PalumboSoccer

Soccer Club & Academy

Denise

Summer Camp – Week #1

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Is JPSA Summer Soccer Camp different from years in the past?…Yes and no.

Our day begins at the JPSA facility at 8:00AM with staff arriving for daily preparations.  The office staff is checking their lists, materials and necessities (PPE) for check-in, while the field staff is preparing tents with equipment followed by their daily discussion about the learning sessions that will take place throughout the day.  We find ourselves greeting campers for the day around 8:45AM at our secluded facility.

One variance this summer is the drop off setup upon arrival. As you make your way to our entrance you will notice there is a separation between entry and exit by a row of yellow cones.  The arriving path develops into 2 lanes so more cars can make their way in and prepare for the in car check-in process.  This outdoor car side check-in procedure is one of our newly implemented procedures due to the Coronavirus.  Once the cars reach the front of their lane, they are kindly received by our masked staff member!  Parents are required to wear a mask and possess their own personal pen to sign our daily Coronavirus waiver.  While the parent/guardian is signing the forms, our staff checks the temperature of the child to confirm they have no fever.  Finally the camper is on his way for hand sanitizer and reporting to his/her designated tent!  I want to thank all of the parents and campers for their cooperation with this procedure this week as it went smoother than expected for the first week of camp! The purpose of this method is to collect information and limit the amount of time people are gathering at the facility.

From here, our camp resumes a comparable agenda as many years before with a morning greeting before entering the first activities of the day.  The morning greeting is delivered to each group separately as we are dividing our camp into smaller groups to keep distances between the campers and staff throughout the day.  The feeling was more of 5 mini camps at the same location following a similar schedule and structure.  Each group had their own stories throughout the week on and off the field.  To be honest this is one of the biggest differences that we must get used to this summer.  Without a large gathering we are missing the connection from younger campers to older, where often times there are moments of learning from one another. It is always helpful when you feel a part of something larger than yourself or just your group.

The core principles of the camp have remained and were reinforced throughout the week when it comes to responsibility, respect and individual improvement.  Before our first day of camp there were concerns from staff and management about how potential issues would be resolved if they were to occur.  After this first week, I must thank all of our campers for arriving with the right attitude and demonstrating our motto of skill, sportsmanship and self-discipline.  You all impressed our staff by exceeding expectations in this area.

Next weeks blog will go deeper into the field sessions, off field activities and small-sided game details.  To all campers, welcome back to your home away from home!  We are looking forward to the weeks to come!

Yours in soccer,
James Palumbo

COVID-19 UPDATE – Official Statement

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COVID-19 Facility Procedures & Guidelines

WE ARE OPEN.... With specific guidelines and expectations due to COVID-19.

Joe Palumbo Soccer Academy and Just Play Soccer Club
COVID-19 Facility Rules and Regulations

General Recommendations:
Avoid touching your face
Frequently wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
Keep a distance of 6 feet apart from others
Masks must be worn at all times
Avoid contact with other individuals (shaking hands, hugs, etc.)
Anyone who has had close contact with a person known to have COVID-19 should not enter the JPSA facility.

General rules for all:
All individuals should do a temperature self-check at home and should not participate or attend if he or she has a fever of 100.4 or above.
Anyone who feels sick or has any symptoms of COVID-19 should not enter the facility.
ONLY 2 spectators allowed per participating player at any event
All individuals should disinfect their hands upon arrival and dismissal at the designated hand sanitizer locations at the facility. (See map at the bottom of this document.)
EVERYONE on the property MUST be wearing a mask except for players and referees DURING the match.
There should be no sharing of masks, hand sanitizer and water bottles.
Players, coaches, referees and parents must leave the facility immediately after the end of the game unless they/he/she are involved in the following match.

Player Guidelines:
Players must arrive and depart from training/competition wearing a mask.
Players must arrive prepared and ready to play 20 minutes before scheduled kick-off time of the match.
All players must wear a mask at all times, except when participating in a match or warmups.
There should be no sharing of masks, equipment or water bottles.
Social distancing on the sidelines with bags and equipment placed 6 feet apart.
No physical contact during celebrations.

