Thursday, April 28, 2011

Letter to the Parents

Good morning Woodside Ultimate players and parents,

Well it has been an interesting year and our season is quickly coming to an end. Our last event of the year will be the VA State Championship Tournament held annually in May at LC Bird High School in Chesterfield (Richmond) VA. This year States is on May 14-15th and currently the organizers are looking for different fields on which to play, they are having problems with their fields. We will keep you informed on the blog (www.woodsideultimate.blogspot.com) and by email. Everything we do now is to get ready for States which leads me to my next two points;

· USAU (United States Ultimate) high school registration/membership for all
players
· Request for extra funds/dues due to our financial situation

· USAU Registration: First let me say thank you to all those who have paid spring dues and for jerseys. Bringing up the subject of asking parents to pay more money is always difficult however Ultimate is still a fairly inexpensive sport to play. One thing that is required every year for our players to play in States is for them to become USAU members. The cost is $29 for high school players per calendar year and this membership mainly covers players under USAU’s insurance in any USUA sanctioned tournaments. They will receive a USAU membership #, magazines, stickers, etc. Since States is organized and run by our governing body, USAU, all players need to become members in order to participate. Have your kids show you the site, www.usaultimate.org, and click on membership information under the membership tab, then click the join online link. If everyone can pay on line it would expedite our process to prepare our roster. Let me know if anyone cannot pay on line and we will work it out. This needs to be completed by May 11, 2011 and your child needs to tell us the USAU Id number then are assigned so they can be added to the appropriate roster. If this is not completed your child can not play at States per USAU guidelines.

· Now as for our club’s financial situation. We do not know the exact amount that we will have to pay for States because too many players have not paid the $25 spring dues. As of now, Richard and I believe that we will be significantly short funds to pay for States; which includes entry fees, rental vans/gas, and hotel rooms. There are two reasons for this situation. The main reason for this is because of the jersey fiasco. Briefly, we ordered varsity jerseys through a company, Rep Ultimate, who messed up our order. They printed wrong color jerseys, messed up numbers and fonts, and were not on time with anything. This put us behind in our other jersey orders. After receiving the reimbursement from them, we found a company, Spin, who could do the jerseys (a white and purple and shorts) for about $12 more per set ($62 instead of $50), this was the lowest price amongst all other companies. Richard and I initially tried to absorb this extra cost with proceeds from our tournaments but we did not make enough for this to work.

The second reason is reduced dues for the spring season. In the past dues have ranged from $35-45 for the spring season to help cover the increased expenses of tournaments, this year we only requested $25, again with the though that the increased number of tournaments we were hosting would help offset the difference. With the failure of our spring HS tournament to come together this idea did not work.

One way to help solve this situation is to have everyone pay their spring dues ($25), allowing us to make accurate estimates of how short of funds we are. Looking back at my receipt book, I see a lot of players who have not paid. We have tried to contact everyone, but everyone needs to come see me to double check, there is also a list attached of all players we believe owe money. We need everyone to pay as soon as possible. In addition, we are asking everyone, if possible, to pay $15 extra dues/jersey fees to help recoup expenses. Anyone willing to donate money would be greatly appreciated. We do understand that this could present a financial hardship for some families, and we will accept whatever anyone can give. We are simply trying to make States weekend as enjoyable for our players as possible.

As for the financial breakdown for States, we are going to need money for hotel rooms, transportation, and tournament entry fees. Our first thought to reduce costs for States this year is to put together a carpool to States and eliminate the need for vans. Usually two vans cost us about $350 and the cost of gas which is incredibly high. If we get enough parents to car pool then we could avoid that cost and use the funds for hotel rooms. The parents staying would also help reduce the number of hotel rooms we need.The one thing we do not want to do is take away the hotel stay. This is something the kids enjoy, swimming in the pool and the hot tub, etc. and has been a tradition since the first year of the program. If everyone pays the spring dues, many people pay the extra $15 and we have enough adults to car pool to Richmond then we should have enough funds for the rest of the year.

