How did it get to be almost October and the end of the season already? Glad we have the playoffs to look forward to although it will be a little while longer before we discover our first opponent. It would be great to have a large crowd this Saturday for our final regular season game, even better if we get our revenge on St Louis.
I was surprised to see the Rowdies part company with Head Coach Paul Dalglish with two games still to play. No-one knows better than us how difficult that first season can be - it takes time to adjust to a new stadium, players, front office management, fans etc. not to mention the travel schedule. Not to boast, however, the wait-and-see/give-him-a-chance policy paid dividends for us. We've had a fantastic season, being in the top spots every week, scoring some amazing goals and seeing some wonderful football. Thank you Adrian.
Sorry for the gap in blogs by the way, I've been in Borneo with my kids, James and Nikki on an adventure holiday as a 21st birthday gift. We stayed with an Iban tribe in the middle of the jungle - they catch most of their food, gather fruits from the forest, keep chickens and pigs and generally lead a simple life. However, one subject we had no difficulty communicating with them about was.....football! They had been able to go to the nearest small town by boat and watch some of the World Cup so they knew all the big names - Messi, Ronaldo, Kaka. They had a trophy they had won playing against the team from the small town. Quite glad to see that instead of the other trophies their tribe used to collect - heads!
See you all on Saturday!
Kay
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
On the road
I am writing this from beautiful Portland - we had a relaxing day after the tension and excitement of last night's game. The Timbers fans create a great atmosphere, very recognizable to us Brits with singing and chanting. There were 12 of us, including Aztex director Mike Shultz and his wife Karen, director Gary Mellor and his son George over from the UK, friends and fans Tim and Lori Moran, Buck & 'T' Craig and Alliance/Chantico's Army members Chase Hoffman and Matthew Gray, resplendent in kilt and Aztex jersey. It was an action packed and, towards the end, tense game - apologies that the stream was so difficult to watch.
I won't do a match report, it's already been done but I was interested to see the match stats. Apparently, Portland had 13 shots on goal, seemed a bit of an exaggeration to me. I looked online at their overall total so far - 320 shots on goal with just 24 converted. The Aztex have had 281 with 41 converted, pretty much double their percentage. Maybe statisticians need a short lesson on what counts as a shot on goal - just a thought.
Today, we are in Seattle to watch the Sounders v Fire. We're really looking forward to taking in the atmosphere and learning from them how they have made it so successful. Phil, Mike and Gary have a meeting with the Sounders guys so should be interesting.
Then tomorrow, we take the train to Vancouver to join up with the Aztex again - a depleted squad but not depleted spirit. Lawrence Olum made the trip back to Austin along with Yordany, who still has some travel restrictions.
Excuse some of the tense changes in this blog report, didn't have time to finish one bit before we were moving on again!
Go Aztex!
Kay
I won't do a match report, it's already been done but I was interested to see the match stats. Apparently, Portland had 13 shots on goal, seemed a bit of an exaggeration to me. I looked online at their overall total so far - 320 shots on goal with just 24 converted. The Aztex have had 281 with 41 converted, pretty much double their percentage. Maybe statisticians need a short lesson on what counts as a shot on goal - just a thought.
Today, we are in Seattle to watch the Sounders v Fire. We're really looking forward to taking in the atmosphere and learning from them how they have made it so successful. Phil, Mike and Gary have a meeting with the Sounders guys so should be interesting.
Then tomorrow, we take the train to Vancouver to join up with the Aztex again - a depleted squad but not depleted spirit. Lawrence Olum made the trip back to Austin along with Yordany, who still has some travel restrictions.
Excuse some of the tense changes in this blog report, didn't have time to finish one bit before we were moving on again!
Go Aztex!
Kay
Monday, August 9, 2010
Apologies!
Well, it seems we have been sadly neglecting the Aztex blog, apologies! It's been over a month but I know everyone keeps up with most of the news via the website, Facebook or Twitter.
It's great to be STILL top of the league with 2/3 of the season gone. I know the 'magic' playoff points total is 40 and it would be crazy to think we won't make it. Wish there was a bigger prize than bragging rights for if we finish as League Champions but heyho!
We have added to our player roster but lost some of our interns. Cody Poteat has returned to Nebraska - he's been training with Miguel and Sean so look out for Hastings College results this season. We will also lose our camp interns, Anna, Taylor, Mason, Ben and Amanii, at the end of this week - they have done a stellar job working alongside Brian Pederson and the players. We have had so many wonderful emails and phone calls praising the way the camps were run, how much the kids learned and how much fun they all had. I can't leave this section without mentioning Joe Levy - he has been running our merchandise store for us and doing an excellent job.
It's no secret that Phil has been at the USSF meeting today in New York - he's on his way home right now so I'm not exactly sure of all the facts yet and what he is allowed to divulge. There are always other sources to check out anyway ;-)
We'll be at Mr Tramps tomorrow for the game along with the Free Beer Movement and American Outlaws - should be fun.
Kay
It's great to be STILL top of the league with 2/3 of the season gone. I know the 'magic' playoff points total is 40 and it would be crazy to think we won't make it. Wish there was a bigger prize than bragging rights for if we finish as League Champions but heyho!
We have added to our player roster but lost some of our interns. Cody Poteat has returned to Nebraska - he's been training with Miguel and Sean so look out for Hastings College results this season. We will also lose our camp interns, Anna, Taylor, Mason, Ben and Amanii, at the end of this week - they have done a stellar job working alongside Brian Pederson and the players. We have had so many wonderful emails and phone calls praising the way the camps were run, how much the kids learned and how much fun they all had. I can't leave this section without mentioning Joe Levy - he has been running our merchandise store for us and doing an excellent job.
It's no secret that Phil has been at the USSF meeting today in New York - he's on his way home right now so I'm not exactly sure of all the facts yet and what he is allowed to divulge. There are always other sources to check out anyway ;-)
We'll be at Mr Tramps tomorrow for the game along with the Free Beer Movement and American Outlaws - should be fun.
Kay
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Nervous? Heck yes!
There are a couple of BIG games going on tomorrow and without going into all the possible permutations, let's just say both teams HAVE to win. It's no good relying on others to do the job for you so good luck to both teams - I'll be crossing everything. The office and Soccerettes will again be at Cuatros so hope to see you there!
Sorry to see the hosts South Africa bow out but not sorry to see the back of France - just my personal opinion by the way! Phil has Uruguay in the office sweep so he's pretty happy right now.
Good to see Jamie Watson make News 8 Athlete of the week and also to see a great article in the Daily Texan today - http://tinyurl.com/3axhpo5 We had a reporter in the office today from the same newspaper to interview Max Griffin, he of the 'perfect' hat trick (one with his head and one with each foot) The players all signed the match ball for him and Coach Heath presented it to him. It's an impressive feat for someone in his rookie year - I'm sure there's more to come!
Good luck to the guys tonight as they take on Arizona Sahuaros in the second round of the US Open Cup.
Kay
Sorry to see the hosts South Africa bow out but not sorry to see the back of France - just my personal opinion by the way! Phil has Uruguay in the office sweep so he's pretty happy right now.
Good to see Jamie Watson make News 8 Athlete of the week and also to see a great article in the Daily Texan today - http://tinyurl.com/3axhpo5 We had a reporter in the office today from the same newspaper to interview Max Griffin, he of the 'perfect' hat trick (one with his head and one with each foot) The players all signed the match ball for him and Coach Heath presented it to him. It's an impressive feat for someone in his rookie year - I'm sure there's more to come!
Good luck to the guys tonight as they take on Arizona Sahuaros in the second round of the US Open Cup.
Kay
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Soccer Fest!
