Galaxy Kicks Cancer #MADDIESTRONG

Galaxy Kicks Cancer

Dear West Michigan Galaxy Families,

We hope this finds you well. As we gear up for another exciting season of soccer, I am thrilled to share with you a meaningful opportunity that our club is embarking upon—a chance for us to come together and make a real difference in the fight against blood cancers.

We acknowledge the devastating impact that blood cancers have had on several of our own families in our community. One name that resonates deeply within our community is Maddie Lockwood. Maddie, sister to our former CATS FC player Cammie Lockwood, faced a 2 ½ year battle following a devastating leukemia diagnosis. Her battle, along with countless others, serve as a stark reminder of the urgency and importance of supporting initiatives aimed at finding a cure. Maddie and Cammie not only attend Caledonia schools but their mom, Kristen, is one our math teachers in the district, so they have heavy ties to one of our communities.

Consider this: Every three minutes, someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer. Among these diagnoses, leukemia stands as the #1 most diagnosed form of childhood cancer and 80% of childhood cancer survivors develop chronic health issues from their treatment. But amidst these daunting statistics, there is hope. Better treatment and care for kids is achievable, and here is what the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) is doing to make this dream come true.

In light of this, we have partnered with LLS to raise awareness and funds for this critical cause. Our goal is not only to honor the courage of those currently fighting cancer but also to stand in solidarity with them as a united soccer family. Therefore, I am thrilled to announce the launch of our support as "West Michigan Galaxy Kicks Cancer" where each of our teams will have the opportunity to host a special game dedicated to raising funds and awareness.

To commemorate this initiative, WM Galaxy has purchased a shirt for each of our current players and coaches within the club (they will be distributed in early May to teams). Now we ask for support from each of you to help us in the fundraising efforts for this special cause. All proceeds from the shirt sales and donations will be channeled directly to LLS through Aaron Lockwood's campaign for Visionary of the Year—a cause that is deeply personal to our club.

Moreover, we are excited to share that we will be inviting media to specific games to help grow our club's brand and amplify our impact. This provides us with a unique opportunity to showcase not only our talent on the field but also our commitment to making a difference in the lives of others off the field.

We cannot emphasize enough the significance of our collective efforts in making a tangible impact on the lives of those affected by blood cancers. Together, we have the power to bring hope, support, and ultimately, a cure.

Multiple ways for you to support:

Order a shirt – see details below
Venmo a direct donation – 100% of what is collected will go to LLS (as part of Aaron’s Visionary of the year campaign).

Orders for fan shirts will be accepted through April 12, with delivery to coaches slated for Early May. Let's make this spring season not only about the game we love but also about leveraging our passion for soccer to champion a cause that touches us all.

Shirts are available for anyone that wants to support the cause. Click the link below to order and please consider sharing the link on social media and with friends and family so we can cover the community in West Michigan Galaxy Kicks Cancer gear!

Thank you for your unwavering support and dedication to making a difference, both on and off the field. We are truly grateful for each and every one of you.

With warm regards,

West Michigan Galaxy Board

Venmo Donations

Order A Shirt

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West Michigan Galaxy & Thoroughbred Performance Training Partnership

February 12, 2024

West Michigan Galaxy to partner with Thoroughbred Performance Training to deliver cutting edge speed, agility and strength training for Galaxy players. West Michigan Galaxy is thrilled to announce a partnership with Coach Chuma and TPT (Thoroughbred Performance Training), a leading provider of innovative sports training solutions. This collaboration is a significant step forward in enhancing athletic performance through specialized speed, agility and strength training programs. The partnership between West Michigan Galaxy and TPT brings together two organizations with a shared commitment to fostering athletic development and pushing athletes to achieve their best on and off the field. The collaboration aims to provide Galaxy athletes with cutting-edge training designed to elevate their speed and agility to new heights. Key highlights of the partnership include: Specialized Training Programs: Athletes affiliated with West Michigan Galaxy will have exclusive access to TPT's specialized speed, agility and strength training programs. These programs are tailored to address the unique needs of Galaxy athletes, focusing on maximizing their potential and achieving peak performance. Access to Elite Trainers: The partnership will facilitate a cross-pollination of expertise, allowing athletes to benefit from the knowledge and experience of of Coach Chuma and TPT's elite trainers. This collaboration ensures a holistic approach to training that encompasses all facets of athletic performance. State-of-the-Art Equipment: Athletes will have access to TPT's cutting-edge training facilities equipped with the latest technology and equipment designed to optimize speed and agility development. These facilities will serve as a hub for honing skills and achieving unparalleled results. Enhanced Competition Readiness: With a focus on speed and agility, athletes will be better prepared for the demands of their respective sports. The partnership seeks to enhance overall competition readiness and equip athletes with a competitive edge. Both West Michigan Galaxy and TPT are excited about the possibilities this collaboration presents and are committed to pushing our athletes to help them to continue to grow as athletes. This partnership represents a strategic alignment of values and a shared vision for empowering athletes to reach their full potential. If you have any questions please contact: Jordan Haynes Club Director jordan@wmgalaxy.com For more info about TPT and Coach Chuma you can access their website at https://tpt-getbetter.com/

