We have moved Office locations......

Heartland Soccer Association is now located at The Aspiria Complex

(previously Sprint Campus)

6450 Spring Parkway, Suite A, Overland Park, KS 66211

Phone: 913-888-8768



Heartland Soccer Association is recognized

as one of the largest soccer leagues

and tournament hosts in the country.

We offer recreational to premier divisions, ages U8 through U19.

Indoor and Outdoor Signs, Flags and Window Decals

913-706-7352

levinead@sbcglobal.net

As our newsletter serves as a platform to celebrate achievements, share information, and highlight the soccer community, we are continuously trying to improve and stay at the forefront of communication and innovation. We have a fun opportunity for you to volunteer to contribute to our newsletter as well. Here is what we’re looking for:

1. Player / Team stories and achievements
2. Expertise and Insights: Share your knowledge! This doesn’t need to be soccer-related. Are you a pro-Gardner? Send us some tips! A chef? Send us some recipes! A hiker? Send us your favorite Midwest trails!
3. Photos! If you captured any cool photos or videos this past season, send them or way and we will be sure to include them in our upcoming newsletters.
4. Inspiration and encouragement. Calling all our poets, artists, and creatives!
5. Community spotlights: Shine a spotlight on someone in our community making a difference. We would love to share their story and bring them the recognition they deserve.

At Heartland Soccer Association, we strive to have the newsletter be a collaborative, welcoming space for all. So please do not hesitate to let your voice be heard, showcase your talents, and share your expertise.

To contribute to the newsletter or for any further questions, you can email Katie at katie@falcocreativemedia.com. Thank you all for your continued support!

Did you know that youth soccer is played by more than 3 million kids in the United States alone? It's one of the most popular sports for children, helping them stay active, make new friends, and learn important life skills like teamwork and discipline!

Tips for Soccer Moms at the Beginning of the New School Year



1. Organize schedules early
2. Prepare healthy snacks
3. Create soccer uniform checklist
4. Coordinate carpool arrangements
5. Establish a homework Routine early on
6. Communicate with coaches
7. Encourage rest leading up to the school year and soccer season

This Month in History:

August

7 August 1999 - A Bad Day To Be A Goalkeeper

On 7 August 1999, defending Belgian top flight champions KRC Genk opened their new season by drawing away with Westerlo. The 6-6 scoreline set a record for the highest-scoring draw in a professional match.

The match included four red cards and five penalty kicks which, like the goals, were evenly distributed between both teams. The first penalty kick was scored by Genk striker Branko Strupar, who put his side ahead in the 8th minute. But Westerlo equalized with a 19th-minute penalty kick of their own from striker Toni Brogno (pictured). Strupar again gave Genk the lead with another penalty kick in the 24th minute, but Westerlo center forward Vedran Pelic scored goals on both sides of the break to put the hosts up 3-2.

Brogno scored again in the 56th minute to extend the lead, but another Strupar penalty kick (66') and goals from forwards Soulaymane Oulare (72') and Ngoy N'Sumbu (80') put the defending champions back in front, 5-4. An 83rd-minute Brogno penalty kick leveled the teams at 5-5, then they exchanged goals once more, with Jóhannes Gudjonsson netting for Genk (86'), then Brogno scoring his fourth in the 90th minute to end the match at 6-6.

The scoreline remains a record, but not alone - Hibernian and Motherwell battled to a 6-6 draw in a Scottish Premier League match on 5 May 2010.

This article was taken from - https://tdifh.blogspot.com/2010/08/7-august-1999-bad-day-to-be-goalkeeper.html

2023 -2024

Tournament Team Numbers

Border Battle '24 - 160

Midwest College Showcase '24 - 85

Heartland Spring Cup '24 - 148

KC Champions Cup '24 - 410

Mother's Day Classic '24 - 371

Kansas City Invitational '24 - 334

KC 3v3 '24 - 65

Heartland Open Cup '24 - 61

Fall Kick Off Challenge '24- 170

Heartland Midwest Classic '24 - 129

Midwest All Boys '23 - 253

Midwest All Girls '23 - 320

Heartland Invitational Girls '23 - 432

Heartland Invitational Boys '23 - 450



*In the last 12 months Heartland welcomed teams from a total of 17 states and Canada.

Come ESCAPE with us!