So, the big match up finally arrived and ended in the result that keeps the Rawlins house happy! It was great to see so many people at Cuatros, must have been 800/900 crammed in. What a contrast from even four years ago plus so much TV coverage. Times magazine had a World Cup special with some really interesting, in-depth articles including one entitled "Yes, Soccer Is America's Game" It begins:
"Please stop lecturing us. We know that it's called football everywhere else and that it's the global game, the beautiful game. Americans call it soccer because there's a perfectly great sport here already called football, one that is not inclined to surrender its moniker anytime soon. So don't get your football knickers in a twist about it." Read more here - http://tinyurl.com/3xeg2ky
After the craziness of Cuatros, it was on to House Park - a disappointing result which I guess shows how far we have come as I felt they were probably the best team we have played so far. We have the Cup game this Tuesday which will see Adrian return to the bench. It seems to be a particularly harsh rule that the coach is not even allowed in the stadium. We have all seen Sir Alex sitting up in the stands now and again due to a 'misdemeanor' but he at least is allowed to be that close.
I have drawn Denmark in the Aztex World Cup draw - the first game is the Netherlands who have always been one of my favorites. There have been tales of Dutch dressing room bust-ups so John Nelms (ticket sales), prepare to be taken down! I hope a familiar face, Stoke City's very own Tommy Sorensen gets his opportunity to shine.
See you on Tuesday for the Open Cup game, 7.30 pm as usual.
Kay
"Please stop lecturing us. We know that it's called football everywhere else and that it's the global game, the beautiful game. Americans call it soccer because there's a perfectly great sport here already called football, one that is not inclined to surrender its moniker anytime soon. So don't get your football knickers in a twist about it." Read more here - http://tinyurl.com/3xeg2ky
After the craziness of Cuatros, it was on to House Park - a disappointing result which I guess shows how far we have come as I felt they were probably the best team we have played so far. We have the Cup game this Tuesday which will see Adrian return to the bench. It seems to be a particularly harsh rule that the coach is not even allowed in the stadium. We have all seen Sir Alex sitting up in the stands now and again due to a 'misdemeanor' but he at least is allowed to be that close.
I have drawn Denmark in the Aztex World Cup draw - the first game is the Netherlands who have always been one of my favorites. There have been tales of Dutch dressing room bust-ups so John Nelms (ticket sales), prepare to be taken down! I hope a familiar face, Stoke City's very own Tommy Sorensen gets his opportunity to shine.
See you on Tuesday for the Open Cup game, 7.30 pm as usual.
Kay
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Top of the League, who will be Top of the World?
Writing this the morning after our game against the Timbers, the Aztex sit top of the League and six points clear! I have been asked in several interviews over the past week what accounts for such a dramatic turnaround in fortunes from last year? I’ll do my best to answer the question.
Well, truth is we weren’t as bad last year as our record suggested. We were the dominant team on many games only to lose in the last few minutes or concede a late goal to give up a tie. We played good football and paid a high price for inexperience. This year, Adrian has rectified that, bringing in experienced players like Kevin Sakuda, Leonard Griffin, Jay Needham, Lawrence Olum and Lance Watson to add to our young talent. The combination, so far, has proved to be a winning one!
Winning also helps and right now the boys are playing with confidence and flying in training, long may that continue.
This week will test us. We have three of the best teams in the League at House Park, Puerto Rico, Portland and Vancouver coming to town. Last night’s game against Portland wasn’t pretty but sometimes during a 30 games season you have to dig-in and win a point when you aren’t playing at your best. We will have to be better to beat Vancouver but the boys will be ready.
Friday sees the beginning of the World Cup in South Africa and the fight for the World’s biggest prize. Who will be champions come July 11th? My personal bet is Spain; I think they have the talent and mental toughness to win it. Of course I would love to see England win it and I do believe that under Capello’s leadership they have really begun to believe in themselves, something I never thought they did under either McClaren or Eriksson. They should at least make the semi-finals.
More important though for me than who wins the Jules Rimet Trophy is how well the US team can do in South Africa? It is important for the further development of the game in this country that the US boys do well. If they can progress to the knockout stages and even to the final 8 then interest and excitement about the game here will mount. That can only be good for the game that we all love. So for that reason I am going to have dual loyalties over the next few weeks, shouting hard for both England and the USA.
Come out and watch the tournament with me, Kay, Coach Heath and the boys at one of our many watch parties. http://tinyurl.com/36v4ahy
Well, truth is we weren’t as bad last year as our record suggested. We were the dominant team on many games only to lose in the last few minutes or concede a late goal to give up a tie. We played good football and paid a high price for inexperience. This year, Adrian has rectified that, bringing in experienced players like Kevin Sakuda, Leonard Griffin, Jay Needham, Lawrence Olum and Lance Watson to add to our young talent. The combination, so far, has proved to be a winning one!
Winning also helps and right now the boys are playing with confidence and flying in training, long may that continue.
This week will test us. We have three of the best teams in the League at House Park, Puerto Rico, Portland and Vancouver coming to town. Last night’s game against Portland wasn’t pretty but sometimes during a 30 games season you have to dig-in and win a point when you aren’t playing at your best. We will have to be better to beat Vancouver but the boys will be ready.
Friday sees the beginning of the World Cup in South Africa and the fight for the World’s biggest prize. Who will be champions come July 11th? My personal bet is Spain; I think they have the talent and mental toughness to win it. Of course I would love to see England win it and I do believe that under Capello’s leadership they have really begun to believe in themselves, something I never thought they did under either McClaren or Eriksson. They should at least make the semi-finals.
More important though for me than who wins the Jules Rimet Trophy is how well the US team can do in South Africa? It is important for the further development of the game in this country that the US boys do well. If they can progress to the knockout stages and even to the final 8 then interest and excitement about the game here will mount. That can only be good for the game that we all love. So for that reason I am going to have dual loyalties over the next few weeks, shouting hard for both England and the USA.
Come out and watch the tournament with me, Kay, Coach Heath and the boys at one of our many watch parties. http://tinyurl.com/36v4ahy
Friday, May 21, 2010
First days in Austin
My name is Cody Poteat and I am originally from the great state of Nebraska. However recently I have joined the Aztex team as a Marketing and Communications intern. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to learn from some very gifted people about the things it takes to have a prosperous and successful career in this field. This is exactly what I want to do with my life down the road so the chance to work with this great group of people was one that I felt I absolutely had to take.
It was exciting for me to get here after a long 14 hour trip. My dad was able to schedule a couple of meetings with clients in the area so I was fortunate o have him be able to travel with me. At first it seemed like we were making good time but then my dad decided it was necessary to stop every couple of hours so it really strung out the drive more than it had to be. Even with the long drive I was still able to use my excitement to get down to Austin as a jolt of energy for me to get me through the drive.
We hit the road Monday morning and arrived late Monday night. Thus, Tuesday was the first day I was actually able to waste a little time and just hang out in my new city. I also spent much of Tuesday getting myself moved into my new apartment and gathering the necessities for everyday living. The new apartment is a pretty nice little place. The backyard essentially consists of a pool, basketball court, and golf course so I certainly cannot complain!
Wednesday soon came and it was time for me to get focused and get to work. The morning was quite hectic. I couldn’t seem to find the office to save my life and I think I was lost in the city of Austin for about an hour and a half. That wasn’t even the worst of it! I was attempting to ramp onto a crowded street when some gentlemen was kind enough to let me in. I waved my hand out the window to signal “thank you” when suddenly my favorite watch began to dangle off the end of my hand. Sadly, the watch fell off my wrist and out onto the middle of the busy road. Seconds later it was crushed by a school bus traveling the same way as me.
I was pretty heartbroken over the ordeal and it really did not begin my first day of work very nicely. Through all the turmoil I was still excited to make it into the office that day. Finally I found it and it was a huge sigh of relief. Only about 45 minutes late, not a bad impression at all! My boss, Andrew Tanker, was extremely generous and understood the reason why I was late so he didn’t hold it against me too much. Throughout the day I was able to meet everyone associated with the club and was greeted by a friendly face from each of them.
That night was game night and everyone was buzzing with excitement over the big game. I arrived a few hours early to try and help set up in any way I could. The set up went rather smoothly with no major hiccups and I was anxious for the start of the game. People started pouring into the stands and that flood didn’t cease until almost 25 minutes into the game! It was awesome to see this many people be as excited about the sport that I love.