Spectator Guidelines:
Maintain social distance (6 feet apart) during arrival, competition and departure from match.
Must wear a face mask at all times while at the facility
ONLY 2 spectators are allowed per participating player. (All ages included, adults/kids)
Spectators can only arrive 20 minutes before scheduled kick-off time of the match.

Spectators must stay in designated viewing area per team for the duration of the match.
Spectators are not permitted on the playing fields.

Coach Guidelines:
Must wear a mask at all times.
Ensure all players follow the guidelines including substitutes wearing a mask.
Social distance on the sidelines between players and coaches.
Staff passes, player cards, match day roster with photos and medical release form should be handled by the coach.
Maintain a complete list of team attendees at each match including date, start/end time, to be made available upon request from the local health department.
Leave fields right after the game.

During Match:
Team pre-game and post-game handshakes should be avoided.
Handshakes or contact in substitution should be avoided
No player, coach, or spectator should violate social distancing guidelines with a referee at any time.
All staff and substitutes must be wearing masks and remain socially distanced.
Home team will supply balls for the match.

Pre-Match and Post-Match:
Clubs must leave game roster attendance with the home team coach.
Referee contact information must be left with the home team coach.

Facility Rules and Regulations:

Our soccer fields are for registered, authorized players and coaches/trainers only.
Siblings and guests are spectators at games. For safety and insurance purposes, they may not use fields to play and must be supervised by an adult at all times.

For the benefit of the players, parents and guests should refrain from interacting with the players during practice and game times.
To encourage a positive experience for your soccer players, we ask that you not discuss any development or feedback with trainers or coaches during and immediately after practices or games.
Safety is always our priority and we ask that you make sure your players are fully equipped for all games and practices (shin guards, cleats, water bottles)
There are NO dogs or pets allowed in the facility and NO alcoholic beverages permitted.
Please do NOT let your children hang on the ropes, climb fences or rock walls on the property.
NO smoking or alcohol is permitted on the premises.
Visitors are NOT to bring any other sports equipment.
NO admittance in the construction area.
Drive slowly through the parking lot.
Stay OUT of the surrounding woods.

Final day in Portugal!

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We are going to Lisbon…

The final day scheduled in Cortegaca began with breakfast and a training session with Carlos and Nuno. This would be the last session for the week with them and was a lighter practice that involved some agility work, finishing, 1v1s and 2v1 with 3v2 transition. 

We had a tight schedule after training to eat lunch on the beach and make it out of there in time for the long trip ahead to Lisbon for the BENFICA game. It was our final lunch by the beach so the owner felt the proper send off meal was squid, chicken, rice and potatoes!  The lunch was delicious however everyone was caught by the view of the ocean and decided to take some photos and stay by the water before leaving!

We said our goodbyes and began the journey to Lisbon for one of the most exciting parts of the trip, the stadio da luz. Attending the Benfica game on Saturday night was a magical experience that the boys will keep with them forever. The game was sold out with 62,958 fans in attendance and this is not “tickets sold” this is the exact entrance into the stadium. The group witnessed not just a professional soccer game but a religion that is carried out through songs, chants, tradition and a sense of belonging!  The crowd adores Benfica and everything that goes with being a member of the club. The color Red, the eagle, the beer sponsor, you won’t see too many benfiquistas drinking super bock and the overall welcoming of people from all over the world into their sacred grounds and way of being.    

I could go on and on about the game in terms of technical quality and synchronized movement of players in attack and defense but I want to point out the moments that I find impressive in terms of the connection to the fans. 

The game was 40 minutes from kickoff and the fans were anxiously entering the stadium with many already in their seats. 10 minutes later there is a large cheer in the stadium as if a goal was scored but the game hasn’t even started yet…It didn’t take long to realize that everyone was following the score of the FC Porto game and waiting to celebrate the loss of their opening game. FC Porto is the biggest rival to Benfica in Portugal as they are the 2nd most winning team in the country after Benfica. The attention to the other game along with the reaction to their loss shows the competitiveness between the two clubs is at an all time high. 

