Xtreme Finishes Season on High Note

The role of spoiler in sports is a time-honored one. From this weekend's Blame at The Breeders Cup to the 1986 New York Mets; from the 2004 Boston Red Sox to the 2007 New York Giants, the team (or horse) that comes into a contest seemingly outgunned, underestimated, and under-appreciated and shows everyone why we play the games is a great American tradition. On the last weekend of league play in the WAGS Fall 2010 season it would be Xtreme 98 Red who would play the spoiler.

McLean Spirit White had started the season strong, a 4-0-2 record enough for them to lead the division. But they had been slipping in the last half of the season, going 0-1-2, while rivals Stampede and Metros had been surging. McLean knew they would close the season at home against Xtreme – a rematch of a decisive McLean victory earlier in the season – and with a victory they would be able to slide back into first place and win the division. The fans and players were counting on that win to salvage their season.

But across the county, the scrappy little never-say-die Xtreme 98 Red squad had been surging as well. And the players had long ago circled November 7 on their calendar. They wanted to see McLean on the pitch, without their 9^th player – the dread "Madame Referee."

During pre-game warm-ups, McLean looked confident. Xtreme looked hungry. And with a stiff breeze and the smell of Revenge in the air, the game began, and Xtreme went to work.

The first four shots on goal in the game were all Annandale, and Red took up residence on McLean's half early. At the three minute mark a precision passing play began at midfield when California Aidan stole the ball from a would-be McLean attacker. She passed to Sunshine who fed the Taxman streaking down the right side. Taxman pounded the ball into the back of the net, but then looked over disappointed to see the STAR's flag whipping in the heavy wind. She was offsides – no goal.

But the early attack exposed a vital weakness in McLean's defense – they could stand Red attackers up on point, but with Xtreme's passing game on fire, McLean was caught off guard on the wings. And the home team was knocked back on their heels, ceding valuable territory at the midfield to Big Foot and CA Aidan, who kept Red on offense.

Just one minute later, The Professor stole the ball from McLean and delivered it to Sunshine, who fed First Aid. First Aid put on a ball handling clinic on the left side, and then lobbed her now signature ball high in the air, over the defense, over the keeper, and bouncing into the net.

With The Hammer and The Professor in the back shutting down occasional McLean attacks, Red stayed on offense for much of the first half, First Aid adding another goal at 19 minutes on a feed from Happy Feet, who herself was busy terrorizing the right side defenders.

McLean fans, thinking back to the 8-1 victory the last time these clubs met, were stunned, and the coaches made frequent substitutions in an effort to stem the Red onslaught. But like a nightmare, it kept getting worse and worse as Xtreme moved the ball well and the Xtreme offense piled on shot after shot and great scoring chances.

Sharky was rarely tested in goal, only being asked to make four saves, and the first half ended with Xtreme up 2-0.

The second half would see a different McLean team on the pitch. Energized by the possibility that their season could be slipping away to this rag tag group of Red technicians, McLean poured on the offense, sending twice as many shots at Happy Feet, now handicapped by the sun shining directly into her eyes. But Xtreme's save leader showed why she sits atop that board and turned away all eight shots.

Xtreme logged a few more exciting scoring chances courtesy of Space Ghost and the Sledgehammer - who mixes martial arts and soccer to great effectiveness. McLean threatened several times, but in the end, Xtreme prevailed, climbing up from the basement of the Division, and preventing McLean from winning the division, rather, finishing fourth.

The Xtreme girls head into the off-season excited and energized by their progress. They will gather for a team dinner and sleepover, and then take a few well-deserved weeks off, before resuming practice in December. Next week the blog will look at the individual and team statistics for the Fall season.

Tricks and Treats and Cosmic Justice

The tail end of the season sees some rematches from the first part of the season, and Xtreme took to the pitch on Halloween for a rematch of the season opener with division powerhouse SYC Stampede. Stampede got the upper hand the last time they met with a 4-0 win, including two unearned goals. Stampede has gone on to dominate the division and is in a tie for first place, but Xtreme was confident they could run with this juggernaut. And they did, providing an exciting game that was fun to watch.

Xtreme, with a crowded bench thanks to visiting White players Anna, Mariana, and Mel who had a bye this week, tested the Stampede keeper early. The teams traded quality scoring chances in the first half, with Red displaying their trademark passing creativity that would compliment strong individual skills. However, Stampede did a better job of picking up loose balls, aggressive tackling, and keeping their defense in position to stymie the Red offense.

The first half would end in a scoreless draw, but not for lack of trying from both teams. Mel, in the Red goal, would turn away six quality shots, while the Xtreme offense sent twice as many at the Stampede keeper, including a thrilling and perfectly timed corner that Anna sent into the box to a waiting Aidan G, who pounded the ball on target.

The second half began with both teams again trying to crack the code of the other's defense, but without much success. Less shots were taken in the second half by both teams - though again Red outshot their opponent. Sharky, in goal for Red, only had to turn away one shot in the first 15 minutes of the second half. But then, at 51 minutes, a fast-rising rocket from a bizarre angle on her left beat her to the far upper corner.

But as fans and opponent know by now, playing from behind is a Red specialty. Red poured on the offense, controlling the ball and staying on offense for most of the remainder of the game. And in a moment that can only be described as cosmic justice, in the 69^th minute, as the Stampede fans were starting to pack up and looked ahead to another three points in the standings and trick-or-treating, First Aid would pounce on a misplayed punt from the Stampede keeper, and lob a shot high in the air and over the keeper's head. The ball bounced behind her and up to the top of the goal for the tie.

Stampede and their fans were deflated – something that had happened earlier to an odd Xtreme fan pictured above. Xtreme pushed for a go-ahead goal from the stunned Stampede, but full time expired just after the kick-off and the game ended in a draw – Xtreme's second in as many games.

Xtreme keepers made seven saves and allowed one goal; Stampede keepers made 23 saves and allowed one goal. Xtreme's 31 total shots were spread amongst 12 players, with Taxman and First Aid each putting four on target. In addition to outshooting their opponent, Xtreme was also awarded more corner kicks – six to two, and was whistled for more fouls, four to one.

"SYC is a good team," said Coach Lance. "I hope the Xtreme girls realize they can play toe-to-toe with any team in this league. This was a great game to watch, and I'm looking forward to next week's game against McLean and playing with our regular roster and normal rotations."

