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Spring 2009 - Game 3 Halftime Adjustments Key to Victory Last summer I completed my USSF National D coaching license course. After an intense and demanding 36-hour class--most of it on the field in tremendous heat--I got the equivalent of A's across the board except in one area. My evaluators said unanimously, "needs to show more enthusiasm." I think I got a better grade today--or so my players told me.
In this match, however, they far exceeded my expectations. The Thunder was clearly one of the best teams we have played. In the first half, their spacing and ball control had our girls chasing the ball constantly. When they scored the first goal twenty-five minutes into the game, I felt that we were simply over-matched and a win would be very tough to get. Boy, was I wrong. I have learned my lesson. I will never, ever think that my team can't win a game. The resilience they showed once  that first goal was scored--and for the remainder of the game--was truly stunning. They were just incredible.The moment that could have been deflating--that first goal--galvanized the team. Just five minutes later the score was tied after an excellent cross from Kaitlyn through  Holly to a wide-open Emily, who calmly put the ball into the back of the net.So at halftime we talked about winning the ball more often, never giving up on the play, playing smarter and tougher. And wasn't that exactly what they did the rest of the way and then some? Wow! And, by the way, those weren't my ideas. Those ideas came from the girls themselves. The defensive effort was superb once again. And--one thing I really liked--they seem to be taking on a better shape, which is so important to long term success. Anna and Ashley are fast becoming prototypical central defenders, and Dana, Nicole, and Goose are getting more solid every game. I particularly liked how they cut down on the number of times that the Thunder beat them with their first moves. Awesome.After a first half without control, the midfield simply took over the game in the second half. Sammy was as brilliant as she was tough, and Tyla showed some excellent interior passing to go along with her powerful shooting touch. And Taylor, Shelby, Steph, Allyson, and JPeg all took excellent turns on the outside--a grueling task in hot conditions.
I didn't expect such an instant response, but did I ever get one. Alyssa had one of her best games ever, and Allyson bounced back from an injury to ignite the team in the second half. All of the goals were scored off of excellent passing and hustle.Because the play of our keepers has been so consistently good, it's easy to overlook them. I have yet to see a team who has two good keepers that can be counted on to make good decisions and good plays every time they need to. We have that in Shelby and Kaitlyn. This match was no exception. Was I excited today? You bet. I saw this team take their game to a new level, and without much coaching from me. That's the smart part. They figured out what they need to do differently and then they went out and did it. Amazing. There is more where this came from, I know it. That's the exciting part. Think snow! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