Exercise your MIND

at one of KC’s most exciting

escape room adventures.

Lots of fun!

Soccer weekends sell out quickly

2023-2024

Heartland Numbers

Spring league teams '24 1,386

Fall league teams '24- 1,388

League players - 48,000

Tournament teams - 3,500

Tournament players - 56,000

Referees - 2,000+

Coaches - 4,000

MYSA NEWS

Under MYSA's sanctioning agreement and guidelines, ALL Missouri based teams (all ages and divisions) registering for the Heartland Soccer Spring 2024 League season must be registered through MYSA.

Heartland Soccer is a qualifying league for Missouri State Cup.

For more information on VIDSPORT email: Lisa.Lindsay@Heartlandsoccer.net

Guest Player- Double Rostering

Dear All,

Please know that if you are utilizing guest players for Heartland league, you must submit the physical guest player forms to the referee when checking in.

The guest player card must be present and they have to be added to the line-up card.

Here are the rules…..

3.4 GUEST, MULTIPLE ROSTER PLAYERS & CLUB PASSES A maximum of three guest players are allowed per team per game, except for U15 Divisions. Those divisions will have a 5-guest player limit during their gender specific high school seasons. Boys will have a 5-player limit in the Fall only and girls in the Spring only. Teams may not exceed the maximum number of players allowed on the game day roster by adding guest players. Players may only play for one team within a subdivision, i.e., they may not dual roster or guest play with another team in the same sub division. Players may guest play or dual roster “up”, but not “down” within their age group. For example, a U14 Division 2 primary rostered player may guest play with a Division 1 team, but not with a Division 3 team. That player may NOT play in any division lower than Division 2 in his/her own age group. A player primary rostered to a team that is older than his/her actual age group may guest or dual roster with a team playing in highest division of his/her actual age group. For example, an actual U14 player who is primary rostered to a U15 team may play as a guest or dual roster player with a U14 Division 1 team. Once a player has played a game for their primary roster team, they are not permitted to change their primary status and play for a lower division team within the league for that season. They are also not permitted to play for a second team within that division during that season.



Players can only double roster or guest play up to 2 divisions within an age group. E.G. A U10 D4 primary rostered player, can only guest play or be secondary rostered to a U10 D2 team and no higher. Players can guest play or be secondary rostered up to the next age group without limitations. All guest player forms must be taken to the game and submitted to the referee. Failure to do so will result in the player being excluded from the game and possibly a forfeit.

Thanks,

Heartland Staff

Welcome back to the pitch! We know it’s going to be another great fall season here at Heartland Soccer Association. As the leaves begin to change, so do the opportunities to create new memories both on and off the field. Whether you’re new to the game or a returning seasoned player, this season will be a season full of teamwork, challenges, friendship and growth. Get ready to lace up your cleats, enjoy the beautiful fall foliage and give it everything you got! Be sure to check our website frequently for calendar updates and tournaments deadlines. We wish you all the best luck this season and we look forward to seeing you out on the fields very soon!

Congratulations!

Thank you to all the teams who attended the Spring League Champions Awards nights in July at Sporting KC" if we have room we could also add, if you attended and have a team photo from the evening you would like to share please email them with team name to sara.prigel@heartlandsoccer.net and we will share on our socials

Instagram post from @how.vintage

The Heartland Invitational continues its reputation as the biggest and best tournament in the Kansas City area. Split over two weekends (Girls weekend and Boys weekend) to accommodate the number of teams wanting a chance to compete one last time. Every year up to 800 teams from throughout the central United States travel to compete in this end of year showdown. Our access to additional fields allows us to accommodate the many teams looking for a competitive season finale.

Heartland Invitational Girls

November 1-3, 2024

Registration Deadline:

September 30, 2024

Register

Heartland Invitational Boys

November 8-10, 2024

Registration Deadline:

October 7, 2024

Register

What is an Emergency Fund?

As much as we would like to pretend otherwise, we all have our spells of bad luck—an unexpected illness, a car accident, a leaky pipe. If you want to get through the inevitable rough patches without breaking the bank, it’s vital to have a robust emergency fund.

Reframe Your Thinking

Your emergency fund is not your general savings account. And it isn’t just telling yourself, “Well, if something happens, I’ll be fine because I can pull from here and move some money over there and not buy this…”. An emergency fund needs to be money that will only be used in an emergency.