Xtreme Cracks the Goose Egg

There are five teams in the WAGS U12 yet to score a point in the standings (3 points for a win, one for a tie). Xtreme 98 Red is not among them. Xtreme, robbed of points last week in Maryland, played host this weekend to CYA Cesena determined to right that wrong and crack that Points Goose Egg.

With Coach Lance out of town, the team called up two CITs (Coaches-in-training), Manager Mike and STAR Heather. Coach Lance told them they wouldn't have too much to do, that the girls are self-starters, know what they need to do and know how to make adjustments themselves. He was right. Mike and Heather did little more than watch the clock to help manage substitutions. (Despite this, Mike was seen leaving the field with more grey hair than when he arrived.)

The girls opened the game with a quick attack and several tic-tac-toe passing plays that demonstrated rising mastery. Those skills intimidated Cesena, and the team, much to their coaches' chagrin, gave every Xtreme player a wide berth.

Xtreme, not known for fast breaks, mounted several during this game. In every case, it was a result of teamwork, precision passing, and anticipation. In one instance, The Professor won the ball from a Cesena attacker and sent it across to The Hammer who has sliding into position to help. She booted the ball with a nice lead to Big Foot, which enabled her to step into the ball and blast it ahead to open field. Happy Feet saw the play developing and exploded through the defense, settled the ball with two touches, and ripped a shot right on target. Unfortunately, the Cesena keeper was on her game and made the stop.

Space Ghost also added two fast breaks; the Red defense won the ball from Cesena and sent it to the Taxman in the middle, who led the streaking Space Ghost perfectly both times. Again, the Cesena keeper would earn her stripes.

Fans may have thought they had to have their ears and eyes checked – First Aid was out of town and not playing – yet Xtreme players and coaches were still yelling to an Aidan wearing the RED. Those fans heard correctly. Aidan2 and her family recently moved to the area from California and agreed to join us for this game, and hopefully the remainder of the season. Aidan2 made her presence felt immediately, dominating the left side and making it onto our stat leader board after just one game. Aidan2 took three shots in the game – and they were all on target, giving her a 100% accuracy rating. (Maybe there's something about that uniform?)

Xtreme took less shots in this game than they have been recently, but the shots and shots on goal were well distributed. The Hammer shot on target from distance three times, and Big Foot shot from distance twice – both times on target. The Taxman took four shots, three on target, and seemed determined to earn another assist as she set her charging teammates up nicely several times. The Sledgehammer and Space Ghost also added SOGs, but the leader for the day was Happy Feat with five shots – all on target.

Xtreme keeper Sharkey turned nine shots away in the first half and then returned to goal at the end of the game to face one more shot. The Taxman took a turn in goal in the second half for the ailing Happy Feet. Taxman turned away four shots, remaining perfect in goal this season.

Red very badly wanted to break the tie late in the game, and the Xtreme forwards and midfielders, Sunshine, Taxman, The Professor, Happy Feet, and Aidan2 were circling the penalty area like hungry sharks – but in the end, the Cesena keeper was able to shut them down.

The game ended a 0-0 draw, which was enough to earn Red their first point of the season. The two remaining games of the season are rematches – and with Xtreme hitting their stride, the front office feels good about picking up more points as the season comes to a close.

Xtreme Unable to Finish Off Attack

Xtreme and their families braved the John Hanson Highway and Renaissance enthusiasts to take on ASA Attack in the team's farthest road game to date in Crownsville, Maryland. The Attack showed impressive skills during warm-ups, however, these skills did not translate to the game and Red very much had their way with Attack during the game's opening minutes. As practiced and planned, the Red offense and mid-fielders kept the home team predicable and back on their heels, driving them into the far corners of their own zone. Red came away with some quality scoring chances early, but it would be Attack who would score first at 11 minutes on a broken Xtreme play.

Just five minutes later, the Attack would suffer their own broken play when a poorly driven goal kick would be plucked out of the air by a hungry and waiting First Aid. She pulled the ball out of the air, settled it with two touches and then blasted a shot over the keeper to the far post and the back of the net.

The teams then traded scoring chances, with Xtreme relying on finesse and precision passing, whereas Attack seized opportunities from broken Red plays and errant passes. GK Sharkey kept Red in the game making seven quality saves, until finally, at 25 minutes, Attack broke the tie. An intercepted Xtreme pass set up an Attack attacker inside the penalty area. She blasted a shot that rocked the crossbar and, luckily for her, landed at her feet. She finished it the second time and we'd head into the half with Attack up 2-1.

Just seven minutes into the second half Attack would add to their lead when a loose ball in the box got behind all of Xtreme and a waiting Attack player nudged it across the goal line.

But Xtreme is no stranger to playing from behind, and the girls absolutely screwed on their game faces, determined to come back. Happy Feet settled all further questions in the goal, turning away six good chances, and Red kept the pressure on, whereas Attack began to tire and foul. With time running down, Red through everything they had at the Attack defense, and they were rewarded.

At 68 minutes, Sharkey, chasing down a loose ball was fouled, setting up an indirect kick. Big Foot sent the ball into the penalty area where it bounced around the three Red attackers until it found itself on the Taxman's foot. She didn't hesitate, slamming it past the sprawling Attack keeper.

As always, Xtreme played right up to the final whistle, but in the end, there would not be enough clock in this game. The match ended two minutes later, 3-2. Had there been an additional five minutes in the game, there's no doubt Xtreme would have tied the game or won, but that's why there's a clock.

Xtreme players turned in an impressive, never-say-die performance, which the referee commented on to Coach Lance after the game. "Your girls played a very nice game out there," the veteran official said. "I liked their offensive play – very nice."

Xtreme looks forward to hosting CYA Cesna next week at Sprague, and they hope to come away with the first regular season win of the season.

“Sometimes the Best Team Doesn’t Win”

Coach Sherry summed it up nicely in his post game meeting with players and parents. Sometimes one team outplays another, but for a few unlucky bounces they don't win. And that was the story from the VIP Tournament's Semi-final match up today between Xtreme 98 Red and Team America 98 United.

Red and Team America are familiar with each other, have tangled several times before, in indoor winter play and in previous tournaments, and even trading players back and forth in the winter leagues. Red leads Team America in their series 3-0, but today, Team America wanted revenge and a shot at the Championship Game. They would get both.

Red came out strong, determined to return to that final game and dominating Team America. Xtreme sent shot after shot whistling towards the TA goalkeeper, who stayed strong, facing down shots and effectively tracking shots going wide.

