February Newsletter 2025

Welcome to the Kings Hammer New Albany February Newsletter! This edition features, Grady Kirian Commits to Capital University, Celebrating National Girls & Women in Sports Day, Spring Juniors Registration Open, February Techne Leaderboard, and more! If you have a player, coach, or team to be highlighted in future newsletters, please send photos and stories to dfry@kingshammer.com. Each newsletter will be posted on our website as well as our social pages.

College Commitment: Grady Kirian

A huge congratulations to Grady Kirian, KHA1 B07/06, Granville High School Class of 2025, on his commitment to further his academic and athletic career at Capital University! We are so proud of your accomplishments and excited to see all that you will achieve! Go Comets!

Celebrating National Girls & Women in Sports Day

Earlier this month, we honored the incredible achievements of women in sports. Hear from many of our players and coaches about what National Girls & Women in Sports Day means to them and the impact it has on empowering young athletes. Watch the video here: NGWSD 2025 Celebration.

Register for Spring Juniors—Join the Fun!

Get ready for another fun-filled Juniors Program! Our Juniors Program is all about providing young players with a player-focused experience that hones technical skills and encourages overall development. With Adam Gatton and Noah Davidson guiding the program, players will thrive in a supportive environment that boosts their confidence on and off the field.

Spring is just around the corner, and so is our Spring 2025 Juniors Program! Don’t miss out—secure your child’s spot today.

Click here fore more information & to register!

Congratulations to our February Techne Leaderboard!

Our players are elevating their game with Techne, an easy-to-use app offering weekly technical training sessions. Focusing on core skills and ball mastery, Techne is the perfect tool to boost performance both on and off the field this winter.

Here are the top teams on the February Techne Leaderboard:

KHA2 B14
KHA3 B14
KHP1 B16
KHA1 G12

Have questions about the Techne app? Please reach out to our Director of Coaching, Ivan Landaverde, at ilandaverde@KingsHammer.com.

Meet the Coaches: Elyas Ingram

At Kings Hammer New Albany, we’re excited to highlight the exceptional coaches who play a pivotal role in shaping our players’ journeys. Each month, we’ll feature one of our dedicated coaches, offering you a closer look at the individuals who inspire and mentor our players, both on and off the field.

Meet Elyas Ingram, KHA1 B08 & KHA2 B14 Staff Coach:

How long have you been coaching?

This is my fourth-year coaching for a club. I also coached with Coerver Coaching and helped run Columbus Crew Camps during college, gaining valuable experience in player development and technical training.

What inspired you to become a soccer coach?

After my playing career, I wanted to share my knowledge of the game while helping young players understand that success requires hard work—but it can still be fun along the way.

What is your favorite coaching memory so far?

During my first season, we faced a team in a tournament that had beaten us 8-2 earlier in the year. All fall, I emphasized focusing on learning the game and mastering fundamentals rather than scorelines, though my players—after just one win—were growing tired of hearing that results would come. At halftime, we were up 3-0, and the other team’s parents even reported us, thinking we had brought in new players. Seeing my players’ hard work pay off in that moment was unforgettable.

What do you enjoy most about being part of Kings Hammer New Albany?

I truly appreciate the trust the directors have in me as a coach. Their confidence allows me to run my teams while also challenging me to grow, making the experience rewarding for both me and my players.

Do you have a favorite soccer player or coach you look up to? Why?

Ronaldinho. His mastery on the ball, ability to impact matches, and elite competitiveness—all while playing with pure joy—were incredible. He made the highest level of the game feel like a schoolyard pickup match. He is truly a special talent.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself! (Any hobbies, favorite food, or hidden talents?)

I love building unique environments in aquariums and terrariums. Creating miniature ecosystems and watching the animals exhibit natural behaviors is something I find fun and rewarding.

Do you have any pets? Tell us about them!

I have a full house of pets—2 dogs, 1 snake, 4 frogs, lots of fish, and 2 geckos.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

I’d choose the ability to bend time. Time is our most valuable commodity and having the chance for do-overs would make life interesting!

If you could play soccer anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Brazil—or anywhere in South America. The game is a way of life there, deeply ingrained in the culture. It’s more than just a sport; it’s a form of self-expression and passion unlike anywhere else.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to young players looking to improve their game?

Master the fundamentals. Spend time with the ball every day—juggling, passing against a wall, dribbling around the neighborhood, whatever you can. The sooner controlling the ball becomes second nature, the easier the game will feel.

February Education: Developing Leadership in Players

As we finally leave the long winter behind (turns out that groundhog knew what it was talking about!) and get back on the field, our coaches will be reviewing the club curriculum, creating activities, and writing up their practice plans to take to the field and get their teams ready for upcoming games and events. Developing better dribbling skills, improving control in receiving, and perfecting killer passes which lead to creative scoring chances will be a part of the key objectives. However, it shouldn’t be the only objective.

Our Kings Hammer CORE Values exemplify the off-field characteristics that can and should be a part of the learning that our players need: Respect, Creativity, Passion, Integrity, and Leadership.

Developing Leadership in Our Players: A Guide for Coaches and Parents

One of the most important lessons that can be imparted through youth soccer is leadership. Leadership goes beyond the ability to direct another person (or player) in what to do or how to perform. There are a number of traits, beliefs, and actions that all combine to create a good leader. Parents and coaches play crucial roles in nurturing leadership qualities in young players. Here are some strategies to help develop leadership in our Kings Hammer players:

1. Mentoring and Role Modeling

Young athletes often look up to their coaches and parents as role models. Coaches should demonstrate positive leadership behaviors, such as effective communication, empathy, and integrity. Parents can reinforce these traits by discussing the importance of these qualities and highlighting examples from their own lives or from well-known leaders in sports and other fields.

2. Encouraging Initiative

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