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RECENT EPISODE: TACTICS WITH TROY – CORDELL CATO

RECENT EPISODE: TACTICS WITH TROY – CORDELL CATO

Ottawa (Canada) — The Charlotte Independence won a fourth-consecutive league game on Saturday night in dramatic fashion as midfielder Yann Ekra broke a scoreless tie in the 83rd minute. The Independence jumps to 4th place in the USL Eastern Conference Standings and ends Ottawa Fury FC's six-game unbeaten streak.

After a scoreless first half, the Independence broke the scoreless game in the 83rd minute as Yann Ekra found the back of the net. The goal was his third in the last four league games and follows a USL Team of the Week selection for Week 11.  

Independence goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra kept the Ottawa Fury FC offense off of the scoresheet for his second clean sheet of the season. He made three saves on the evening including a critical punch in the 71st minute.

The Independence will carry their four-game winning streak to New York Red Bulls II for the third away match of a four-game road trip.  Currently 6th on 17 points in the Eastern Conference Standings, the meeting will be the first of the season for New York and Charlotte. The Independence official watch party will be held at Jack's House Soccer Bar and Retail store. More information online at jackshouseclt.com.

Scoring Summary:  83': CLT – Yann Ekra              Discipline: 55': OTT – Adonijah Reid (YC)      90': OTT – Eddie Edward (YC)

Shots: CLT – 7 OTT -14   Saves:  CLT – 3 OTT – 0   Possession: CLT – 68.3% OTT – 31.7%

 

Next Game: 

Ottawa (Canada) — The Charlotte Independence won a fourth-consecutive league game on Saturday night in dramatic fashion as midfielder Yann Ekra broke a scoreless tie in the 83rd minute. The Independence jumps to 4th place in the USL Eastern Conference Standings and ends Ottawa Fury FC’s six-game unbeaten streak.

After a scoreless first half, the Independence broke the scoreless game in the 83rd minute as Yann Ekra found the back of the net. The goal was his third in the last four league games and follows a USL Team of the Week selection for Week 11.  

Independence goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra kept the Ottawa Fury FC offense off of the scoresheet for his second clean sheet of the season. He made three saves on the evening including a critical punch in the 71st minute.

The Independence will carry their four-game winning streak to New York Red Bulls II for the third away match of a four-game road trip.  Currently 6th on 17 points in the Eastern Conference Standings, the meeting will be the first of the season for New York and Charlotte. The Independence official watch party will be held at Jack’s House Soccer Bar and Retail store. More information online at jackshouseclt.com.

Scoring Summary:  83′: CLT – Yann Ekra              Discipline: 55′: OTT – Adonijah Reid (YC)      90′: OTT – Eddie Edward (YC)

Shots: CLT – 7 OTT -14   Saves:  CLT – 3 OTT – 0   Possession: CLT – 68.3% OTT – 31.7%

 

Next Game: 

I'm Matt Danaher, creator of SoccerPulse, and I wanted to wait a few months before writing my first blog about how we’ve been using SoccerPulse with the Charlotte Independence, because when you are working with data and a new team, it’s important to make sure you understand the context for the data, as well as the players who are submitting the reports. 

Now seemed like an appropriate time to give everyone a glimpse into how we’ve been using the app day to day, and the positive impact it has had on the team thus far. 

We currently sit 5th in the table with 17 points from 10 games. We are 3 points out of 2nd with 2 games in hand on Charleston in 3rd, and FC Cincinnati in 2nd. We’ve won our last 3 games in a row and are looking to make it 4 this weekend against Ottawa on the road. 

All good news, especially considering we are currently 2 players away from a fully healthy squad (knock on wood), both of which will train fully this upcoming week. 

Using the data in the app, we’ve been able to implement some individual and team periodization to training, without having to change the tactical objectives of Independence Head Coach Mike Jeffries. We also have an idea of which players typically need more rest than others and baselines for what players typically report as the intensity of training and the intensity of games.

