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Keeper Notes, 24 August 10
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One small step for the team, one hat trick for Ching
Off to the Rockies
The Dynamo face Western Conference rival Colorado Rapids Saturday in the Mile High State. Game airs live on Fox Soccer Channel at 8:30 pm (pregame show starts at 8 pm), and will also be broadcast on 790 AM (English) and 850 AM (Spanish). Details about the official Dynamo viewing party will be posted on HoustonDynamo.com later this week.
Yeah, Chingy!
Brian Ching was named MLS Player of the Week yesterday in recognition of his three-goal performance Saturday against the Fire. And one of those goals will likely be up for Goal of the Week (check out http://www.mlssoccer.com/content/att-goal-week-vote-now later today).
The latest from our COO
(including stadium & training facility updates)
www.houstondynamo.com/news/2010/08/canettis-corner-august-23-2010
Thursday night over 30 & over 40 men's league
HFA is starting a Thursday night men's league just for the O30 and O40 set. It's an 8-game season with divisions for both O30 and O40, depending on applications received. Team fee of $400 includes an 18-player roster, field fees and insurance.
Team entry form deadline: Sept. 9. Player registration deadline: Sept. 23. Games begin: Sept. 30 or Oct 7; season complete by Dec. 16. Games played at Cullen Park and George Bush Park at 7 pm and 8:45 pm. More information and team applications are available at hfasoccer.com under Team Applications.
Already an HFA player? You can play for a regular season HFA team and a Thursday night team. You could even play on both an O30 and an O40s team, if you’re the right age and just that crazy about soccer. Questions? Contact hfa@hfasoccer.com.
27th Annual Labor Day Cup
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The Labor Day Cup registration deadline of August 25 is TOMORROW! Brackets are filling quickly for Houston’s largest youth soccer tournament presented by the two-time MLS champion Houston Dynamo. Close to 400 teams will be competing including select clubs from North Texas & Louisiana as well as academy teams from Mexico.
Boys and girls teams ages 9-19 from Division 1, Super 2, and Division 2 teams can register online at houstonlabordaycup.org. For more information, email director@houstonlabordaycup.org or visit houstonlabordaycup.org.
College soccer around town
Friday
Richland College at San Jacinto, 7 pm, San Jac south campus
Virginia Tech at Texas A&M, 8 pm, Aggie Soccer Complex
Saturday
Incarnate Word at San Jacinto, 7 pm, San Jac south campus
Sunday
Washington State at Texas A&M, 1:30 pm, Aggie Soccer Complex
Texas Tech at Rice, 7 pm, Rice Track/Soccer Stadium
Get yer 2010 All-Star gear before it's gone!
All merchandise for the 2010 MLS All-Star Game -- training tops, scarves, tshirts and hats -- is 40% off at the seven Soccer4All stores in Houston. (Man United jerseys are not considered All-Star gear … but there are plenty of those red jerseys in stock, along with the new kits for Barca, Chivas Guadalajara, Liverpool, Chelsea, etc.)
Local semi-pro teams in action
note time & location changes for this weekend's games
Saturday, August 28
Galveston Pirate SC v Dynamo Academy
6 pm, League City Sportsplex near I-45 South & League City Pkwy
Sunday, August 29
Regals FC v Dynamo Academy
5 pm, River Park
Friday, September 3
Regals FC v Galveston Pirate SC
9 pm, Legends Sports Complex, Spring
Become a referee
If you’re interested in becoming a referee, there are two entry-level referee clinics this weekend. For more info, go to www.stsr.org/pages/Newref_08.html. If you need assistance, contact Shelly McDavid at Shelly@McDavidEnterprises.com.
HFD September 11 charity match
The Houston Fire Department soccer team will take on local NPSL team Regals FC on Saturday, September 11 at Crusader Stadium (Strake Jesuit HS) in a charity match benefitting the Shriners Hospital for Children and the US Honor Network. Gates open at 2 pm, kickoff is 3 pm. Tickets are $10 each. See www.facebook.com/pages/Houston-Fire-Department-Soccer/133553563328323.
