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Keeper Notes
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Score two for the Academy
Cisco Kid!
Yesterday the Dynamo announced the signing of Francisco Navas Cobo, the second "home-grown" player to earn a first-team contract. A native Houstonian, Navas Cobo grew up in Colombia and returned to Houston last summer. He is now the youngest player on contract in Dynamo history. For all the juicy details, go to http://mydynamo.net/profiles/blogs/cisco-dynamo-sign-second.
Thursday al fuego
The Dynamo will host the Chicago Fire this Thursday at 7 pm at Carl Lewis in another preseason scrimmage. Admission is free. Best bet for parking is Lot 16, located across Cullen Blvd. the baseball stadium.
Then on Sunday the team will be in Austin to take on the Aztex again. Kickoff is 5 pm at Nelson Field. Tickets are available online at http://aztex.wsiefusion.net/_catalog_83795/Game_Day_Tickets. Prices are $20 for adults, $15 for youth.
Special season ticket offer!
Buy 2 season tickets, get 2 for free (with some restrictions) and secure your spot on the priority wait list for the proposed downtown stadium. Call 713-276-7500 for more info.
The Dynamo need YOU in Frisco!
Wanna go to the Dynamo game in Dallas but don't feel like driving? Wanna hang with other passionate Dynamo fans? Then join the Texian Army for a bus trip to the game on Saturday, March 27. $55 gets you a game ticket and a roundtrip ticket on a chartered bus. There will be a "fan" bus and a "Texian Army" bus. See www.texianarmy.org/taontour.
Season kickoff luncheon next Tuesday
Dynamo Charities is hosting a luncheon on March 16 at the Hyatt Regency downtown to benefit Kicks 4 Kids and Kids Nite Out. The entire team will be there. Individual tickets are $55 ($45 for season ticketholders). Call 713-276-7574.
Are you forever orange?
How about true blue? The Dynamo is looking for outgoing,passionate soccer folks to join the Blue Crew, the group of amazingly dedicated volunteers who support the team & fans at home games and Dynamo community events. Minimum age 18. Minimum commitment 10 home games per season, and orientation is scheduled for March 18. Email bcrew@houstondynamo.com for more info.
Dynamo Academy v Regals FC
The Academy kids take on the big boys of Regals FC this Saturday in a community outreach match at Primavera Park (corner of Aldine Mail Route & Hardy Toll Rd.). Kickoff is 4 pm. Match is free; parking is $5 per car.
Mexico to face Angola at Reliant
At last, an opponent! It was announced yesterday that Mexico will face Angola in their last World Cup warm-up on this side of the pond. The match will be at Reliant Stadium on Thursday, May 13. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster and the Reliant Stadium box office.
If you want a suite for the Mexico World Cup warm-up, contact Brian Varnadoe at 832-667-2160. Suites hold 16 or 22 guests, and the seats are $85 each.
AHFC hosts �College Cup� friendly
Albion Hurricane FC hosts North Carolina v SMU on March 20 at 5 pm. To purchase tickets, please visit www.albionhurricanes.org. The match will be held at the Awty School, 7455 Awty School Lane (off Post Oak Rd. north of I-10).
North Carolina reached the NCAA College Cup (final four) in 2008 and 2009, and both programs have been ranked in the NCAA top 20 on a regular basis. Dynamo Academy alum Alex Dixon is a member of UNC squad.
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Stars & Stripes update
The u17 women begin CONCACAF qualifying in Costa Rica today for the u17 Women's World Cup, to be held in Trinidad & Tobago in the fall. All matches will be streamed live and free of charge at CONCCAF.com. See www.concacaf.com. The USA schedule:
Today v Haiti, 5 pm, CONCACAF.com
March 12 v Cayman Islands, 5 pm, CONCACAF.com
March 14 v Costa Rica, 2:30pm, CONCACAF.com
Just so you know, the Haiti u17 women's team has been living and training in the Dominican Republic since the earthquake with the assistance of that country's soccer federation. They trained in Panama last week before heading to Costa Rica for the tournament. FIFA has pledged $250,000 to help the Haiti soccer federation rebuild (their headquarters were decimated and at least 30 officials perished in the quake). To help Haiti through a soccer partner, go to www.unicefusa.org/partners/sports/major-league-soccer.html or www.sportingchancefoundation.org.
