April Newsletter 2022

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Welcome to the Kings Hammer April Newsletter 2022! This edition features Tryout Registration, PlayMetrics New Registration Platform, Megan Adkins Named KHB Girl’s Academy Director, KH Announces Partnership with Club X, KH Partners with Murfreesboro SC, Summer Camps, USL Season Tickets, and more! If you have a player, coach, or team to be highlighted in future newsletters, please send photos and stories to info@kingshammer.com.

Register for 2022/2023 Tryouts Today

The 2022/2023 tryout schedules have been posted. If you have not registered through PlayMetrics yet, click the links below to register today. ALL current players must register through PlayMetrics to be placed on a team.

Click the links below to view the schedule and to register today:

ECNL Boys
ECNL Girls

Academy North
Academy South
Academy Bluegrass

Premier Xenia
Premier North
Premier Sycamore
Premier Central
Premier South
Premier Lexington
Premier Versailles

If you are not able to attend tryouts please communicate with your Program Director so they are aware.

PlayMetrics New Registration Platform

Tryout registration and player account management for the 2022/2023 Season will be provided through the PlayMetrics System. This will allow you to register for tryouts, accept positions, and manage your account all in one mobile friendly platform. Having all of this in one system will provide families ease and efficiency. Tryout registration for the 2022/2023 Season is currently open in PlayMetrics. Specific tryout dates and times will be released this week. Click the button below to register for tryouts now. For more information on how to manage your PlayMetrics account click here. Please note that we will continue to use Demosphere for current spring accounts and summer camps through the end of the 2021/2022 Season.

KHB Announces Megan Adkins Girl’s Academy Director

LEXINGTON, KY (April 6th, 2022) Kings Hammer Bluegrass is excited to announce Megan Adkins as the Girl’s Academy Program Director. Megan has been heavily involved in youth soccer development, coaching teams at the YMCA, Lexington Youth Soccer Association, Woodford Youth Soccer Association, and Commonwealth Soccer Club. She has also run multiple youth soccer camps in the area.

Megan most recently served as the Executive Director of Commonwealth Soccer Club where she has been coaching the last six years. She also spent three years serving as the Varsity Girls Assistant Head Coach for Lexington Catholic High School where she helped lead the team to two consecutive State Championship Games. She is currently the Head Girls Coach at Frederick Douglass High School where she has laid a foundation for both academic and athletic success. Megan was named the 11th Region Coach of the year in her second year at Frederick Douglass High School. She is also a member of the partnership group that opened the new indoor soccer facility, The Pitch, inside Lexington Athletic Club.

Megan is the proud mother of four children, three daughters and a son who are all involved in Club soccer amongst other activities. In her spare time Megan is a devoted member of her church, an avid WVU Mountaineer fan, and stays true to her Lexington roots by cheering on her beloved Wildcats.

“I am thrilled and honored to be joining the Kings Hammer organization, helping to continue their long-standing tradition of soccer development and success is very important to me. I am excited about the future of Kings Hammer in Lexington and the opportunities for youth soccer players for all ages and skill levels. It is an exciting time for soccer players and families and I’m truly thankful for Kings Hammer giving me this opportunity,” said Megan Adkins.

“We are very fortunate to add someone of Megan’s caliber to the Kings Hammer Bluegrass family. Megan has extensive knowledge of the game and understands the Bluegrass soccer community inside and out. We are excited to watch Megan take the girls academy at Kings Hammer Bluegrass to the next level. Adding Megan to the already strong leadership group that we have in the Bluegrass community is another positive step to separate ourselves from the competition,” stated Paul Nicholson, Kings Hammer Technical Director.

KH Announces Partnership with Club X

DAYTON, OH (April 7th, 2022) Kings Hammer Soccer Club, one of the largest youth soccer programs in the area, announced today that it is expanding its soccer operations to the greater Dayton area with a new partnership with Club X. Kings Hammer Xenia will be offering the first two tiers of its development pathway – Grassroots (Little Lions & Camps) and the Premier Program.

Kings Hammer Little Lions (Ages u4-u8) is a program offered for new and beginner players as an introduction to the game of soccer. Using soccer as a tool to help kids reach various physical and cognitive development milestones, the program also promotes self-confidence and fosters the love of the game. Led by KH staff, each session is held at club hosted sites, pre-schools, daycares, after school programs and club hosted sites.

The Kings Hammer Premier Program (Ages u8-u19) is designed to provide players with the opportunity to train and prepare for the journey to the Kings Hammer Academy Program. The Premier Program also provides the opportunity for players to play other sports or have other interests outside of soccer. This program is designed to be flexible, convenient, and affordable. This program will be offered at home sites in the Centerville, Dayton, and Xenia communities.

