Jim Esten

Today is one of a handful of my favorite days of the year .. today, my U14s begin their fall season. I’m fortunate to be coaching 12s and 14s this year and as a bonus, even get one of my own kids this season. Right up there with wedding anniversaries, kid birthdays, Vacation Bible School, 2nd grade retreat afternoon and coaching at camps, I love the first day of the new season. This year I add a team, moving up a group and get a few players back from a couple years ago. I can only hope they are as happy to see me as I am to work with them again.

This season will be special (well, seems like I say that after every season…). For the first time in a couple decades and change of coaching young athletes, we actually planned ahead as the spring wound down and had a “staff” in place before registration even started. While I’ve had pretty extraordinary luck getting great team managers and assistant coaches purely on the luck of who volunteered, I feel incredibly blessed to be working this year at both levels with a hand picked group of families who share my philosophy and just plain “get it”.  This is gonna be good!

You can follow our adventures this year in some limited fashion via the public view of our team web sites: (we keep the good stuff locked away but you can see announcements, results and even things like practice plans and other coaching resources I share with my co-coaches.)

Lime Crush (on break now…): http://limecrush.teamsnap.com/

North Shore United U12 Roma: http://northshoreunitedu12roma.teamsnap.com/

North Shore United U14 Sevilla: http://northshoreunitedu14sevilla.teamsnap.com/

BTW, are you a youth coach looking to have things be a little more organized off the field/pitch/park/whatever…?? TeamSnap is the best solution I’ve found for an online presence that is full featured and easy to use, both for families and team staff. http://teamsnap.com Good stuff!!

State Wars soccer came to Uihlein Soccer park in June 2011. Jim coached the 1997 Boys team from Wisconsin to a 2nd place finish.  Tryouts for the team were held at Uihlein in early January with players for this team being rostered from the Madison, Milwaukee and Fox Valley areas.

Jim is currently again coaching the “LGFC Lime Crush” …. this time for a U12 girls team preparing for the 3v3Live Tournament stop at Uihlein Soccer Park on July 23rd.

Elite Touch Soccer will continue to offer high quality opportunities for interested players.  Further information will be available at http://elitetouchsoccer.com.

For the past few years, I’ve begun to get requests for private lessons. I read once in a book on spiritual direction that the elder often did not recognize his calling until he was sought out.  Okay, I get it now. I guess I just never thought I’d “be there”.

So, I’m hanging the shingle … here’s the basics … (still have a few logistical details to iron out but that’s my problem .. what you want is the numbers!!!!)

“Private”, one on one lessons. 1 hour session. $25 per session

Semi private, up to 3 players. 1 hour session.  $45 per session.

Quite frankly, I think players get more out of lessons with 2 or 3 players so team up and cut your costs.  Yes, this is a good bit below some local “going rates” but hey, I don’t have a foreign accent!  (inside joke with my assistant coach….)

For now, if interested, just drop me an email at:  coachjim at elitetouchsoccer dot com  (you know what to do with that!!)