Infinity welcomes MLS Cup to Riverwoods

By Jason Turner
sports writer

When the MLS Cup Tour makes its way through Cache Valley on Friday, representatives of Real Salt Lake - the reigning champions of Major League Soccer - will be there to make the experience extra special for several local youngsters.

Not only will the MLS Cup be displayed at five different elementary schools in the valley, it will exhibited for an extended period of time at an auction and dinner hosted by Wasatch Property Management and the Infinity Soccer Club.

The Cup can be seen by the public starting around 3:30 p.m., and the silent auction is scheduled from 4:30-6 at the Riverwoods Conference Center. Following the auction, Infinity SC - a non-profit organization home to 29 teams from the valley - will host a dinner from 6-8:30 p.m. Cost for the dinner is $20 and is open to the general public.

Jeff Ginn, technical director of Infinity, developed a friendship with RSL employee Scott Reynolds several years ago when Ginn was the head soccer head at Iowa Western Community College. Reynolds, RSL's sales manager, and Ginn were reunited when Ginn moved to Utah, and the professional soccer club and Infinity have formed quite the partnership ever since.

"When I moved back to Utah, we ran into each other again and reunited those ties, and so we've had a good relationship," Ginn said. "Scott Reynolds and I have had a really good relationship over the few years.

"... They've just really bent over backwards to be part of Infinity and reach out to our club. They've been very accommodating for us."

Those who attend the dinner will receive a Real Nation T-shirt, a ticket voucher for RSL's homer opener against the Seattle Sounders on April 10, and will have their picture taken with RSL's mascot, Leo the Lion, and the club's three trophies.

The other two trophies are the Eastern Conference Championship Cup and the Rocky Mountain Cup. RSL captured the Rocky Mountain Cup by winning the 2009 season series with the rival Colorado Rapids.

All proceeds from the auction - select items will also be auctioned off at the dinner - will go to Infinity. The club will use a lot of the money it raises to help parents with monthly dues, Ginn said, and Infinity plans on donating a portion of it to District 7 of the Utah Youth Soccer Association. Infinity also plans on using a portion of it to improve soccer fields and equipment in the valley.

Real Salt Lake has aided Infinity in its fundraising efforts before, and plans on contributing at least $10,000 to the cause, according to Infinity's Web site, www.infinitysc.com.

"Each team has the liberty of doing their own fundraising activities, from cleaning the Spectrum, from selling items like Fat Boy Ice Cream, so a lot of different individual team things happen," Ginn said. "We did one other thing with Real Salt Lake last summer. We had an Infinity Day, where we got a percentage of the tickets that we sold and our kids got to go play on the field during halftime and we got to walk out with the (RSL) players holding their hands in the pre-game, so there's a really neat tie with Real Salt Lake and Infinity Soccer already."

The fact that Bill Manning, president of RSL, will be a guest speaker at the dinner would attest to this. Ginn praised Manning, saying hearing him speak makes the cost of the event more than worthwhile.

In addition to honoring RSL's breakthrough 2009 season, the event will focus on the recent achievements of Infinity players. Each team will recognize an offensive and defensive MVP, plus give out a "Forever Futbol Award" and name a most improved player.

Infinity enjoyed a lot of success in 2009 as several of its teams did well in State Cup competition and 14 of its players were selected to the Olympic Development Program (ODP) pool at the state level. All of those players, plus coaches and board members will be honored Friday.

In addition to Manning, Sky View sophomore Stacy Bair will speak at the dinner. Bair, a mainstay in the regional ODP pool, recently returned from Coral Springs, Fla., where she was invited to attend the prestigious National ODP Development Camp.

Those interested in the event, Infinity members or not, can purchase tickets by calling Celeste at 750-5151or by visiting the Elements Restaurant.

Ginn made it a point to thank Wasatch Property Management, the Riverwoods Conference Center and the Elements Restaurant for making this event a reality.

SV’s (and Infinity's) Bair invited to a prestigious national camp

Stacy Bair has dreams of playing soccer at a very high level, including aspirations of one day suiting up for the U.S. National team.

As lofty as that might appear, the Sky View sophomore certainly appears to be on the right track.

Bair received some big news recently when she was invited to represent Region IV at the National Development Camp Feb. 16-20 in Coral Springs, Fla. Bair left Cache Valley at 3 a.m. today for the Sunshine State.

Only 17 players from Region IV — which consists of 12 western states — were invited to attend this development camp for the U16 National team, and Bair is believed to be the first one ever from Cache Valley, according to Bair’s mother, Janet, and local club soccer coach Robson Chaves.

