After going on  4 game winning streak a few weeks ago, the Tornadoes dropped 4 in a row, including two to the Wichita Falls Wildcats.  In game one this past Friday, the Tornadoes scored the first goal right before the first intermission, but fell asleep in the second giving up the next three goals to the Wildcats.  Texas finally scored midway through the second to make it 3-2, but failed to score in the third.  Dan Sullivan once again had a tough night stopping 34 of 37 shots on goal.  On Saturday night it went from bad to worse.  The Wildcats  scored the first four goals in the first period.  Texas did manage to score .29 into the second, but Wichita answered with four more goals.  In the third period, they tried to keep in the game by scoring three straight, but the Wildcats put the icing on the cake with a clincher from Andy Cramer.    Joe J. Adams scored twice for the Tornadoes, and Scott Deur also scored in the 9-4 loss.  Once again I suggest that the Tornadoes go for some more defensive help, because goalie Dan Sullivan will bet burned out.  To lose 9-4 when you out shot the winner is crazy, but to lose to a team that is in last place and a team that has only won 17 games is worse and they should look at that as momentum and a reason to start winning. They need to figure out what the problem is and fix it.   The Tornadoes will return home to play the Springfield Blues on march 5Th looking to get back in the win column.  If they play hard defense and crash the net, they can turn this around.

 

Youth soccer has long been a stalwart cornerstone of the middle class here in America. So popular and common is the association, the term “soccer mom” has inked itself into our vernacular. Soccer on a larger scale however, has for the most part, failed to catch on in the United States. Strange that many children nationwide play the game at a young age, but the support system kind of putters out before high school.

Perhaps it is in part due to a lack of a connection to the community. Many times, Major league soccer sets up shop in large cities and they fail to connect to the suburbs, thus the middle class. The Hunt organization owned FC Dallas has a unique set up. Pizza Hut Park© is in Frisco, Texas and has a large and continued interaction with the community.

The FC Dallas foundation has a program called “Kicks for kids” and it provides under privileged children with tickets to FC Dallas soccer games.  This provides a healthy outlet for kids, and creates a relationship between FC Dallas and the community that is invaluable.

The NBA and had similar programs in the 80’s and 90’s and the benefit for the NBA cities was tremendous. Many current NBA players come from inner city areas that are underfunded, and lower income children may never have ever dribbled a basket ball were in not for these programs. Boys club© and the YMCA© helped plant the seeds for many modern day basketball players as well.

Baseball, we know is known as America’s pastime, and this was in part because every boy from walking age to high school knew the game, loved the game, and were the future of the game.

With a more focused vision, and better infrastructure, soccer can take root in the United States and have more homegrown talent for its future. MLS soccer, and mainly the FC Dallas organization, seems to have realized this.

To learn more about “kicks for kids” and other FC Dallas community programs, please visit http://web.mlsnet.com/t104/community/

The Frisco RoughRiders opened the 2010 season at Dr Pepper Ballpark on Thursday
night. Blake Beavan pitched six innings and only allowed one run as Frisco beat
Springfield, 2-1.

Frisco lead-off hitter James Tomlin scored the first run of the season for the
RoughRiders when Wes Bankston singled to left field with two outs in the bottom of
the third inning. The inning was kept alive for Frisco when right-fielder Joey
Butler reached base on an error by Springfield starter, Shaun Garceau.
Springfield’s catcher, Steven Hill, would tie the game in the top of the fourth
inning when he hit a home run off of the foul pole in left field. However, that was
the only offense the Cardinals could manufacture against Frisco’s big righty. The
next two batters, Andrew Brown and Daryl Jones, would both go down on strikes to end
the fourth.

With the game tied at one in the bottom of the fourth inning, Frisco added another
unearned run against Garceau. Kevin Richardson and Jonathan Greene flied out to
start the inning, but designated hitter Matt Lawson then reached on an error by the
Cardinals shortstop, Pete Kozma. ‘Riders shortstop Guilder Rodriguez followed with a
single to left and with men on first and second, Tomlin singled home Lawson with two
outs to give Frisco a 2-1 lead that would stand the rest of the game.
       
Left-hander Ben Snyder relieved Beavan in the top of the seventh and pitched an
effective 1.1 innings, giving up one hit and a walk while striking out two.
As well as the ‘Riders pitched on Thursday night, the Cardinals didn’t go away
quietly. With men on first and second in the top of the eighth inning, manager Steve
Buechele went to his bullpen once again. Another lefty, Zach Phillips, came in and
spelled Snyder.  Phillips then stopped Springfield’s rally, striking out Adron
Chambers and Colt Sedbrook to end the eighth.

In the ninth inning, Phillips was able to keep the Cardinals from tying the game,
getting a liner to second baseman Marcus Lemon to end the game and preserve Frisco’s
first win of the season, 2-1.

The Texas Tornadoes streak ends at four with back to back losses to the Wenatchee Wild over the weekend.  On Friday night they were defeated 3-2  with an overtime goal from  Adam Mckenzie 1:39 in the overtime period.  Ryan Timer and Michael Di Puma also scored for Wenatchee on the night. For the Tornadoes they kept the game interesting with  back to back goals from Ryan Einerson and Tyler Underhill in the second period, but when Michael Di Puma tied the game 19:22 into the third period, the momentum shifted to the Wild going into to overtime and  Adam Mckenzie notched in the overtime goal and snapped the Tornadoes wining streak.  Texas was out shot 45-15 but gained a point in the loss.  The Tornadoes hoped that Saturday night would end up better, but a 5-2 loss isn't what they hoped for.  In this game they were out shot 51-21.  After Tyler Mort and Jack Prince tied the game 2-2 in the second period, Wenatchee took over and scored the next three goals.  In the two losses, you have to still tip your hat to Tornadoes goalie Dan Sullivan, who in the past two nights have saved 88 shots on goal.  he had 42 saves on Friday night, and 46 saves on Saturday night, so he had his work cut out for him.  The Tornadoes seem to acquire some help on defense to stop teams from crowding he net.   They hope to get back on track when they travel to Play the last place Wichita Falls Wildcats who are 15-29 with 36 points.  The Tornadoes currently rest in third place with a 20-20 record and have 45 points on the season.