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denime
06-25-2008, 06:04 AM
Coach Carver takes the boys to the beach

MORGAN CAMPBELL
SPORTS REPORTER
Heading into yesterday's training session, Toronto FC head coach John Carver figured the last thing his team needed was more soccer.
Not only had they played five straight Saturdays, they were also staring at a July schedule that includes two friendlies and three Canada Cup matches along with a full slate of league games.
So instead of hitting the field, the coach had his team hit the beach.
Officially labeled a "bonding session," Carver said yesterday's practice included some beach volleyball and exercise in the sand, but didn't include soccer drills, scrimmages or anything else soccer related.
Carver, TFC's first-year head coach, says team bonding day is yet another custom he has imported from England, where he coached until this season. Over there, he says, he would take his teams bowling, go-carting or to play paintball.
Over here he hoped a day at the beach would give TFC a much-needed mental break before tackling a stressful summer schedule.
"(It's) just to take their minds off (soccer) without giving them time off," he said. "If we're going to be successful in the (CONCACAF) Champions League we're going to have a lot more football to play."
TFC hosts the Vancouver Whitecaps on Canada Day, then play them in Vancouver July 9. Two weeks later the Montreal Impact visit BMO Field for TFC's final Canada Cup game. The winner of the tournament opens the CONCACAF Champions League in Nicaragua in September.


Read more (http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/448738)


TFC coach hopes to turn time at beach into road win

By DEAN MCNULTY (dean.mcnulty@sunmedia.ca), SUN MEDIA

Toronto FC coach John Carver is willing to try anything to get his team a Major League Soccer road win, and if that means sending his players to the beach for a day, by golly, that's what he'll do.
So yesterday he had his group of 18 roster players taking in the sunshine on the shores of Lake Ontario, playing a little beach volleyball and maybe having a hotdog or two for lunch.
The second-year team has a clean sheet at home (5-0-3) but is a miserable on the road (1-4-0) this season. For that reason Carver decided on a different approach for Saturday's game in Foxboro, Mass., against the league-leading New England Revolution.
"Sometimes you have to look at different things," he said. "When I was coaching in England I've had the lads out playing paintball and 10-pin bowling. And we have such a lovely facility (Lake Ontario) right here, I thought I'd take the entire team to the beach for a day."
Carver said that while there are occasions in practice when hammering the players may work to a coach's advantage, there are other times when a pat on the back or a bit of relaxation gets a better result.

Read more (http://www.torontosun.com/Sports/OtherSports/2008/06/25/5977116-sun.html)


Reds players head to the beach

Coach Carver and Reds substitute beach volleyball for pitch training

Toronto FC's players swapped BMO Field for the beach on Tuesday morning. Coach John Carver arranged for the team to do fitness work and play beach volleyball instead of training on the pitch, as preparations continue for Saturday's game at New England. "In the past I've used team bonding exercises with my players and gone paint balling or ten pin bowling," said Carver. "With the beach so close, it's well worth going there for a change of scenery. We played beach volleyball and did some exercise on the beach. It's a great idea and this might be one of the things that helps us kick start our away form. Days like this are important because you can find out a lot about your players when you see them in different situations. It's good for me to find out as much as I can about how they react."
With a busy month ahead, Carver acknowledges the importance of keeping the players fresh. "We had a good day training yesterday and I was very impressed with what I saw after the weekend," said Carver. "Although we didn't play football today, we were doing a physical activity and also it gives them a break from the usual routine. I think it's important to mix things up."
"We've got a huge program coming up and we've got to make sure that we're in the right frame of mind mentally for this. Sometimes you need to come away from the football side of things, without giving them a day off, and just do something different."



Read more (http://toronto.fc.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20080624&content_id=168056&vkey=news_t280&fext=.jsp&team=t280)


Think Habs-Leafs on turf

National pride at stake tonight as Caps host Montreal

Tonight at Swangard Stadium, the Vancouver Whitecaps host USL-1 rivals Montreal in their first home game of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship, a four-game series that will determine the Canadian qualifier for the new CONCACAF Champions League. The series includes Toronto FC of the MLS. So here are four reasons why this game matters more than any other so far this season.
Pride

So you've never heard of the Puerto Rico Islanders, you wouldn't recognize Carl Valentine if he cooked you dinner and you think a bicycle kick is something a drunken teenager does on Granville Street.
Good news: You don't need to know anything about the USL, the Whitecaps or soccer to get fired up for this one. Just think about the Habs and the Leafs, then transpose those feelings to the soccer pitch.
"You want to be the top team in Canada for sure," said veteran Jeff Clarke. "It's about Canadian rivals and it lights a fire under you."

Read more (http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sports/story.html?id=a50ce56a-6e25-4234-8fe2-c3abf0ae2160)



SUNSHINE (http://www.torontosun.com/SUNshineGirl/home.html)

flatpicker
06-25-2008, 07:30 AM
Now they just need to get those Miss Canada finalists back to join them at the beach for some volleyball...
...that would inspire them!

Shaughno
06-25-2008, 07:35 AM
Carver, TFC's first-year head coach

Huh??

flatpicker
06-25-2008, 08:05 AM
Huh??


I'm sure they just mean he's a first year coach with Toronto.

... poorly worded though...

Technorgasm
06-25-2008, 08:30 AM
Hey if they need to spur on the "PRIDE" bringing the leafs into the equasion might not have the desired effect.

Dont get me wrong, the logic works.. . . the stats however do not. THAT and the fact that TFC are pegged as the team with the advantage.

For me personally yes, I have special feelings when we face off against our Canuck rivals, but I get more of a boost when we beat quality MLS sides like Chicago, Columbus, NER or DCU (that tasty vctory has yet to hit my pallet. . . so I am still waiting. . . hungrily)

WALK ON

scooter
06-25-2008, 08:51 AM
mornin

Roogsy
06-25-2008, 02:55 PM
Sunshine girl = Yummy :thumbsup: