The Iowa Lakes Soccer Program

cristiano ronaldo

2011-02-15T07:00:00.000-08:00

I wonder how many times Christiano Ronaldo missed training because he was sick?!

Back to Class

2011-01-13T11:06:00.000-08:00

Today has been a great day seeing all of the soccer players return from break and get back into the swing of things! The new players are getting to meet the team and everyone has been very positive about this upcoming semester. The halls are full of soccer players so everyone can tell that our family is growing little by little :)

This has nothing to do with soccer...but, this is the way OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM should sound...

2011-01-03T16:42:00.000-08:00

THIS is the Land of Opportunity! Please listen to the entire anthem...it is is with PRIDE that it is presented.

Here is a GREAT Example of the Relationships We are Trying to Build at Iowa Lakes Soccer...

2011-01-03T08:11:00.000-08:00

Awards Banquet

2010-12-07T07:03:00.000-08:00

Tonight we will be having our first ever Iowa Lakes Soccer awards banquet. This banquet will be held to look at the accomplishments that both teams had this season and to honor certain individuals for their play on the field. Randy Cauthron from the Spencer Daily Reporter will be our honorary Guest Speaker and will address the team before our meal. It will be a great time for everyone!!

Coach Jess runs in the Living History Farm's Run in Des Moines

2010-11-23T08:59:00.000-08:00

Asst. Women's coach Jessica Cannova ran in the Living History Farms 7-mile fun run this past weekend in Des Moines and made the cut for the 2010 video! Check out the 5:50 mark at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX6rv3xdmX0

Back to Work

2010-11-09T07:04:00.000-08:00

Now that the season is over we are getting back to work with our post season training as well as daily study halls. We have obligations that we need to hold up and are taking the steps to become more responsible. Tomorrow marks the first day of our 5:30am morning workouts which will in turn get us in game shape for our trip to Texas!! The Laker family is working hard to build our program and this is just one of the many ways we are going to be better.

Check us out!!

2010-10-25T12:42:00.000-07:00

We have started another blog that will be very exciting for everyone to check out! This blog will have details of our upcoming bike ride from Spencer, IA to Lewisville, TX. There will be much more information about the ride at the blog site, so check us out and let us know what you think!!

Boot, Scoot, and Pedal: The Trail to Texas

Last Regular Season Games

2010-10-22T07:22:00.000-07:00

This Saturday the Iowa Lakers play their last regular season game here at "The Lakehouse" against Iowa Central. These games will help finalize the playoff games and decide where we go next Tuesday and Wednesday. The women play at 2pm with the men following at 4! Please invite your friends and come support your team!!

Conference Play

2010-10-12T06:33:00.000-07:00

Today the Men at Iowa Lakes go to Mason City, IA to play the number 1 team in the conference. As of right now big things are happening in the standings on the Men's side, as Iowa Lakes has moved up to 3rd place. Not only are we 3rd in the conference right now but Pancho Ochoa is the leading scorer in the region, Joel Gurrola is leading shots saved percentage in the region, and Leradee Fomsi is leading the game winning goals category!! With a big win tonight we will continue to hold a high spot in the region and look to the possibility of hosting a game for playoffs!! Keep us in your thoughts and wish us the best of luck.

Big Story on Iowa Lakes Soccer! :)

2010-09-13T06:30:00.000-07:00

Check out the story that KTIV News Channel 4 put together on the Iowa Lakes Soccer Program!! The video is about 2:30 minutes and was filmed during our first team fitness test of the year. Let us know what you think!!

Players Making a Difference in the Community

2010-09-11T08:30:00.000-07:00

Service. This is something that the Iowa Lakes Soccer program has tried to instill in our athletes since the start of both programs. Last year during the men's inaugural season, they participated with the local recycling center in helping sort recyclables and used their manpower to assist an elderly woman move out of her house and into a new one.

This year the men's and women's team have already doubled the hours of service that they had accomplished last year, starting in the second week of preseason. Every athlete from each team helped coach basic soccer skills to the local youth at a YMCA Soccer Camp this August. They also joined KICD radio and assisted an elderly lady in the painting of her house. Because of all of the help, the painting was finished in half the time as expected.

Since then, both teams have gotten the 'service bug' and have been signing up for volunteer work on their own. Karen Sosa and Annie Brophy have been putting in survey service hours at the Clay County Fair this year, along with Angel Murphey who served as "Woodsy the Recycling Owl" and helped with the balloon brigade. Angel went above and beyond in her call of service by dressing up as the mascot and interacting with little kids and adults encouraging them to recycle. Tom Boe and Jade Martin were also just a few of the athletes who volunteered their time to film a recycling commercial for the Clay County Fair. Also tonight, half of the men's team will be helping the Cattleman's Club at the Branding Iron helping with all aspects of running the restaurant.

Both teams have been making a huge difference in the community already, we look forward to seeing the impact they make the rest of the year!

Double Header

2010-09-09T08:56:00.001-07:00

9/11/10

This saturday we will be hosting Anoka Ramsey at "The Lakehouse". The Women's team will play at 1:00pm with the Men's team following at 3pm. Come out and bring the family for a fun filled day of Iowa Lakes Soccer!!

Remember there is no charge to get in so invite everyone you know :)

2010-08-27T06:53:00.000-07:00

Home Soccer Game
Iowa Lakes Community College vs.
Dakota County Community College

Friday, August 27th
5:00 pm – Men
7:00 pm - Women

“The Lakehouse”
1250 10th Avenue East

ILCC vs. BVU Scrimmage Wed.

2010-08-24T06:03:00.000-07:00

ILCC will be scrimmaging BVU this Wednesday at BVU. The Lady Lakers will kick off at 11AM and the Men will kick off at 1PM. Come out and show your support to the Lakers last preseason scrimmage!

Morning Fitness

2010-08-11T05:26:00.000-07:00

This morning the Men's and Women's Soccer teams went for a run through downtown Spencer. The returning players lead the run and gave the new players a tour of the town while getting in a nice workout. So far everyone is putting in the necessary work to help prepare for the season and the coaching staff couldn't be happier. Remember to check out the game schedule posted on-line at www.iowalakes.edu in the athletics link!

Have a Laugh!!

2010-07-29T07:56:00.000-07:00

Here is a funny goal celebration that we wanted to share!! Counting down to the first day of pre-season and everyone is getting more and more excited

13 Days

2010-07-26T07:08:00.000-07:00

As the time before pre-season gets shorter the excitement for the season grows. There are many new ideas, themes, and players soon to join the Laker Soccer Family and the coaching staff are doing our best to prepare for them. Our schedule for the year is posted on the iowalakes.edu athletics soccer pages and we are working out the final schedule for pre-season camp. It is going to be another tough season with its own obstacles to overcome but that is what makes this game great. With each new opponent we have to show what we are made of and what makes us a Laker!

Happy Birthday Coach Jayke!

2010-07-20T06:32:00.000-07:00

Coach Jayke turned the big 2-4 last week, and we helped him celebrate at El Parion with the grand sombraro! Happy Birthday Coach Jayke

2010-07-15T08:59:00.000-07:00

Pre-Season Starts!!

