Pure soccer produces pure enjoyment

The Sun sports game of the week was an Anna Maria Island Community Center’s Instructional League 4-5-year-old soccer game. The game was so much fun to watch and reminded me how innocent and pure the game of soccer can be when you take the competition out and emphasis instructional fun.

This game featured the Air & Energy team vs. the Beach Bistro team. Both volunteer coaching staffs deserve much praise on how they guided and instructed their teams with character and class. It is not an easy job instructing four- and five-year-olds and requires a great deal of patience. The assistant coaches did an equally great job in handling the bench players while players waited to enter the game. Especially when the post-game snacks are by the bench and within reach.

On the field it was pure fun, and it was a good thing each team was in uniform or the fans wouldn’t be able to tell which way the players were supposed to be scoring. Players would sometimes shoot at a goal just because they were close to it, not realizing it might be the wrong way. Four-year-olds laughing while they dribble and five-years-olds rolling around in the grass,just because, are common sights.

No score is kept, and everyone, including the fans, is a winner at this field. It is only appropriate that everyone be mentioned in this team effort. For Air & Energy: Coach Nate Talucci; players Kate Davis, Sullivan Davis, Ava Harlan, Payton Harlan, Jordan Roberts and Natalie Talucci. For Beach Bistro: Coach Esther Mattick; players Isabella Denaro, Emerson Edixon, Brenna Heckler, Jonathan Kinkle, Chloe Mattick, Jackson Mattick and Aiden Rickerson.

The last game of the year is Friday for this age group. If you like to laugh and watch these little tikes play soccer, then Friday will be the last chance. The season’s final games for this age group are at 6 and 6:30 p.m..

Adult co-ed soccer results

Pink & Navy Boutique  6
Moss & Bernard Construction  0
Frank Agnelli and Josh Petitt each scored two goals apiece. Aaron Parkin and Lindsey Weaver scored one goal apiece. Hampton Harrison and Petitt each had an assist, and Scott Rudacille had 11 saves in goal for the Pink & Navy Boutique shutout win. Ryan Moss had eight saves, and Omar Polar had eleven saves in goal for the Moss & Bernard Construction team.

Wash Family Construction  7
Island Pest Control  2
Damir Glavan scored four goals. Kris Yavalar scored two goals, and Zoran Kolega scored one goal. Greg Ross had an assist. Don Purvis had eight saves in goal, and Max Gazzo had two saves in goal for the Wash Family Construction win. Rico Beissert scored both goals, and Mark Pennell had 13 saves in gal for the Island Pest Control team.

Jessie’s Island Store  1
Florida Discount Signs  0
With less than one minute to play, Matt Plummer scored the only goal of the game on a Zach Gilliland assist. Nate Talucci had 11 saves in goal for the Jessie’s Island Store win. Troy Shonk had eight saves in goal for the Florida Discount Signs team.

Sato Real Estate  4
Slim’s Place  4
Diego Filipe scored two goals. Lexi Braxton and JT Goode each scored a goal apiece. Jeff Christianson had an assist. Diego Filipe and Jason Sato each had right saves in goal for the Sato Real Estate tie. Nate Coleman and Danny Anderson each had one goal and one assist apiece. Tyler Krauss and Sean Sanders each scored one goal apiece. Tyler Bekkerus recorded eight saves in goal for the Slim’s Place tie.

Adult co-ed Soccer schedule:

Nov. 1, Thursday, 6 p.m., Moss & Bernard Construction vs. Florida Discount Signs
Nov. 1, Thursday, 7 p.m., Wash Family Construction vs. Sato Real Estate
Nov. 1, Thursday, 8 p.m., Jessie’s Island Store vs. Slim’s Place
Nov. 1, Thursday, 9 p.m., Pink & Navy Boutique vs. Island Pest Control

Youth Soccer Results:
Division III (8-10-year-old)

Tyler’s Ice Cream  2
Best Buy  1
Daniel Sentman and Gianna Sparks each scored a goal apiece for the Tyler’s Ice Cream team’s win. The Best Buy goal was an accidental Tyler’s scoring on themselves.

Lobstah’s  2
American Marine  1
Allie Connely and Jack Grooves each scored a goal apiece in the Lobstah’s win. David Daigle scored the lone goal for the American Marine team.

