Get Tickets: Quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup @ Georgia Dome

On July 20, 2013, our very own Georgia Dome will host the Quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Thanks to a special arrangement negotiated by Georgia Soccer, you can enjoy an exclusive discount, while raising money for your own club. You’ll receive a $5.00 savings on your ticket and a special parking rate, while earning a $2.00 donation back to your club with every ticket purchased—all for being part of Georgia Soccer. Here's how: Go to www.georgiasoccer.org/goldcup.aspx to gain your unique Georgia Soccer discount code.   Fill out the required fields— providing your club name automatically generates a $2.00 donation back to your association for every ticket you buy. Plus, any Georgia Soccer club purchasing 20 tickets or more will be eligible for a random drawing for a $1,000 equipment donation.   Submit the form and you’ll be directed to Ticketmaster to complete your purchase. Remember to use your Georgia Soccer discount code when you place your order.   On game day, be sure to park and tailgate in the Georgia Dome Orange Lot. Georgia Soccer members and families will receive reduced parking rates in this lot. Help show the world that Georgia is ready to host more world-class soccer events like this — we look forward to seeing you at the Georgia Dome on July 20! Please contact David Oldham with any questions. doldham@georgiasoccer.org

Great Article: Silverbacks story of worst to first

US Soccer Legend Eric Wynalda Co-Authoring a “Worst to First” Story in Atlanta

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Kartik Krishnaiyer

The Atlanta Silverbacks of the North American Soccer League (NASL) are close to completing an incredible feat. They currently sit atop the NASL Spring Season standings with just three matches remaining. A year ago at this time they sat anchored to the bottom of the NASL table, a year after setting a record for the least amount of wins by a second division American side in a twenty-eight game season.  Eric Wynalda, the legendary US international and popular FOX Soccer Commentator working with former MLS player and Trinidad and Tobago International Brian Haynes has orchestrated an enthralling comeback on the field. Simultaneously, General Manager Andy Smith has turned around the fortunes of the sagging organization at the gate and created a buzz locally about the team.

When Smith took over as a General Manager of the Atlanta Silverbacks in early 2012, the club was struggling on the field and at the gate. The revived Silverbacks who had suspended operations after the 2008 season returned for the 2011 NASL Season putting a team on the pitch whose quality was questionable and whose management was severely lacking in proper seasoning or understanding of the American soccer scene.

Smith and his company Playbook Management International (PMI) immediately set out to hire motivated and skilled sales people while creating deeper roots in the community working with various elements that support soccer in one of America’s largest Metropolitan Areas. But despite growing crowds and increased media buzz locally, the team sat mired at the bottom of the table, continuing the previous season’s losing ways while beset by a culture that was less than professional.

Enter Eric Wynalda, the US Soccer legend and frequent critic of the development system in this country. Wynalda had just taken Cal FC, an amateur team with less than a month together to the 4^th round of the US Open Cup shocking the Portland Timbers at Jeld-Wen Field in Round 3. Cal FC’s exploits became such a national story, that the 4^th Round match versus Seattle was picked up on national television, the first non-final Open Cup match ever broadcast on national television.

Wynalda, whose frequent yet valid critiques of the US Soccer structure and hierarchy have made him a polarizing figure in some establishment circles, was sought out to join the Silverbacks by Smith and PMI Founder Michael Hitchcock. Wynalda originally was not interested but Smith’s persistence and articulation of the goals the organization were attempting meet led to the US Soccer legend joining the side as the Interim Head Coach and Team Advisor in late June 2012.

The culture of the Silverbacks immediately changed and while Wynalda returned to FOX Soccer in mid-August 2012 for the beginning of the Premier League season, his handpicked Head Coach Brian Haynes took Atlanta out of the basement and finished the 2012 NASL Regular Season as the in-form team. Atlanta missed the playoffs but gave a statement of intent for 2013, by compiling the best record in the NASL after August 15^th.

Attendance for the club had risen from an average of 2,800 fans per game in 2011 to over 4,500 in 2012 under Smith’s leadership. The near capacity crowds in 2012 saw the start of something unique and extraordinary, a remarkable turnaround of a franchise that had appeared to be dying on the vine in 2011.

This year, the NASL adopted a split-season format, which rewards the winner of Spring Season with hosting the Soccer Bowl final which will be contested against the winner of the Fall Season. Given this new format, Haynes wisely kept the core of his team together. Leading scorer Matt Horth departed for Major League Soccer, but in his place came Ruben Luna who is currently tied for second in the league in goals scored.

The Silverbacks have been fantastic this season, looking sharp both home and away. Not only has the club gotten results but have been doing it in style. Haynes approach has valued possession and movement off the ball, giving Atlanta regularly more of the ball and more chances to score than the opposition, even away from home.

Silverbacks Captain Martyn Lancaster a 2011 Soccer Bowl finalist with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers led his Silverbacks team out on Saturday night against his former club. Despite being reduced to ten men early in the second half, Atlanta recorded a late winner from the penalty spot and moved back atop the NASL table. Lancaster reflected on the changes made under Haynes and Wynalda. “They (Haynes and Wynalda) have instilled belief while making us play simple football. They also created a more professional environment. Everything was run on time and was short and sharp.  The change was noticeable within days of the coaching change. “

Following Atlanta’s victory in Fort Lauderdale, Eric Wynalda reflected on the accomplishments of the team and made some general observations about player development in the United States.:

“We are simply shooting ourselves in the face and foot every time we try and develop talent, we need to let talent develop and if we don’t let it develop we don’t have a shot. I am lucky I had a good owner in Boris Jerkinuca who was sick of the power point presentations and simply asked me, can you fix this and I said I could.”