We take all this into account when adjusting for sessions, to ensure players are fit but also fresh for the match on the weekend. We also make sure to take into account the external factors, which might impact players and our preparation. 

We define external factors as circumstances which are beyond our control, but which will need to be accounted for, as they could have a negative impact on performances. 

This includes:

1. Training surface (grass or turf)
2. Weather (especially humidity)
3. Travel (from the prior game and the upcoming game)
4. Sleep (caused by travel or late bus trips)
5. Player Circumstances (playing time/return from injury)

These factors are extremely important because they will dictate how long we can train for on any given day. 

For example, last weekend we had our first road trip since April, a 5-hour bus ride to Richmond, and a flight to Ottawa on Friday. We also had some very intense rain each day, which forced us to train on turf. Given the training surface, travel, and sleep of the players, we knew that we’d need to shorten the session each day this week, to not only regain the freshness of the players but also to limit the amount of fatigue they would pick up. 

I’m Matt Danaher, creator of SoccerPulse, and I wanted to wait a few months before writing my first blog about how we’ve been using SoccerPulse with the Charlotte Independence, because when you are working with data and a new team, it’s important to make sure you understand the context for the data, as well as the players who are submitting the reports. 

Now seemed like an appropriate time to give everyone a glimpse into how we’ve been using the app day to day, and the positive impact it has had on the team thus far. 

We currently sit 5th in the table with 17 points from 10 games. We are 3 points out of 2nd with 2 games in hand on Charleston in 3rd, and FC Cincinnati in 2nd. We’ve won our last 3 games in a row and are looking to make it 4 this weekend against Ottawa on the road. 

All good news, especially considering we are currently 2 players away from a fully healthy squad (knock on wood), both of which will train fully this upcoming week. 

Using the data in the app, we’ve been able to implement some individual and team periodization to training, without having to change the tactical objectives of Independence Head Coach Mike Jeffries. We also have an idea of which players typically need more rest than others and baselines for what players typically report as the intensity of training and the intensity of games.

We take all this into account when adjusting for sessions, to ensure players are fit but also fresh for the match on the weekend. We also make sure to take into account the external factors, which might impact players and our preparation. 

We define external factors as circumstances which are beyond our control, but which will need to be accounted for, as they could have a negative impact on performances. 

This includes:

1. Training surface (grass or turf)
2. Weather (especially humidity)
3. Travel (from the prior game and the upcoming game)
4. Sleep (caused by travel or late bus trips)
5. Player Circumstances (playing time/return from injury)

These factors are extremely important because they will dictate how long we can train for on any given day. 

For example, last weekend we had our first road trip since April, a 5-hour bus ride to Richmond, and a flight to Ottawa on Friday. We also had some very intense rain each day, which forced us to train on turf. Given the training surface, travel, and sleep of the players, we knew that we’d need to shorten the session each day this week, to not only regain the freshness of the players but also to limit the amount of fatigue they would pick up. 

Although the sessions were shorter, players had the option to do extra work specific to their position at the end of training. This gave players the appropriate options if they believed they needed more rest or more work, depending on their personal circumstances.

Reducing the duration is one of the easiest ways to lower training load because players always want to train at a high intensity, so it’s tough to tell a player not to train hard. It is also easier to implement because you can plan the session as normal, but reduce the number of sets, or the total time of the games. 

As the daily wellness reports come into SoccerPulse, I can see that most players are feeling better today than they typically feel prior to the game, despite the external factors that we’ve been dealing with, which is a credit to the way the coaches planned the week.

It’s an exciting time to be a part of the Charlotte Independence organization, and I’m very thankful for the freedom they’ve allowed me to share blogs like this. If you don’t have a USL Pro team to support yet, it’s not too late to jump on the bandwagon. 

Head over Jack's House Soccer Bar and Retail Store or tune into ESPN+ to watch the team against Ottawa Fury at 7:00PM. 

Although the sessions were shorter, players had the option to do extra work specific to their position at the end of training. This gave players the appropriate options if they believed they needed more rest or more work, depending on their personal circumstances.

