Disco Lowther

I am sure we all need a vacation as a result of the -34 degree wind chill we have enjoyed over the past 3-4 days or so BUT I am sure reality suggests that most of us will wait it out here. I will do my very best to warm you all up now; however, you may need a warm drink to do the job instead.

Our good friend is back from Vegas and rather than describe his adventure I have attached a few pictures from his trip. I trust you are all capable of filling in the blanks and I would encourage you to comment as deemed necessary:

After receiving the FedEx -



The Before shot -



The After -



Rumour has it there exists a video of Shaun demonstrating his now "World Famous" dance move on the Strip; however, no one has been brave enough to send it.

Enough of Disco Lowther let's move on to the announcement of our Tier 3/4 coaches whom are another upstanding group of volunteers whom do immeasurable amounts of work within this club.

We will mix it up and start with the Boys:

U18 Pegasus - Andrew Mardon. Mr Mardon by all accounts was a great player back in the day and a firecracker of a competitor leaving no referee with any dignity whilst representing North Shore Pegasus at Kinsmen Stadium in the Vancouver Metro Soccer League which is somewhat amusing as he currently referee's here in Calgary. I can't lie though - great player, excellent coach but shocking referee. Andy has coached with nsdsc and one of our founding clubs Calgary Celtic for many seasons and has always done an admirable job. All that is left to do is get him out of that Blue Celtic jacket and into some nsdsc gear but that could prove a tougher task than escaping his wrath as a referee:



Mardon in action -



The team itself has had a roller coaster season and are off to Inter Cities A March 12-13 here in Calgary where I would bet on them to win a medal of the Gold variety.

U16 Magpies - Tim Dunn. Finally an nsdsc team named after our beloved Newcastle Untied and better yet coached by a Newcastle United supporter - fantastic! Tim Dunn took the Head Coach reigns from Scott Thomas and Steve McCrum halfway through this past season and has done a good job with a young team fighting as a first year team in the age group. We all very much look forward to seeing what Tim can do this coming outdoor season as his wealth of knowledge, playing experience and charisma can only benefit the team. Welcome to the club Tim we are fortunate to have you.

U10 Sounders - Kevin Lemke. SWAG. I was not familiar with the term "Stuff We All Get" until I met Mr. Lemke but I like it. So the club and more importantly the U10 Sounders SWAG will be the quality experience Coach Kevin provides his teams. Moving up from U8 where his expertise was a massive benefit to our U8 program we will look to see Kevin again work his magic as he has in the past with teams such as our Rebels 00. Another loyal club supporter and all around great guy you can bank on a great season for the newly formed nsdsc sounders.

The club will also field 3/4 teams at U18 Venom, U14 Gryphon's and U12 Drillers dependant on registration numbers and as such we will announce coaches accordingly.

Now the Girls:

U18 Fury 93 - Bruce Tumbach. With just one season left in their minor soccer careers there is not a better man to lead the soon to be graduate Fury than Bruce Tumbach. A man possessing qualities suggesting he is from Nelson British Columbia possessing a personality more laid back than a lazy-boy chair in permanent recline. Jobs, boyfriends, summer vacation, graduation NOTHING will phase Coach Tumbach they will keep marching to that drummer at whichever beat they choose. Well done ladies and enjoy this your last season of youth soccer.

U18 Velocity 94 - Stephanne Demers and Peter Rogi. Another Batman and Robin tandem or is it it Toopy and Binoo possibly Tom and Jerry. Whichever it it is you wont find two more polar opposites at the helm of a team which is why it works so well. This team has done a great job as a first year team at U18 and both Peter and Stephanne have the girls playing some great stuff and look to the future with plenty of AMBITION. The Velocity will push to Tier 3 this coming season because they have already decided to do so.

Rogi & Demers -




U16 Alliance 95 - Lewis Steeves. An all out club guy whom attends absolutely everything - coach clinics, coach socials and coach scrimmages. Is it for the post session pop or........yeah it probably is. Lewis pushed this group into Tier 3 and although it has not ended the way he or the team has hoped he has done a great job. A very strong coach whom coaches for all the right reasons and without doubt one of our "top shelf" people whom make this club what it is. I believe the team will again qualify for Tier 3 this coming outdoor and I know the competitor that Lewis is will climb the Tier 3 ladder without looking back.