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-06T04:05:00.000-07:00

We hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend and got out to see some fireworks and enjoy a BBQ! The weather cooperated in most areas which provided the perfect weather for some outdoor activities! This weekend was one of the last times the coaching staff will have to relax as we are in gear for the upcoming seasons. After our bike ride we have all settled back into working hard to make sure all of the athletes have a fantastic experience playing soccer here at Iowa Lakes. If you would like to see our schedule for the upcoming season, go ahead and look at it on our website!

http://www.iowalakes.edu/athletics/soccer_men/schedule.htm

USA, USA, USA....

2010-06-25T15:32:00.000-07:00

After traveling 890 miles on a bicycle throughout a very small portion of the United States of America, midwest...the Iowa Lakes Soccer coaching staff had a new perception of American people and the beautiful American landscape the last few weeks.

But, personally, after serving 6 years to help preserve our freedom as a member of the United States Navy....the U.S. National Soccer team has finally demonstrated what many of us strive for on a daily basis through the simply and beautiful game of soccer. A work hard, positive and never say quite attitude that embodies the values that MOST Americans strive for.

After watching the following video, I, Kevin Farley...the strong, tough person that doesn't show much feeling...honestly, broke down ito tears. The celebration the unfolds around the world due to the goal by Landon Donovan is the exact reason that we, in America, grow up living the dream and playing a variety of sports.

I love America. I love the game of soccer. I dream of Landon Donovan and his fellow teammates to continue exhibiting this "never say quite" attitude and shocking the world, and all those Americans that always said soccer was never a sport. If you are American...you will support this attitude...this team...this will. Please enjoy the video.

USA, USA, USA!!!!!

Views from the Bike Trail....

2010-06-12T09:31:00.000-07:00

Biking through the hilly backwoods of the "Stagecoach Trail" in Illinois.

Halfway Home...

2010-06-12T09:30:00.001-07:00

Four and a half days and the Iowa Lakes coaching staff have met there goal of biking to Rockford, IL. Now all we have to do is make it back to Spencer.

The trip has been amazing. Although we had anticipated a 400-mile ride to Rockford...we have now biked 460 miles one-way. It was so difficult, but the feeling of jubilation that we felt upon riding out bicycles into Rockford was an amazing one.

As you can see by the picture, we celebrated as if we had just won a regional championship soccer game!

We knew this trip would be very difficult...but, we didn't realize how we would feel when we conquered feats such as riding through the "Stagecoach Trail" in Illinois...or outrunning "Beethoven" the killer St. Benard...or seeing the beauty of the backroads and rivers in American...or crossing the "Mighty Mississip"...etc.

According to my bicycle odometer, I have personally burned over 13,000 calories on my 4 1/2 day ride. Now we are going to enjoy the USA vs. England match today and watch more games at the Watermelon Soccer Tournament...and relax, before departing again on Monday morning to head back home.

We will take a different route on the way back that will lead us through the southern parts of Wisconsin and the possibility of experiencing one of the many Wisconsin Cheese Factories.

We have achieved the first part of our goal by arriving on bike to Rockford...the next step will be arriving back home. Both are feats that many people told us that...we couldn't do.

Views from the Bike Trail...

2010-06-08T14:52:00.000-07:00

Day 2 Departure from host family's home in Fort Dodge, IA at 6am.

Views from the Bike Trail...

2010-06-08T14:48:00.001-07:00

Storms in Cedar Falls puts a damper on Day 3

2010-06-08T09:07:00.000-07:00

Thunderstorms is what the three coaches woke up to this morning at 6AM to start our journey. As much as we all would enjoy a little bit of a break, we are equally anxious to get on the road to meet our goal.

All of us sit here in the Super 8 of Cedar Falls killing time, waiting for the storms to pass, and still unsure if we will be able to ride today or not. At this time today, we would've already been halfway into our 100 miles to Dubuque, but only time will tell!

Two Days...Two Goals...Two Hundred Miles...

2010-06-07T17:35:00.000-07:00

This is our first chance to get online to post our blog! And to be quite honest...it will be a short one...because we are too tired and too sore to even type.

We departed Spencer for "The Watermelon Ride" on Sunday morning at 6:30am. To be honest we had no idea what we were getting into. It was tough...I'm not going to lie. But, when it was all said on done on Sunday...we not only met our goal, but met out goal in better time than anticipated. We arrived in Fort Dodge, IA (100 miles from Spencer) at approximately 3:30pm.

After a deep sleep with a wonderful host family in Fort Dodge, we departed at approximately 7am; destination....Cedar Falls. The trip seemed much more difficult...but, we met our goal once again at about 4:30pm today.

The experience is amazing. We are sore, yes. All the questions being asked are probably a "yes". But, at the same time...I think the trip is helping all of us to not only reevaluate life...I believe that we are in the midst of a life changing experience. And to be quite honest...I was ready for one of those! ;-)

My goal tonight is to spend a few minutes in the hottub and figure out how to download this blogsight down to my phone so we can begin sending more posts from the road and from our bikes....and even some photos and possibly video. For now...you can find us on twitter. www.twitter.com/iowalakessoccer

Wish us luck tomorrow for another 100 mile bike ride. 200 miles down...600 to go!

Send Off Party!!

2010-06-02T08:21:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, Positively Spencer Youth will be hosting a Watermelon Ride send-off party at East Leech Park. The get together will start at 4:00pm with some soccer training and different soccer demonstrations. At 5:00 there will be food tossed on the grill so we can all get some grub into our stomachs. Following the food and fun there will be a family bike ride around town for anyone that would like to participate. This will be a ton of fun so make sure you invite your friends and come out and see us!!

The 'Orthopedics PC's Watermelon Ride' bike jerseys are here!

2010-05-27T11:44:00.001-07:00

The 'Orthopedics PC's Watermelon Ride' bike jerseys were completed today. The lightweight jerseys will be worn by all 3 coaches on the ride to thank our sponsors who contributed to this awesome fundraiser. Top Sponsors include Orthopedics PC, Northwest Iowa Bone, Joint & Sports Surgeons, KICD, and Farmers Trust and Savings Bank.
Stay tuned for more details as the ride gets closer!

Lesson with a Tune-up

2010-05-19T10:47:00.000-07:00

Today the three Iowa Lakes Soccer Coaches went downtown Spencer to Bikes Boards and Blades to get a lesson on how to determine the cause of a flat tire as well as change one for all three bikes. While there, the owner Jason wanted to look at all the bikes and make sure they were ready for the 800 mile trek. Only a few things had to be tweaked, but it will sure make a big difference during the ride. A big Thank You to Jason and his staff at Bikes Boards and Blades for all the useful tips and help with the bikes!

The wheels are moving!

2010-05-18T07:14:00.000-07:00

Training the past week has been excellent with the coaches now that the weather has been cooperating! Final preparations for the Watermelon Ride are being made as it is only a couple weeks away. As of this week, the top contributor that holds naming rights is Orthopaedics P.C.
Northwest Bone and Joint has been a large supporter to the Watermelon ride reaching the Watermelon Sponsorship Level. Reaching the Rind Level, we have Farmers Trust and El Parian. Collections are still being made and we thank all of our sponsors and contributors for the support!

