Just wanted to take a quick moment to thank and compliment the fine folks at North Myrtle Beach and Carolina Forest for hosting us for a couple of games this weekend- NMB coaches Lori Gormam and Newt Merricks along with Carolina Forest AD Bubba Lewis and coach Carrie Lysik. The girls, coaches, parents, and I all look forward to doing it again next year if possible. Thanks also to the very courteous and helpful training staff and others from both schools who helped make this such a great first overnight trip for us. I would strongly suggest anyone else wanting to make a trip to the beach for a weekend of games to try and give these people a holler, an absolutely great group of people at both schools.

It was a great weekend but perhaps an ominous way to venture out on our programs first ever overnight trip with the crazy weather that blew through the state making us change our plans and forcing us to stay an extra evening. I have to report to the parents that the girls were absolutely devastated to have to leave dinner on Saturday night and go back to the beach house for another night away instead of coming straight back to Blythewood. From top to bottom it was a great team building experience and hopefully preparation for the really important part of the schedule coming up with region play starting tomorrow as well as the playoffs hopefully following.

A hearty thank you to all the parents who made it down to catch a match or two, have some birthday cake (Happy 16th Birthday Allison), eat some pizza, and support the girls (and the coaches) with their enthusiasm and energy.

An extra special thanks to my wife for letting me attempt this madness and just being so supportive and interested in everything that is going on during soccer madness…err season!

Further extra special thanks to our assistant coach/prayer man/billiards rules aficionado- Tim Pifer and to add on coach/bus driver for the trip- Fletcher Spigner for his “Intense-Focus” during “add-a-turk” and games of pool.

An additional extra special thanks to the mothers who helped make this possible- Margie Malone and Tonya Kurtz who were brave enough to stay in the house with us as well as Cathy Louthian, Deanna Mizzell, Cindy Eargle, and Patti King who helped organize and pull everything together.

Finally, a huge thank you to the young Lady Bengals for being such a great group of kids to coach for and with whom I am very proud to be associated with not only on the soccer pitch but also out and about in the restaurants, convenience stores, and just in public in general. The words “you make me proud” don’t do you enough justice.

Thank you Ladies for a great –and very memorable- trip!!!!

Erika, get back to “BEASTLY” soon!!!!!


Coach King

(Did I forget anybody? Knowing me I probably did, so an EXTRA big thanks to them as well…. sheepish grin….)


Tony King