USPSA E-newsletter for September 2011

President's Letter

Dear friends and members of the USPSA,

Hope you all had a great summer. The soccer season is now open and registration has begun. There have been a number of questions about the promotion and relegation of teams. Please know, registration needs to be complete prior to us announcing which conference you will be placed in. As we go through this process, we will give priority to the teams who met their obligation by attending their Cup tournament and then review the teams that did not attend their cup.

International development continues. I was fortunate enough to be invited to participate in a development workshop in Australia in August. It was a FIPFA event and attended by Herve' Delattre, Pika Durand, Nico Dubes, from France, Hiroshi Takahashi from Japan, Mark Jones and the Russo's from the US. Wow, what a long trip! We had the pleasure of meeting 29 players, their families, and a highly motivated organizer and the President of the Australian Power Soccer Association, Matt Cross. The energy and commitment from those involved was incredible. The workshop was scheduled from 9am through 5pm for three days straight! We enjoyed dinner together each evening and we would find as we are packing up to leave each evening at 8:30pm, there would be a half dozen players back in the gym either playing power soccer or power hockey. They love sport! The workshop was followed by their National Tournament and Team Australia selection. It was a very rewarding experience.

Representatives from Singapore and New Zealand were also in attendance as well asTerrie Moore, FIPFA International Relations and General Secretary, Robert Thompson. This week also formalized the Asian Zone with the adoption of the constitution and election of three board members.

In local news, Shane Butler from the St. Louis area was selected as a World Cup referee, however had to decline due to other commitments. We are happy to announce, another American referee was selected to fill the position. Mike McCoy, from Indiana will step in for Shane and travel to Paris for the World Cup this year. Congratulations Mike!

It's time to get ready to play...see you on the court! 

All the best,
Dominic Russo

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Important Registration Information

Welcome back to POWER SOCCER! Last season, the first under the Conference system, brought about some exciting changes. There were over 350 games played and four national Conference Cup Finals. Overall, we feel the Conference system worked out very well and we are excited for more teams to join in the fun this season.

Conference Teams will be realigned based on the results of the Conference Cup Tournaments over the summer. The complete Team-Conference alignment can only be announced after all returning teams have registered, so it's very important to REGISTER EARLY!!!

There are three levels of involvement for power soccer teams.

• Teams that want to be in the competitive level of Conference play must play a minimum of 12 games, two (2) of which must be against teams in the same conference or higher, as well as participate in the post-season tournament.
• Teams who don't wish to be quite as competitive or travel should register as a Non-Conference team. Non-conference teams can still play competitive, sanctioned USPSA games, but there is no minimum number of games to play and no end-of-season tournament.
• Brand new power soccer programs may want to start out as an Affiliate team. Affiliate teams will mainly practice and scrimmage against themselves or other local teams. Any games played will not be sanctioned by USPSA. This option is only available for new teams.

We hope you are as excited as we are to get back on the court. But before you play any games, remember - you and your team need to register!! Registration will open September 1st and is done online at: www.powersoccerusa.net/registration

Registration Requirements

1. Team Registration
   At the time of registration, you must specify what kind of team you will be - a Conference team, a Non-Conference team, or an Affiliate team. Returning teams that register after October 31st will incur a $100 late fee. Any team that registers after January 1st will not be able to participate in a Conference Cup Championship.
2. Athlete Registration
   All athletes must submit the Registration, Code of Conduct, and Waiver/Liability Release forms online. New athletes also need to submit a physical copy of the Waiver/Liability Release. 
3. Staff Registration
   All head coaches, assistant coaches, and other team staff members must submit the Registration, Code of Conduct and Waiver/Liability Release forms online. New staff members also need to submit a physical copy of the Waiver/Liability Release. 

Waiver/Liability Release
Only new athletes and staff members must physically sign a copy of the Waiver/Liability Release form before they can participate. The Waiver is a PDF download and must be mailed or faxed to the USPSA Secretary. IMPORTANT: Teams, please collect any necessary waivers from your members and send them in ONE packet to the USPSA Secretary.

Registration Fees
Fees for the 2011-2012 season are $250 for Conference and Non-Conference teams, and $100 for Affiliate teams. Checks for registration fees should be made out to "USPSA" and mailed to: USPSA Treasurer, P.O. Box 15668, Fremont, CA 94539. Payment must be postmarked by October 31st. Returning Conference and Non-Conference teams whose checks are postmarked after this date will incur a $100 late fee. New teams may join USPSA throughout the season without financial penalty.