LaPensee Plumbing 4
Tyler’s Ice Cream  4
Sam Bowers scored three goals and Ben Brashear added one goal for the LaPensee Plumbing team’s tie. Daniel Sentman scored three goals, and Ava Alderson scored one goal for the Tyler’s Ice Cream team’s tie.

Division II (11-13-year-old)

LPAC 11
Wash Family Construction  2
Tyler Pearson scored seven goals. Sullivan Ferreira scored two goals. Benjamin Calhoun and Zach Fernandez each scored one goal apiece for the LPAC win. Cortni Wash scored both goals for the Wash Family Construction team.

SteamDesigns  8
Wash Family Construction  1
Nico Calleja scored five goals. Willow Cooper, Olivia Glavan and Gavin Sentman each scored one goal apiece for the SteamDesigns team victory. Ben Connor scored the lone goal for the Wash Family Construction team.

LPAC  5
Jen Crady Massage  2
Zach Fernandez scored three goals, and Tyler Pearson added two goals for the LPAC team win. George Lardas and Cameron Pasco each scored one goal apiece for the Jen Crady Massage team.

 

Division I (14-17-year-old)

West Coast A/C & Heating  4
Edgewater Realty  1
Thomas Powers scored two goals. Jonah Caster and Carolyn Cullinan each scored one goal apiece for the West Coast Air Conditioning & Heating win. Max Driscoll scored the only goal for the Edgewater Realty team.

Youth Soccer schedule
Instructional League (4-5-year-old)

Nov. 2, Friday, 6 p.m., Bowes Imaging Center vs. Air & Energy
Nov. 2, Friday, 6:30 p.m., Beach Bistro vs. Firkins
Nov. 5, Monday, 6 p.m., Awards Ceremony

Instructional League (6-7-year-old)

Nov. 2, Friday, 6 p.m., 7-Up Game (Only 7-year-olds)
Nov. 5, Monday, 6 p.m., Awards Ceremony

Division III (8-10-year-old) PLAY-OFFS

Nov. 2, Friday, 6 p.m., 5th seeded team vs. 4th seeded team
Nov. 2, Friday, 7 p.m., 6th seeded team VS. 3rd seeded team
Nov. 5, Monday, 6:30 p.m., Awards Ceremony

Division II (11-13-year-old) PLAY-OFFS

Nov. 6, Tuesday, 6 p.m., 3rd seeded team vs. 2nd seeded team
Nov. 6, Tuesday, 7 p.m., 4th seeded team vs. 1st seeded team
Nov. 5, Monday, 6:30 p.m., Awards Ceremony
Division I (14-17-year-old)
Nov. 5, Monday, 6:30 p.m., Awards Ceremony

Adult co-ed Basketball results

Island Real Estate  70
Gator Man Pools  68
Matt Ray had a double-double with 37 points and 12 rebounds. Teagan Purtill added 10 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists. Matt Dwyer had 9 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist for the Island Real Estate team win. Evan Wolfe scored 29 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Sean Hubbard added 21 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists for the Gator Man Pools team.

Agnelli Pools & Spa  55
Eat Here– 33
Brent Moss had a double-double, scoring 19 points with 15 rebounds. Chad Woods added 13 points and 5 rebounds. Jordan Demers also had a double-double with 12 points, 13 rebounds and 4 assists for the Agnelli Pools & Spa victory. A.J Green scored 13 points and had 4 boards. R.J Mizell had 10 points and 7 rebounds for the Eat Here squad.

Best Buy  78
The Feast restaurant  62
Antwaun Jackson had a double-double with 37 points and 14 rebounds. Tyler Bekkerus scored 18 points with 3 rebounds and an assist. Brandon Kern had 14 points with 3 rebounds and 3 assists for the Best Buy win. Michael Haynes scored 21 points, 5 rebounds and 1 assist, and Nate Coleman added 19 points with 2 rebounds and 2 assists for The Feast Restaurant team.

Adult co-ed Basketball schedule

Oct. 30, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.,Agnelli Pools & Spa vs. Gator Man Pools
Oct. 30, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m., Island Real Estate vs. Best Buy
Oct. 30, Tuesday, 8:30 p.m., Eat Here vs. The Feast restaurant
Nov. 6, Tuesday, 7 p.m., 3rd seeded team vs. 6th seeded team
Nov. 6, Tuesday, 8 p.m., 4th seeded team vs. 5th seeded team

 

Asking the author

One more Vegfest next weekend as the only author/speaker in San Diego, then my book tour slows for the holidays. Book tours do that to avoid cold weather and busy holiday commitments.

