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.