The winners of the SCYS Fall Festival. The JIYSC Hurricanes Select - Here is the link to the standings It was a very fun weekend. The kids needed to be in the Academy division, but we didn't know that before going. This was our first tournament of the year. We scored 45 goals and only allowed 3 in 5 total games. Yup, thats right.
I am trying to find a pic of the James Island Cup. The Hurricanes lost in the semifinals to the MT. P Water Mocs. It was a shootout and we lost by one goal. This was a heart breaker, but a lesson lear
ned in focus. We were up 3-1 with 5 minutes left.
Over the winter, I picked up a new team, the JIYSC Stingers, another U9 team. We moved some players around and put them with boys that would be moving up or staying the in the same age group in Fall '12. We went to a couple of 3v3 tournys and did pretty well. The Hurricanes placed 2nd in the North Charleston 3v3 after losing to a bunch of young ladies from Mt. P. They took that pretty hard. All the girls were huge compared to my guys. They pushed a lot. I told my boys to stop crying and push back. The Stingers got man handled by a NASA team and took a little time to get used to the 3v3 game. They ended up placing 3rd in the tourny. Our next 3v3 was in Hilton Head. Both teams were placed in the same group. The Stingers lost in the 3rd place game to those NASA boys again, while the Hurricanes made second place.
Over the Winter, we also played Futsal. We finished in 4th place, but that wasn't important. It was all about developing skills and relationships. The Futsal season helped these boys really understand how important it is to practice your footwork. 
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Next we had the JI Soccer Festival. The Hurricanes had an amazing shootout in which Nathan Leader made to great saves. The shootout was to determine which team would go on to the semifinals to face...The Stingers, of course! There were approx 150 people around the field watching the young men go through the grueling kicks from the mark. The tension was high and so was the excitement. Each goal, save, or miss enduced a loud response from the crowd. It was really a memorable experience. So after the emotion of the shootout, the boys had just a few minutes to get ready for their game against the high flying, high scoring Stingers. Unable to coach both teams, I had help from Coach Andrew Guinn with the Hurricanes. The Stingers put a hurtin' on the Hurricanes. I did my best to limit the damage, but kids are kids...they see a goal and they kick at it. After the game the boys all got together for a few pics and tried to move on from the intense game. After all, this was the beginning of the Spring season. And these boys were about to practice, train, and play together for the next 4 months.
The Stingers lost to arch-rivals DISA in the final. The first of several Final encounters with the team from DI.
Next tourny was in Columbia for St. Patty's Day. This time it was only the Stingers Select that went to play.
We went to win and that we did. In fine style, too. We played some great teams from across the Southeast. The best part of the weekend was the performance of the boys. They were amazing. The conviction they displayed was altogether impressive. They knew they were going to come home with the Championship.
In March, we played back to back tournaments for the Stingers. They met up with the DISA boys again in the final and lost. IT was a tough one, as the Hurricanes were also in the final of their group...at the same time. I had to pick my son's team. Had to. It was hard, but I believed in the Stingers and knew that they would do a great job. The Hurricanes played against a SCU-MP team that the Stingers had beaten on St. Patty's day the week before. Those boys dropped a division and ran into my other squad...and lost again. I was extremely proud of the Hurricanes for beating a team that tried to take the easy route to victory. The Hurricanes won 5-2.
The Kohl's Amercan Cup was in April. Both teams competed. The Hurricanes played up a division. They came out flat on Saturday, but ended the tournament with an amazing game on Sunday. The boys pulled out a 2-1 win with every last player giving their very most. They truly left it out on the field. Pics to come...
I am so proud of my Stingers. They ended the State Cup tied for 1st place, but kept out of the final by goal differential. These young men put together some fantastcially remarkable plays. Very proud coach. I lost my voice this weekend. So pumped up and excited for the boys. Next year, we win it all!!!
Our last tourny was in Myrtle Beach at the Coast Spring Classic. After an absolutely thrilling semifinal game that went into overtime, we had to play...guess who....yup, DISA!!!! Dang-it. And we lost again. I don't want to use them as our measuring stick, but they have definitely become our Achilles' Heel.
