CASL to Celebrate 40th Anniversary

CASL to Celebrate Club’s 40^th Anniversary

CASL has been a staple in Wake County since 1974. When many of us return from the holiday break, it will be a special year for CASL. For the duration of 2014, CASL will celebrate its 40^th year of providing the highest quality instructional and competitive youth soccer opportunities to youth in the greater Wake County area, which began in 1974 when six local passionate soccer community members joined forces to create the first local youth soccer club. The recognition of this landmark anniversary is in large part to the thousands of CASL players, families, coaches, and staff who came before us to make this club a national leader and innovator in youth soccer.

Since 1974, CASL has continued to live its mission of providing positive and high-quality soccer opportunities that range from recreational to elite soccer development. Player success is documented in the resounding number of our athletes who go on to be student-athletes at the college level, while others find their way to the highest level of competition on U.S. National Team rosters. Other times, success is defined by the number of CASL participants who continue to play the game of soccer for fun, to be healthy and active, or for the camaraderie of playing a team sport. Over the years, teams have left their mark bringing home State, Regional, and National Titles as well as competing in International competition. The club’s most recent accomplishments came when CASL was named as a Top 10 Youth Club for both boys and girls by  Soccer America in 2012 and named as a top 10 Elite Clubs National League Club in 2013.

The mission of CASL is to provide positive and high-quality instructional and competitive youth soccer opportunities at all levels of play that enhance character, community and the love of the game for a diverse membership of children ages 4-18 and their families across Wake County and to serve as a community partner to improving the quality of life in Wake County. During this 40^th Anniversary celebration, CASL will highlight and share ways that we bring our mission to life, and we ask that you share your stories or pictures with us (#CASL40) of living the CASL mission. Whether you or your team wins a game, shows sportsmanship, wins a tournament, or engages in community service, we want to know about it. If you see coaches teaching life lessons through soccer, or you catch a coach in the midst of an instructional session, we want to know about. There are countless other ways to demonstrate our mission on and off the field, and we challenge you to take this year-long journey with us as we show our community what CASL is all about.

As a club, we will be highlighting various ways that we are living our mission through individual, team, and club soccer accomplishments, through stories of on- and off-field successes, and through community relations efforts that show we are truly a community partner in improving the quality of life in Wake County. We will kick-off our commitment to the community with the CASL Play 4Kay

4v4 charity soccer event on January 11. 100% of proceeds from this single day soccer event will benefit the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. 

We’ll also be encouraging CASL players, teams, parents, and families to join us in some community relations efforts throughout the year including volunteering at InterFaith Food Shuttle and other community organizations, hosting various drives throughout the year (toy, food, school supply), sending heroes overseas a holiday card, or participating in community events among many other opportunities. We’ll also be spotlighting our very own soccer community outreach initiatives and the opportunities that youth in our community are getting through these efforts.

It should be a fun year of reflection, recognition, celebration, and engagement at CASL, and we cannot wait for you to be a part of it. 

Join the Fight

Join the Fight... against women's cancers

As you may well know, many teams from across the community will come together on Saturday, January 11 all for the same reason - to raise awareness about women's cancers and to raise funds to support related research. 100% of CASL's Play 4Kay 4v4 charity soccer event will benefit the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, which provides much needed funding for research and programs related to women's cancers. The Fund has raised more than $8 million since its inception in 2007, and we are going to help support this effort.

Details are starting to come together for the big day in January. We've got 28 teams registered so far across U9-U18 age brackets. Our goal would be to get at least 50 teams signed up by the registration deadline of January 3. We are trying to keep all of our expenses at a minimum to ensure the maximum donation goes back to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. If 50 teams register, we will be close to providing a $10,000 donation to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, which will go a long way to help their mission of ending all women's cancers.

We are looking for sponsors to help offset any expenses, so if you know of any corporate organizations that would like to be part of this fundraiser, please have them contact me. We have sponsorship options available at $250, $1000, and $2000 levels. We are also in the process of securing silent auction items, as we'll be holding a silent auction on site to generate as many funds as we can to support the Fund. We've already got an auction coming from the Carolina Hurricanes, and we'll continue to release more sneak peaks into items as we get them in.

The 4v4 is open to any soccer groups in the community (other clubs, high schools, middle schools, friends, community organizations, etc.) so please help us spread the word about this cause driven soccer event. We've got WakeFC joined in on the fun,  so be sure to invite anyone you know!

Here's a shout out to all the teams we have registered so far. Help us fill up these age groups and more! It only takes 8 players, $180 (a little more than $20/player), and a parent/coach. That's easy, right??

U9 girls: Bulldogs

U9 boys: cyclones; explosion, WakeFC AC Milan

U10 boys: Shockers; U10 Knights

U10 girls: CASL Thunder; Seal Team 6

U11 Girls: Black Magic, Dragonflies, Premier Black North

U12 Girls: CASL Premier Red Ladies; Elite 4 Kay; squid ninja's (one of my favorite team names!); Sub Zero; Team Madison; Hot Shots reUnited; 

U12 Boys: EXCEL, Raptors

U13 girls: Net Raiders+; The Rockets; Wolfpack Girls (who signed up first!)

U13 boys: NC Elite; Team JUSA

U16 girls: Nitro, RAVE, Shannons Cannons (another personal favorite name!)

