OYSL

[Joga_99]

Injuries/Injuries/injuries......
If any team does not add any players during the off season then they better be injury free or real good.
Newmarket,Pickering,Burlington,Oakville,Brampton added some players not too sure about the other teams.

[Dudley]

I was having the same discussion with someone else just today Joga. You worry about how to get everyone playing time when you have 16-17 or 18 players. The reality is that you never do have that number.

As you pointed out Newmarket picked up players and added to the roster size this season. Now granted they have only completed two games but with yesterdays half game they have played each game with about 13 healthy 1 walking wounded, 3 not even dressed and a couple of call ups.

As a result the champion in this league, like so many leagues will go to the strongest squad, and the squad with the smallest drop off top to bottom. Teams that relied on a small core are just not able to survive.

[Antony]

Injuries are a part of the game, especially at this age and older. The more prolonged bumps and bruises probably start at the U15 age level I've found, so this is nothing new. Coaches are so concerned with their first 11 but the bench depth you build is just as important. There's also calling up players and with Erin Mills owning a ridiculous 4 teams at this age group you would think that option would be something they'd be capitalizing on if injuries are the issue for their very poor start. The club also has four 95 teams three of which play L3 or higher. Most teams would kill to have the type of feeder system this Erin Mills team has at their disposal, so the injury card only buys so much sympathy. Do something already. Everyone has injuries in front of them, Erin Mills is going through the same struggles as so many other teams right now.

[northernlad]

Very entertaining game between Nepean and Oakville. End to end action particularly in the latter stages with Nepean clawing one goal back with a thunderous strike and then throwing everything forward to get a point. Lots of close calls at both ends, but ending in a 2-1 loss for the Nepean girls. Excellent refereeing again (stop this please, we are not used to it), although we'll wait to see the game tapes and see how much of a gaffe the linesman made on a heavily disputed offside no-call on Oakville's first goal.
Many thanks to the OYSL for scheduling back-to-back away games in the weekend prior to exam week - thankfully we booked the next week as a block-out date.
OK NHLGUY, back to your superior and more timely reporting for the remainder of the season.

[GreenHornetzzzz]

Ladies and Gentlemen, the reality is this, injuries are indeed part of the of the game, especially at this age and with young ladies. Darn ACL and cartilage tears has all but decimated our goaltending (a key loss), our back line and taken down yet again another good quality midfielder. Having a good feeder system really helps. We were fortunate last year in plugging the holes we encountered with our feeder group.

This year it has been an exercise in futility (Charge of the Light Brigade). Over the last month we have been weathering the storm and onslaught of games against quality sides, dealing with the injuries, bouncing girls to different positions and keeping them inspired, a tough task at this age.

I believe there is something in the water in the east end of Ottawa and possibly in the Big Smoke. These injuries don’t appear to be happening in the west end, hmmmmm. Conspiracy theorist in Ottawa believe our water has been tainted on purpose by opposing forces

Onward we push, as do the other teams in the Big “O”. This is where all the good quality coaching and club managing comes in. How do you deal with the injuries? Where is the best fit for certain players? Can we tactically find the necessary solutions to deal with opposing teams, etc....

We will have our hands full this coming weekend with North London. Sources in southern Ontario tell me they aren't suffering the ills the rest of us are and that they are healthy and raring to go. I liked this side years ago and do have a profound respect for them. Could they be the Erin Mills of last year?

As a matter of record, we were fortunate in being accepted to the Surf Cup in San Diego this coming July, playing a age up. Preparing for that tournament will prove challenging. Anyone interested in attending and supportingour side??? Lord knows we may need the help. We have gone to the soothe-sayer hoping to get some relief, maybe a prayer or two and a little reverse Voo Doo is in order to counteract this bad luck.

Good Luck to everyone for the remainder of the season.

GO !!! AZZURRI GO!!!

[northernlad]

[quote="GreenHornetzzzz"]I believe there is something in the water in the east end of Ottawa and possibly in the Big Smoke. These injuries don’t appear to be happening in the west end, hmmmmm. Conspiracy theorist in Ottawa believe our water has been tainted on purpose by opposing forces

I guess it's no secret that the Hotspur girls have been brought up on pure Nepean spring water ever since they could saunter down to the old tarn and take a swig of the good stuff. And of course, the air is cleaner at our end of the City and all those organic crops from the Experimental Farm sure do provide healthy nourishment. Alas, we have "upper and lower" body injuries in Nepean too. Very sad to see so many ACL injuries to such tallented players in Gloucester and hoping all make speedy recoveries.