West Michigan Galaxy Future Coaching Leadership Structure

May 1, 2023

West Michigan Galaxy is experiencing incredible growth and success in its first year after the merger of two long-standing clubs. The club leadership has spent countless hours brainstorming an appropriate way to structure our coaching leadership in order to support the growth and the advanced offerings of soccer in West Michigan right here within Galaxy. We are excited to roll out this next phase of growth within Galaxy for the 2023-24 seasonal year! The first change you will see, we are moving away from the separation of the Director of Coaching (DOC) roles, whereas previously we had one on the girls side and one on the boys side. We are consolidating into one role known as the Club Director. Jordan Haynes will oversee all the Directors and coaches for the entire club. Jordan is a familiar face to all as he is the current Boys DOC and is a club coach. Matt Barnes, the current DOC on the girl’s side, had made it known during the merger that he would give us one year to help through the transition. Unfortunately for all of us, that time has come and he will now be stepping away from the DOC role. We are eternally grateful for Matt’s guidance and wisdom during our first year as WMG and all the years he had served with TASC. Thankfully, he won’t be going too far as he is going to remain with Galaxy as a club coach! The next change you will be seeing is the creation of three new coaching director roles to help support additional offerings and the continued development of our players. These new leadership roles will be known as Technical Director, Tactical Director and a Fustal Director. Dom Hunter should be a familiar name to those within our club as he transitioned over from CATS to WM Galaxy and is currently the head coach of two of our premier teams (U13B Black and U14G Black). Dom will be transitioning into the Technical Director position for the 2023-24 year. Dom’s primary duty as Technical Director will be helping to set and execute the developmental path for the technical skills that the players at each age group should be able to master. He will work with the coaches to create a clear and consistent message as the players advance in age ranks. “We are thrilled to get Dom working with our coaches and more of our Galaxy players. His experience as a player and a coach will be influential in further developing and reinforcing the Galaxy curriculum and development path for our players.” - Jordan Haynes, Club Director. Dom has his USSF ‘D’ coaching license and has not only plenty of playing experience but also hours of coaching at the club level including: 2015-2017 Kalamazoo Kingdom premier and select coach 2019-2022 CATS select head coach 2022-present WM Galaxy premier team head coach Joshua Miller is a new face to WM Galaxy and will be joining us this fall from Midwest United, where he spent the last ten years developing players of all ages. Joshua will be filling the role of Tactical Director, where his primary focus will be club wide curriculum and growth. Josh will be creating growth benchmarks for each age group’s soccer IQ. As a full time educator at East Kentwood High School, with a master's degree in curriculum development, his focus will be on the development of not only the tangible skills but the mental aptitude of the player, increasing their understanding as developmentally appropriate. He will be helping coaches achieve these milestones with their teams. Showing his excitement for the new role, Joshua says, "I've committed my professional career to child development and am excited to continue to support that same development on the soccer field in a leadership role. Each of our coaches will be provided a year-long curriculum, adapted from US Soccer, to make sure they have the tools to make the biggest impact on each player in the club, and I can't wait to be able to support our coaching staff as we strive to be the best in youth development in West Michigan." Joshua currently holds multiple coaching certifications as well as hours on the pitch coaching players of all ages. Some of his coaching experiences include: 2005-2012, Varsity Boys/Girls at Santiago Christian School (Santiago, Dominican Republic) 2012-2013, 2016-2019, Varsity Boys assistant at East Kentwood HS 2012-2018, Varsity Girls assistant at East Kentwood HS 2014-2105, Varsity Boys head coach at Grand Rapids Christian HS 2019-current, Varsity Girls assistant at Byron Center HS 2012-2023, staff coach with Midwest United, U7-U15 boys and girls The final addition to our new coaching leadership staff is Miguel Cervantes. Miguel will be the Futsal Director for WM Galaxy. As futsal is new to WM Galaxy, it is not new to Miguel. He just competed in the NFPL Futsal Championship for the second year in a row as a goalkeeper! He joined ABK in 2012 and has been part of the Latican style Futsal training ever since. Most recently, Miguel was a goalkeeper coach and coach for ABK/OLe Futsal. As a player, he is a 4x Regional Futsal Champion and a 2x National Futsal Champion and the 2022 MLIS National Indoor Champion. Miguel and his team will be working to develop and grow our Galaxy Futsal program. He will not only be developing our players but also training our coaches in the Latican Style of Futsal. Miguel and his team have a pivotal role in helping our players learn the skills necessary to compete at this fast paced, high energy sport known as Futsal. The skills our players develop on the futsal court will translate to the outdoor field and we couldn’t be more excited to have Miguel leading the way for our inaugural year of Futsal. “Miguel has trained, played and learned from some of the best futsal coaches in the nation. The wealth of knowledge he has and the experiences he can share with our players will be absolutely fantastic for their continued development in both futsal and ultimately when they go back to their regular outdoor season as well. We couldn’t be more thrilled to have him leading our futsal program.” - Jordan Haynes When you see these guys around, help us in welcoming and congratulating each of them in their new roles! We can’t thank all of you enough for your commitment to our club and hope you are as excited to see these changes as we are! Go GALAXY!

Galaxy Kicks Cancer #MADDIESTRONG