Welcome to the Kings Hammer Columbus June Newsletter! This edition features, New Uniform Cycle, First-Ever National Cup Regional Appearance, Summer Camps, U10B Super Cup Finalists, KH FC Columbus Youth Night, Fall Juniors, Featured Education: “A Letter from the Technical Desk: When the Moment Gets Loud”, and more! If you have a player, coach, or team to be highlighted in future newsletters, please send photos and stories to dfry@kingshammer.com. Each newsletter will be posted on our website as well as our social pages.

New Uniform Cycle: Order Your Kit Today

A friendly reminder that the 2026–2027 season marks the beginning of a new two-year Kings Hammer uniform cycle. All players will need to purchase a new uniform kit for the upcoming season.

To ensure uniforms arrive before the start of the fall season, families are encouraged to place their orders as soon as possible. Please refer to the uniform ordering email previously sent for complete details and instructions. If you have any questions regarding uniforms, please contact Adam Gatton at agatton@kingshammer.com.

Order early and get ready to represent Kings Hammer this fall!

First-Ever National Cup Regional Appearance for KHNA

History was made this summer as KHA NAB B0708-1 became the first team in Kings Hammer New Albany history to win the NPL-GLA Playoffs and advance to the US Club National Cup Regionals.

Competing against some of the top clubs from across the Midwest, including teams from Wisconsin and Illinois, the boys represented our club with tremendous pride, determination, and resilience. Their remarkable run came to an end in heartbreaking fashion after a three-way tiebreaker, but their accomplishments will forever be part of Kings Hammer New Albany history.

This team set a new standard for what is possible at our club, and we could not be more proud of the players and coaching staff for their commitment, character, and historic achievement.

Congratulations to KHA NAB B0708-1 on an unforgettable season and for paving the way for future generations of Kings Hammer New Albany players.

Extra Touches, Extra Fun: Kings Hammer Summer Camps Are Here

Looking for additional opportunities to train this summer? Kings Hammer’s optional summer camps provide players with a fun and engaging environment to continue developing their skills, stay active, and prepare for the upcoming season.

A variety of camp options are available for both Academy and Elite players, including:

• World Cup Camp (Academy)
• Polaris Summer Camp (Academy)
• Striker & Goalkeeper Summer Camp (Elite & Academy)
• Columbus Elite Summer Camp (Elite)

All camps require a registration fee and are open to players looking to get extra touches on the ball and continue their development throughout the summer.

To view available camps in your area and register, please log in to your PlayMetrics account.

We look forward to seeing your player on the field this summer!

U10B Gold Shines at Super Cup 3v3 Tournament

Playing under the lights and competing with tremendous energy, our U10B Gold team delivered an impressive performance at the Super Cup 3v3 Soccer Tournament in Rocky River.

The boys battled through four matches and earned finalist honors, showcasing their skill, determination, and teamwork throughout the day. Their outstanding effort also secured an invitation to the Super Cup State Championships in Sandusky this July.

Congratulations to our players on a fantastic tournament and for representing Kings Hammer New Albany so well. We can’t wait to see what this team accomplishes next!

Kings Hammer FC Columbus Youth Night

There are just three opportunities left this summer to watch Kings Hammer FC Columbus in action at Capital University’s Bernlohr Stadium.

Join us on Monday, July 6, for Youth Night and celebrate with the entire Kings Hammer family. All registered Kings Hammer Columbus, Kings Hammer Barcelona, Kings Hammer New Albany, and Kings Hammer Polaris players will receive free admission to the match.

Come out and support our USL League Two squad as they make their final push of the season. Bring your friends, wear your club colors, and enjoy an evening of high-level soccer right here in Central Ohio.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of the action this summer. Click here for tickets and match information.

Fall Juniors: The Perfect Introduction to Soccer

This fall, give your child the opportunity to learn, play, and fall in love with the game of soccer. The Kings Hammer New Albany Juniors Program is designed specifically for young players, creating an encouraging environment where fun and development go hand in hand.

Led by our licensed coaching staff, players will be introduced to the fundamentals of the game through engaging activities, skill-building exercises, and small-sided games that promote creativity and confidence.

Program highlights:

• U5–U8 age groups
• Weekly training sessions and games
• Age-appropriate curriculum focused on individual development
• Experienced, licensed coaches

Whether your player is brand new to soccer or returning for another season, Juniors is the perfect place to build skills, make friends, and create a lifelong love for the game.