[Dudley]

As a matter of record, we were fortunate in being accepted to the Surf Cup in San Diego this coming July, playing a age up. Preparing for that tournament will prove challenging. Anyone interested in attending and supportingour side??? Lord knows we may need the help.

My boots still fit, the knees aren't up to much and my back is pretty much shot, but I hear San Diego is well worth the trip, so where do I sign up?

[Dudley]

Viewed the Ajax Pickering game last night. Three points for Pickering in a 5-1 victory. Other than a flurry to start the second half, when Ajax played with some energy and emotion and for about 20 minutes were a match for their neighbours, it was pretty much Pickering all the way.

Its difficult to get a read on either team from last night. Ajax season and OYSL survival is probably not going to depend on results against teams like Pickering. They are going to have to grind out the points against Cataraqui, Mississuaga stealing points from others who may fall into the relegation zone while not dropping too many goals against teams such as Pickering.

Similarly Pickering, while they have feasted on lower ranked teams and are running away with the goal difference title at present, dropped points when they faced Oakville a team with similar aspirations. Still they are getting their games played which is more than you can say for one of the OYSL teams and they are posting a target for all to aim at. Games in hand are only good if you win them, and winable games become a lot tougher when they start to pile up.

[FormerSoccerCoach]

ANyone know what the result from tonight's game was?

Game report/comment?

Cheers

Go Switzerland!

[Antony]

ANyone know what the result from tonight's game was?

Game report/comment?

Cheers

Go Switzerland!

Burlington 2 Oakville 1

Heard it was a really well contested game. Would think it will come down to these two in the west.

[soccerparent]

ANyone know what the result from tonight's game was?

Game report/comment?

Cheers

Go Switzerland!

I counted 8 or 9 for London.

It wasn't pretty.

[Joga_99]

Burlington 2-1 Over Oakville.
In the first half Burlington was all over Oakville first goal off a corner kick, the ball took a bounce and found a wide open Burlington stricker about 4-5 yards from goal line, all she had to do it a light head tap and she found the back of the net.
Second Burlington goal I was a little distracted, what I was told; Good goal from Burlington.
With about 3 minutes to half Oakville was able to pull one back.Second half Oakville were like a diffrent team, It will be a very interesting game when these two meet up in Ontario Cup.

[Antony]

The question has been asked several times on these boards this year, "Are North London this year's Erin Mills?"

North London 4 Erin Mills 2 from earlier this week.

From almost champs to fighting off relegation so far. What a drop off!

[Dudley]

I should have stayeda and watched the world cup, from a very soggy (yes the fields are open) Newmarket.

Oakville 2-0 Newmarket.

First half played in a downpour, had an effect on the game but both had to endure the conditions. Not much to chose between the two but Oakville took advantage of an opportunity just before the half for a 1-0 lead. Most of the game was played in the middle without much in the way of real opportunities for either team. I would give the edge to Oakville based on a little more energy and spark.

Newmarket showed a lot more energy in the second and pressured hard especially in the first 20-25 minutes, hitting the bar and forcing a number of good saves from the Oakville keeper who was in fine form. As the game drew inot the last quarter hour the impetus from the Newmarket push seemed to drain and the girls looked like they had concluded they were not going to score at all today. Oakville having weathered the storm played with some more possession although \newmarked had the vast majority of good scoring opportunities in the second. Oakville added the insurance goal with a couple of minutes to go and were good value for the win.

[Bigdaddio]

Spot on Dudley, Oakville was full marks for the 3 points today. I must add though the officiating was terrible both ways, we simply have to get rid of the "they are just little girls out kicking the ball around and she really didn't mean to do that so I won't call it" mentality that permeates female soccer. These are elite athletes playing at the highest level and they sure do know what they are doing out there, unfortunately the man in the middle didn't see it that way. An Oakville player went down late in the game and we hope she is well, unfortunately the play was allowed to escalate to that level with no control or warnings and not even a call on the play.
I don't expect the official to catch everything as that is impossible but when they acknowledge the dirty and dangerous play and signal play on it is a totally different situation that puts these athletes at risk. Without the officials the games would not be played and we truly do need them but they also do need to provide a safe environment for these athletes to perform in.