WELCOME!

Greetings, Hamilton JV/Varsity girls soccer family!

We coaches are super excited for the season and first want to make sure we are all set with "business" matters from the outset!

Looking forward to a great start!

Tentative Schedule for the next 1.5 Weeks

**Monday, March 20: outdoor training 3:15-5:15 PM (wear black team shirts)

**Tuesday, March 21: JV volunteer work 2:45-5 PM/Varsity training 3-5 PM (wear gray)

**Wednesday, March 22: Varsity volunteer work 2:45-5 PM/JV 3:15-5:15 PM training (wear black)...Parent Meeting at 6:30 beginning in the HS cafe and ending in my classroom for Varsity parents. JV parents will end in the HS Forum Room with Coach Hoffman.

**Thursday, March 23: outdoor training 3:15-5:15 PM (wear gray)

**Friday, March 24: outdoor training 3:15 - 5:15 PM (wear black)

**Saturday, March 25: JV/Varsity GVSU preseason exhibition tournament (more details to come!)

**Monday, March 27: outdoor training 3:15-5:15 PM (wear black)

**Tuesday, March 28: outdoor training 3:15 - 5:15 PM (wear gray)...Varsity team dinner at the Robinsons' 5:30-6:30 PM.

**Wednesday, March 29: game at Hastings (wear black)...details to come!

**Thursday/Friday, March 30/31: NO PRACTICE

**Spring Break: NO REQUIRED ACTIVITY BUT OPTIONS TO BE DETERMINED!

**Note: For all away games, JV and Varsity players are required to ride the team bus to and from the venue. For home games, JV players are required to view at least one half of the varsity contest. Thanks for understanding the need to support each other and continue to build relationships!  

**Note: Team pictures will take place sometime this coming week, I believe??? Stay tuned...

Another Change!

Just found out that the T.K. game is now May 19th and not May 12th! Roll with the punches, yes? :)

Season Schedule Changes

Please take note:

**The pre-Spring Break game vs. T.K. is now changed to Friday, May 12.

**The JV team will now participate with the Varsity team (on the same day in their own separate scrimmages) in the Saturday, March 25 tournament at G.V.S.U. More details to come!

5 v. 5 Hamilton Holiday Co-ed Indoor Soccer Tourney 2016!

If any current male or female Hamilton student is interested in Hamilton soccer program's annual 5 v. 5 Co-ed Indoor Soccer Tourney, please see either Mr. Robinson or Mrs. Robinson asap for registration forms. You can also visit the main office for copies. Registration is due no later than Wednesday, Dec. 7. Non-soccer players are welcome and encouraged as well!

3-1 Loss to Gull Lake...and More!

Ladies,

Please keep heads up tonight and for the future! Proud of you for going toe-to-toe with the defending champs. And overall, we have much to be proud of (and much to improve on!) regarding the body of work this season!

At this point, please plan on the following in the near future:

**This Thursday, June 2: team meeting in my room at 3 PM (until roughly 3:45/4) to turn in uniform items, chat, reflect, etc.

**Next Monday, June 6: program-wide Dessert Banquet at 6:30 PM in the HS Forum Room. Dress up, bring a dessert to pass, bring your own beverages/utensils, celebrate the season, etc.!

THANKS FOR A GREAT SEASON, GIRLS SOCCER FAM! THE FUTURE IS BRIGHTER THAN EVER! :)

This Week: A CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK!

Hello, everyone! Hope the holiday weekend is treating you all well???

This a special, history-making week coming up here for Hamilton Girls Soccer:

**Monday (Memorial Day): 4-530 PM practice on the game field...wear gray...vote on alternate team captain... POTLUCK DINNER TO FOLLOW IN THE HS CAFE. Done by 6 pm-ish.
**Tuesday: home game vs. Gull Lake (5 PM). Meet in my classroom by 2:45 PM. What to wear in school = TBD. What to eat for team meal = TBD. WIN!
**Wednesday: practice 3-5 PM...wear black.
**Thursday: 3 PM game vs. Wayland/Hastings winner (at Mattawan). Details TBD. WIN!
**Friday: practice 3-5 PM...wear gray.
**Saturday: 2 PM District Championship game @ Mattawan. WIN!
**Monday, June 6: Dessert Banquet @ 6:30 PM (HS Forum Room) 

Note: I sincerely hope Friday's practice was somehow fruitful for all...all things considering. Always remember: WE CAN DO THIS...TOGETHER!

