New year - new name: Go Devils!

Welcome back everyone for the 2008 soccer season. The U9s are now the U10s!

The girls now have a new name - the West Hobart Devils. Our new coach is Graham Schroter, Eva's dad. Thanks Graham!

We'll keep all these photos from 2007, as well as the match information, on these pages but for this year's team blog, go to the new site:

http://west-hobart-devils.blogspot.com

And keep reading - here's the rest of our 2007 season's photos and match reports, from May onwards.

Leopards rampant with 3-1 win

Congratulations to the team for today's victory over Princes Street in the last game of the season. Stephen's wife Karen shot every moment on videotape so let's hope we see the DVD shortly. After the match, dozens of cameras recorded the team photo before we all headed off to the skateboard park for a barbeque.

Hats off to Stephen and Graham for all their effort this year but most of all thanks to the players and parents who made the Leopards such a mighty team in 2007.

Leopardized Fahan beats Leopards 1-0

Alice Cox reports on match at Mt Nelson 26 Aug 2007
Fahan won the game after kicking a goal in the last few minutes of the game. As Fahan had only six players, Lillie and Alice Cox played for them in the first half (Lillie in attack, Alice C in defence) while Bella and Anna S-M joined Fahan in the second, both in attack.


Leopards' goalies were Sarah and Millie. Millie saved some fabulous goals while Sarah did great footy kicks. Alice Mary played particularly well in Leopards defence. The Leopards nearly scored a goal in the first half but it bounced off the post. AJ and Rosie were excellent goal shooters and attackers.

Our next game is at Lansdowne Crescent Primary school oval against Princes Street Super Nova. And don't forget next week's BBQ at John Doggett Park after our game. The park is on the corner of Hamilton and Browne Streets in West Hobart. See you there!

Flu-ravaged Leopards crash to 3-nil defeat

Colds, flu and sundry ills annihilated the Leopards team which played Calvin last weekend. Bella, Anna, Rosie and Alice were among the fallen as was coach Stephen - those who did make it to the ground on time included Alice Mary, AJ, Sophie, Tessa and Eva. It was a team of phantoms! Thanks to Graham Schroter for stepping in as deputy coach.

Stephen said later the loss was "...character building".

This week's match (25 August) is against Fahan kicking off at 11am on the Mt Nelson Primary school oval. Hope everyone's there!

PS We're depending on Johnno and Tessa for the oranges this week.

Game cancelled 11 August 2007

All the Central Region under-age soccer games this weekend have been cancelled because of rain. This includes our scheduled game against St Aloysius tomorrow.

Depleted Leopards downed 2-0

By Graham Schroter (Eva’s Dad)
An under-strength Leopards team fought out a 2–0 loss against a committed Lenah Valley Matildas team at the Lenah Valley Primary School. Playing nine a side the Leopards had just enough troops to field a team. Displaying the Leopards never say die attitude, the team fought gallantly in the bitterly cold conditions. Lenah Valley had the luxury of a couple of interchange players who were able to inject fresh attacking energy that proved the difference between the two sides. Obviously the winter conditions are having an adverse effect on a number of our players who were missing due to ill health.

One of their two goals was remarkable in that, as the ball approached our goalie Sophie, the ball reared up on a lump in the ground and bounced over her head and into the goal. Obviously a little local knowledge helped out there.

Mae unleashed some fine attacking forays into the opposition's half of the field and was unlucky not to be rewarded with a goal. Mim was also unlucky not to get her name into the scorer’s book with a very good attempt at goal. Rosie showed that she had the skills in attack as well as her fine defensive game. Bella again exhibited her fighting spirit and high skill level with some good attacking raids after sustaining a couple of sharp hits with the ball. The game was extra-ordinary in the number of players on both sides who were hit with the ball, but fortunately no one was seriously injured.

Hopefully we will see some team members returning from sickness and have a full complement of players for our next game against the St Aloysius Angels at St Aloysius @ 10.00am.

GO THE MIGHTY LEOPARDS!

Leopards play Taroona in top-draw game

Today the Leopards played a skilled Taroona Red side on Hobart's prettiest ground, situated on a grassy headland overlooking the Derwent. Two years ago an U11 game was interrupted when players spotted a pod of whales in the river!

Here are the full match details from Eva's dad, Graham Schroter:

Great Defence results in draw
The Mighty Leopards fought hard to hold out a determined Taroona to a nil-all draw in wet and blustery conditions at Taroona. The wind-swept Derwent River provided the backdrop for what was an enthralling contest. Taroona were well drilled and highly skilled and asked questions of our defence, as well as doing a creditable job of repelling our attacking raids on their goal.

The game was in the balance right up until the final whistle. Both teams showed a willingness to run and pass and put pressure on the opposing team. To their credit both teams showed steely resolve to fight out the contest to the last minute. The final two minutes of the game saw an attack by the Leopards on the Taroona goal followed immediately by an attacking raid on the Leopards' goal.

The determination of the Leopards to not have their line crossed was illustrated at one point in the second half when Alice was on the goal circle taking the ball from an attacker, while Alice-Mary was crawling around trying to grasp the ball. In the third line of defence, Tessa and others were standing in the goal mouth to prevent any chance of a goal.

Special mention needs to be made of Alice and Rosie who were (as always) fantastic in their efforts to defend the Leopards' line. Well done girls, and well done to all the other members of the team. GO THE MIGHTY LEOPARDS!