Welcome to the Kings Hammer Swan City October Newsletter! This edition features: A Letter from the GM, Thanksgiving Skills Camp, Crossover Fest Success, Big Sis-Lil Sis Program, Girls College Night, National Coaches Day, TOPSoccer is Back, Coaching Education, Featured Education: “A Letter from the Technical Desk: Which Risk Did You Take Today?”, and more! If you have a player, coach, or team to be highlighted in future newsletters, please send photos and stories to acorbett@kingshammer.com. Each newsletter will be posted on our website as well as our social pages.
A message from our GM
Dear Kings Hammer Swan City Families,
As we move through the fall season, I want to take a moment to say Thank You.
To our players, from our youngest Recreation players to our Competitive teams: thank you for your effort, your energy and the way you represent this club. Whether you're scoring your first goal or competing in a tournament, you're the reason we do this.
To our parents and families: thank you for the early mornings, the late practices, the carpools and the cheering from the sideline. Your support on and off the field makes everything possible.
To our coaches, staff and volunteer coaches alike: thank you for the time and care you give our players every week. You teach far more than soccer, and it shows.
Each season reminds me that this club was built by its people, those here today, in the past and our future members. Thank you to all of our members for shaping our club and improving our community. A special thank you to Tia Karatzas and Amanda Garcia for leading some exciting community initiatives ahead.
Looking Back
There have been many great performances on the field already this season, from our recreational teams to our national league teams, KH Swan City is leading in our city, state and for some groups in our nation. There are always challenges with tough results, challenging leagues, player movement and roster adjustments, the journey is not linear and through it all our goal is to provide the best possible experience for each and every player, relative to their pathway. One club wide challenge on the competitive kit distribution side has been our ordering fulfillment. All responses previously submitted have been solved, according to our distributor. If you have an item that has not been fulfilled, please submit this updated grievance form.
Looking Ahead
Tent or Treat, Dunk Tank & Viste, Oct 30, Lake Parker Park
Champions Cup, Nov 7th U8 Recreation Tournament
Gobbler Cup, Nov 13–15, Competitive Tournament
Judges Cup, Nov 13-15, Polk County's Recreational Fall Tournament
Thanksgiving Camp, Nov 23–25
Winter Camp, Dec 21–23 and Dec 28–30
Your coach and our Director of Coaches will share more details as each date gets closer. Thank you for being part of the Kings Hammer Swan City family.
See you on the sidelines,
Eoghan Conlon
General Manager
Kings Hammer Swan City
Thanksgiving Skills Camp
Before you tackle the turkey, tackle some soccer! Thanksgiving break is right around the corner, and we've got the perfect way to keep those feet moving! Join us for our Thanksgiving Skills Camp, packed with extra touches, skill-building, and plenty of fun on the field.Save the turkey coma for later. We've got soccer to play!
Registration is OPEN! Don't miss out and secure your spot today!
Crossover Fest Success
26 Games. One Club. Relentless Results.
Kings Hammer Swan City brought the intensity, determination, and championship mentality to the National Academy League Crossover Fest, delivering an impressive weekend of competition across our teams.
With 18 wins, 4 draws, and 4 losses across 26 games, the club made its presence felt, earning four semifinal appearances, two finals appearances, one finalist finish, and one championship title.
Our U16 Boys led the way with a dominant championship performance. Entering the tournament ready to compete, they capped off an outstanding run with a commanding 4-0 victory over Nona Academy in the final. Five games. Undefeated. Champions. Their performance was a testament to the hard work, commitment, and relentless mentality that define our club. Congratulations to the boys on an incredible achievement!
Our U19 Boys also delivered a strong showing, battling their way to the final after going four games unbeaten. In a hard-fought championship match, the boys finished 0-0 before the contest was decided by penalty kicks. While the result made them finalists, their determination, resilience, and fight throughout the tournament made us proud.
From opening kickoff to the final whistle, Kings Hammer Swan City demonstrated the quality, competitiveness, and team spirit that continue to drive our program forward.
The standard is set. The mission continues. The next challenge is waiting.
Congratulations to all our players and coaches on a fantastic Crossover Fest. Relentless in all we do!