U18 boys: Ragin' Ravens

Champions

On Sunday, Florida State University and the University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA) will go head to head in the NCAA Women's College Cup Championship. If you were at the games last night, you were in for a treat. The FSU vs. Virginia Tech game was back and forth ending in a 3-2 final score in favor of FSU. The UCLA vs. Virginia game came down to the wire. After UVA jumped ahead to a 1-0, the Bruins fought back and scored a tying goal toward the end of the second half. In golden goal overtime, UCLA managed to hit the post twice. The result came down to a PKs, where the Bruins goalkeeper made two saves to give the Bruins the win. It was truly a showcase of the best soccer in the nation. You can catch the Finals at 3pm at WakeMed Soccer Park or on ESPNU.

Speaking of championships, CASL '96 Premier Ladies brought home a big one at the end of this fall season. They are the 2013 Kepner President's Cup Champions for the U17 girls age group in North Carolina. In the first round of play, they had to face inner-club rivals CASL United Ladies. The 1-0 win in favor of the '96 Premier Ladies showed how close this game really was. The following weekend (November 9-10), the team shutout TUSA Silver 4-0 and lost to TCYSA W-S Lady Twins White 3-0. Despite that loss, they earned enough points to advance to the semi-finals where they defeated the NTSC Spirits 2-0. The Kepner President's Cup Finals was set and CASL would face the same team they lost to earlier in group play: TCYSA W-S Lady Twinse White. They clearly learned from the loss earlier in the month and fought their way to a 1-0 victory to bring home the title.

'96 CASL Premier Ladies

The CASL Premier Ladies will be representing CASL at the USYS Region III (South) President's Cup in Decatur, Alabama next summer. Congratulations to the '96 CASL Premier Ladies in their achievements. 

Cyber Monday Deals and More!

It's been a while since my last post. I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving holiday. With the Thanksgiving holiday so late, the Christmas holiday is just around the corner. It's pretty much here if you turn on the radio, take a walk around the mall, or attend any one of the many Christmas events happening in your area. During this time, there is always opportunities to save big on gift purchases. We have a few deals to make you aware of as you go into this holiday season:

NCAA College Cup: BOGO deal for Sunday's final match (promo code: SPECIAL)

This weekend at WakeMed Soccer Park, Florida State, UCLA, Virginia, and Virginia Tech will be fighting for the coveted title of Women's College Soccer National Champions. You can catch all of the action at WakeMed Soccer Park beginning at 5pm on Friday night when the VT Hokies take on Florida State. During this match, you can catch two former ECNL players who now play for VT: Sydney Curtis and Bria Dixon. The second game is at 7:30pm, where you can catch another former ECNL player, Alexis Shaffer, who plays for UVA (UVA will be taking on UCLA). If you want to catch the finals, you can take advantage of a Cyber Monday deal that runs through December 4 at 11:59pm. Tickets are Buy One, Get One Free (promo code: SPECIAL) for the Sunday finals only. 

Silver Edge Gear: 10% off (Promo code: CASL)

Silver Edge Gear is a company that produces silver-lined bags, shoe inserts, goalie glove inserts, and shin guard pads that are guaranteed to stop the stink! Silver has natural antibacterial properties, so the silver lining on their products so the stench doesn't stand a chance. Shop now and get your kids the gift that will save all of your noses. 

Fathead Holiday Fundraiser

(Enter Capital Area Soccer League when prompted to name a beneficiary of a portion of your purchase; coupon code: 10off for 10% off)

You can support a great cause (Goals for Girls), support CASL, and have an awesome Fathead wall decal all in one purchase. Goals for Girls uses soccer to connect girls from varied SES backgrounds with their peers from different countries, uniting them together in a cultural and humanitarian exchange. Proceeds from the sales of all products on this page will go towards the Goals for Girls upcoming trip to India at the end of this month led by former World Cup and Olympic Gold medalist, Cindy Parlow. 

To order, simply go to: www.gametimefundraisers.com 

     Step 1: Select Goals for Girls (Soccer) in online store drop down

     Step 2: Select Player or Team Crest

     Step 3: Enter soccer club you want credited for your order (25% donation)

     Step 4: Enter Quantity

     Step 5: Enter 10off Coupon Code (to receive 10% off your order)

     Step 6: Checkout

CASL Play 4Kay 4v4 Registration is Open

Register your 4v4 team HERE!

As you probably know, the CASL Play 4Kay 4v4 soccer event is set for January 11. 100% of proceeds from this event will benefit the Kay Yow Cancer Fund®. Now, we need your help to form youth and adult co-ed teams and help us support the Kay Yow Cancer Fund's ® vision of ending all women's cancers. I'd like to give a special shout out to the U13 WolfPack girls (pictured below) who were one of the first teams to sign up and support the CASL Play 4Kay 4v4. I've heard through the grapevine this team is using our event as a warm-up to the Disney 3v3 Soccer Championships taking place the next weekend in January. 

I've also heard from many other coaches who have said their teams will be signing up. Even parents of players are reaching out to the adult networks and putting together an adult co-ed team to participate and support this effort. The CASL Play4Kay is open to youth in U8-U18 and adult co-ed. The cost is only $180/team, and with a roster size of 8, that amounts to about $20/player that will support research and programs related to extending and improving the life of those affected by cancer. 

Please reach out to your teammates, high school friends, friends who play at other clubs, neighborhood friends, supper clubs, book clubs, or whatever other networks you are in, and recruit 8 friends who will help us not only to remember the late, great Coach Kay Yow, but also to celebrate and support the legacy she leaves behind in the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. 

