Lady Griz mentor Plains soccer kids

Youth soccer players of Plains and Thompson Falls received some special instruction last week, getting guidance from some of the best soccer players in the state.

A University of Montana Lady Griz coach and three players spent 90 minutes at Amundson Sports Complex last Wednesday with 25 boys and girls from the Clark Fork Valley Soccer Alliance and Thompson Falls Blue Hawks soccer teams, providing the kids with tips to improve their skills.

In an effort to raise money to help pay for their trip to the national soccer finals, the Lady Griz team auctioned off a practice session with a community soccer club. Nick Lawyer, the U13 Clark Fork Valley Soccer Alliance coach, won the bid at $100 and invited them to Plains. He also invited the Clark Fork U10 players and Carole Jensen's U13 Blue Hawks to take part in the event.

The Lady Griz were the Northern Big Sky Conference champions this past season, beating Sacramento State 3-0 to clinch first place, said J. Landham, the Lady Griz assistant coach who led the training at Plains. They then went on to defeat Colorado 2-1 at the Big Sky Conference tournament to advance to the NCAA National Tournament in North Carolina. The Lady Griz finished with a 9-2 record for the season. Landham has been the assistant coach for two years and played semi-pro soccer in Colorado and Tennessee for four years before joining the UM staff. Accompanying Landham last week were Lady Griz players Ali Monroe, a senior from Washington, Taylor Stoeger, a senior from Wyoming, and Avery Adams of Colorado, who graduated this year. She played UM soccer for four years and was the team captain.  

"We love to engage with the community - it's the community that gives us support during the season," said Landham. Plains was the first youth camp the Lady Griz had put on this year. They held a recruitment camp earlier in the year at the UM campus. Landham said they usually do two youth soccer camps and two recruitment camps a year. 

Landham and the Lady Griz players put the local kids through several drills and used competitive games to get their point across, such as the "River/Bank" game, similar to Simon Says, where the kids hop forward when they hear the word river and back to the original spot when the command bank is given. If they moved even slightly to the wrong one, they were out. The game ended when five remained on the bank, which included Alan Hafner, the Clark Fork team's technical director and father of 8-year-old Emmalee Hafner, one of the soccer players that immediately got the attention of Landham by demonstrating a zigzag movement with the soccer ball. They also played "Pull Your Tail," similar to flag football. The purpose of the exercise was to teach maneuverability on the field.

The Lady Griz guests focused on showing the kids how to dribble and control the ball, a critical part of the game, according to Stoeger. "It's important for anytime you're receiving a ball in the air to control it so you can move it down field," said Stoeger, who has played for UM for three years on a soccer scholarship. Adams said soccer drills and practice are the keys to success on the field. "You have to learn the basic skills and techniques so it's almost like second nature," said Monroe, who is in her fourth year with the team and will be a team captain for the upcoming season.

"I think our practice tonight was a bit about skill development and a lot about improving and growing the culture of soccer in Sanders and Mineral counties," said Lawyer, who has been a youth soccer coach for 12 years. The kids at the camp were from Trout Creek, Thompson Falls, Plains and St. Regis, ranging from 8 years old to 14. "More than several of the kids remarked that they had a great time and are interested in attending soccer camps hosted by the Grizzlies. This kind of outreach helps excite these kids to see that there is so more than the soccer we put together," added Lawyer.

The Lady Griz players and coach took time to do autographs with the local kids, signing soccer balls, jerseys and shoes. Emmalee Hafner even signed autographs for the Lady Griz players. Landham invited the kids to attend one of their games this fall and offered to put on another camp in August, said Lawyer, although Landham said it might be tough due to their schedule. He also said several players may have the chance to be ball girls/boys at a Lady Griz game. "Those are positive experiences for the kids and they can connect with the players in a one on one way today has a real impact," said Lawyer.

Lawyer said he hopes the event will drive excitement and energy into the local soccer program. "I think the players learned a lot today and I hope they look forward to a fun fall season," he said. "Most of all though, it was the energy, joy and respectfulness of each and every camper that made our experience so special," said Landham. "Getting to spend that time with young students of soccer and members of the Griz family is one of the things that makes this work so special."