Issue 3, July 2024

Amy Christensen - Board President

Dear Members,

Over the last nine months since I became president of the HYSA Board, the Board has heard from many of you - directly and indirectly, in emails, calls, and in person.  The feedback is appreciated and welcome as it keeps the Board informed and aware of both positive experiences and areas where we can improve.

I have also noticed that at times, some comments go beyond the constructive criticism that helps us become better.  Discourteous comments have been addressed to referees, field marshals, managers, staff, and others and can contribute to a negative culture that can affect the entire club. I recognize this is not exclusively an HYSA issue, but it is one over which we all have control and responsibility.

HYSA is a nonprofit, member-based organization.  It belongs to all of us. We all have a responsibility to engage with each other and HYSA in a way that creates the type of positive environment we all want for our kids. This does not mean criticism is not appropriate.  In fact, the opposite is true.  Constructive feedback is welcome and often leads to improvement. In offering such criticism, we invite members to join us in trying to tackle the challenges that our club faces. We can do more together than we can separately.

To this end, we are creating a group within the club comprised of Board members and representatives from each program - Micro, HYSL, Academy, and Arsenal.  This will allow us to obtain feedback from these programs, to hear directly about member experience, and to intentionally work toward improving club culture.  If you are interested in participating, please email me at amynd92@msn.com.

In addition, the Board will be adding a “member comment” time to its monthly meeting agenda so that we can hear from members with their feedback and ideas.  The Board meetings are on the third Monday of the month at 5:30, and members can participate in person or virtually.  Please check the website for location and time in case there are any changes.

Lastly, we have a few openings for on the HYSA Board of Directors, which we would like to fill by our annual general meeting in September.  This is a great opportunity to become more involved and help us continue to move the club forward.  Please watch for additional information about how to apply.

We welcome you to engage the club with your feedback - to help us celebrate accomplishments and experiences and to work together to address areas for improvement.  HYSA is all of us, and we are all HYSA. 

Let’s all participate in building the culture we want for our kids.

Amy

Caitlin Rivers - HYSL & Micro Director

A Quick Look Back and a BIG Thank You !

After another successful spring season with 11 preschool micro groups comprising of 135 players and 52 HYSL teams comprising of 540 players, I am excited for the growth we hope to achieve for the 2024 Fall season.

The success of our recreational program would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of our volunteer coaches, who take time out of their busy everyday lives to ensure our players have a memorable soccer experience.

A big THANK YOU to the 68 individuals who volunteer to coach this past spring season!

 

HYSL All Girls 5^th- 8^th Grade Division

Seeking female 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade players for the 2024 fall season!

For the upcoming 2024 fall season, our HYSL recreational program is looking to restructure the 5^th-8^th grade division by creating all girls’ teams and all boys’ teams. While this split has been a goal over the past few seasons, it has been unable to occur due to the number of registered players in the upper grade levels.

With the continuous interest being expressed by our HYSL families, specifically those families of female players, and reviewing the number of potential players for the upcoming 2024 fall season, this restructuring is now a real possibility. However, in order to create the all girls’ teams in 5^th-8^th grade division, we need additional female players to register for the 2024 fall season.

Registration for HYSL Fall 2024 opened at the end of June and will close on Sunday, August 11.

REGISTER HERE FOR HYSL

REGISTER HERE FOR MICRO

We could use your help! So, please spread the word to any potential players.

Caitlin

Pete Johnson - Director of Coaching

Dear HYSA Families,

Thank you all for an incredible spring soccer season! We have lots of exciting news to share since our last newsletter.

We are thrilled to announce that six HYSA Arsenal teams (G2011, G2010, G2008, B2010, B2007, and B2005) have qualified for the 2024 Montana State Cup! These teams earned their spots by competing in the Premier League through the Montana Youth Soccer Association (MYSA). A special shoutout to our 2010 Girls’ team, who have advanced to the next round in the 2024 Far West Presidents Cup in Salt Lake City, UT. Way to go, teams!

Our spring soccer registration numbers were fantastic: 135 for Micro, 540 for HYSL, 110 for Arsenal Academy, and 236 for Arsenal. Thank you to all our players, families, coaches, volunteers, and supporters for making this season so much fun.

This spring, five of our coaches worked towards their USSF D License. The D License is a crucial step in the coaching pathway through US Soccer, following the in-person 7v7, 9v9, and 11v11 courses. There are many opportunities to obtain coaching certifications through the US Soccer Learning Center and other organizations. US Soccer is the pathway MYSA requires our coaches to follow. If you have any questions about coaching education or becoming a coach, please reach out to me.

A special thank you to Arsenal coach Hallee Frandsen, who partnered with Dave Thorvilson (Carroll College Women’s Head Soccer Coach) and Austin Shick (Carroll College Men’s Head Soccer Coach) to guide our high school players through the college recruiting process. Thank you, Coach Hallee and Coach Austin!

Summer camps are in full swing across the community. It’s wonderful to see so many of our players participating in HYSA camps and other local soccer camps. We can’t wait to see all the improvements our players bring back to the pitch.