Please understand that myself and Richard take full blame for our club’s financial hardship. This is our first year dealing with the financial component of the team and it has been a major learning experience on the fly. We had large aspirations for our increased tournament hosting offsetting costs but with the failure of our HS tournament in the spring we did not meet those aspirations. This is a situation that will not occur again in the future thanks to the learning experience of the unfortunate situation we are in right now. We could have stayed with the first jersey company until they fixed all of their mistakes but that we believe that would have taken too much time. Richard and I are doing and will continue to do the best we can to make the end of our spring season a good one.

My emails are not reaching all of the players and parents. Please everyone do me a favor; text, facebook, email everyone possible and ask them to send me their emails (especially parental emails) and cell numbers. Send the info in a text to my (Greg) number 757-952-7067, just include your name and any info you can find for me.

Also please get in the habit of visiting the blog (www.woodsideultimate.blogspot.com) regularly for updates about the team and things like tournaments, dues, etc.

Thank you very much for all you do for Woodside Ultimate!

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Track Workout

The next track workout will be on Sunday May 1, 2011 at 6:30 at CNU on the field in front of the CNU track. Bring cleats and water, and be ready to do some work.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Hotels for States

We are on the ball early for this one, yes we realize we have been a little tight on time with some of the hotels for previous tournaments. This should give everybody who wants to stay Saturday night plenty of time though. We have rooms booked at:

Country Inn & Suites
2406 West Hundred Road
Chester, VA 23831
Ph: 804-754-0080

This is the same hotel the team has used during some of the previous years and and has an indoor pool and hot tub and provides complimentary breakfast. Its located just a few minutes from the fields.

Any parents planning on going could you please take a minute to let Greg or Richard know so we don't have to many rooms or to few, thanks. woodsidehs.ultimate@gmail.com

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Track Workout

The next track workout will be this weekend Saturday April 23, 2011 at 6pm at the CNU Track. Everybody that can be there needs to be there. Bring running shoes and cleats and some water.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

USAU Membership

States is coming up and you need to get your USAU membership done ASAP if you want to play. It is a requirement for States that every player be a USAU member. You need to go to USAU Membership and follow the join online link to get signed up and pay your USAU dues. If you do not do this you will not be playing at States, you have just over 2 weeks to get this done so we can get our rostering done on time. After you sign up please give your new USAU Id number to Chappell.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Dues & JV/Girls Jerseys

Players: if you have not paid the $25 spring club dues, this must be paid ASAP. This money will help us pay for States; entry fees, vans and hotels.

JV/Girls: the jersey order will be placed next week, by Tuesday, make sure you have given Chappell your sizes and #’s, this is your last chance to pay if you haven’t. JV the order is looking small!

Born 2 Dive & Shore Tour Information

Varsity is going to “Born to Dive” in Fairless Hills PA, leaving Friday for a weekend long tournament. JV is going to "Shore Tour" in Centreville, MD, leaving Saturday AM for a one day tournament.

Born to Dive: The varsity van will be leaving Woodside as soon as possible on Friday afternoon (probably 2:45-3pm) and returning as soon as possible Sunday night (probably 12pm-ish). Players need to be picked up promptly from Woodside. We will be staying at the;
Comfort Inn
2779 Route 1 North
Trevose, PA 19053
(215)638-4554

Shore Tour: Because of a schedule mix up with a fellow coach/teacher, Chappell will not be able to travel with JV to Maryland. Our sponsor and fellow Spanish teacher, Deja Hines, volunteered to drive the van to MD and chaperone our players. Joe Hoffman a Woodside Alumnus will be going with the team to Coach.