SW Indoor Soccer
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SWIS host adult leagues year-round for women's competitive & recreational, men's competitive & recreational, men's over 30, coed competitive and recreational, coed over 30 and Sat/Sun men's open. Each session offers eight games; cost per team is $600 plus ref fees. Individuals can be placed on teams at any time (see www.letsplaysoccer.com/main/Locations/southwest/wanted.tmpl).
Is your team looking to play on a set schedule? SWIS offers a men's open division that plays only on Saturday/Sunday mornings & early afternoons. Cost is $450 per team plus ref fees.
Team registration deadline for the next adult session is Sunday, August 29; games begin Sunday, September 19. See www.letsplaysoccer.com/main/Locations/southwest or call 281-564-7947 any day after 5 pm.
Stars & Stripes update
The US men will host Poland on Saturday, October 9 at Soldier Field in Chicago. Tickets go on sale this Saturday at 10 am through ussoccer.com or by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Visa cardholders can purchase tickets using their Visa cards starting Friday at 9 am.
The US women will face China twice before they head to Mexico for World Cup qualifying. They'll host the Steel Roses first in Kennesaw, Georgia at the first-ever women's soccer-specific stadium (home to the Atlanta Beat) on October 2 at 5 pm, and then again on October 6 at PPL Park in Chester, PA (home to the Philadelphia Union). The second game will air live on ESPN2 at 6 pm.
CONCACAF qualifying for the 2011 Women's World Cup will be held October 28 through November 8. The US women were drawn into Group B with Costa Rica, Haiti and Guatemala, and will play their group games in Playa del Carmen. Mexico, Canada, Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago will play Group A games in Cancun.
An evening in red
Horse Head Theatre Co. is producing the soccer play "Among the Thugs," based on the book about an American journalist living in England who becomes intrigued with the behavior of Man U hooligans. The show will run Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays from September 16 to October 2 at Kryptonite downtown.
A free kickoff/benefit for the show will be held this Friday, August 27, 7 pm at the Brewery Tap. Come have a pint with the "thugs" themselves and learn what it means to be one of the supporters for a football club. Wear Man U gear or just something red!
Catch the Orange Slice tonight
Join Brian Balboa and his soccer buddies on 1560 The Game tonight, 7-9 pm. Listen online at 1560thegame.com. Call 713-439-1560 to share your soccer thoughts.
Soccer coaches wanted
Volunteers are needed to help low-income children in a soccer club. Experience is appreciate, but not required! Help combat childhood obesity in a fun environment. We're looking for volunteers who can:
1. help 1 or 2 afternoons/evenings per week (approx. 90 minute session) AND
2. attend one Saturday game per week (schedule varies but is known well in advance)
If interested, please contact Andrew Kurth at coachkurth@gmail.com.
Keeper Query
Props to Mark Knobloch for the correct answer to last week's query: the only undefeated team at the 2010 World Cup was New Zealand (0-0-3).
This week's query: Brian Ching completed the fourth hat trick in Dynamo history Saturday night. Of course, he also had the first hat trick (+1) in Dynamo history, back in the inaugural game in 2006. So who are the two players who earned the other two Dynamo hat tricks? Name the players, the opponents and the dates of the game. First to answer correctly after 9 am CT wins a Dynamo cinch sack, poncho and 2010 MLS All-Star Game pin.
