As the 2010 summer draws to a close the WSA soccer club has had one of it’s busiest summers on record.  To read AND see the Summer 2010 Video click here...

 THE SIDE’S SUMMER 2010
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     Thursday, September 23rd, at 3:00 a.m. the 2010 summer officially ends.  The closing of one of the busiest summers in the WSA club history comes with some highlights worthy of review.  

      As "The Side" settles into the Fall season, the WSA website would like to offer you a look back at some of the highlights of this past summer, a summer that included: camps, trips, talent shows, garage sales, tournaments, awards assemblies, community outreach, college showcase events, and, if you can believe it, much more.  

     As always we reflect on both joys and sorrow, triumphs and losses.  One such loss occurred at summer’s outset, when WSA lost family member, WSA 90 boys player, and Cowley College player, Dayton Rodriguez, to a motorcycle accident.  Dayton’s life was a celebration of the joy and exhilaration of youth. We are reminded in our reflection of the importance of friendship, faith, and family, the cornerstones of all of our endeavors.  Dayton is our brother and dear friend always.  

     Early in the summer the World Cup caught everyone’s attention, and WSA fans stateside stayed up to date on the happenings in Africa from WSA Coach, Wes Branstetter, who had made the journey to experience the event "live".  Wes is pictured below with the WSA Flag in front of Soccer City, the Stadium of the World Cup Final in Johannesburg, South Africa.  He’s also "representing" the U.S. Sam’s Army pride with his attire! 

    The 2010 Annual WSA Recognition Night, held in June, was another smashing success.  The highlight video (located on the WSA Website homepage) featured video footage from some of the club’s founding teams, WSA 80 boys and WSA 81 girls.  Players and volunteers were recognized and celebration of our players was an obvious response to the end of such a spectacular year.  The following week over 400 players showed up for WSA tryouts and for yet another year WSA membership increased and the club grew!

    The 2010 Final Third Camp and Goalkeeping Camp proved to be another success, held mid-July.  No sooner had the Final Third Camp concluded than the famous Camp of Excellence (COE), featuring the famous COE World Cup kicked off (WSA’s own version of World Cup).  Over 100 kids attended the two popular camps.  Team Brazil would win the final (see their celebration in video below).  But as it turns out, once again every participant was a winner.  See photo below of Coach Scott Peavler and Coach Ryan Bush giving some instructions at the Final Third Camp. 

     As the COE Camp came to a close the juniors and seniors of the club who had been training, all summer, would depart for College Showcase trips to Muscatine, Iowa, and Overland Park, Kansas (see photo of jr/sr girls team about to depart Tulsa below).  The 94 boys, 93 boys, 94 girls, and 93 girls, represented over 60 athletes the club showcased to over 200 different colleges this summer.  So far WSA coaching staff estimates that approximately 70 colleges have contacted the club’s juniors and seniors since "contact period" began September 1.    

As the 2011 and 2012 graduates "prepare" for college soccer, WSA recent graduates are already making waves "in college" right now.  Sammie Duininck, WSA 92, scored the first goal of the season for NCAA DI Liberty University, and recently Johnny Chavez and Marco Hernandez, both of WSA 92, made the scoring sheet for NCAA DI Oral Roberts University.  Meanwhile another 23 other WSA freshman have made an impact on college programs across the midwest United States in 2010. 

     This past summer West Side Alliance S.C. invited college coaches in to our training grounds to run sessions.  John Brown University, Northeastern State University, Oral Roberts University, Cowley College, and NEOSHO College, to name a few, sent coaches across to West Side Alliance S.C. training sessions.  See photo below of JBU Coach Miglarese speaking to members of the WSA 93 and WSA 94 Men’s teams after a training session, about "preparing for college and the importance of academics".

    The 94 boys and 94 girls traveled to play Cowley College Men’s and Women’s in exhibition matches  (see video below for 94 boys footage), and the 93 boys traveled to play the Oklahoma Wesleyan Men’s College Team.  All the experiences were reported as great by the players! 

     In the middle of summer "The Side" hosted it’s first annual Clubwide Garage Sale.  Coordinators, Pam Thibodeaux, Candy Breck, and Catherine Grona, claimed the event was a success -- even if it was on the hottest day of summer.  

     The traditional and annual one day WSA Roundrobin was held the first weekend of August, and of all things it rained (first time in history!).  The event was a success, hosting over 40 teams and nearly 800 players. The First Annual Midwest Labor Day Invitational held over Labor Day weekend saw over 50 teams, nearly 1,000 kids, compete from Oklahoma and Arkansas and was deemed a "smashing success" by event coordinators.  

     The Team Building Camp concluded the camp season and the "offseason" on the last free weekend of summer in August.  Over 130 WSA’ers participated in the Team Building Camp held at Camp Victory.  The talent show, great raft race, and other activities were once again huge hits among the players. You won’t want to miss talent show highlights in the summer video below! 

     The WSA 98 girls Red team kicked off the year’s Community Action Program (see pic below) by working together at the Tulsa Food Bank. WSA continues to place a strong emphasis on outreach, community, and generosity. 

    Fields were improved, finances were restructured, and soccer was played.  Many volunteers donated and dedicated tremendous energy, work, and resources to what most members feel is the best youth soccer program in the state (see Coach King, Mr Mcginis and Mr Foster pictured left to right below relaxing, proudly, after a long days work at the Midwest Labor Day tourney).  Most importantly more kids had a good time, learned lessons of teamwork and responsibility, and we all forged friendships and memories for a lifetime.  The game that is universal, provided universal gifts of goodwill, friendship, and memories. 

Please enjoy the Summer 2010 Review Video which is below and has captured some of the unique, memorable, fun, and often times confusing moments of the 2010 Summer.   

THE SIDE’S SUMMER VIDEO 2010