2012 AbellFIFA Soccer Summary

Sorry Abellsoccer fans, but the final page has turned once again on the summer soccer season.  This year we finished with our best collective showing to date, winning 15 and losing 13 games.  Rebecca’s Shades of Green finished with the best results, grabbing 3^rd place in their age group with 6 wins and 5 losses.  Next in line was Jeremy’s Scotia Bank with 5 wins and 4 losses.  The twin’s NRG finished with a respectable 4-4.

Shades of Green U15

   Accomplishment wise, Shades of Green proved to be the most rewarding.  Having a very solid team, they seemed to carry the upper hand for many of their games, suffering the most when half of their team was absent for a field trip. 

   Our lovely girl went through the season without any points, a statistic that often proves discouraging for many young people.  Spending the entire season on defence however has not diminished her love for the game.  When asked why she likes to play soccer on a team where she has little opportunity to produce good offensive numbers she replied, “Because it’s fun!”

    Even without any measureable statistics, she has consistently proven her worth to the team.  Game after game, she has held her ground against boys twice her size and speed, and more often than not, the boys are the ones who land face down on the turf.

NRG U11

  For Matthew and Nathaniel’s NRG, the story tells itself entirely differently.  Opening the season with an impressive 7-0 victory, it seemed as if the team was destined for glory.  What you might find interesting, is that those 7 goals ended up accounting for 41% of the total goals scored for the entire season.  Win or lose, every game afterward was hard fought.

  Losing the next four games straight, the season seemed to be all but lost.  Whether it was the coach’s, “I believe in you, but you just haven’t proven yourselves” speech, a new work ethic, accepting the reality that the team can’t score more than 2 goals a game, the revamped defence or because the coaching staff stopped putting players where they wanted to play, we’ll never know.  What we do know, is that they finished the season winning 3 straight, against the top teams in their division, bringing their record even for the finish.  (And if the final game had have been any more exciting, I might have wet myself)

  Matthew continued to show his competency as a net minder, producing 4 shut-out halves.  Being scoreless for the season, he has improved greatly from last year, demonstrating greater stamina and being able to stay on his feet.  Nathaniel finished the season with one goal and two assists, his strength being his speed and endurance; capable of running the entire length of the field for multiple shifts, without becoming terribly fatigued.  His work ethic and stamina proved to be an incredible midfield advantage in every match.  Without the contributions of Matthew and Nathaniel, it is highly doubtful that the team could have ended its season on a winning note.

Scotia Bank U7

   Although pulling off a winning season, the narrative behind Jeremy’s Scotia Bank is not one of soccer greatness.  The challenges of U7 soccer had very little to do with the offensive prowess of the team, their skill level or speed.  Keeping 6 players on the field at the same time proved to be a struggle on its own.  Line changes were positively nightmarish, and for some games, one might wonder if they were even playing soccer at all.  Caring little whether won or lost, each player seemed to be content to just enjoy each other’s company and to ridicule the penmanship of their coach.  One young lady exclaimed, “Oh Mr. Abell, your writing is messy.  It’s so messy, I have to show my mom!”  And show her mom she did.

  In spite of the lack of serious military style discipline, Scotia Bank finished the season with a 5-4 record.  It is probably the very absence of serious soccer mindedness that made this team the most enjoyable experience of the season.

  Jeremy has demonstrated his ability to perform well no matter where he is placed.  Scoring a hat-trick in his second last game, he has given every indication that he can produce excellent offensive numbers.  Game after game he also proved completely solid as a defenseman, and when given the opportunity in net, shown himself to be both aggressive and trustworthy in the role.   For the family as a whole Jeremy led the Abell family with 4 goals and one shut-out half.

   That’s all of this year friends.  Until next time, remember, physical fitness isn’t nearly as important as spiritual fitness!