Watermelon Ride

2010-05-12T08:18:00.000-07:00

We are all still counting down to this year's "Watermelon Ride" We have had continuous support from the community, family, and friends to make sure that we have success in our journey. There is still time to make a pledge to help support Iowa Lakes Soccer as well as Positively Spencer Youth! If you would like to make a donation you can do so by contacting Kevin Farley - kfarley@iowalakes.edu Jayke Vallette - jvallette@iowalakes.edu or Jessica Cannova - jcannova@iowalakes.edu

Thanks again for all the support you have shown! GO LAKERS

The Coaches Watermelon Ride!!

Hard Work!

2010-05-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

Today was the last day of our 6am workouts at the Spencer YMCA. The next few days we will be resting up to get ready to FINISH STRONG with our final exams. It has been a very productive sememster here at Iowa Lakes and we are very excited about what the fall has to bring!

Graduating!

2010-05-04T10:49:00.001-07:00

Today at "The Dock" we had a graduation celebration. The student senate made sure that there were plenty of decorations, candy, and people! It was a fun time to get everyone together for some root beer floats and burgers :)

36 Days 15 Hours

2010-04-30T06:23:00.000-07:00

As of right now we are 36 days and 15 hours away from our first ever "Watermelon Ride." Earlier this week we drove the route that we will be taking from Spencer, IA to Rockford, IL. The ride looks like it will be longer than 800 miles but we are up for the challenge!! We could always use riding tips and other feedback from riders who have been on these long rides. We are excited and thank everyone for their support thus far!

Gone Climbing!

2010-04-23T06:50:00.001-07:00

Next Thursday former player Mike Sauck will be leading the coaching staff to the top of a windmill. Mike is a student in the wind energy program at Iowa Lakes and will be graduating at the end of the year. Much like during the season when we asked Mike to look into getting us on top of one of these windmills, he was quick to respond. We are very excited for this opportunity to be 300 feet in the air in Northwest Iowa!!

Morning Workouts!

2010-04-21T07:15:00.000-07:00

Today we were all able to have our morning workout in the midst of an amazing sunrise. It was the first day we were able to get outside and so it was nice that mother nature took care of us!!

Spencer Daily Reporter!

2010-04-19T10:43:00.000-07:00

The Spencer Daily Reporter has done an article about the recycling that Iowa Lakes Soccer and the Kiwanis teamed up for Saturday! This is a really neat article about educating more people about what can and cannot be recycled!

http://www.spencerdailyreporter.com/story/1626991.html

Recycling Service a Success!

2010-04-19T09:39:00.000-07:00

The Men's and Women's soccer team joined Spencer After Five Kiwanis to increase recycling as they worked at the Spencer transfer station to promote users to recycle more materials. Saturday they helped sort recyclables as well as handing out brochures and flyers to those using the facility. Thanks for helping out the community Lakers!

Giving Back

2010-04-14T07:51:00.000-07:00

This Saturday the Iowa Lakes soccer teams will be giving back to the Spencer community. We will be returning to the Recycling Transfer Station where we volunteered earlier in the year. Everyone signed up quick for their spots to volunteer because they had such a good time back in the fall. This is just another way that our players are growing and trying to be better today than they were yesterday, and better tomorrow then they are today.

Road To The World Cup

2010-04-12T08:54:00.000-07:00

There are only 59 days left before the kick off to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Here are some important dates to look out for!!

Provisional squad announcement - May 12, 2010
Final squad deadline - June 10, 2010
Opening Ceremony - June 11, 2010
World Cup Final - July 11, 2010

It is going to be a fun summer of soccer!

Time To Work

2010-04-06T06:49:00.000-07:00

Today was our first official day of training for the Watermelon Ride. We have set up our goal chart that will hold us accountable for getting ready for the big day. There are 60 days from today until we embark on our 800mile bike ride to raise money for Iowa Lakes Soccer as well as Positively Spencer Youth. Feel free to send us e-mails of encouragement and positive thoughts! We are getting more and more excited as we count down the days!

Big Day

2010-03-30T09:37:00.000-07:00

Today Bayern Munich takes on the Red Devils in a champions league quarterfinal. Both teams have had a rough road to make it this far in the tournament and will have to keep playing at an elite level to stay in the running. The game kicks off today at 2:30pm on Fox Soccer Channel! Tune in and cheer for your favorite team!!

Watermelon Ride!

2010-03-22T06:34:00.000-07:00

Today marks the 75th day counting down until the 3 soccer coaches trek across the state of IA AND BACK on the 800 mile Watermelon Ride. You can tell in the atmosphere of the office that we are all getting a little more excited and anxious about the ride as it comes closer. Training has been off and on for all of us, but will start a daily workout regimen today. We also are going to get our bikes fitted and route mapped out today, which will be helpful in learning the exact mileage we will be covering.

Last week was spent in Rockford, IL (the destination of the Watermelon Tournament where we will be recruiting) talking to businesses, newspapers, bike specialists, and soccer enthusiasts. The next month we will be focusing on Spencer, and the local people and businesses here. We've noticed an overall excitement through the community, that is very unique and keeps us motivated and working harder towards our goal in part with Positively Spencer Youth.

Keep your eyes open folks, because as soon as the snow melts, you will be seeing us riding around town, getting in our miles!

Farewell Darla

2010-03-11T06:59:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow we are having a going away get together at "The Dock" for Darla! She has been working at "The Dock" all year and is now leaving to serve our country. We will be meeting tomorrow at 9:00am to let her know how much we appreciate her while enjoying a nice cup of coffee and some cake :)

Countdown Til the "Watermelon Ride"

2010-03-09T08:33:00.000-08:00

Nature Countdowns from 123mycodes.com

UEFA Champions

2010-03-09T06:46:00.000-08:00

Today we will all try to get together and watch the second leg of the Champions League games played 2 weeks ago. We will be putting the games up on the projector screen again and invite everyone that is interested. Everyone has had a real good time watching the games because everyone supports a different side. Today’s games will be good ones as Arsenal has to track back from its 2-1 loss in the first leg. This seems all too familiar as Fiorentina have to make that exact same turn around against Bayern Munich! It will be a fun day for soccer!!

Countdown!

2010-03-03T06:47:00.000-08:00

Everyone here at Iowa Lakes is getting more excited each and every day to root on their respective countries in the World Cup! Today we will be getting a group of players together to watch USA take on the Netherlands at 1:30pm. Even though not all the players are fans of the US National team, I can count on a big turnout to watch the game. The love for soccer can be witnessed everyday here at Iowa Lakes and that’s what makes our family so great!!

Current Countdown to the World Cup - 99 Days, 23 Hours, 8 Minutes :)

Lakers Volunteer!

2010-02-26T06:56:00.000-08:00

The Men's and Women's Laker soccer teams provided a helping hand to a local woman moving to a new home. Within a half hour of being asked for assistance the Lakers teams arrived at her house to help with the heavy lifting. With everyone that helped, the moving was completed in a fraction of the time. This is just one way the Lakers are trying to "Be better today than you were yesterday. Be better tomorrow than you were today."

