3-21-08
9:00 am local time (3:00 am St. Louis time)

As we get ready for the first of many long, exciting days, we actually had a teaser of sunshine, followed quickly by the ominous dark clouds, suspicious of the possibility of rain.

we have 2 training sessions scheduled today on turf fields, so the weather will not affect that. Tonight, we go to Arhnem, nearby city, for the professional match, and that will be played as scheduled.

As I am sitting here right now, it has just started to rain and the sky looks very unforgiving -- more rain, for sure !!

I am hoping the players got caught up on their rest as theysettled nin with their 'new'best friends. The comments posted here regarding yesterday's report, indicate that all is well and we are off to a great start.

Hopefully, we will be able to post some photos. We took a group shot outside of Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam as we were awaiting our bus. Pictures were also taken when the host families arrived for pickup.

In the time it took me to type this far, the weather has gone completely bonkers. As I just looked up and it is now a slanting, rain, sleet and snow combunation, The good news is that we are 2 hours from our scheduled training time, plenty of time for the sun to show it's most welcomed face again.

Oh well, I better stop while I'm ahead. Who knows if I stay on here any longer and the weather keeps changing, we could have that last St. Louis snow.

more later after the match tomight.
thanks for the comments. The kids have been great to date !!!

3-20-08

yes we have arrived to the land of tulips, windmills, bicycles wooden shoes = and RAIN !!

Our flight from Amsterdam was smooth and arrived 50 minutes early !!
we were taken by bus to our meeting point, Hotel de Oude Molen, in Groesbeekn The Netherlands for a meeting with our host Jan Pruijn and the host families. After a short meeting with Jan, a Dutch lunch of soup, kroketten and sandwiches of ham or cheese, the host families started arrivingg for introductions and meeting the players. It was great to see some of our 'dutchies'from last summer - Daan, Tim, Rody, and Tom - their parents - plus the mother of Jip and Michelle and Jordie.
The players were then taken to their dutch 'homes'to settle in for the next 4 days.

Rest was in order after the long trip - with training in the morning and afternoon tomorrow, follwed by the Vitsse - NAC game in the Eredivisie, the Dutch 1st division.

we will try to update this post as often as the schedule will allow and post pictures as we can.

the anticipation has been realized and the reality is now - we are here and ready for the busy days ahead.

Off to Holland

March 10, 2008

CBC - Dutch Touch Off to Holland

Off to the land of tulips, windmills, wooden shoes, bicycles …… and oh yes, some very good soccer as well. The CBC – Dutch Touch International Soccer Program is sponsoring a soccer trip to Holland March 19 through March 28. The group will compete in an Easter Holiday Tournament, play a series of ‘friendlies’ with local Dutch teams, train with Dutch coaches and visit training sessions and attend matches of the professional and youth teams of Holland. In addition to the soccer, the players will stay in the homes of our new Dutch friends and experience the culture of Holland.
This is a continuation of the program that was initiated last summer when 12 young Dutch players and 3 fully licensed Dutch coaches attended a week long International Camp at CBC High School. Our players will stay in the homes of the players who came to St. Louis last summer -- a great way to strengthen new friendships.
The group of players going to Holland are: Austin Adams, Jimmy Bruenning, Nico Cruz, Greg Evens, Stephen Koeller, Clair Laufketter, Brian Murphy, Maxine Peat, Alex Severino, and Zac Vogt. Terry Michler and Tim Tettambel will accompany the group and Jan Pruijn will coordinate the activities in Holland.
The plans are in place for ’08 International Summer Camp to be held again at CBC High School from July 20 – 25. With enrollment limited and the interest in the camp very high, applications will fill quickly. If you are interested in attending, please see the advertisement on www.stlsoccer.net which also includes an application. Any questions, please contact Terry Michler at michlert@cbchs.org

Dec. 21, 2007

First and foremost, best wishes to all for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I hope the holiday season finds everyone in good health and good spirits.

We are very excited that our spring trip to Holland is shaping up rather well.
Our travel party is currently at 16 - that includes players, chaperones, coaches and others who want the soccer experience.

We recently met with our travel group and the interest and enthusiasm were well received. They are anxious to go and are looking forward to a great experience.

Please stay in touch and leave a message when you are able -- love to hear from you.

November 14, 2007

Hello

I received a price from Jan today for the proposed trip to Holland in the spring.

It will be a 9 days trip with 8 nights !!

With the departure from St. Louis on March 19 and arrival back in St Louis March 28 it is a 10 DAYS tour !!


Cost: US$ 850.00 for the package , everything is included !! except airfare !!

At the moment

US Airways US 725
Delta US 850

Based on 4 days with a guest family , and 4 days in Hotel Spijker (Nijmegen) with meals
All the other costs , transportation to and from airport , tickets , rental for fields
Guest – Coaches fees , so all - included US$ 850,00

SOCCER: CLASS 3 SECTIONALS
CBC rallies to defeat DeSmet; SLUH wins
By Joe Lyons
POST-DISPATCH
Friday, Nov. 09 2007

FENTON — For the second time in as many games, the CBC Cadets found themselves
trailing early in a state soccer playoff game. And, for the second time in as
many games, they rallied to victory.

"For years, I've been preaching the importance of that first goal because I
have the numbers to back it up,'' CBC coach Terry Michler said. "But I've also
found that the teams that can come back like this group has, that can fight the
way this team does, those teams tend to do pretty well at this point of the
season.''

In a Class 3 sectional match Thursday night at Anheuser-Busch Center, the
third-ranked Cadets spotted No. 4 DeSmet an early goal but came on strong from
there, coming away with a 3-1 victory.

In their district final last week, the Cadets were down 1-0 early but rallied
for a 3-2 overtime victory over Lafayette.

CBC (23-5-1) will meet second-ranked St. Louis University High (24-3-3) in the
quarterfinals Saturday at 8 p.m. SLUH eased by unranked Fort Zumwalt South 3-0
in the other Thursday sectional game.

SLUH has won two of three meetings with CBC this fall.

"These are the games you live for if you go to CBC or DeSmet or SLUH,'' Michler
said. "The atmosphere, the big crowd, this is what you play for.''

In Thursday's match, DeSmet (17-4-5) scored less than 5 minutes in. After a
strong run down the left side, Spartans standout Will Bruin delivered a pass to
fellow senior Jordan Beckles at the back post for the goal.

But DeSmet's lead lasted less than two minutes. In a scramble to gain
possession in the box, Spartans keeper Dan Billman tackled the Cadets' Jordan
Barnes. Brian Groark converted the penalty kick, evening the score at 1-1.

CBC took the lead with about 4 1/2 minutes to play in the half as Barnes won a
race to a loose ball at the top of the box and managed to chip the ball over
Billman and into the vacated net.

SOCCER
Cadets capture title in Class 3, District 5
By Joe Lyons
POST-DISPATCH
Thursday, Nov. 01 2007

MANCHESTER — CBC's Jordan Barnes figured it was only a matter of time. At least
that's what he kept telling himself.

"As long as we kept creating chances, I knew, sooner or later, we'd get one,"
Barnes said.

With about 4 minutes to play in the second 15-minute overtime period, Barnes
poked in a pass from Nick Sanchez, lifting the Cadets to a 3-2 victory over
Lafayette on Wednesday in the Class 3 District 5 championship game at Parkway
South.

CBC, ranked third among Post-Dispatch large schools, improved to 22-5-1 and
advances to sectional action Nov. 8 at Anheuser-Busch Center in Fenton.
Sixth-ranked Lafayette finished 19-5.

A year ago, the Lancers upset CBC for the district title, going on to a state
runner-up finish.

"I thought we deserved it, but in a game like this, you're just one play from
losing, too,'' CBC coach Terry Michler said.

On the deciding play, David Kemp passed to Sanchez, who spotted Barnes breaking
in from the right. It was Barnes' 22nd goal of the season.

Lafayette's Sean Butler got the Cadets' attention early, scoring on a 25-yard
rocket off the goal post. CBC junior Zach Hundelt answered, converting on a
pass from Barnes to make it 1-1. Midway through the half, Brian Groark put CBC
on top 2-1 with a free-kick blast off the cross bar and in.

But Butler responded with another long-range goal, tying the score at 2. CBC
had the better chances through the second half and overtime, but Lafayette
refused to go quietly.

"We did what we had to do to give ourselves a chance,'' Lafayette coach Tim
Walters said. "Our guys did what we asked them to do and they played hard.''