Chivas USA Weekly Update: October 25, 2011
 
Chivas USA Hands Out 2011 Team Awards; Nick LaBrocca’s Goal Nominated For MLS Goal Of The Year; Goats Battle Back And Tie Sounders FC In Reserves Match
 
·       2011 Chivas USA Team Awards winners announced – Kennedy, LaBrocca, Moreno, Pearce & Lahoud honored… click to continue
·       Help make Nick LaBrocca a winner, again! Nick’s goal against the Chicago Fire from the match on July 2nd is nominated for AT&T Goal of the Year. You can help LaBrocca by voting for his goal in the first round of Group C. click here to watch and vote!
·       Goats battle back in reserves match and tie with goals from Estupiñan, Spencer and Vanney.  Chivas USA tied 3-3 versus the reserves league leading Seattle Sounders FC (25 points) in the… click to continue
·       Rojiblancos fall in season finale at The Home Depot Center on Saturday night, before the 22,137 in attendance and despite outshooting… click to continue
 
EYE ON YOUTH
 
·       Three U18 Academy players saw action in a reserve match Sunday morning. Ben Spencer (16 year-old) scored his first… click to continue
Chivas USA Youth Development, Academy, and Soccer School Calendar, Activity, and Information
 
GOATS QUOTES AND NOTES
 
Chivas USA Head Coach – Robin Fraser
 
On what he’s learned on his first season as coach: “One of the things I’ve learned is how much you have to adapt, based on the players you have and players form, that sort of thing. You come in with a certain idea as to what you need to do to make a team successful and at the end of the day, every team has different personalities, every team has different players, the problems are going to be different on every team. It’s one of those things that you have to be very adaptable to the situation. At the end of the day, it’s difficult because the biggest process is figuring out what you have and what you don’t have and you have an idea on the outside and not until you get in and you’re with the team day in and day out is when you truly figure out what your strengths are and what your weaknesses are.”
 
On Chivas USA’s fan base: “I thank the fans for their support. In general, I think everyone says that often in every sport but I genuinely mean that we haven’t done enough for our fans; we haven’t played well enough for our fans consistently. We’ve had moments that have been great when things have come together and it’s been a great atmosphere for us and for the fans but I think those moments have been far too inconsistent and we know that we need to be better, not just for ourselves but for the organization and definitely for the fans who have been with us throughout the year. I hear the same faces, and I hear the same comments and it really is fantastic that through some of our ups and downs that some of those people have stuck with us and been here cheering for us every week. Tonight, is a micro summary of the season where at moments, we played really well but critical mistakes did us in. I think the fans deserve better and we’re going to do everything in the offseason to get better and that they [the fans] have a team next season that they’re extremely proud of far more consistently.”
 
Chivas USA Goalkeeper – Dan Kennedy
 
Thoughts on the game: “I thought we came out and we had a good first half.  Then some bad turnovers turned into some opportunities for them and we weren’t able to clear the box and that’s what happens.  They have a team with some weapons and they’ll punish you when they get the chances, and we just gave them too much off of our turnovers.”
On the season: “A lot of change coming into this year, we obviously had some really good moments but in the last ten to eleven games our results dropped off and that’s what in the end cost us a spot in the playoffs.  To take so many steps forward and have us lose it in the end is what hurts us the most, because we were definitely in the thick of it come ten games ago, even six games ago, we were still in the thick of it.”
 
RED AND WHITE COMMUNITY
 
·       Chivas USA joined Major League Soccer’s “Soccer Kicks Cancer” campaign through Breast Cancer Awareness Night last Saturday night. The Goats continued their support of Major League Soccer’s Soccer Kicks Cancer initiative as it hosted a special “Breast Cancer Awareness” night last Saturday, October 22 when they faced the Seattle Sounders in the season finale. In collaboration with MLS partners Adidas and Gatorade, Chivas USA players and referees wore a special pink MLS W.O.R.K.S. ribbon patch on their jerseys, pink Adidas sweat bands, and pink shoelaces. In addition a commemorative pink Adidas Jabulani match ball was utilized as well as pink sideline towels provided by Gatorade.
ROJIBLANCOS SIGHTS & SOUNDS
 
·       Head Coach – Robin Fraser, “Defensive miscues leads us to where we are,” post game press conference
·       Some of the flavor from ChivaTown and on the pitch from Saturday night.
·       Estupiñan’s goal opens his MLS account
 
CHIVAS USA SCHEDULE: OCTOBER 26 – OCTOBER 31*
 
Wednesday, October 26           Off
Thursday, October 27              Training, 10:00 am – 11:30 am – Field 6
Friday, October 28                  Training, 10:00 am – 11:30 am – Field 6
Saturday, October 29               Off
Sunday, October 30                 Off
Monday, October 31                Off
 
*Approximate Training session times. Subject to change. For latest information, or if you plan on attending a session, please contact Chivas USA’s Public Relations Department.
 
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