Watermelon Ride!

2010-02-23T06:28:00.000-08:00

The Iowa Lakes Soccer Program will be hosting a fundraiser. This isn't just any fundraiser though, it is a 800 mile bike ride to Rockford, IL and back. The Iowa Lakes Soccer Coaching Staff will be riding 400 miles to Rockford, IL on bike to recruit soccer players at the annual "Watermelon Tournament". The Watermelon Tournament is a fun, competetive soccer tournament, hosted by Rockford United Soccer club and gives out free watermelon to all of the athletes. After recruiting at the tourney, all the coaches will bike 400 miles back to Spencer, IA.

The trip is scheduled June 6th-18th. Money will be raised through sponsorships and donations, in which half of the proceeds will be going to Positively Spencer Youth. We are very excited to raise money for this unique local charity because of it's core values of getting youth active and involved in the community!

Stay tuned for more information, how to donate, and how the Coach's are preparing for this event!

Incoming!!

2010-02-18T09:11:00.000-08:00

Tyler Eissler a Rapid City, South Dakota native is making his way to Iowa Lakes. Tyler had a brief stint at the University of Sioux Falls before moving home and joining the military. Tyler has played soccer his entire life and loves nothing more than watching Arsenal or the Netherlands play. We are very excited to have a player who loves the game and will do anything to help his team win! Tyler is just one of the many on our blog that will help Iowa Lakes be successful in 2010.

(Tyler, grey shirt in the air)

Champions League

2010-02-17T12:40:00.001-08:00

After study hall today some of the guys and girls got together to watch the Champions League. We ended up getting it projected in one of the classrooms so that everyone could come watch! Not sure if Arsenal or Porto will win but there is a lot of cheering for both teams right now. Just another day of loving soccer here at Iowa Lakes!

Tom Boe

2010-02-16T10:01:00.000-08:00

A former player for Coach Farley at Dakota Wesleyan University, Tom Boe has now come to play for Coach at Iowa Lakes! A Pierre, SD native has loved the sport of soccer ever since he was introduced to it at an early age. Now that Tom is older he is focused on getting back into match form as well as staying organized and achieving his academic goals. We are very excited that Tom has joined our Soccer family and look forward to his talents on the field in the upcoming season!!

Esteban Campuzano

2010-02-15T07:58:00.000-08:00

Esteban Campuzano came to Iowa Lakes all the way from Fort Worth, Texas. His dreams are to become a professional soccer player and to be successful in the academic goals he has set. His favorite foods are pizza, steak, and Mexican food. We are very excited to have Esteban here on Campus and he is a great addition to the Iowa Lakes Soccer Family!!

Shayla Silva

2010-02-11T10:05:00.000-08:00

Shayla Silva from Fairbanks, Alaska joined the Iowa Lakers family this January. The 21 year old loves fried chicken, green beans and homemade mashed potatoes. Her dream is to become a Petroleum Engineer and possibly a CEO of a large oil company. She motivates herself with her favorite quote, "Noone can take your joy unless you give it to them."

Welcome to the ILCC Soccer Family Shayla!

2010-02-10T04:28:00.000-08:00

Moving all the way to Spencer, Iowa from Fort Worth, Texas for an opportunity to play at the next level is a big decision. For Ruud Gullit Boijseauneau this decision was not all that hard to make. The coaching staff is very excited to have him here and we look forward to seeing the positive impact he will have on our program. His dream is to one day become a professional soccer player and play for Mexico's national team! Welcome to the Laker family Ruud!!

New Arrival!

2010-02-08T07:45:00.000-08:00

Blake Viedenkamp signed with Iowa Lakes Men's Soccer team this January after a semester at Wartburg University. Blake is a central midfielder from Spencer, Iowa and lives for the game of soccer. Blake has a favorite quote from professional Roy Keane, "Fail to prepare, prepare to fail." We are excited to have Blake on our team but more importantly in our Iowa Lakes Soccer Family!!

Introducing 2010 player, Maria Segura

2010-01-28T08:43:00.001-08:00

Maria signed with Iowa Lakes Women's Soccer this January and is already making herself at home. The forward from Waco, TX dreams are to be a professional soccer player after her time playing in college. When asked her favorite quote, she responds with Collin Powell's statement of "A dream doesn't become a reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work."

Welcome to the Iowa Lakes Soccer Family Maria!

Looking Forward

2010-01-26T08:45:00.000-08:00

As the second semester is getting rolling, we have plenty to be thankful for here at Iowa Lakes. We have 2 new members of the Women’s Soccer team as well as 5 new members to the Men’s Squad! The soccer program is turning into quite the family and we couldn’t be more excited!

There are many things going on this semester that as a program we are looking forward to. Our Iowa Lakes team scarves have been shipped today! The coaching staff is working out details on the Watermelon Ride! and the teams are starting off season workouts. Everything is going great and soccer is thriving here at Iowa Lakes

2010-01-12T12:57:00.000-08:00

The Iowa Lakes Soccer program would like to wish a happy birthday to the Women's Assistant Jessica Cannova! This picture was taken at El Parian in Spencer, IA. They sang her a nice birthday song and it was fun for everyone!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-18T07:19:00.000-08:00

The Iowa Lakes Soccer program would like wish everyone a Happy Holiday Break! We hope that your travels are safe and you embrace the love of family and friends during this special time of the year!

Coming Soon!

2009-11-24T10:53:00.001-08:00

Custome Iowa Lakes Soccer Scarves have been ordered from the company and are in the process of being made! We will begin taking official orders in approximately 4 weeks. We will be getting information out to you about how to order. I'm sure we will also be selling them online out of the GoalKick store in town...we still need to get their approval. But, we you will have various ways to purchase the scarves very, very soon!

Indoor Soccer Underway!

2009-11-18T06:40:00.000-08:00

The Iowa Lakes soccer athletes have been working hard coaching soccer-enthused kids in the Spencer community this month. The ages of the kids range from kindergarten up to high school. The coaches have been learning new soccer techniques to instruct the kids in the indoor facility and have been really having a good time doing it. Many have admitted that they thought it would be easy to teach them new skills, but when it was time for practice to start, the coaches had to come up with creative solutions to work with a different age group than what they were used too. We’ve only seen success out of this challenge thus far.

When asked why she likes coaching indoor, Karen Sosa responded, “I love coaching in the indoor facility because it is a very rewarding experience. First of all we get to interact with kids of all ages and help them develop their skills… Coaching indoor is fun, especially knowing that maybe one day one of these kids will go on and have a future in this sport, and you as a coach was one of their inspirations.”

The indoor season will be through December and the second session will begin in January through March.

2009-11-09T07:23:00.000-08:00

The men’s and women’s teams will be starting more community service this week, as the Goal Kick indoor soccer league opens their doors for another season. The indoor facility is located parallel to the Lakers game field and will be a great opportunity to stay involved with soccer. Along with playing in the local adult leagues, our athletes will be coaching the younger kids and helping them progress in their soccer abilities. Adult league games will be played on Monday and Tuesday evenings and the youth plays at various times throughout the week. Come check it out!