“As Club X embarks on our 25th year of providing opportunities for youth in Xenia and the surrounding communities, we are incredibly excited about this partnership with Kings Hammer. Kings Hammer has a strong tradition and history of adding value to the areas as it expands. The values and mission of Kings Hammer align perfectly with the principles Club X was founded on. This partnership will provide the structure and platform for both players and coaches to grow and achieve the highest level of everyone’s capabilities. Coaches and administration are appreciative of Kings Hammer’s confidence that we will continue to meet the high standards come to be expected of Kings Hammer.” – Brent Lewis, Club X President.

Brent Lewis will be the new Director of Coaching for Kings Hammer Xenia. Brent will be leading the Premier Program in Xenia with the support of other Kings Hammer staff and current Club X coaches.

“Kings Hammer partnering with Club X will be a very positive step in helping to bring more resource, support and guidance to the Xenia and greater Dayton area. We are looking forward to offering a professional product to the local communities.” – Kevin McCloskey, COO Kings Hammer Soccer Club.

Click here to view the full article.

Kings Hammer Partners with Murfreesboro Soccer Club

Murfreesboro, TN (April 19th, 2022) Kings Hammer Soccer Club, one of the largest youth soccer programs in the Midwest, announced today that it is partnering with Murfreesboro Soccer Club to create a new entity, Kings Hammer Murfreesboro. The new club will offer appropriate programs to service the Murfreesboro and Greater Nashville area. Being able to offer these new programs will allow Kings Hammer Murfreesboro to create a true development pathway which provides all current and future players with age-appropriate soccer learning opportunities.

Kings Hammer Soccer Club and Murfreesboro Soccer Club have a rich history in developing both players and teams who have competed at a state, regional and national level.

Murfreesboro Soccer Club was formed in 1977 in Rutherford County, Tennessee and was devoted to promoting the game of soccer by serving the residents of Murfreesboro and surrounding cities. MSC’s goal was to create a sense of community on and off the soccer pitch while supporting all young athletes. MSC has always understood that winning should not be the primary focus at the younger ages and what really matters is the skill and technical development of the individual. Building on this focus with quality coaches and trainers has allowed the Club to have many success stories and become one of the top clubs in the middle Tennessee area.

Kings Hammer Murfreesboro will offer the following programs for the 2022-2023 season:

Kings Hammer Little Strikers (Ages 3U-4U) is a program offered for new and beginner players as an introduction to the game of soccer. Using soccer as a tool to help kids reach various physical and cognitive development milestones, the program also promotes self-confidence and fosters the love of the game. Led by KH Murfreesboro staff, each session is held at Richard Siegel Soccer Complex.

Kings Hammer Grassroots/Recreation (5U-19U) is a community program offered to all interested youth players (ages 3U to 19U) as an introduction to the game of soccer to play soccer at a less challenging and competitive level. This program is entirely coached by parent and community volunteers and supported by our staff coaches. The Grassroots Program also offers an Adult Rec league for players over the age 19 with 2 divisions.

Kings Hammer Premier Program (Ages 7U-19U) is designed to provide players with the opportunity to train and prepare for the journey to the Kings Hammer Academy Program. This program is designed to offer an opportunity for competitive players for them to play soccer at a more challenging environment, while placing an emphasis on learning and development.

Kings Hammer Murfreesboro will also offer the TOPS Program, which is a free Outreach Program for kids with special needs.

Kings Hammer Murfreesboro leadership will manage each program within the club while elevating its current programs to better serve the players and parents. Leading these initiatives are some of the best in the soccer community. Coach Turkish (Serkan Örsan) will be the Executive Director for Kings Hammer Murfreesboro and will manage all staff and coaches.

“This partnership has been in the works for some time. Being able to announce this today is something very special for Kings Hammer and Murfreesboro Soccer Club. I would like to thank Coach Turkish, Brian Yocum and the MSC Board for believing in the vision and providing the commitment to evolve their soccer programs and events. I would also like to thank all the leadership associated with the City of Murfreesboro for their full support. Kings Hammer Murfreesboro will be a fantastic option for all youth soccer players in the middle Tennessee area. We also look forward to bringing high level tournaments to the area that will broadly impact the community,” Kevin McCloskey, COO Kings Hammer.

For more information on Kings Hammer Murfreesboro click here!

Summer Camps

Looking for an opportunity to stay sharp this Summer?

Register today for the Kings Hammer Summer Camp Series! Camps will be offered at our North, Sycamore, Central, South, and Bluegrass locations for boys and girls U4-U15 beginning June 20th and running through July 28th.

For more information on Summer Camps and to register click here.

April Education: Evaluation + Team Formation = STRESS!

Earlier this month Kings Hammer Soccer Club announced plans for tryouts and team formation. This announcement generally elevates the level of stress felt by all parties: players, parents, and coaches. Given the changes in the tryout and team offers that have been introduced by Ohio Soccer, this year could provide even more of this stress. For this reason, we thought it would be appropriate to explore how all of us may be able to manage this part of the game a little more productively.