Needless to say, Bair is ecstatic for the opportunity to join such a select group of players. Bair caught word of the invitation when Janet Bair received an e-mail from Joyce Bordley, the girls administrator for Region IV’s Olympic Development Program (ODP).

“I was really excited,” Stacy Bair said. “I was a little nervous because I didn’t know if anybody that I knew would be going ... but then I found out that there were a couple people that I know who are going to the same camp, so I would be fine.”

Bair caught the attention of scouts for the camp by showcasing her ability at the Region IV ODP Championships, Jan. 16-19 in Phoenix. The striker played for the Utah 94 team and was a big reason the squad from the Beehive State advanced to the championship match.

During Utah’s five matches, Bair scored three goals and assisted on two others. Utah battled perennial power California South tooth and nail twice in the tournament, losing 1-0 in group play and in the finals.

Fellow Sky View forward Jessica Brooksby was also on the team, which notched victories over New Mexico (2-1) and Washington (5-0) after a tough 2-1 setback to Arizona.

Brooksby, a freshman, also played well in Phoenix, scoring a goal en route to being named to the 94 all-tournament first team.

Bair also played on the 94 squad a year ago, helping it advance to the championship match, as well. That team was handily beaten by California South 4-1 for the title, but Utah was a lot more competitive this time around.

The Richmond native credited better team cohesion and new head coach Heather Cairns and her staff for Utah 94’s improvement.

“I think that we just had better organization than we did last year, and the coaching was better this year, I thought,” Bair said. “And we played more as a team because we got to know each other better than last year.

“Because it was all kind of just put together (last year) and we didn’t know each other that well, but this year was a lot better, I felt.”

Joining Bair at the national camp is fellow Utah 94 teammate Maris Hamblin (Lone Peak), and Juan Diego products Monique Morrison and Victoria Shimkus. Morrison and Shimkus both played for Utah 93 at the recent ODP tournament, and all four players are in the Region IV ODP pool for their respective age groups.

As a sophomore for Sky View, Bair was one of the 4A’s most dangerous strikers. Bair led the Bobcats in goals and assists with 11 and seven, respectively.

Bair’s success has led to opportunities to attend several camps throughout the country, in addition to the national camp. The costs involved with Bair’s soccer endeavors are starting to take their toll, however. As a result, the Bair family is looking for local businesses to help sponsor the camps.

“You want to give them every opportunity to succeed,” said Janet Bair, who made it a point to thank all of those who have helped fund Stacy’s trips.

The original article can be found by clicking here.

En Route: MLS Academies Look To Set The Standard

Youth soccer in America finding an identity.
By JR Eskilson
Feb 9, 2010 2:36:00 PM
(GINN HIGHLIGHTS ARE BOLDED)

Three years ago, U.S. Soccer began an initiative called the Development Academy. At the forefront of the progressive youth soccer adjustment was the introduction of MLS academies to the scene.

Currently, there are only two American MLS teams without academies in the Development Academy, and both of those clubs have plans to join the system soon. So with the introduction of professional clubs to a youth structure that had been around for years, would there be backlash? How would the professional teams do against established clubs?

Goal.com asked youth directors around MLS their thoughts on the project and on the future.

After discussing the Development Academy with various directors around the league, the message was clear: MLS teams want to develop players. “We are different in that player development is paramount and winning will be a by product of development, not the opposite.” Brian Crookham, Colorado Rapids’ Director of Youth Soccer, told Goal.com on Monday. A not so subtle jab at youth clubs that still polish their trophy case more than help their players advance.
(HEY, INFINITY SC IS WORKING ON IT)

John Maessener, D.C. United’s Director of Youth Soccer agreed, saying, “We are serious about player development and have shown that our system, even as it is relatively new, is a very good environment for top level players to develop.” Oscar Pareja, FC Dallas’ Director of Player Development, chimed in with, “The professional clubs should set the highest standards in soccer here in USA.”

The general consensus among the teams is that MLS clubs want their players to know the purpose of the academy is to help them reach their full potential. The emphasis that may have been stressed in the past on results is no longer an issue.

An important change to the previous system, that most of the clubs singled out as one of the best parts of the Development Academy, is the professional training environment that MLS clubs could offer. While it hasn’t always been that way, Crookham stated, “the bottom line is that the daily environment must be better if we want to produce better players and I think there has been some movement in that direction.”

Maessener was very upbeat about the potential of developing players in professional training: “In order to be able to produce world class players, you have to have world class training programs for players to develop.” He went on to say, “This country is used to being the best, I’m confident if we do the things that we all know need to be done, we will be a world power in the next 10-20 years.”