Stay tuned for more details about special event logistics to be carried out during the CASL Play 4Kay 4v4.

The term Kay Yow Cancer Fund®, the Kay Yow Cancer Fund® logo and the image of Coach Kay Yow are trademarks of the Kay Yow Cancer Foundation, Inc. The Kay Yow Cancer Foundation, Inc. is a partner of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association and The V Foundation for Cancer Research.

CASL to Represent at ACC Women's Championships

This year's ACC Women's Soccer Championship will not only feature four of the top five women's college teams in the nation, but also it will feature NINE (9) former CASL players on one of the biggest stages in women's soccer. WakeMed Soccer Park is ready for fans to arrive. I was out there yesterday dropping off the game balls, and snapped this pic (below) at the main gate.

During the first game tonight (kick-off is at 5:30pm), Virginia rivals University of Virginia and Virginia Tech will go head-to-head in this semi-final match-up. The #1 Virginia Cavaliers are ranked in the conference top seed going into the semi-finals, and will be playing for a back-to-back title. If you come to the game tonight, be sure to keep an eye out for former CASL ECNL player, Alexis Shaffer #8. She's played in 18 games so far this season for the Cavaliers, tallying 3 goals and 6 assists for 12 points on the season. The Virginia Tech Hokies will be trying to bounce back from a 2-0 loss to the Cavaliers during the last regular season game of the season. Former CASL ECNL players Sydney Curtis and Bria Dixon will be on the other side of this game wearing Hokies' jerseys. 

In the second match-up of the night (kick-off is at 8pm), UNC Chapel Hill will take on the Seminoles from Florida State. This will be a lop-sided match-up as far as CASL representation is concerned. Five former CASL ECNL players will be there tonight representing the Tar Heels and fighting for a chance to reclaim the conference title. Joanna Boyles #10, Maya Worth #5, Cameron Castleberry #21, Caroline Lindquist #26, and Hanna Gardner #71 will all be coming back "home" tonight. Castleberry has played in 20 games this season (1g, 1a), Lindquist has seen minutes in 16 games (1g, 1a), while Boyles has seen action in 18 games (1g). 

Click here to get your tickets today and come support our local talent and watch some of the best soccer around!

Do You Feel Lucky?

Do You Feel Lucky?

If you do, then you could be the winner of a NEW CAR, a trip to England, waived CASL training fees for a year, Carolina RailHawks season tickets, free burritos for a year from Moe's Southwest Grill, or one of many gift cards courtesy of CASL, Champps Americana, Aluminum Fences, and Buffalo Brothers in this year's CASL Scholarship Raffle presented by Nick Cerullo with Merrill Lynch. 

CASL's annual scholarship raffle has launched, and raffle tickets can be purchased from CASL players in Challenge, CAYA, Classic, Academy, and ECNL. The raffle will close on December 11 and all winners will be announced on December 18. 

last year's grand prize raffle winner with his NEW CAR!

Raffle tickets are only $20 each. All funds raised through the raffle will benefit CASL's Scholarship Fund which will help players and their families who may be facing financial constraints. We thank all of you in advance, whether you a consumer or seller of our scholarship raffle, for helping open up the game of soccer to youth who may not otherwise be able to play. 

For a full list of prizes and other raffle information, click here. 

WakeMed: Your Source for Emergency and Urgent Care

Unfortunately during the season (or off-season), we all may face times where someone we know needs emergency or urgent care. Fortunately, WakeMed Health and Hospitals the official health partner of CASL, and they can provide care for you whenever and wherever you need them.

WakeMed has convenient emergency and urgent care sites in the Triangle area that are near many of CASL fields used for practices and games throughout Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Garner, and Wake Forest. Click here for a brochure that outlines the specific locations available to you through WakeMed Health and Hospitals. You can also download a free WakeMed app available for iPhone and android devices to learn more information. Visit www.wakemed.org to learn more about the services they offer. 

WakeMed Health and Hospitals has been caring for CASL athletes for nearly a decade. They are dedicating to providing resources to CASL families to keep them healthy on and off the field. CASL and WakeMed will soon be providing you information on how to create active and healthy families on and off the field. Keep an eye out for this information to be announced on our website, through social media, and other outlets for your benefit!

WakeMed Emergency and Urgent Care Locations

250 Quiz Points by Monday - We Can Do it!

Community Grant Competition - we need YOUR help!

We are almost halfway through the Liberty Mutual Responsible Sports Community Grant competition. The competition has been live since the beginning of September, and it remains open through the month of November. Many of you have taken a few minutes to complete the quiz, and we are very grateful for your participation. Every point counts, and we need your help if you haven't taken the quiz yet to earn a $2500 grant that will be put toward program enhancement including coaching education and equipment across all levels of play! 

We have come out of the gate sprinting with 193 quiz points credited to Capital Area Soccer League. We are currently #1 in the Large Division competition, and we've actually received the most interaction from our community than any organization in the small division or school division. However, I know that more of you are out there who can help us. We have approximately 8,000 players in our club, so we have a lot of room to stretch our lead! 

If you have a few minutes, please take the parent/coach quiz by clicking here. You can opt to watch the video (which may have had some technical difficulties the other week) or read through the information. You can skim it and skip to the end to answer the 10 questions about promoting a positive youth sport environment. The quiz question will turn green when you select the right answer, so there's no way to "fail" the quiz. 

