Register here.

Registration for the Spring 2013 Competitive Soccer season is just around the corner, and we’d love to have your child participate! If your child has an interest in building their skills and broadening their soccer experiences, then the [...]]]> You belong in Livingston Competitive Soccer!

The league is open to all boys and girls ages 9 – 18.

Registration for the Spring 2013 Competitive Soccer season is just around the corner, and we’d love to have your child participate! If your child has an interest in building their skills and broadening their soccer experiences, then the LYSA competitive league is a good match. This league differs from the fall recreational league in that it takes place in the spring (March-June), involves travel outside Park County, training is conducted by more experienced coaches who hold an “E” or greater coaching certificate and the level of competition is considerably higher than we see in the fall.

Dates:

You only need to come to one of these dates!
Thursday, October 25, 6:00-8:00 pm, East Side School Gym
Monday, November 5, 6:00-8:00 pm, Park County Library – Community Room

Please bring the following:

• A parent or guardian
• A first payment ($100.00 minimum)
• New players only – A Birth certificate and recent photo of yourself

Forms:

Player Registration
Travel Permission
Medical Release

Fees:

Age on August 1 of 2012
9 & 10 – $225.00/ea.  (this fee includes uniforms)
11 thru 18 – $300.00/ea. (this fee does not include uniforms)

Your fee may be paid in full at registration or in 2 installments. The 1st (a minimum of $100) is due with registration paperwork and the final payment is due at the Parent/Player meeting in January 2013.

Scholarships:

We are committed to not letting financial constraints stand in the way of your child playing competitive soccer. Partial scholarships are available and request forms can be filled out at registration or downloaded here.

Additional Expenses:

Uniforms – your player will be required to purchase (2) jerseys (home & away), (2) pair of socks (white & black) and a pair of black shorts.  While prices are not set yet, we anticipate this being about a $50 cost. Kids who have played competitive before can use their old uniforms.  Orders will be taken at the Parent/Player meeting.

Travel – We encourage carpooling, room sharing, etc. Typically there are only about 2 weekends that require overnight stays. All games are on Saturday and the drive to and from games can be done within that day except for the overnight tournaments.  If your child does ride with another driver, it’s important to either pack snacks and a lunch or provide money to pay for it as well as some dollars to help pay for gas.

Additional Tournaments – Your fee includes registration in the Montana Youth Soccer Association (MYSA) state championship tournament at the end of the season.  You may be asked to consider, as a team, to participate in other tournaments such as the Magic City Classic.  If your player/team chooses to register for additional tourneys, the fee will be split evenly amongst the players/parents—that’s usually around $25 per player.

Volunteers Needed:

As always, we encourage your participation.  The Volunteer Positions outlined for each team MUST be filled before a team is allowed to begin practice.  LYSA is a 100% volunteer driven organization – there are no paid positions.  It is vital that you take an active role and assist where and when you can.  We welcome your attendance at committee meetings and are always open to constructive criticism and suggestions on how to make our leagues and the LYSA a stronger and more efficient club. Take a look at the spots we need to fill and decide how you can help.

For more information about…

• Academy Soccer – Contact Matt Pierson at 220-7223
• Older kid soccer – Contact Tim Stevens at 223-3137

We encourage you to provide a link on your website directing visitors to view the videos on ussoccer.com, or to post the YouTube version [...]]]> Klinsman is the U.S. Men’s National Team head coach. During this extended interview, Klinsmann shares his vision for the program by discussing topics such as player development, team building and performance testing.

We encourage you to provide a link on your website directing visitors to view the videos on ussoccer.com, or to post the YouTube version of the videos directly on your website. The interview can be watched in full, or you can select individual topics to view.

Watch the interview on ussoccer.com – Entire Interview | Individual Topics
Watch the interview on YouTube – Entire Interview | Individual Topics

After six months in the position, Klinsmann forges ahead with instilling new ideas and building a team that will have a style of play that reflects the very best that the United States has to offer. To accomplish his goals, he continues to reach out to all members of the soccer community so that all voices will be heard.

“This process does not only belong to the National Team,” said Klinsmann. “I deeply believe that is critical we engage all the soccer constituents in this country, from coaches to fans to members of the media. After all, this team belongs to all of us! By continually exchanging ideas, we ensure that no stone is unturned in our effort to develop a team that represents what America is all about. More importantly, we are all inspired to continue to grow the game in the United States as best we can.”