To kick off (pun intended) the conversation, let’s explore where the STRESS comes from. In an interview last year with Soccer Parenting, Sports Psychologist Stu Singer framed it this way:

STRESS = ANXIETY = FEAR

Here are the four triggers to our fear.

UNCERTAINTY
ATTENTION
CHANGE
STRUGGLE

These four triggers lead to one thing: LACK OF CONTROL!

As a parent your mind is telling you these or similar thoughts

What if they don’t make this team, what if there are new players, what if the coach is new?
if I can take all the worry away, they won’t have to worry
if I can get them in the right place, they can be seen the right way
If I can keep them from struggling, they won’t face hardship and failure
If I get the outcome that I want, they’ll get the outcome that they want

We are struggling to predict a future with too many variables that we cannot CONTROL.

As parents we have to recognize that we cannot control the process and we do not own the outcome. We have to embrace that our children are going to struggle, should struggle, and may FAIL…and that is OK. More importantly, parents need to recognize that if you are full of anxiety, you child is going to feel it and it is likely that it will impact their performance.

So, then the question is what do we have some control over as a parent? What can we do to handle it productively?

Click here to view the full article.

Events Update + Volunteers Needed

Our second annual Triple Crown Cup was held this month on April 8th-10th and consisted of 100 teams that played at 5 different locations. Additionally, we were thrilled to host teams from 8 different states this year. While the weather made for some extra logistical work, we sincerely appreciate everyone being flexible and helping us to remember why we host these events…opportunities for our kids to play the sport they love and make memories doing so. We hope that all families at the event enjoyed the weekend in Central Kentucky! Special thank you to our event sponsors: Nike, Trophy Awards, and PYB Sports!

The next events we have coming up our the Men’s Blue Chip Showcase on April 29th-May 1st and the Crown Challenge on May 14th & 15th. We are still in need of many volunteers to make these events run smoothly. We rely on Kings Hammer families to volunteer for our local events to help make them so successful. Please click the links below to volunteer:

Men’s Blue Chip Showcase (April 29-May 1):

Voice of America Park – Click here to sign up now!

Warren County Sports Park – Click here to sign up now!

Crown Challenge (May 14-15):

Voice of America Park – Click here to sign up now!

Warren County Sports Park – Click here to sign up now!

USL2 & USLW Games Begin in May

Kings Hammer FC USL League Two and the new USL Women’s League will be kicking off next month with the first home game being played on Tuesday, May 10th. Over the past three months, Head Coaches Paul Nicholson and Vince Gentile have put together some pretty incredible rosters. These teams will include several high profile past professional players and some of the highest level college soccer players from across the country. Player signing announcements began this week on all our social channels.

As an added member benefit we will be giving everyone at Kings Hammer the option to attend our 13 home matches for free this season. All home matches will be played at Mustang Athletic Complex at Bishop Brossart High School in Alexandria, Kentucky. This will be a very family friendly environment for everyone in the club to enjoy and we encourage players, parents, coaches, and staff to attend these games to cheer on our USL-2 and USL-W teams. The promo code to receive the free tickets was sent through PlayMetrics and Constant Contact so make sure your check your inboxes. The code will only be valid through May 3rd, so act quickly in securing your tickets online today.

Click here to view USL Tickets.

GK Union Save of the Month

Congratulations to Gabriel C from KHA South B10 Grey & Emma H from KHN G05 P1 for being named the March GK Union Saves of the Month!

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 or share on Twitter using the hashtag #KingsHammer. Be sure to share throughout the spring season and YOU could be selected for our Kings Hammer Save of the Month! The April GK Union Save of the Month winner will be announced on Friday, May 6th. In order to be considered please submit your save by midnight on 4/29. GK Save of the Month winners will be announced the Friday of the first full week of the following month.

Kings Hammer Fanwear & Event Gear

New Kings Hammer fanwear and event gear is available now on the Kings Hammer Online Shop!

Click here to check out the Kings Hammer Online Shop now!

Kings Hammer is looking for Referees!

The Spring Soccer Season is underway and we still desperately need more referees!To help facilitate this, Kentucky Youth Soccer has added three last courses for the 2022 Registration year set to take place on May 1, 8, and 15. This will also likely be the last opportunity to be able to take the course entirely online (including a Zoom Learning Session). Do not miss these last opportunities to take this course entirely online. Take a look here for the current schedule Entry-Level Referee Course Schedule that includes May 1, 8, and 15. The classes are set for Sunday evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in an attempt to avoid conflicts.

Being a referee is among the best part-time job anyone can have as you essentially set your hours and can easily make in excess of $20/hr. The minimum age to take the course is 13 years of age. Please consider signing up today. Details on how to sign up can be found at www.youtube.com/watch?v=C36tX3xyggs&t. In addition to the course fee of $65.00, there is a $30 background check for anyone over the age of 18.