Finally, at 19 minutes the Taxman and "Laces" Liv combined for two dangerous scoring opportunities, and then sent the ball back out of the box to Big Foot who was streaking in from defense. She lobbed a shot over everyone's head, including the leaping Team America keeper to find the back of the net and send Xtreme up 1-0.

Red tried desperately to add to their lead before the end of the half, but were stymied, despite spending the vast majority of the half in the offensive zone. Goal keeper Happy Feet only faced three TA shots, all of which she handled with ease.

But the second half was a different game entirely. Red, perhaps frustrated by their inability to score again, had difficulty containing a Team America team that adjusted to the precision passing, possession game Xtreme was playing.

At 36 minutes the referee made a somewhat questionable call against Xtreme that resulted in the Team America equalizer – on what appeared to be a TA handball that left goalkeeper Happy Feet in agony.

And it continued to unravel from there.

Sensing Xtreme back on their heels, Team America struck again one minute later, adding a go-ahead goal against an injured
Red keeper who lacked full mobility and a defense trying to regroup.

Xtreme had no choice but to pull the injured Happy Feet from goal and replace her with the Taxman, whose 4 shots and 5 shots on goal showed how hungry she was for her third goal of the tournament.

On the very next play, head defender Big Foot went down and had to leave the game.

TA played a smart game, taking four more shots on goal and making sure Xtreme had to cover the full distance of the field on every attack – of which their were several.

Jessie, The Hammer, and Space Ghost settled the defense down and kept the offense on the attack for much of the final eight minutes of the game; The Professor, First Aid, and Laces would combine for 16 shots on goal – half of which came in the final five minutes.

But it would not be enough. Team America was able to hold on to the lead and outlast Xtreme, 2-1.

They took on Great Falls in the Championship game, losing 4-0.

Though the final outcome of the tournament was not what Xtreme had hoped for, the front office and coaching staff are very pleased with the performance of every player – and every player contributed.

Across three games, nine players took 78 shots - 51 on goal (65%). Six players scored eight goals and Xtreme keepers faced 25 shots, ceding only 4 goals (84%). Xtreme also posted a higher time of ball possession than their opponents across all three games.

The front office and coaching staff want to thank all the players for giving it their all this weekend, all the parents for getting the girls to those early games on time, and a special thank you to our two guest players, Liv and Jessie and their families – they're welcome back anytime!

VIP Tournament 2011 is October 8-9, 2011. Mark your calendars!

Xtreme’s Footwork Carries Them Into VIP Playoffs

Xtreme 98 Red returned to the VIP Tournament with a definite goal in mind: return to the Championship Game and win it. Fans will recall last year's impressive Xtreme performance when the squad went 2-1-0 to reach the Championship game - a game they ultimately lost to a fast-breaking FASA team.

With FASA unwilling or unable to defend their title, Xtreme entered the tournament as the heir apparent, and the girls got to work early.

Taking on the high-scoring Alexandria Revolution Red, Xtreme started moving the ball well, pressuring the Revolution keeper early and often. Revolution would break the stalemate at 7 minutes with a breakaway goal on just their second shot on goal of the game.

But Xtreme is comfortable playing catch-up – and catch-up they did. At 11 minutes The Professor stood a Revolution attacker up on the left side, came away with the ball and carried it past another attacker, sending a perfect pass ahead to Space Ghost waiting at mid-field. Space Ghost carried the ball through the mid-field and sent Sunshine on a run to goal that ended with the first Red goal of the tournament.

And the floodgates opened.

On the ensuing kick-off, the guesting Jessie would rock the post with a shot that threatened to lift the goal off it's moorings. One minute later, at 13 minutes, Jessie would steal the ball from Revolution and drive a laser into the back of the net for the go-ahead goal.

The remainder of the first half was all Xtreme. Happy Feat faced no more shots, while the Taxman would add two more unassisted goals, at 15 minutes and 18 minutes.

In the second half, Xtreme picked up where they had left off – First Aid would lend an assist to the guesting Liv 2 minutes into the half to make it 5-1. One minute later, First Aid would steal the ball from the Revolution, dribble through most of the team, and call her own number, putting the ball away for the sixth and final goal of the game.

All told, Xtreme put 28 shots on net and sent 10 more wide or high. Xtreme keepers faced only three shots – one turned away by Happy Feet, and one turned away by Taxman who spent the closing minutes of the game in goal. Effective defense from Big Foot, The Hammer, and the Sledgehammer kept Red's offense buzzing around the Revolution net, and accurate passing and creative decision making would send Xtreme away with a decisive victory.

Game 2, against the hosting Great Falls Spirit, would not be such a high scoring affair, but would be a well-played chess match.

Xtreme would put only 6 shots on goal all game, but one of them, at the 8 minute mark, would find the back of the net when Big Foot fed First Aid for the go-ahead goal.

Meanwhile Happy Feet was kept busy in the Red goal, turning away 5 quality shots in the first half.

The game was evenly matched and well-played, with First Aid running a footwork clinic that frustrated and stymied the Great Falls defense; and a solid Xtreme defense led by Jessie, Big Foot, and The Hammer. Solid performances were turned in by all the players, including Happy Feet in goal who came up with 5 more big saves. Finally, however, Great Falls would grab the equalizer in the 47^th minute.

The game would end in a draw – enough for Xtreme to at least take second place in the Division and secure a play-off spot. Xtreme's play-off schedule would depend on the outcome of the Great Falls/Alexandria game – a game the hosts would win 9-0. With Great Falls and Xtreme with identical records and a tie in head-to-head competition it was goal differential that would push GF ahead of Xtreme. Xtreme would take on old rival Team America United in the semi-final game on Sunday morning.

If Wasn’t For Bad Luck, Xtreme Wouldn’t Have Any At All

Xtreme took the field against Potomac Red on Sunday, and on paper the teams were well-matched. They were also well matched on the bench – finally the substitution-light Xtreme would not be going up against constantly fresh legs – both teams entered the game with 10 players.

The game opened slowly with both teams testing each other and the turf field that provided many odd bounces. The first half seemed to mostly be played between the two 18s, with neither team mounting much offense. The Xtreme keeper was only asked to make two saves in the half, and the Xtreme offense generated a season low 5 shots on goal all game.

Finally the stalemate was broken in the 42^nd minute when a Potomac breakaway led to a goal. Two minutes later, Potomac would add another one with a weirdly spinning ball. But it was the Potomac goals that somehow sparked Xtreme to life, as suddenly the squad began pressuring the Potomac defense.