Pareja stated that FC Dallas gives a player a chance “to develop in a professional way, offering all our resources to reach their potential.” Development Academy offers Sparq training, as well as statistical analysis to their teams. Pareja singled out Sparq training saying, “Identifying areas where we can work on is crucial for the coaches.”

One of the major challenges that MLS academies have faced is dealing with local clubs that have been in the area for a long time. Youth clubs are a business, and they are not fans of competing businesses so when MLS academies were developed, there was a backlash. (WE SHOULD BE FINDING A WAY TO JOIN ODP WITH MLS DEVELOPMENTAL ACADEMIES)

Rapids’ experience with the local teams seems to be the status quo, Crookham explained, “We had clubs that jumped up at the beginning wanting to be partners, and we had clubs that circled the wagons and protected what they feel are their territories.” Obviously, the lack of support is not ideal for clubs that should handle the top youth players. However, as Maessener noted, some of these clubs have been doing this for a very long time, but they are beginning to understand that the MLS teams are “serious about player development.”

This is not an idea that is going to change over night, the process of MLS clubs winning a territorial battle might never be over. However, they have begun the process to stake some claim in the local areas.

Possibly the most promising future of the Development Academy is the chance at an all-MLS youth league. Maessener said that clubs are “always talking about ways to separate MLS Academies from the rest to set the standard in this country as it is around the world and as it should be.” Crookham added that MLS clubs are not necessarily in the best interest of the Development Academy.
Instead he offered, “Oversight that is good for a traditional youth club doesn't fit with our goals or philosophies.” For these clubs, the goal is player development and getting players ready for the professional level. There are obviously certain clubs in the Development Academy that don’t have the same beliefs, which does make the competition between these clubs vastly different in terms of goals and success.

Maessener pointed out that the MLS teams have begun to distinguish their clubs by introducing the MLS Youth Cup. (D.C. United won the event in 2009.) Another element unique to MLS clubs is the ability to transition to a professional contract from the academy teams. Maessener talked about the benefit of in-house player development for MLS clubs, “the Home Grown Player rule helps to bring the best, most serious players into our systems and makes it possible for the very best young players to sign professional contracts directly from their Academy teams.”

While it all sounds great on paper, there is still a ton of work to be done by the clubs and the Development Academy. In an ideal world, a hierarchy would be established with the MLS Youth Academies taking the lion’s share of talented players in this country. Maybe it is time for USSF to step up to the plate and help guide the clubs in the right direction. However, there are far too many clubs too uneasy about letting go of control in youth soccer. So the question remains; can the academies be successful with half the teams concerned about results and the others stuck on development?

J.R. Eskilson is the youth soccer editor.

For more youth soccer news visit Goal.com's dedicated page.

Kids understand it is just a game

By Paul Nelson

WEST VALLEY CITY, UT -- You'll find many loud and supportive parents at the Acord Ice Center in West Valley City during their hockey season, cheering on their children. Why did these parents really sign their kids up to play? What is their main reason? Many parents are looking at the big picture.

One father said he signed up his daughter up for hockey "just to get some experience" for high school and college hockey. One mom had high hopes for her son. She said, "Hopefully he'll excel and be the next NHL superstar."

As for the kids, a few might be focusing on their long term sports dreams. One girl who plays goalie said, "I'm trying to do it just to go to college because I think I'm really good at it."

But for most kids, their main reason to play is very different. While they do have dreams of playing sports in the future, having fun is the main motivator.

One player said, "I just thought it was really fun, so I tried it."

The New York Times reports a recent survey was taken by a sophomore at Fairfield College Prep School in Connecticut. Out of more than 700 kids surveyed, 95 percent of boys and 98 percent of girls said having fun was the main reason for playing sports.

Infinity '00 Girls met The Lady Aggies

On Tuesday, January 26th the U10 Girls were invited to come 20 minutes early, to their scheduled training session, to watch the Utah State University Aggies Women's Soccer team finish up training. The young Infinity Girls were captivated by the speed and intensity that the Lady Aggies were demonstrating right in front of them. The lady Aggies were intense, focused and skilled. It was fun for coaches, players and some parents to see what the college level of training is like.

The opportunity to meet someone that you admire, or find a new hero is priceless. As the Lady Aggies completed their training, the Infinity girls waited patiently to receive autographs from the finest soccer players in our community.

Not only do the Lady Aggies get to feel like rock stars to ten your old girls that admire them for 15 minutes, they get the recognition that they deserve. It is our hope as the premier soccer club in Cache Valley to continue to build a strong relationship with the USU Soccer program.

Much thanks to the Lady Aggies, Coach, Heather Cairns, Coach Josh Walters, Coach Marla Nelson and the USU staff that has made it possible for us to use the Stan Laub Center.