loves playing soccer and brings that

love to every practice and every game.

She is an asset to any team. Nominated by Laura Sullivan, SGU Coach

We are currently accepting

donations for the

Karyl Dawson Memorial Fund

and

Madison Stokes Memorial Award

Checks can be mailed to PO Box 2421,

Valdosta, GA 31604

Donations are tax deductible

U14G - 2013 Labor Day

Shootout CHAMPIONS

DONATION THANK YOU’S

A very big thank you to the following

families:

The Bhatnagar Family; The Blevins Family; The Boland

Family; The Callins Family; The Choate Family; The

Conner Family; The Dalton Family; The Edmond King

Family; The Epley Family; The Gee Family; The Hinton

Family; The McCullough Family; The Prince Family; The

Robertson Family; The Rybicky Family; The Shaw

Family; The Sutherland Family; The Wardwell Family;

and The Wright Family.

Your donations to the SGU funds is

very much appreciated.

U9-U14 Skill Evaluations:

Starting this year the club has changed our in season evaluation process.

We have moved from a once per season to twice per season format. This

allows us the opportunity to see where our players are at the beginning

and end of the season. The hope is that once our players are evaluated;

they will work on those skills in their own time, so that at the end of the

season they will have improved their scores. We as coaches provide

them with opportunities to improve during practice but we only have ac-

cess to them for a limited amount of time. A player’s development into

a well-rounded soccer player goes beyond practice time with a team

coach.

We use a format that is based off iSoccer and it includes testing 9 differ-

ent skills. The skills included are toe taps, foundations, juggling with

each foot, dribbling with each foot, changing direction with each foot, a

dribbling move, controlled receiving, striking a ball and speed and agili-

ty. As you can see these are all skills that can be worked on outside of

traditional practices.

The purpose of these evaluations are to increase the technical develop-

ment of all our players through the encouragement of working with a

ball outside of training sessions.

Thanks,

Burt Spence, SGU Director of Player Development

Save the dates!

Academy Tryouts

May 27 - 31, 2014

Select Tryouts

June 3 - 7, 2014

Full details will be available at

www.southgaunited.com

Congrats to Emma Choate 00G, Abigail Choate 99G, Haylee

Gordon 97G, Brandon Johnson 99B, Luke Pelkowski 99B,

Emilie Tessier 97G, Noah Voyles 99B and Grant Wollam 99B

on being selected to the GA ODP State Pools!!

U17G - 2013 Labor Day

Shootout FINALISTS

From: Burt Spence, SGU Recreation Director

The South Georgia Eye Partners recreation soccer league kicked off the fall 2013 season with a successful jam-

boree. It was a great introduction for me to the dedicated parents and volunteer coaches who have helped

make this fall season a successful one. I believe that we have some of the best and most dedicated volunteer

staff in youth sports. It to amazes me how much of their time they are willing to dedicate to see that every

player feels welcomed. It is safe to say that our league would not be the same without the dedication of these

coaches and parents.

The goals of our recreation program are to provide a safe and fun environment where the youth of our commu-

nity will be introduced to the wonderful game of soccer. This fall we added additional training sessions for all

recreation players. These sessions are intended to give our players additional opportunities for training, and to

be educational for our volunteer coaches, who are encouraged to attend. Each player has the opportunity to get

additional touches on the ball and be exposed to age appropriate tactics, in an effort to increase all of our play-

er’s technical development.

Thanks for all of your help for the fall season and I look forward to seeing you all again in the spring.

If you are interested in coaching please let me know at sguburt@gmail.com and indicate it on the registration

form for the Spring 2014 season.

COACH JASON SPOONER AND HIS U10 TEAM

In 2010, I began volunteering to coach recreational soccer for

South Georgia United coaching spring and fall soccer seasons.

Through South Georgia United, I have been fortunate enough to

continue coaching most of the same players for each season and

also teach beginning players the skills and knowledge needed to

enjoy the game of soccer. South Georgia United continues to suc-

ceed in growing recreational soccer in south Georgia area. The

staff for South Georgia United is very well organized and offers

additional training sessions for players that allow them more op-

portunities to practice and learn different skills. South Georgia

United continues to grow and expand each year and any child or

volunteer that has an interest in soccer would benefit from joining

South Georgia United.

This past June, a group of 17 SGU boys

and 5 coaches/chaperones, left South

Georgia to embark on a ten day soccer

trip to Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

The trip began with flights out of Orlando to Rio on

Monday, June 9th, 2013. Once in Brazil on Tuesday

morning, it was right to soccer. We started our first

day of the trip with some training, followed by our

first match against the Flamengo U17 boys on

Wednesday. Although the boys lost 5-0, to play against one of the premier U17

teams in the world, as well as getting a chance to play at Estadio Gavea inside

Flamengo FC, was truly a treat.

After our first match, the boys got to do a little sightseeing and swimming at

Ipanema Beach that afternoon, followed by a day exploring at Cristo Redentor

(Christ the Redeemer) on Thursday. The highlight of the day, however, was having

an opportunity to meet and discuss soccer with Gaucho, an ex-professional

player and coach for Vasco de Gama FC.

The next couple of days were balanced between soccer training and sightseeing.

On Friday, the boys got a tour of the Salguiero Samba School and on Saturday,

they went to the largest shopping mall in South America in Barra da Tijuca.

Sunday the boys prepared for match number two, as we traveled to play

Duque de Caxais U17’s at their home stadium. Again, although the boys lost

5-1, we played well against a very good soccer team. The highlight was the

goal by Stephen Sephus, who received interest from the club he played

against. After some lunch, we headed to the Maracana to watch the Confeder-

ation Cup Match between Mexico and Italy. It was a great match in a great

stadium. Italy won 2-1.

Monday was more training and preparation for our last match on Tuesday against

Portuguesa FC. The boys played their best match of the trip and lost 2-0 to the

Portuguesa U17’s. After the match, we were invited back to the Vasco de Gama FC

for a tour of the facility.

Wednesday was again a beach day as we spent the whole day at Copacabana

Beach and watched a Brazil Confederation Cup match with the locals. On

Thursday, our last day in Rio, we had the opportunity to head back to the

Maracana to watch Spain play Tahiti. Although the game was a route (Spain won 10-0), the Brazilian fans backed the

Tahiti national team and made the match fun. We flew back to the US that night and arrived in Miami on Friday morning.

It was an exhausting trip, as we packed so much into a short period of time. But it was a once in lifetime experience

that the boys and coaches will not forget.