Thinking about buying or selling your house? Here’s a chance to help the Carlisle Soccer Club and it won’t cost you a dime.

Carlisle soccer parents Deric and Kathy Kidd have teamed up to offer a fantastic deal for home buyers and sellers..and the Carlisle Soccer Club. When you buy or sell your home with Kathy, a Realtor with REMAX Opportunities in Ankeny, she will donate 25% of the net Realtor professional fees to the Club in your name. When you finance (or refinance) with Deric, a senior loan officer with Academy Mortgage in Urbandale, He will donate up to $400 of the banker’s fees.

Buying a $180,000 home, for example, would mean a donation of approximately $1,400 to $1,600 to the Club with no cost to you! If Kathy sells your home and helps you buy one, the donation could be more than $2,500!  

This offers applies when you buy a home, sell a home, or refinance. There is no increase in fees to cover these contributions. This offer applies to anywhere in the Des Moines metro and surrounding communities, so tell your family, friends and co-workers. It’s just the Kidd’s way of giving back to the community.

For more information contact:

Kathy Kidd, Realtor
REMAX Opportunities
515-689-5478
kathykiddrealtor@gmail.com
www.UandYourHome.com

Deric Kidd
Academy Mortgage
515-979-9564
deric.kidd@academymortgage.com

Late last week, the Iowa Soccer Association unveiled plans to build a $6 million, 100,000-square-foot State Indoor Training Center (SITC) in the Des Moines Metro area. The facility will be built on the west end of Southridge Mall which is located on Des Moines’ south side.  A joint venture of Iowa Soccer and the Iowa Barnstormers Arena Football franchise, the SITC is envisioned to serve the statewide soccer community year-round from a centrally-located facility.
 
Plans for the SITC include a regulation 360-foot by 195-foot synthetic turf soccer field, which also accommodates an official 200-foot by 85-foot arena football field. In addition, the facility offers office and meeting space, audio/visual facilities, a concessions area and a coaching education center.
 
The SITC will enable Iowa Soccer to expand its Indoor Championship Series, host state and regional college recruiting events and tournaments, host regional ODP events, train and develop top players through the Iowa Olympic Development Program, offer National and State coach education courses (USYS National Youth License, USSF C-License, NSCAA Regional courses), offer state-level referee courses and provide the statewide Iowa Soccer community with a centrally located year-round athletic facility.  In addition, Iowa Soccer plans to expand its special needs programming (TOPSoccer), underserved-population sports programming (Soccer Across America) and offer a number of Level 3 festivals and events.
 
Iowa Soccer believes that the existence of the SITC and its resulting programming will help create a higher profile statewide for soccer as well as more opportunities to play, which will, in turn, help Iowa Soccer affiliates improve participation numbers.
 
Funding for construction of the SITC is being sought through private donations and public grants. Operated through a separate nonprofit, the Iowa Sports and Wellness Foundation, ongoing maintenance and operational expenses for the Center will be self-sustainable with the infusion of new income and operational revenue generated from Iowa Soccer Association activities, the Iowa Barnstormers, facility rental, and individual usage fees.
              
The SITC Campaign Committee initiated a capital campaign in late November and initial fundraising efforts are focused on major contributions of $50,000 or more. To learn more about the project and how to provide support, visit www.IowaSITC .com, “like” the facebook page, “follow” the tweets, or contact Ian Bradley at the Iowa Soccer Association at (515) 252-6363 ext. 102, ibradley@iowasoccer.org.  

We had another great year at the Des Moines Arts Festival. Nice weather on Friday night and Sunday afternoon meant there was a good crowd. Saturday night’s cool temps didn’t scare anyone away, either. 

Total tips for the beef and wine tent staffed by Carlisle Soccer volunteers totaled $1422.11!  That’s nearly $400 more than last year! And we still are weeks away from receiving 15% of our sales for the weekend.