See you all soon!

4-1 Win vs. Comstock Park

As was mentioned after the game today, ladies, no matter the final score, I was simply impressed by our overall ball movement, possession, mature/safe defending, and overall play! It was an overall impressive performance by our team and a positive dose of confidence to end the regular season.

And now...

...the stakes are higher, the opponent is greater...blah blah blah...and we handle it all!

Time for Districts, Gull Lake, Wayland/Hastings winner, etc., etc. LET'S DO THIS!

See you tomorrow for 3-4 PM practice...wear gray. AND HAPPY GRADUATION DAY, SENIORS! :)

Upcoming Week...and a Bit Beyond!

Hello, all! What a beautiful weekend already! Hope all is well with all of you.

Thanks for making the end of this past week a positive one, girls. Please remember the helpful, insightful words of wisdom mentioned by many of you during our impromptu outdoor team meeting this past Thursday. Friendly reminder of the theme of that convo: HOW DO WE KEEP OUR RESOLVE, STAY MOTIVATED, AND KEEP THIS THING GOING IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION! :)

Important times are upon us...for many reasons. What can you specifically and we as a team do to FINISH STRONG?!

Here's the tentative schedule for this upcoming week and a bit beyond...our last regular season week of the season:

**Monday: practice 3-5 PM...wear gray...vote on alternative team captain for the week (any "theme" will do).
**Tuesday: practice 3-5 PM...wear black.
**Wednesday: home game vs. Comstock Park at 5 PM (no JV game)...PARENT NIGHT (ALL PARENTS)...announcements/introductions occur at halftime of the game...what to wear in school = TBD...meet in my room by 245 PM...FOOD/BEVERAGES = BRING YOUR OWN UNLESS SOMEONE WANTS TO STEP UP TO PROVIDE (IN THAT CASE, LET ME KNOW ASAP!)! WIN!
**Thursday: practice 3-4 PM...wear gray.
**Friday: practice 3-5 PM...wear black.
**Weekend: Team Sleepover??? 
**Monday (MEMORIAL DAY): 4-530 PM practice...wear gray...Team Pot-luck Dinner in the HS cafe at 530 PM.
**Tuesday: home District game vs. Gull Lake at 5 PM. More details to come! WIN!

Once again, LET'S FINISH STRONG, LADIES! MUCH LEFT TO WORK FOR...INCLUDING 4 OF 5 TEAM GOALS: ACADEMICS, HALFTIME LEADS, WIN A DISTRICT GAME...AND STAY TOGETHER!!!

Take care, and see you all on Monday ready to work and get better in practice.

1-0 Double OT Loss at H.C.

Keep those collective heads up, girls! Tough one last night, but again, it was mostly an effort to be proud of vs. a tough team on a challenging field. Let's take some positives out of it, and learn from the rest!

Now, we move on, welcome with open arms Maddie, Morgan, and Shania to the team, get better at practice (practice field today...wear gray), and keep smilin'!

Two guaranteed games left in the season....FINISH STRONG! 

3-1 Win vs. Byron Center...and Updates

First, the updates, all:

**Next Wednesday's Parent Night home game is TENTATIVELY now set for a 5 PM start...with halftime now reserved for the introductions of respective families (approx. 5:40 PM).  Hope that will allow for as many parents as possible to be a part of the special day! Please be near the scoreboard with roughly 5 mins. left in the first half!