The game was very entertaining and a whole lot of fun to watch but right after is when the real grunt work began. Stats, stats, and more stats seemed to be my mindset for the night and that is pretty much what my main responsibility was. I was also given the liberty to write the game recap and update the website in order to make sure the fans were informed of the events that occurred within the game. After I accomplished my tasks, Andrew took me to the gathering place at Cuatros to meet the players and Aztex staff on more of a social level. This experience was exciting for me and I really cannot wait until the next home game against the Puerto Rico Islanders on June 5!
That was a basic recap of my first few days in Austin. I can only hope that there is more of where that came from. This experience is going to be a great one for me and I am absolutely stoked for the rest of the season. I hope that everyone who was able to make it to the last game is able to return June 5 when the Aztex take on the Islanders. The huge crowd supporting both the Aztex and the game of soccer in general is always a joy to see!
Go Aztex!
Cody
It was exciting for me to get here after a long 14 hour trip. My dad was able to schedule a couple of meetings with clients in the area so I was fortunate o have him be able to travel with me. At first it seemed like we were making good time but then my dad decided it was necessary to stop every couple of hours so it really strung out the drive more than it had to be. Even with the long drive I was still able to use my excitement to get down to Austin as a jolt of energy for me to get me through the drive.
We hit the road Monday morning and arrived late Monday night. Thus, Tuesday was the first day I was actually able to waste a little time and just hang out in my new city. I also spent much of Tuesday getting myself moved into my new apartment and gathering the necessities for everyday living. The new apartment is a pretty nice little place. The backyard essentially consists of a pool, basketball court, and golf course so I certainly cannot complain!
Wednesday soon came and it was time for me to get focused and get to work. The morning was quite hectic. I couldn’t seem to find the office to save my life and I think I was lost in the city of Austin for about an hour and a half. That wasn’t even the worst of it! I was attempting to ramp onto a crowded street when some gentlemen was kind enough to let me in. I waved my hand out the window to signal “thank you” when suddenly my favorite watch began to dangle off the end of my hand. Sadly, the watch fell off my wrist and out onto the middle of the busy road. Seconds later it was crushed by a school bus traveling the same way as me.
I was pretty heartbroken over the ordeal and it really did not begin my first day of work very nicely. Through all the turmoil I was still excited to make it into the office that day. Finally I found it and it was a huge sigh of relief. Only about 45 minutes late, not a bad impression at all! My boss, Andrew Tanker, was extremely generous and understood the reason why I was late so he didn’t hold it against me too much. Throughout the day I was able to meet everyone associated with the club and was greeted by a friendly face from each of them.
That night was game night and everyone was buzzing with excitement over the big game. I arrived a few hours early to try and help set up in any way I could. The set up went rather smoothly with no major hiccups and I was anxious for the start of the game. People started pouring into the stands and that flood didn’t cease until almost 25 minutes into the game! It was awesome to see this many people be as excited about the sport that I love.
The game was very entertaining and a whole lot of fun to watch but right after is when the real grunt work began. Stats, stats, and more stats seemed to be my mindset for the night and that is pretty much what my main responsibility was. I was also given the liberty to write the game recap and update the website in order to make sure the fans were informed of the events that occurred within the game. After I accomplished my tasks, Andrew took me to the gathering place at Cuatros to meet the players and Aztex staff on more of a social level. This experience was exciting for me and I really cannot wait until the next home game against the Puerto Rico Islanders on June 5!
That was a basic recap of my first few days in Austin. I can only hope that there is more of where that came from. This experience is going to be a great one for me and I am absolutely stoked for the rest of the season. I hope that everyone who was able to make it to the last game is able to return June 5 when the Aztex take on the Islanders. The huge crowd supporting both the Aztex and the game of soccer in general is always a joy to see!
Go Aztex!
Cody
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Soccer, football, futebol, футбол, フットボール
Phil, John and I went to Tampa for the game yesterday - great to see how much support they drew but the field - urgh! We sat level with the half way line but because of having to avoid the mound, the right half of the the field was much further away and the touch line was blocked by the advertising boards. I hate to think what will happen if it rains - the ball bounced very differently on the two surfaces. I know we moan about the lines at House but they suddenly didn't seem so bad.
We were joined by many of the USL front office plus a group of coast guards that Phil and Adrian had met in a restaurant the night before. Turns out one of them was from Austin so he brought 5 of the other coast guards with him to the game to cheer on our lads. We were very disappointed with the draw - the last penalty decision was a joke - but we are unbeaten so far on the road and joint second in the table.
The English Premier League is over and Stoke City finished in a respectable 11th place. Seems to have some last minute drama in the dressing room and in the tabloids and now, the supporters are unhappy with the new Adidas kit. It DOES appear to be a bog-standard red Adidas shirt with added logos.
On a happier note, the World Cup starts soon so all will be forgotten as the whole country comes to a standstill to watch the games. It is quite eerie to drive around any town or city when England are playing and to not see a soul! England play the US on June 12th - it's an afternoon kick off then the Aztex take on the Whitecaps that same evening. Should be a great day all round.
I'm looking forward to our next game on Sunday - I'm hoping that many of the folks who came out for the Haiti game will return, a big crowd cheering on the lads would be awesome.
Go Aztex!
Kay
Friday, April 30, 2010
Wednesday night
Wow, what a night! I'm still on a high after witnessing the outpouring of not just cash and soccer equipment but love for our neighbors from Haiti. To raise $11,500 in one night was amazing enough and the huge pile of jerseys, cleats, soccer balls was also heart warming but it was the folks with welcome banners, the cheers for both teams and just the warm and friendly atmosphere that bowled me over. We've lived here just over 5 years and have loved Austin since we moved here but Wednesday made me fall in love all over again. The community is my focus for the Aztex - obviously, I love to win and I want the club to succeed but the game against Haiti showed me once again what can be achieved through sport. So, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generosity of spirit and for making a difference.
The team are in Minnesota for the second road trip of the season. We didn't win away from home until September last season so we have already put one unfavorable record to bed! We will be in Cuatros cheering the guys on so do come and join us.
Meanwhile, life in the office seems as hectic as ever. One real sign that our name is out there is the number of appearance requests we get - one of my challenges is fulfilling those requests while still keeping the coaches happy by not interrupting training! I have Yoanna doing a sterling job helping me - we are also getting requests for Sgt Pepper and , surprise surprise, our lovely Soccerettes!
Seems ages till the next home game but it's really only 2 weeks - just need Stoke City to let fewer than 7 goals in this week - ugghh! Couldn't bear to watch!
See you all on the 16th!
Kay
The team are in Minnesota for the second road trip of the season. We didn't win away from home until September last season so we have already put one unfavorable record to bed! We will be in Cuatros cheering the guys on so do come and join us.
Meanwhile, life in the office seems as hectic as ever. One real sign that our name is out there is the number of appearance requests we get - one of my challenges is fulfilling those requests while still keeping the coaches happy by not interrupting training! I have Yoanna doing a sterling job helping me - we are also getting requests for Sgt Pepper and , surprise surprise, our lovely Soccerettes!
Seems ages till the next home game but it's really only 2 weeks - just need Stoke City to let fewer than 7 goals in this week - ugghh! Couldn't bear to watch!
See you all on the 16th!
Kay
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
From Intern to Sales!
Hello to all!
I used to be known as “Kristin the Intern,” but now you will probably just know me as “That Blonde Girl in Sales.” I began an internship with the Austin Aztex in January to finish up my degree from Texas A&M University, starting out in Operations but recently making the move to Tickets. We certainly have a special thing here in Austin with the Aztex, and I’m just proud to have the chance to be a part of it. The Rawlins family has been incredibly gracious to me, and I suppose the guys and gals in the front office aren’t too bad either .
The army of interns includes myself, Joe Levy from the University of Texas, Jordenne Parker from the University of Texas, and Phil Legault (or Little Phil as he was once dubbed) from Texas State University. Phil Rawlins’ son John also deserves some credit; he’s been a huge help while he stays here on “holiday.” Each of us has our own set of responsibilities here in the office, and I appreciate that no one is afraid to give us a project to make our own. And you know, I haven’t had to staple nearly as many stacks of papers as I thought I would!