As for players, since I have had trouble maintaining enough JV players this season (and getting them to come to practice), I am inviting some girls to come with us. Because of van space, I can only have girls go that have a parent driving. Also I only want serious players to go as we are playing in a mostly male tournament. Please let Chappell know if you and a parent are able to travel with the team. The address of the school is;
Queen Annes County High School
125 Ruthsburg Rd
Centreville, MD 21617

-Games begin at 9:30 so the van will be leaving at 5:30, no later than 5:45.
-Directions will be handed out or use the above address to GPS.
-Pizza will be provided by the tournament for lunch.
-Games will finish around 4:30, Woodside will stop to have dinner and should be back at school around 9pm.

Parents, please pick up your kids promptly so Ms. Hines can return the van on time.

All players going this weekend must have field trip permission slip forms signed.

Varsity must have the PADA Ultimate waiver signed also. JV/Girls: if I do not have a medical waiver signed by parents, I need one so you can play Saturday.

Make sure everyone packs for the weather and brings CLEATS!!! Also bring any spending money that you might need.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Practice Wed. & Thur.

Wednesday 4-13
Run, Plyos, Stretch
Triangle of Death, run it until everyone throws
10x40's, 40yd sprint jog back, 10 times
Scrimmage against JV, if both teams have numbers if not mix together, focus on dump/swing and transitioning to endzone, call endzone or Iso's
5 minute drill
Repeat Scrimmage

Thursday 4-14
Run, Plyos, Stretch
30-30's, both throws and S-cut for both throws
Scrimmage against JV if both have numbers if not mix together, focus on dump/swing and transitioning to endzone, cal endzone or Iso's
Short 4 line drill, Varsity only, everyone throws, twice through each set of cutters, go to 3 lines if less than 12 people
Repeat Scrimmage
Shuttle Relay, 20yd/30yd/40yd shuttle, teams of 4, each player goes 2 times once through then team then a second time through the team.

Dues

Along the way with tournaments and jerseys and all the other things going on this spring we have not done a very good job of collecting all the club dues. There are still a lot of you who have not paid the club dues of $25. If you know you haven't done it please be proactive and do so, we will be compiling a list and hunting you down otherwise. Just a recap of what you have to pay for the year so that you know where you stand.

1. Club Dues - $25.00 - This is used to help pay for vans, hotels, etc. - Required

2. USAU Dues - $29.00 - Go to USAUltimate.org and become a member, this is required in order to compete in states or any other snactioned tournament and provides you with insurance at those events, as well as a quarterly magazine, and some other goodies. - Required

3. Jerseys - $50.00 - This is only if you want 2 sweet jerseys and a pair of shorts if not you can use whatever purple and white shirt you own. - Not required.

Friday, April 8, 2011

Born 2 Dive Schedule

You can find the schedule here. We have some great pool play games vs West Windsor North who we lost to in the fall, Pennsbury, and Hopkins. We need to step up and be ready to play I believe we can make the Championship Bracket but it will take the same type of game we brought against YHB every time.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Weekly Track Workout II

The second workout will be held on Friday April 8th at 6pm at the CNU track. Bring running shoes and cleats, water, anything else you need to run and get in top shape for states. If we get enough people we will try to play some mini or something afterwards. For those who don't know the track in on the back side of campus off of N. Moores Lane, its in the football stadium which is right around all the other playing fields.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Practice Wed. April 6th

As requested by the team we will have a practice during the week. Practice will be Wednesday April 6th, normal time - 2:30, normal place - Greenwood Elem. fields, normal length - til 4:45 or so. Lets take advantage of the break from all the other sports and activities and have a full turnout so we can work on some new defenses and get some good scrimmaging in.

We will still be having the practice on Saturday April 9th as well.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Born 2 Dive Hotel Information

We will be staying at Comfort Inn for B2D. The address is 2779 Route 1 North, Trevose, PA 19053. Phone number is (215)638-4554. Any parents planning on going could you let us know, we have 4 rooms reserved but if we had enough extra space in other places to drop it to 3 that would be very helpful.