**We will have a (near) end-of-season program-wide Dessert Banquet on Monday, June 6 at 6:30 P.M. in the high school Forum Room. Girls, please "dress up", bring a dessert to pass for the whole group as well as personal beverages and utensils. Now, I say "near end-of-season" since I fully plan on us still playing a REGIONAL GAME on that following Tuesday! :)  Just have to get the Banquet in before the end of the school year is all. :)

Ok, the rest...

Nice job last night overall, girls! Especially after an extra challenging past week. Loved how you responded immediately after going down a goal early on and then holding a halftime lead (team goal), taking care of business, and getting back in the win column...and on a Monday!  wink wink....

Now, as mentioned today in practice, we have a TREMENDOUS opportunity tomorrow in our last conference game at Holland Christian:  a.) become the first Hamilton team (male/female) EVER to win a game on H.C.'s home turf and b.) probably jump Z. West in the final conference standings to finish alone in 3rd place in the league. WE CAN DO THIS!!!  Believe it, first and foremost.

FINISH STRONG!

Current Challenging Week...and a BETTER Week Ahead!

Stating the obvious, ladies, the week hasn't gone quite as planned, but such is life! Handling "challenges" and subsequently growing in positive directions as a result is KEY! And that's just what we need to do (and WILL do) starting at practice today, heading into the weekend, and facing another set of conference opponents next week.

We can do this!

Speaking of next week:

**Sunday: optional/informal team training!
**Monday: home game vs. B. Center...what to wear in school = TBD...meet in my room by 2:45 PM...Katyln = food/vid...Kirby/Jos = ball girls. WIN!
**Tuesday: 3-5 PM practice...wear black. TEAM DINNER AT KORA'S AT 5:30 PM.
**Wednesday: game at H.C. (both teams = 4 PM...our game is on their normal turf field!)...bus leaves at 245 PM...what to wear in school = TBD...Syd = food (lighter meal on the bus, please!)...WIN FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER ON THEIR FIELD!
**Thursday: 3-5 PM practice... wear gray.
**Friday: 3-4:30 PM practice WITH 7TH/8TH GRADE/JV TEAMS...WEAR OFFICIAL BLACK ADIDAS TEAM SHIRTS!

Prepare for success next week, ladies. Positive thoughts, positive words, and positive actions!

5-4 Loss at Holland

A challenging week continues, ladies! But luckily for us, we LOVE challenges, right?!

Keep those collective heads up, and please continue to realize that your life will go the way your thoughts and words go! Focus always on the positives...on improvements...on encouragement.

And BEAT WAYLAND! :)

2-0 Loss at Unity

Tough one last night, ladies. As mentioned after the game, from my standpoint, it seemed as though we played a bit scared as a team--quiet, lack of aggression at times, bunker mentality. That's no way to win a game...especially against a good team like Unity. Now mind you, Unity was good last night. Don't get me wrong. BUT we had something to do with that in my opinion. In other words, we made them look better than we should have. Live in learn!

It's a new day, and we get better today! Revenge/Rematch game at Holland tomorrow!

See you outside in the rain. :)

Upcoming Week

Hey hey, soccer fam!

Huge week coming up here with a handful of away matches and a gigantic rematch with Unity on Monday! Prepare, prepare, prepare! :)

Here is the week's tentative schedule:

**Monday: game at Unity (530 PM Varsity start)...what to wear in school = TBD...Taryn = vid/food...bus leaves at 245 PM...will eat on the bus...no need to be changed before then. WIN!
**Tuesday: practice 3-5 PM...wear gray
**Wednesday: game at Holland...what to wear in school = TBD...Kora = food/vid...bus leaves at 4 PM...meet in my room by 3 PM...1/2 day in school. WIN!
**Thursday: game at Wayland...what to wear in school = TBD...Nena = food/vid...bus leaves at 3:30 PM...meet in my room by 245 PM. WIN!
**Friday: practice 3-5 PM...wear black.

Note: Congrats to Ana Lopez for being selected by her peers recently as "alternate captain" for this upcoming week due to her "mental toughness"! On a side note, hudl footage/notes can/will certainly help you prepare for success this coming Monday and beyond!

Our team goals are in reach, ladies! Keep pushin' and finish strong!