You can select the parent OR coach quiz. I took the parent quiz, and it's very easy! Only one quiz submission allowed per email address. I recently sent an email to my family, asking them to take the quiz as well - it's not just limited to CASL families. Use your social networks and family members as ways to increase our reach and potential. Just be sure that you credit the quiz point to Capital Area Soccer League (spelled out) then verify your email for the quiz point to count.

I think we can get to 250 credited points by the start of next week. Until then, have a great weekend, and I'll be checking the leaderboard this weekend to see if/when we get to the 250 mark! 

Community Grant Leaderboard for Large Division

Men's College Soccer in the Area

As promised, here's a shout out to the men's college soccer in the area. UNC Men's Soccer and Wake Forest Men's Soccer are both in the top 25 NSCAA Coaches poll. In the NCAA Men's Soccer RPI rankings, a few other local teams are highlighted int he top 50 including Elon, NC State, and UNC Charlotte. Similar to the women's side, there's some great opportunities to catch some of the best men's soccer and some of our former players match up against each other. Here are a few upcoming local games:

Duke vs. UNC Wilmington: Tonight (Tuesday, October 1)

Tonight you can catch the Duke Blue Devils play host to the  UNW Seahawks in Durham. Kick-off is at 7pm at Koskinen stadium. On the roster for the SeaHawks are former CASL Players Sam Williams, Kellen Foster, and David Sizemore. They will be facing off against former players and current Blue Devils Chase Keesling and Ryan Thompson. 

Duke @ UNC Chapel Hill: Friday, October 4

After their match-up against the UNCW SeaHawks tonight, the Blue Devils will travel down tobacco road to face off against #1 ranked UNC Chapel Hill at Fetzer Field (7pm). Rostered on the Tar Heels roster are former CASL players Cooper, Vandermaas-Peeler, Chipper Root, Nick Williams, Alex Olofson, and Ryan McAnallen. 

NC State vs. Wake Forest: Tuesday, October 8

The NC State WolfPack Men's Soccer team is on the road for the next few games, but they will return to home field action next Tuesday, October 8 to take on top 25 ranked Wake Forest University. NC State features former CASL players, Yanni Hachem, Moss Jackson-Atogi, Seth Poole, and Michael Hinkson. You can catch this local match-up at Dail Soccer Field, in the heart of NCSU's campus. 

Duke vs. NC State: October 11 **CASL NIGHT**

See the ad below for CASL night at the Duke game on October 11. This is a great chance to see an ACC, in-state rivalry game! 

Women's College Soccer in the Area

Women's College Soccer in the Area

On November 8th and 10th, the ACC Women's Soccer Championship will be in Cary. WakeMed Soccer Park will be the site of this year's tournament, which is sure to feature some of the best women's soccer in the nation, and many of our former CASL players! Be sure to SAVE THE DATE for this year's tournament - we'll be posting more information about tickets soon!

CASL families are lucky to be surrounded by some of the best college soccer in the nation. (I'll write about the men's side in another post, but for today, the women are the main focus) The ACC represents 10 of the top 50 women's soccer teams in the nation according to the NCAA Women's Soccer RPI rankings. The NSCAA Coaches' rankings has 6 ACC teams in the top 25. The local triangle teams, NC State, Duke, and UNC are all among this top 50 ranking, and we are fortunate to have these teams in our backyard. Before all these teams battle for the ACC Championship in November, they will be fighting for seeding with each regular season conference game they play. There are a few games I want to highlight for various reasons, so if you are looking for some great soccer in a family friendly environment, I encourage you to take advantage of these opportunities:

Thursday, September 26, 7pm ~ Duke vs. #1 Virginia

The Duke Blue Devils will host #1 nationally ranked Virginia Cavaliers on Thursday night at Koskinen Stadium on the Duke Campus. Come watch the Blue Devils and former CASL player, Christina Gibbons, take on her former '94 CASL ECNL teammate, Alexis Shaffer and the Cavaliers.

Children under the age of 12 receive FREE admission and groups of 8 or more receive a $4.00 discount. Regular admission is $8/adult. For more information, call 919-681-BLUE. For a full schedule, click HERE. 

Sunday, September 29, 1pm ~ NC State vs. Boston College

On Sunday, it's US Youth Soccer Night at the NC State Women's Soccer game. For this special game, parents receive FREE admission with their youth soccer player. NC State and Boston College are both ranked in the top 50 NCAA Women's Soccer RPI poll and are battling for position in the ACC. Seven former CASL players are on the roster for the WolfPack this season. For a full schedule of NC State's schedule, click HERE. 

Thursday, October 10th, 7pm ~ UNC vs. NC State

The WolfPack will be travelling down tobacco road for an in-state, conference match-up with the Tar Heels on Thursday, October 10. For this game, CASL players, coaches, and families are invited to celebrate CASL Night at Fetzer Field with a special ticket rate of $2! Similar to the NCSU roster, the UNC roster is dominated by many CASL players including Sophomore Caroline Lindquist and freshmen Joanna Boyles among many others! You might see CASL player-to-player match ups this night! For a full list of the TarHeels' schedule, click HERE! Be sure to mention you are with CASL when you purchase tickets to this game.

Powerade and Daly Seven Hotels Fields OPEN

New Turf Fields are OPEN!