Benfica supporters are educated in the game, appreciate hard work and sacrifice for the good of the team and have the expectation to compete to win every game regardless the opponent.  With that said there was a sign of compassion continuously demonstrated from the crowd when they noticed the difficulty involved in a play and a poor outcome. The reaction was a quick applaud rather than a whistle.  My clearest moment of this was around the 60th minute when Benfica began a counter attack with Pizzi on the left side and Seferovic and Rafa made about a 65 yard sprint to get into the best position to finish the attack. Pizzi played a perfect ball right into the path of Seferovic who had difficulty timing his connection with the ball while in stride of running. In the end the ball traveled well wide and high of the goal and a chance went wasted. A hunched over and disappointed Seferovic was supported by the fans because his effort was incredible. They were by his side knowing he wanted the goal just as bad as the fans did!  This type of response and support is earned over time when educated fans pick up the little meat details of players. It was satisfying to witness this act of kindness and support in such a tense environment when stakes are high. Seferovic did go on to score the 3rd goal of the game and you can credit a piece of that to his fans reminding him he is giving his best and another chance will come.  This romantic outlook to the game is something that is a part of me when watching soccer.  The smallest details can have a greater meaning to a person in soccer and life. 

The game finished with a score of:

Benfica 5 – 0 Pacos de Fereirra and the celebrations continued as the fans exit the stadium chanting, signing and smiling the entire walk to the cars! No one seemed to care for the traffic or slow exits but rather took in the satisfaction of 3 points at home to start the 19/20 Primeira Liga season!

After an experience like Saturday night the schedule for Sunday mapped out as follows:

Breakfast -> Baixa Lisbon touring -> Belém Lisbon touring -> Lunch & BENFICA STADIUM AND MUSEUM TOUR -> Relax -> Dinner in downtown Lisbon -> Walking the streets of Lisbon at night eating dessert, dancing, and telling jokes on the final night of the trip. 

The votes were taken and after doing both tours of the stadium and museums of Benfica and Porto the results are in; Benfica wins with 85% of the tour participants voting in favor of RED. With respect to both clubs there is so much history and the detail that goes into creating the museum and stadium to ensure there is a great meaning to the club is impressive. My personal opinion is that Benfica has a more elegant approach to their stadium and museum that is more appealing to a neutral person. 

The night ended with a meeting about the week of soccer they experienced here in Portugal . They had to express their greatest moment of the week along with demonstrating an appreciation for everyone involved in the trip. The boys were a pleasure all week and impressed our coaching staff and the opposing teams staff and players. Many are looking forward to the next trip. 

The boys flew back today and I’m happy to report they have landed safely and have reconnected with their parents. 

Until next time Portugal 🇵🇹 ⚽️

Portugal Day 5!! Another great day!

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A long day is followed by an early start as there is no time to waste here in Portugal. 

7:30am came quick for the boys who were coming off a tough game and late arrival back to the hotel but all of them were on time for breakfast and ready to depart. 

We needed to make it to Espinha sports complex in time for a 10:00am kickoff against a Japanese team who has been here for a couple of weeks training for their upcoming season.  Before the game started they were kind enough to give a gift to every player on our team as well as a club Pennant. The game was one-sided however with our boys in control of the match from the beginning. The score ended 6-0 in favor of JPSC. 

The game was followed up with a lunch with the opposing team near the fields and a chance for the boys to play more in one of the smaller fields.  We had to them transfer to our next training session which would be run by Individual Football Training. This company is a training company for players throughout the area and all of Portugal to assist in their development. Bruno Fernandes is one of the bigger name professionals to have trained with the company. The session was run well with 4 coaches running similar exercises minus the goalkeeper. Jason got the best workout out of the entire team with a goalie trainer that was one of the best I have seen. The technique in his distribution, his communication and motivation were top notch and high energy throughout. 

After training, we made it back to the hotel for an earlier dinner than normal which was good as the boys were starving. This would be our final dinner at this hotel as we are off to Lisbon tomorrow after training. We will be visiting the Champions of Portugal Benfica for the opening game of the League!  We are very excited about the game and it will be another chance for the boys to see a live match of one of the best clubs in the world!

We will try to capture as much as possible on the Instagram story!

     

Day 4 in Guimaraes

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Not all rainy days are bad…

We woke up to a dark and cloudy sky with the rain pouring down on the balconies of our hotel rooms. I’m sure the boys enjoyed a little extra sleep however the view outside was looking like the day ahead would be difficult to manage.