So what have I learned in this internship? Well let’s see. I learned not to wear my Manchester United scarf around the office. I learned that the office shares a deep love of Krispy Kreme donuts. I learned that Coach Heath’s accent doesn’t sound like any English I’ve ever heard. I learned that a few pranks around the office never hurt anyone. I have learned that Chick-Fil-A has the best lemonade I’ve ever tasted. I’ve learned that transferring a call to someone’s voicemail is trickier than you might think. I’ve learned that bad words just sound funny when said with an English accent. I learned that a genuine smile and a nice word make a difference. I’ve learned that a small polo shirt in Soccer World is really an extra extra small in the Real World. I’ve learned that a little patience can go a long way in the hot sun or the freezing rain. I’ve learned that an Aztex Game Day is not just 90 minutes. And I’ve learned that playing baseball with a mini soccer ball is a nice way to break up a stressful Friday.
All in all, I think I’ve learned what I needed to.
As a last note, I’d like to remind everyone to come out on Wednesday for the game against the Haitian National Team. I cannot even tell you how proud I am to be a part of an event that gives the donations directly into the hands of the people that need it most. I want House Park to be full of proud Texans that can show these young men that America hasn’t forgotten what they have been through. These young men have played both in Dallas and in San Antonio, and I want to blow them away with the generosity they find here in Austin!
See you Wednesday!
Cheers,
Kristin
I used to be known as “Kristin the Intern,” but now you will probably just know me as “That Blonde Girl in Sales.” I began an internship with the Austin Aztex in January to finish up my degree from Texas A&M University, starting out in Operations but recently making the move to Tickets. We certainly have a special thing here in Austin with the Aztex, and I’m just proud to have the chance to be a part of it. The Rawlins family has been incredibly gracious to me, and I suppose the guys and gals in the front office aren’t too bad either .
The army of interns includes myself, Joe Levy from the University of Texas, Jordenne Parker from the University of Texas, and Phil Legault (or Little Phil as he was once dubbed) from Texas State University. Phil Rawlins’ son John also deserves some credit; he’s been a huge help while he stays here on “holiday.” Each of us has our own set of responsibilities here in the office, and I appreciate that no one is afraid to give us a project to make our own. And you know, I haven’t had to staple nearly as many stacks of papers as I thought I would!
So what have I learned in this internship? Well let’s see. I learned not to wear my Manchester United scarf around the office. I learned that the office shares a deep love of Krispy Kreme donuts. I learned that Coach Heath’s accent doesn’t sound like any English I’ve ever heard. I learned that a few pranks around the office never hurt anyone. I have learned that Chick-Fil-A has the best lemonade I’ve ever tasted. I’ve learned that transferring a call to someone’s voicemail is trickier than you might think. I’ve learned that bad words just sound funny when said with an English accent. I learned that a genuine smile and a nice word make a difference. I’ve learned that a small polo shirt in Soccer World is really an extra extra small in the Real World. I’ve learned that a little patience can go a long way in the hot sun or the freezing rain. I’ve learned that an Aztex Game Day is not just 90 minutes. And I’ve learned that playing baseball with a mini soccer ball is a nice way to break up a stressful Friday.
All in all, I think I’ve learned what I needed to.
As a last note, I’d like to remind everyone to come out on Wednesday for the game against the Haitian National Team. I cannot even tell you how proud I am to be a part of an event that gives the donations directly into the hands of the people that need it most. I want House Park to be full of proud Texans that can show these young men that America hasn’t forgotten what they have been through. These young men have played both in Dallas and in San Antonio, and I want to blow them away with the generosity they find here in Austin!
See you Wednesday!
Cheers,
Kristin
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Coach's Corner
Two weeks into the season and thankfully two wins out of two, so we have to be pleased with the start, but that’s all it is, a start. I have been involved with this great game too long to get carried away at this early stage. The players have worked extremely hard since we reported back, so they deserve a great deal of credit for the effort they have put in, and the results they have achieved.
We have changed the squad quite considerably from last season and after two games I am more convinced than ever we have made some shrewd signings that over the next few seasons will be a great asset to this football club. I’m sure those of you who attended the first game in our new home “House Park”, were as excited as the players, I honestly believe this move will help the club move forward both on and off the field. We entertain Rochester this Sunday, and having watched their first two games, I know if we fall below the standards we have set ourselves we will be in for a very difficult afternoon. Their performances have deserved more than one point, from two very difficult away games.
Finally I would like to draw everybody’s attention to a Charity game on Wednesday April 28th, 7.30 pm. The opponents will be the Haiti National team who are in Texas to prepare for their upcoming friendly with Argentina. All proceeds from the game will go to the Haiti relief fund. Having visited shortly before the disaster, they certainly need all the help they can get. The Haiti Football Association was decimated in the disaster and whatever we can do to help will be a start in the right direction. It will also be an opportunity for all the Aztex staff to meet up again with a couple of players who went to England with us at the end of last season. Ednerson and Vaniel who have both travelled with the Haiti party were an absolute joy to work with and a credit to Haiti football. Whatever words I use at this moment seem inadequate, but I know I speak for everybody connected with the Aztex, in wishing the people of Haiti our best for the future. I look forward to seeing you all at the House.
See you soon, take care
Adrian.
We have changed the squad quite considerably from last season and after two games I am more convinced than ever we have made some shrewd signings that over the next few seasons will be a great asset to this football club. I’m sure those of you who attended the first game in our new home “House Park”, were as excited as the players, I honestly believe this move will help the club move forward both on and off the field. We entertain Rochester this Sunday, and having watched their first two games, I know if we fall below the standards we have set ourselves we will be in for a very difficult afternoon. Their performances have deserved more than one point, from two very difficult away games.
Finally I would like to draw everybody’s attention to a Charity game on Wednesday April 28th, 7.30 pm. The opponents will be the Haiti National team who are in Texas to prepare for their upcoming friendly with Argentina. All proceeds from the game will go to the Haiti relief fund. Having visited shortly before the disaster, they certainly need all the help they can get. The Haiti Football Association was decimated in the disaster and whatever we can do to help will be a start in the right direction. It will also be an opportunity for all the Aztex staff to meet up again with a couple of players who went to England with us at the end of last season. Ednerson and Vaniel who have both travelled with the Haiti party were an absolute joy to work with and a credit to Haiti football. Whatever words I use at this moment seem inadequate, but I know I speak for everybody connected with the Aztex, in wishing the people of Haiti our best for the future. I look forward to seeing you all at the House.
See you soon, take care
Adrian.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Two more days to go!!!
This will be a very short post - lots to do before the home opener on Sunday. It's been a lot of fun doing the new ads - there are more to come in the 'ball in the face' series. Also, planning the whole game day experience has been something the whole office and many of the Alliance members have been involved in. For me, it feels very familiar - the trip to the pub first to discuss the game, the walk to the stadium and then back to the pub after to celebrate. Cuatros have been great - it will be cool for the players to be there mingling with the fans.
Another piece of equipment arrived at the office for the Kidz Zone, made by Haley, niece of one of our staff. I couldn't resist taking a photo!
So, see you all on Sunday - don't forget to wear red or red and white!
Kay
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Minnesota to Austin!
Well, it’s been nearly five months since I rolled into town. Can’t believe how quick that went. When I left Minnesota, a season had just ended. Now we are literally on the brink of the 2010 campaign beginning. I couldn’t be more excited.
Texas has treated me really well so far. I had been to Austin before as my mother lived here for about 20 months when I was in high school, so I spent about four weeks one summer here. I vaguely remember the heat, but from what people are telling me, it gets hot. I think I can take that. I’m ready for the heat after struggling through the Minnesota winters. I remember one of my first days in Minnesota in 2004. The weather man that day, with a smirk on his face, said “Today will be one of the coldest days of the year.” He said it would be something like -34 outside and a wind chill of -60. I thought to myself “what have I done!” But I will say I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Minnesota. I loved my job and met some of the greatest people I will ever know.
But when this opportunity arose in October, there wasn’t really any question if I would take it or not. It was the time to make a change, and this was the perfect place. It all happened pretty quickly. I got the offer when I was on vacation in Colorado, an annual vacation to Grand Lake that I take with some of my closest friends. It was there that I also accepted the job. I remember the excitement, and my friends were so pumped for me. But I was obviously nervous to uproot myself from a place I had been for six years. I remembered that I had done this two times before, and loved the chance to come to a new city, meet new people, and experience something different.
