TSA will be having a TSA Inaugural Summer Nights 4 v 4 Tournament on June 1-2.  Games will be played on Friday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday.    All games will be held at Rillito Park. Deadline for registration is May 23.

     This will be THE event for all ages. Adult teams and co-ed teams can compete against one another. And it will be a great chance for teams to get to know one another as it looks ahead to the upcoming season. Every TSA team is expected to field at least two teams to kick off its new season.

      It will also be a great weekend event for the younger kids, even if they are not playing competitively yet. It’ll be a fun introduction to tournament play. The cost is $180 per team.

     “TSA is both proud and excited to announce its first “Summer Nights” 4 v 4 tournament,’’ said Ted Schmidt , a TSA board member. “This will be the perfect opportunity for the newly formed competitive teams to play together after try outs and for the developmental and recreational teams to get a taste of the fun of tournament play in an especially family-friendly environment.”

It’s a dream come true for former TSA player Sam Monahan. She’ll be playing in Europe this summer, after signing to play for nal ranks. Last week, senior Sam Monahan signed a contract to play for Ekenäs Idrottsförening (EIF), a Division II club in Finland. She will forgo he graduation ceremony to join her team on May 6.

 "I’ve always had the vision of playing in Europe," Monahan said. "The opportunity in Finland came up and I’m really excited about it. It’s going to be a great opportunity to get my foot in the door and my goal is to help the team win. Hopefully I can get some exposure and some tryouts with teams in higher divisions and who knows, I could end up staying there for longer than I plan."

          Kinerk, Schmidt & Sethi are conducting a contest among TSA teams as part of its project to develop an educational videotape for kids, parents and coaches on the subject of youth protection.  Each team competing will be required to create a video on a preselected safety topic.

     The contest winners will be those whose video clips are chosen to be used in the master educational video being produced by TSA and the PCJSL for use throughout southern Arizona. This is a great chance for TSA teams to make a huge difference in the lives and safety of thousands of kids for years to come while potentially raising substantial funds to support their team’s activities.  Kinerk, Schmidt & Sethi will award more than $5,000 will be awarded.   If your team is interested in competing, send an e-mail to Ted Schmidt identifying your team and the adult with the team who will serve as the contact person for the competition.  Reach him at tschmidt@kss-law.com.

This is a must-read story. Click on the link to get the whole picture.

Hundreds of college athletes were asked to think back: "What is your worst memory from playing youth and high school sports?"

Their overwhelming response: "The ride home from games with my parents."

The informal survey lasted three decades, initiated by two former longtime coaches who over time became staunch advocates for the player, for the adolescent, for the child. Bruce E. Brown and Rob Miller of Proactive Coaching LLC are devoted to helping adults avoid becoming a nightmare sports parent, speaking at colleges, high schools and youth leagues to more than a million athletes, coaches and parents in the last 12 years. Those same college athletes were asked what their parents said that made them feel great, that amplified their joy during and after a ballgame.

Their overwhelming response: "I love to watch you play."

There it is, from the mouths of babes who grew up to become college and professional athletes. Whether your child is just beginning T-ball or is a travel-team soccer all-star or survived the cuts for the high school varsity, parents take heed.

It’s tryout time again for TSA participants for the 2012 season.

We’ve enclosed the tryout schedule to make it easier for those to see when tryouts begin. They start the first week of May and run throughout the month, depending on your team. Good luck and welcome to TSA if you are hoping to be a new member. And if you’re returning, well, welcome back. 

Click here to register for placements/tryouts 

Click here for required form for placements/tryouts (complete and bring to placements)

QUESTIONS?

TSA programs, contact David Cosgrove, TSA Director of Player Development, 370-3717.

Registration, contact Kim Kenworthy, TSA Administrator, 991-2118.

 Notes to add to the TSA website, contact Steve Rivera, 661-5302.

 Questions concerning the TSA website, contact Charlie MacCabe, 731-8115