Welcome!

Greetings, everyone! By now, I hope you've all checked your school email account in order to be updated on the next phase of Hamilton Boys Soccer. We, as a united middle school/high school soccer staff, are VERY excited with work with you all this summer, into next fall, and beyond. Obviously, there is much more to be said and done at this point, but we'll officially kick this thing off with a very important meeting:

Thursday, May 30 at 7 AM in my classroom (rm. 111).

Hope to see you all there!

GK Camp

Please pass this along to any GK who may be interested in a summer GK camp that I, along with a fellow ex-MSU GK, will run this July 2013. http://elitegoalkeepingcamp.blogspot.com/

IMPORTANT Meeting...

Guys, we'll have a meeting in my classroom on Wednesday, May 11 at 7:25 A.M. for any male soccer player.

Please make every effort to attend. If you are unable to attend, please contact a fellow player and/or Coach Stieper and me regarding relevant information.

See you there!

Skill Session Sign-up

Starting on Thursday, Jan. 27 (and on each successive Thursday in the middle school balcony area), the following groups of 4 will meet with either Coach Malefyt or myself:

3:00-3:30 PM (Robinson)...Morgan Stillson, Tyler Immink, Aaron Polet, Deban Scholtehn
3:00-3:30 PM (Malefyt)...Shannon Blourne, Emily Grady, Libby Stafford, Sidney Grady
3:30-4:00 PM (Robinson)...Nicole Brigert, Jessica Holst, Cody Weber, Travis Williams
3:30-4:00 PM (Malefyt)...Ambre Couturier, Megan Dangremond, Amelia Ruiz, Hannah Krause

Mark it down on your calendars, show up early to your session to warm up and stretch on your own, wear indoor soccer/tennis shoes, and bring water!

See Coach Malefyt or myself for questions or concerns. Lookin' forward to working with you all!

OFFICIAL off-season training...

A note from Coach Malefyt...

Hello everyone!
Here is the information for this years winter training schedule. Availability in the middle school balcony is not ideal so we are making the best of what we have. There are really four different things that we have planned for you:
1. One Structured day per week for circuit training in the middle school balcony. This will happen 3-4 on Mondays. The first date for this will be January 24.
2. One structured day per week for a running program that Coach Wandel has put together. This will happen at the High School Indoor Track. This structured day will be on Tuesdays. However, the first available day will be on a Wednesday...January 19.
3. Along with the Tuesday structured day...you should do the running program one more day. However, this day is up to you. Each Tuesday you will get the workout for that week and you would do the same workout on your own time. This could even be done at home.
4. Coach Robinson and myself are offering ball workout sessions on Thursday's after school. Signup with Coach Robinson!

Click here to see all of this in scheduled form! (This will tell of day's off as well)

Hopefully when you look at the schedule and read the email it will make sense to you. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Coach Malefyt

Off-Season Training

Stay tuned, everyone, for an upcoming announcement regarding off-season skill work/conditioning sessions that we plan on offering around the second week of January.

Hope you're all having a great break!

Stay Tuned...

...for off-season training opportunities.

Thanks again for a great, rewarding season, everyone! PLEASE let me if you need anything at all. You know where I am and how to contact me!

PS. If you're interested (males and females), the winter holiday indoor soccer tourney is on again. See me for a sign-up sheet if/when you're ready!

JV rescheduling....

All JV players, in light of our canceled school day today (Tuesday), we'll instead have our end-of-season meeting in my room NEXT Tuesday, Nov. 2 directly after school until about 4 PM. Be sure to bring all of your uniform items to my classroom!

Reminder: Our soccer banquet is on Monday, Nov. 1 at 7 PM in the HS cafeteria. Dress is business casual. Please bring a dessert to pass and beverages/utensils for your family. See you there!

End of season items...

1.) GREAT job this season, boys. The win/loss columns perhaps don't reflect the true growth of this team and this soccer program, so let's focus on the positives of this season: true teamwork, positive attitude, and solid work ethic....a job well done all around!