Insurance
Your team's registration is not complete unless we also have your Proof of Insurance. If your team purchases insurance through USPSA, we already have your information and we will contact you when it is time to renew. If your team purchases insurance independently, you MUST submit a certificate to prove your coverage to USPSA! Ask your insurance company for a certificate and send it to the Secretary.

If you wish to go through USPSA for your team's insurance, download the Team Insurance Enrollment Form at: www.powersoccerusa.net/downloads.

Team Representatives
When your team registers, you must submit the name and email address of your USPSA Team Representative. A Team Representative can be a player, coach, manager, or parent/guardian. The Team Representative is an intermediary between your team and the USPSA Executive Board. They are responsible for passing along any questions from their team to USPSA, filling out important surveys, voting at the Annual General Meeting, and keeping their team updated on everything they receive from USPSA. Time-sensitive notices are often sent out to Team Representatives, so please be sure your chosen Team Representative is aware of these responsibilities and can handle them. (An adult is preferred.)

Starting September 1st, visit www.powersoccerusa.net/registration to access all of these forms online.

Remember, to be COMPLETELY registered and eligible to play in USPSA sanctioned matches, you must submit:

1. Team registration form
2. Four (4) or more athlete registration forms
3. One (1) or more staff registration form
4. Registration Fee
5. Proof of Insurance

Please do not hesitate to email me at secretary [at] powersoccerusa [dot] net if you have any registration questions.

Thank you very much,

Jenny Mitchell
USPSA Secretary
secretary [at] powersoccerusa [dot] net

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The ONE Campaign

THE ONE is a campaign to promote awareness and support for power soccer and the US National Power Soccer Team by changing lives, inspiring people around the country and the world, providing the opportunity to be an athlete and compete, and winning the 2011 World Cup. As members of USPSA we need your help to make it happen.

We need your help to bring awareness and support to the sport and the National Team. The team is heading to Paris France October 23-November 7 to compete in the 2011 World Cup and defend its title as world champions. After winning the World Cup, we want to spread the sport to inspire and change people's lives across the country and the world.

Please visit the website www.theonepowersoccer.com, watch the video, contribute $1 or more and forward this message to 100 of your friends, asking them to do the same.

Everyone on the team, staff and the in the Association is a volunteer. The cost for going to the World Cup is $100,000. Team USA has been working extremely hard for the last two years and the athletes and staff have been individually fundraising for their own participation. Efforts have been made to get sponsorship from multiple avenues. The PowerSoccerShop and BraunAbility are sponsors, and the US Soccer Federation has donated our jerseys. However, Team USA is still looking for a major corporate sponsor. Contact us at info [at] powersoccerteamusa [dot] org

Team USA represents you! To complete the journey of repeating as world champions, we need your help! By donating whatever you can, you will have the added pride of knowing you have done your part by investing in a world champion.

By everyone contributing at least $1 and enlisting their friends to contribute $1, we will quickly raise awareness and support needed to get to Paris, win the World Cup and continue the journey to change people's lives around the country and the world. Be THE ONE to make a difference today.

Sincerely,

Chris Finn
Head Coach
US National Power Soccer Team

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USPSA at the Abilities Expo Houston

The Houston Abilities Expo was held from August 26th-28th and it was a great success! Jerry Frick (Atlanta Tigers) and Jujuan Redmond (Atlanta Synergy) were there to represent the USPSA and spread the word about power soccer, giving people a chance to learn about it and try it out. With the help of the Houston Fireballs, the very first power soccer team in Texas, Jerry and Jujuan led a demonstration for seven people trying power soccer for the very first time. The newcomers had such a great time that a few of them were ready to join the Fireballs that day! With the new members, the team now has nearly enough players to split into two teams!

For more information on future expos, please go to www.abilitiesexpo.com.

 

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Team USA Player Spotlight

The August Player of the Month is Pete Winslow, from Woodbury, MN. Pete has been playing power soccer for four years with the Courage Thunder and has had many accomplishments, including being a member of the US National Power Soccer Team. With the Courage Thunder he has won back to back championships in two different conferences, and in November he knows Team USA will win the World Cup. "Winning the World Cup means that you are the best in the world at what you do. I want to be the best in the world."

Being on the US National Power Soccer Team means a lot to Pete and is the highest standard of play any sport can achieve. Pete is one of the top 12 players in America, and to him "being on the team symbolizes my hard work, dedication, and passion for the sport. I am part of something bigger than myself. Pete is a fierce competitor on the court, and even though he is the youngest player on the team, he has a lot of skill and ability.