In July, many of our HYSA soccer players will head to Butte, MT to try out alongside the top players in the state for a chance to join Montana’s Olympic Development Program (ODP). Good luck to all our players attending these events!

Over the past season, I’ve been in discussions with other club directors in the state to explore additional competition and player development opportunities that fit with our Fall and Spring Seasons. We’re excited to announce a partnership with Montana (Bozeman) Surf to play in the Rocky Mountain Junior Premier League. This player-focused collaboration aims to foster positive youth soccer club cooperation in Montana. We’re thrilled to offer our players this opportunity to extend their season and proudly represent HYSA.

Our coaches are also invited to be part of this exciting partnership. I will personally participate in the inaugural season between our clubs to advocate for our players and facilitate smooth cooperation.

I am working on developing new training program for our HYSA players and families for the Fall pre-season.  The program will cater to our U9 – U15 players and all our coaches. It will be run by an outside company and funded through our grassroots fundraising efforts. Thank you to all our families for your hard work and support. We are excited to offer this new opportunity.  Stay tuned for an announcement as the program becomes a reality.

As always, thank you for everything you do for our club as we continue to grow and develop our youth within our community.

With gratitude,

Pete

Greg Bibeau - Academy Director

As Summer kicks into full gear in Helena, this is a good time to thank our amazing Academy Coaches for a great Spring season. 

Thanks to you we were able to provide fun soccer for 110 Academy boys (u9-u11) and girls (u9-u11) this past season.  Coaches, you are the best!

This is also a great time to reflect on how individual players improve.

Soccer practices help individual players improve a little, but not nearly as much as when individuals spend time playing the game they love for fun and working on skills with a ball on their own.

For parents with children who love “screen time”, consider this.  Create a daily checklist for your child to complete before they are permitted to view any screens.  You could have them read for a certain amount of time, complete basic daily house chores, and exercise (or play outside) for a predetermined amount of time before they can have access to screens.

Within the exercise piece, as a soccer coach and parent, I might insert an amount of time playing soccer or a number of touches on a soccer ball, doing moves, juggling, or kicking a ball against a wall.  Players that do a little bit with a ball every day show marked improvement over players who only touch a ball at official club practices and games.

Food for thought, and happy Summer!

Greg

Phil McGovern - Executive Director

Siebel Soccer Complex Fields Conditions

As you are well aware, our fields are not in the condition that I, our staff, your Board, coaches, players, and our supporters expect.

We hoped our natural grass turf fields would have been in tip-top shape for the Spring season and the two state tournaments our association hosted. We would fully appreciate your sympathetic understanding of our past and current frustrations and difficulties, as described below.

Here in Helena, we had a cold year that lingered into May, making our usual early turf watering schedule problematic. Our high-capacity water well has above-ground components, and turning those on would have carried a major risk of freezing and bursting system components and the irrigation system.

We also experienced problems with our pumps failing to work, as well as electrical and water-holding issues in our pump house.

Due to these problems, watering cycles were substantially below what we usually plan for, and the grass turf fields paid the price.

Our club and fields are now experiencing the effects of malicious tampering with irrigation valve boxes and components. Despite this, we are pushing through to properly care for our fields.

Going forward, we will be sinking water wellhead operations to a vault below ground, which will allow us to maintain a proper watering cycle schedule earlier in the Spring.

We are also preparing lids and locking hardware for our irrigation/sprinkler stations.

Our fields will be in much better shape for the Fall season. We look forward to seeing our members' turf field conditions expectations met and hosting our Sleeping Giant Tournament on October 11-13.

Financial Assistance

HYSA is committed to ensuring that financial restraints do not inhibit any player in the Helena area from participating in soccer.

Financial aid is handled on a case-by-case basis and is offered at all levels of play. If your family wants to play soccer and has a hardship preventing one or more children from playing I encourage you to get in touch with me. We have helped many families over the past seasons and we can assist you.

Please email me, executivedirector@helenasoccer.org to let me know privately and securely the reasons for hardship and your financial situation.

For more information visit our Policies Page

Play Fair, Be Respectful, Have Fun!

Phil

Save the date: October 11-13

Watch for announcements with volunteer opportunities for ways to help the club create a memorable experience for the players.

2024 is the 11th year of the Sleeping Giant Soccer Classic, which is the unofficial conclusion of  Montana's Fall season of competitive soccer.

Gina Morigeau, LE - Licensed Medical Aesthetician

St. Peter’s Health Plastic Surgery and Medical Aesthetics

Choosing and Using Sunscreen

Summer is on the horizon and that means there are a lot of sunny days ahead! Great weather leads to more exposure to the sun which, when not done safely, can result in skin damage. Did you know that at least twenty five percent of our lifetime sun exposure happens during childhood and adolescence? Since children spend a lot of time outdoors, especially in the summer, it's important to protect them. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, more than 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every day in the United States. Skin cancer is the most preventable of all the cancers and there are precautions you can take every day to limit your exposure and risk. Here are some tips on how to safely enjoy those days outside and avoid too much exposure to the sun’s harmful rays. 

