logo-header-2019
Nike_Premier_Club_Logo_Blk_lo

Honoring the Game by Respecting our Opponent

Last month we kicked off the season long Honor the Game – Respecting the R.O.O.T.S. campaign by exploring the RULES.  Hopefully, you took a few minutes to give the Soccer America-“Think you know the rules” quiz a try.    This month we continue to explore the ROOTS with ways to Respect our Opponents.

Aretha Franklin sang “R_E_ S_ P_ E_ C_ T, find out what it means to me.”  What does it mean to us?  Do you believe that someone’s actions can earn respect, tarnish your respect, or cause you to lose respect?

Tennis great Roger Federer was once quoted “I fear no one, but I respect everyone.”  From the no-name first round opponent to fellow top-ranked and well-known finalists, Federer values the hard work, determination, and abilities of each opponent he faces. There is a humility and honor in his words. Do you give that kind of respect to everyone you compete against?

Here are some easy ways for players and players to make Honor the Game by showing respect to our opponents.

Easy Steps to Honoring the Game by Respecting our Opponents!

Players

  • Remember: without opponents, there would be no game at all!
  • Like YOU, the other team’s players have practiced hard, want to compete and have FUN, and are looking to improve
  • Play Cleanly and Fairly-never look to intentionally harm another player
  • Acknowledge exceptional players or plays from the other team
  • Win and Lose with Class

Parents

  • The “other” team is not the enemy. Just as you are out to watch your child play soccer, so too are the opposing team’s parents out to watch their kids. The only difference between sides here is the color of the jerseys.
  • Avoid making negative comments about players on the other team. Always remember that these are kids, not paid professionals. Negative comments can be hurtful to the young player as well as their family.
  • Be courteous. Keep interaction with parents on the other team as healthy and positive as possible.

10 Ways to Respect Your Opponent from Liberty Mutual Insurance – Play Positive and the Positive Coaching Alliance

  1. Pre-Game Hand Shakes – Respect your opponent’s right from the start. Shae hands before the first whistle blows and wish your opponent good luck.  Maybe even exchange pennants or banners as a sign of respect.
  2. Huddle Up for Sportsmanship – As the team huddles before the game, coaches and team captains can remind everyone that you’ll be playing fair, playing by the rules, and respecting your opponents.
  3. Play by the Rules – Respecting your opponents means playing fair and playing by the rules. Honor the game by abiding by those rules and graciously accept penalties when you break them.
  4. Pick Up Your Opponent – Your opponent falls, or a hard foul may knock them down. Be the first to outstretch your hand and help pick them up.
  5. Cheer, Don’t Jeer – During the game, cheer for your team in a positive, encouraging way and don’t jeer, boo, or demean the other team.
  6. Take Out the Trash – Respecting opponents means refusing to trash talk. That means no fighting words, insults, profanity, ribbing, teasing, or challenges. Let your play speak for itself.
  7. Thank Opposing Players – End the game with High Fives and “Good Games” for your opponent. A good opponent helps bring out your best-thank them for that.  It’s a privilege to play against them.
  8. Thank Opposing Coach – Coaches are a big part of any team. Respecting your opponent means not only the opposing players, but also their coach.  Thank the opposing coach for preparing their team to give you the opportunity to compete.
  9. Handshakes in the Stands – Fans should get in on Good Sportsmanship too! Shake the hands of the opposing team parents and fans, saying “good game” and thanking them for cheering and supporting good sportsmanship.
  10. Reward Good Sportsmanship – Want your team to demonstrate good sportsmanship and respect opponents? Then reward that behavior.  Provide a post-game reward to the player who demonstrated great sportsmanship and honored opponents

Click HERE to view slide presentation of this information

More on Respecting our Opponents 

Our goal is to continue to develop all of our players and their respective teams with an improved player development model and pathway during the new Fall 2022 – Spring 23 season after the tryouts.

Your player’s coach both as a volunteer and paid licensed and certified coach is part of our team and will continue to be part of our soccer club and community. The new partnership is aware that our responsibility as a youth club is to provide more support and resources to each coach so that our players and parents experience is even better.

We plan to have most of our current coaching team to continue to lead their assigned teams for the upcoming season unless there is a conflict with their schedule and/or another opportunity they prefer to pursue in the club which we may consider and appoint a new coach as a result.

Uniforms are set to change for the Fall 2022 – Spring 2023 season and we plan to keep the new and upcoming kits for 2-year period as that is the cycle suggested by the manufacturers.

Our new uniform/player kit brand will be Nike.

Pricing will be very comparable to our current brand of uniforms/player kits as we plan to add more value to the assortment of products that our players currently receive.

No. We will be using Soccer Village as our vendor for our families to order their new season uniforms/player kits.

Soccer Village will provide sample sizes during tryouts for the new uniforms/player kits so that you can order the correct sizing for your player.

Click here to view the Soccer Village website.

Fees will be an all-inclusive model that will cover all expenses (except uniform and personal travel).

No separate club fees and team dues.

Families will have an improved payment plan option of 8 installments with an initial deposit.