U16 Orioles 96 - Doug Bretin. First year head coach and what a season - wow! Currently undefeated in Tier 4 play offs and destined for a March 10 play off to determine ASA provincial berths. All this from a 96 team competing first year in the age group and doing so in style. We are ecstatic that Doug decided to take the reigns and even more so with the news that he is returning - well done Coach and well done girls!

U14 Dynamite 97 - Steve Dowhanik. Boom! What a team, what a coach. I ask all of our coaches to submit post match reports to help me out with whom is playing well, how things are going and what we could do better. Absolutely no one in this club goes into greater detail than Mr. Dynamite himself should I share a sample line? Here is his best line - "The Dynamite is a great team! A not-so-humble opinion. It's a fact."

And I have to tell you I agree. Coach Steve is one of our very best - loyal, committed, passionate and oh so very bright. He has lead this team from Tier 6 to Tier 5 and now to Tier 3/4 and it is not accident. See his quote above it's true.

U14 Chargers 98 - Claudio Quinteros. He's baaaaaaaack! The Chilean Sensation himself. Without doubt one of our most popular coaches and best personalities Coach Quinteros is back after a one season hiatus to resume his fine art of coaching. Claudio knows the game, is fiercely loyal and very much popular with his players. The Chargers have been fantastic this season and will only look to grow under Claudio's leadership. The team and the club are both lucky to have him. Welcome back Claudio.

U12 Velocity - Jim Curley. Love this team, love this coach and so looking forward to what magic Jim can bring to an already quality Velocity team. A strong side currently sitting in third spot of the Tier 4 play off round and have had the benefit of several strong coaches over the course of their early development and we feel as though this will only continue under Coach Curley. An nsdsc veteran and member of founding club Calgary Titans Jim is an active club member, as he oversees our senior program and sits on the club board. Not many members give more to the club than Jim and we are grateful that he will once again offer his expertise to this group if fine ladies.

We will also add a new U10 C team the nsdsc Eclipse and will announce the coach dependant on child placement.

That's all another great crop of fine nsdsc coaches. I will look to post Tier 5/6 at the conclusion of evaluations as we have several coaches with players whom just might be on one of the teams mentioned above.....stay tuned and stay warm!

Troye Flannery

Viva Las Vegas

I look forward to scribing the proceeding blog as it is my opportunity to be able to announce our Tier 2/3 coaches for the coming Outdoor Season. It is a duty which I feel fortunate to undertake as I am most proud of this group of fine men, whose contributions to the club are as abundant as their popularity amongst players and peers.

But I digress - I am short on material to continue to point out the many obvious flaws of our very own Shaun Lowther as he is away in Las Vegas; absence, I am told, makes the heart grow fonder - yuck. Shaun claims the trip is all business as he is there with the 1994 Saints for the Las Vegas Showcase; however, my researchers tell me the tournament starts Saturday whilst our Shaun has left Wednesday morning - hmmmmmmmm.

Update - Shaun left his Celine Dion Vegas Show ticket on his desk - should I send it? No friends don't do that to friends.

Here we go the Tier 2/3 crew -

Hey Ladies:

U18 Solar - yes, I know, it is TBA and I would love to AIT (announce it today) but I can't. This guy is good - really good, so good he is worth the wait and I know he knows that I know he will do it. Anyhow this group of ladies will be a combined team of 1993 and 1994 born players whom aspire to finish their youth soccer careers on yet another successful high note. This will be without a doubt one of the strongest 2/3 entries in the city as the club has no shortage of talented athletes to build this team whom will excel under their mystery coach.

U18 Force - Bob Marescaux. Coach Marescaux and his assistant Dick Nyenhuis have done an admirable job with this group of ladies with consecutive Tier 2 berths after strong seeding rounds and continue to push the envelope with this competitive group of young ladies whose continuous strong defensive play looks to add a little flair to their attack. Rumour has it Coach Marescaux may bring both his son and daughter on board to get their feet wet in the coaching world and I have little doubt that both have plenty to offer and are also upstanding people.