After a summer of construction and anticipation, the new turf fields - PowerAde Field (#1) and Daly Seven Hotels Field (#2) are open for business. Back in August, we had a Ribbon Cutting ceremony to celebrate the progress of the field upgrades at WRAL Soccer Park. Raleigh Mayor, Nancy McFarlane, City Councilmember John Odom, and our very own Charlie Slagle were among the speakers at the ceremony. They all spoke about the joint venture of these multi-purpose, million dollar field upgrades and how the fields will also benefit our community at the economic level by making WRAL Soccer Park a destination for sporting events (e.g., lacrosse, ultimate frisbee, etc.). 

These fields bring CASL's total synthetic field number to five. These fields can handle the wear and tear of high use sports traffic and can withstand the elements of rain. Therefore, the grass fields will continue to be improved and receive needed attention and rest after weekends of game use. Since the field signs were originally torn down for construction, we are working on putting up a temporary solution while new field signs are being designed. In the mean time, please review the field map. 

PowerAde and Daly Seven Hotels Fields

This weekend, the fields saw their first game action on Friday night (pictured) and for an ECNL event that was held on the fields over the weekend. When your team is playing on these fields, take a minute to think about the investment, care, and quality that the City of Raleigh and CASL put into this project. CASL is continuously finding ways to improve the experience at WRAL Soccer Park - these field upgrades are just one example. 

CASL Park Rangers

One other way CASL is planning to improve your experience at WRAL Soccer Park is through our newly appointed CASL Park Rangers. The primary focus of these staff members are the safety and cleanliness of the park. We'll introduce you to this team in another post, but for now, know that there are people out there who care deeply about the presentation of the park and you and your children's safety. If you see someone in a green CASL shirt, this is a Park Ranger. If you ever see anything that deserves the Park Rangers' attention, please feel free to stop them at the park or email them at parkrangers@caslnc.com. You are additional eyes and ears at the park, and you can help us improve our services to all those who come through WRAL Soccer Park by informing our Park Rangers. WRAL Soccer Park is CASL's home, and we want to treat it that way. We all should take pride in our home facility, as we are one of very few youth soccer clubs that has a facility to call home. 

From Labor Day Tournament Champions to National Team Championships

Taylor Otto Called Back to U17 Women's National Team Camp

Taylor Otto ('96 CASL ECNL) is one of 26 players called up for the second-to-last U17 Women's National Team training camp before the CONCACAF Women's World Cup Qualifying Tournament. She is in Florida with the rest of the National Team preparing for the October 30- Nov. 9 Championships. The camp started on September 15 and will run through September 22.

Taylor Otto

The U17 Women's National Team is the defending champion of the competition, having defeated Canada 1-0 in the final in Guatemala during the last cycle. This year's tournament will feature the USA, Canada, Mexcio, host Jamaica, Central American qualifiers El Salvador and Guatemala, and two more Carribean nations to be determined. 

Taylor will be participating in an inner-squad scrimmage tomorrow night (September 20) as she continues to fight for a final roster slot on the tournament team.

CASL Representing in Tournaments Early in Season

Many CASL teams have already hit the tournament scene early on this season, and they are already leaving their mark. The U12 Nitro Boys participated in the DSC Rock Hill Classic last weekend and they came away with the championship. Head Coach Chris Dunn said "the team performed very well...the boys worked very hard to accomplish this...the greatest accomplishment of the boys was not giving up one goal during the tournament. This is a difficult task. The boys put 100% of their effort and functioned well as a team." 

Nitro Boys run across field to thank their parents

We are always happy to hear of teams who know what it means to work together as a team. CASL promotes teamwork among other positive traits, and we are fortunate to have dedicated volunteer coaches at the Recreation and Challenge level, like Chris Dunn, who are willing to promote positive youth sport participation and teach life lessons beyond what happens between the sidelines. Show your support for promoting positive youth soccer experiences by taking the Liberty Mutual Responsible Sports quiz and crediting your quiz point to CASL. Your participation can help CASL earn a $2500 community grant. The quiz is really easy (I've taken it!), and every vote counts. Don't forget to credit your quiz point to the Capital Area Soccer League and to verify your email address.

Nitro Boys with Gold Medal

Nitro player, Riley Shields

The weekend before, the U11 Elite Black North girls won 1st place in the Adidas Labor Day Shootout. The girls competed in the Platinum division for 4 games and finished with 17 goals. 

U11 Elite Black North

We're #1!

Vote and Volunteer for CASL!

I've only been employed with CASL since early June, buy since then I've seen and heard a lot that has made me proud to be a part of this organization. Whether it's club accomplishments from being a top 10 ECNL Club, team accomplishments for early-season tournament championships, stories of good sportsmanship (note: the Hamilton Sportsmanship Award night is THIS SATURDAY at the RailHawks Game!), or individual achievements - It's always nice to hear the stories that demonstrate what it means to be a part of the CASL family. 

Today was another one of those instances. I logged on to see where we stood in the Liberty Mutual Responsible Sports Community Grant national competition. Yesterday, we were in 4th place with 17 votes. Today, we are at 71 credited votes as of 2:30pm, and we jumped up to 1st place in the large division! It's amazing to see the quick rally of the CASL family jump on an opportunity to help our entire organization. The top 5 organizations with the most votes at the end of November each win $2500. CASL is starting off on the right foot taking an early lead, but voting stays open for another 2.5 months so we have a ways to go! 