The u23 women's team currently training in Florida includes 4 Aggies -- Whitney Hooper (an alum of the Challenge Club), Bri Young, Kristin Arnold and Rachel Shipley.
Adult goalkeeper training
Adult male goalkeeper looking for two other adult male goalkeepers to�do high-level training with in Southwest Houston. If interested, please contact Ryan at youthsoccermentor@gmail.com
Texas A&M Soccer Camp
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The Texas A&M Soccer Camp has been widely acclaimed as the Best Camp in America by coaches, players, and parents. Come and learn why the Aggies are the most successful NCAA soccer program in the state of Texas (male or female).
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The curriculum is based upon the same training program as that of the Texas A&M team, while the goalkeeper camp is directed by Rich Hartis -- GK Coach from Manchester United. The coaching staff, luxury housing facility, and training facilities are all excellent!
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Overnight and day camps are available for boys and girls ages 5-18, and players are trained separately by gender and age. Visit www.AggieSoccerCamp.com to get more information or to register online.
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Keeping up with the Keeper
� Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/keepernotes
� Houston Dynamo Examiner feed at www.examiner.com/x-31347-Houston-Dynamo-Examiner
� Keeper Notes calendar featuring Dynamo matches, US matches and more, via any browser:
www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=keeper%40keepernotes.com&ctz=America/Chicago
Linkin' it
Waiting for Gaetjens
www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisation/trophytour/index.html
http://project-2010.net/?page_id=902
http://yanks-abroad.com
Southwest Indoor SPRING session
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Sign up ANYTIME to play indoor soccer on the new turf field at Southwest Indoor Soccer. The spring session just started -- individual players can be placed on teams at any time for women's, men's, men's over 30 and coed over 30. All sessions consist of 8 games.
SW Indoor is bringing back the weekend men's open league. So far 9 teams have registered, but there is space for more. Games begin this weekend, and will be played between 10 am and 4 pm on Saturdays & Sundays. Individuals are welcome -- cost is $75 per player.
To register, call SWIS at 281-564-7947 or go to www.letsplaysoccer.com/main/Locations/southwest/index.html.
Summer session for YOUTH soccer will run June 12 � August 7. League play will be offered for u8, u10, u12, u14, u16 boys & girls. HYSA age eligibility rules observed.
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Get in the Notes!
Spread the soccer word about your program, event or club in Keeper Notes. The Keeper Notes list (which is never, ever sold) has more than 5200 subscribers. Seriously.
FREE ITEMS: soccer-related job openings, youth & adult league registration info, free soccer events, teams looking for players, any nonprofit info, and any "shout out" to local soccer achievers. Email details to keeper@keepernotes.com.
NOT FREE: soccer camps, paid tournaments, other commercially-related info. Contact The Keeper for rates.
San Jac men's soccer tryouts
Tryouts for San Jac's junior college team are open to high school seniors/recent graduates and college students. Participants are required to bring their own shinguards and are encouraged to bring water. Tryouts will be held at the south campus soccer field (13735 Beamer Road, 77089). Times and dates are as follows:
� March 22, 7 - 9 pm
� April 5, 7 - 9 pm
� April 30, 7 - 9 pm
� May 1, 10 am - 2 pm
For more info, contact head coach David Santesteban at 281-922-3475 or David.Santesteban@sjcd.edu.
Keeper Notes query
Props to Bruce Adkins for the correct answer to last week's query: the US women won the Algarve Cup for the first time in 2000. Brandi Chastain scored the winning goal, converting a penalty kick in the 9th minute.
This week's query: Thursday the Dynamo host the Chicago Fire in a preseason match. In four seasons, five different players have scored at home against the Fire -- but only one of these players is still on the Dynamo roster. Who is it? First to answer correctly after 9 am CT wins TWO TICKETS to the March 20 "College Cup" friendly between North Carolina & SMU at the Awty School. Send your answer to keeper@keepernotes.com.
Soccer to watch
All times CT. All times subject to change.
