Coastal Breeze News

Special Olympics Collier County needs assistant coaches for cycling, tennis, track & field and soccer for the 2013 season DATES: 5 January 2013 to 19 May 2013 DAYS OF PRACTICE AND TIMES: Every Saturday 9:30–11:00 am (There will be some Saturdays where there will be no practice due to holidays and other school commitments). LOCATION: Golden Gate High School, 2925 Titan Lane, Naples 34116. COMPETITION DATES: 2 March 2013 County Games at GGHS 8:00 am-2:00 pm. Coaches are expected to be at games. 6 April 2013 day trip to Charlotte County Area Games (Not all Asst. Coaches needed). 17-19 May 2013 Two night overnight trip to Disney World, State Games (Not all ... Read More »

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SUMMER COUNTY GAMES VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR COUNTY GAMES TRACK AND FIELD – TENNIS – CYCLING -SOCCER WHEN: 3 MARCH 2012 (SATURDAY) WHERE: GOLDEN GATE HIGH SCHOOL 2925 Magnolia Pond Drive, Naples, FL DIRECTIONS: GGHS is located .8 miles North of Davis Blvd off Collier Blvd (SR 951), turn on to Magnolia Pond Road and go to the end of the road. TIME: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM Volunteer Registration is at 9am. T-SHIRTS AND LUNCH PROVIDED PLEASE CONTACT: DAVID McKENZIE AT THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS OFFICE – 775.1991 email:[email protected] SUMMER GAMES SPONSORED BY: Arthrex Read More »

Coastal Breeze News Staff Timothy Dwyer, local businessman and Junior Governor of the local Moose Lodge, along with Bill Miller, Governor, presented a $500 check to an appreciative Surge Soccer team. This is the second donation made by the Moose Lodge to a local sports organization in the past few weeks. “We gave the Marco Island Optimist Club’s Football team a check for $500 and the City Kids Tennis program, too. We have made an effort this year to be more proactive in the community. We want people to know what being a member of the Moose Lodge represents. The ... Read More »

Crystal Manjarres  Q. What are some fun ways to boost my fitness motivation?  A. So many people want to work out, but lack the motivation or are intimidated by that first step. The obvious solution is to seek out a knowledgeable (and fun!) personal trainer. Ask yourself what is your “fitness personality”? Do you prefer undivided, one-on-one attention with an individualized fitness, nutrition and cardio plan? Do you desire a private atmosphere where you can dress down with comfy workout clothes, bad hair, and no make-up? Do you like to pick your appointment times and have someone train you on ... Read More »

District 5 Commissioner Jim Coletta, Vice Chair, is pleased to announce that the 90-acre Big Jim Bass Lake, located in his district east of Immokalee Road and north of Oil Well Road, is that much closer to being accessible to public fishing thanks to a gift to Collier County of an adjacent canal this month. “Big Jim Lake offers a perfect setting for anglers. It’s a passion of mine to bring to the residents another recreational option. I have been working on this vision for several years. To see it actually get traction and move forward in a positive direction ... Read More »

By Al Wagner Now in its third year, the Marco Island Soccer Club is announcing the start of the 3v3 soccer season. “Surge” soccer (the club’s official team name) is looking for players, both boys and girls, to join the club for the next level of soccer. 3v3 soccer is played on a smaller size field with 3 players per side and a roster of 6 players for a tournament. This year, the Club has changed its format to an academy style to allow greater flexibility for players, parents and coaches. Academy style simply means that each age group is ... Read More »

By Junior Journalist Rosie Poling It’s time to hang up the dirty cleats and put away the black and white ball as soccer season has come to a close. The Marco Island Optimist soccer season is over. In ten exciting games, goals were scored and smiles were shared. Having the World Cup theme with countries represented from all over the globe, kids (and adults) learned a little about the country they represented. The 250 kids playing not only brushed up on their soccer skills; they made friends and learned about good sportsmanship, and a little geography. The girls in kindergarten ... Read More »

The Optimist Club of Marco Island has kicked off its 2010 Fall Soccer program on November 8th with new Soccer Program Director, Bob Poling at the helm. Currently, there are over 220 youth participating in the program and still growing. OCMI is still taking registrations to fill roster spots. This year, the theme is World Cup Soccer with the team taking on the names of World Cup country’s the likes of Spain, Germany, England and more. A total of 27 teams are broken out into separate boy’s and girl’s divisions grouped by kindergarten through 1st grade, 2nd through 3rd grade, ... Read More »