Soccer to watch
Today
UEFA Champions League play-in games
Anderlecht v FK Partizan, 1:30 pm, Fox Soccer Channel
UC Sampdoria v SV Werder Bremen, 1:30 pm, Fox Sports SW
Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC v FC Salzburg, 1:30 pm, Fox Soccer Plus
CONCACAF Champions League group stage
Arabe Unido v Toronto FC, 7 pm, Fox Soccer Channel
Santos v Columbus Crew, 9 pm, Fox Soccer Channel
Wednesday
UEFA Champions League play-in games
AJ Auxerre v FC Zenit St. Petersburg, 1:30 pm, Fox Soccer Plus
Tottenham Hotspur v BSC Young Boys, 1:30 pm, Fox Soccer Channel
CONCACAF Champions League group stage
Crul Azul v Real Salt Lake, 7 pm, Fox Soccer Channel
Seattle Sounders v Monterrey, 9 pm, Fox Soccer Channel
Int'l club friendly
Barcelona v AC Milan, 12:30 pm, ESPN Deportes, espn3.com
Thursday
CONCACAF Champions League group stage
Toluca v Olimpia, 7 pm, TeleFutura
Friday
UEFA Super Cup
Inter Milan v Atletico Madrid, 1:45 pm, Fox Soccer Channel
Mexico Primera
Tecos v Morelia, 8 pm, Galavision
Saturday
English Premier League
Blackburn Rovers v Arsenal, 6:45 am, ESPN2
Chelsea v Stoke City, 9 am, Fox Soccer Plus
Tottenham Hotspur v Wigan Athletic, 9 am, Fox Soccer Channel
Manchester United v West Ham United, 11:30 am, Fox Soccer Channel
Major League Soccer
Columbus Crew v FC Dallas, 3 pm, TeleFutura
Houston Dynamo v Colorado Rapids, 8:30 pm, Fox Soccer Channel
Mexico Primera
Santos Laguna v Atlas, 7 pm, TeleFutura
Chivas USA v Pumas, 7 pm, Telemundo
San Luis v Atlante, 8:45 pm, TeleFutura
Sunday
English Premier League
Bolton Wanderers v Birmingham City, 7:30 am, Fox Soccer Plus
Liverpool v West Bromwich Albion, 9 am, Fox Sports Premium
Aston Villa v Everton, 10 am, Fox Soccer Channel
France Ligue 1
Bordeaux v Marseille, 2 pm, Fox Soccer Plus
Major League Soccer
Chivas USA v DC United, 9 pm, ESPN2
Mexico Primera
Puebla v Pachuca, noon, Fox Sports Español
Club America v Necaxa, 4:30 pm, Fox Soccer Channel
Serie A
AS Bari v Juventus, 11 am, Fox Soccer Plus
AC Milan v Lecce, 1:45 pm, Fox Soccer Channel
Women's Professional Soccer
Philadelphia Independence v Boston Breakers, 5 pm, Fox Soccer Channel
Monday
Serie A
Bologna v Inter Milan, 1:45 pm, Fox Soccer Channel
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Keeper Calendar
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August 28: Houston Dynamo at Colorado Rapids
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September 1: US Open Cup semifinals
September 1: 2010 SuperLiga final
September 1: Chivas de Guadalajara at Philadelphia Union
September 5: San Jose Earthquakes at Houston Dynamo, Robertson Stadium
September 5-25: u17 Women's World Cup, Trinidad & Tobago
September 14: Chivas de Guadalajara v Chivas USA, San Diego
September 11: Houston Dynamo at Kansas City Wizards
September 18: Toronto FC at Houston Dynamo, Robertson Stadium
September 19: WPS playoffs 1st round/#4 seed at #3 seed
September 22/23: WPS Super Semifinal/1st round winner at #2 seed
September 25: Houston Dynamo at DC United
September 26: WPS championship final/semifinal winner at FC Gold Pride
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October 2: Houston Dynamo at Philadelphia Union
October 2: US women v China, Atlanta
October 6: US women v China, Philadelphia
October 9: US men v Poland, Chicago
October 10: New England Revolution at Houston Dynamo, Robertson Stadium
October 16: Houston Dynamo at San Jose Earthquakes
October 23: Seattle Sounders at Houston Dynamo, Robertson Stadium
October 28: MLS playoffs begin
October 28-November 8: CONCACAF qualifying for 2011 Women's World Cup, Mexico
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November 21: MLS Cup, Toronto
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December 2: FIFA announces hosts for 2018 & 2022 World Cups
December 3 & 5: Women's College Cup, Cary, NC
December 8-18: FIFA Club World Cup, UAE
December 10 & 12: Men's College Cup, Santa Barbara, CA
Expanded calendar at keepernotes.com