2.) We will meet in my room this Thursday directly after school for our last team meeting. Please be sure to bring ALL uniform items to turn in: both sets of jerseys, warm-ups, and backpacks.

3.) All JV players: meet in my room on Tuesday of next week directly after school for "exit interviews" with the coaching staff. Plan on being there until 4/430 PM. See Coach Stieper or myself with any questions/concerns.

4.) Our end-of-season banquet is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 1 at 7 PM in the high school cafeteria. Dress is business casual (collars...no jeans!). Please bring a dessert to pass, utensils, and beverages for yourself and family members.

5.) Keep your heads up, guys! Thanks for a great season. You have made us coaches proud!

A number of things...

...on the eve of Districts:

1.) I forgot to remind you guys today at practice, but we still have our last team dinner this Sunday, Oct. 15 at 6 PM (at the Immink's...check your map). Hope you can make it. Remember your food responsibilities if you come!

2.) We will meet in my room on Monday at 4 PM for a brief team meeting and PROVIDED food/beverages before boarding the bus at 445 for Zeeland East. Come to my room dressed and ready to go.

3.) We'll "dress up" in school and wear BLACK t-shirts for warm-ups. Gold looks too much like East, right?!

4.) Be ready to discuss the seniors, as well how each and every one of us is going to contribute to a winning effort this coming week in my room on Monday.

5.) Our overall 4th place finish in the league after our 4-2 loss to Wyo. Park in the 3rd place game is still something to be proud of, boys. We are 9-9-1 overall currently...on the cusp of double-digit wins.

6.) HEAL/TAKE IT EASY this weekend, everyone! We need everybody next week!

7.) Let's simply get it done on Monday. It's time to rise up and meet a tall challenge, like we did the LAST time we played East!

Unity loss...and what's next

Guys, a 5-0 loss is never something to celebrate...not at this stage of our soccer program's growth and progress. With that said, in retrospect, I did see some good things last night in the game. For example, I didn't see anyone backing down or looking intimidated by the #1 team in the state, and I thought battles were fought all over the field. THOSE are things to celebrate. That said, we've GOT to play FASTER, we've GOT to play even HARDER FROM THE OUTSET, and we've GOT to be playing our BEST at this late point of the season. After all, it's MONEY TIME for ALL TEAMS!

Is this team "PERFORMING" or "STORMING" right now? Let's go.

Updates:

**We play AT Wyo. Park tomorrow (wed.) at 5 PM (JV) and 645 (Varsity) in the tournament 3rd place match.

**It's the last game of the season for the JV team...be ready to support them and cheer them on!

**The bus leaves at 330.

**There is NO TEAM MEETING in my room beforehand (we'll talk and eat snacks on the bus).

**We'll be wearing black shirts again.

**The weather is calling for rain and low 60's/high 50's...come prepared.

Monday Changes

On Monday at Unity, our JV game will be played at 530 with the Varsity to follow.

The bus will now leave at 415 PM that day, and the Varsity team will meet in my room at 345 PM.

1-0 Double OT win vs. Rogers

Guys, way to stick it out last night vs. Rogers. It was kind of a "blah" game for both teams, but it's great to see us continue to confidently press in the latter stages of games with COMPOSURE. Always remember what "winning plays" consist of...hustle, effort, scrapiness...THAT'S what ultimately got us the win. Job well done.

Now, it's time again for a tough Unity squad on Monday. We need to go into this game with the "nothing to lose" mentality. In other words, RELAX...but PLAY HARD at the same time, if that makes sense. The pressure is NOT on us...have fun with it!

Updates for the Unity game:

**Game times on Monday = 530 PM (JV) and 715 (Varsity)

**Game is AT Unity.

**The bus leaves at 415 that day.

**We will meet in my room at 345 that day for drinks/beverages/talk.

**We'll wear black jerseys/warm-ups to school that day.

District Game (first round)

Our first round district game will be at Zeeland vs. Zeeland East on Monday, Oct. 18 (6 P.M.). A win will match us up with the winner of Byron Center and Middleville to be played at Unity's field on Wednesday (5 P.M....semifinal). The district championship will be played on Friday (7 P.M.) at Unity's field as well.