I encourage you all to Take the Quiz today, whether you are a coach, parent, or future parent. I took the quiz and I don't have kids, but it was a great reminder  about promoting responsible and positive youth sport experiences. Also, please share the link with friends and family. We can take it viral! I've just posted it to my personal Facebook page, and I hope that you all will reach out to your social networks. CLICK HERE to take the quiz. You may have to search for Capital Area Soccer League at the end of your quiz (which is really easy, by the way, and fail-proof). For the point to count for CASL, you'll have to verify your email address.

CASL has jumped up to #1 in the large division for the Community Grants. Quiz/Voting remains open through November - Take the Quiz Today!

Volunteer Sign-Up Sheet

CASL has launched a public sign up sheet for volunteer organization. If you are interesting in helping out with CASL's community outreach program, please visit our sign-up sheet to see available slots, time frames, locations, etc. We've had a few teams sign up as a group for Saturday morning time slots. This is a great way to earn community service hours or just give back to the game that we are all so fortunate to be a part of.

Help CASL win a $2500 Community Grant!

CASL Needs Your Help to win a $2500 Community Grant!

From now until November 30, YOU can help CASL win a $2500 Responsible Sports Community Grant from Liberty Mutual Insurance. This program is all about rewarding sport clubs who demonstrate a commitment to a Responsible Sports environment. This is a competition grant and is all about engaging YOU as a parent and/or coach. 

All you have to do is

1. CLICK HERE (for parents) or HERE (for coaches)
2. Read through some tips on how to maintain a responsible sports environment as a parent or coach
3. Take a short 10 question multiple choice quiz (I took it - it's really easy. It only takes one attempt and you get to change your answers until they are right)
4. Credit your quiz to Capital Area Soccer League - you may have to search for us!
5. Verify your email - this is key as we won't get the point until you verify your email address.

If you are a Parent AND a Coach - just pick one! You should then get an email that allows you to send it out to friends and family. It's simple - the club with the most votes wins. The only key rules are you have to be 18 years or older and only one submission per person/email address. These grant funds will allow CASL to serve you better and to help us fulfill our mission. 

I don't know if any of you have noticed, but CASL's mission statement recently changed. It now reads, The mission of CASL is to provide positive and high-quality instructional and competitive youth soccer opportunities at all levels of play that enhance character, community and the love of the game for a diverse membership of children ages 4-18 and their families across Wake County and to serve as a community partner to improving the quality of life in Wake County. 

A mission statement is the purpose of a company and outlines an organization's values. It is a reason for existence. Without it, CASL would not have a clear direction. The purposeful mission realignment of CASL is a way to get all of us on the same page. There are roughly 9,000 youth players in our club who we need to take care of across all divisions and ages of play. Additionally, parents and coaches deserve our attention as they are instrumental in allowing CASL to work toward achieving its mission. They help us fulfill our mission because they are on the front lines (or sidelines) of our players' experiences and are the foundation for a positive club experience and the associated positive youth development traits that we hope our players will take with them throughout their lives. 

Two U14  CASL teams (CASL WF United and CASL Pride) faced off against each
other in the Furniture City Classic Finals - players, parents, and coaches
supported a Responsible Sports environment by engaging in and supporting a
pre-game handshake between teams!

Parents and coaches are an extension of the CASL brand as we all represent this club on a day-to-day basis in conversation, carpool lines, on business trips, or travelling for soccer games on the weekend. Parents and Coaches are often the first sources of feedback and conversation with our players, whether it's at the pre-game breakfast meal at home, on the car ride to the game, during warm-up or half-time, a post-game chat, cheering from the sidelines, or the car ride home. These are just a few instances where parents and coaches play a pivotal role in the experience of young athletes.

It's still the beginning of the season, and this is a great time for a simple reminders about the small things we can do to promote a positive environment at CASL. Please join us as we compete for this nationwide competitive grant - we are competing for 1 of 5 $2500 grants for large sport clubs! 

College Captains from CASL

CASL is always excited to hear news that our former players earn leadership roles on their respective college teams. More often than not, players are voted on by their teammates and/or coaches to earn the spot of Captain. It's not an easy job as you have to earn the respect on and off the field from your peers. As a leader, you have to understand how to motivate a group of people toward a common goal, how to keep them motivated during a game, act on their behalf when a call is made, and be their advocate behind closed doors. You have to be an example on and off the field and inside the classroom. In some instances, a Captain may take the reigns of the team at a younger age, not just as a Senior, which means he/she has to lead people who are older than he/she is. Regardless, being named a Captain at the college level is truly an honor. I once had a professional who was reviewing my resume tell me never to downplay this role I had in college. 

People have shared with us that some former CASL ladies players are now Captains of their teams. We know that there are host of other CASL players in leadership roles, so please, share them with us. Or, tell us about involvement that you or your child has in college - perhaps he/she is collaborating in research with a professor or maybe he/she is dedicated to community service and travelling to another country for service. We want to know about it all: soccer and non-soccer stories. 

CASL Captains in College

Caitlin Shelton

I'm a little biased here as a former Furman Women's Soccer Paladin myself, but Caitlin Shelton ('91 CASL Elite Ladies) is captain of the Furman University Women's Soccer Team. Caitlin is a Senior this year at Furman, which is in Greenville, SC. The Paladins were recently tabbed as the preseason favorite in the Southern Conference in voting by the league's 11 head coaches. Caitlin along with four of her teammates were also named to the preseason All-SoCon team. It might just be coincidence, but Caitlin and I were the same number (#3) and played in same position... interesting! 