Yesterday was Orlando’s VegFest and my dear husband, Clarence, joined me once again and helped me at the book author’s signing table all day. Once again, my book outsold the others.

As another wistful author kindly told me, “It’s such a good topic. Everyone cares about the economy and learning how to save on food prices, no matter what kind of diet it is.”

I also believe my ability and desire to stay at the author table all day helps a great deal too. People want to meet the author and have a connection that goes beyond the book cover. I’ve spoken to other authors who agree with my assessment that I could probably write a book on all the things people say at that moment when they ask you to sign their book. All good. All kind.

And I know I was there years ago too, along my zigzag journey picking the brain of the author, trying to get some kind of free diagnosis from a doctor or author who had insights that I knew my mainstream doctors were missing because they never took a single nutrition class in medical school.

Let me say that if I get questions going down that path, I stop right there and spout my disclaime – I am not a doctor or dietician. In my capacity as a certified personal trainer and running coach, I can review your eating in a food and exercise diary, but I can’t prescribe a specific menu plan with meal details.

I always encourage clients to check out www.nutritionmd.org, where you can pick out appealing recipes, look at the nutrition analysis and then design a menu plan. And even more cool, it spits out a shopping list. All for free. Many websites charge for this kind of service. It is how I’ve eaten for the past 32 years, more or less.

At Orlando’s VegFest, one book buyer was a nurse who told me she worked with diabetic patients, especially underserved and impoverished children. She was effusive on how my book had helped in her work. She implored, is there anything on your website that really tells your story? Quickly and generally, there is, I answered. But as I thought about it, not the details she was requesting.

So here goes. People always ask how long it took me to write my book or when did I start. My straight answer is that I started researching food prices in earnest about four years ago. The flip answer is, I began writing when I was 5, when my aunt died of breast cancer in our home.

Family reunions would take place at hospitals when a relative’s major life-threatening disease would bring relatives in from the surrounding geographical radius. Then we would joke about what wing of the hospital would get paid for with that relative’s current hospital stay and treatment.

It was no accident that I have vivid memories of someone from the hospital’s endowment department making a point to get by our relative’s room before checkout. Indeed, our family was golden.

Don’t get me wrong. Hospitals and dedicated professionals can accomplish miracles. I understood my family’s appreciation of whatever days or years could be added onto a lifespan that might otherwise have been shortened. My parents enjoyed their 64 years together, in part, accomplished by hospitals and doctors.

But as I rewind the video, based on my own gene-defying accomplishments, it is only natural to wonder how much pain and suffering could have been avoided if a hero doctor like Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. Caldwell Essylstyn or Dr. John McDougall had said to them like they did to me and others, “Try a plant-based diet then call me in the morning.”

As I write and say, “There’s no money in broccoli, no broccoli board, association, lobby or corporation that makes it. When you understand that, then you understand why you have to be your own investigative reporter like I was for 18 years in Des Moines, St. Louis and Miami and figure out the truth about food and what’s right for you.”

Chapter Two next week.

Some other ways to save racing and training:

You can get serious discounts, as much as 75 percent off, by registering for a race earlier. But if there’s any chance you won’t make it, then it’s no bargain.

If you join a team, the entry fee can be cheaper, and you get the same shirt, finishing medal and goodie bags.

Join a running club for training if you don’t want to hire a personal coach. Many running stores have running clubs and offer significant discounts on merchandise if you join. Some even give you free entry fees if you wear their shirt.

But really, stay tuned into your body as you run with the pack. Sometimes, you may find yourself running to keep up and not even be aware that you may be running faster or harder than is optimal for you. As I say as a coach/trainer – everyone is different.

You can follow Island resident Ellen Jaffe Jones on her Facebook page and keep up with her just released book:,"Eat Vegan on $4 a Day," or her website: www.vegcoach.com. She is also a nationally certified personal trainer and running coach. For training in a gym or private hire, contact Ellen at ejones@vegcoach.com or 941-704-1025.