Welcome to "The Lakehouse"....

2009-11-03T14:59:00.001-08:00

Welcome to "The Lakehouse"!

This is the house where the Iowa Lakes Soccer Program play every one of their home matches! Although only a few games have been played here thus far...the vision is for THIS to be the HOUSE that is defended by every Iowa Lakes Soccer Player that ever steps on the field. It is a fairly amazing place for a first year program...but, more importantly is going to be a really IMPRESSIVE and AMAZING place going into the future!

The inaugural game in 2009, enjoyed over 500 fans at our very first match in history!

2009 Men's Season Ends...2010 BEGINS!

2009-11-03T10:17:00.000-08:00

The 2009 Inaugural Season (for the men's team) came to and end last week...which means that 2010 BEGINS! The first season of a program is always a tough one for a soccer program because your goals truly don't change, but it is a little unrealistic to expect instant success. But with that being said, we found a great deal of success for a first year program. It was a tough season mainly because the expectations from everyone grew quickly with early wins and a win against the 2008 ICCAC Champions....but, the injury bug midway through the season changed all of that.
But, it is very safe to say that as a first year program...we were able to show people that we will have a program that puts teams on the field that will play with class and the game environment will be one that all teams enjoy playing at. All in all...that the program will be a class act. That is the vision...that is the plan.
But, maybe even more so than 2009, I am really excited about 2010 which has officially begun for Iowa Lakes Soccer. 2010 is exciting for many reasons...here are just a few:
-We now know what we are getting into and can do a better job of recruiting.
-The women's inaugural season begins in 2010.
-Recruiting is going great!
-We will have an offseason to make us stronger.
-More community service will mean more fans at games in 2010.
-More night games in 2010....will mean more fans at games in 2010.
A great program is never built in 2 months...and to players and people from the outside, that is really all we have had together to build this program so far. Pretty exciting that the expectations are already so high for Iowa Lakes Soccer! That in itself will only make us stronger...which makes me much more excited for 2010.

2009-11-02T13:18:00.001-08:00

The first ever Iowa Lakes Halloween costume scrimmage at “The Lakehouse” was a great time for everyone involved. This year we combined the Men’s team with a few of the Women who are getting geared up for their first season next year! The weather was gloomy but it didn’t stop these creatures of the night from coming out and playing one last game.

The teams were the Ghouls, led by Jessica Cannova and the Goblins, led by Jayke Vallette. Heath Reynolds did announcements and doubled as a referee who was quick to blow the whistle or award a penalty kick. The teams played two 25 minute halves due to the cold weather. After lots of laughs and 4 goals a per team the match ended a draw.

Following the match the fans voted on winners for the team costume contest. In fourth place Coach Vallette who was dressed as a very attractive woman. In third place was Alex Seaman as his alter ego “The Redneck Hunter.” Second place was locked up by Francisco Ochoa dressed as the best looking Japanese masseuse the Lakehouse has ever seen. In First place with the best costume of the day was Alan Ramirez as the “Lakehouse Janitor” not only was the field spotless but he made a few great saves in the goal during the scrimmage.

Already the players are talking about next year’s game and all the funny costume ideas that they have. It was great having fans out in the cold weather to support and Everyone with the Iowa Lakes Soccer Program appreciated everything you did to cheer us on this year!

1st Ever Playoff Game!!

2009-10-27T06:12:00.000-07:00

Today we will be traveling down to Mason City, Iowa to take on the North Iowa Area Community College Men's Soccer Team. This game marks the 1st ever Playoff game in Iowa Lakes Men's Soccer history! As a squad we are very excited to have been placed against one of the best teams in the conference, NIACC and expect to play a very physical and tactical game. If we can get a win today we will be traveling to Des Moines, Iowa on the 31st of the month to play in the semi final round of the ICCAC playoffs.

Wear your blue and yellow today and cheer us on to a Laker Victory!!!

-Coach Jayke

Superclubs Cup!

2009-10-23T06:53:00.000-07:00

After Jade and I made the 7 hour drive to Rockford, IL this past weekend, we were excited to watch some games! There were plenty of quality teams playing in the tournament, which made it fun despite the cold weather. We got a chance to talk with some players and coaches from WI, IL, and NE and heard some excitement from the players about our new program. We've already been following up with a couple players, so hopefully we'll see some girls from IL on our team next year!

-Jessica Cannova

2009-10-20T07:37:00.000-07:00

Here is a remix video of our game against Scott County Community College! This video shows what teamwork and possession of the ball can make the opposing team look like. I hope you enjoy it :)

Happy "Boss Day"....Great Assistants Makes It Fun....

2009-10-19T05:42:00.000-07:00

Talk about waking you up in the morning! Last week was "Boss's Day" and we joked around about it at that time. This morning at 7am when I walked inot the office...this is what I got to walk into!

There is nothing better than beginning a college soccer program when you have a wonderful team of coaches that are working toward the same goals that you are! That's what we have here at Iowa Lakes Community College!

I am very fortunate to have two amazing assistant coaches who love what they are doing! They take pride and ownership in this program just as I asked them to do when we brought them onboard.

Coach Jessica Cannova is doing an outstanding job with recruiting and individual training with the girls that are here! Coach Jayke Vallette has worked so hard to help get me through this first season making sure everything is ready to go on gamedays and basically doing any task I put him up to. I appreciate you two more than you will ever know! Keep up the good work.

As for the season...we have had our ups and downs for sure! Due to injuries the season isn't going how we had hoped 100%...but, we all realize that it is a process and we are not building for a one year success...we are building a successful program and we all know that it takes years, not just months.

The process always begins with a good team of coaches and we definitely have that here at Iowa Lakes Community College!

Changing of the Seasons

2009-10-15T09:05:00.001-07:00

While the seasons are changing outside our focus on the field has stayed the same. Our Men's squad has been training through the rain, snow, sleet, cold, wind and everything else that Mother Nature can possibly throw at us. It has been an exciting snow fall for a few of our players, as they have never seen snow before!

Just this last week Coach Farley made it over to the State Tournament in South Dakota to do some recruiting for next year. The trip went very successful and we have been in contact with a few players all over the state! With only three games left in our season we are preparing for the Playoffs and trying to get everyone healthy. Keep cheering us on! and we will keep playing our best!

p.s. check back soon for a new team video!!

-Jayke Vallette

Snow brings training indoors!

2009-10-14T14:02:00.000-07:00

Like some of the midwest has experienced already, Spencer recieved it's first snowfall last week, encouraging the Women's team to start their indoor training early. For some women on our team (Karen Sosa, and Clarictza Mendoza), it was the first time they have seen snow, being from the South! It really was perfect timing since we recieved the YMCA memberships for both teams just two weeks ago. So far they have been working on a variety of cardio, plyometrics, stretching, agility, and strength training that has been fun and challenging. They have also held pick-up futsal and wallyball games in the racketball courts to work on speed of play. We are looking forward to our newest recruit, Shayla Silva from Alaska to be joining our workouts in January when she moves to ILCC!