U16 Angels 95 - Dennis Steele. This one is simple, Dennis seems to have founded a cult - ironically populated by Angels - consisting of followers who are proud to call him coach. Dennis is loyal, committed, driven and an incredibly nice guy; whilst possessing a strong love and passion for the game he devotes those same traits to his players. This has spilled throughout his squad whom all attend, work hard and strive to improve with every outing. The top of the Tier 2 league table, where the team currently stands, is no accident and it leaves little doubt that this team will be a Provincial force in a few weeks time and again in the summer. We are lucky to have Coach Steele as is this team. Simply put - Thanks Dennis.


U16 Saints 96 - Justin Cordick and Colin Loewen. Despite what all would agree upon was a disappointing seeding round which found the team in tier 3 after exhibiting potential to win tier 2, the team has rebounded and is cruising through the play-off round. I have had this group several times at Academy and have been impressed with an abundance of individual talent more times than not. Coach Cordick and Loewen have done a great job and now the individual talent is knocking the ball around like the tidy team they can be. Justin Cordick is an accomplished player, a great coach and club guy whilst Colin Loewen is as committed as anyone we have in this club and climbing the coaching ranks fast. I look forward to what these two can do this coming season and venture to guess it will end with a medal.

U14 Cardinals 97 - John Finney the legend, the man, the leader of the flock. Okay Cardinals might be the worst team name in the club but who cares when you have John Finney involved. This guy is a rock star and one of many very favorites - sorry needs to be stated. Since I have been with the club January 2009 I have yet to receive a complaint about John which is rare in the thankless world of volunteer coaching. The team is succeeding under Coach Finney's direction and will make a big step from 3/4 to tier 2/3 this coming season and I have a sneaking suspicion they wont miss a beat and will be just fine.

U14 Saints 98 - Kevin Hogg; another legend. Kevin is about to start another journey after bringing our U18 Heat through the ranks with much tribulation. With past work unrivaled I am most excited to see what Coach Hogg can do with this young team bristling with ambition and plenty of Vigor. The Saints are truly a treat to work with as past coaches have done well to install the right culture on the team and this next chapter should be exciting for all involved.

U12 Saints 00 - Ray Smith & James Forrest. One negative - Smith is a Liverpool supporter. Moving along and trying to to consider the travesty that Is Liverpool I am proud to imply that both Ray and James have done a great job with the young Saints. The team is athletic, dynamic and bright - a treat to train and I am sure a treat to coach as well. This group continues to improve and has established the right culture within the team which in the end is the best tribute one can pay to the quality that is this coaching tandem. I very much look forward to the coming season to see what the team does to top the success of last seasons outdoor campaign.

U10 Nova - Stefan Dei Cont - Love this guy, love this team. The wee Nova are making strides; lots of them and will do battle at U10 B up from C this coming outdoor season. Coach Stefan is a firecracker and has the little ones currently undefeated in the playoff round with a majority first year team. Dei Cont has done lots of good work, assembles a good coaching staff and has developed a solid team first mentality with the Nova and I will not be surprised if we see this team in the A bracket as they age to the second year of U10 next fall. Keep it up Nova!

Boys in the hood -

U16 Storm 95 - Mike Babineau. A true club guy Mike has done a great job not only coaching but putting together a team capable of competing in Tier 2 whilst in an age group short on numbers. Mike left no rock uncovered in his pursuit of players for a team which in the end has exceeded all expectations turning many heads every step of the way. I sincerely hope his good work is rewarded with a provincial berth as they remain in the hunt, but none the less we are proud of a job well done regardless. I will suggest the strong showing this current indoor season should bring some players Mike's way this coming Outdoor where he can do what he does best and coach a team without worry of numbers.

U16 Roughnecks 96 - Ben Day & Trent Tucker. I lied when I said the Cardinals could be the worst name in soccer; it's not - Roughnecks most certainly tops the 'worst name' list. Another list the Roughnecks might top is the worst dressed coaches list - no Ben I am not referring to Trent but yes I am referencing your cargo shorts in minus 30 degree winter weather.

Roughneck Facts -

1. Ben is nothing like his father Stockwell, whom appears to be a well spoken, articulate, intelligent and caring man. Ben is by contrast bombastic, abrasive and really really funny.

2. Karen Day deserves an award. The salt of the earth.

3. Trent Tucker is a good guy and good coach.

4. Both Ben and Trent have done a great job in taking the Roughnecks from Tier 3/4 to Tier 2/3 and have competed every step of the way. I had the pleasure of working with the Roughnecks this past week on two occasions and I loved it. They are athletic, hard working and keen to improve - Brilliant.