Reducing the duration is one of the easiest ways to lower training load because players always want to train at a high intensity, so it’s tough to tell a player not to train hard. It is also easier to implement because you can plan the session as normal, but reduce the number of sets, or the total time of the games. 

As the daily wellness reports come into SoccerPulse, I can see that most players are feeling better today than they typically feel prior to the game, despite the external factors that we’ve been dealing with, which is a credit to the way the coaches planned the week.

It’s an exciting time to be a part of the Charlotte Independence organization, and I’m very thankful for the freedom they’ve allowed me to share blogs like this. If you don’t have a USL Pro team to support yet, it’s not too late to jump on the bandwagon. 

Head over Jack’s House Soccer Bar and Retail Store or tune into ESPN+ to watch the team against Ottawa Fury at 7:00PM. 

Charlotte (NC) – The Charlotte Independence, a United Soccer League (USL) professional soccer team, is pleased to announce the signing of rookie goalkeeper Ben Beaury to the 2018 roster. Beaury last played for NCAA Division II team Le Moyne College (Syracuse, NY) and Premier Development League (PDL) side Reading United AC.

“Ben has a great goalkeeper pedigree through his success and experience in his college and PDL career,” said Independence Goalkeeper Coach Joel Tyson. “He’s been a great influence on our team in training and I look forward to having him with us and our group moving forward.”

RECENT NEWS: INDEPENDENCE ROLL PAST RICHMOND

 

With Le Moyne, Beaury recorded 6,944 minutes played in 76 games, posting a 0.93 goals against average in four seasons. He amassed several Northeast-10 Conference awards including an All-Conference selection in 2014, a First-Team selection and Goalkeeper of the Year in 2016, and Third-Team selection in 2017. Beaury holds the Le Moyne College career record for 28 clean sheets.  

Beaury helped Reading United advance to the PDL playoffs from the Mid-Atlantic Division in consecutive seasons. During the 2016 season, Beaury only allowed five goals in 537 minutes of nine games played translating to a 0.84 goals against average and 0.83 save percentage.

“He's a solid, hard-working goalkeeper,” said Independence Head Coach Mike Jeffries. “We thought he was really sharp in preseason, but unfortunately, we didn't have an opportunity to sign him. It worked out now that we're able to bring him in.”

With the addition of Beaury, the Independence roster remains at 24 players as Colorado Rapids academy goalkeeper Kainoa Likewise departs to attend the Air Force Academy.

Charlotte (NC) – The Charlotte Independence, a United Soccer League (USL) professional soccer team, is pleased to announce the signing of rookie goalkeeper Ben Beaury to the 2018 roster. Beaury last played for NCAA Division II team Le Moyne College (Syracuse, NY) and Premier Development League (PDL) side Reading United AC.

“Ben has a great goalkeeper pedigree through his success and experience in his college and PDL career,” said Independence Goalkeeper Coach Joel Tyson. “He’s been a great influence on our team in training and I look forward to having him with us and our group moving forward.”

RECENT NEWS: INDEPENDENCE ROLL PAST RICHMOND

 

With Le Moyne, Beaury recorded 6,944 minutes played in 76 games, posting a 0.93 goals against average in four seasons. He amassed several Northeast-10 Conference awards including an All-Conference selection in 2014, a First-Team selection and Goalkeeper of the Year in 2016, and Third-Team selection in 2017. Beaury holds the Le Moyne College career record for 28 clean sheets.  

Beaury helped Reading United advance to the PDL playoffs from the Mid-Atlantic Division in consecutive seasons. During the 2016 season, Beaury only allowed five goals in 537 minutes of nine games played translating to a 0.84 goals against average and 0.83 save percentage.

“He’s a solid, hard-working goalkeeper,” said Independence Head Coach Mike Jeffries. “We thought he was really sharp in preseason, but unfortunately, we didn’t have an opportunity to sign him. It worked out now that we’re able to bring him in.”