We decided to spend an hour at the nearby mall to give a chance for the players to walk and shop for their family members back home.

We finally started our journey to Guimaraes around 11:45 am. Guimaraes is the location where Portugal was born. A famous city that is known for this important moment in history as well as the crazy passion for Futebol and their club Vitória Sport Clube aka: (Vitória de Guimaraes). We went straight to lunch at one of the famous restaurants in the city that hosts professional teams in the area for team meals.

They offered a choice of steak or chicken complemented with pasta or rice and neither options disappointed. It was fuel for the group to head back down the hill to the main city. Shout out to our bus driver Isabel who happens to be the best bus driver in all of Portugal with 5 Balon d’or driving awards!

After a few pictures by the castle and a look at the Guimaraes stadium, it was time for the players to head to the second game of the trip! The sun never really came out today but this game was for sure the brightest moment of the day. The boys were up against Sub quinze A team of Vitória de Guimaraes. A team that competes in the National division of their age group and competes with Porto and Braga as the top clubs in this region. The team is made up of local, distant and international players that have been scouted and handpicked to be a part of the club. 

The challenge was there for the boys and they lived up to it by tying the game 1-1 in a match of 3 periods of 30 minutes.  Brandon Velasquez scored the goal for JPSC in the 21st minute to take the lead. The game was 1-0 up to around the 75th minute where Guimaraes ties the game off a free kick played quickly in the center of midfield. It was a well deserved 1-1 tie with a high-level team and top Academy in all of Portugal. The boys should be very proud of their efforts tonight and looking forward to a final challenge coming tomorrow. 

If the game wasn’t exciting enough the highlights continued for the day with a dinner next to the Guimaraes B team who competes in the 2nd division of professional Futebol here in Portugal. The players were nice enough to take a picture with the boys!  

Finally, we said our goodbyes to Edu, who is a younger player from S.C. Salgueiro’s who joined us these past few days. He was a player who got into the group nicely in terms of respect and talent level. I wish Edu the best of luck in his upcoming season and we all feel happy to have met a new friend!

On to day 5 tomorrow!

Day 3 in Cortegaca!!

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Cortegaca is home to us!
Today was another early start for the boys with an 8:15 am breakfast. The rules for all meals is that everyone must be present before anyone can go up for food or order depending on if it is buffet style or at the restaurant.  This is a reminder that we are a team and we must do things together throughout this time abroad.  The challenges on the field in training and games will be difficult so it is important to get the littlest thing right like being on time for a meal and respecting your teammates.
I was proud of the boys in training today as it was a double session with Carlos and Nuno who had planned to challenge the boys in many ways but began both trainings with a fun activity.  This was a good tactic by the coaches as it loosened the players up. They looked more comfortable to express themselves and show their excitement for being at training. The session in the morning was very technical, with various small-sided games.  I got the chance to speak with the president of the club Cortegaca and owner of FutPark, Sergio Oliveira for the duration of the training.  He filled me in on how fast they have been growing in the past 5 years and his vision for the future.  He reminded me a lot of myself and how our Academy has progressed in the past 7 years with the stories of his sacrifice, passion, education, and overall mindset.  It is no mistake that one of their 12-year-olds will not be returning to the club next year because he has signed with Benfica and will be a resident at their all year round football campus.
After training, we made our way to a nice restaurant on the beach for a choice of octopus or pasta bolognese.  Both dishes were delicious and the players and supporters finished everything that was offered.
The weather was not the best today for a beach day, but it was a great temperature to train.  We found ourselves taking a walk on the beach before the second training session and a few of the boys were brave enough to enter the freezing ocean for a swim.  Others were fine on the shore writing JPSC in the sand. We then killed some more time at a local park before heading to the 2nd session.
Training session #2 was more detailed than the morning practice as they progressed for a fun warmup activity to separating the defenders from the midfielders and forwards while the Goalkeepers trained on their own as well with a goalie trainer.  The objectives were clear to the players of what they wanted to achieve in the session.  The defenders were shown certain movements that were expected to be performed and at what times, while the midfielders and forwards worked on their mobility off the ball and timing of runs to receive in space before scoring.  All of them reconnect for the last 45 minutes playing one game of 6v6 with 3 goals for one team to defend and 2 goals for the other team to defend in a pace that was 48 by 60.  After they finished with an 8v8 game that showed some good habits and signs of what was worked on in training.
Dinner was the final event of the day before returning to the hotel around 10:30 pm.  The meal was at the same location as lunch and delivered again with food and some discussions on upcoming transfers and who the players and coaches think is some of the current top players in each position.  A long day out for the players and supporters but a productive day in Cortegaca for the purpose of this weeks trip.
Tomorrow will be a later start as the team will stay local for the morning to rest before traveling to Guimaraes to have lunch, tour the city and play our second game of the week.  We are all looking forward to tomorrow!
 