U14 Rovers - Duanne Wilson & Dennis Steele. Two quality club guys, two quality coaches, two quality people with whom I have the utmost respect for. Duanne in particular recognised a need for the club to put together a stable 2/3 team for the club and has commenced a project worth of much praise. He has put together a hard working team keen to improve, brought Dennis Steele on board to help coach and has organized not just a team trip but a club trip to Phoenix this spring to get some pre-season training underway. Phenomenal! A class act and a class group of young men.

U12 Spurs 99 - Dave Perry. We get lots of feedback about Dave and all of it is great. Just today I had a parent in the office after a season away for the game and the first question asked is can we be on Dave's team. Dave has done a great job with this group whom were in much need of stability in the form of quality coaching and Dave has provided this and more. We are lucky to have him and continue to look forward to the progress he makes with this group of lads.

U12 Rebels 00 - Sheni Janmohamed & Tony Anderson - abcdefghijklmonopqrstuvwxyz - just in case I missed a letter in Janmohamed or Anderson as it is a tongue twister. I quite like working with this group and continue to see improvement as they are a good team bristling with a very bright future. Coach Sheni and Coach Tony are both committed, talented and have immense ability which is evident when you see how the team responds to their coaching styles. The team will continue to improve technically in this environment and will without doubt climb the ladder that is our Tier system as they are going in the right direction.

U10 Celtic 02 - Scott Thomas. This team is a treat and Scott deserves much credit as he has managed to keep a team made up of 2-3 different age groups, wide variety of ability and interest together in what times was a trying season. BUT they have gotten better and better, and with a smaller roster due to the additional teams entered in Outdoor 2011 this group led by the talented, positive and charismatic Scott Thomas will bust out and have heads turning this season. Scott was the man behind a U8 team that competed in U10 C last summer and his wee soldiers will look to battle in U10B this year despite being the first year of the age group as they are athletic, talented and ambitious. Don't turn your heads because you'll miss a piece of magic if you do.

U10 Strikers - Sean Petryna & Jamieson Sawka. Another Batman and Robin duo wildly popular with both players and parents alike. Graduated of the nsdsc/celtic soccer program they are two young men whom have given much back to the club by offering their services with the Strikers. They have moved from U10 C to B and continue to compete, improve and have fun. I can't be more impressed by both Sean and Jamieson for their contributions or quality of service. The youngsters whom play for these two upstanding men are fortunate and will reap plenty of rewards.

There you have it - our Tier 2/3 program. I will update you on the 3/4 program shortly.

Regards, Troye Flannery.

Lowther for President.....

Shaun Lowther should be President of something. Anything in fact. He is great, he is good, he is awesome.

Sorry, evidently my password settings are too generic and the Prez as he refers to himself snuck a few lines.

Down to business. Below you will find a quick snap of Shaun and I working hard in the office. Don't be smart it's obvious as to whom is who. If you still confused refer to previous posts for a hint or several.



We have closed our Tier 1 coach application process and have posted the coming season staff; however, I will get a little more specific here as to whom is who here.

Girls, girls, girls.

Our Saints Program (Tier 1 Girls) will once again include the Alberta Major Soccer League Saints Women and will again be coach by Shaun, Jamie and I. I will lead the charge and look for support from Shaun and Jamie when and where needed as as their busy schedules permit. The team is fresh off an Outdoor Provincial Silver Medal where they were a 1-0 loss away from a trip to the CSA National Championships. The team features several Mt Royal University and University of Calgary stand outs and is always bolstered by Calgary based NCAA Division 1 athletes home for the summer. If your involved with a girls team you should get them out to support the AMSL Women as these are players whom are already playing at a post secondary level in which many of our youth players aspire to do.

The U18 Saints are once again fortunate to be led by Shaun Lowther and his very fine assistant coaches Dean Drozdiak and Leo Visser. Many of these young players are on their way to Fall soccer scholarships to schools such as UBC, UFV, Mt Royal and so forth thus I would expect the summer to be one with plenty of driven performances. We will in fact field two sides with an A and B team regardless of birth year.

