When all we seem to see are negative stories about youth sports in the media, it's wonderful to hear about stories of sportsmanship and selflessness in youth soccer. An AYSO coach, whose team was eliminated from a regional tournament in California, discovered the winners could not go on to the next round for financial reasons and decided to try and do something about it with the help of a local radio personality and the WPS LA SOL.

Karen Carney and Kelly Smith got the two against Germany's 6 - the dream of England's women wasn't to be. But the lasses final was England's first final since the year of Hope Powell's birth. She's magic she is. It's just a bit pathetic that it wasn't on live TV here.
Fabio did the business against Slaven.

This was the first weekend of AYSO matches. I'm coaching 3 teams with Eddie.

U-16 Burbank - It was an ugly game as we lost 3-1. Our girls have skills, but the 8:00 AM kickoff seemed to make them forget how to play. They made way too many mistakes and couldn't focus at all. We've got some work to do.

Photo courtesy German Alegria/Los Angeles Galaxy

Hans Stierle, a former Torrance resident regarded as the driving force behind the creation of the American Youth Soccer Association and the now national organization's first president, was honored before Saturday's Galaxy game. Stierle, who now lives in the Pacific Northwest, was presented with a Galaxy jersey by Tom Payne, president of business operations for the team.

The end of season funk that I normally fall into has in the last three seasons been ameliorated by the continuation of the LAPL and this season by the U10 Boys Dinamo team that is playing in Santa Monica AYSO.
The funk has been cast completely aside by FK Dinamo's incredible run since mid season in The Los Angeles Premier League where we've lost one game in the last 7 and won the other 6 - we haven't drawn all season.

The backers of Torrance's planned state of the art Futsal facility in a former warehouse on Maple Avenue have signed a lease for the 73,000-square-foot building and are projecting a December opening.

Dubbed South Coast Soccer City, the refurbished building will accommodate five Futsal fields with modular flooring and two artificial turf fields, a 4,000-square-foot training center, four party rooms, a homework room, cafe/lounge and store selling Futsal equipment.

Was at the washeteria again today. I had such a busy week that this was the first opportunity since Sunday nights rather ignominious defeat to Valhalla in the LAPL. Obviously, the kit smelled absolutely rank.
For whatever reason (probably because I was distracted reading texts) I had my reading glasses on and noticed the absolutely incredible amount of synthetic field material in my car.

Tough few weeks all round, really.
Loko stretched it's unbeaten run to four (2w's, 2d's) and Internazionale climbed to 4th in the table 3 points off the top. Shakhtar got their first win of the season going into the second half of the season (Paul's back from injury) Red Star sit nicely in third, and the machine that is Dinamo Spartak rides over everyone even as their depleted by injuries - third in the division - separated from second only by goal diference.

Still friends, even after the game

Lakers player Jett Hays, 7, left, and buddy Timmy Kacius, 7, of the Green Angels leave the Hull at Levy Field in Torrance Saturday on the second weekend of American Youth Soccer Organization play in AYSO Region 15. The Lakers won 3-2 with Jett scoring two goals.

The end of season funk that I normally fall into has in the last three seasons been ameliorated by the continuation of the LAPL and this season by the U10 Boys Dinamo team that is playing in Santa Monica AYSO.
The funk has been cast completely aside by FK Dinamo's incredible run since mid season in The Los Angeles Premier League where we've lost one game in the last 7 and won the other 6 - we haven't drawn all season.

Karen Carney and Kelly Smith got the two against Germany's 6 - the dream of England's women wasn't to be. But the lasses final was England's first final since the year of Hope Powell's birth. She's magic she is. It's just a bit pathetic that it wasn't on live TV here.
Fabio did the business against Slaven.