Day 2 Porto!

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A day in Porto…

The second day of the trip began with an early breakfast at the hotel before heading to the stadium of FC Porto for a tour of the stadium and Museum. 

FC Porto is Benfica’s biggest rival in Portugal and challenges them every year for the title. As many of you know, our Academy is supporters of Benfica and work with them on various projects abroad and at our home fields. These tours are to give a total soccer education and experience to the players and today was a day to show how competition makes everyone better!

I have had the pleasure of touring the Benfica Stadium and Museum multiple times and used this as a comparison for today’s experience. There were many similarities that show me that the clubs are keeping tabs on each other. Taking what they like or noticing what works for one and making it their own. This is a necessary skill of any competitor in the sport, business, and life in general. Whether it was how we entered the stadium or the darkness of the room we were in there was a reasoning behind each step of the way through our tour. I respect this in-depth thought when it comes to the supporter experience, non-soccer fan or rival entering their home. They have pride in their colors, history, and people and must make others feel that presence each time they visit.  The special tributes and rituals are to be announced and celebrated in hopes of growing a passion from fans or respect from rivals. The videos, trophies, statues, books, mascots, and more than the boys saw today are all existing because of competition. I know many FC Porto fans are not too fond of Benfiquistas and vice versa but recognize without one another pushing to be better we wouldn’t enjoy these beautiful experiences. 

Which brings me to how delicious lunch was. We ate lunch at one of the best restaurants in the area that opened up their second dining area across the street just for us. a simple meal was delivered with chicken, rice, salad, fish filet but the privacy of the lunch and intimate feel of having a balcony view with a one-man service who was working tiresomely to deliver plates 6 at a time was appreciated. With that appreciation comes admiration for one mans hard work and a good word that gets past along about how we were served. They opened specifically for us as it was in the off hours of their weekly schedule. Again, competition drives people to go to lengths that are not often reached. When going the extra mile becomes part of the routine that is a true improvement. 

Finally, the competition for our boys on the field came at 16:00 against FC Porto. The opportunity to play against an Academy team of a successful and historic club like Porto is a win, to begin with. The professionalism was evident and expected. Leading up to this game, the boys were nervous and unsure of the level that would be displayed but preparing for a tough challenge. Our opponents ended up being a younger squad of 14-year-old mix and the B group of this division. We won the game by a score of 4-2.  The score doesn’t tell everything and the age of a player is often confused with the level. These boys had good technique in the fundamentals of the game, structure, organization, communication and a fearless mentality. These “B” players are selected from not just all over Portugal but throughout Europe and into Africa. Many of the players are receiving room and board to be a part of the FC Porto school. Physically they could not match up of course and I feel we were a good opponent for them to work on things before heading into the season. For us, It was a game that will most likely be the lightest of the week here in Portugal.

Tomorrow will be a double session with trainers Carlos and Nuno who have expressed that the boys must be ready. I am anticipating a tough 2 sessions in the morning and afternoon back at our favorite home base Futpark in Cortegaca.

Tune in tomorrow! ⚽️

PORTUGAL TOUR DAY 1

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Portugal are the current European champions and most recently champions of the 2019 UEFA Nations League on the men’s side of soccer! 

It is with great pleasure to return to a country that is proving to be a leader in the game in terms of senior team trophies and youth development. There are ambitious clubs throughout the country who are starting projects that are strategic, passionate and geared towards youth development.