Thanks to all those who gave their time, energy and enthusiastic support to our efforts, including: Joel Pech, Joshua Baxter, Suzie Stewart, Ken Sadler, Melissa Sadler, Joe Fortelka, Ellen Towne, Ricardo Alverio, Gaylene Rick, William Rick, Regina Overton, Steve Overton, Mark True, Suzanne VanVeen, Kevin VanVeen, Paul Gruber, Dixie Staecker, Tom Staecker, Jake Whipple, Vicki DeMoss, Paul DeMoss, John Kamerick, Tiffany Kamerick, Marek Sobieszkoda, Clint Smalley, Melody Jutting, Dan Jutting, Dawn Payne, Brian Payne, Kyle Brown, Mellannie Brown, Connie Larson, Michele Manders, Cheryll Polley, Brownie Polley, Krista Beck, Mark Beck, Brendie Polka and Bill Polka. And we can’t forget the tireless work of our director of fundraising, Lisa Wilson, who managed the whole process.

Please keep your calendars open next year. We don’t have an exact dates but the Arts Festival is usually the last weekend in June. We appreciate all our volunteers did for our club and look forward to having you help again in the future.

We are really trying to raise a lot of funds within the next few months to get help get our irrigation in the ground. So, if you have any ideas or are willing to help in our fundraising efforts please let Lisa know.

The Complex has changed a little bit since you left the last game last fall. We’ve installed our new sign at the new entrance and put up a new fence in the northwest corner of the complex to separate the cars from the fields.

That means that the new entrance is at the center of the complex. So, when you arrive at the complex from the west, drive east, past the old entrance to the center gate. When you enter, turn right. You can park facing the fence – to the south – or facing the road. Please enter through the center gate and exit through the west gate.

We have six marked handicapped spaces near the pass through gates…please leave those for our guests who have handicapped tags on their cars.

At the far west side, there is a chain in the fence for emergency vehicle access, so please do not park in front of that area. There’s also a no parking zone near the concession stand so that vehicles can get through that area. There are no lines on the dirt and grass, so please use common sense when choosing where to park.

And if someone asks you to move your car, assume that they are doing it for a good reason and smile! We want to make this a great experience for EVERYONE that comes to Carlisle, including those from out of town.

Click here to go to the Greater Des Moines Junior Soccer League field directions page so you know how to get to those away games this spring!

More than a dozen hearty souls showed up on Saturday morning, March 26th, to get the soccer complex ready to greet players, their families and other visitors the weekend of April 2nd and 3rd.

The set goals, installed nets, placed goals and player benches, finished setting the new parking lot, marked fields and cleaned up the grounds.

Thanks to the following for giving up their morning:

David Gutierrez
Terry Krchil
Ryan Woodruff
Joe Fortelka
Ken Sadler
Ben, David and Jenetta Dawson
Mark and Carson True
Rob Brewer
Troy Alleman
William, Gaylene and Katy Rick

The Ricks also dropped off four bags of cans to be redeemed for the Club. Remember, We have a large bin near the entrance for you to put your redeemable cans and bottles. All proceeds go back into the complex.

See you on the 2nd and 3rd!

The U.S. Soccer Foundation has awarded a grant to the Carlisle Soccer Club, Inc. to support the first phase of its irrigation project.

The U.S. Soccer Foundation is the Major Charitable Arm of Soccer in the United States. On January 14th, 2011 it awarded 63 grants totaling $2.5 million to non-profit organizations serving youth in 30 states. Since its inception, the U.S. Soccer Foundation has awarded more than $54 million to groups, both large and small, in all 50 states.

The 2011 grant awards reflect the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s focus on improving the health and well being of children in underserved communities. The awards will support programming, coaching and equipment for players and the construction of safe playing fields that will facilitate the continued growth of soccer in the United States.

“This grant confirms and supports the work we’ve been doing for the past three or four years to create a fantastic soccer facility in the Carlisle area,” says Mark True, Club president. “We upgraded our well pump and motor last year, and this grant will help us complete the next step….automatic irrigation for about one-quarter of the complex.”

“We’ve also reconfigured the new parking area, installed part of the fencing and installed a new permanent sign at the main entrance to the complex as indicated in our master plan completed last year.”

