February 2020 Newsletter!

Mar 01, 2020

February 2020 Newsletter- Happy Valentine’s Day!

Koa Families,

There are many USA “sports” governing bodies, USA Field Hockey, Basketball, Baseball, and the group that I feel is the most advanced is USA Ice Hockey. Although I never played ice hockey or claim to be an expert, I can appreciate their vision for writing programming, coaching methods, and developing the entire athlete. Here’s an article by USA Ice Hockey coach Mike Doyle that’s worth the 5-10 minute read. If you are more of a cliff notes type of person, here’s what I extracted:

Let Go of the Joystick:
- Who wants to be yelled during games and told specifically what to do and where to be
- Shouting out instructions may be too late, the next play is happening, and the athlete is missing another opportunity
- Allow athletes to secure information and become analytical about their performance
- Let athletes “lose” themselves, especially during games (deliberate practice should be paying off during game time!)
As a parent, how can I be supportive:
- Long term development over short term results
- Do I care too much about winning NOW
- What’s the organization and coaches’ priorities
- Stick to general comments that support the team

On behalf of all the Koa High School athletes, good luck at tryouts today! Supporting and attending local high school and college games is a fun activity and can provide intrinsic motivation for young athletes. The Koa staff is excited about Spring sports and getting outside with our teams and league play. As always, if there’s a topic you would like to hear about, we welcome feedback. We aren’t afraid of a video Q & A either 🙂

Tony

What’s New?

Koa’s Winter season is winding down as we prepare for playoffs set to begin in early March. The boys’ have been competing in the Rising Stars and YDBL league’s since December and have been working hard!

With one season ending, Koa is prepared for its biggest Spring season yet! We have added two new programs and look to improve on its successful AAU program, Koa Elite from last year.

Koa looks to fill a void in the girls’ basketball world by beginning its first-ever development league. This league is a two-day commitment and is intended for girls who are just beginning or have a year or two under their belt. Read more about it here!

The second program is our very own 3-on-3 league. The 3-on-3 league is open to 3rd-8th graders, as a new Olympic sport and nationally televised event (The Big 3), Koa is looking to host its own league, read more about it here.

For questions regarding the basketball program, please contact Evan Sirkey, evan@koasports.org. We look forward to seeing you at HQ soon!

In February we started our first month of team practices and had our first round of metrics collection. Our baseball clinics have been ongoing and powered by the latest tech! Clinics are coming to an end and we have seen tremendous growth in our athletes and are excited to see the transition to our Spring season. Learn More!

BABL is also starting up in the Spring with the first rounds of outdoor practices beginning this month! Games will kick off March 29th. With last year being as exciting as it was, we know this year will be too!

Spring is around the corner and we are all excited for the start of our upcoming programs! New for 2020, Koa is offering a Spring Break Baseball Camp! Located at Koa HQ, with access to the fields at Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, Koa’s Spring Break Baseball Camp will provide quality instruction aimed to build camper’s skills through drill work, contests, and Hittrax games. Camp will also offer swimming three days during the week at Kid’s First Swim School!

For questions or to book a lesson email Koa Baseball !

For everything else Koa Baseball, please email Eryk or call us directly at 301-229-7529 ext.1!

Koa Flag Football’s Spring Registration is NOW OPEN!

The season is right around the corner and begins March 14th &15th! Join us for the Spring and catch all the fun Koa Flag Football can offer you! Register here!

This Summer we are also offering a brand new Football Training & Fundamentals Summer Camp in June and July. Register for your spot today!

Benefits Include:

Team challenges
Record-breaking games
Overall skill development
Emphasis on practicing good sportsmanship
The importance of dedication and FUN.

Contact Nick Tolisano to learn more about Koa Flag Football!

This Winter has been a great season! Our U10, U12, and U14 teams all participated at the National Indoor Tournament with our U14 Green taking 2nd! Our u16 team is at NITs this weekend making Koa history, having fun and making memories.

We can’t believe Winter Rec League is almost over! Time flies when you’re having fun! Our players have worked hard throughout the season to learn and improve their skills! We are excited for our Play Day on March 7th for all of our teams to compete and put their skills to the test to see who will be crowned Winter Rec League Champions!

Spring Outdoor Tryouts will begin soon! The first session is March 10th for U16/U19 athletes and March 17th for U10-U14 teams. Spots will fill fast! Be sure to register today!

Contact Simone Vagnoni, Jen Spagnuolo or Kelly Given for more information on Field Hockey!

Spring Break:

Spring Break means school’s out, so lets’ play! Join Koa Sports for our Multisport Spring Break Camp at Koa HQ. This program does have limited registration, so sign up now to reserve your spot!

Who: PreK – 8th Grade | Boys & Girls
Where: Koa HQ (4960 Boiling Brook Pwky, North Bethesda, MD 20852)
When: April 6 – 10, 2019
Days: Monday – Friday
Time: 9:00am – 3:00pm *before & aftercare is available
Cost: $249 per camper

Green Acres:
Koa Sports is bringing their Multisport, Flag Football, and Basketball Summer Camp to Green Acres School. Join us for 2 weeks of Great Coaches, Great Campers, and Great Fun!

2 Weeks, 4 Camps Offered (9:00am-3:00pm)
Cost: $349/camper
Week 1: Aug 10-14 Flag Football Camp
Week 1: Aug 10-14 Multisport Camp
Week 2: Aug 17-21 Basketball Camp
Week 2: Aug 17-21 Multisport Camp
Location: Green Acres School (11701 Danville DriveNorth Bethesda, MD 20852)
*before & aftercare is available

Summer Camp:
Summer will be here before you know it! Our 2020 Multisport Summer Camp will offer 10 one week sessions to choose from plus a Silver Pass (access to any 2 weeks) or a Platinum Pass (unlimited access)! Registration will fill up fast!

Who: PreK – 8th Grade | Boys & Girls
Where: Koa HQ (4960 Boiling Brook Pwky, North Bethesda, MD 20852)
When: April 6 – 10, 2019
Days: Monday – Friday
Time: 9:00am – 3:00pm *before & aftercare is available
Cost: $299/Camper | *price will increase to $349 in April

Session 1: June 15-19
Session 2: June 22-26
Session 3: July 6-10
Session 4: July 13-17
Session 5: July 20-24
Session 6: July 27-July 31
Session 7: Aug 3-7
Session 8: Aug 10-14
Session 9: Aug 17-21
Session 10: Aug 24-28 *SOLD OUT*

Looking to register for before and/or aftercare? Or have any questions about our Summer Camps?

Contact Emily Fornatora!

Koa in the Community:

Sydney Bowker – u14 green club.

Since joining our program Coach Sydney has hit the ground running! Her dedication and love for the game has translated right onto her players! She has elevated her teams play, love for the game as hockey players and has invested in them as people. She is passionate and caring and creates a great sense of community with her team. Sydney has been a vital part in our u14 success and has helped us grow as a whole.

Stevie Z. – u14 green club.

Stevie embodies all core values of hungry, heart and humble. A player who has started in our programs since 2017, Stevie never stops working hard and wanting to get better. In our program Stevie has won a NIT championship at the U12 division and has dominated with her new team at u14. A true hockey head, she is always willing to attend extra tournaments, play against older kids and fill in where she is needed with great confidence and pleasure. Stevie is quick to always ask for coaches feedback and is a helping hand to her teammates. A joy true joy to have in our program.