US NATIONAL TEAM IS PRACTICING AT COPLEY

The US national team will practice at the new Copley Fields today (Sunday)

As the national team enters Copley fields today at 6pm it is expected that quite a few people will be right there to greet them and watch the two hour practice session. Even though some of the really big stars will be busy with their club teams abroad, we will still be able to catch some of the great players that have made the team successful the last few years. Players like Brian Carroll, Chris Klein, Freddy Adu and most of the other US based players will attend the session. On Monday morning they will travel to Columbus to attend the Berhalter Soccer Academy's grand opening.

SPRING SIGNINGS

It's been a busy pre-spring for Norton, with the Indoor league coming to a close (two games left) and rumor debunking and new signings.

As rumors of Dave Smith, Octavio Gavaria and Ajang Amir coming to Norton to earn their beers are debunked and proven to be false, facts has it that there are the three players that actually have signed for the club are three totally different players.

-The rumors of Ajang Amir, Octavio and Dave Smith was coming to the club wasn't entirely false. The fact is that Ajang who was very close to sign for us was going to bring both Dave Smith and Octavio to the club to fill the spots left over by retired Kyle, Arif and the injured Kazu and Brent. As it turns out Ajang Amir has been given the coaching job over at Springfield and chose to do that rather than play for us, said Vidar Nilsen to Norton Web late last night. - It was a difficult situation as the rosters have to be ready by Monday and getting the news of those players not coming came as a bit of a shock. I understand Ajang's decision, although I would have liked to have gotten that information at an earlier stage, he says. - Ajang is a good friend and what he wants must come first. It's a good opportunity for him in many ways. He's got goals for becoming a High School coach and this will give him some valuable experience, so I am totally fine with his decision, he said. -I spent last night calling players that have previously shown interest in playing for our club, but that I've had to turn down because we thought we had the roster filled, and I managed to fill those spots with players that will be of great asset to our club. Earlier today we signed the papers and took care of the paperwork, and I am extremely happy to get everything worked out.

The players Nilsen is talking about are Steve Gilman (from Springfield Magic 12) and the Hungarian brothers, Jozsi and Frank "Freddy" Jalics.  Steve Gilman has played for the Norton Over 30 indoor team, Real United for the past two seasons. The Jalics brothers have made a huge impact in this years indoor sessions for Real United.

   
From Left: Steve Gilman, Frank Jalics and Jozsi Jalics

Norton Web and Norton Soccer asks the fans to keep everything on a down-lo' tonight. Last time big signings were made at the club, down Town Norton had to shut down due to extensive partying amongst fans.

MIKE GOEBL BUYS NEW HOME

Yes, it is in fact true. Mike Goebl have splashed the cash and purchased a new home. Apparently, the new home is just a couple of blocks away from fellow striker Vidar Nilsen's house. - I needed this, says Goebl. -Vidar is one of the coolest and nicest persons walking the face of this Earth and I wanted to move closer to him so that I could be able to drive him to every game on Sunday mornings, so that he can have his well deserved beers after the game. The new home is totally worth it, he says to Norton Web. Norton Web congratulates him on his determination to act as a private chauffeur and his new home.

NORTON CUT TICKET PRICES, SHIRT SALES DESTINED FOR SIGNIFICANT BOOST.

After the news of the new club signings, Norton Soccer have decided to cut the match ticket prices by 30% to honor the huge fan base that have supported the club for years.

-We have decided to cut the ticket prices that much because we want to give back to the community and the fans, a Norton Representative said this morning. -We hope that will double the crowd at the games and bring the team and fans even closer. The signings of Jozsi Jalics, Freddy Jalics and Steve Gilman will inflict a sharp increase in this year's replica shirt sales. So, what we lose on the ticket sales, we will make back in the shirt and merchandise sales. This year the match tickets will go for as low as a whopping $0.00!

WHAT IS THE TOP OVER 30 DIVISION?

For a couple of years now people have been asking themselves what division is the top Over 30 division in the NOASA system. We have the answers right here on the Norton Web. Keep reading and find out.

Now, the last couple of years we have seen the best Over 30 teams play in division 1. But are they really Over 30 teams? No, they aren't. In Division 1 they now allow each team to sign up 4 players that are under 30. At the same time NOASA complains that none of the second division teams wants to move up to the first division. NOASA, why do you think that is? We are Over 30 teams that wants to match our skills against Over 30 teams. We don't want to change the structures of our clubs or teams just to play in the first division against a bunch of kids that runs twice as fast, has twice the skills and don't drink beer after the game. Most clubs in division 2 and 3 have existed for decades as Over 30 teams with players over 30 years of age. That's how we want to keep it. If teams want to have players under 30 on their teams in the first division, you should make division 2 the first division and call the now division 1 something else. Maybe "30 Open" or something in that area. Having 4 players that are in their mid 20's makes such a big difference for a Over 30 team. Teams that don't have any players under 30 will not have fun, nor be competitive in that division. That is why none of the Over 30 teams in division 2 wants to move up to division 1. The entire idea of calling last years Over 30 division 1 the same this coming season is simply idiotic and absurd. Simply because it is no longer an Over 30 division.

And with this reasoning... of course... Norton Over 30 A is the rightful NOASA Over 30 Champions! Go figure!

CURTIS HIT WITH CAREER THREATENING INJURY

Curtis Hoffman who plays with Real United (The Norton Over 30 indoor team) is possibly out for a full year after a scary Achilles ligament tare.

It happened during a Co-ed game last Friday that a big gun fire like blow was heard throughout the arena. Down goes Curtis Hoffman with torn Achilles ligaments. The extent of such an injury is so vast that Hoffman should be prepared for a full year away from soccer. That is if the injury is treated properly. If not, he might be looking into a long term stay on the sidelines that will most likely mean his career is over.

