WFC Rangers: Ranger News

Spring Tryouts for WFC Rangers, Whatcom County's premiere competitive youth soccer club, are fast approaching.  April 21st, 6:30-7:30, Rangers will be holding an information night for all families considering Rangers for the upcoming year. 

 The meeting will be held at the Food Co-Op.  We will discuss the general soccer structure in Washington and Whatcom County, how premier soccer works and answer your questions as well as let you know what to expect at try outs and in the year ahead.  Don't miss the opportunity to talk one on one with Board President, Dean Haverstraw.  Come see what Rangers is really all about. 

Congratulations to our GU17 Blue and Gold teams, who were victorious in quarter finals last weekend, and will be competing in the semi finals in the Challenge (blue team) and Championship (gold team) Cups at Starfire in Tukwila this weekend.  Rangers wishes coaches Dean Haverstraw of the GU17 Blue, and Travis Connell of the GU17 Gold good luck at tomorrow's games.  Let's support these teams with well wishes and sideline encouragement down at Starfire this weekend!

GU 17 Gold, Saturday 1:30, Field 1

GU 17 Blue, Saturday 3:45, Field 1 

Also, congratulations to the GU 13 Blue team, Coached by Brian Weeda and Suzanne Griffiths on taking SECOND PLACE in the Challenge Cup on Sunday!!!
 
We salute all coaches and players for a long, hard job well done.
GO RANGERS !!!!

 Squalicum Goalkeeper Looking to Give

Something Back to the Soccer Community

Morgan Waidelich, returning varsity goalkeeper for Squalicum High school, wants to help local kids get out on the soccer field this spring.

“Soccer has been a huge part of my life. It’s given me skills that apply to much more than just a sport,” said Waidelich.

Waidelich has been playing soccer since he was six years of age. He has been on Rangers, Skagit Storm, and Northwest United. As a sophomore, and varsity goalie, he helped the Squalicum team of 2008-2009 secure a state title. 

As a senior, Waidelich has chosen to help kids whose parents may be struggling to pay for soccer as his culminating project. Waidelich has barrels around Bellingham at the Sportsplex, YMCA, Squalicum High School, and Christ the Servant Church on Lakeway Drive, for people to donate used soccer goods (cleats, shin guards, shorts, socks, balls). The barrels will be out through the month of February. Waidelich will help get this gear to local players.

He also wants to encourage people to help sponsor some children through the Blue Skies for Children program Little Wishes Enrichment program.  Blue Skies for Children is a local non-profit charity whose goal is to raise hope and self-esteem by sponsoring enrichment programs and other essentials for homeless, low-income and foster children in Whatcom and Skagit Counties. Waidelich has a link to Blue Skies on his website; donatesoccergear.blogspot.com. The phone number for Blue Skies is (360) 756-6710. Soccer registration for the spring recreation season is happening right now.

“The economy isn’t what it was and many families have lost important jobs and may be struggling to pay to keep their kids involved in soccer,” Waidelich said.

Starts Friday, August 6.

 
First session will be this Friday August 6th at Whatcom Community College.  Time for the session is as follows:
 
4 to 5 pm:    All players U12 to U14
5 to 6 pm:    All players U15 to U-18
 
There is no cost or pre-registration required for Rangers players to attend.  Players should come dressed for soccer (with cleats) though shinguards are not required.  Bring water. 
 
Subsequent sessions will be held at Whatcom Community College on the dates of:
 
·         Wednesday Aug 11th, 6 to 8pm
·         Thursday Aug 19th, 6 to 8pm
·         Wednesday Sept 1st, 6 to 8pm
 
The format for these sessions will be the same; first hour is for players U12 to U14 and the second hour is for players U15 to U18.  Later start time is to allow for players to finish regularly scheduled training sessions.
 
Sessions will include a warm-up and cool down and focus on foot speed, agility, change of direction and acceleration, speed and endurance and core stability and strength utilizing agility ladders and hurdles as well as incorporating the ball.
 