More details to come...

0-0 Wayland tie

Guys, we've GOT to do something about our slow starts to games...especially with important, tougher conference and district games coming up in the near future. Thoughts?

That said, the second half today was much better than the first...more building...more varied chances...smarter, harder play...etc. Let's capture that type of play for the full 80 minutes!

Rogers is next....REMATCH. Be ready.

Next Week...

Here's the lineup for next week, guys:

**Monday: Home game vs. Wayland...Parent Night (we'll line up at the BEGINNING of our 20 minute game field warm-up with parents to be announced and have pictures taken)...dress up for school...black shirts for warm-ups. WE'LL MEET IN MY ROOM AT 315 PM FOR SNACKS, BEVERAGES, AND A TALK.

**Tuesday: practice from 3-515 PM...gold shirts

**Wednesday: Game AT Rogers (first round of conference tournament)...VARSITY WILL PLAY FIRST AT 4 PM...bus leaves right after school. If we win, we'll most likely play AT Unity on Monday in the second round. If we lose, we'll play at home that day most likely vs. Byron Center.

**Thursday: practice from 3-515 PM

**Friday: NO PRACTICE...Homecoming Parade.

It's another big week, guys, and we don't have too many of them left! Let's keep playing hard...

Proud...

...is what we should be for our overall effort tonight vs. H.C., fellas. Again, I despise "moral victories"...to me, a win is a win and a loss is a loss...and I personally LOVE to win. But THIS occasion, i'll allow for one, because as I mentioned after the game, tonight was probably the best effort of the season all around. And perhaps Coach Ayres was right in saying it was the best we've seen at Hamilton in a long time...possibly ever.

The 3-0 final score certainly wasn't indicative of the competitiveness of the game. I think we'd all agree on that.

Positives to take away from tonight's game and to carry into the near future:

1.) TEAM play
2.) PHYSICAL/FEARLESS play
3.) FAST play
4.) SMART play
5.) VARIED play

Way to go, guys. Now, let's actually WIN one of these! :)

Tough OT loss to Rogers...

Gentlemen, there should be absolutely NO shame in your overall effort today. The first half was its oen sub-par entity, but the second half and OT were MUCH better. And again to the shooters and goalie in the shootout, my hat's off to you for taking on the pressure AND DOING YOUR VERY BEST!! We all support you fully.

Now it's a HUGE game at H.C. on Wednesday...a gigantic challenge...but one that we CAN HANDLE. It's up to all of us collectively how we proceed from here.

Let's get back to work, guys, and keep pushing!

Next Week...

What an important week we've got coming up, gentlemen. Let's make something POSITIVE happen and truly PERFORM--each and every one of us!!

Reminders/Updates:

**Monday: game vs. Wyoming Rogers...we'll wear anything Hamilton soccer-related for school, wear gold shirts for warm-ups, and meet in my room at 3:15 for snacks/drinks/talk...A.K. and Zach, be ready as ball boys that day.

**Tuesday: practice from 3-515 PM...team dinner at Connor's at 6:30 PM...see handout for details.

**Wednesday: game at Holland Christian...bus leaves at 4 PM.

**Thursday/Friday: practice from 3-515 PM.

NOTE: PARENT NIGHT IS ON MONDAY, OCT. 4 FOR OUR GAME AT HOME VS. WAYLAND AT 5:30-ISH PM. I HOPE ALL PARENTS CAN MAKE IT!

Rest up and get re-focused this weekend, guys, and let's prepare for success!

2-1 Wyo. Park Loss...

Overall, guys, it just wasn't a good effort last night in a crucial conference game. Increased expectations HAVE to lead to increased focus, intensity, and performance. We simply cannot just "stay the same" as players and as a team. But, hey, there's a lot of season left to be played, and it's best we keep a healthy perspective on this.

We NEED to get back into gear, and it starts with IMPROVEMENT in PRACTICE. Let's get going, everyone!

PS. Our first "grade check" will happen either today or tomorrow. Make sure your classes are your FIRST priority, everyone.