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March Newsletter 2023

Welcome to the Kings Hammer March Newsletter! This edition features Tryouts Save the Dates, Spring Little Lions, Summer Camps, FCC Kings Hammer Family Night, Keeper Wars, Spring Events, Adult Brewery Cup Series, KHFC Tickets Available, 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. Each newsletter will be posted on our website as well as our social pages.

2023/2024 Tryouts Save the Dates

Tryouts for the 2023/2024 Season can begin in May and will end by June 2nd. Official dates will be announced closer to the start of tryouts. Families looking to book summer vacations can begin booking on Saturday, June 3rd to avoid conflicts.

If the official tryout schedule is released and you run into conflicts please communicate with your Program Director so they are aware.

Spring Little Lions

Registration is still open for the 2023 Spring Little Lions! The program will be offered for boys and girls U4(2019)-U8(2015) at our Xenia, Sycamore, Central, and South locations. Our Little Lions Program is a player-centered program that focuses on technical fundamentals, age-appropriate fitness, and fun! Each week players will participate in 1 training session, led by Kings Hammer staff, that focuses on technical skill development and small-sided games.

Click the links below for more information and to register:

Questions? Contact the Kings Hammer Grassroots Director Michelle Okumura at michelle@kingshammer.com.

Summer Camp Registration Open

Looking for an opportunity to stay sharp this Summer?

Register today for the Kings Hammer Summer Camp Series! Camps will be offered at our Xenia, North, Sycamore, Central, South, Lexington, and Versailles locations beginning June 6th and running through July 27th.

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

FC Cincinnati Kings Hammer Family Night – July 15th

Save the Date!

All Kings Hammer friends and families can now take advantage of Special Club Partner ticket pricing for:

FC Cincinnati vs Nashville SC
Saturday, July 15th – 7:30pm

  • A link to purchase tickets, at the special club partner pricing, has been sent to each Kings Hammer Family’s PlayMetrics account.  If you did not receive please email info@kingshammer.com.
  • Walkout kid and on-field experience opportunities are available! Names will be randomly selected from the submitted forms: Click to sign up now!

Help Kings Hammer set the youth soccer night club attendance record and purchase your tickets today!

Keeper Wars

Register now for the Keeper Wars Ink City Tour at Town & Country on June 10th-11th! Keeper Wars is open to boys & girls U9-U19 and is a 2-day Goalkeeper Showcase & Tournament. All players are welcome, regardless of skill level or team, club or league affiliation! Games will be played on Saturday & Sunday from 9am-4pm. The registration deadline is May 27th. For more information on the event and to register today, click here!

Kings Hammer Wraps Up March Event Series

Our Kings Hammer Event Series was busy the month of March hosting our Turf Classic and Spring Thaw events. Even with the weather challenges we were able to host three great weekends of the Boys Turf Classic, Elite Spring Thaw, and Girls Turf Classic. Over the three weekends, we hosted over 720 teams and 1200 games from 90 clubs spanning across 20 states at turf facilities across Cincinnati and Northern KY. It was a great kick off to the spring season for teams participating with highly competitive matches in U8-19 boys and girls age groups. Thank you to all the teams, coaches, parents, referees, and our event staff for making these events a great success. Special thank you to our event sponsors: Nike, Trophy Awards, PYB Sports, Beacon Orthopaedics, and Wings & Rings.

Now we turn our attention to April and May which will see us host 1,200 teams from all across the country and Canada for our Triple Crown Cup (April 14-16 in Versailles, KY), Nike Blue Chip Showcase (April 21-23 and April 28-30 in Cincinnati, OH), and Crown Challenge (May 12-14 in Cincinnati, OH).

We are looking forward to a wrapping up our Spring Event Series in April and May!

KHA North G07 Red Qualify for US Youth National Championship Series

Congratulations to our Kings Hammer Academy North Girls 2007 Red team on qualifying for the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championship series this coming June.

12 out of the 48 teams competing in the NL P.R.O. from across the country, who accumulate the highest amount of points through league play, automatically qualify for the National Championships. Based on their results at this past weekend’s Greensboro showcase, our ladies were able to secure their spot in Orlando.

We are excited to follow our girls as they compete for a title this summer from July 17th-23rd!

Two KH ECNL Girls Selected for US Soccer Talent ID Mini Camp

Congratulations to Louise Guidugli and Mollee Erras of our Kings Hammer G09 ECNL team for being selected to participate in the U.S. Soccer U-14 Girls Talent ID Central Regional Mini-Camp taking place in Bradenton, FL at the IMG Academy Training Center from March 23rd to March 27th, 2023. Great job girls!

March Education: Integrity

As we have highlighted in numerous presentations for our high school age group parents, coaches, and players, nearly 95% of youth sport athletes nationally WILL NOT go on to get a college scholarship, and fewer than 30% will even play in college.  So, what are, or what should be, our long-term hopes for our children participating in youth sports?  Physical development and fitness are certainly key elements.  Confidence and social interaction can be included as well.  One critical element, often overlooked, is INTEGRITY.  The quote below from billionaire businessman Warren Buffet provides insight into the importance of this value.

“We look for three things when we hire people. We look for intelligence, we look for initiative or energy, and we look for integrity. And if they don’t have the latter, the first two will kill you, because if you’re going to get someone without integrity, you want them lazy and dumb. I mean, you don’t want a spark of energy out of them.”

As one of the Kings Hammer values, it is important that everyone has a better understanding of the word and our role in supporting it with our players, our teams, and our club.

So, what is INTEGRITY?  And what can coaches, parents, and players do to promote and foster it?

Integrity-

  1. the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.
    1. Similar: honesty, honor,  good character, principle(s), ethics, morals, virtue, decency, fairness, sincerity, truthfulness, trustworthiness
  2. the state of being whole and undivided.
    1. Similar: unity, wholeness, cohesion

Click here to read the full story.

Adult Brewery Cup Series

Raise a pint to soccer! Kings Hammer Event Management is excited to announce new Adult Brewery Cup events! Grab your friends and join us in Murfreesboro & Cincinnati this summer. Click here to learn more about our new events!

USL2 & USLW 2023 Tickets Now Available

Tickets are now available for the 2023 USL League Two and the USL Women’s League seasons at Xavier University’s Corcoran Field! The first home games are scheduled for May 14th (USLW) & May 19th (USL2). All Kings Hammer families receive free season tickets through March 31st. The discount code to claim the free tickets were sent to each family’s PlayMetrics account. If you did not receive please email info@kingshammer.com. For more information click here!

Kings Hammer Fan Wear

Warm weather is right around the corner—time to stock up on Kings Hammer fan wear! Come see all our great options online and remember: orders ship fast, and directly to your door. Be sure to check back as we add new styles and colors for our spring tournaments! Shop now: Kings Hammer Gear

GK Union Save of the Month

Congratulations to Abbie S. from KH Murfreesboro G08 P1, Lauren B. from KH G10 ECNL RL, & Barrett M. from KH B04/05 ECNL for being named the February 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! 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.

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 2023 Season!

Click here to take the survey now

Partners

 

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