Great Game Girls! Last season we were up 2-0 at halftime, and they came back to tie us 2-2. We played them also last season in tourny, and they knocked us out, and went on to win tourny. They are a good team. You held off their pressure at the end for the win! Great job.
1. You guys switched fields more than ever. Both from the back, and also from the midfield. VERY HAPPY! Keep that up. And defenders, your spacing when we had the ball, and being far enough back to recieve and swing the ball was well done!! Midfielders, I was so happy to see you guys so quickly look turn and play away from pressure. I have been preaching this the entire year, and was wondering when it would "click". I'm glad it clicked against a good team too! That means so much!
2. Most proud of this one--You were VERYaggressive in coming back to win balls. Against the HEAT last week, we didn't do this, and they stepped to win every ball. We "were that team" last night! I think I can sum it up with what I said to Morgan. I said, "Morgan, I am not most proud of you for your goal (even though it was a great finish and very important goal), or for the skill you showed weaving in and out of girls the first half, but I was most proud of how you checked back hard to recieve the ball not allowing the defender to step in front of you!" Remember girls, we can't score without the ball! You all did this well.
3. Moving without the ball to be options! This made it easier on on the girls with the ball. And then after you passed it, you continued to make YOURSELF an option, instead of watching.
4. Skill!!! All of you showed many skillful moments. But, Jenna, I will focus on this with you. I know with your speed, it's hard for me not to put you up front as a constant scoring threat (and trust me, you'll get your time up there); but I listened to Coach Eric (who really is a smarter guy than me!), and he continued to talk about your importance as a defensive midfielder in not only your defense on the ball, but also setting up our offense when you get the ball. You totally controlled the middle of the field. Your speed, and WORK RATE on defense was great. Jenna, do you remember last season where I had to constantly get on you to work hard during games?? Wow, you have turned that around. I'm guessing it's for what I call "the love of the game". You were everywhere on the field. But, I don't think you understand how much you were such a huge part in setting up the offense playing that role as a defensive mid. You used so much skill to make the other team make it almost impossible to gaurd you. When you didn't have a quick open pass to make, you were able to keep possession with the ball at your feet, allowing our team to work hard in getting open on the attack, or as a drop to continue to keep possession. You were able to continually keep possession and look up field until you saw our best opportunity, and then make those great passes; but also getting yourself open as an option after you passed (last year you would watch after your pass, thinking your job was over)! And if they stole the ball from you (rarely), you want "APE POOP" to quickly win it back. I never thought I'd say this, but that was your best game ever, and I am not sure you even had a shot on goal. But you were so responsible for so many of our scoring opportunities!
Another great example of skill, and being a smart player. Ciara, they finally saw us trying to switch fields from the back. The started to overplay that switch. You recieved the ball and noticed they were looking to cut your pass off. Instead of FREAKING OUT and making the bad pass, or the "safe" thing of just clearing it ahead (which sometimes is the right thing to do); you instead quickly cut the ball back into the middle of the field, and dribbled forward keeping possession for us, and then made a good pass! Ciara, you did it another time when you got it about midfield. They cut your "change of fields" off again, and this time you got very aggressive and drove the ball to the goal for a nice shot! Knowing when to pass, dribble, and clear is VERY valuable, specifically for a defender. Very proud you are beginning to see this! Now we just need to work on that "retaliation" when you get fouled, but I'm afraid that this is just something that was genetically handed down from your dad (JOKE!!).
5. Running through the ball. Girls, knowing when to run through a 50/50 ball, versus knowing when they have the advantage and we then need to play "patient defense" by a "pressure and delay" on the ball. So many of you ran through the ball. Anna does this to perfection and comes up with the ball so many times! Sophie does this well (scares me sometimes doing it as our last defender, but she times it well!). I do want to talk about the goal that Morgan had a GREAT finish! With an incredible goalie like Olivia, who has fantastic punts, this sets up many opportunities for our forwards to run through the ball. Kylie, you ran through that ball so well. You were coming at it so hard, that the defender practically peed herself and turned sideways. You ran right through it, pushing the ball forward for Morgan to then do her thing. So well done! And Kylie, I know I consistently give you credit for your leadership and workrate, and skill--I don't take that for granted and will always give it to you as long as you continue to give it! Another solid game.
6. Simply being able to apply what we work on at practice into the games.... Talk was great, moving off the ball was great, passing was MUCH better. You girls listened and did the things we have been working on so well! You lined up perfect on the free kicks. I know I might have seemed like a grouch at Monday's practice when I yelled at you girls for not being able to repeat what coach Eric was saying. But, we continue to teach you girls things, and you were continuing to do them wrong in games. That's when I realized some of you (ok, a lot of you), were not listening during practice. And that's why I tested you last Monday and found out that over half of you had no idea what Coach Eric had just clearly explained. Lesson learned, right?? After my toungue lashing, I could see the mental involvement was MUCH higher. You put everything together for yesterdays game. I thank you for that. But please remember--listening, understanding, and asking questions if you don't understand is EXPECTED--especially from this day forward. You are all old enough. And I hope you saw how it paid off in yesterdays games. And a last note about this. If you girls are missing practices, you really need to get to the next practice 5 minutes early and ask the girls what they worked on.
7. I know I called out a few girls in this email, and it's almost not fair I don't talk about anyone... my gosh, does Sheena ever have a bad touch on the ball?!, and I used to SCREAM at molly's lack of hustle last year, and does she EVER stop now, or not win a 50/50 ball for us to keep possession; and hannah's skill and workrate and HUGE SOCCER IQ as a defender; and Hope making great overlaps; and Megan playing under control with the ball and attacking the goal always getting her foot in there to get that touch; and Danielle being so good at every positioin (wow, that is a great help when we don't have many subs), and how much Delaney has helped this team by filling in as a REALLY GOOD defender, especially considering we are short of defenders--great goal too delaney :)! And Taylor showing great skill by giving off a Maradonna pass/layoff (really!!!), I could go on and on with each of you, and if I forgot someone, so sorry. But I will finish by telling you that you each have someone very special backing you up in goal. I've seen girls like Sydney Hiance who was ranked number ONE of America's top Goalies her Junior and Senior Year in highschool, and who started for UK for 4 years. I really mean this. In my opinion, and some others, Olivia is at the level Sydney was when Sydney was in 7th-8th grade. Olivia, just understand how hard she continued to work each year, both in season and off season. Keep it up, we all appreciate you, and GREAT PK SAVE AGAIN!!
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