Registration for our Fall Juniors season is now open! Click here to learn more and register!

From The National Technical Desk: When the Moment Gets Loud

Monday night I watched something happen that I want every one of you to understand, because it is not really about soccer. It is about pressure, and what pressure reveals.

Germany and Paraguay went to penalties in the round of 32. You know the setup. Sudden death, lights, a packed stadium, German fans loud behind the goal, the whole weight of the tournament sitting on one ball and one moment. Paraguay was the underdog. Ranked 34th in the world, walking into a shootout against a four-time World Cup champion that had won six straight shootouts in major tournaments. By every measure, the moment belonged to Germany.

And then the moment got too big for them.

Watch the last two German kicks if you have not already. You can see it before the ball is even struck. The walk to the spot gets quicker. The setup gets shorter. There is no breath, no pause, just get it over with. One shot sailed over the bar. That is not a technical failure. That is a player whose mind got there before his body did. Pressure does that. It speeds everything up when what you actually need is to slow everything down.

Then Paraguay’s José Canale stepped up for sudden death. A guy who had not even started the previous two matches. No reputation riding on this kick, nothing earned yet, nothing to fall back on except himself in that moment. And he did the opposite of what we had just watched. He took his time. Big breath. Set the ball exactly where he wanted it. And buried it, ice cold, with an entire stadium of German fans screaming behind that goal.

That is the difference. Not talent. Not even experience, since this kid barely had any at this level. The difference was what each player did with the half-second before contact. One group let the moment speed them up. One young man slowed the moment down.

Why this matters for development, not just performance

I want to connect this to something I believe deeply about why youth soccer, played the right way, builds people for the long run. This game puts you in pressure spots over and over, in front of people, with a result attached, starting when you are eight or nine years old. A missed penalty in a U10 game does not end a career. But it teaches a nervous system how to handle a moment when something is on the line. It teaches a kid what it feels like to fail in public and walk back to the line anyway. By the time that same kid is grown and standing over a penalty with the world watching, or sitting across a table negotiating a job, or making a decision under real pressure in any field, the body already knows what to do with that feeling. It has practiced it a hundred times in cleats on a Saturday morning.

That is the long-term gift of this sport. We are not just building better players. We are building people who have learned, early and often, how to breathe through pressure instead of being run over by it.

What it means to be Kings Hammer

This connects directly to Relentless Action. Relentless Action is not just sprinting back on defense or winning second balls. It is staying present when the moment gets loud. It is the discipline to slow yourself down when everything around you is speeding up. Canale did not out-talent Germany last night. He out-composed them. That is a skill. It is trainable. And it is exactly the kind of decision-making and mental toughness we are building into every player who comes through our program.

So here is what I want you to take from this. Pressure is not your enemy. It is the thing that will eventually tell you who you are. The work we do here, every training session, every tough rep, every moment we ask you to perform when it is uncomfortable, is preparing your mind for the night when the ball is on the spot and everyone is watching. When that moment comes for you, I want you to be the person taking the deep breath. Not the person rushing to get it over with.

Bring the Relentless Action.

– Bronson Gambale, KH National Technical Director

GK Union Save of the Month

May closed out with some great saves as Allie and Rowan from KH Cincinnati kept the opponent out of the net with two brilliant stops!

Did you make an incredible save or a game-saving block? We want to see them! Post your best saves in the Kings Hammer GK Union Facebook group. Be sure to share throughout the upcoming season and YOU could be selected for our Kings Hammer Save of the Month! GK Save of the Month winners will be announced the Friday of the first full week of the following month.

Monthly winners will be posted on the Kings Hammer social pages and on the GK Union page.

Stay Connected with the Kings Hammer Family

Want to stay up to date with everything happening across the Kings Hammer Columbus family? Follow our social media channels for the latest club news, registration announcements, player and team highlights, event information, tournament results, and special features from around the organization.

Whether you’re part of Kings Hammer Columbus, Kings Hammer Barcelona, Kings Hammer New Albany, Kings Hammer Polaris, or cheering on Kings Hammer FC Columbus, our social channels are the best place to stay connected and celebrate our entire soccer community.

Be sure to tag us in your posts—we love sharing the memories and accomplishments of our players, coaches, and families.

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