With time winding down, Xtreme finally found the back of the net in the 64^th minute, when the Taxman pounced on a blocked shot, took two steps to space, and hammered the ball past the Potomac keeper.

With the Xtreme offense energized, Potomac switched to an effective lead-protecting, run-out-the-clock game plan. Potomac substituted the farthest player from the bench at every break in the action during the final 6 minutes. Xtreme provided an exciting finish with Big Foot and the Hammer sending a surging Happy Feet ahead on two breakaways in the final minutes, but it would be an all too familiar case of "too-little too-late."

Xtreme had hoped to head into the Columbus Day Tournament break with a win, instead they logged a somewhat frustrating 2-1 loss to a team they outplayed most of the game. The squad looks ahead to the VIP Tournament where they were finalists last year.

Xtreme Shows Why Their Attitude Makes Them Fan Favorites

A weakened Xtreme took the field Saturday for their home opener against the strong McLean Spirit White. Xtreme had one player battling a cold, another player recovering from a cold and injured toe, and would lose a third player at the half to a knee injury. McLean jumped to an early lead, scoring in the first minute, and things went downhill from there.

An inexperienced referee made several questionable calls and non-calls, including allowing a McLean player to kick the ball out of the Xtreme keeper's hands for their second goal at 9 minutes. The referee also called 9 fouls on Xtreme and awarded three penalty kicks to McLean. It's worth pointing out that Xtreme hasn't faced three penalty kicks since the team formed, more than 57 regular season games ago. In any case, we hope the McLean homeowners association approves the referee's petition to do whatever it is she's trying to do to her house.

Some Xtreme highlights from the game included new goalkeeper Happy Feet stopping 11 shots, including one of the penalty kicks, Sharky's unassisted goal at the 40 minute mark, and First Aid, Big Foot, and Sunshine combining for 8 shots on goal. Additionally, team newcomer, Cameron, earned her nickname which will now appear on her practice jersey. "The Sledgehammer," or "Sledge," or "Sister Sledge" for short showed that though she may not be the tallest girl on the field, the other team will feel her.

The girls continue to do a good job of migrating techniques from practice to games, and even though they lost 8-1, the game was closer than the score sheet indicated. Several parents from the McLean team were heard remarking as such in the stands, but the question on everybody's mind was, "how would the Red bounce back for Sunday's game against first place DCST Metros?"

The answer was – the same way they always do, with pluck, determination, and smiles on their shining faces.

Division leader DCST Metros came to town and began licking their chops when they saw the Xtreme bench: only 1 sub to the visitor's 4. But Xtreme was sporting their new white kits for the first time, and with the weather 30 degrees cooler at kick off than the day before and a light rain falling, the Red showed they might just be mudders after all.

Xtreme began with immediate pressure, putting several shots on net and making the Metro keeper earn her…keep.

All in all Xtreme put 21 shots on net – 11 from The Taxman herself. A team record.

In fact, speaking of records and statistics, Xtreme dominated Metros in every statistic. Except one. Goals.

Xtreme took 31 shots, 21 on goal; Xtreme keepers were tested only 10 times, and all but one was turned away; Xtreme took 11 corners, only had to defend 2; and Xtreme defenders blocked 7 shots, Metros only 4.

The Red defense defended beautifully against the fast-breaking, long-legged, laser shooting Metros, and they communicated and moved the ball very well, executing set plays and showing great creativity.

In the end, despite outplaying the Metros for about 90% of the game, Xtreme gave up 1 goal after struggling to clear the ball at the 48 minute mark. And despite excellent efforts, especially in the closing minutes, that is how the game would end.

A wonderful performance and disappointing loss, but for the girls to show the heart and determination they did, after being dismantled the day before, shows why Xtreme 98 Red is the most beloved team in WAGS. The squad and their adoring fans look forward to the second half of the season and the upcoming VIP Tournament.

Xtreme Notches First Multi-Goal Game of the Season

Xtreme 98 Red took on PWSI Courage 98 Black on the road for the second game of the regular season, and once again, Xtreme came out strong. Xtreme controlled the pace of the game at the open, completing smart passes and applying pressure to the Courage defense and keeper almost immediately. The sides traded quality scoring opportunities through the first 18 minutes, until finally, a Courage player found the back of the net.

Four minutes later, Xtreme answered with a series of beautiful passes – from Big Foot to Sunshine to the Taxman to the back of the net.

Five minutes later, at 27 minutes, Courage would take the lead back. But the Xtreme first half keeper, Sharkey, valiantly turned away 11 shots – and got a little help from the crossbar once.

The second half saw Happy Feet in goal for Xtreme – a first. She was tested hard and early, and quickly showed that she meant business, despite her inexperience. First Aid worked with Sunshine, the Taxman, and the still nicknameless Cam to keep the pressure on, and they were finally rewarded at 55 minutes, when Space Ghost challenged and won a ball from Courage, sent it up to First Aid, who crossed it to the Taxman, who put on a footwork show, drew an extra defender to the corner and then laid a ball right in front of the charging Sunshine. Sunshine, perhaps inspired by the Marta-Puma commercial, deked the defender, faking a shot and pulling the ball across to her left, and then sliding the ball past the Courage keeper to tie it up again.

But the Courage were not done. They peppered Happy Feet with shots, and the Xtreme defenders, who were throwing their bodies in front of balls – First Aid, Big Foot, Space Ghost, and the Professor blocked 10 quality shots, began to break down. The Hammer, exhausted and under the weather, suffered what competitive eaters refer to as a "reverse swallowing" action, but then rallied and finished the game strong – closing down passing lanes, and playing her usual aggressive defense. But the Courage had a deep bench and were able to add fresh legs to the pitch. Finally, at 59 minutes, they broke the tie, going ahead 3-2.

Happy Feet kept Xtreme in the game, shutting down three breakaways that Courage parents were sure were goals. Xtreme aimed to finish strong – trying to steal the points from Courage, but in the end, fatigue took its toll, and Courage added a fourth goal at 68 minutes.

Despite the loss, Xtreme played a terrific game, with every member of the team contributing. The two goals – the first of the season – mark the first multi-goal game for Xtreme since April 17 when the squad beat the NVSC Jr. Majestics 2-1, and showed that Red can finish.

The squad looks forward to next weekend's home opener double header with games at Holmes and Sprague against McLean and DCST Metros – both of whom are 1-0-1 on the season.