This weekend, one of our 2010 women players, Jade Martin, will be traveling with me to Rockford, IL for the Superclubs Cup on a recruiting trip. Hopefully the weather holds up and we can talk with some quality girls for next year. Stay tuned for pictures and updates next week about the trip!

-Jessica Cannova

Asst. Women's Coach

Women Lakers 2010!

2009-10-02T06:40:00.000-07:00

Well it has been quite a whirlwind the past couple months! Recruiting for the 2010 Women’s team has taken the coaches to IA, MN, SD, NE and IL already with plans to travel to GA, TX, AR, KS. It’s been a very exciting time looking forward to the upcoming season and making plans for the girls to get applied and move in.

We have now 5 women (soon to be 6 in the spring) that are attending ILCC currently and are getting a head start on training for next year. We just partnered up with the YMCA and purchased memberships for both teams, which will be an exciting start to the off-season lifting program. We also plan to get the women involved with the indoor soccer facility to build their speed of play on the quick indoor surface. The women already here have been amazing, attending and helping out with all the home games, traveling to most games away for the men’s team. They have been a tremendous support for them, which has really created and developed the family atmosphere in the ILCC soccer program.

It’s really hard to wait for the inaugural season for the Women with the jerseys, warm-ups, backpacks, and coats already here waiting for players to wear them, but we get excited with each day getting closer to our 2010 season!

Catch updates, pictures, recruiting schedules on our Facebook Women’s Fanpage!

Become a Fan!

2009-10-01T13:20:00.000-07:00

Here is a highlight video of our Iowa Lakers taking on Indian Hills Community College! If you like what you see you can become a personal fan of Manuel "The Magician" Martinez on facebook by searching: venado 19 manuel martinez. Also make sure to add the Assistant Men's Soccer coach by searching: Jacob Vallette

I hope that you enjoy the video!

Purchase Your Iowa Lakes Soccer Gear....

2009-09-16T07:58:00.001-07:00

You can now purchase your Iowa Lakes Soccer Gear online at http://www.iowalakessoccer.com/

Off to a Wonderful Start...

2009-09-08T06:01:00.000-07:00

We are off to a wonderful start in more ways than one! First, we are off to a great start this morning as the "Early Bird's" Kiwanis club fed us a wonderful breakfast this morning. Pancakes, eggs, toast, juice, fruit....the whole nine yards! It was great to see the student-athletes interact with the community members.

We are also off to a wonderful start on the season. After 3 games, we are off to a 3-0-0 beginning...so undefeated after three matches. That is very exciting for a new program.

But, the tough competition begins tomorrow as we host NIACC (North Iowa Area Community College) before moving on to take on the number 7 team in the country, Marshalltown Community College.

Things are going well and we are having a lot of fun beginning what could be a really dynamic soccer program.

It's All Coming Along...Pics on blog soon!

2009-08-24T11:07:00.000-07:00

Everything is beginning to come together! We will soon be able to post some pictures to show everyone what is happening. Here is a picture of the game field prior to yesterday's scrimmage. More details to follow!

Camp, Community Service In Progress...

2009-08-12T07:02:00.000-07:00

It has been a very long time since I have updated the Iowa Lakes Soccer Blog and I sincerely apologize for that...it has simply been a crazy time of the year! Pre-Season training camp is in progress and it has been quite the ride so far. It is definitely getting to me my time of the year.

We have a great group of student-athletes here and it should make for a funfilled season.

This week we have been running a youth soccer camp in Spirit Lake, Iowa at the YMCA. It has been a fantastic time and great to see the college players working with the young soccer players. I look forward to posting some pictures on this blog next week.

After YMCA Youth Soccer Camp today we depart for Camp Foster at Okoboji Lake to take part in a 4-day team building camp! It should be a great experience for all the student-athletes. I'm sure we will have pictures of that as well. During this time we should be able to complete the first annual Iowa Lakes Soccer Idol Contest...always a hoot!

Check next week for lots of fun updates!

So Much Going On...

2009-05-04T07:15:00.001-07:00

Summer is approaching and the lakes are beginning to fill with boats upon boats. It is a beautiful sight! But, even better than that is all the positive things that are happening with Iowa Lakes Soccer and myself.
To begin, Saturday was a very special time in my life, as many of you know...as I walked across the stage and was hooded with my Master's Degree! A very special time and a very special time for my family. Many of my family and friends were saddened that they couldn't be in attendance...but, you were all there with me in spirit and it was a special time. Thanks to everyone that made it a memory that I will forever cherish.
On the soccer front...I'm not sure that I can list all of the good things that are happening. We have had some very big signings which even included some Spencer players, Alex Toay and Peter Walvatne! We are very excited about that! The women's team is really coming around too and Letters of Intent will be going out this week.
In other soccer news, we now have an official soccer fan wall at the Goalkick sporting goods store! Iowa Lakes Soccer hoodies, sweat pants, t-shirts, etc. may be purchased there! In addition to being able to go to the Goalkick to purchase Iowa Lakes Soccer items...we will soon have them online for all the family and friends in Texas, Alaska, Michigan, Africa, Iowa...where ever you need to purchase them from. Very exciting times!
Until next time...enjoy the sunshine!

The First Texan is Here...

2009-04-07T11:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, okay...I know that I have been failing to keep this blog updated very well...but, I will keep trying to get better. It has been a very eventful time this fall with some player already being here and working hard in the classrooms. Many things are beginning to come together. Just in the past week we were able to fill the fitness room up with fitness equipment. Today, I ordered the sound system for the fitness room...so that is really exciting.

The past two weeks has also been very exciting because our first Texas has moved to town and attempting to get him and his family situated by finding a place to live, work, etc. Darrell and his family are off to a great start as they are temporarily renting a lake front house with a beautiful view. I'm sure they wish that they could stay in that place the entire time they are hear...but, it is only temporary until they find something near the Spencer Campus. It is great to have Darrell, Tammy and Alana here in northwest Iowa though.

In other news, the student-athletes that are here will be coaching local youth teams beginning in the next week! It is very exciting to finally have the opportunity to begin giving back to Spencer. Spencer has already welcomed us and made us feel at home...so, it will be nice to give a small example of what it will be like to have soccer in town at Iowa Lakes Community College. There will be much, much more community service in our future!

Time is Moving Quickly...

2009-02-17T07:55:00.000-08:00

It is amazing how fast time is moving! It seems like I just returned from the NSCAA convention in St. Louis, MO...until I started receiving emails and calls to update my blog!

Everything is going so good as the program builds each and every day! We presently have seven players attending classes here at the Spencer Campus. They are all doing terrific and really demonstrating to everyone what this program will be all about. Attending classes, regular study halls, great attitudes and hard work is something they exhibit each and every day. The players that are here are on the men's side...but, the women's side is really beginning to take shape as well. I am very excited about everything that is happening.

I giggle to myself all the time when people ask me questions or make statements like, "what else do you do besides coach?" and "Is that ALL you do is coach?". Wow, I sometimes really wish those people could walk in my shoes for a day...but, it is a lot more fun just to tell them, "Yep, that's all I do is coach."

