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July Newsletter 2022

Welcome to the Kings Hammer July Newsletter 2022! This edition features Fall Training, KHA North G04 Red at Nationals, FC Cincinnati Kings Hammer Family Night, KH Announces Executive Directors, KHFC USL2 Advances to Second Round of Playoffs, 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.

Training Begins August 1st

Team training begins, August 1st, for the U7-U14 age groups. Training schedules have been entered in to the PlayMetrics system, if your team does not have a training schedule your program director should be in communication with your team.

All players in the club will also have access to the Techne Futbol App. Existing player profiles have been updated for the 22/23 Season. New players should have received an email notification to set up a profile. The Techne App is the first of its kind, delivering unique weekly technical sessions with options for players of all levels. Techne emphasizes spending time in deep practice, focused on mastering basic repetitions and challenging the mind and body on a regular basis to perform skills more quickly, cleanly, and efficiently. For more information on Techne Futbol, click here to visit their website.

As we begin the fall season, we want to remind parents that we have secured a membership to the Soccer Parent Resource Center for all the parents and coaches in the club. At the Soccer Parent Resource Center, you will find monthly webinars for parents, articles, and interviews with tips and advice, guidance and support, and much more to help you support your child in soccer. To gain access to your free membership and all the great content at SoccerParentResourceCenter.com simply follow the link to register: Click here to create your account

Congratulations to KHA North G04 Red

KHA North G04 Red advanced to Nationals that were held in Orlando, Florida on July 19th-24th. The girls played hard and went 2-1, unfortunately not advancing by just 1 point. Congratulations on an amazing season, we could not be more proud!

FC Cincinnati Kings Hammer Family Night – August 6th

Save the Date! All Kings Hammer friends and families can now take advantage of special Club Partner ticket pricing for:
FC Cincinnati vs Philadelphia Union
Saturday, August 6th – 7:30pm
To purchase tickets, please click here and enter portal password KH22. Deadline to purchase is 7/27. If there is a need to purchase more than 8 tickets, feel free to call Trevor Phillips at (513)977-5423 or email Phillips@fccincinnati.com.
Help Kings Hammer set the youth soccer night club attendance record and purchase your tickets today!

Kings Hammer Announces Executive Directors & Important Organizational Updates

COVINGTON, KY (July 1st, 2022) – Over the last 3 years, Kings Hammer has grown to offer programs and events across the Midwest Region in Dayton, Cincinnati, and Central KY. In addition to the Midwest Region, Kings Hammer most recently partnered with Murfreesboro Soccer Club in Tennessee. This partnership will provide new opportunities in the the Mid-south region servicing Murfreesboro and Greater Nashville. With the growth and expansion of the club, important organizational updates have been made before the start of the 2022/2023 Season.

Executive Directors have been named for both the Midwest and Mid-south regions to effectively provide support and leadership needed to improve day to day operations management. Kings Hammer is excited to announce Paul Nicholson as the Midwest Executive Director and Serkan Örsan (Coach Turkish) as the Mid-south Executive Director. As Executive Directors, Paul and Serkan will lead their region’s daily operations and will develop strategies and plans that meet the club’s mission and values. They will oversee club structure, staffing, and operations. Having Executive Directors in each region will allow for a more efficient and effective way to operate all soccer programs as well as events in each region.

“I’m extremely excited and grateful for this opportunity. Kings Hammer has been able to build a complete player pathway in this Midwest Region and also offer some of the best tournaments available. Being able to work closely with both divisions is something that I am really looking forward to and I feel honored to work with some of the great staff and leaders here at Kings Hammer,” said Paul Nicholson.

“Kings Hammer has made an immediate impact in the Murfreesboro and Greater Nashville area since we entered into this partnership with MSC. I am excited to be tasked as the Executive Director for this region and have the opportunity to work closely with Paul Nicholson, Dave McIver and the other staff members at Kings Hammer. This structure will provide more support to our players, families and staff. We are building something very special here in Murfreesboro, and we look forward to welcoming teams from outside the region to come and play in our new event series starting fall 2022,” said Serkan Örsan.

Click here to read the full story.

KHFC USL-2 Advances to Second Round of Playoffs

Kings Hammer FC USL League Two qualified for the Playoffs and defeated Kalamazoo FC in PKs in the first round on Friday, July 22nd in Des Moines, IA. They quickly continued on to play Des Moines Menace on Sunday, July 24th but fell 4-1. We are very proud of each of you and look forward to what you can accomplish next year! Congratulations on a great season!

