I'm currently running for Secretary of the NSCAA. The election winner will be announced at the annual business meeting at the NSCAA Convention in Kansas City on Friday, Jan. 13, so as we're getting closer to the event, I thought it would be good to share my answers to the 12 questions the NSCAA asks each candidate to file.

Eclipse Select Communications
CHICAGO -- Eclipse Select Soccer Club defender and Hinsdale South High School junior Jessica Mutters announced her commitment to play for Creighton University's women's soccer program starting in 2013.
The Darien, Ill., native's older sister Danielle played for Missouri Valley Conference rival Illinois State, and her parents also attended ISU.

Arnie Ramirez was a pioneer in collegiate soccer here in the United States, and not just because of the success his Long Island University team had on the field.
Ramirez gave opportunities to Latino players long before anyone else was interested and able to do so at the collegiate level.
Michael Lewis writes of Ramirez and his journey to pay it forward for young Latino soccer players in the United States.

Bit of a break since our last update, but Sounders Academy players continue to make their mark as Freshmen across the collegiate soccer landscape. We're now at about the 2/3rds point of the season for most programs, so we're seeing teams starting to make their final push for conference and national tournaments.

The standard of American collegiate soccer has grown in leaps and bounds over the past 10 years, and are now becoming a home for top international imports to ply their trade.
J.R. Eskilson of Goal.com writes of how international imports arriving in the collegiate game here in the US is changing the landscape of the game.

Javier Castrilli a.k.a. "El Sheriff"

There has been plenty of talk as to referees essentially dictating style of play. Not just of one game, but on entire leagues and at all levels. The implication is that this has direct influence on a coach's player selections and the style of play he implements.

From the Evansville Courier Press, July 31, 2011
With preseason for so many high school and collegiate soccer teams — as well as all fall sports — right around the corner, this is a great time for coaching staffs to really stress what facets will become important parts of the culture of their team.

Perseverance is perhaps the best word to describe Brad Knighton. Everywhere he's been Brad has had to contend for a starting spot and despite performing well, circumstances have sent him elsewhere. He's played in for the New England Revolution, Philadelphia Union and now Knighton plays for the NASL leading Carolina Railhawks and is proving day in and day out that he is a top notch goalkeeper.

Sepp Blatter will be the president of FIFA for the next four years.

Without a challenger on the ballot, the outcome was inevitable, but Blatter won the FIFA election on Wednesday, garnering 186 votes out of the 203 ballots that were cast.

"Our pyramid is intact, the base, the foundation is strong, and together we have four years to continue on our path and do our job," Blatter said upon his re-election at the FIFA Congress.

Development Academy players across the country will take their game to collegiate level next year.
Over the past week, high school seniors from across the United States have been signing National Letters of Intent and comitting to collegiate soccer programs. Many of these talented young players represent U.

In a joint press release statement by scouting agency, Trebol Sports International (TSI) and their working partners, Football Management International (FMI) had announced the following player, Scottish defender Graham Tatters (pictured above, courtesy of Flickr) had signed for Woodlands Wellington.

That's the question that Jason Davis of US Soccer Players Newsletter asks about the best way to find talent for the US National team, referencing the emergence of US internationals Juan Agudelo and Teal Bunbury.
Agudelo comes out of the US Soccer Development Academy from the New York Red Bulls, where Bunbury comes out of the college soccer factory at Akron University.

DURHAM, N.C.-Former Duke University men's soccer head coach John Rennie will be honored for his success in and service to the game of soccer when he is inducted into the North Carolina Hall of Fame on Jan. 22. The longtime coach led Duke to the school's first NCAA title in any sport when the Blue Devils captured the 1986 NCAA Championship.

Former MLS star and general manager Alexi Lalas knows why Akron keeps producing pros.

''It's the coach, No. 1,'' Lalas said on ESPN during the MLS draft. ''It's a factory. What he's done there is say, 'I'm going to make it a professional environment.