Xtreme Looks Great, Loses Opener

Soccer can be a cruel mistress – dominate your opponent for an entire half, and then an unlucky bounce, and suddenly you're on the wrong end of the score sheet. Xtreme 98 Red has had their share of those games – and the Fall 2010 Season Opener was a classic example.

Xtreme traveled to Springfield to open the season where they closed last season, Hooes Road. The opponent was SYC Stampede, who were knocked back on their heels for much of the first half as the Xtreme girls played their possession game that quickly frustrates opponents. Red possessed the ball for about 70% of the first half, only to give up the lead during a corner kick (one of only two Stampede mustered) towards the end of the half. Stampede was well-positioned and executed an excellent set play, while Xtreme was caught flat-footed and Stampede found the back of the net.

Their confidence restored, Stampede then added another goal on a freak play. A direct kick was awarded to Stampede, and though the Xtreme keeper made the initial save, the slippery ball took a strange bounce off her hands and squeaked into the goal.

Down 2-0 at the half, Xtreme made adjustments to try to break the scoring drought. But Stampede made adjustments too. Xtreme tested the Stampede keeper several times, but emboldened by their lead, Stampede took some chances, which unfortunately for Xtreme, paid off. A questionable non-call in an otherwise solidly officiated game led to a Stampede breakaway for their third goal. And finally a miscommunication between the Xtreme keeper and one of her defenders led to a fourth and final goal on what would have been a routine stop.

Despite the loss, the Xtreme girls showed that their hard work is paying off. They communicate well on the field, work as a unit, backing each other up and keeping the other team "predictable" as Coach Lance says. While the end result of the game was not what the fans hoped for, the squad showed that Red Soccer is still moving in the right direction. The girls look ahead to next week, when they will take on a powerful PWSI team on the road.

Fall Schedules Are Out – Somebody Likes Xtreme 98 Red

When the front office first saw Xtreme 98 Red's WAGS Division (Q), much thought was given to the long road trips into Maryland that threatened. However, the schedule is now out, and there is no need for player's drivers to invest in new GPS hardware. We'll play 2 games each at Sprague and Baileys, 1 game at Holmes. Three of our 4 road games will be on familiar Virginia fields: Howison, Hooes, and Spring Hill Rec Center, and we'll take one trip out to Crownsville, Maryland on October 17 for a noon game. Five of our 10 games kick off at noon. Three games start at 1:00 or 1:30, and one game is at 4:30, (on October 3 at Baileys). We have one weekend of a double header with games on both Saturday, September 25 and Sunday, September 26.

All in all, a very decent schedule that hopefully the girls can use to their advantage to notch some wins.

The full schedule has been posted to the Team Snap website and will be distributed to team members via email shortly.

Go Xtreme!

Xtreme Fall Practice Schedule Announced

Initial field assignments have been made and Xtreme received our first choices all around. Our two main practices will be Tuesdays at 6:30 pm at Sprague Center and Thursdays at 6:30 pm at Holmes MS Front. As we get later in the year it will get darker earlier and our practice start time will begin shifting earlier in 15 minute increments accordingly. We will begin using these assignments with the August 17 practice.

On Tuesdays our new sister team, the Vipers, will be practicing alongside us; on Thursdays, White will be practicing alongside us. The coaching staffs plan on integrating practices as appropriate. Additionally, we are working with Coach Germain on creating an optional third club practice – stay tuned for details.

Another exciting season approaches – get ready, get psyched, get Xtreme!

Fall 2010 Divisions Announced

WAGS has announced the divisions for the Fall 2010 season and we're going to see some old "friends" and several new ones. WAGS welcomed 14 all new teams into the U12 Division, and it looks like we'll be playing some of them.

Xtreme 98 Red will play in Division Q with McLean Spirit White (they fell to 98 White last season 3-1), PWSI Courage 98 Black (they fell to 98 White last season 2-1), and SYC Stampede (who tied 98 White last year 1-1). New opponents include Chantilly's Cesena 98 (formerly CYA Freedom Black), and four Maryland teams: Arundel Attack, CSA Power, Potomac Red, and DCST Metros Red 98. We've never played any of them, but we did post an almost identical record with Metros Red 98 in the 2009 Arlington Invitational. We never played each other, but we beat the same opponents and fell to the same opponents.

We now await the schedule to see how many times we'll be driving to Annapolis, Columbia, and other points in the Free State.

 

Welcome Another New Xtreme Member

We're happy to introduce another new Xtreme 98 Red face picked up from the try-out process last week. Cameron joins us from another Annandale team and loves playing forward. Cam is not only excited and proud to join Red, she's also proud and excited to have just earned her black belt in Tae Kwon Do this past week! When Cam isn't playing soccer or practicing martial arts, she's either reading, studying, kayaking on the lake, or playing with friends, or her German Shepherd, Phoenix.

Cam brings the same energy and excitement that she brings to soccer to climbing rock walls, swimming, reading, and flexing her imagination – inventing things in her spare time.

We are happy Cam has accepted a position with the Red squad, and I know you join us in welcoming her and her family to ours.

The Newest 98 Red Team Member

More than 40 aspiring Xtreme girls spent two weeks trying out for a limited number of spots on the ABGC's three rising U12 teams. Xtreme 98 Red has extended roster positions to three new faces. Here's the first – we're happy to introduce Kate to the squad and welcome her to the family. Kate comes from the Falls Church rec league and loves playing soccer, as either a keeper or forward. When she's not playing soccer she's playing with her friends – probably football.

Though Kate doesn't have any pets, she does love to go horseback riding, and looks for opportunities to house sit pets for friends, family, and neighbors.

Kate will be a student at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School next year where she will continue to play the trumpet! Kate tells the front office her nickname is "Kate." But surely, First Aid, Space Ghost, Big Foot, Sunshine, The Taxman, The Hammer, and the rest of the crew will help her with an Xtreme nickname soon!

Welcome to Xtreme, Kate!

Xtreme Ends Spring Season with Two Strong Performances

The Xtreme girls finally got a crack at SYA Storm Black after the pre-Memorial Day rainout. And what a game it was. Xtreme gave up a goal 2 minutes into the game, and then settled down and really controlled the pace and tempo of the game. Megan and Teah led an aggressive pursuit of the ball, often driving Storm defenders deep into their zone, and thanks to Xtreme's swarming defense of Caitlin, Kendall, Erin L, and Erin G, Storm and her fast cherry pickers would muster only 7 more shots on Xtreme keepers, whereas the Xtreme offense sent 17 shots at the Storm keeper. One, from Belle, would find the back of the net with about 15 minutes to go in the game. Aiden and Audrey combined for 6 quality scoring chances; Emily sent two rockets towards the net; and with time winding down, Erin G - The Hammer, made everyone gasp when she rocked one off the crossbar. The ensuing corner kick was taken by Emma, but the Storm defense sent it out, asking her to try again. Emma launched a nice ball into the box where three Xtreme players hacked away at it, but were unable to buy a goal as time ran out.