July Education: 5 Tips to Prepare for the 22/23 Season

The new season is coming up very quickly.  With that in mind we wanted to share the following tips to help parents and players be prepared on and off the field for a successful season. Click here to view the 5 Tips on YouTube now or continue reading. 

Tip #1: Get Physical

Being ready for the new season means being ready to MOVE. Hopefully many of the players have been able to take advantage of the camp programs offered by  There are a number of ways to get young athletes ready to be in top condition to perform in practice and in games.

  • Cross Train- swimming, biking, pickleball, volleyball are all great activities to get you moving
  • Running- not just jogging miles…sprinting, darting, changing directions – tag games are awesome
  • Strength- YES, even young (U9+) players can work on getting stronger using basic Body Weight exercises. Here are some tips
  • Get on the Ball- juggle, practice moves, organize small-sided games at home or at a park. Using Techne is also great and you can track your improvements
  • Make it FUN- Engage the WHOLE family. Mom and Dan can participate, not just supervise!

Tip #2: Nutrition

Eating right is important in order to fuel the athlete for performance.  But it can’t start the day before the game, or even the week of practice.  It starts NOW.  Time to put aside the summer picnic menu and focus on these simple guidelines:

  • Balanced Diet- whole grain breads and cereals and lean proteins (chicken, fish, lean red meats) supported by lots of vegetables and fruits (think dark green and orange)
  • Reduce Sugars- try to limit the sugary snacks and read labels, many “healthy” treats are loaded with extra sweets.
  • Plan HEALTHY snacks- starting thinking and planning about pre-practice, pre-game, or even between game (tournament) snacks so that you are prepared with healthy, nutritious, and tasty options that your child will be excited to grab
  • Hydrate- our bodies cannot perform without plenty of water. Start a habit of drinking 8-12 oz in the morning, prior to meals, and at night.  As well as before, during and after activities.

Here are some additional Nutrition resources:

Click here to read the full story.

Summer Camps

The 2022 Kings Hammer Summer Camp Series wraps up this week with the Central, Sycamore, and Bluegrass World Cup Camps. We had over 700 campers participate over 5 weeks across the 5 community programs,

Thank you to all players and staff who participated and made this summer the best one yet! Good luck to all players and coaches, we hope your hard work pays off this fall.

 

Battle in the Bluegrass

We are excited to kick off the 2022/2023 Event Series with the Battle in the Bluegrass on August 12th-14th in Lexington, KY. This event will be held at one main location, Woodford Youth Soccer Complex, to minimize in-between game travel as well as facilitate coaches’ schedules. It is a great early season tournament to get teams and clubs ready for the fall season. We look forward to seeing everyone in the heart of the Bluegrass! Special thank you to our event sponsors: Nike, Trophy Awards, and PYB Sports. Event gear will be available for pre-order starting August 1st on the Kings Hammer Online Shop! Click here to view the items now.

Content Feedback survey

We want to hear from you! Please take a minute to complete a quick Content Feedback Survey with 9 questions. Your answers will help as we start creating content for the 2022/2023 Season!

Click here to take the survey now

Kings Hammer Gear

Grab your Kings Hammer gear before the start of the Fall Season! Also, Kings Hammer GK Union gloves are now available for purchase on our online store. Click here to get a pair of your own today!

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

Follow Kings Hammer on TikTok

Hey Kings Hammer families! We’ve just joined TikTok! Give us a follow for more fun content! Click here: Kings Hammer TikTok

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Tryout FAQ’s

How do I register for tryouts?
ALL soccer-athletes MUST COMPLETE the tryout registration online before participating in the tryout process. Click here to register now!

*Please make sure that you register online at least 24 hours in advance to ensure that the soccer athlete is in the system and we have your information to notify you after the tryout process.  There is a Registration Steps document on the Tryouts page that will walk you through the process. Each soccer athlete should attend both tryout days if possible. If you are unable to attend both days please reach out to the Program Director listed below.

Birth Years for the 2022/2023 Season
For the 2022/2023 season, Kings Hammer will follow U.S Youth Soccer’s guidelines and will organize its teams by birth year:

*Interested players must register to try out for their birth year.

Can my child play up an age group?
Any player playing up will be at the discretion of their respective director. All players need to register and attend the tryout for their correct age group.

What should I wear/bring to tryouts?
Please come prepared with a fully inflated soccer ball, proper footwear, shin guards, and water. Each prospective soccer-athlete will receive one free Kings Hammer Soccer Club tryout t-shirt with a tryout identification number on the back of the t-shirt.  Each prospective player will be identified by the identification number throughout the process and MUST wear this t-shirt at each tryout session for the 2022/2023 soccer year.

