FCArmstrong

Welcome to the team!

Thanks to all of you who came out this summer to kick around. Monday the first day of practice the AD will be around to make sure all required school documents are checked in correctly.

Players are encouraged to wear indoor/training flats/turfs soccer shoes through most of camp to reduce the wear and tear on their legs with the bumpy grass surface of the lower soccer field for dry practices. However you will want to carry your normal cleats in case the grass gets wet. Goalkeepers will be receiving specialized training during the sessions and are encouraged to wear proper protective gear for the conditions of the field.

According to NFHS and PIAA all players are required to play in NOCSAE approved shin guards with proper sock covering the guard. We will require this for training as well. We will be training using the same conditions that you will play under.

Since this is my first year as coach and I’m still figuring out the role of the players, the boosters and the Armstrong Sports Medicine Team, please bring your own water as well as a remember to hydrate throughout the day. Drink early, often and at the end of the session.

Saturday Zoom recovery sessions are going to be optional, brief and family oriented. We’d like encourage family members to participate in the recovery process.

August — – First day of school,training will begin @ 2:50 PM finish by 4:00 at the High School soccer field.

Once the school year begins training will be at the High School from 2:50 PM TO 4:00 PM.

Labor Day, – NO PRACTICE

All other practices will be noted on Team Snap.

Every day is a “TEACHING DAY”. Watching the players during the summer allowed me to see how they already approached the beautiful game. During those summer game and training sessions, I often took a moment to add in teaching moments during the run of play. I encourage all to come to training with an open mind and a willingness to learn my approach to the beautiful game, where I intend to let the game be the true teacher. I intend to have an open environment where everybody is ENCOURAGED to provide input.

• Mark your availability on TeamSnap.
• Be on time for training sessions, games, and bus departure times.
• Show up with your proper equipment to play. Home jerseys, Away jerseys, practice jerseys, shinguards, shoes, socks and keeper gloves.

RULES:

RESPECT

• Yourself.
• Your Teammates.
• Your Coaches, Administrators and Trainers.
• Your opponents and game officials.
• Our Practice and game Times.

BE MINDFUL

• Our team goals.
• Your part in reaching these team goals.
• Your approach to learning.
• Your approach to encouraging each other to be the best possible player.
• Your approach to creative thinking on the field. This is your game to play.
• Your opponents, if played correctly this can be a lifelong game.
• Last, but most importantly- your coursework, soccer is just an extension of your overall educational experience here at Armstrong.
• Anything you say or do at practice or games will be viewed as an extension of the classroom. Any red cards for violent conduct will be immediately referred to school administration.

MISSING PRACTICES/GAMES

• Family vacations and obligations may conflict with the start of the official season. If you have plans and will miss practice, please let us know and we will work something out. Missing mandatory practices, with permission, does not affect you joining the team. 
• If you are absent for school you are not allowed to practice/play on that same day.*
• If something in life comes up where making practice will create an issue please contact your coaching staff. We are a team and may be able to assist.
• Not knowing about a practice does not constitute a valid excuse. Keep up with Team Snap.

PROHIBITED CONDUCT:

• Wearing game uniforms to school. (boosters have provided warm-up t-shirts for school wear)
• Any infraction of the Student Code of Conduct, is grounds for dismissal from the team.
• Social Media: Don’t tweet, like, post, share, group text, snap, tiktok. . . .any thing related to teammates, coaches, game officials, school administrators into the electronic world.

Most of our communications to the players and parents will be through TeamSnap, fcarmstrong.blog, or e-mail. We will do our best to provide adequate notice for changing dates and times. It is imperative that we have an e-mail address that is checked regularly. Our second form of communication is directly to the girls, this is their game and their responsibility. We will do our best to send out blasts on TeamSnap to communicate important changes but there may be times where we will communicate changes to the tea much earlier than we can get the email out.
There is a Soccer Parent Booster Organization that we encourage all parents to participate. We have passed on your contact information to them. They will contact you with information.

Team Rules: The players will get the team rules on the first day of practice if for some reason the emails containing them have been missed. These rules detail the requirements to be on the team. Both player and parent(s) are required to sign the acknowledgement that the rules will be followed.

Please pass on this information to anyone who may be interested in joining the team and have them contact Coach Dave, Coach Matt or Todd Harvey the Athletic Director.

Your Coaches:

All of your coaches have a love for this game and very good understanding behind safe, winning soccer. All players are strongly encouraged to bring questions with them about the game to the training field. The only dumb question is the one that does not get asked.

Head Coach David Pankiewicz played for the Dunlevy Redbird Soccer Club, Victory Express ane Charleroi High School. He spent several summers camping at either at Dr. Joe Macknics No.1 Goalkeepers Camp. During his time at Saint Vincent College David began coaching goalkeepers for the Saint Vincent Women’s team, converting volleyball players and catchers into goalkeepers for a fledgling NAIA soccer program. After college Coach Dave took some time to begin his career in paint, logistics and customer service, while taking to the sandlots of Fayette County developing pitchers during the summertime. He returned to soccer, coaching U-12 and U-14 boys at Plum Area Soccer in 2008 and became a USSF Referee and US Futsal Federation Coach and Referee around that same time. He has a United Soccer Coaches Futsal Diploma, USSF Grassroots 7v7/11v11 License, USSF Referee and PIAA Referee certifications. He’s excited to be coaching again and has made a commitment to get grassroots football off the ground in the upper Allegheny River Valley since he’s made East Brady his second home. David previously was an assistant boy’s coach at Greensburg-Salem. . Email: dppank@gmail.com, 412-953-2931

Your Athletic Trainers:

As noted earlier, Coach Dave is still figuring out this relationship, if there are any issues he should know about please reach out to one of the coaches so we can ensure our training staff is also looking out for your athlete.

Letter requirements:

N/A at the JR. High Level.

* Please let coach know if this falls under an excused absence.

** Exceptions may be made due to injury or uncontrollable circumstances.
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