Big Sis-Lil Sis Program
This season, we’re excited to introduce our Big Sis/Lil Sis Program, designed to build meaningful relationships between players across different age groups while creating strong role models within our club. Coach Ysa Novak, who is leading the program has brought plenty of fun and interactive challenges to the program, and our girls have already completed their first two, “Getting to Know You” and “This or That.” Both have been a fun way for our Big and Lil Sisters to learn more about each other and start building those connections. We’re excited to watch these relationships grow throughout the season and see our girls continue to support, encourage, and inspire one another both on and off the field.
Girls College Night
This month our Elite Ladies gathered at Crago Recreation Center for an informative evening focused on the college recruiting process. A special thank you to Florida Southern College Women’s Soccer Head Coach Maddi Moon and University of South Florida Assistant & Goalkeeper Coach Jennifer Wandt for sharing their insight and answering important questions from our players. And thank you to FSC student-athletes Carly Brodsky and Sammie Markey for giving our girls the student-athlete perspective and answering questions about recruiting and what it takes to be a college athlete. Another Special thank you to TLC Catering for providing refreshments for the families too. We’re proud to provide our players with opportunities to learn, ask questions, and prepare for what’s next. The future is yours, now go after it!
National Coaches Day
Four hubs. Nine locations. One Club. We celebrated National Coaches Day this month and we say thank you to the hundreds of coaches who help shape, grow, and mentor our players, making an impact every single day! From U4 teams through our U19 all of our programs, every coach plays an important role in helping make Kings Hammer great! Thank you, Coaches!
TOPSoccer is BACK
We are excited to announce that we will once again be offering TOPSoccer beginning this December.
Season: December – FebruaryTime: 10:00–11:00 AMLocation: Carter Road (Loyce E. Harpe Park)
What is TOPSoccer?
US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) is a recreational soccer program designed for children and adults with intellectual, emotional, or physical disabilities.The program provides players of all abilities the opportunity to enjoy soccer in a safe, fun, supportive, and inclusive environment where everyone has the chance to participate, learn, and grow.
Calling All High School Volunteers!
We are also looking for high school students interested in volunteering as TOPSoccer Buddies! Buddies play an important role in supporting and encouraging our athletes while helping create a positive and memorable experience for everyone involved.
We would love to have you be part of this special program! If interested please email recreation@swancitysc.com.
At Swan City, we believe soccer is for everyone, and we can't wait to welcome our TOPSoccer athletes and Buddies back to the field this December!
Coaching Education
This month we had the pleasure of welcoming Kings Hammer National Directors Bronson Gambale and Lou Liberatore from Cincinnati for three days of coaching education and development. At Kings Hammer Swan City, we believe investing in our coaches is investing in our players. We're always looking for ways to learn, grow, and raise the standard for our club. A huge thank you to Bronson and Lou for sharing their knowledge and helping us continue to push forward.
COMMITTED
Audrey Slater is staying local! She’s committed to Southeastern University, and we can’t wait to see her continue to grow and showcase her talents at the next level. Congratulations Audrey we are proud of you!
Monster Mash Finalists
Our youngest KHA U9 girls made their mark at Monster Mash, bringing home a finalist finish in their very first tournament experience. The future is bright with this group!
Fall Recreation Season
What a season it's been for our Recreation players so far! From our littlest munchkins stepping onto the soccer field for the very first time to our oldest U15 players, this season has been filled with learning, laughter, friendships, and a whole lot of soccer fun!
A HUGE shoutout to our incredible Volunteer Coaches who have poured their time, energy, and hearts into making this season special for our players. We couldn't do it without you!
We're not quite finished yet! With tournament play just around the corner, we're looking forward to wrapping up another fantastic Recreation season with some exciting soccer action!
Let's finish strong, Swan City!
From The National Technical Desk: Which Risk Did You Take Today?
I was in a conversation this week about long term development, the kind that builds a player and a person and not just a result on a Saturday. Désiré Doué (the young PSG and French forward) came up, and what it is that makes him the player he is. Out of that came an idea simple enough to use tomorrow. After the next game, do not ask your child if they won. Ask them which risk they took.
I have been coaching a long time and I have asked a lot of post-game questions. That one is better than most of mine.
Here is why it matters, and why I want every Kings Hammer family to steal it.
