Soccer Program

Glenelg Country School has named Oakland Mills graduate Glenn Hayman as its new varsity boys soccer coach. Hayman returns to the Howard County area after a successful soccer career as a player and a coach at Roanoke College. After helping Oakland Mills capture consecutive state championships in 1998-99, Hayman enjoyed a four-year career at Roanoke before becoming an assistant coach at the college. He also coached at Lord Botetourt High School from 2007-09. As a college player, he earned All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference honors in both his junior and senior seasons.

It was very nice of Bob Leffler to paint his big picture of what many of us call the mistake in progress at Towson University regarding eliminating the 91-year soccer program ("The big picture for TU," April 16). As an alumnus who has a consecutive giving record since graduation in 1957, as a player on the soccer team for four years, as a member and former officer of the Towson University Hall of Fame, and as an activist on behalf of the institution through the years, I still very much care about my school.

It seems that there's no rest for weary sports parents. The baseball bats and gloves are barely cool to the touch, and suddenly it's time for fall sports.Drive anywhere close to Eldersburg Elementary School and you'll realize that soccer season is fast approaching.Soccer goals have sprung up seemingly overnight, as the Freedom District Optimist soccer program prepares for its fall season.This year, about 1,400 boys and girls 5 to 18 years old will participate. The program has 102 recreational teams and 11 travel teams.

Mike Gottlieb feels like the Death Row inmate who gets a last-minute reprieve from the governor. Only in this case, the governor came up with $300,000 out of the state budget to keep Gottlieb's Towson University baseball team alive for a couple more years. So there was Gottlieb on Wednesday afternoon at Towson's Schuerholz Park, standing in the bright sunshine and biting wind before the Tigers' 5-3 loss to Navy, marveling at what a close call it had been for his team. "I remember growing up in the 60's," he was saying now, "and there was a Superman episode where they found out a guy who was on Death Row was innocent.

It's soccer time. Even though many softball and baseball teams are still going strong, it's time to think about fall sports.Brooklyn Park Youth Athletic Association is accepting registration for its fall soccer program. Boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 15 (as of Aug. 1) are invited to play.dTC Registration takes place at the Sugar Shack located on the 10th Avenue Fields between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays and from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturdays until Aug. 12.The fee is $25 for one child and $40 for two or more.

The Liberty boys soccer team, coached by Lee Kestler, is heading for its sixth playoff appearance in the past nine years. And its coach never played the game.Kestler, who took over at Liberty in 1984, played several sports, but soccer was not one of them. When his young son showed an interest in soccer, Kestler taught himself about the game.Liberty, which lost to Class 2A state co-champion Rockville in last year's state semifinal, has made the playoffs four straight years. The Lions (6-5-1)

SILVER RUN - The soccer monster has invaded yet another part of Carroll County.The Silver Run-Union Mills area became the latest to succumb to the appeal of this ever-growing sport with the decision of the Charles Carroll Recreation Council to enter three traveling teams in the county boys and girls soccer leagues for the fall season.In addition to forming teams in the under-10 and under-12 boys and under-12 girls divisions, the council operates a Monday afternoon clinic at the Carroll County Sports Complex providing soccer instruction to 24 youngsters ages 5 to 7.And, the 75 youngsters now signed up for the traveling teams and clinic may get company, because Charles Carroll is keeping registration open until the end of September.

For years the girls varsity soccer program at Oakland Mills high school has been a perennial contender for the state title.The team has won five county titles and four state championships and made numerous other appearances in the state finals and semifinals.Oakland Mills' coach, Cythia Odell, stepped down in June and took123 victories over 12 seasons with her.But the new coach, Nancy Shea, 38, appointed earlier this month, is ready to carry forward theprogram's winning tradition."It is a real challenge to fill the shoes of someone who was such a fantastic coach.

Towson University baseball could live to fight another year after Gov. Martin O'Malley included an additional $300,000 in his 2014 budget to help the university sort through difficulties with its athletic funding. The baseball program had been slated for elimination after this season until O'Malley became interested in its fate. An O'Malley spokeswoman said Monday that the appropriation, still subject to General Assembly approval, resulted from a one-on-one meeting last week between the governor and Towson president Maravene Loeschke.

It was very nice of Bob Leffler to paint his big picture of what many of us call the mistake in progress at Towson University regarding eliminating the 91-year soccer program ("The big picture for TU," April 16). As an alumnus who has a consecutive giving record since graduation in 1957, as a player on the soccer team for four years, as a member and former officer of the Towson University Hall of Fame, and as an activist on behalf of the institution through the years, I still very much care about my school.

Towson University baseball could live to fight another year after Gov. Martin O'Malley included an additional $300,000 in his 2014 budget to help the university sort through difficulties with its athletic funding. The baseball program had been slated for elimination after this season until O'Malley became interested in its fate. An O'Malley spokeswoman said Monday that the appropriation, still subject to General Assembly approval, resulted from a one-on-one meeting last week between the governor and Towson president Maravene Loeschke.

Archbishop Curley senior Patrick Koscher recently signed his National Letter of Intent to attend and play soccer at Georgetown University in the fall. The Hoyas finished #2 in the country last fall. Koscher, who resides in Bel Air, will be graduating this spring from Curley High School with a GPA of 4.1. He is a volunteer at St. Francis de Sales in Abingdon and helps in the community for groups such as Habitant for Humanity. Pictured, from left, are Jon Koscher (father), Patrick Koscher and Mary Pat Koscher (mother)

Soccer registration The coed Elkridge Youth Organization spring soccer program is accepting registrations for ages 4-18. No tryouts are required, and all players receive substantial playing time. Games are played at Rockburn Park. Registration ends Thursday, Feb. 28. For more information, go to eyosoccer.org or send an email with "EYO" in the subject field to eyosoccer@verizon.net . Around town Blood pressure screenings Stop in from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesdays at the Ellicott City Senior Center, 9401 Frederick Road, for free blood pressure readings by a registered nurse.

WEEKEND RAIN threw a kink into the plans but not the spirit of the North Carroll Recreation Council's soccer program.Playoffs were to begin last week but have been postponed until Saturday,and they will be played on the fields at North Carroll Middle School and Manchester Elementary."

Rudy Storch, a college professor from Brooklyn who taught suburban kids a blue-collar style of soccer, said goodbye to his Howard High boys team at a banquet last night.Storch, whose 1989 Howard team won a state Class 3A co-championship and finished the season undefeated (15-0-1) and ranked No. 3 in the nation, will be operated on at University Hospital today for prostate cancer.He expects to make a full recovery, but cited the illness, an increase in responsibility as Ancient Studies Department chairman at UMBC and a need to step off the coaching treadmill as reasons for his resignation.