Freeze:

Lots of info in this message, so buckle up.

First take a look at the events in TeamApp. You’ll find info on two pre season dome sessions at the U plus most of the Men’s match schedule for the season. We are hoping that Des Moines will have a womens contest and of course the Super Regional tournament will be both mens and womens.

I also wanted to share some information about our never ending pursuit for appropriate space for training. The turf at our longtime home, Lake Nokomis Park, is far too dangerous for us to continue using. Thankfully, some of your clubmates were able to find fall openings at Valley View fields in Bloomington. I am working to secure that field for the whole season, however, previous renters, school groups, and youth groups take precedent over our request. The best we can do is get our application in on the first day they begin accepting summer applications, and hope for the best.

That being said, we need some backup plans. I have looked around the metro area to find some fields for us to use and have come up empty. I am looking for anyone who has suggestions, connections, or creative ideas for fields.

Things to keep in mind:
Our field is big, really big. We need at minimum two side by side soccer fields but preferably a little more. Here is a link to AFL field sizes for reference: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-16/cody-and-sean-afl-analysis-how-much-do-ground-sizes-matter/101154950
Saturday mornings are prime time for youth sports. We will be contending with long time renters for the best spaces
Budget needs to be considered. 3 hours every weekend for 6 months adds up.
We need space for women’s training on Monday nights as well.
Field availability increases the further we get from the center of the metro but so does drive time. We need to make sure fields are convenient to get to but also we should all be prepared for a potentially longer drive to training this season.

Sponsors! Know any business owners interested in sponsoring the club? Let me know and I can figure out a time to connect. Our 2023 training singlets will be going to the printer soon and even a small sponsorship can secure a space on everyone’s back for the season.

Finally, our AGM will be held right after the first dome session in March. This is where we will give an update on club business and elect new board members for the open positions. This year we will be electing President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Member at Large. The incumbent President and Member at Large intend to go for reelection we still need people interested in helping out the club by serving on the board. If you are interested in any of these positions send an email to goose at secretary@mnfreeze.com and he can put you on the ballot. Day of AGM nominations are fine too. If you would like some more information about board responsibilities contact me and I can get you a description.

More info about the upcoming season to come! Until then, keep talking footy, keep recruiting, and get to the gym!

Bill