At the U16 level Coach Greg Wilkes will return to finish a job that he started this past Fall. The team has made steady improvements as Coach Wilkes continues to iron the details required to have success at this level of play. The team has begun pre-season travel plans with an organised trip to Abbotsford this Spring. The team will receive quality training from TWU, UFV and UBC coaches in addition to play local Langley and Abbotsford Metro Select teams. Coach Wilkes has his eye on some Tier 2 talent in the club with several young ladies vying for spots on this team set to move up the ranks this Outdoor season.

The young U12 Saints will see a new face on the touchline this summer as Coach MacDonald steps aside for some much deserved rest and relaxation - hopefully. Scott has done a great job in the push to Tier 1 from 2/3 and the team will look to build on a positive foundation. New coach Stephanne Demers is passionate, charismatic and experienced and will very much continue the good work. Shaun Kain will once again serve as an assistant coach to form a coaching tandem as formidable as any in the league. I will suggest again that some talented 2/3 players will push for spots at the Tier 1 level which will bolster this side beaming with potential.

Once of our very best recent coach acquisitions has to be Tara Hengst whom coaches our U10 Saints - wow what a brilliant job she has done with this young group. The team is rolling in Tier B this indoor season and will make the well deserved jump to Tier A this coming season. These young girls are organized, competitive and increasingly technical. Fantastic to see and will be a treat to follow in their development.

The Bhoys.

Jamie Pollock is back to coach the upstart U18 Celtic 94 and again will work with the fiery Christian Mirkovic with a team that has exceeded all expectations with a committed blue collar indoor season. I have been approached by rival club officials on numerous occasions commenting on what a tough group this is to play against. I am proud of this group and how they represent us and remain most impressed with both Jamie and Christian or is it the Ying and the Yang.

The U16 Rangers 96 CSA National Silver Medalists are once again led by the dynamic duo Scott McGeoch and Jorge Forno. This team is exceptional and truly has closed the gap on the 95 age group whilst remaining the team of choice at the 96 level. Sound defensively, tough as nails, with a more than adequate knack for timely goals this is our flag ship boys team more than deserving of the Celtic name but very much content to be Rangers. The team will travel to Bolton this spring with the Celtic 98's and Celtic 99's as they look to continue their dominance in development.

The U14 Celtic are coached by yours truly and could very well be the polar opposite of their older club siblings the Rangers as I can not say we are sound defensively or tough as nails although we certainly possess an abundance of flair, exceptional goal keeping and rare athleticism and technical ability. This young team has all the ingredients to one day be special with several big tournament championships and a provincial championship under their belt already and an indoor season thus far that many marvel about with respect to how competitive they are with the older, bigger, stronger 1997 teams. As mentioned above the Celtic 98's will make their second consecutive trip to Bolton this spring which is an example as to how serious this group is about excellence.

The U12 Celtic 99 are coached by Jamie Pollock and Just Cordick whom bring an exceptional one two punch to a team ripe with potential. Considered one of the top 99 teams in the city this group has some quality characteristics. The 99's pass the ball as well as any team in the club and are very organized defensively whilst possessing a roster blooming with several exceptional players. The team is in their second year of Tier 1 already and has always been pushed to the top by the club and I would fully expect the team to challenge for a Provincial Championship this coming season. The team will also travel to Bolton this spring which will only solidify what is a promising horizon. As is the case with several of our Tier 1 teams I do know of several 99's currently playing Tier 2/3 whom are making strong cases for inclusion onto this side which should make for an eventful and successful campaign.

We could very well have another strong entry into U12 Tier 1 as Coaches Simon Crebbin and Paul Selway have the Celtic 00 playing some exceptional stuff and having a most successful indoor season. It is not a stretch to suggest that the Celtic could win a Tier 2 Provincial Championship with a roster of 00's whom have always been successful and bolstered by a few 99's whom provide the perfect recipe of bite, athleticism and ability. A fantastic team, well coached and another reason to suggest that this club is set to make plenty of noise.

Our U10 Celtic 01 are led by Batman and Robin - Visser and Whitney. Leo and James the dynamic duo responsible for developing many of our now older boys are again returning to work with a group rich in pure talent and plenty of spirit. Plenty of quality youngsters here and just a matter of time before this becomes a group that the city will rave about as we already do. The team will once again battle in a strong Tier A league and continue to move forward under some truly first class coaching as a team put together for the first time this fall. Looking forward to it.