I had just a few weeks to finish up in Minnesota and get the house that I had bought in 2007 ready to sell. Needless to say………it’s still on the market. So if anybody wants a summer home in Minnesota, let me know.
I called one of my best buddies, Casey, who is in golf school in Phoenix (yes, there is such a thing), and asked if I could fly him up to help me move. He was happy to. I picked him up at the airport on November 5. The two of us headed out for a bit so I could say goodbye to some people and then headed to the house to get ready for the journey. The plan was to leave around 9 a.m. on November 6th. At about 2:30 p.m. the next day, we finally had the truck loaded and headed out. We put the Highlander on a trailer behind the U-Haul and made our way out of Minnesota.
I think we made it to Wichita around 11:30 p.m. that night. We got a hotel, and departed for the remainder of the trip around 11 a.m. on November 7. We were making great time and were headed into the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. We decided that the Ft. Worth route would probably have less traffic. Just 10 minutes later after making that decision we discovered that the Texas NASCAR event was just ending. So, after two hours in traffic, we finally made it through Ft. Worth.
I’ll never forget driving into Austin. It was dusk and it was the most amazing sunset I have ever seen. I actually have a picture of it on my Facebook for any of you that are my friends. It was truly unbelievable and I don’t think the blackberry camera did it justice.
We got to my apartment complex about 7:30 p.m. I believe. One of my friends from kindergarten, Matt, who now resides in Austin, came to meet us to unload the truck. We basically just threw everything in the apartment because we had to get somewhere to watch the remainder of the Nebraska/Oklahoma football game. We made it and watched the Huskers beat the Sooners 10-3.
The next afternoon I dropped Casey off at the airport and that’s when it sunk in. It was the same feeling I had when I dropped my parents off at the Indianapolis airport when I moved there, pure excitement. I was invited that evening to head to Phil and Kay’s house for dinner. Coach Heath and his wife Jane joined. It was a great evening and I left their house knowing I had made the right decision.
Monday was my first day of work and I got thrown right in by having a meeting with AMD that afternoon to discuss our presenting sponsorship. From that moment, it’s been nonstop. But that’s what I thrive on. It’s pressure packed, but so much fun. The biggest thing I want to do here was bring in several years of working in soccer to an organization that is in year three. I must say that I was completely impressed with what has been accomplished in three short years. Phil and the staff have done an amazing job establishing the team in the community. Now we just need to fill the stands.
I’m excited about the move to House Park. The game against Houston at Nelson Field was my first match with the Aztex, and my first and last match at Nelson. I think it was a decent venue for the team last year, but I know the intimate confines of House Park will make all the difference. At Minnesota we played at the National Sports Center. Originally, the field was about 100 feet from the stands with a track around the stadium. The atmosphere was non-existent to say the least. We decided to make the decision to remove the track and bring the field 90 feet closet to the fans. It turned out to make all the difference in the world. I think moving to House will have the safe effect.
I think I’ve rambled long enough. I’ll try to do this again sometime as we get into the season.
Just a quick note, for those of you that I have met and have welcomed me, I appreciate it a great deal. I’ll see you all on April 11. Looking forward to taking down the defending champs!
Djorn
Texas has treated me really well so far. I had been to Austin before as my mother lived here for about 20 months when I was in high school, so I spent about four weeks one summer here. I vaguely remember the heat, but from what people are telling me, it gets hot. I think I can take that. I’m ready for the heat after struggling through the Minnesota winters. I remember one of my first days in Minnesota in 2004. The weather man that day, with a smirk on his face, said “Today will be one of the coldest days of the year.” He said it would be something like -34 outside and a wind chill of -60. I thought to myself “what have I done!” But I will say I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Minnesota. I loved my job and met some of the greatest people I will ever know.
But when this opportunity arose in October, there wasn’t really any question if I would take it or not. It was the time to make a change, and this was the perfect place. It all happened pretty quickly. I got the offer when I was on vacation in Colorado, an annual vacation to Grand Lake that I take with some of my closest friends. It was there that I also accepted the job. I remember the excitement, and my friends were so pumped for me. But I was obviously nervous to uproot myself from a place I had been for six years. I remembered that I had done this two times before, and loved the chance to come to a new city, meet new people, and experience something different.
I had just a few weeks to finish up in Minnesota and get the house that I had bought in 2007 ready to sell. Needless to say………it’s still on the market. So if anybody wants a summer home in Minnesota, let me know.
I called one of my best buddies, Casey, who is in golf school in Phoenix (yes, there is such a thing), and asked if I could fly him up to help me move. He was happy to. I picked him up at the airport on November 5. The two of us headed out for a bit so I could say goodbye to some people and then headed to the house to get ready for the journey. The plan was to leave around 9 a.m. on November 6th. At about 2:30 p.m. the next day, we finally had the truck loaded and headed out. We put the Highlander on a trailer behind the U-Haul and made our way out of Minnesota.
I think we made it to Wichita around 11:30 p.m. that night. We got a hotel, and departed for the remainder of the trip around 11 a.m. on November 7. We were making great time and were headed into the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. We decided that the Ft. Worth route would probably have less traffic. Just 10 minutes later after making that decision we discovered that the Texas NASCAR event was just ending. So, after two hours in traffic, we finally made it through Ft. Worth.
I’ll never forget driving into Austin. It was dusk and it was the most amazing sunset I have ever seen. I actually have a picture of it on my Facebook for any of you that are my friends. It was truly unbelievable and I don’t think the blackberry camera did it justice.
We got to my apartment complex about 7:30 p.m. I believe. One of my friends from kindergarten, Matt, who now resides in Austin, came to meet us to unload the truck. We basically just threw everything in the apartment because we had to get somewhere to watch the remainder of the Nebraska/Oklahoma football game. We made it and watched the Huskers beat the Sooners 10-3.
The next afternoon I dropped Casey off at the airport and that’s when it sunk in. It was the same feeling I had when I dropped my parents off at the Indianapolis airport when I moved there, pure excitement. I was invited that evening to head to Phil and Kay’s house for dinner. Coach Heath and his wife Jane joined. It was a great evening and I left their house knowing I had made the right decision.
Monday was my first day of work and I got thrown right in by having a meeting with AMD that afternoon to discuss our presenting sponsorship. From that moment, it’s been nonstop. But that’s what I thrive on. It’s pressure packed, but so much fun. The biggest thing I want to do here was bring in several years of working in soccer to an organization that is in year three. I must say that I was completely impressed with what has been accomplished in three short years. Phil and the staff have done an amazing job establishing the team in the community. Now we just need to fill the stands.
I’m excited about the move to House Park. The game against Houston at Nelson Field was my first match with the Aztex, and my first and last match at Nelson. I think it was a decent venue for the team last year, but I know the intimate confines of House Park will make all the difference. At Minnesota we played at the National Sports Center. Originally, the field was about 100 feet from the stands with a track around the stadium. The atmosphere was non-existent to say the least. We decided to make the decision to remove the track and bring the field 90 feet closet to the fans. It turned out to make all the difference in the world. I think moving to House will have the safe effect.
I think I’ve rambled long enough. I’ll try to do this again sometime as we get into the season.
Just a quick note, for those of you that I have met and have welcomed me, I appreciate it a great deal. I’ll see you all on April 11. Looking forward to taking down the defending champs!
Djorn
Monday, March 29, 2010
Travelling Aztex
The last few weeks have been full of travel for the Aztex, both players and staff. The team earned a victory in Laredo, running out the winners by 2 goals to 1. The text from assistant coach Bobby Murphy read "Won 2-1, missed a PK, hit the post 3 times, had 2 kicked off the line"
Meanwhile, Phil and I traveled to our home town, partly business and partly pleasure, to see Stoke lose 2 -1 to Spurs and then win against West Ham. I feel sorry for Zola, I think he's probably just a bit too nice. Ricardo Fuller's goal was a bit special - the only clip I could find was on footytube.com but it's highlights of the whole game so I'll let you have a look yourselves! Whilst the game was going on, our dear friends Gary and Sarah Mellor were bringing into the world the latest Aztex/Stoke fan - should have named him Ricardo but they decided on Harry! Congratulations from all the Aztex staff and fans, many of whom have met Gary, our Overseas Development Director.