Who needs sunscreen? 

Everyone! It is recommended that men, women, and children over six months old, regardless of their skin tone or tendency to burn, wear sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor or “SPF” of 30 or higher. Babies under the age of six months have very sensitive skin and have a harder time regulating their body temperature. It is safer to keep this age range out of the sun and use shade and sun protective clothing instead.

What type of sunscreens are there? 

There are a lot of different sunscreens out there and the choices can be overwhelming, so let’s break it down. There are two types of sunscreen:

• Chemical sunscreen protects skin by absorbing UV rays like a sponge which are then converted into heat that is released by the skin. Chemical sunscreens are absorbed into the skin so they tend to rub in easily and do not leave a white cast, but it does take about 20 to 30 minutes before it starts working. The active ingredients include avobenzone, octinoxate, and oxybenzone.
• Mineral or physical sunscreen sits on top of the skin creating a barrier that rays reflect off of before they reach the skin. It can be a little harder to rub in and may leave a little white cast on the skin. Mineral sunscreen starts to work as soon as it is applied. The active ingredients are Zinc Oxide and Titanium dioxide

Which sunscreen is best? 

Both chemical and mineral SPF have been tested as safe and effective, so the best sunscreen is the sunscreen that you and your family will actually want to use! Make sure to use a sunscreen that says “broad-spectrum” on the label meaning it blocks both UVA and UVB rays.

When do I apply sunscreen? 

For sunscreen to do its job, it must be used correctly. Here are a few tips how:

• Apply sunscreen daily, and especially when you and your family are going to be out in the sun. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends a sunscreen with a SPF of 15 if you are indoors for most of the day with occasional sun exposure (like walking your dog or driving to school or work), and a SPF of 30 or higher if you plan on spending a lot of time outdoors. 
• It is recommended to apply your sunscreen before you get dressed every day to account for shifting clothing or if you remove layers throughout the day. Try to apply it 15-30 minutes before going outside. Don’t forget to cover your ears, feet, ankles, and neck!
• Apply sunscreen generously! Dermatologists recommend using one ounce of sunscreen (enough to fill a shot glass or plastic medicine cup) to cover exposed areas of the entire body.
• Apply a water-resistant sunscreen if you will be around water or swimming. The water reflects and intensifies the sun’s rays so protection that lasts is important. Be sure to reapply after swimming or excessive sweating.
• No matter the SPF you choose, reapplication every two hours is key.

Consistently wearing sunscreen with a SPF 30 or higher and limiting your sun exposure will greatly reduce your risk of skin cancer and teach your kids good “sun sense.” It is important to remember that skin damage is cumulative, meaning it adds up over time, so the earlier you start your kid on a good skin protection routine, the better. Enjoy the sun safely as a family this summer!

Justin Harcrow - Montana SRA/SYRA

https://mtsra.org

I wanted to share some end of MYSA Spring League season numbers with you all. Note that all numbers are based on U11-U19, Premier, Select, Classic and Academy league games. (No U9/U10, friendlies or tournaments included.)

• 405 Referees were assigned to at least one league game. This is up by almost 100 from 2023!
• 7 referees will receive the 24+ league game bonus of $300.
• 52 referees will receive the 12-23 league game bonus of $150.
• There were 100 games out of 918 played that were missing at least one AR. (AKA, there were games for referees to cover and get paid for!)
• There are only 5 missing game reports out of 918 played!

Here is a top 10 with ties for number of games worked. Please give them, and everyone else that helped make the league happen, a round of applause. 

1. (29) William Owen
2. (29) Heather Boese
3. (28) Abe Hinderaker
4. (28) Josh Noem (Helena)
5. (27) Darren Bayer
6. (25) Reda Haddouch
7. (24) Jace Duffield
8. (23) Felix Moran
9. (22) Randal Rake (Helena)
10. (21) Ryan Traynor
11. (21) Travis Dye
12. (21) Brian Livdahl
13. (21) Frances Smith

Last but not least, give Edwin Pryor (Helena) Josh Noem (Helena) and Jace Duffield (Great Falls) a cheer for being recognized at the 2024 Far West Region Presidents Cup in Salt Lake City with Finals assignments and a big thank you to our Montana referees that worked hard in the 96 degree heat for 3 days. All worked a semi-final match except for Claire, but she was playing also. 

Jace and Josh were both selected to represent the Region IV referees at the next level National Presidents Cup in Kansas.

2024 Far West Region Presidents Cup Montana Referees

L to R

Justin Harcrow

Jace Duffield: U18/U19 Boys Final AR1

Josh Noem: U13 Boys Final  Referee (Helena)

Edwin Pryor: U14 Girls Final 4th (Helena)

Michael Karl

Abe Hinderaker

Clark Karl

Scott Holton (Not Pictured)

Randy Burrington (Not Pictured) (Helena)

Claire Wrobleski (Not Pictured)

 

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Issue 2, March 2024

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