There are so many things that I am getting to work on that I normally wouldn't as a coach. One of the exciting projects that I am keeping track of now, is a new cafe at the Spencer Campus. It is not a "done" deal yet...but, it is moving forward and plans are being drawn up. It will be a great area for student-athletes to eat and hang out as there will be a lounge area there as well. It is very exciting and just one of the many things that are showing progress for the Lakers Soccer Program.

Welcome To America....

2009-01-26T08:38:00.001-08:00

Well, it is officially 2009 and the exciting times for Iowa Lakes Soccer has begun! I am beginning this blog post with the title "Welcome to America" because it is that time of year again...the time of year that the NSCAA National Coaches Convention takes place. This year it was in St. Louis and I was able to attend. Unfortunately, my good friend George Tsibanios was unable to attend. It is because of George that I started this blog with that title. It's a long story, but the last time I attended the convention with George...that was the quote of the weekend; therefore, every year just before the convention, I call George and tell him, "Welcome to America George!" He knows it is convention time when he receives that call from me.

But, the other reason that I wanted to include George T. on this blog is because we presently have three student-athletes because George and his son, Costa believe in what we are doing at Iowa Lakes to give student-athletes the opportunity to succeed in college. George and Costa are instrumental in changing many lives of student-athletes over the years...for the better.

We finally have student-athletes on campus and attending classes and study halls! It is very exciting! We have a great group of student-athletes here too that are laying the foundation for all the others who will be here in August.

Everything is beginning to fall in place for Iowa Lakes Soccer! So, I guess we can officially say to Iowa Lakes Soccer, "Welcome to America"!

Happy Birthday Mom and Happy New Year...

2008-12-27T19:04:00.000-08:00

January 1, 2009 marks the beginning of a new era at Iowa Lakes Community College and the northwest Iowa area as we bring college soccer to the area.

But, January 1st always marks a special day for the Farley family as we celebrate the birth of a very special person who has had a very special place in many peoples hearts...my Mother.

Jo Nell ("Jody") Farley was born on the first day of the year in the year....well, she likes to keep that private. But, it is no surprise to me that such a beautiful person was brought into the world on the first day of that year.

I know that my twin brother, both of my sisters, and I, could never put into words what a special person she is and what a tremendous impact she has made on all of our lives. Much of the things that I bring to the student-athletes that I teach come from my Mother somehow and I appreciate who she is as a person. I can never thank her enough for being such a wonderful person.

I look forward to 2009 and will talk about that more in my next blog. But, for now, I would like to say a few days early....Happy Birthday Mom! Thank you for who you are and for teaching me to become the person that I am today. I love you a ton!

Merry Christmas to ALL and to ALL a good....

2008-12-23T09:21:00.000-08:00

It is unbelievable to me that 2008 is almost history! I have spent a few days pondering over the year and it simply amazes me where I am sitting right now and all the events that happened in our lives over the year of 2008.

To me, the year 2008 will always be a year of bitter sweet.

2008 started for me in a place that I TRULY LOVED! Mitchell, SD will, surprisingly, be one of the highlights of my life. When I think of Mitchell, I will think of great friendships that were built with the like of Tim Jones, Cully, Dosh ("Here's the deal"), Dan & Bert Davidson, "D" and last but, not least, I will remember "G"...just to name a few! When I think of Mitchell, I will think of an incredible group of players that hurt almost as bad as I did when I left for a better opportunity. I will remember a great motivator in Ruth Haidle who not only was always there for my players academically, but is still there for "coach" to this day; a true motivator. I will remember good times, bad times, happy times and sad times, good wins and bad losses. I will remember Mitchell and never forget.

But 2008 will also be remembered as a year of new beginnings for me. It is no huge secret about how excited I am about the Iowa Lakes Soccer Program. The school continues to be incredibly supportive to me and there is no doubt in my mind that 2009 will be full of great memories and new, successful beginnings. I am beginning to build new friendships here and the community has been amazing. I am very thankful of where I am at. There is no doubt that I was placed in the Iowa Lakes area for a reason and I look forward to seeing where we go with this opportunity.

But, aside from me this Christmas, I am thankful for so much more! I have an amazing Mother who has recovered 100% from some terrible health problems over the year of 2008. She is an amazing woman who will forever remain a role model for me. Thank you for everything you do Mom...I love you. I am thankful for Keegan who is attending the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in New York...there was never a doubt in my mind that he would be truly successful. I am thankful for my twin brother and both my sisters...and their entire families. I am thankful for Brad Smith...even though he is, well BB! I am even thankful for Lucien "LD" Roden even though I didn't recognize the guy while we lived in the same town...good thing I moved. I am so thankful for Ray and Netty Martinez and their new baby...what an amazing story. Born 3 months premature and weighing in at 1 lb. 3 oz...we all wondered if it was possible for him to survive. HE DID and what a surviver he is! Tristian Martinez is now at home and very healthy. Ray and Netty are the most deserving. I'm thankful for the Bill Clarks, and the Jill Bukowsky's of the world. I am thankful to be blessed with so many friends.

I have only touched on a few names of people that have made a difference in my life...but there are many more out there and you know who you are. I love you all and thank you for everything you have done to make a difference in my life and others.

2008 has been life changing and a good year...but, I am so excited about 2009 and building relationships with all the new soccer players who will become my family like Willy Kappie, Patrick Gikundiro, and Hugo Ramirez who will be here on January 8th to start it all off for Iowa Lakes Soccer.

So....without further due....MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD......

Winter is here...and in Texas too!

2008-12-11T13:34:00.000-08:00

Everyone told me that I was heading to Texas for vacation. Everyone said that I was going to get a tan. Everyone was jealous that I was leaving the great northwest of Iowa. The lakes were already beginning to freeze over when I left...I bought into the hype. I was excited to head home to Texas or some nice warm weather!

Then I arrived and realized what I already knew...it is cold in Texas too!

Now don't get me wrong, it doesn't get into single digits too often. But, the cold and the heat is all relative to the region you are in. Sure it was in the upper 40s and low 50s in Big D (Dallas, TX). But it really didn't feel much different than the 25 degree temperature that I left in Arnolds Park, Iowa. Fortunately, the wind wasn't as bad as normal...so, it was manageable. But, coats were definitely required.

Oh...I guess you are wondering why I was Texas? Recruiting as always.

Every year I attend the Sportsource Soccer Showcase in Dallas, Texas. It is a great opportunity to see a ton of really good players from all over the country. It is a very nice time. Charlie Kadupsky and the entire Sportsource crew do a great job of making all the college coaches have a very enjoyable weekend while watching a lot of talented players. The days get long, but they do a great job. It is also a great opportunity to catch up with fellow coaches accross the country.

AND for me...it is always a great opportunity to see Mom! She is doing great and the only negatives we experienced all weekend was the Cowboys losing in the last couple of minutes and the ONLY Steelers fan in the entire establishment standing in front of Mom for a little too long (fortunately she wasn't tall enough to block her view...or it would have gotten ugly ;-). Mom loves her Dallas Cowboys.