With the addition of Beaury, the Independence roster remains at 24 players as Colorado Rapids academy goalkeeper Kainoa Likewise departs to attend the Air Force Academy.

RECENT EPISODE: TACTICS WITH TROY – MUTAYA MWAPE

RECENT EPISODE: TACTICS WITH TROY – MUTAYA MWAPE

Richmond (VA) — The Charlotte Independence won a third-consecutive league game on Saturday night topping the Richmond Kickers 3-1. Independence midfielder Cordell Cato scored twice on Yann Ekra assists, and Yann Ekra scored once on a Cordell Cato assist.

“That’s a big confidence booster for us," said Independence Head Coach Mike Jeffries. "We always have good rivalries in the triangle of us, Charleston, and Richmond, and it’s nice coming up here and winning. It feels good to get one on the road.”

In the 14th minute, Yann Ekra gave the Independence an early lead when he scored his second goal in the past three league games. Just before the halftime break, Trinidad and Tobago international midfielder Cordell Cato doubled the Independence's lead. Cato bagged a brace in the 76th minute on a Yann Ekra assist for his team-tying-best fifth goal of the season. 

“I am definitely happy," said Cato. "It’s our first road win of the season, and with the next three games on the road, this was an opportunity to start off with a win and that is what we did.”

The Kickers pulled back a goal when Richmond forward Brian Shriver scored in the 80th minute for the final score of the game. 

The Independence will carry their three-game winning streak in the midst of a four-game road trip next Saturday traveling to Ottawa Fury FC. In the 2018 season opener, the Independence beat Ottawa 4-1 at the Sportsplex at Matthews. 

Scoring Summary:  28':  CLT – Yann Ekra (Cordell Cato) 49': CLT – Cordell Cato (Yann Ekra) 66': CLT – Cordell Cato (Yann Ekra) 80': RIC – Brian Shriver         Discipline: 90+2': CLT – Joel Johnson (YC)

Shots: CLT – 8 RIC -8   Saves:  CLT – 6 RIC – 10   Possession: CLT – 58.4% RIC – 41.6%

 

Next Game: 

Richmond (VA) — The Charlotte Independence won a third-consecutive league game on Saturday night topping the Richmond Kickers 3-1. Independence midfielder Cordell Cato scored twice on Yann Ekra assists, and Yann Ekra scored once on a Cordell Cato assist.

“That’s a big confidence booster for us,” said Independence Head Coach Mike Jeffries. “We always have good rivalries in the triangle of us, Charleston, and Richmond, and it’s nice coming up here and winning. It feels good to get one on the road.”

In the 14th minute, Yann Ekra gave the Independence an early lead when he scored his second goal in the past three league games. Just before the halftime break, Trinidad and Tobago international midfielder Cordell Cato doubled the Independence’s lead. Cato bagged a brace in the 76th minute on a Yann Ekra assist for his team-tying-best fifth goal of the season. 

“I am definitely happy,” said Cato. “It’s our first road win of the season, and with the next three games on the road, this was an opportunity to start off with a win and that is what we did.”

The Kickers pulled back a goal when Richmond forward Brian Shriver scored in the 80th minute for the final score of the game. 

The Independence will carry their three-game winning streak in the midst of a four-game road trip next Saturday traveling to Ottawa Fury FC. In the 2018 season opener, the Independence beat Ottawa 4-1 at the Sportsplex at Matthews. 

Scoring Summary:  28′:  CLT – Yann Ekra (Cordell Cato) 49′: CLT – Cordell Cato (Yann Ekra) 66′: CLT – Cordell Cato (Yann Ekra) 80′: RIC – Brian Shriver         Discipline: 90+2′: CLT – Joel Johnson (YC)

Shots: CLT – 8 RIC -8   Saves:  CLT – 6 RIC – 10   Possession: CLT – 58.4% RIC – 41.6%

 

Next Game: 

RECENT EPISODE: TACTICS WITH TROY – JE-VAUGHN WATSON

RECENT EPISODE: TACTICS WITH TROY – JE-VAUGHN WATSON