This money needs to be a set amount kept in a separate account than the rest of your money so that it doesn’t get accidentally spent. It’ll also need to be somewhere you can access quickly when needed. A dedicated savings account is probably the easiest place, but you can also explore other options like multiple Share Certificates or a money market account if those would better suit your preferences.

The Bigger the Better

Experts recommend that your emergency fund be large enough to support your essential needs for at least 3-6 months. That would include rent or mortgage payments, other bills, food, and debt payments. But it’s never a bad thing to have even more saved. Just think how much more security a full year of funding would give you as opposed to just 3 months. How much will be right for you?

You can find more tips, tools and valuable banking options at Azura Credit Union. Visit us in person at one of our convenient locations or online at AzuraCU.com.

Source: Emergency Fund

Azura Credit Union is federally insured by NCUA.

COUNTER ATTACKS:

CHAOTIC 4V3

Both teams are on the goal line. The game constantly creates new 4v3 situations.

Starting positions as in the depiction. The neutral player is in front of the center line, the three defenders behind.

The game starts by playing into the neutral player. The attackers have 10 seconds to score a goal. if the ball is out or one team scores, the defenders must immediately get out of the game. Now three new attackers enter the field from the other side with the ball (red team) and the previous attackers become defenders.

NO BS!

Don’t feel like cooking on tournament or practice days? ½ off appetizers at the Burger Shed with the purchase of an entrée. Just mention this ad along with Heartland Soccer.

We offer a full bar and restaurant right across the street from the GARMIN Olathe Soccer

Complex.

The Burger Shed is located inside the Embassy Suites.

Take a look at our menu: https://eatatburgershed.com/olathe/

Please call ahead for parties of 6 or more: 913-353-9335

Place your Referee Kit Order Here Use Password HEARTLAND

Referee Corner: A few observations from the Regional Referee team “First Season Referee Survey” ….

Understanding how our Referees are doing in their first year was a task that the Regional Referee team volunteered to do after the Spring season. They sent out a survey to 522 first year officials. 57 of these new officials responded.

What were they asked and how did they respond? What does this tell us? Since retention of Referees is a national challenge, I found their responses worth looking at.

Who Responded?

Referees from the Kansas City area, Wichita, Topeka, and Lawrence responded to the survey. 85% of the responders were from Kansas City (the majority worked at Heartland) and Wichita (working at WRSA). 61% of the responders were male. 329% were female. 48% were 18 years old or younger. Over 80% reported they did between 10 and 50 matches, so they developed experience. 61% reported that they are currently playing soccer. This group represents the future of soccer officiating in Kansas.

Did they feel supported as new officials?

Overwhelmingly they responded “Yes.” They provided the following as reasons for their feeling supported:

• 80% said their crews (fellow officials) were supportive.
• 11% said the staff was friendly and supportive.
• Working with family members/friends was also noted as a positive support feature.
• Mentors were also mentioned as a part of their positive experiences.

They reported that the positives included participating in the game they love, meeting new people and the positive environment of the soccer community.

What aspects did the new officials not enjoy? This is the other side of the coin. If the negatives outweigh the positives we could have potential retention issues. What were the leading negatives?

• Spectator issues
• Bad coaches

While we do not have specific examples of these responses, it would be a safe assumption that these aspects represented differences of judgements between the officials and the spectators and coaches. Remember, officials do not always get every call right. As you let them gain experience, they will make fewer contested decisions. Understand the Laws of the Game and support the officials.

How prepared did new officials feel in the following categories? This is an evaluation of how we prepare these new officials to be successful in your matches.

• Law knowledge: 36 of the 57 respondents felt they were fully or somewhat prepared when they took to the pitch that they knew the Laws and how to apply the Laws of the Game.
• Mechanics: 55 of the respondents felt they were fully or somewhat prepared in terms of the mechanics to officiate a match.
• Mental/Emotional: 56 out of 57 reported they were full or somewhat prepared for the Mental/emotional requirements of being a soccer official.
• Physical: A similar amount reported they were prepared for the physical requirements of soccer officiating.

Rating the Leagues: Players fared better than coaches and spectators in terms of excellent and/or good ratings Coaches were rated better than the fans. This is not new information. It does confirm what needs to be done to improve retention.