And on Monday, you'll become the first Hamilton soccer team ever to beat Unity on their home field. Win the battle in your mind first and get it done! :)

NEW TEAM GOAL!

The girls decided on a new, worthy team goal today as a group:

WE WILL EARN A TEAM ACADEMIC ALL-STATE (3.3 TEAM GPA OR HIGHER) AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS SEASON!

Awesome idea as "student" always comes before "athlete". :)

2-1 Win vs. Zeeland West

Proud of you for fighting through many daunting factors last night in our huge game vs. Zeeland West, girls!

And to reverse our fortunes regarding Monday's H.C. game and ourselves punch one in the net with little time remaining was extra fitting and special.

Now it's time to recover, reflect, get better, and keep this thing going!

See you in my classroom with indoor gear, writing utensils, and reflective thoughts no later than 3 PM today!

Note: PLEASE BE REMINDED THAT OUR GAME AT UNITY THIS COMING MONDAY BEGINS AT 5:30 PM (JV = 4). BUS WILL LEAVE IMMEDIATELY AFTER SCHOOL, AND WE CAN HOPEFULLY DINE ON PRE-PACKAGED TEAM MEALS ON THE BUS RIDE!

1-0 Loss vs. H.C.

Hang in there, ladies!

Ya know what tonight meant??? We lost a soccer game...that's it. Nothing more, nothing less. We take it in stride, stay positive, and realize that there is a TON left to play for...including 1st place in the league!

Round two of OK Green conference matches begins Wednesday as we welcome Z. West to our place for a revenge game. Let's go!!

See ya tomorrow for practice (wear black) and another valuable opportunity to GET BETTER!

4-1 Win vs. Black River...and more!

Weekend greetings, all!

Was great to get the weekend started right with a business-like win vs. Black River last night, especially heading into a huge conference week for us coming up here! Nice overall job, girls.

So here goes with the tentative weekly schedule for said "huge" week:

**Monday: home game vs. Holland Christian...wear warmups in school...be in my room (BEFORE DRESSING) by 245 PM. Summer = food/vid...Noelle/Melinda = ball girls. WIN!
**Tuesday: practice 3-5...wear black
**Wednesday: home game vs. Z. West...what to wear in school = TBD...be in my room by 245 PM...Ana = food/vid...Dani/Frannie = ball girls...WIN!
**Thursday: practice 3-5...wear gray
**Friday: dressed and ready for practice by 3 PM in my room for a team meeting...will head out to practice field by 4 PM to help with Formidable Feet...WEAR OFFICIAL BLACK ADIDAS TEAM SHIRTS.

Notes: Congrats to Kirby for being chosen by her peers as an "alternate captain" for this upcoming week due to her physical toughness! Please be aware of your newest set of "soccer responsibilities" for this next week's activities on and off the field. And please note that we do NOT play at Wayland this coming Thursday but NEXT Thursday, May 12 instead!

Take care, all, and let's keep DREAMIN' and BELIEVIN'!

3-1 Win at Byron Center

Nice job last night, ladies, of keeping the confidence high, battling through it, and prevailing, especially after a somewhat frustrating halftime tie! Was proud to see you handle things maturely and take care of business in the end against a conference opponent that we should beat.

Can't wait to see us work hard in practice today, stay focused, get better, and prepare to BEAT BLACK RIVER tomorrow at our place! Let's keep climbin' that ladder.

Take care! :)

1-1 OT Tie vs. Holland

Ladies! Hope you are keeping your collective heads up today?? Hang in there and keep that confidence.

Let's also be honest with ourselves again though and acknowledge a partial opportunity lost last night against a team that we should beat. Right? In a way, I was glad to see the frustration on all of your faces after the game, because that means that you WANT to win every game and that you EXPECT to win every game as well. We need to continue to COMPETE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL DAY IN AND DAY OUT! Today's a new day, so put those smiles back on your faces. :)

Let's get better at practice today and be ready to battle (and BEAT) Byron Center at their place tomorrow!