The safe game is the expensive game
Most young players figure out early that the safest way to avoid looking bad is to avoid trying anything. Pass it sideways. Give it back to the defender. Use the strong foot every single time. Stay out of the duel you might lose.
That player will have a clean afternoon. They will also stop developing.
I have watched this happen to talented kids for the last twenty years. Somewhere around thirteen or fourteen, a player decides that not losing the ball matters more than learning what they are capable of. They get tidy. They get invisible. And by the time they are seventeen and the game asks them to beat somebody or break a line, the tool is not there, because they spent four years not building it.
The window for taking risks cheaply is now. At ten, a turnover costs nothing. At nine, nobody remembers the result. At twelve, a bad touch is a Tuesday. That luxury does not last. Ask any college coach what they are looking for and it will not be a player who has never made a mistake.
Growth is not a straight line
The other thing I am fighting, in myself as much as anyone, is the urge to believe development moves in a straight line.
It does not. It never has. A player will look sharp for six weeks and then lose their touch for three. They will be brave all spring and timid in September. They will be the best player on the field in one game and anonymous in the next, against the same opponent, with the same teammates. Parents see that dip and assume something is wrong. Usually nothing is wrong at all.
What actually happens in a good environment is that the floor keeps rising. The peaks and valleys do not go away, but the bad day at thirteen is better than the good day at eleven. That is the only measurement that matters, and you cannot see it week to week. You see it over years, which is exactly what the report cards are for.
Here is the connection to everything else in this letter. A player stuck in a valley is the player most tempted to stop taking risks, because risk feels expensive when nothing is going well. That is the moment it matters most. The way out of a dip is not playing safer. It is staying brave while it is uncomfortable.
If your player is in a rough patch right now, the environment they are in is doing the work. Let it.
The five risks we want to see:
These line up almost exactly with what our Game Model asks for, which is why I am putting them in front of you.
- 1.
Take the 1v1 in the final third. Every time it is on. They will lose it plenty. The one or two that come off create a goal.
- 2.
Play it forward. The square pass is always available and it is always safe. The forward pass is where games get decided.
- 3.
Use the weak foot in a match. Not just in training. It is on the report card for a reason. It only gets built under pressure.
- 4.
Go into every duel to win it. Not wild tackles. The genuine intent to win the ball every time there is a chance. They will lose plenty. Go win the next one.
- 5.
Ask for the ball right after a mistake. This is the hardest one and the one I care about most. The confident player wants it back after five errors in a row. The scared player hides. Asking again is uncomfortable, and it is the only thing that moves a player forward.
Read that list again and tell me it is not Relentless Action written out five different ways. Tenacity in possession. Effort out of it. Seizing the opportunity instead of waiting for a safer one. That is the KH Way, and it is exactly what your player’s coach is scoring on their report card.
What this asks of us, not them
Here is the uncomfortable part. Players take risks when the adults around them make it safe to fail.
If a kid gets beaten in a duel and hears a groan from the sideline, they will not go into the next one. If they try the weak foot and it skews out for a throw-in and they get a look from the car ride home, they will use the strong foot for the rest of their career. Our coaches have to protect risk-taking in training and in games. You have to protect it on the drive home.
That drive is where a lot of development gets quietly undone.
What I am asking of you
Next game, do not lead with the score. Ask which risk they took, and what they learned from it. Then listen to the answer without fixing it.
If they say they did not take one, that is not a failure either. That is the conversation starting.
A player who is willing to be wrong in public is a player who will keep getting better. That is the whole thing.
Bring the Relentless Action.
– Bronson Gambale, KH National Technical Director
GK Union Save of the Month
Big-time saves from our September GK Union Save of the Month winners! Liam came up with a full-extension save, and Caroline stopped two PKs in a shootout to help her team win the tournament! Congratulations to Liam from KH Elite Murfreesboro and Caroline from KH Elite Cincinnati on a job well done!
Did you make an incredible save or a game-saving block? We want to see them! Post your best saves in the Kings Hammer GK Union Facebook group. Be sure to share throughout the upcoming season and YOU could be selected for our Kings Hammer Save of the Month! GK Save of the Month winners will be announced the Friday of the first full week of the following month.
Monthly winners will be posted on the Kings Hammer social pages and on the GK Union page.
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