Katelyn Reeves

Katelyn Reeves ('92 CASL Elite) was recently named as co-captain by her Clemson University Tigers soccer teammates. Katelyn, who earned a starting role midway through her freshman year clearly earned the respect of her teammates and coaches as she started all 17 games as a sophomore in 2012. In a recent press release, Katelyn said, "It means the world to me to be voted by my teammates. To know that they look up to me as a leader just really means a lot. My most important role as captain will be to help keep the team together through the ups and downs of the season, and to be a leader, both vocally and by example, on and off the field." 

Haley Patsey

Lexi Miller

Haley Patsey ('93 CASL Elite Ladies) is the youngest of our Captain highlights. She is a sophomore at East Carolina University and was recently named as the ECU Pirates women's soccer team. She will join former CASL '91 Elite Girls player, Lexi Miller, who is the other team captain. Lexi is a rising Redshirt Junior at ECU who is coming off an injury from her sophomore season. ECU competes in Conference USA. They will open their 20th season as they travel to take on SoCon teams Davidson and Elon.

Meagan Proper

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro has two former CASL standouts as Captains of the Spartans squad. Katie Durst and Ashley Stokes are two of the four captains for this years UNCG team. Last season, Durst helped anchor a back line that only allowed four goals in its last 10 games. She will be entering her final season with the Spartans. Stokes is entering her Junior year at UNCG. In her freshman season, she was selected to the Southern Conference All-Freshmen team. Last season, she appeared in 15 games making 12 starts for a squad that eventually brought home the SoCon regular season title. 

Meagan Proper ('90 CASL Elite) will return as Captain for the Wolfpack and lead the team in her final season. Last season, Meagan was the only player to start all 19 games. Meagan fought her way back from an injury plagued freshman year where she eventually earned a medical red shirt. Meagan, as with many of the other Captains highlighted here, is a role model on and off the field. Meagan was named to the ACC All-Academic team in Spring 2012.















Nicole Jewell ('91 CASL Elite Ladies) is

Nicole Jewell

entering her final season with the Northwestern Wildcats. She is coming off a Junior season where she played in all 19 games (starting 18) logging 1,225 minutes of game play. Northwestern's Coach Moynihan described Nicole and the other Captains by saying "all of them have good experience on the field and I think they are all players that the others look up to and respect. They walk the walk, they come prepared, they work hard and they've got the grit and determination that we're looking for....they are excellent role models across the board."

Scooter Oliver

The girls are not the only CASL players who are taking on leadership roles with their college teams. Scooter Oliver ('92 CASL Academy) is a team captain for the Campbell University Camels. Scooter was two year captain with his Academy team, and the skills he learned in that role have clearly carried over to the next level. Scooter is coming off a summer season with the U23 Carolina RailHawks team. You can catch Scooter and the Camels this week as they travel to NC State to take on the Wolfpack on Friday, August 30th. 

AJ Iames

AJ Iames ('93 CASL Elite Boys) is coming off a red-shirt sophomore season. Even with an injury, AJ has earned the respect of his teammates and will be leading the UNC Asheville Bulldogs as one of the captains this season. AJ will be a leader on the back line this year for the Bulldogs as they battle for the Big South Conference title.

Bo Burns

Bo Burns ('91 CASL Elite, '90 CASL Elite, U-16 Academy) will be taking the reigns of the Hampden-Sydney Men's Soccer team this season. Bo has been a starter for the last three seasons with the Tigers. He will anchor the back line and where he will be directing a young team - over half the team are incoming freshman. The Tigers will be hoping to make a return tot he ODAC Championship game this season as they did in 2010. 

JP Rafferty

Another addition the CASL Captains in College list is JP Rafferty ('91 CASL Elite; Academy) who is a Captain for the South Carolina Gamecocks.  JP is a Senior who has also excelled in the classroom. He has been consistently named to the SEC Fall Academic honor roll. JP, coming off a season where he started in 14 games and saw action in 16, will be turned to as a leader this year.   

Rain or Shine: Weekend Festivities Continue On

Saturday: RailHawks vs. NY Cosmos - FREE Nest Thermostat and installation giveaway courtesy of ARS / Rescue Rooter

The RailHawks will be taking on NY Cosmos on Saturday night at 7pm. It's also CASL Challenge night in the CASL Tower - click HERE to purchase your discounted CASL Tower tickets. Parents, put some trash bags and towels in your car in case of rainy weather at the game, but let's have fun cheering on the RailHawks as they try to hold on to their unbeaten record in league play at WakeMed Soccer Park ! I know I'll be there. 

Plus, any person that purchases a ticket in the CASL Tower and comes to the game is eligible to win a FREE Nest programmable WiFi thermostat and installation from new turf field and challenge division sponsor, ARS / Rescue Rooter. ARS / Rescue Rooter is the go to place for all your home comfort needs. The drawing will be held at the beginning of half-time! I will have the Nest thermostat and a certificate for free installation ready for you to take home after the game.

Have you ever seen one of these trucks around Wake County?
I know that I have - keep your eyes peeled for Dandy who is
always to the rescue of any heating, cooling, and plumbing needs!