Still on the subject of Stoke City, their manager Tony Pulis and comedian Nick Hancock are climbing Kilimanjaro to raise money for a local hospice - can't see Ferguson or Wenger doing something like that! Read all about it here - www.kili4kids.org
Adrian has also been on his travels to join other Everton legends as they celebrated their most successful ever season - 1984/85. 'Inchy' and other stars such as Howard Kendall, Peter Reid, Pat Van Den Hauwe and Kevin Sheedy joined 800 fans for an evening of entertainment and story telling (I'm sure our coach had one or two to add to proceedings!)
We are hoping to bring you news about the broadcasting of the games very shortly - watch the website!
See you soon!!
Kay
PS I bought my new England jersey whilst I was in the UK!
Meanwhile, Phil and I traveled to our home town, partly business and partly pleasure, to see Stoke lose 2 -1 to Spurs and then win against West Ham. I feel sorry for Zola, I think he's probably just a bit too nice. Ricardo Fuller's goal was a bit special - the only clip I could find was on footytube.com but it's highlights of the whole game so I'll let you have a look yourselves! Whilst the game was going on, our dear friends Gary and Sarah Mellor were bringing into the world the latest Aztex/Stoke fan - should have named him Ricardo but they decided on Harry! Congratulations from all the Aztex staff and fans, many of whom have met Gary, our Overseas Development Director.
Still on the subject of Stoke City, their manager Tony Pulis and comedian Nick Hancock are climbing Kilimanjaro to raise money for a local hospice - can't see Ferguson or Wenger doing something like that! Read all about it here - www.kili4kids.org
Adrian has also been on his travels to join other Everton legends as they celebrated their most successful ever season - 1984/85. 'Inchy' and other stars such as Howard Kendall, Peter Reid, Pat Van Den Hauwe and Kevin Sheedy joined 800 fans for an evening of entertainment and story telling (I'm sure our coach had one or two to add to proceedings!)
We are hoping to bring you news about the broadcasting of the games very shortly - watch the website!
See you soon!!
Kay
PS I bought my new England jersey whilst I was in the UK!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Football, soccer y mas futbol......
Hola everyone!! This week has been all about soccer; the Aztex officially began their training camp this past Monday- luckily I was there when the coaches, office staff and the president were introduced and let me say that it feels pretty nice to be part of the only professional team in Austin. We are all extremely positive about the upcoming season and firmly believe our 2nd season as a professional team is going to have the Aztex accomplish many great things on and off the field.
And then Tuesday came and so did the “friendly” soccer matches all over the world began. Brazil, England, Argentina, Mexico, Spain- I would say every team participating in this summer’s World Cup- saw action either Tuesday or Wednesday. Brazil and Spain continued their dominance and performed at a great level against Ireland and France respectively. But to be honest I only watched the Mexico vs New Zealand game… I know, I know, watching New Zealand is nothing like watching a Mexico vs Spain game but at least we were able to play a game against a team not part of CONCACAF and the end result left the fans happy, even I was happy. Not only for the result but because of the way Mexico played in the first 20 minutes of the second half. Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez scored once again for Mexico; if his level of play continues to be the same, I’m sure his name is going to appear in the final roster for the world cup.
The player that left me with some doubts over his possible participation in a 3rd World Cup is Cuauhtemoc Blanco. Blanco is by far my favorite Mexican player of the last decade; he is smart, has temper, good touch on the ball, and is definitely a good motivator. The level shown by Blanco is not the best I’ve seen from him- at times he seemed lost, slow and, yeah, old… “Cuauh” was our rescuer when we were in fourth place in the qualifying for the World Cup last year; he had even retired from the National team because of his lack of playing time with the previous coach. Then he came back from retirement and with his character, passion and talent gave Mexico hope and thank goodness, we’re now getting ready for the inaugural game against the host nation.
I was watching the game with some friends and after “Chicharito’s” goal she said: “Blanco needs to retire from playing. He is getting old and slow….” At that time I got a little upset and said something like “Blanco is smart, creative and we need him in ‘El Tri’… Deep down I know she is somehow right; the speed that young players like Gio Dos Santos, Carlos Vela, Andres Guardado and now “Chicharito” Hernandez give Mexico make seem Blanco slow and even lost in the pitch….
With a little under 100 days for the inauguration of the World Cup I just hope “my favorite” Mexican player gets a chance to participate in his third world cup; we know he has talent, but would that be enough to be part of the final roster??
Yoanna
Sunday, February 28, 2010
And so it starts again!
Tomorrow is the first day of pre-season. The guys have been arriving back in town all week, ready for Monday. We are delighted to welcome back Eddie, Sully, Cally, Kevin and the rest of the guys who are returning for their 2nd season. They are joined by lots of new faces, Lawrence Olum, Jay Needham, Leonard Griffin, Ben Dragavon and several more to come. I have to say that all the guys who have come by the office look in good shape, so hopefully Adrian won't have to work them too hard!
I know Adrian and Bobby have been looking forward to Monday, they have been itching to get started again and put the boys through their paces. Adrian is a big believer in using the ball and small sided games to get the team fit, so the guys can expect to see lots of the ball in the next few weeks!
The guys will have just a few days to get ready for the Dynamo on Sunday. That will be a stiff test given that the Dynamo have been in pre-season for almost a month already and have played several competitive games. The Dynamo come to Austin on March 14th for our annual friendly with the Houston club. The friendly will be our very last game at Nelson Field, as we will play ALL our regular season games at our new home, House Park.
Season tickets are on sale and we have had great feedback from fans about the "flexible" nature of the tickets. It would be great to see House Park full every week, so if you have a friend or colleague who is a soccer fan tell them about the GREAT DEAL on season tickets, 30% cheaper than last year and flexible tickets you can use anytime during the season.
Everyone has been talking about the Stoke/Arsenal game and the unfortunate injury to Aaron Ramsey - the newspapers and pundits seem to be in agreement that it was an accident, not malicious or intentional. Knowing Ryan personally, I know that he is not the kind of player to purposefully go out to injure another player. I hope he can put this behind him and impress during his call up to the national team.
Phil
I know Adrian and Bobby have been looking forward to Monday, they have been itching to get started again and put the boys through their paces. Adrian is a big believer in using the ball and small sided games to get the team fit, so the guys can expect to see lots of the ball in the next few weeks!
The guys will have just a few days to get ready for the Dynamo on Sunday. That will be a stiff test given that the Dynamo have been in pre-season for almost a month already and have played several competitive games. The Dynamo come to Austin on March 14th for our annual friendly with the Houston club. The friendly will be our very last game at Nelson Field, as we will play ALL our regular season games at our new home, House Park.
Season tickets are on sale and we have had great feedback from fans about the "flexible" nature of the tickets. It would be great to see House Park full every week, so if you have a friend or colleague who is a soccer fan tell them about the GREAT DEAL on season tickets, 30% cheaper than last year and flexible tickets you can use anytime during the season.
Everyone has been talking about the Stoke/Arsenal game and the unfortunate injury to Aaron Ramsey - the newspapers and pundits seem to be in agreement that it was an accident, not malicious or intentional. Knowing Ryan personally, I know that he is not the kind of player to purposefully go out to injure another player. I hope he can put this behind him and impress during his call up to the national team.
Phil
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Another week races by..
Another week, another signing - we welcome Ben Dragovan to our Aztex family. He already knows some of the guys so I'm sure he'll settle in well. Meanwhile, Miguel is in Monterrey for two weeks of training with the 'striped ones' - a great opportunity for him.