All sports have pre-season games and soccer is no exception. In the last edition of Coastal Breeze News, I covered the growing number of Americans investing in soccer and the increasing interchange of players both from Europe to USA, and vice versa. A perfect example of this was the game between Manchester United and MLS All-Stars at the Reliant Stadium Houston Texas. First, the attendance was announced as a sellout crowd of 70,728 that created an incredible atmosphere at the stadium and lots of wild fans having a great time. Second, Manchester United (The Red Devils) is the richest club ... Read More »

The first touch is perhaps one of the most regularly repeated sayings used by soccer coaches, especially at levels above recreational play, although even at that level it should be drilled into soccer thinking. Basically, it gets back to the speed at which you control the receiving ball. Fumble with it and your chance has gone. A player needs to receive and control the ball in one movement irrespective of the speed, height and direction of the ball. The ball must become under total control and part of your body reaction. In fact, it should become an extension of your ... Read More »

International soccer Well, for the non-soccer fans the World Cup is over. All you have to do is wait another four years (a mixed response, no doubt!) My personal experience over the recent weeks is  that  friends, colleagues and strangers want to talk about the game of soccer (do you mean football?) One great tournament. One great show, Africa the Rainbow Nation. International soccer games go back a long way. One of the most memorable ones is England v Germany in 1915. The story appeared in the Times newspaper in 1915, headed “The greatest legacy must surely be the message ... Read More »

Previously, I have covered the history of football (soccer), the World Cup, and the history and development of soccer boots (cleats). I haven’t talked about the actual soccer ball, which at present is under much scrutiny. Adidas traditionally designs a new ball for each World Cup tournament. It has been reported by both players and goalkeepers that the 2010 ball has a mind of its own. It’s the goalkeepers who suffer: from the goals already scored there have been many examples of the ball suddenly changing direction, dipping and turning in flight. All this fuss over a round aerodynamics-designed piece ... Read More »

I played soccer since the day I could walk and kick a ball all at the same time. We called the game “football” when I was growing up in Istanbul, Turkey. I only learned that the same game was called “soccer” in America when I was twenty years old. That transformation took place when I was offered, and accepted, a full soccer scholarship to attend the University of Maryland in the summer of 1969… My first memories of playing organized soccer go back to when I was six or seven years old. We lived about a mile away from the main ... Read More »

CITY OF MARCO ISLAND Parks and Recreation Department Marco Island Parks and Recreation have been considering for some time a Marco Island City Soccer Academy to encourage a continuation of advanced soccer training. The aim is to ultimately developing sufficient talent to represent a Marco Island City traveling squad. We hope this will be the ultimate young player’s aim and achievement to represent their City and the Marco Island community. Initially it will be inviting boys and girls 4th to8th. Grade   pr. (Charter School) and depending on the interest will be an on going City program. The program will start in ... Read More »

My aim in writing this column is not to convert you into an ardent soccer fan but to give you a little history and appreciation of the game, with a global, USA, and Marco Island  focus.  For more history of soccer, go to my previous columns at coastalbreezenews.com. In soccer footwear makes all the difference: “Boot it”, a well known British expression basically means the act of forcing or clearing the ball away. The original soccer footwear was high ankle guarding boots (not cleats). A considerable change from the sleek multi-colored low cut boots/cleats of today. Also a far cry ... Read More »

The 2010 World Cup is being held in South Africa starting June 11th and World Cup fever is already spreading across the globe and, yes, the US is very much a part of it! “Does the US stand a chance?” is a regular question I am asked. Yes! Very much so, and what’s fascinating is that in the same group (Group C) in which they are drawn, are Slovenia, Algeria, and England. I predict that the US will move onto the next round. And I predict theirs will be the largest US viewing audience ever for a sports competition. First, ... Read More »

The game of football goes back to the 8th century in medieval England when villages and towns were pitted against each other in game battles—no rules, just a battle of survival. The matches became so violent that the game was banned by the English authorities in 1331. Despite these efforts, over the following centuries, the game continued to become the most popular sport in England. Rules, established in 1815 at Eaton College, were implemented by other schools, colleges and universities. In 1863, the Football Association decided that separate rules were needed for Rugby football and football (soccer). In the 18th ... Read More »