Watch the interview on ussoccer.com – Entire Interview | Individual Topics
Watch the interview on YouTube – | Individual Topics

Grass is growing and Northside Park and Soccer Fields Project [...]]]>

Local contractor and adult soccer player Sean Darby – Bluestem Renovations and LYSA soccer players Kyle Lavender and John Bennett volunteered to install the new park benches, built by Park High School FFA students, at Northside Park.

Grass is growing and Northside Park and Soccer Fields Project (NSPSF) is busy getting ready for the Grand Opening of Phase 1 – scheduled for Saturday, August 27 from 1pm-5pm. Bring a blanket and some lawn chairs and spend a fun-filled day in the park with friends and family, and celebrate how a small town with a big vision can pull together as a community and make things happen. Some of the activities include a ribbon-cutting ceremony with a biodegradable balloon release, a soccer ball speed contest, a dunking booth, great magic tricks, kite demonstrations, and live music from Cool McCool and the Spies. Kids ages 1-10 years can bring a basket and hunt for winning soccer balls. Prizes and give-a-ways will be awarded throughout the day. Local food and beverage vendors will be available in the park from 11am – 5pm.

The Grand Opening celebration will kick off with awards for the winners of the Commemorative T-shirt Art Contest. Voted on by the Livingston Youth Soccer Association Board of Directors, Stella Edwards and Shannon Wilson’s T-shirt designs were chosen to be on Northside Park’s Commemorative youth and adult T-shirts. T-shirts will soon be on sale at the Farmers Market and around town, and will be available at the Grand Opening.

Raffle tickets are on sale now for three packages to be raffled off at the Grand Opening event. Three winners will be announced for a Frosty Fun Package in Yellowstone Park for two, a Guided Fishing Trip and Lodging in Historic Livingston, and The Ultimate Picnic Basket. Tickets are on sale now at several locations around town including: Livingston Veterinary Hospital, Conley’s Books & Music, the Best Western Yellowstone Inn, the Livingston Area Chamber of Commerce and at the NSPSF booth at the Livingston Farmers Market.

Phase 1 of NSPSF transformed over 7 ½ acres of weed-infested unproductive city land into a beautiful green landscape. Features of the park include over 50 trees, picnic tables and benches, a walking path – built to ADA standards – two full-sized soccer fields and a parking lot. A capital campaign is in full force to raise the $450,000 needed for Phase 2 – which includes developing the rest of the city property, installing more trees, picnic tables and benches, completing the pathway that traverses the park, two parking lots and a third soccer field.

The NSPSF Project is a collaborative effort between the City of Livingston and LYSA. For more information about the Grand Opening event or about the project visit www.livingstonyouthsoccer.org or follow the Park progress on Facebeook at www.facebook.com/northsideparkandsoccerfields. You can contact Jeff Dickerson at (406) 220-3011 or jeffdickersondvm@mcn.net

Great Prizes!

1. Blue-Ribbon Fishing in Paradise, with Dining & Lodging in Historic Livingston 2. A Two Night Frosty Fun Package for two in Yellowstone Park 3. The Ultimate Picnic Basket

Enter the Raffle to Win One of These Great Prize Packages:

1. You and a guest can enjoy a [...]]]> Tickets are $5 each, or 5 for $20

Great Prizes!

1. Blue-Ribbon Fishing in Paradise, with Dining & Lodging in Historic Livingston
2. A Two Night Frosty Fun Package for two in Yellowstone Park
3. The Ultimate Picnic Basket

Enter the Raffle to Win One of These Great Prize Packages:

1. You and a guest can enjoy a ½ day guided fishing trip on the Yellowstone River. Guide, flies and snacks provided by Anglers West in Emigrant, Montana (gratuity and fishing gear not included). Then stay at the Best Western Yellowstone Inn in Livingston and enjoy dinner and breakfast in Café Yellowstone. Valid August 27, 2011 – December 31, 2011

2. You and a guest can enjoy a “Frosty Fun Package” in Yellowstone Park. Provided by Xanterra Parks and Resorts, this package includes: two nights lodging at Old Faithful Snow Lodge, two breakfasts per person, one welcome gift per person, unlimited skating and unlimited ice skate rental, one Snow Card discount card per person (good for an additional 10% discount on select gift ship items, meals, tours and rentals) and round trip snowcoach transportation to Snow Lodge from the North Entrance. Valid through the 2011/2012 winter season (excluding holiday weekends).

