>>SOUTHERN INDIANA — I love the odd snowball fight as much as anyone. But the novelty of ice down the back and inside socks has long since worn off, and the impending spring — bringing with it the new soccer season — can’t come quick enough.

It will be interesting to see how our local teams perform this time in the numerous tournaments in which they will participate (see below for State and Challenge Cup information), and how our area players are applying their trade in Louisville with the likes of Javanon, LSA, Mockingbird and United 1996.

Not all, if any, will reach the heady heights that the Southern Indiana pair Trevor Bruner and Nathan Driggers did with their respective Javanon teams last year, when making it to the US Youth Soccer national championships. But that’s not why most play the game in the first place.

Hundreds will take to the fields because they love it — be it club, recreational, indoor or Deanery League. A number will play for their high school, and a few will go on to play in college.

And then there are those who put in many hours to ensure the players have teams to play on — those working behind the scenes voluntarily and those in the forefront. Do not forget them.

After summer, the focus will revert to high school soccer and there is change in the realm of head coaches (see story below on new Jeffersonville boss), with an unprecedented number resigning their posts, mostly due to family commitments.

Also worth following later on in the year will be those high school graduates who have landed spots on various university teams. More on that when it happens.

And let’s not forget the World Cup, which will light up the summer (see below) and be of great interest to all U.S. soccer fans.

Let the games begin …



DRAW MADE FOR STATE CUP

This year’s Indiana State and Challenge Cup tournament finals will be held at FC Pride’s Lawrence Park in Indianapolis from June 11-13.

But first up is the preliminaries from May 14-16, and for the second year in succession Southern Indiana United will be represented by two teams in the prestigious State Cup — the U16 Mavericks and U17 Rampage.

The bracket draw has been made for the 16-team tournament and the Mavericks — now coached by former Jeff girls’ coach Michael Dennis — will face Carmel United Elite, MSA Armory and Zionsville Eagles in Group C.

Meanwhile, U17 Rampage — former Challenge Cup winners coached by Bruce Rigsby — are in Group A with Westside United, Evansville SC and Indianapolis Premier SC.

Games will be played at Fort Wayne, Westfield and Evansville, and the champions will advance to the U.S. Youth Soccer Region II finals being held this year at Beaver Creek, Ohio, on June 25-30. Regional winners will advance to the national finals, being held in Overland Park, Kan., from July 20-25.

The Challenge Cup, open to travel and recreational-plus squads from Indiana, will also feature several teams from SIU and girls’ club Net-Surfers. The preliminary rounds will be held in South Bend, Fort Wayne, Columbus and Evansville from May 21-23.



BELL HOPES TO CHIME FOR JEFF

The fall might seem ages away, but high schools are already busying themselves replacing those coaches who have stepped down.

Providence will have a new boys’ coach, following the departure of Adam Giovenco, while Jeffersonville will have new boys’ and girls’ head coaches. And more may follow.

One of the positions which has been filled is the one at reigning sectional boys’ champion Jeff, which has appointed Jason Bell as its new head coach.

A University of Kentucky graduate, Bell helped lead the Wildcats to its first-ever NCAA tournament bid. He was a Kentucky All-State first-team selection in 1995 while at Eastern High School, and scored more than 70 goals during his varsity career.

While playing for Bon-Air SC, he was a four-time Kentucky state champion. Bell was head coach and athletic director at St. Francis High School in Louisville, and is presently an assistant coach with Javanon ‘94. 



GOOD SHOWING AT OHIO COLLEGE SHOWCASE

One of the first club tournaments to take place this season was the Ohio Elite College Showcase in freezing conditions last week.

A major event for players throughout the region to advance their position with collegiate coaches, it brings in the top U15-U19 teams throughout the region. 

Javanon ‘94 this year features four players from local high schools — Matt Kelecy (Floyd Central), Daniel Wilburn (Providence), Nick Blackwell (New Albany), and Jordan Vejar (Jeffersonville).

The boys performed rather well, tying with Indiana’s No. 1-ranked Westside United before beating Chicago Wind (5-0) and Metro FC of Ohio (5-1).

It was also a good weekend for Javanon ’95 and Providence’s Pierce Crawley, who notched up wins against and Chicago Fire (3-0) and Dynamo FC of Indiana (4-0), and had a scoreless tie with Team Ohio FC Juventus.



WORLD CUP COUNTDOWN

For those of you counting, there are now just 94 days to the start of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa on June 11.

So Kick It thought it would be a good idea in the lead up to the “greatest show on earth” to provide you each week with various tidbits of interest so as to get you in the mood.

We’ll kick off with a saga you might have already have heard about. But its questioned significance and possible benefit to Team USA is one that will be debated until tournament time.

England, the United States’ first opponent on June 12, is going into this World Cup as joint second favorites (5-to-1 odds) among a number of leading British bookmakers — behind Spain and level with Brazil — to win the whole kit and caboodle. The U.S., incidentally, is a general 66-1.

A few months ago, I fancied England because of the climate (which will be cool and to their liking), and because of Wayne Rooney (in simply unstoppable form at the moment). But you won’t find me scampering anytime soon to some oddsmaker with my hard-earned loot from the next neighborhood  garage sale to lump on Fabio Capello’s gang of overpaid individuals. (Not that I can in the Hoosier State anyway.)

Firstly, England’s No. 1 left back, Ashley Cole of Chelsea, fractured his ankle (ironically in a tackle with American Landon Donovan while playing against Everton) and will be doing well to make the World Cup.

Then, his replacement, Wayne Bridge, announces his permanent withdrawal from the English team following the scandal, which revealed that his former partner — and mother of his child — was involved in an affair with ex-teammate and friend, England captain John Terry.

Mr. Bridge didn’t take it very well, and despite Capello stripping Terry of the captaincy, said in a statement that his position in the squad would have been “untenable and potentially divisive.”

So will this all mean anything come showtime? You can bet the English tabloids will go to town on its effect, and will decide by June — in unison, I would imagine — that they are all united, that Terry is over it, and it won’t matter a jot.



However, it’s hard to believe it won’t take a toll. Not only has it unsettled the squad, as evidenced by its first half performance against Egypt last week, but it also weakens the team at left back. If Cole makes it, Bridge’s absence in itself won’t matter too much, but the feeling it has left amongst some of the players most likely will.

Such tension doesn’t disappear overnight, and England has never struck me as very united anyway. Not in the Republic of Ireland united sort of way when it tied with England at the 1990 World Cup (and beat them at the 1988 European Championships). And not the unitedness the U.S. shows and will continue to in South Africa.

Good for the U.S.? I think so.

Bob Bradley’s boys might have concerns with injuries right now. But barring Charlie Davis (involved a car accident), most first-choice options should be firing come June 12. Playing England first may indeed be a blessing.

Contact Aidan Kelly at aidokaydo@gmail.com.