“I don’t want to sit here and glorify our performance tonight, but when you build an organization and a team you do not build it off videotape or some agent’s word you build it off people.”

Recently the Silverbacks hosted a watch party for a US Men’s National Team qualifier. All of Smith’s hard work in the community was on display. “I think when talking to the fans…it’s a pretty cool seeing people go through the door of the watch party for a US game with a National Team jersey and a Atlanta (Silverbacks) hat,” Wyanlda said.

The Silverbacks are three games away from completing an incredible feel good story. They host the defending Soccer Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Rowdies this Saturday at 7:30pm EDT at Silverbacks Stadium.

Photo credit: Elaine Carroll

Piedmont College men’s soccer coach Jimmy Stephens has released his schedule for the 2013 season

Piedmont men's soccer releases 2013 schedule

By staff

Piedmont College men’s soccer coach Jimmy Stephens has released his schedule for the 2013 season, beginning with a two-game weekend in Rome at the end of August. The Lions finished out their first season in the USA South Athletic Conference with a trip to the Conference Tournament where they were overwhelmed by top-seeded Christopher Newport University in the first round.

Stephens, a Piedmont alum himself, is in his 9th season as the Lions head coach. He will lead the Lions into their second season in the USA South with the goal of reaching the conference tournament again and competing for the championship. The Lions open the 2013 season against Louisiana College and Berry College at the end of August. They'll be attending the Winshape Invitational on the campus of Berry in Mt Berry, GA. Berry was the 2012 Southern Athletic Association champions defeating Centre in PKs to earn the title, and the Vikings are one of two conference champs that Piedmont will face in the first month of the season.

Less than a week later, Piedmont hosts Hiwassee College, a first-year soccer program traveling a short distance from Tennessee. The Tigers will face LaGrange College the day prior in a neutral game on Piedmont’s Walker Athletic Field.

The Lions have a contest planned for Bob Jones University for the second year in a row. After a 4-1 home win in 2012, Piedmont will travel to Greenville, South Carolina to face the Bruins on their home turf where they saw 7,000 fans pack its home stadium for its first ever contest last August, making it one of the now toughest venues to visit in the South.

The following weekend, PC will make a long trip up to Virginia to play non-conference opponent Emory & Henry College on September 15th. The Lions and Wasps have developed some friendly competition in the past with Piedmont winning the 2011 match 2-1 in overtime followed by a 3-1 victory in Demorest this past season. With only a days rest, Stephens has set up a match against in-state rival Oglethorpe University on the 17th. The Stormy Petrels will travel to Demorest for a night match and a chance for the Lions to get even after a 1-4 loss in 2012.

USA South conference play begins September 20th for the Lions as they travel to Ferrum College in Virginia for a Friday match. The Panthers forced a tie in 2012, but the Lions plan to be better prepared in 2013. Less than two days later, Piedmont will host Sewanee: The University of the South in a non-conference match to stay on its toes. The two teams have not met since 2011 when Sewanee came from behind to hand the Lions a 2-4 loss.

After resting for a week, the Monarchs of Methodist University will step foot on Piedmont campus for another USA South Conference match. Methodist, the eventual 2012 USA South Conference Tournament Champions, defeated Piedmont with a 0-3 loss last year.

Attend this year’s Silverbacks Open Practice on Friday June 21.

Attend this year’s Silverbacks Open Practice on Friday June 21. This is a free event where participants get the chance to watch a professional training session up close, kick around with players and coaches, and get autographs

July 20, 2013, the Georgia Dome will host the Quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup

	On July 20, 2013, the Georgia Dome will host the Quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup and thanks to a special arrangement negotiated by Georgia Soccer your members can enjoy exclusive benefits while also helping to raise funds for your club. On June 17, we will be sending your members an email promoting an exclusive group ticket program to attend this global event. Benefits include special discounted pricing for your members - as well as a donation back to your club: An exclusive $5.00 discount off retail ticket prices for each Georgia Soccer member, when they use the special Club Discount code when making their ticket purchase online Discounted parking rate in the Georgia Dome Orange lot for Georgia Soccer members and families (tailgating will be permitted) A $2.00 donation for each ticket purchased by your Club members will be donated back to your club (when purchasers use the special discount code and identify their club affiliation) Plus, any Georgia Soccer club whose members purchase 20 tickets or more will be eligible for a random drawing for a $1,000 equipment donation (Drawing to be conducted on July 20, 2013) An email will be sent to all Georgia Soccer members on June 17, containing a web link where they can redeem their special Georgia Soccer Gold Cup ticket discount code. Your club participation can help us demonstrate that Atlanta is truly an international soccer city. We look forward to seeing you and your members on July 20 at the Georgia Dome!
	Please contact David Oldham with any questions. doldham@georgiasoccer.org