The second game of the weekend found Xtreme facing the very strong SYC Tigers who only 4 weeks earlier had blanked Xtreme 6-0. It was certainly a different game this time around with Xtreme putting together long periods of ball control and accurate passes. In fact, as time wound down, Xtreme notched its 100^th pass of the game – something that only last year seemed a pipe dream, but now is closer to the norm for Xtreme. The three Xtreme keepers stopped an unprecedented 22 shots, giving up 7 goals (including one penalty kick). But our offense would not go home empty handed as Amalia stole the ball in our own end from a hot-dogging Tiger, brought the ball out of our zone, sent Audrey up the side, who crossed a pretty ball to Erin L who would put it away, highlight reel-style around a sprawling Tiger keeper at the 43 minute mark.

The Xtreme girls ended the game and season in typical Red fashion – with smiles on their faces, knowing they gave it their all, and had succeeded in turning in a better performance against a very strong team than they had a few weeks earlier.

The squad now looks forward to tryouts, summer fun, the World Cup, and…new uniforms!

Xtreme 98 Red Tryout Schedule Being Developed

With only three weekends of league play and one tournament remaining in the Spring 2010 season, Xtreme begins to look ahead to the Fall. All teams and clubs in the area will begin a massive outreach to attract new players and retain existing players, and we're no different.

Team staff are working with field assignors to reserve space and expect a formal tryout schedule to be announced soon.

In the meantime, if you are a player interested in possibly joining our squad, or you know of a potential player, our biweekly practices are always open. Email Michael Klein at xtreme98red@gmail.com for practice times and locations or more information.

Xtreme Stymied by Great Falls Long Ball Game

The wind was howling and the trees were swaying for a second straight day in Annandale as Xtreme 98 took on Great Falls Spirit for a Mother's Day Match-Up.

The eerie weather and lack of Mother's Day mimosas set an unsettling tone for the game, and when Great Falls scored two quick goals in the first 6 minutes of the game, Xtreme found itself once again with an uphill, upwind climb.

Xtreme battled back, valiantly in places, but was unable to string together a full game. Despite some good chances and a goal that was called back for offsides, Xtreme was unable to stay on offense long enough to make the come back, thanks to the Great Falls long ball game that cleared out their end. The match ended 0-3.

The high point of the game may have come before the game, when the girls presented the mother's in attendance with Gerber daisies – red, of course.

Next up, an away Saturday morning game versus the talented and deep VSA squad. Xtreme will be ready for the challenge.

Xtreme Blanked By SYC

A powerful and skilled SYC team literally blew into Annandale today, and with a strong wind at their backs, jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead over Xtreme. The first goal, just 4 minutes into the game, combined with the quick passing and impressive speed of several SYC players, seemed to knock Xtreme back on their heels, causing them to play somewhat tentatively.

They once again had a hard time getting their offense started, spending much of the first half in the defensive zone and ceding 3 more goals.

Guest Coaches Ann and Kim Germain made adjustments during the halftime and Xtreme was able to apply much more pressure on SYC during the second half and cut in half SYC's scoring chances, but in the end, SYC had built up too much of a lead – physical and mental – for the Xtreme girls to overcome. SYC would add two more goals in second half, including one in the closing minute.

Xtreme will take the field again this weekend, taking on Great Falls Spirit in a Mother's Day match-up at noon.

Xtreme Controls Game, Can’t Get Offense Started

Xtreme took on our old division rivals, CYA Freedom 98 Purple, this weekend. Last year we split our two games with them, losing at home and winning on the road. The win came on the last game of the season and was one in which the Xtreme girls so overwhelmed Freedom with ball control and controlled passing that the 1-0 win seemed like it wasn't enough. It was also the first game in which the girls broke the 100-pass mark established earlier in the season by Coach Lance.

But if that game was an indication of how far Xtreme had come during the season, the game this Saturday was an indication of how far they still have to go this season.

Xtreme picked up exactly where they left off, controlling the ball and playing a solid defense that stymied Freedom attacks. But as solid as Xtreme's defense and goal keeping was, her attack was somewhat anemic at times. The girls heavily outshot Freedom in general, but Freedom logged more quality scoring chances. Xtreme's 27 shots were spread amongst 11 players, and eight players had multiple shots.

The game was well-contested at both ends and ended in 0-0 draw, bringing our record this season to 1-2-2.

Xtreme looks ahead to another double-header weekend and two more chances to get her offense jump started and get some more players on the score sheet.

Xtreme Comes Up Short Against Vienna

In Xtreme's fourth league game in as many game days the girls showed signs of the wear and tear of a heavily front-loaded schedule. The girls took on the Vienna Comets, a team with which we've tangled in the past. The Xtreme roster is quite different today, but the outcome was not. Vienna dominated the first half, peppering Xtreme's keeper with shots and would go on to win the game 3-0.

However, our keeper, Amalia, should win the Xtreme Hard Hat of the game for her outstanding play. She faced more than 20 quality shots, turning the vast majority of them away in thrilling fashion as she threw herself from one side of the goal to the other and leaping up to punch shots over the crossbar (as in the photo at below).

Despite Amalia's fantastic performance, Vienna was able to find the back of the net 3 times in the first half while Xtreme mustered only one shot on goal – a free kick awarded to Reina, fouled as she led Xtreme's first attack of the game.

The second half was an entirely different game – Amalia remained in goal and continued to do cartwheels and stand on her head to blank Vienna in the half. Kendall, Caitlin, and Erin L tightened up our defense, severely limiting the number of shots Vienna was able to take in the half and keeping the ball out of our zone. But the Xtreme offense of Emma, Aiden, Teah, Audrey, and Madison was not able to jump start any meaningful attacks.

With a grueling open to the season and several players nursing injuries, Xtreme heads into the third week of the season with a much needed bye. A rejuvenated Xtreme will take the pitch Saturday, May 1 against old rivals, CYA Freedom 98 Purple, and a W is more than possible.