Today was the first day of our JPSA Portugal 2019 tour with our U15s preparing to push themselves all week with intense training sessions and games with top-level opponents.  The day has been a long journey with a 6-hour flight to Lisbon and a 3-hour bus ride to Porto.

After arriving in Porto we went to a restaurant for lunch before heading to the first training session of the week. Although the travel was long, the session was prepared to challenge the boys. 

Futpark and Club de Cortegaca welcomed us into their facility for the session. This is our second time at Cortegaca and again we felt at home led by the president Sergio. Cortegaca might be a small club but if you look at their facilities and hear of the plans they have for the next 4 years it is no surprise that they already have one of the top U11 teams in the country and 5 players have just gone on to Benfica, Sporting and Braga for the next step in their development. 

The training session for the boys today:

Part 1: 

  1. Technical free dribbling in small space
  2. Mobility, coordination, agility
  3. 1v1

Part 2:

  1. 4v2 with Transition
  2. Positional game with an emphasis on defensive shape and how to prevent and force into areas as a team with 2 target players and 3 counter goals

Part 3:

  1. 8v8 Game!

After training, we made our way back to the hotel for dinner and call it a day before more challenges and exciting events come our way. 

Talk tomorrow!

Friday Training sessions at JPSC!

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B2010 – James/Brian ||| B2011 – Joe/Jaime

Tonight’s practice was once again, a work of art!  It’s unbelievable how disciplined these 7 and 8 year old athletes performed in the session!  Tonight’s theme involved 15 minutes of personal ball ownership with intent to pass and receive, the follow-up was a sequence of dribbling, passing, and receiving exploring various areas of the field to produce attacking, dribbling, back passing, and changing point of attack to end with a pass to a player positioned to receive and shoot on goal!

I’m sure that a visual would have been better than this explanation!

At the same time, Jaime worked with the goalkeepers on basic coordination and movement as it relates to protecting the goal!  Jaime emphasized footwork and mobility as well as eye/hand coordination by teaching catching and distributing the ball.

Jaime showed his expertise in this area by creating an environment which challenged our young keepers and the variety of exercises deployed kept them focused and hungry for showing a good performance!

Practice culminated with four teams of 5 playing a round robin tournament which was won by the team led by Anthony Rui Patricio, Ascenso!

Our youngest JPSC teams B11 Red and White Topolini, are a joy to teach!  Their ability is unblemished and if they stay disciplined and focused, as well as patient, the potential is there to create future stars in the game!

Thank you Jaime, and Parents: Thank you for getting the kids to practice and continue to praise their effort which will help in their development.

B10: James and Brian!  I did not see the practice but looked awesome from a distance!!

Just Play Soccer Club – Yesterday’s Training!

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Yesterday’s training was absolutely spectacular! 

Thursday is my day to supervise, participate and evaluate our staff!

This great spectacle was twofold:

  1. Our staff was well prepared and ready to teach and inject passion into the exercises that were performed by our JPSC players in various age groups! This helped to reinforce our motto and kids responded! I was particularly impressed with our staff’s physical involvement in exercises and demonstrations.  Aaron even guided play last 15 minutes of practice by entering the match and physically showing his technique so players could imitate it!  A valuable tool in development!

2. Our players, for the most part, were prepared, on time, and ready to work!  One slight imperfection, which I had to address to all teams at the end of practice, was the play-like attitude that some on each team displayed and subsequently caused a distraction in training!  For the most part, it was a pleasure to witness the energy of our players and self-discipline put into each exercise with conviction and attitude that they’re here to prepare to compete and not just on a play-date to socialize with their peers!

I really enjoy watching our JPSC teams train and very proud of the work our staff is displaying.  I look forward to this weekend’s games so our kids can display the skills learned in competition on Saturday and/or Sunday!

Yours in Soccer,

      Joe Palumbo

4:30 pm
Boys 2009 Red: Aaron
Boys 2009 White: Jaime
Girls 2008: Brian/Denise
Girls 2009: Brian/Denise
Boys 2007 Travel: Diego

6:00 pm
Boys 2009 Premier: Aaron
Boys 2007 Premier: Diego
Boys 2008 Premier: Brian
Boys 2008 Travel: Jaime/James
Girls 2007 Premier: Denise/Joe

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