Please Read This Blog Post

Dear Players and Parents -

I have asked (and sometimes assume) that everyone check this blog every day.  There are some times when this doesn't happen, and that's just as much this editor's fault as any.  If the headline suggests that the sole focus of the post is a sub varsity game report, it's easy to skip it unless you are directly involved with that team.  Several times this fall I have added updates regarding schedule changes at the tail end of a post, and I can understand how these get missed, especially when I don't flag them in the headline.  I always update the weekly schedule, by far the most visited and re-visited post every week.

There's no game report today, but I have several updates I would like everyone to know about.  Hence, todays headline.  I am going to publish the weekly schedule tomorrow, and hope to move the traditional Sunday publication date up by a day or two, to facilitate planning.  There are a lot of games next week, and each of the four teams will be away either Monday or Tuesday.  That will require some advance planning over the weekend.

JV2 will travel to Woodsville on Monday, leaving after the end of sixth period.  That will require all players to check in with their seventh period teachers FRIDAY to alert them.  This also holds true for the Freshmen, who leave Monday for their game against Manchester Central after sixth period.  They must also check in with their 7th period teachers on Friday.

Friday's agenda for JV2 at their usual 4:00 training time at Dresden will be getting their white road uniforms.  If all goes well, we may also be able to distribute JV2 practice shirts.  The Freshmen are off Friday, but I have several game jerseys to give to players (Alex, Soren), replacing their XLs with Ls.  We can do that during my office hours in the gym during Activity Period.

The Freshmen (on Monday) and JV1s (on Tuesday) have games at Livingston Park in Manchester.  That's a mile south of Exit 9S on Rt. 93.  Just follow Rt. 3 south and look for Livingston Park on the right.  Just across the street from Livingston Park is the Puritan Restaurant, home of the best homemade ice cream in NH.  JV1 players who choose to go home with parents on Tuesday (instead of staying for the Varsity game at Gill stadium - we're all on one bus again) should stop at the Puritan for a cone or a shake.  On Monday, I am considering a team stop at the Puritan.  If we do, it'll be my treat (small cone).

The next games on the schedule are Saturday's Noon Homecoming contests for the Varsity and JV1 against Portsmouth.  The JV1 game is at Dresden, with the hope that the wider field and better surface will contribute to a more attractive game.  The Varsity game is on the turf, and once again I am plaintively asking that all players and spectators (especially you, freshmen) will bring non-perishable food items for The Haven.  We will also be collecting food for the Haven on Thursday when Concord comes to town, and we have one Varsity parent who has offered to match every donation.  Hello?  Can you see where this might lead?

Today was a perfect training day for me.  I got to interact with each of our four teams.  The JV1, JV2 and Freshmen all trained at Dresden at 4:00. (along with the Reserve girls - it's amazing to stand back and watch 100 players working at the same time).  Newly-named assistant coach Chris Dawes trained the Freshmen, Willie Johnson trained the JV1s, and I worked exclusively with the JV2s.  Before we began, I spoke briefly with all three teams about our program policy with regard to charitable works.  We try to do a good bit of this, perhaps more so on the Varsity level.  Hence, food donations to the Haven.  In October, the Varsiity will be hosting a Grassroots Soccer benefit game (October 8 vs. Timberlane.  More on that soon).  Leading up to Sunday, October 6th, we are inviting all players to participate in the CROP Hunger Walk.  This fundraising walk (2.5 miles on Oct. 6th in Lebanon) raises funds to fight hunger both locally and worldwide. This year, most of the funds will be directed to food relief in the Bahamas, still recovering from the disastrous Hurricane Dorian.  You can expect more information and some handouts on that soon.

After the Dresden sessions were done I swung back to the HHS turf for Varsity training.  This amazing group of 26 has been working incredibly hard.  They are regarded as one of the top three programs in the state. (We play consensus #2 Central on Tuesday omg their home turf).  They get along extremely well with each other, and are capable of creating some beautiful soccer.  Come see for yourselves on Saturday at Noon.  Did I mention that you could bring some food for the Haven?