Sunday: CASL Kick-Off & Ribbon Cutting to go on as Scheduled

A little rain never hurt anybody. We've all faced the rain in soccer whether as a player, parent, or coach, so a little threat of inclement weather on Sunday won't stop us! Plus, the chances of rain keep going down. We are right around a 30% chance of rain, and most of that will be scattered. 

CASL Recreation and Challenge coaches can pick up their team packets, and others can join us for the scheduled Ribbon Cutting at 3pm (Mayor McFarlane, Councilmember Odom, and our very own Charlie Slagle will be speaking) and the CASL Connection town-hall meeting at 4:30pm. CASL sponsor vendors will be stationed around the Eurosport Field, and small fields will also be set up for kids to enjoy. While this a time for coaches to pick up their team packets, all CASL players and families are welcome! 

Sunrise: 6:36 a.m.

Chance of precip: 30%

Wind: W at 5 mph

SUNDAY 82°

Mostly cloudy with a slight chance for some showers. Highs in the lower-mid 80s. Today is a much better day for outdoor plans as we expect a drier scenario with fewer showers around. With some brighter skies expected, we should see afternoon temperatures rise into the 80s.

Monday Morning Updates

WRAL Soccer Center Fields have CHANGED

Please be aware that the WRAL Soccer Center fields have changed. CASL has rotated Harris Teeter and Newcomb and Company Fields so there are two new additional grass fields as you exit the park on the right. As a result, field numbers have changed. New sponsors have come on board with CASL, so field names may also be different than you are used to. For example, ARS / Rescue Rooter Field is now the first turf field on your right (formerly Peace Camera & Nikon - which has been moved around the corner to a grass field). So, please, get familiar with the latest WRAL Soccer Center field game map and practice map. Both links are provided here. 

WRAL Soccer Center Practice Field Map

WRAL Soccer Center Game Map 

Turf Field Construction & Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Of course, many of you are aware of the turf field changes already under way. The turf fields (soon to be new sponsors Powerade and Daly Seven Hotels fields) will be open in September. However, we will be holding a Ribbon Cutting ceremony on Sunday at 3pm. This will be in conjunction with the CASL Kick-Off which runs from 3pm - 6pm. The Ribbon Cutting will be on Eurosport field with the new construction as the backdrop. Mayor Nancy MacFarlane, City Councilor John Odom, and many others will be on hand to help with the soft opening of the fields. Our very own Charlie Slagle will be speaking on behalf of CASL. Following the Ribbon Cutting will be the first in a series of CASL Connection (town-hall) meetings where we will discuss the latest updates from CASL and provide opportunities for you to provide input and ask questions.

Timeline for Sunday, August 18 - CASL Kick-Off and Ribbon Cutting

3:00pm CASL Kick-Off Begins

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony 

4:30pm: CASL Connection Town-Hall meeting (same location as ribbon cutting)

6:00pm CASL Kick-Off Ends

*Coaches will be able to pick up their Recreation and Challenge team packets from 3-6pm. All are welcome to attend and enjoy sponsor exhibits, watch the ribbon cutting, be part of the CASL Connection Meeting, and play small-sided games on fields set-up for soccer fun!*

Haven House and HEART Hold First Practice

I experienced my first CASL Community Outreach volunteer experience this Saturday, and it was a great way to start off my weekend. The first hour (8:30-9:30am) was a practice session run for youth who are part of Haven House Services, Inc. in Raleigh, NC. Haven House has been providing comprehensive services to youth and their families since the 1970s. They are a well-established non-profit who are always looking for positive outlets for youth in their programs. This particular programs is open for those youth who have an interest in learning more about the game of soccer - kids ranged in age from 6 to 15. I helped with the younger kids, where we started doing dribbling relays. Lindsay Vera, Marketing and Special Projects Manager at CASL, took all the kids through skills relay races - normal dribbling and sole roles. The kids, although already hot by 8:45am, were eager and excited to play. 

Haven House

The second session was reserved for CASL's HEART team. HEART serves youth with an interest in

learning the game of soccer who have an intellectual disability. There were close to 30 youth and young adults who came to kick off the season. I met some wonderful people and their families. You could tell that the players were excited to be reunited as well. Grace and Michael, two HEART athletes, were hugging and screaming because they were so excited to be back together on the soccer field. Laney and Mia, both dressed in their pink soccer socks, were both a little timid as they were waiting in line for their chance to go 1 v 1. But, as I engaged them in a few side passing drills, they both opened up and were giving high-fives all-around. During the scrimmage, I buddied up with a young girl named Bella - probably the happiest person I've met in a long time. She held my hand as we learned how to spread the field, call for the ball, and run up and down the field. Now at the beginning of the session, Bella, too, was a little shy about stepping out on the field with so many HEART players. However, about half way through, she was ready to "gallop" out of her shell and around the field. Every goal scored during the day received cheers from both teams and parents who were there supporting their kids. 

I really encourage each of you to take 2 hours out of your Saturday morning and volunteer for this session. The next combination of Haven House/HEART clinics will be on August 24th from 8:30-10:30am at Davis Drive Park in Cary. It is truly rewarding and fun. If you are a high school student who needs community service hours, this is a great way to get your required hours but making it not feel like a requirement. A lot of credit goes to Martin Rodriguez-Arispe who has grown CASL's community outreach program in a short time to have an impact on many different underserved populations. For more information or to volunteer, contact Martin Rodriguez-Arispe.