This is sad news for Springfield Magic 12 where Hoffman plays his outdoor soccer.

V AIMS FOR TOP SCORER HONORS

Vidar Nilsen wants to improve his goal scoring rate for the coming season and prove that he is the biggest goal scorer in the league.

After averaging 21 goals a year the past two years, V now how set his mind on improving on that and at the same time feed the ball to striking partner Mike Goebl in order to secure the league championship title for Norton. Mike Goebl ended last season as top scorer for the club, but V wants more. -It's the kind of goals every striker on a team should have. If a striker on your team feels better passing the ball inside the box, he should be a midfielder instead, V told Norton Web last night. - As strikers we need to score goals. That is where we get our fix from. If we don't score goals or if we score less than our average, we are screwed. It's a self esteem type thing. When we score, we believe that we can score on just about anything that comes our way. That means plenty of goals.  

NORTON SWOOP IN THE TRANSFER MARKET

Norton Over 30 A are lining up a raid for a few new players this spring, causing headaches at the Springfield Magic 12 locker room.

Internal conflicts at Springfield has caused Norton to step up the hunt for some of their star players. Ajang Amir, Octavio Gavaria and Dave Smith are rumored to leave Copley fields and earn their beers at Norton instead.

The news of getting players the likes of Ajang Amir, woke up the streets of Norton and within the first hour after the rumors was distributed, Norton fans from all over the Akron Area gathered on Cleveland-Massillon Road and paraded all the way to the Norton Homefield singing "Don't you wish your teammates was hot like AJ, don't you wish your teammate was a stud like AJ, AJ...oooh AJ!" to the Pussycat Dolls' "Don't Ya" hit single.
Girls was seen screaming wildly with AJ posters over over their heads, some saying "Marry me AJ", and tears in their eyes. When the rumors also told that Norton was chasing the likes of Dave Smith and Octavio Gavaria as well, reports has it that some parading fans actually tore their clothes off and started skinny dipping in the roadside water puddles along the stretch. The Norton Community haven't seen such an uproar since it was announced that Vidar Nilsen had signed for the team. Back then things went totally out of control, 45 people was hospitalized and several was arrested for indecent exposure (nudity). All, later released from custody when they (the police) found out exactly why and found the reason of Nilsen joining the team was excuse enough to run around in the streets nude, only covered by body paint.
Thankfully no-one got arrested during this last parade, but apparently some of the parading fans was seen waking up along the roadside the nest morning. Some were even singing AJ's name in the sleep.

Although nothing is yet banked and cleared it looks very likely that the players will sign for Norton within the next couple of weeks. Norton's chase for the players comes as a result of losing Brent and Kazu to long term injury and Arif Utus and Kyle Kraft to retirement. -The holes needs to be filled and we do so by trying to add players of quality and players that WANTS to play for our club, says Vidar Nilsen in a statement to Norton Web. -If we don't plug the gaps with players we will be in trouble if we aim to win the division this coming season, which of course we do. All three of them have been playing well for Real United in this year's indoor league at Akron Indoor, and if they sign for Norton I will expect that they take their Indoor performances with them to the grass this spring.

Note: Real United (Norton's Indoor team) is now 5 and 1 this season, with four more games to go. A slip up by the Serbian Team 'New Era' and Real United might become the Indoor Champs.

NO BRAIN DAMAGE FOR VIDAR NILSEN

After a couple of months in pain and suffering, Vidar get the answer to his problem which he himself thought was brain damage after a whopping header during a game. Dr. Ernie Freeman had the answers all along.

Dr. Freeman shed some light on the situation to the public today after studying Vidar Nilsen's case for a few weeks. Dr. Freeman is a brain specialist at Cleveland Clinic and Kent State University. His diagnosis swiftly calmed nervous fans down during the public statement.

- You have nothing to worry about. Vidar is suffering from something that is totally normal. He is simply just Norwegian and only a full brain transplant can cure him, Dr. Freeman said. He went along to say that Vidar won't need brain surgery or anything and added that he could easily keep scoring bundles of goals for Norton Soccer even if his brain is Norwegian. -It is just a matter of adjustments and Ohionisation, he said.

SUMMIT SOCCER COMPLEX, A NEW NORTON HOME?

The Wolstein Sports & Entertainment Group Llc is well underway planning the Summit Soccer Complex in Macedonia. All that is missing now is the green light from county and state in order to get the development started. The complex will cost an approximate $ million dollars and have an economic impact worth $11 billion. The complex will have a 20.000 seat stadium (10.000 more can be added at a later time), a shopping centre, meeting facilities, offices and also a medical facility. Outside of the main stadium there will be 25 lighted fields, two ice hockey rinks and more. The place will create over 1.800 new jobs when the complex opens and 1.600 construction workers will be busy for a few years building the stadium. the most important thing is that the stadium will enable Akron to form a Major League Soccer team in 2009, if built.

Whether Norton Soccer will want to use this stadium as their new home field is very much up to the players and they are so far sticking to the Norton High field off of Clevel.Mass.Rd. Statements from players say that they love their recent field so much they are unlikely to change fields unless The county agrees to let Norton Soccer rent, for free, a 4000 square feet location within the shopping centre where the club can sell its supporter merchandise and run a Sports Bar where their supporters can watch their Sunday morning games on big screens from 12.00pm until 2.30am every day. One player also said he would NOT vote to change home fields unless the proposed bar had some serious imported beer. So in short it is still very much up in the air.

Read more about the Stadium complex:
http://www.neoprosoccer.com/learn_more.html

Or at the Beacon:
http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/