Today
UEFA Champions League
Manchester United v AC Milan, 1:45 pm, Fox Soccer Channel
Real Madrid v Olympique Lyon, 1:45 pm, Fox Soccer Plus
CONCACAF Champios League
Comunicactiones v Pachuca, 9 pm, Galavision
Thursday
CONCACAF Champions League
Arabe Unido v Cruz Azul, 7 pm, TeleFutura
Europa League
Atl�tico Madrid v Sporting Lisbon, noon, DirecTV
Lille v Liverpool, noon, DirecTV
Benfica v Olympique Marseille, 2 pm, DirecTV
Juventus v Fulham, 2 pm, GolTV
Friday
Mexico Primera
Tecos v Indios, 8 pm, Galavision
Serie A
Catania v Inter Milan, 1:45 pm, Fox Soccer Channel
Saturday
Bundesliga
Borussia M'gladbach v Wolfsburg, 8:30 am, GolTV
English Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Blackburn Rovers, 6:30 am, ESPN2
Chelsea v West Ham United, 8:45 am, Fox Soccer Plus
Birmingham City v Everton, 9 am, Fox Soccer Channel
Hull City v Arsenal, 11:30 am, Fox Soccer Channel
Mexico Primera
Queretaro v Morelia, 5 pm, TeleFutura
Pachuca v Santos Laguna, 7 pm, TeleFutura
Tigres v Atlas, 7 pm, mun2
Chivas Guadalajara v Pumas, 7 pm, Telemundo
Sunday
English Premier League
Manchester United v Fulham, 8:30 am, Fox Soccer Plus
Sunderland v Manchester City, 11 am, Fox Soccer Channel
La Liga
Real Valladolid v Real Madrid, 3 pm, GolTV
Mexico Primera
Toluca v Cruz Azul, 1 pm, Telemundo
Puebla v Monterrey, 5 pm, Fox Sports Espa�ol
Serie A
AS Livorno v AS Roma, 9 am, Fox Soccer Channel
AC Milan v Verona, 2:45 pm, Fox Soccer Channel
Monday
English Premier League
Liverpool v Portsmouth, 3 pm, ESPN2
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Keeper Calendar
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March 10: UEFA Champions League round of 16, 2nd leg
March 10-11: CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals, 1st leg
March 10-20: CONCACAF u17 women's championship, Costa Rica
March 11: Chicago Fire at Houston Dynamo, UH Carl Lewis
March 14: Houston Dynamo at Austin Aztex, Austin
March 16-17: UEFA Champions League round of 16, 2nd leg
March 16-18: CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals, 2nd leg
March 17: Mexico v Korea DPR, Mexico
March 17: Houston Dynamo v San Jose Earthquakes, San Francisco, CA
March 20: Houston Dynamo v Chivas USa, Santa Barbara, CA
March 24: Mexico v Iceland, Charlotte, NC
March 25: 2010 MLS First Kick
March 27: Houston Dynamo at FC Dallas
March 28: US women v Mexico, San Diego
March 30-31: UEFA Champions League quarterfinals, 1st leg
March 30-April 1: CONCACAF Champions League semifinals, 1st leg
March 31: US women v Mexico, Sandy, UT
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April 1: Real Salt Lake at Houston Dynamo
April 6-7: UEFA Champions League quarterfinals, 2nd leg
April 10: LA Galaxy at Houston Dynamo
April 10: WPS season begins
April 13-15: CONCACAF Champions League semifinals, 2nd leg
April 17: Chivas USA at Houston Dynamo
April 20-21: UEFA Champions League semifinals, 1st leg
April 20-22: CONCACAF Champions League finals, 1st leg
April 24: Houston Dynamo at Chicago Fire
April 27-28: UEFA Champions League semifinals, 2nd leg
April 27-29: CONCACAF Champions League finals, 2nd leg
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May 1: Kansas City at Houston Dynamo
May 5: FC Dallas at Houston Dynamo
May 7: Mexico v Ecuador, New York
May 8: Houston Dynamo at Chivas USA
May 10: Mexico v Senegal, Chicago
May 13: Mexico v TBA, Reliant Stadium
May 13: Houston Dynamo at Real Salt Lake
May 16: UEFA Champions League final, Madrid
May 16: Mexico v Chile, Mexico City
May 22: DC United at Houston Dynamo
May 22: US women v Germany, tba
May 24: Mexico v England, London
May 25: US men v Czech Republic, tba
May 29: Philadelphia Union at Houston Dynamo
May 29: US men v Turkey, Philadelphia
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June 2: Houston Dynamo at New York Red Bulls
June 5: Houston Dynamo at LA Galaxy
June
11: 2010 World Cup begins
June 12: US men v England, South Africa
June 18: US men v Slovenia, South Africa
June 23: US men v Algeria, South Africa
June 26: Colorado Rapids at Houston Dynamo
Expanded calendar at keepernotes.com.