Xtreme Notches First Win of the Regular Season

They say revenge is a dish best served cold. How about served with a side of extreme wind? On Saturday, Xtreme 98 Red took a ride to the Prince William County home of the Junior Majestics, who only a week earlier had rudely scored a goal in the last minute of play to break a hard fought 2-2 tie. Xtreme was thinking about nailing down the W, and they had a fire lit under them.

Heavy winds, blowing hard towards the Xtreme goal for the first half, added some extra danger to Majestic corners (2) and crossing shots. It also meant our defense had to tighten down on the Majestic's fastest player - #22, who liked to linger near the center line, waiting to be sprung on a breakaway.

It was just such a combination of Majestic speed, wind at their backs and an unfortunate bounce that had Xtreme knock in an own goal at the four minute mark. More damaging than the goal was that the play resulted in Erin G. "The Hammer" limping off the field with a hyper-extended knee. She would not return and would miss Xtreme's next match on Sunday.

But Xtreme – scrappy fighters that they are – don't mind clawing their way back into a game. And ten minutes later they answered the Majestics with a goal: Laura put a foot skills show on and sent a blistering cross to Emma at the far post. Emma tapped the ball home and it rolled across the line at an agonizingly slow pace.

Xtreme controlled the pace of the game, effectively moving the ball around the field to test the Majestic defense and keeper from all sides. Emma and Aiden both sent 4 shots at the goal, Madison and Audrey would each add a shot, but the player with the keeper's number was absolutely Laura. Not only did she distribute the ball nicely to her fellow forwards, she took 8 shots herself before the game was done.

Amalia played well in goal, turning away 4 quality Majestic shots and the half ended tied 1-1.

Kendall, who with partners Caitlin and Erin L "The Taxman", had built a wall in front of our goal, took the keeper's jersey for the second half. Caitlin and The Taxman were joined on defense by Elizabeth and Amalia who effectively shut down the Majestics fast-paced offense. The home team only mustered 2 shots in the second half, both of which were turned away by Kendall.

At the 46 minute mark, Xtreme put together another long passing sequence, playing keep-away from the Majestics. The sequence ended when The Taxman sent Aiden racing down the flank – she beat her players and sent a well-timed ball to Laura who was waiting in the box to blast the go-ahead goal home.

Despite great pressure from the Majestics during the final 10 minutes of the game, Xtreme was able to protect their lead, blocking shots, and pressing for a third goal themselves.

The entire squad had an impressive game, everyone contributing and playing their game. Which goes to show what the girls can do when they put their mind to it. But would they be able to keep up the intensity for a game against old WAGS rival, VYS Comets on Sunday? We shall see.

Xtreme and Freedom Draw in Interclub Match

The Red took on one of their sister teams from ABGC, Freedom 98, on Sunday in the second match of the season. Many of the players know each other well, having played rec soccer together or on basketball teams together. The teams also shared players last season and occasionally during the last several winter indoor season. As a result, or perhaps because of the game the day before and the severe heat on Sunday, this match moved at a slower pace.

The teams felt each other out, alternating games of keep-away. Erin L. started in goal and successfully turned away four shots, including one that had her sprawling across the goal mouth to pounce on a rebound. Both teams quickly realized that with solid goal keeping at both ends, this was going to be a game that would be won in the trenches – a war of attrition to see who would make the first mistake. The level of physical play intensified in both directions, with our defense, led by Erin G., Kendall, and Caitlin collapsing in on Freedom attackers to limit their chances, but with Freedom pushing right back – and hard.

The game was plagued by inconsistent officiating that focused more on throw ins than the increasing physicality of the game, something that would come back to take a toll on both teams later in the game.

Emma, Aiden, and visiting Teah combined for five quality shots on the Freedom keeper – all were saved. Madison would add a shot as well, but saw limited playing time due to her sore knee and allergies that were bothering her. The first half ended as it had started, 0-0.

There was more of the same deliberate play in the second half, until the 45 minute mark when Caitlin, once again, reclaimed the ball deep in her end, and charged past Freedom attackers and mid-fielders only to be fouled in the Freedom half. The referee called a direct kick, and Caitlin, as we all knew she could, bent the ball around the Freedom wall slamming it into the back of the net from 30 yards out.

The failure of the referee to warn the girls effectively on physical play finally resulted in injuries to players on both sides. "The Hammer" and the very aggressive Freedom player she had been battling all day, collided hard and both players went down. True to form, "The Hammer" popped up first, but both players took a breather. Megan went in at defense, and despite nursing an injured angle, was able to hold her gorund admirably, helping Erin L and Caitlin protect our one goal lead. Kendall turned away five Freedom shots, including a rising shot that she was just able to get her fingers on to send over the crossbar.

At the 52 minute mark Freedom tallied the tying goal from what seemed to be an impossible angle to our keepers' left, and the teams would fight hard in the final 8 minutes for a winning goal. So hard, in fact, that we saw, for what may have been the first time in team history, a yellow card come out for an opponent.

Audrey "Space Ghost" had the best opportunity to break the tie when our defense sent her ahead with a beautiful ball. The Freedom keeper misread the pass and found herself woefully out of position. "Space Ghost" took two touches and fired right on net, but the bumpy field said "no," and a large divot slowed the ball down and redirected it just enough for the keeper to turn it aside. It was Audrey's third quality shot of the game.

The game would end in a 1-1 draw, and although a win was certainly possible, it was nice to face an opponent against whom the team is more evenly matched. Next up, a rematch against the Junior Majestics and the Vienna Comets.

Xtreme Opens the Season with Solid Play; Loses Home Opener in 60th Minute

The Red girls took the field in the season opener determined to keep up the momentum from the Liberty Cup. The first opponent was the Jr. Majestics 98 Blue squad – a club and program steeped in discipline and success. Xtreme had fallen to sister Majestic teams in years past – but this is a new Red squad.

True to form, Red came out and immediately took control of the game with accurate passing and heads up play. At about the five minute mark Erin The Hammer sent Emma Sunshine surging ahead down the left side. She crossed a nice pass to Belle, who powered past two defenders to blast the ball into the back of the net.

And then the defense took over. Caitlin, Kendall, and The Hammer built a wall near the midline and rarely let any Majestics through. But one of their players was itching for a breakaway – and with her impressive speed, she did manage to get some, shooting wide a few times, and then right on target several times, turned away by Erin The Taxman who made 6 tremendous saves in the half – each worthy of a highlight reel. But the Majestic's #22 could only be thwarted so many times, eventually she found the back of the net to tie the score as the first half wound down.