We went to Cuatros on Saturday to watch Stoke City take on Portsmouth. It was great to catch up with members of Chantico's Army and also share some banter with some Chelsea and Arsenal fans. It's great to see Stoke doing so well - as someone posted on Facebook, this time last season we were on 26 points, 19th place and with a -19 goal difference. This season, we are on 34 points, 11th place with a -3 GD - progress indeed. It was also great to see Everton put 3 past Man Utd! The only sorry part of all this is poor Portsmouth - bottom of the league with bankruptcy looming. On a selfish note, it would also mean Stoke losing some well-earned points.
Everyone is keeping a very close eye on House Park (thanks Chris for the updated photo each week!) - on the quiet, we are hoping we will be able to move there for our first regular season game after all. Cross everything!
We have a small army of interns at the moment doing all kinds of tasks - working on creating a better match day experience, looking for potential new sponsors, making the players move into their apartments easier, etc. - we are very glad to have them!
Don't forget to cheer for Stoke again on Wednesday!
kay
We went to Cuatros on Saturday to watch Stoke City take on Portsmouth. It was great to catch up with members of Chantico's Army and also share some banter with some Chelsea and Arsenal fans. It's great to see Stoke doing so well - as someone posted on Facebook, this time last season we were on 26 points, 19th place and with a -19 goal difference. This season, we are on 34 points, 11th place with a -3 GD - progress indeed. It was also great to see Everton put 3 past Man Utd! The only sorry part of all this is poor Portsmouth - bottom of the league with bankruptcy looming. On a selfish note, it would also mean Stoke losing some well-earned points.
Everyone is keeping a very close eye on House Park (thanks Chris for the updated photo each week!) - on the quiet, we are hoping we will be able to move there for our first regular season game after all. Cross everything!
We have a small army of interns at the moment doing all kinds of tasks - working on creating a better match day experience, looking for potential new sponsors, making the players move into their apartments easier, etc. - we are very glad to have them!
Don't forget to cheer for Stoke again on Wednesday!
kay
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Excitement mounts...!
I love this time of the year - the season is just around the corner, tryouts are this weekend, the schedule is out, season ticket sales are going well and player signings are being made. It's great to have new players added to the roster but also great to welcome back some familiar faces, some of them from our very first season as the Aztex U23's. We ask them to do a lot of community work behind the scenes and they have always responded so well - I get to hear all the great feedback and feel like a proud mum (mom). Kids don't always want to listen to parents or authority figures about healthy eating or the importance of exercise but will happily take advice from recognizable athletes.
Tuesday evening saw a soccer milestone - Amy Fearn became the first woman to referee an English Football League match. She first made headlines in November 2006 when Mike Newell, then the manager of Luton, took exception to her performance on the line in his club's defeat by Queen's Park Rangers.
"She shouldn't be here," Newell fumed after the match. "I know that sounds sexist but I am sexist. This is not park football so what are women doing here?" He went on to claim, "it is tokenism - for the politically-correct idiots. When do we reach a stage when all officials are women? Because then we are in trouble."
Newell subsequently apologized but was fined 6,500 pounds for his trouble by the Football Association. It's hard to imagine that kind of incident here in the US where women's soccer is well-established and respected although the ratio of men to women referees is still unbalanced. I'm interested now to find out what prevents women from becoming a referee - more later!
The banter has already started about the World Cup clash on June 12th between England and the US - could be the biggest watch party ever followed our game that evening against Vancouver. I'm not one to get involved in baiting and jeering at other people's teams .......but I'm willing to make an exception in this case! You're going down!!!!
Kay
Tuesday evening saw a soccer milestone - Amy Fearn became the first woman to referee an English Football League match. She first made headlines in November 2006 when Mike Newell, then the manager of Luton, took exception to her performance on the line in his club's defeat by Queen's Park Rangers.
"She shouldn't be here," Newell fumed after the match. "I know that sounds sexist but I am sexist. This is not park football so what are women doing here?" He went on to claim, "it is tokenism - for the politically-correct idiots. When do we reach a stage when all officials are women? Because then we are in trouble."
Newell subsequently apologized but was fined 6,500 pounds for his trouble by the Football Association. It's hard to imagine that kind of incident here in the US where women's soccer is well-established and respected although the ratio of men to women referees is still unbalanced. I'm interested now to find out what prevents women from becoming a referee - more later!
The banter has already started about the World Cup clash on June 12th between England and the US - could be the biggest watch party ever followed our game that evening against Vancouver. I'm not one to get involved in baiting and jeering at other people's teams .......but I'm willing to make an exception in this case! You're going down!!!!
Kay
Friday, February 5, 2010
Schedule apologies
Apologies once again for the lack of a schedule - it is done but the USSF won't release it until all the teams have met certain terms and conditions. I'm also still hoping against hope that House Park will be ready in time - I am the eternal optimist - but reality tells me that we will probably play our first few games back at Nelson.
The coaches and office staff are preparing for the tryouts next weekend - there is always a sense of anticipation and excitement that a 'diamond in the rough' will be found. Come out to Stassney Fields next weekend and see for yourselves.
Tomorrow marks Tony Pulis's 300th game in charge of Stoke City.
He was first appo
inted manager in November 2002 and, after having prevented the Potters from slipping into the football league's third tier, he was sacked after falling out with the club's Icelandic owners. Pulis had refused to play two Icelandic players on the roster who had been brought in by the owners, stating that they just were not good enough. His stance ended in a parting of the ways but just a year later, after the Icelandic owners were bought out by Stoke City chairman, Peter Coates, he was back. It's been a success story ever since, promotion to the top flight in 2007/2008, an impressive 12th place last season and a mid table spot so far this season. Well done Tony and thank you!
The players, staff and I have had lots of fun lately going out to school career fairs. I love the thank you letters we receive:
" I think being a soccer player is an awesome job. You are getting paid while playing soccer. That's amazing. Hearing you explain your job that you travel around the globe to compete makes me want to be a pro player. I remember you saying that you had 30-40 games in a year. I for one think that's a lot. Thank you for taking time to come to our school, it shows our community is willing to get involved with our campus"
Tomorrow, players and staff will be at Feria Para Aprender 2010 (the Learning Fair) at the Travis County Expo Center. This is an event run in conjunction with Austin Partners in Education. One of the aims is to help families learn about the transition from high school to college or career. They are expecting more than 10,000 parents and kids with more than 100 exhibits - should be fun!
Kay
The coaches and office staff are preparing for the tryouts next weekend - there is always a sense of anticipation and excitement that a 'diamond in the rough' will be found. Come out to Stassney Fields next weekend and see for yourselves.
Tomorrow marks Tony Pulis's 300th game in charge of Stoke City.
He was first appo
inted manager in November 2002 and, after having prevented the Potters from slipping into the football league's third tier, he was sacked after falling out with the club's Icelandic owners. Pulis had refused to play two Icelandic players on the roster who had been brought in by the owners, stating that they just were not good enough. His stance ended in a parting of the ways but just a year later, after the Icelandic owners were bought out by Stoke City chairman, Peter Coates, he was back. It's been a success story ever since, promotion to the top flight in 2007/2008, an impressive 12th place last season and a mid table spot so far this season. Well done Tony and thank you!The players, staff and I have had lots of fun lately going out to school career fairs. I love the thank you letters we receive:
" I think being a soccer player is an awesome job. You are getting paid while playing soccer. That's amazing. Hearing you explain your job that you travel around the globe to compete makes me want to be a pro player. I remember you saying that you had 30-40 games in a year. I for one think that's a lot. Thank you for taking time to come to our school, it shows our community is willing to get involved with our campus"
Tomorrow, players and staff will be at Feria Para Aprender 2010 (the Learning Fair) at the Travis County Expo Center. This is an event run in conjunction with Austin Partners in Education. One of the aims is to help families learn about the transition from high school to college or career. They are expecting more than 10,000 parents and kids with more than 100 exhibits - should be fun!
Kay
Friday, January 29, 2010
Aztex Alliance
This week saw the launch of the Aztex Alliance and it seems to have been well received. We did a lot of research and listening to fans - having a say in the decision making of the club is something fairly common in Europe but I think only the Seattle Sounders have undertaken it here in America. (I'm prepared to be corrected!)