Financial Aid and Scholarships will still be available to our families. More information will be added to the website once tryouts have concluded.

Teams will continue to train at the same locations. A big part of this partnership is to work with the city and other independent locations to improve and invest in facilities to create a better training and playing environment.

Kings Hammer is one of the most recognizable privately held clubs in the Midwest.

Founded in 1993 in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area.

2 US Youth National titles, 2 runners-up, 4 US Youth Region 2 Champs, 42 OH State Cups, 25 KY State Cups.

In 2020, they added a U23 team in the Ohio Valley Premier League, winning the league’s inaugural season in the Fall of 2020.

In 2021, they joined USL League Two, the pre-professional division of the USL in the US and adding a USL-W team for the 2022 season.

Kings Hammer is backed by Corporex, a privately held investment company with broad holdings throughout the United States. CPX creates investment opportunities for their capital partners through traditional real estate assets as well as an ever-broadening array of other opportunistic investments including Commonwealth Hotels, Kings Hammer Soccer LLC, Alpine Mountain Ranch & Club and Five Seasons Family Sports Clubs. Their ability to create exceptional value through these investments is rooted in their 56-year history as a BUILDER. Why Kings Hammer?

A Complete Pathway to support an all-inclusive player development

Grassroots-Premier-Academy-Professional Development

  • Pathway will start with grassroots and premier program for the 2022/23 season
  • All-inclusive pay structure with flexible and affordable payment plans that covers all costs. 

No additional team fees (uniform/player kits & personal travel are not included)

  • Additional showcases and ID platforms through KH events & network
  • Unique travel and network opportunities through KH and its partners
  • Increased scholarship support through club and local foundation
  • Affordable uniform costs with better assortment through Nike and SV partnership
  • Play Metrics operations & comm. Platform connects the entire club
  • Techne training app – Supporting self-improvement at home
  • Sports Recruits (College recruitment platform and support)
  • College recruitment seminar
  • Player/Parent Education through KH Education Division
  • Kings Hammer Speaker Series – Platform created to present relevant youth soccer information. National and International guest speakers
  • Use of camera & technology for further development opportunities
  • Kings Hammer Goalkeeper Union for specialized training

Our goal is to make Kings Hammer Murfreesboro SC one of the most successful regional youth soccer clubs that focuses on player development with the proper core values. We plan to recruit and retain all coaches that will enable us to achieve our player development pathway for our players in the long run.

Kings Hammer Murfreesboro will continue to offer all levels of appropriate aged training for all level players. Click here to see our new and improved player development pathway.

Kings Hammer Murfreesboro will continue to offer programs all year round.

Full details of all programming will be released in May 2022.

Yes, the logo and the name will change to represent the new King Hammer Murfreesboro.

We will be combining local, regional, and possibly national sponsorships to generate the resources and scale up the opportunities for our Murfreesboro area players and teams. The benefit of our partnerships has impacted our families far beyond just sponsorships.

 

Technically, No. The Board of Director of MSC have agreed unanimously to sign a 6-year Partnership Agreement to outsource the management of the club to Kings Hammer to elevate the services we are currently and increase the opportunities to have a bigger economic impact to our community with this partnership.

Kings Hammer provides professional player development, great customer service, and offers an inclusive approach to youth soccer.  Kings Hammer Murfreesboro SC will elevate the scale of a community club with access to the highest-level opportunities for players to reach their fullest potential. Throughout the tiered system of development, players and coaches will be able to develop in the appropriate tiered programming, network and expertise provided by Kings Hammer Soccer Club.

Our Recreational Program, which will be branded as our Grassroots Program will continue to play their games at Richard Siegel Soccer Complex under the umbrella of Kings Hammer Murfreesboro SC with more support and resources for both players, parents and volunteer coaches of the program.

Our Academy and Select Program, which will be branded as our Premier Program will continue to train and play their games at Richard Siegel Soccer Complex as well as other locations they currently travel as part of their JDL and TSL games schedule versus other TSSA member organizations and youth soccer clubs.

Our future Premier Program teams will also continue to travel and attend tournaments within the state of TN and possibly other states based on their specific development need and skill level as a team.

No. However Kings Hammer Murfreesboro SC will have an improved structured player development model and a pathway that can support each individual player to play at different levels and assist players achieve their specific goals.

No. Kings Hammer have strong program representation in both States and their players play in their respective locations. The newly formed King Hammer Murfreesboro SC player will continue to play their JDL and TSL games in our area against other TSSA member organizations as scheduled by our state.

Premier Program teams may eventually travel to tournaments in Kentucky and Ohio as a result our partnership with Kings Hammer and vice versa.

As the club grows, we may potentially combine top players from each location to create regional development teams to compete at higher caliber events, showcases to create additional opportunities our players. 

That is our overarching goal and plan. However, it will take some time until we can have teams that can compete in higher level platforms. As Kings Hammer Murfreesboro, we’ve already started working towards a strategic development plan to prepare our club to be part of these leagues and compete at the highest level possible in a short amount of time.