These Referees reported that they appreciated it when parents told them they were doing a good job. The new Assistant Referees appreciated the support of their more experienced Center Referees. Comments included, “They helped me learn,” and “they watched out for me.”

The final question was do these new officials plan to Referee in the fall. 95% said they do. This is what is needed to build the pool of experienced Referees.

Thank you for the opportunity to share this information with you. Hearing the facts from your Referees is how we figure out better ways to make the soccer experience at Heartland and in Kansas even better, which is the goal I know is shared by all of us in the soccer community –

Summer vacation – the State Referee Committee is spending their vacation getting ready for the Fall season …

The Kansas State Referee Committee held their meeting last Sunday evening. I thought it would be interesting for you to know how they are spending their summer vacation. The tournament schedule in Kansas is complete. There are no league games being played. This is their opportunity to take some time off. Are they resting or are they working? Let’s look at what they were doing at the SRC Meeting.

Bill Davey, the State Referee Administrator, was busy closing out the registrations for the past year and preparing the budget for the next fiscal year. Putting the budget together requires that he meet with the Technical Leaders of the SRC and understand what their plans are for the next year. The missions that Bill leads include recruiting, retaining, developing, and educating the Kansas Referees so they meet the requirements outlined by the U.S. Soccer Federation. One of the projects Bill agreed to lead was how the SRC could more effectively communicate with their Referee members using technology (i.e., simplifying the process for becoming a Referee and recertifying as a Kansas Referee). Sounds like an aggressive schedule for 2025. Bill was not resting in July.

One of the major missions of the SRC is the certification/recertification of Referees in Kansas. Sean Overton, the State Director of Instruction spent his July working with the Education Committee to put together the education programs for 2025. At the top of Sean’s list of To Do’s is the online recertification offerings. Kansas does all its recertifications online and offers multiple levels of education (basic and intermediate) offerings. At the same time the Education Committee is refreshing the Entry Level Clinic offerings which include a 4-hour course for those new Referees who register with the Federation and an 8-hour course for the Recreational Referees (those who are under 13). Last year the SRC conducted 47 in-person classes for Entry Level Clinics and recertified over 1,100 Referees. Christine Kramer has been named a lead for the Education Committee and despite getting Covid is spending her summer vacation collaborating with a team to complete these education offerings.

Gordie Wetmore, the State Youth Referee Administrator, spent much of the month attending the National Championship series of tournaments with a distinguished contingent of Kansas Referees. He did not have monthly meetings to prepare so he worked on electronic communications to provide ongoing education to the Kansas Referees. You should take a look at the Kansas Referee Development community website that is now available. Phil Gomez continues to keep the soccer community updated about our success and future programs offerings via social media. Gordie is also collaborating with the Mentors to identify new talent for the future of the program. Again, they are not resting but working hard in July.

Dan Smith, State Director of Assigning, could have taken a break after his efforts in the assigning of the Spring Tournaments (Junior State Cup, President’s Cup and State Cup), but worked at the USYS Regional Tournament this summer. He is a part of the Referee Development Academy and is helping to provide information to the Mighty Networks tool. Again, not resting but working hard.

Marc Tiemann, State Director of Assessment, did take a vacation in July. Before he left, he completed some planning activities for the Mentoring Program for the Fall. The mentoring activities will include a new scale for evaluating the Referees and a formal in-person mentor training session. Once again, not resting but working for Kansas Referees.

Andrew Fletcher, the Chairman, is committed to pulling strands of the projects mentioned above into a concerted deliverable that will benefit both new and recertifying Referees. This is not an easy job and one that will not be completed immediately. The Chairman is showing the same level of working versus resting as the rest of the State Referee Committee.

The Technical members of the State Referee Committee are using the month of July to prepare for an even more impactful Fall 2024.

Come to think about it, the same thing can be said for the Staff at Heartland and the staffs of each of the clubs that play at Heartland. July is not a time of vacation and rest. We are all here preparing to deliver an even better soccer experience for everyone at Heartland and in the State of Kansas.



If you want to be a part of the soccer experience as a decision maker on the field, please join us, and become a certified Referee. Information on clinics can be found at the Kansas Referee website. See you on the pitch this Fall.