The Majestics made some adjustments for the 2^nd half and they applied more pressure, actually adding a goal to take the lead. But Xtreme rallied, and with The Taxman on defense, and largely glued to #22, the Red squad punished the Majestics with our physical game that makes the opposing team sacrifice their body to get through.

Caitlin challenged a Majestic attacker and took the ball from her in the near corner, then controlled the ball the length of the field, piercing the Majestics zone defense to fire from the right corner. The shot was blocked, but Caitlin grabbed her own rebound and crossed it brilliantly to Aiden – our own Menacing #22 – who buried the ball into the net to tie the game.

Newcomer, Megan, nursing an injured ankle, saw limited game time, but enough to record her first Shot on Goal. Audrey and Ally took turns rattling the Majestic keeper with 5 combined shots on goal, and Madison also got comfortable in the penalty box and put one hard on goal that the keeper got a hand on.

The teams then battled back and forth for the remainder of the game – both teams completing nice passing sequences. The game looked to be ending in a tie when, in the 60^th minute, the Majestics caught Xtreme slightly flat-footed with a quick throw-in from the far corner. The ball bounced its way into the box and ricocheted around off players from both teams, finally taking an unlucky high bounce and beating the Xtreme keeper.

The referee afforded Xtreme one final opportunity to tie the score, the kick off as time expired led to a shot that went wide and the game ended. Majestics 3, Xtreme 2.

However, Xtreme played a great game, notching 156 quality passes that translated to a Slurpee courtesy of Coach Lance. Players are circling their calendars – Xtreme will play the Majestics again on April 17, this time at the Majestics home field.

Xtreme 98 Red Dominates at Liberty Cup

The Xtreme 98 Red squad took the field four times the weekend of March 27-28 and demonstrated consistently that they were ready to pick up the Spring season exactly where they left off in the Fall season.

Xtreme let their opponents score first in three of the four games, but rather than get knocked back on their heels, it fired the squad up.

First up was a team from rival club, FASA. (Recall a FASA squad beat Xtreme Red in the Championship game of the VIP Tournament in Fall 2009.) This was a different FASA team, but the black uniform still made our girls see red. They controlled the ball and punished the FASA keepers, punding in 6 unanswered goals to win the game 6-1. (Goals from Reina and Belle were pulled back across the goal line by the FASA keeper, but the referee was too far away to see them, so she called no-goals.)

Next up was one of the host teams, FPYC Flying Monkeys. A team we faced off against indoors this winter. The first half was a back and forth affair with the teams trading goals and swapping the lead, but with hat tricks from Belle and Emma, the game was placed out of reach for the Monkeys and the final recorded score was 7-3.

Sunday morning saw what was correctly predicted as Xtreme's toughest game. The girls faced off against a Vienna team we've seen in both the regular season and off season winter program. Like in the two previous games, Xtreme controlled the flow of this game with good passing and poise. The girls showed patience, testing the Vienna defense from all sides, breaking through several times and peppering the goal keeper with shots. The teams were well-matched and traded socring chances and goals, until finally Belle put Xtreme up 2-1, where it remained for much of the game. But the Vienna team rallied late in the second half and were able to put together a three goal run late in the game to take the lead. Xtreme pressured until the very end, sending 4 or 5 shots on net in the final minute of the game, but it would not be enough, and it would be Xtreme's only loss of the tournament.

The final game of the tournament pitted Xtreme against old frenemies, Team America United. Xtreme bounced back from the earlier defeat and came out owning the field. The controlled the ball and put on a passing clinic for all in attendance - breaking the tradition of the tournament and scoring first. But then TA scored two lucky goals to go into half time leading 2-1. As one official remarked during the break, "Why is Xtreme controlling the ball for 80% of the game but down 2-1?" Xtreme would answer with their feet, scoring two quick goals to take the lead back. But Team America wasn't done yet. They would tie the game mid-way through the second half.
But finally, Xtreme took final control of the game, going ahead 4-3 and staying there. They would add an insurance goal that was disallowed on a questionable offsides call and bear the physical abuse of a frustrated TA team, but in the end, Xtreme prevailed, winning 4-3.

Xtreme's excellent record of 3 wins, 1 loss, and no ties put the club in a three-way tie for second place, but with the most explosive offense of the tournament by far, we assumed we were guaranteed at least second place and a trophy, with a shot at first place if Team America Freedom could knock off VYS Vienna.

First of all, TA Freedom could not knock off Vienna. Vienna won 2-1 to go undefeated in the tournament. Secondly, we learned later that ties in the standings would not be broken by straight goal differential. The first tie-breaker would be Goals Allowed. The next tie-breaker would be Goal For. So, Xtreme with 19 goals for but 11 against, was pushed from the podium by host team FPYC Jaguars that had an idential record and 10 goals for, but only 2 goals against (3 shut outs).

Despite not receiving a physical trophy from the Liberty Cup, the girls have much to be proud of. They truly controlled all their games, showed great passing skills, and were able to practically execute the things Coach Lance has been teaching them for the last year. Every single player contributed, from Kendall running down countless breakaways; to the tic-tac-toe passing in the box from Laura, Reina, Aiden, and Hannah; from the giant boot of Caitlin keeping the offense attacking, to the smart, heads-up play of Anna and Erin G.; and from Amalia controbuting at both ends -making saves and scoring goals, to newcomer Megan cutting her teeth in travel admirably and fitting seemlessly into the line-up, these girls worked their hearts out. They had fun, they demonstrated that they are learning and growing, and that they can run with any opponent as long as they play their game.

Xtreme heads into the Spring 2010 season warmed up and hopefully hungry - the schedule is out and we'll be sending it around shortly. Good work, Xtreme! Shoot it!

Winter Practice Program Announced

Xtreme 98 Red's Coach, Lance Sherry has released the winter training program for the remainder of the off-season. Coach Sherry has designed a "Fast Feet/Fast Decisions Clinic."

Featuring speed and flexibility drills, ball skills, and then 2v3 and 5v5 futsal games, the 6-week program will be both physically challenging and mentally demanding.

Coach K and some of his players from another team have been invited to particpate, and the sessions will be open to new prospective Xtreme players.

The clinics will run for 6 Saturdays beginning on January 30 from 4:30 to 5:30 pm at the JCC facility in Fairfax. For more information, contact Michael Klein or Lance Sherry at xtreme98red@gmail.com.