Not only is Pete a talented Power Soccer player, he is also a wonderful musician. He plays the trombone and especially likes performing jazz music. "I'm not sure what I want to be when I grow up, but since music is a big part of my life, maybe something with music performance."

Pete has a great sense of humor and has been known to blame a shark for his disability. Find out for yourself if that story is true!

 

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US National Team is Ready for FIPFA World Cup 

The US National Power Soccer Team just finished up its last training camp on home turf. The camp was held in Greenwood, Indiana. Thanks to parents and staff, everything was perfectly put together and the team could put all their focus on getting ready for the 2011 Powerchair Football World Cup. Since it is crunch time, the coaches pushed the team as far as they could go. They encouraged everyone to leave everything on the court, and the team did just that.

All weekend, the coaches worked with different combinations of players and the chemistry was strengthened. Special thanks to the players from Minnesota, St. Louis, and Indianapolis that came to scrimmage Team USA. In the last team huddle, a picture of the World Cup was passed around and the athletes and staff shared what the Cup would mean to them. It has been an amazing, emotional, and inspiring journey, but there is one stop left.

In just a few weeks, the athletes and staff will be boarding planes and meeting in Paris, France. When everyone arrives, they will have a couple days of sight-seeing and getting adjusted to the time change. Afterward, the team will have a few days of practice before moving to the World Cup hotel. Upon arrival, classification begins for all of the countries and possibly a couple hours of gym time. On November 2nd, the competition begins. Team USA is ready to bring the Cup back to the United States, and we couldn't do it without your support. 

On August 22nd, the ONE Campaign was released in an effort to raise awareness and funds not only for the National Team, but for the growth of power soccer across the globe. The team would greatly appreciate you spreading the video to all your awesome friends and family! Check it out at theonepowersoccer.com

 

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Power Soccer Player Represents USA in Boccia World Cup  

In the midst of the FIPFA World Cup in November, our power soccer athletes are traveling around the world for other global competitions! The following is a letter written by James Labas. His son, Luke of the Turnstone Flyers, recently traveled to Belfast, Ireland to compete in the Boccia World Cup:

So today, 3,603 miles from home, a 17-year-old athlete carried the flag of his nation onto a floor of competition. He carried it as anyone who has the honor to carry our flag in a foreign land carries it. With pride, honor, and a respect for all that it represents. He carried it for everyone back home, especially his Mom, brother and sister back in Indiana cheering him on. His brothers that salute it everyday, everyone that has supported him on this trip and are a big part of making it all possible, his friends and supporters at Turnstone. But mostly he carried it for anyone back home with any form of a disability.

The nine athletes that are here wearing Red, White and Blue represent the best that a core of resilience and determination has to offer. For anyone that faces challenges in everyday life that we with able bodies take for granted. For the extra time it takes just to prepare in the morning to start ones day. For the obstacles in everyday life that a world that wasn't designed for them presents. For dealing with something as simple as a mosquito bite that can't be scratched, because one cannot will their body to do that simple task, so they just mentally deal with it as they just mentally deal with so many discomforts, aches and pains every single day of their life.

But at this time, during this week, in this city in Northern Ireland, they will meet their own. They will meet 200 athletes from 32 other countries that have the same mental tenacity to deal with everyday obstacles and push through the road blocks in their way. They have found a way to compete. An avenue to channel their will to better themselves and push beyond what was their past performance to something even better. They will feel their heart beating through their chest as a key throw is needed at a critical time to score and they will mentally deal with it. They will force their bodies to do more than they are comfortable doing so that they don't let themselves, their teamates, their coaches and their supporters back home down. They will focus as any athlete does. They will focus on what they have trained for and practiced. They will push their bodies to excell on a world stage. They will do what everyone with a disability does every single day of their life. Adapt, improve, give it their all and push on. Great Britan, Hong Kong and Brazil are the first on the list.

Let the games begin.

Proud of you Luke Labas.

 

If you know a Power Soccer athlete that you would like to feature in a future edition of the USPSA Newsletter, please send an e-mail to: marketing [at] powersoccerusa [dot] net

 

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USPSA on YouTube

In a concerted effort to bring relevant video to people searching out information on the internet about power soccer and the USPSA, we are introducing a You-Tube page specific to the USPSA.

If you have power soccer videos (games, clinics, etc.) that you have taken at a recent USPSA event, or you are interested in video taping upcoming events and helping with this project, please contact Tony Jackson at: azpowersoccer [at] gmail [dot] com