The travel home was a bit rough with all the bad weather along the way..but, I made it and was very glad to return home and see my new "family" here in northwest Iowa! Christmas will soon be here....make sure you all enjoy it and I will enter a new post in a couple of weeks.

I'm Finally Back...

2008-11-19T12:21:00.000-08:00

Okay, okay, okay...I'm back and updating my blog! To all of those faithful readers that are following the building of the Iowa Lakes Soccer Program, please forgive me for not posting in so long. But, all of your encouragement have pushed me to get this blog updated! Thank you.

It has been a pretty amazing ride since I arrived in August. The fact of the matter is that I have been much busier than I ever anticipated and the response from recruits and future student-athletes has been nothing short of amazing.

I have been on the road a lot during these last few months. I have seen our competition. More importantly, I have had the opportunity through recruiting to meet a lot of wonderful families over the past few months. I have also had the opportunity to meet a lot of wonderful people in this great community. I definitely feel at home.

The office is complete and ready for all of the future Iowa Lakes Soccer Players to come make it their headquarters. The fish aquarium is up and running....even has fish in it; so now the players have a place to relax on campus. The big screen television is up for viewing of soccer DVDs and games. Equipment is beginning to have the Iowa Lakes logos place on it. People around the community are beginning to talk about soccer! It is great!

Just think of how great it is going to be when the players get here! I can't wait...it will be a ton of fun to really be back and coaching on the pitch again!

On the Road Again...

2008-10-09T10:50:00.000-07:00

Two airplane flights, a rental car, and many, many miles is all it took for a two week long recruiting trip! After landing in Dallas, Texas at DFW airport, I managed to put over 2,000 miles on an Enterprise Rental vehicle and speak to hundreds of high school student athletes.

The trip was a very successful trip and it was really great to catch up with many of my recruiting contacts and friends. I can't begin to thank all of the folks that took me into their homes and made me feel comfortable throughout the trip. In two weeks on the road, I managed to only stay in a hotel for ONE night! That says alot about all the friends that I have throughout Texas and Louisiana that know my goals and are more than willing to help me achieve the goal of helping student-athletes get into college. It was a very exciting trip.

But, it is definitely very nice to be home and unpacking the suitcase. I hope all of those friends that I haven't seen for a while are keeping up with my blog...if you are, hello, I miss you all!

Back to work...I have a program to build here!

Exciting Little Things to Show Progress.

2008-09-19T09:33:00.000-07:00

It always amazes me to see how some of the little things that people overlook make such a huge difference in the perception of a team or program. Many of those little things are really beginning to happen and people are taking notice.

Our first batch of Iowa Lakes Soccer T-shirts have arrived and it is so much fun to see people around campus, town and even other campuses sporting them. You will also notice if you are reading this blog post, that the Iowa Lakes Soccer Program now has a team crest or badge. Ben McRae of the Goalkick Soccer Store here in Spencer designed that for us based on the thoughts I gave to him...and it looks great! Thanks so much to Ben for doing that and everything else he is doing to help the Iowa Lakes Soccer Program.

I have a Texas recruit and his family about to arrive, so I better get rolling. But, I do want you all to know that...WE are definitely making progress!

Making Progress...and the Clay County Fair...

2008-09-11T11:31:00.000-07:00

Time sure does fly when you are having fun! So many exciting things are happening around here. For starters, I am getting to enjoy the fun filled activities of the world famous "Clay County Fair" for my very first time! I have been wondering the last couple of weeks what all the talk was about; now I know. It is fair week here in Spencer! What does that mean...it means that there are about 200-300 thousand people in our small town to enjoy all the fun filled festivities at this huge country fair. What has it meant to me? Well, a little extra work...but fun work. I volunteered for the YMCA and worked at one of their 13 "Nutty Bar" stands. Thank goodness I shared the booth with a Nutty Bar professional by the name of Gardner which made the afternoon breeze by even though we sold over 500 nutty bars (ice cream on a stick with chocolate and nuts).

On the soccer side of things, things are really progressing rapidly around here. As you can see by the picture on this post, I now have my custom branded email template in place which makes it a lot more fun to email. The Iowa Lakes Print Shop has been staying very busy printing all sorts of materials for me to help me hit the "recruiting trail". Ben at the Goalkick Soccer Store in town has been jumping through hoops to get me prices so I can start ordering uniforms and equipment. And I am still receiving emails and calls from players wanting to join the new Iowa Lakes Soccer Program! Life is good.

The support of the college continues to be incredible and I have just really appreciated everyone's help during the short time that I have been here!

In short, that's what is happening so far...it's been a great experience already. Until next time...

Time Sure Flies When You're Having Fun...

2008-08-26T11:52:00.000-07:00

It is very difficult for me to believe that it has been over 10 days since I made my inaugural post to the Iowa Lakes Soccer Blog! Time simply seems to slip away when you are so busy and having so much fun. As I look over the past 10 days, it doesn't seem like a whole lot has happened...but, it definitely has!

I'm finally getting some furniture in my office, getting our soccer stationary printed...heck, I even have business cards already! There are so many things that have happened the past 10 days that it seems like a really incredible dream.

I've been in more newspapers and on more radio broadcasts in the past 10 days than I ever dreamed of..that's for sure.

The most exciting news of it all though is on the recruiting trail. First, I do want to preface this with saying that I have not officially started my recruting process yet because I am busy getting things in place to do a really good job of recruiting. But, with that being said, we have received 8 verbal commitments on the men's side and one verbal commitment on the women's side! That is very exciting.

Lastly, I just want to take the time to thank all the staff, faculty, students, and community members for making me feel at home in the Iowa Lakes Region! I can't tell you how important that has been to me. THANK YOU!

Iowa Lakes Soccer Preparing for 2009 Season

2008-08-14T09:11:00.000-07:00

One week! I have been Head Soccer Coach at Iowa Lakes officially for one entire week as of today. It has been a great week! There is definitely a lot of excitement throughout the Iowa Lakes Community College as well as the Spencer Community about the idea of college soccer being here. It is a great opportunity!

The only difficult part of beginning this great opportunity was having to leave my former players who I care so much about and leaving the wonderful friends that I made in Mitchell, SD. I'm not sure the players or my friends will ever know how much it hurt to have to leave them. But, they will always be a part of my life and I will cherish the many memories that we built together. Plus...they all have a really cool place to come visit me now and hang out at the Lakes (Cully, Jonesy, and Dosh)!

There is so much to do and it seems that I can't get it done fast enough! I love coming to work every day now because there is just so much to do. Beginning a soccer program from scratch is so much fun...when you have a strong support system. Here at Iowa Lakes C.C. there is definitely a VERY STRONG support system and I am so thankful for that.

I am really looking forward to hitting the recruiting trail and working with the many coaches and players around the country. It will be a lot of fun. I will work hard to keep everyone posted using this new Iowa Lakes Soccer Blog...so stay in touch and watch Iowa Lakes Soccer as we "Make a Splash" or "Catch a Wave" (I haven't decided which slogan yet...feel free to send me your opinion) in 2009!