TRAINER:  Aaron Leonard holds the B.S. degree in Kinesiology (the study of anatomy, physiology, and mechanics of body movement) from Western Washington University.  He is a former premier and ODP player and played on the NWAACC championship winning team at Whatcom Community College in 2006. He has coached at Squalicum High School and done SAQ training for select Rangers teams to date.
 
RANGERS COACHES:  Are encouraged to attend to learn new drills and concepts.
 
INDIVIDUAL TEAM TRAINING SESSIONS:  SAQ trainer Aaron Leonard will be available for individual team training sessions this fall beginning in mid-September.  Contact Dave to arrange.
 
Dave Brown, Director of Coaching
WFC Rangers Soccer Club
davebrown2006@comcast.net
 

Every three years the Ranger Board works with a group of parents to select the next Ranger uniform strip.  This year, 2010, will be the final season (including 2011 Winter season) for our current PUMA uniform. 

The Uniform Advisory Panel will meet in June after the new teams are formed.  The Panel will discuss club uniform desires, requirements, and priorities.  In August, the Panel will entertain uniform options from at least three different garment manufacturers.  The Panel will then send its recommendation for the new uniform to the Ranger board. Final decision for the new uniform will be made by November 2010.

If you are interested in serving on this Ranger Uniform Advisory Panel, please send an email with your name, the Ranger teams or teams you are attached to, and your mobile or home phone number.  The optimum size of this committee is 8 - 10 people; we will be seeking volunteers until May 31.

(The following wording as been approved by the Ranger Board of Directors and supercedes any previous wording.  Changes were made to address the recent move to a 12-month playing schedule with different genders and age groups playing regular league seasons on a variety of league calendars.)

Refunds

In the event a player withdraws from Rangers membership during the season, the refunding for fees and stipends shall be calculated based on how much of the calendar league season (from tryouts to the last league game, not including state cup tournaments) remains.   The administrative director shall, at his/her discretion, round the refund amount to the nearest calendar percentage remaining (25%, 50%, 75%) or any graduated amount deemed fair and appropriate by the AD.

Late Joining

Players who join late (late status will be determined by the Administrative Director) shall play a percentage of their club fees and stipends calculated on the remaining percentage (25%, 50%, 75%) of the regular league season calendar yet to play.

Rangers soccer club continues to focus on acquiring its own home fields and club facilities.  Funds from the the Bellingham Bay Marathon, which is co-hosted by WFC Rangers soccer, is ear-marked for the long-term acquisition of the Ranger Soccer Complex.

Obtaining home fields and facilities for all varieties of training, development, games, tournaments, and soccer camps has been a goal of the Ranger Board and Development staff since the origination of the club.

To the Ranger club membership it is no secret that the need for well-surfaced and lighted practice and playing fields is extremely high, particularly during the busy league and state tournament seasons. The acquisition of Ranger club fields will ultimately benefit both our club and the entire Whatcom County soccer community.

Current discussions of growth and development in Bellingham and surrounding Whatcom County invariably lead to questions and concerns about where we will find the available land remaining for placement of parks and outdoor sporting facilities such as soccer fields. We encourage the Ranger membership to stay apprised of the growth issues currently facing our Bellingham city and Whatcom County elected representatives.

Tara Wolfe (left), Ranger mom, filled the post-marathon atmosphere with crooning partner Dianna Bochsler at the Boundary Bay grotto.  Volunteers, runners, and organizers gathered to celebrate the success of the Bellingham Bay Marathon while enjoying entertainment by the duo known as Cabin Fever.

The recent incident involving an adult male approaching Rangers players and personnel at trainings and games has prompted us to remind all to be alert and use common sense in public areas.  Note: the person of interest is now in police custody.

Please remind your players that when waiting or arriving at team practice and training areas to stay with others and in well lit areas. Do NOT allow players to walk off from the general, supervised area to “meet” their rides. Coaches, please do NOT leave players alone waiting for rides even if they say they “are on the way.”  Leave another adult to supervise if you cannot wait for a late parent or guardian.