The first annual ASA Columbus Day Recreational Soccer Tournament will be over the 2006 Columbus Day weekend, October 7 & 8.

The Tournament is open to U9 - U14 ASA rec teams:

• Each team is guaranteed four games.
• Each player receives a ticktet to the DC United game, Saturday, October 7, and a Tournament t-shirt.
• The cost is $10 per player.

Fifty-nine ASA coaches received their Double-Goal Coach certification card at the Positive Coaching Alliance Workshop last Saturday.

See The Positive Coach Mental Model for a sample of what they learned.

ASA will continue to offer PCA workshops throughout the year, including on-line courses.

• Soccer Clinic: Creating a Competitive Team

Veteran ASA coach John Sullivan gave an on-field coaching clinic on Saturday. He used players to demonstrate how to run an effective soccer practice, teach the three skills that make a good soccer player and a competitive soccer team.

John will repeat the clinic next season.

• The Novice Coach DVD

The DVD "The Novice Coach: An Introduction to Coaching Youth Soccer" is for coaches of U6 - U10 teams. The 45-minute DVD was created by US Youth Soccer.

Contact your club manager for a copy of this DVD. ASA has ordered additional DVDs if your manager's stock is depleted.

To add a coach, co-coach, or a team manager to the Coach Email List, go to the ASA Coaches web page, and click on the Join ASA Coach Email List button.

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Instructions to referees on the offside rule are changing to promote more attacking soccer.

Interpretations of the offside rule now favor offense over the defense, according to a letter from the Virginia Youth Soccer Association (VYSA).

Fewer “good” goals should be called back and the game should now flow more with fewer interruptions. Referees are told, “If in doubt, keep the flag down and do not call offside.”

U8, 9, 10 5v5 rec play:
  -  For U8, only flagrant offside should be called, and then the ref should be informing the coaches and briefly instructing the players.
  -  For U9 and U10, offside should be called.

There are still on-the-field opportunities for your teams at DC UNITED games. For example, the "Fair Play" package allows ASA players to carry the banners and flags onto the field as part of the pre-game activities -- National anthem, line-up introductions, etc. See ASA DC United web page for details.

There are three regular-season home matches left:

1. 09/23 – Saturday New York Red Bulls 7:30
2. 10/07 – Saturday New England Revolution 7:30.
3. 10/15 – Sunday Chicago Fire 5:00

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An exciting addition to this year’s program is the “Win a Free Soccer Season Sweepstakes.”