3. The Ultimate Picnic Package – this package includes all that you and some friends will need to spend a fun-filled day at Northside Park. It includes: 1 kite, 10 daily lunch specials from the Pickel Barrel, a handmade picnic quilt to sit on while you eat your lunch, a handmade picnic tote to carry your lunches, a Northside Park and Soccer Fields logo Frisbee, a volleyball / badminton set, a croquet set, a soccer ball and a citronella candle. (Generously provided by Back Porch Quilts, Livingston Kite Company, Livingston True Value Hardware, Pamida and The Pickel Barrel.)

Winning raffle tickets will be drawn at the Grand Opening Event on Saturday, August 27, 2011
Entrants need not be present to win.

Two ways to purchase raffle tickets:
1. BY MAIL: We will need: your full name, address and phone and a check for the amount of raffle tickets desired written to NSPSF and sent to: NSPSF Grand Opening Raffle
c/o LYSA
P.O. Box 556
Livingston, MT 59047
Raffle tickets will be mailed within one week of receiving your check.

2. IN PERSON: Stop by the following locations:
Livingston Veterinary Hospital – 1104 East Park St., Livingston,MT
Best Western Yellowstone Inn – 1515 West Park St., Livingston, MT
Livingston Area Chamber of Commerce – 303 East Park St., Livingston, MT
Conley’s Books & Music – 106 South Main St., Livingston, MT

Thank you for your support!

The first part of the great news is that [...]]]> As the New Year begins, the future of the Northside Park and Soccer Fields Project (NSPSF) is looking bright. At the end of December, NSPSF Campaign Chairperson Jeff Dickerson received two very exciting pieces of information that will help facilitate building Phase 2 of the NSPSF Project.

The first part of the great news is that Mountain Sky Guest Ranch (MSGR) has offered a 1 to 1 matching grant of up to $100,000. The value of cash donations (not pledges) received during fundraising for Phase 2 will now be worth twice as much with this very generous matching grant. Tawnya Rupe, Director of the Mountain Sky Guest Ranch Fund of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, explained, “We are very pleased to continue our financial support of the development of this beautiful new park. We are also encouraged by the ability of this facility to help with Livingston’s economic development in hosting events such as soccer tournaments”.

The lower-than-expected cost estimate for Phase 2 is the second part of great news for this new city park.  New Phase 2 estimates of $400,000 – $450,000 are significantly less than the original estimate of $650,000 done in 2007. There are several reasons for the cost difference. First, some of the earthwork that occurred in Phase 1 saves costs in Phase 2. Second, the design of the park based on an “as-built” design for Phase 1 has allowed for the removal of a costly retainer wall. Finally, the original estimate for Phase 2 was created in 2007. Using the actual costs of Phase 1 construction, overall construction is expected to cost 15-20% less than the original 2007 estimate.

These two pieces of news together mean that the NSPSF Project needs to raise $150,000 – $200,000 by February 1st to allow the bid advertising to go out for summer 2011 construction. Phase 2 would then be open for public use 12 months after seeding to properly allow the turf to grow in. Once Phase 2 is open for public use, the Livingston Youth Soccer Association (LYSA) will be able to host soccer tournaments here in Livingston, and the park will be available for major community events that will bring people into Livingston. Phase 1 of the park, which was completed this past fall, already includes over 7.5 acres of new green space and grass, the south parking lot, a cement pathway along the west side, over 45 trees, picnic tables, park benches and allowance for the placement of two soccer fields.  Phase 2 will add more acres of park and green space development, trees, picnic tables and benches, a pathway that traverses the park, room for a third soccer field, the west parking lot and site preparation for a support building and east parking lot. All of this will complete the goal for converting the 18 acres of unused city land into public park space.

Area residents are encouraged to visit the park and see for themselves what a wonderful asset NSPSF is to the entire Livingston community. While the pathway is open for use, the grass areas (although now snow-covered) are at a critical growth stage and people are asked to refrain from walking on the grass until the park officially opens in August 2011.  The park is easily accessible from the new parking lot at the corner of North 14^th and Summit Avenue.

The NSPSF Project is a collaborative effort between the City of Livingston, LYSA, and the Livingston School District. In August 2011 and after the Grand Opening, Phase 1 will be accessible to everyone. For more information about the NSPSF Project visit www.livingstonyouthsoccer.org or contact Jeff Dickerson at (406) 220-3011 or jeffdickersondvm@mcn.net. You can also follow the park progress on Facebook at www.facebook.com/northsideparkandsoccerfields