Rumours, rumours, rumours.

I will be quick as this might be a record for my longest entry. For the record I have resigned from Calgary United FC as in short - the time commitment was overwhelming and I feel as though time spent with my young family and with this truly great club is a much better choice. I very much enjoyed CUFC, appreciate all of your fan support and wish them well but as I said the commitment to family and nsdsc is first and foremost.

I will be back soon to break down our Tier 2/3 program.

Regards, Troye.

Zipper Jacket, Zipper Boots and Paddington Bear?

Okay here go a fresh start in a promising New Year that is 2011.

Despite the New Year,potential for fresh blogging content and the overwhelming feeling of rejuvenation which includes a strong desire to return to my blogging ways at a more frequent pace I have concluded in a short time that some things may never change. Let me explain:

As I bobbed and weaved through post holiday traffic thinking of all the little things to turn into bigger things in this very blog post I was completely convinced that I could in fact write a blog minus the brutal attacks on Shaun's self esteem. Then it happened - I walk into the office yesterday to see Shaun minus his club issued apparel which is generally black for obvious slimming functionality to see him wearing what was either a terrible Christmas Gift, Shaun deciding to shop for himself or worse Shaun bidding on items at the Michael Jackson auction! You can decide for your self as I have taken the liberty to post a photo of his new jacket:



Oh and it gets better some several hours letter after dropping a pen on the floor I was horrified with when my glance under the desk produced Shaun's matching Zipper Boots!



Truth be told I do feel somewhat responsible as I have been guilty of poking fun of Shaun's previous jacket which I refer to as his Paddington Coat - Shaun rarely gets defensive but I have not seen him wear his Paddington coat since I last pointed out the similarities between him, his coat and the bear:



Okay at the risk of digressing I will move along - A confession of sorts. Grandma and Grandpa graciously bought the Flannery Clan a Nintendo Wii for Christmas including a Wii Fit program. The short of it is when setting up the Wii Fit it asks you to stand on a platform which is a balance board/scale to my understanding. The computer than proceeds to sketch your likeness in a cartoon like character on screen. Despite my lovely albeit petite brides tears after seeing her apparent likeness on screen I decided to step on the scale and allow the Wii to give a go at my portrait. Two things - I am neither WEE nor FIT. Subsequently I purchased a new office chair - actually two - one each for Shaun and I:



Okay on a serious note and yes it is possible. A special thank you to Shaun and Cindy for a fantastic job on the Christmas Futsal events and congratulations to all whom participated in some first futsal exhibitions. I firmly believe that these types of events are the kinds of things that can set our club apart from others.

Shaun has already sent a note to our members briefly highlighting the year that was past so I will instead look ahead. We have several teams in contention for Provincial and Inter City births, plans for significant tournament travel club wide including an Outdoor preseason training trip to Arizona that Duanne Wilson has so kindly spearheaded for the club. Not failing to mention the three teams Celtic 99, Celitc 98 and Celtic 96 who will head to Bolton on tour this Spring. Whoops it's actually Rangers 96 - I could go back and change that but it's more fun if I don't. Who's top of the SPL table? Whoopsie. All in all some exciting times on the Horizon as we continue to grow our culture and community within the club.

Finally at the risk of offending anyone whom I fail to mention I wish to point out a couple of our coaches/club volunteers whom go above and beyond in making this club what it is. Coaches Stephanne Demers, Duanne Wilson, Dennis Steele and Leo Visser are truly irreplaceable club guys and I am so proud that they choose to wear our club colors. Whenever we are short, in need of coverage or require a set of eyes for neglected spots within the club these guys are there putting in the time and putting on a brave face for the club. They have been staples through seasons of transition and possess loyalty which is sadly rare in the culture that exists within the sport in this country. Thanks Guys as you don't hear it enough. Finally I would like to recognise Tammy Little outstanding contributions to the club perhaps in bias as she does manage a team in which I coach but her work with NSD through Bingo's, Casino's, Managing a team and playing a significant role in planning the trip to the UK as well as housing the Bolton Staff when they are here is unrivavled. Thanks Tammy.

Now I know there are other's - many other's whom play such roles in this club so here is the challenge - remain patient - they will be recognised.

Cheers, to the coming year and good luck to all on and off the floor.