We will not be able to attend tryouts or are new to the area and missed tryouts. Is there a process in place to allow for an alternate tryout?
Yes! If you are not able to attend tryouts or missed the tryout dates, please register and then contact the Director for the Program/Age Group you wish to tryout for so that arrangements can be made. We also hold supplemental tryouts throughout the year. Roster openings may be limited after the initial tryout period.

What are the differences between Academy and Premier?
Our Academy provides a highly competitive environment for higher-level soccer athletes. This program provides those athletes with the best local training offered by our qualified and professional staff. Our Academy teams play at the highest possible level providing showcase opportunities to College, Professional, and National level programs.

The Premier Program is a community-based program. The Premier Program 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.

Can I try out for multiple programs?
We encourage anyone who wants to tryout for all levels to do so. Current KHSC players can ask their coach/director for guidance if they are unsure about which program to tryout for. You will need to register for each tryout separately.

If I tryout for a program and don’t make it, can I try out for another program?
Yes. If you don’t make an Academy team, we strongly encourage you to tryout for a Premier team, attending tryouts for at least one day.

If you don’t make a Premier team, the Classic Program may be an option. Contact Michelle Okumura (michelle@kingshammer.com) if you’d like to pursue this option.

Will there be more than one team in each age group?
Yes, when possible, there will be more than one team per age group, per program. It all depends on the number of players at tryouts and their skill level.

If my child doesn’t make the top team, can they move up during the year?
Yes, there may be opportunities to move up throughout the year as long as the coach/director feels it is in the best interest of the player’s development. There may also be opportunities to guest play across all levels.

What can I expect after tryouts?
After tryouts you can expect communication from the club in the form of an email.  (Please double-check that your email is correct in the PlayMetrics system, this is the email we use) This will either be an acceptance email, offering your child a position on a team, or an email letting you know that they should tryout for a different program. Players who are offered positions on a team may also receive a phone call from their coach. All communication will come within 24-48 hours of the end of the last tryout. You will then have 24 hours to either accept or decline your email before your spot is offered to another child.

What are the next steps if my child makes a team?

  1. If you are new to the club, you will receive more information regarding your uniform ordering in your confirmation email.
  2. If you are part of the Academy or Premier Programs, you will receive the link to Demosphere to register your child in the state system in your confirmation email as well.

How long is the season?

  • Academy
    • U11-U14: August-November, January-May (possible post-season in June)
    • U15-U19: November-May
  • Premier
    • U7-U14: August-October, March-May
    • U15-U19: November-December, March-May

My child is in middle school but plays on a U15 team. Will there be a fall U15 program for trapped players?
Yes, we will offer a program for trapped 8th graders for the fall season depending on interest. The program will run from August to October and is open to players that are currently in the 8th grade that will be playing on a U15 team starting in November 2022. Questions please contact:

Academy North: Ryan Handbury | ryan@kingshammer.com
Academy South Boys: James Thomas | james@kingshammer.com
Academy South Girls: Chris Black | chris@kingshammer.com
Academy Bluegrass Boys: Dan Ensley  | dan@kingshammer.com
Academy Bluegrass Girls: Megan Adkins | megan@kingshammer.com

Can a team come to the club and join as a team?
Yes! The team can join the Classic Program. For more information please reach out to Michelle Okumura at michelle@kingshammer.com.

Who is in charge of hiring coaches?
If you are interested in a coaching opportunity, please fill out the following coaching form – https://kingshammer.com/interested-in-coaching/

Program Directors:

Academy North: Ryan Handbury | ryan@kingshammer.com
Academy South Girls: Chris Black | chris@kingshammer.com
Academy South Boys: James Thomas | james@kingshammer.com
Academy Bluegrass Boys: Dan Ensley | dan@kingshammer.com
Academy Bluegrass Girls: Megan Adkins | megan@kingshammer.com
Premier Xenia: Brent Lewis | brent@kingshammer.com
Premier North: Wil Cagle | wil@kingshammer.com
Premier Sycamore: Ryan Handbury | ryan@kingshammer.com
Premier Central: Michael Ratliff | michaelr@kingshammer.com
Premier South: David Shemilt | dshemilt@kingshammer.com
Premier Versailles: Brandon Cummons | brandon@kingshammer.com
Premier Lexington: Fonyam Atanga | fonyam@kignshammer.com