The grant is in the form of a $13,000 irrigation equipment voucher from Hunter Industries. Volunteer project managers are currently working with local vendors to create an installation schedule with the hope that the system can be installed by this summer.

“The U.S. Soccer Foundation is proud to support each of these projects that keep our youth active, healthy and engaged in activities that provide a positive alternative to negative influences,” said Ed Foster-Simeon, President & CEO. “By supporting the development of programs and safe playing fields, we help ensure that children in underserved communities have easy and affordable access to quality soccer programs that support their physical and personal development.”

The U.S. Soccer Foundation receives support provided by members of its Partners Resource Center, a team of soccer industry leaders that includes Eurosport, Hunter Industries, Musco Sports Lighting, The Toro Company, and Sport Court.

The Foundation awarded 17 Footprint Fields Grants to develop new FieldTurf soccer fields in communities across the country. The Footprint Fields program, supported by adidas, FieldTurf and MLS W.O.R.K.S., Major League Soccer’s community outreach initiative, is aimed at growing the game of soccer and providing safe, sustainable playing spaces in underserved communities.

About the U.S. Soccer Foundation
The U.S. Soccer Foundation is the Major Charitable Arm of Soccer in the United States. Established in 1994, the U.S. Soccer Foundation has invested more than $54 million, supporting projects in each of the 50 states. The U.S. Soccer Foundation supports programs and field building projects that provide low income and at-risk youth in urban communities with soccer programs that promote education, healthy lifestyles, leadership and positive alternatives to drugs, crime and other at-risk behaviors. For more information, or to donate online, please visit ussoccerfoundation.org/donate.

With the installation of 300+ feet of fence at the complex, we’ve created a high-visibility location for placing banners in front of 500 prospects every week!

Do you own a business or know a business that would like to reach that many soccer fans every week during the season! We have the space. Banner placement costs $100 per eight-week session ($200 per year). We also have three premium spaces near gates for $150/season.  You can buy one or more seasons and we’ll hold your banner between seasons, or you can get them back BETWEEN seasons for other marketing opportunities.

Don’t have a banner? Carlisle’s Etc.Graphics can make you a 4′ x 8′ Airflow banner for just $165 (the price quoted on the recent direct mail piece was incorrect!).

If you’d like to support Carlisle soccer, please contact Mark True at 556-1574 to make arrangements. The season is just two weeks away so act quickly to make the most of the spring season!

Things are changing at the Carlisle Soccer Complex. Last fall, we installed 300 feet of fence between the new parking lot and the fields on the west side of the complex. This week, we completed installation of the new, permanent identification sign at the center entrance. Both projects were funded by grants submitted by the Club to the Carlisle Community Foundation and the Warren County Philanthropic Partnership last year.

We also were awarded a significant grant from the United States Soccer Foundation to help with the beginning of our in-ground sprinkler system installation. Your board is currently working on a projected schedule and we’ll have more information for you when we get it.

The new sign marks the new entrance to the complex. From now on, visitors will enter from the center entrance and turn either east (u14 field) or west (u6, u8, u10 and u12 field). This is the first step toward the implementation of our master plan introduced to the Club last fall.

If you want to help us continue improvements at the complex, please plan on attending our work day scheduled for Saturday, March 26th. Many hands make lighter work for all, as they say, and we’ll be getting ready for the spring season.

The Carlisle High School Girls Soccer team will be collecting gently used soccer gear to be donated to children in Afghanistan as a part of Operation Outreach, a group dedicated to helping children and families in that war-ravaged country.

Items of consideration are any old uniforms, articles of soccer clothing, used shoes, socks, old soccer balls, etc. Nancy Thorpe, a parent of one of our players and huge fan of our program and soccer in general, has agreed to collect the items at her home in the Easter Lake area of Des Moines.
Please feel free to call Nancy at 515-402-0157 to arrange a time to drop off your donations.

The due date for the collected items is Saturday, January 29th. For more information on how the donations will be distributed please visit the group’s website.