Last night, the Aztex staff, players and coaches were guests of the Austin Toros who are on a winning streak at the moment. They won again last night but the highlight of the evening was our very own Kieron Bernard taking part in a dance competition! Despite our very enthusiastic cheers, he was beaten into second place, hopefully not a sign of things to come! The players dutifully went straight home whilst the staff went and let off a little steam at Pete's Duelling Pianos.
Lastly, Phil was at a team owners meeting this morning and finally the schedule has had it's last nips and tucks and will be published on Tuesday to fanfares all round.
Kay
Last night, the Aztex staff, players and coaches were guests of the Austin Toros who are on a winning streak at the moment. They won again last night but the highlight of the evening was our very own Kieron Bernard taking part in a dance competition! Despite our very enthusiastic cheers, he was beaten into second place, hopefully not a sign of things to come! The players dutifully went straight home whilst the staff went and let off a little steam at Pete's Duelling Pianos.
Lastly, Phil was at a team owners meeting this morning and finally the schedule has had it's last nips and tucks and will be published on Tuesday to fanfares all round.
Kay
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Hopes for Haiti
The end of the week and the images from Haiti continue to dominate the news. We have heard that Vaniel Sirin and Ednerson Rayman, who were part of the group that travelled to England with us last October, are safe but we are still waiting to hear if Jean Alexandre's father has been found. It's hard to imagine what the families there are going through - if you are able, donate to any of the worthy non-profits who are directing their relief efforts to Haiti. One of the easiest ways is to text 'HAITI" to 90999 - $10 will be donated and added to your cell phone bill or log on to www.redcross.org
On a lighter note, we have received the first draft of the 2010 schedule so we hope to be publishing it next week - let's hope some of the more notorious 'leakers' from other teams can keep it to themselves until it is written in stone. I know you are dying to know and we are dying to tell you but it's just not quite ready yet! We will also be releasing details of a new signing - I LOVE this time of the year!!
Congratulations to Austin da Luz on being drafted by the New York Red Bulls in the first round and also to another Aztex PDL player Euan Holden who got picked up by his brother's team, Houston Dynamo.
Lastly, we watched the Stoke v Liverpool game this morning - the fans were in great voice as usual but I'm afraid Sorenson didn't do his transfer chances a lot of good. Flapping at the ball to allow them to score and some pretty dodgy clearances too - he's definitely OUT of my fantasy team now!
Kay
On a lighter note, we have received the first draft of the 2010 schedule so we hope to be publishing it next week - let's hope some of the more notorious 'leakers' from other teams can keep it to themselves until it is written in stone. I know you are dying to know and we are dying to tell you but it's just not quite ready yet! We will also be releasing details of a new signing - I LOVE this time of the year!!
Congratulations to Austin da Luz on being drafted by the New York Red Bulls in the first round and also to another Aztex PDL player Euan Holden who got picked up by his brother's team, Houston Dynamo.
Lastly, we watched the Stoke v Liverpool game this morning - the fans were in great voice as usual but I'm afraid Sorenson didn't do his transfer chances a lot of good. Flapping at the ball to allow them to score and some pretty dodgy clearances too - he's definitely OUT of my fantasy team now!
Kay
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Return to 'normal'!
Finally, the office is returning to something akin to normal. It's been hard to focus on the upcoming season with all the shenanigans but common sense finally prevailed. The good news (and I know I am biased) is that Phil is one of the team owners selected to be on the Executive Committee for the new league along with Merritt Paulson of Portland Timbers, Jeff Cooper of St Louis, Pete Medd of Baltimore and Dan Flynn of US Soccer who will serve as Chairman. I obviously know first hand the role that Phil has played in this whole process and I am inordinately proud of him.
The office today has been a little deserted - we have signed up to the Partners in Reading scheme and are mentoring in various elementary schools around the city. We have also been invited to participate in Career Days at both elementary and middle schools - always so much fun. The kids come up with some great questions and love being able to talk to 'real life' soccer players. We are also once again involved with the AISD middle schools, helping them to raise their levels of cardio-vascular fitness through soccer.
The MLS draft takes place tomorrow and one of our 2008 PDL players is in it:
We wish him every success!
Kay
The office today has been a little deserted - we have signed up to the Partners in Reading scheme and are mentoring in various elementary schools around the city. We have also been invited to participate in Career Days at both elementary and middle schools - always so much fun. The kids come up with some great questions and love being able to talk to 'real life' soccer players. We are also once again involved with the AISD middle schools, helping them to raise their levels of cardio-vascular fitness through soccer.
The MLS draft takes place tomorrow and one of our 2008 PDL players is in it:
| 24 |  | Austin da Luz | Comments: Toronto needs help on the wings in a bad way and da Luz is a far better player than this draft position indicates. He drops because he isn't very versatile and other teams have solid players on the left wing. |
Kay
Sunday, January 10, 2010
2010 League
At times over the past few months it has felt like I may never get to post this blog but with the agreement reached last week between the USL & NASL teams we look like we can finally start to plan for the 2010 season! It has been pretty wearing, at times infuriating, over the past 12 months watching team owners arguing and disagreeing with each other over pretty fundamental issues. Especially frustrating as this is a time when soccer in the US is more popular than ever and in a World Cup year when the sport will get tremendous recognition and coverage.
I genuinely hope that the opportunity to play in 2010 will give all-parties a breathing space, a time to reflect and agree priorities and direction. There is still much to agree for 2010, schedule, season length, play-off format but hopefully we can get through that process relatively quickly and publish the schedule that I know you are all waiting for.
For the Aztex staff we now have to get down to the serious business of completing sponsorship deals, signing players to new contracts and selling season tickets. The delays over the past few months have been costly to our organization and I have to say had the dispute gone on much longer it may have proved fatal to several teams, including the Aztex. But we are in good shape and have an incredibly dedicated and talented team in the front office, led by new CEO Djorn Buchholz. They are eager to get going and I know you will support them over the next couple of months as we prepare for the new season.
Thanks again for sticking with us through what has been a difficult period. Let's all pull together in the next few weeks to make 2010 at House Park a huge success for Austin pro soccer.
Phil
I genuinely hope that the opportunity to play in 2010 will give all-parties a breathing space, a time to reflect and agree priorities and direction. There is still much to agree for 2010, schedule, season length, play-off format but hopefully we can get through that process relatively quickly and publish the schedule that I know you are all waiting for.
For the Aztex staff we now have to get down to the serious business of completing sponsorship deals, signing players to new contracts and selling season tickets. The delays over the past few months have been costly to our organization and I have to say had the dispute gone on much longer it may have proved fatal to several teams, including the Aztex. But we are in good shape and have an incredibly dedicated and talented team in the front office, led by new CEO Djorn Buchholz. They are eager to get going and I know you will support them over the next couple of months as we prepare for the new season.
Thanks again for sticking with us through what has been a difficult period. Let's all pull together in the next few weeks to make 2010 at House Park a huge success for Austin pro soccer.
Phil
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Winter Wonderland!
Phil and I flew to the UK on Monday for a mostly business trip that happily coincided with 2 Stoke City games! We knew the UK had been taking a bit of a battering as far as the weather goes and packed accordingly. The first setback was having to land at Gatwick instead of Manchester but we made it up to Stoke in time for the game - and what a game it was! Stoke went in 3 up at half time and looked to be having the better of the challenging conditions. Under soil heating meant the pitch itself was in good shape but the snow was swirling for most of the game. Fulham brough Dempsey on in the second half and he proved to be the catalyst they needed, scoring a contender for goal of the season. One of our summer interns, Scott Burleson, was at the game with his mates and spoke with Dempsey after the game. They have been having a grand old time in the UK and have seen lots of games including Chelsea/Fulham, Millwall/Derby, Arsenal/West Ham and Hayes &Yeading/AFC Wimbledon (look it up!!)Hopefully, the end of this week will see a solution to the USL/TOA situation and we can all move on with our lives. Phil has already been busy working on our pre-season games - more to follow soon!
I'd like to extend a warm welcome to Brian Pederson and his wife Stephanie as they join our Aztex family - he brings a great deal of experience in running successful and exciting camps and clinics.
We will be back in Austin on Sunday after hopefully seeing Stoke win away at Burnley (temporarily managerless) and also weather permitting.
Kay
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