Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, May 27, 1993 TAG: 9305270633
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JOHN A. MONTGOMERY
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
In many ways, the setting could be similar to hundreds of other offices in the Roanoke Valley.
Efficiency is evident. Now and then, Beamer wheels toward his credenza, quickly locating a file of pertinent data. When other names and numbers are needed, Beamer provides myriad contacts, relying upon an infallible device that resembles a calculator, and one that C&P would love to own.
Intermittent incoming phone calls are answered after a single ring by Beamer's secretary, Cindy Newman, in an outer office. Some calls she handles, others she screens, and on the most critical, she consults Beamer.
Beamer, who moved to Roanoke in 1986, looks the executive-type: a calm and confident air. Hair neatly cut and combed. An appropriate tan, as if he conducts business on the golf course on Wednesday afternoons. Clear and concise diction. It's apparent that he doesn't waste time.
Yes, we could be observing the work habits of a senior official at Carilion Health System or First Union Bank. But gradually, Beamer begins to give it away.
He takes a swig from a container of bottled water and then emerges from behind his desk: clad in shorts, sneakers and a T-shirt.
Just call it his working attire.
Much of Beamer's life revolves around soccer. As the paid director of the soccer club, Beamer, 30, is responsible for the day-to-day operation of an organization that includes 21 teams and 375 players (boys and girls) ranging in age from under-10 to under-19.
Beamer is in the office in the morning four days a week, overseeing administrative details. He also coaches two teams personally, and operates a retail business, The Soccer Stop.
"People say, `You've got a great job,' " Beamer said. "It's true; I do. But at the same time, I'm pretty well tied to Roanoke. Almost every weekend I have a game or games or a tournament to attend, and I really can't just take off."
This time of year, Beamer is especially busy, as the eighth annual Crestar Festival Soccer Tournament will be played this weekend.
In less than a 36-hour period from Saturday morning until Sunday night, 122 teams of adolescents will play approximately 230 games on 16 fields at five different sites throughout the Roanoke Valley.
Clearly, careful coordination of such an event is imperative, and the value of Beamer's organizational skills is once again reinforced.
"I've got a lot of help," Beamer said. He acknowledged his 18-member board of directors, headed by President Tim Berry, substantial coaching and parental support and his secretary, the mother of one of his former players.
The Crestar tournament is one of three major tourneys the club hosts during the year. The First Virginia Fall Soccer Classic in November and the Blum, Newman and Blackstock 'N' Door Soccer Classic in January have grown as well, and combine to help hold individual player fees to $200 annually (including spring and fall seasons).
This fee is well below most other metropolitan areas, according to Beamer. "The Richmond Strikers, for example, pay $500 a season," he said.
The Roanoke Valley Young Soccer Club's "Star" (as its teams are commonly known) program evolved in the mid-1980s as a consolidation of several Roanoke Valley programs. "Steve Bodley, who's still one of our coaches, really founded it," Beamer said.
"Before, when we traveled to Northern Virginia or wherever, we got crushed. Now, as one valley program, we're competitive."
In last year's Crestar tournament, both of Beamer's teams, and five others from Roanoke, advanced to the championship games. Two Roanoke teams, both girls, won their divisions.
Beamer said the Roanoke club is "a traveling program, not recreational. We have tryouts, and we offer advanced training for players looking for a higher level of soccer.
"Many of our coaches hold national and advanced national licenses," Beamer said. Star players come from the Roanoke Valley, Lynchburg, Blacksburg and Christiansburg.
"We've even got one kid, Mark Wise, who comes in from Lewisburg, W.Va., to practice with us," Beamer said.
"But some people have the misconception that we train every single day and travel all over the world. That's greatly exaggerated. We normally practice twice a week and play games on the weekends. And we do travel regionally."
Most age groups are divided into two levels of play. "A" players are assigned to the white team, and "B" players join the green squad.
The club's season starts in mid-August and runs through November. Indoor soccer in January and February is optional, and then the spring season begins in March and culminates this weekend.
"And some teams play in the summer," Beamer. "So it pretty much has become a year-round sport."
Plans are in progress to construct a field complex in the Vinyard area of Roanoke County, which will allow Beamer to oversee the training and development of all of the club's players.
"Our objective is to raise our competitive level of play," Beamer said.
\ Here's a glossary for soccer terminolgy\
Here is a brief glossary, adapted from Klaas de Boer's book "Indoor Soccer," to explain some basic soccer terminology:
CHIP PASS - A short, lofted pass over the head of a defender, directed to a teammate. Similar to a "chip shot" in golf.
CLOSING DOWN - A defensive maneuver. Pushing up on an opponent when ball possession changes.
COMBINATION PLAY - Passing between two or more players as they move to the opponents' goal.
CORNER KICK - A direct free kick taken from the corner spot by a member of the attacking team after the ball goes out of bounds and was last touched by a defender.
COVERING - Providing support to a teammate challenging for the ball.
COUNTERATTACK - A team's quick attack toward the opponents' goal after winning possession of the ball in its own half.
DEFENDERS - Players whose main function is to prevent goals.
DIRECT FREE KICK - Awarded to a team for a serious foul by the opponent. Team may score goal directly, without ball touching another player.
FINISHING - A shot resulting in a goal.
FORWARDS - Players whose primary function is to score goals.
GOALKEEPER - The only player on the field who may use hands in the penalty area and whose primary function is to prevent balls from going into the goal.
GOAL KICK - A kick taken from anywhere in the goal area after the ball goes out of bounds and was last touched by an attacking player.
HIGH PRESSURE - A form of defense geared toward winning the ball in the opponent's half of the field once possession is lost.
INDIRECT FREE KICK - Awarded to a team for a minor foul by the opponent. Goal can only be scored after ball has been touched by two players.
KICK-IN - The method of putting the ball back into play after it has gone out of bounds on the side.
LINE - A unit of players.
LINE CHANGE - Substituting one line of players with another line either on the fly (during game) or during a break in play.
LOW PRESSURE - A less aggressive form of defense. When ball possession is lost, all players withdraw into their own half or defensive third of the field.
MARKING - Closely guarding an opponent.
MAN-TO-MAN DEFENSE - A form of defense where each player must closely guard an opponent.
OVERLAP - The action of a defender who comes from behind and goes on an attacking run past his midfield or forward players.
PENALTY KICK - Direct free kick taken from penalty spot. It is awarded after a member of the defending team commits a serious infraction within its penalty box.
SPECIALTY TEAMS - Specialized units of players who enter the field during a power play, man-down situations or sixth-attacker situations.
SET PLAY - A predetermined attacking maneuver employed in restart situations (free kicks, corner kicks, kick-ins).
SIXTH ATTACKER - Tactic generally employed in latter stages of a game where team will pull its goalkeeper and replace him with an extra attacking player.
SHIFT - The amount of time a unit of players is on the field.
SUPPORT - Moving into open positions when a teammate has the ball, thereby providing him with several passing options.
TRANSITION - The ability of a team to convert from attack to defense and the reverse.
TACKLE - The method of dispossessing an opponent of the ball by use of the leg or foot.
TARGET PLAYER - A forward player whose main function is to provide a far target to his teammates.
THRU PASS - A pass that penetrates the defense.
WALL PASS - When under pressure of an opponent, passing the ball to a teammate, then running around the opponent for the return pass. Also called "give-and-go."
ZONE DEFENSE - Form of defense where each defender is responsible for guarding opponents in a particular area of the field.
by CNB